Would you purchase a $400 car?

[Turbo_Lemming]

Up for discussion, if you, personally, would buy a $400 car, knowing it has some sort of problem and only not knowing the degree of the problem, that could be reliable transportation. Cosmetic appearance aside.

For the specific and exact example for this question, since there are many sub-$1000 cars in this country, I will describe it as generally and relevantly as I can, without naming it: Model year 2000 of a first-gen era of a beautiful and high end car. Not American, therefore not a Cadillac DeVille or Lincoln Town Car, slightly smaller than those. 134,000 miles. Strong trans. Hood does not seem to latch but is fit on there fine. Engine bay looks clean, and largely untouched. Coolant tank on side with dent is brand new and empty.. That is suspicious. Engine has some kind of noise yet starts right up, oil good, looks sludged, does run just fine despite. Interior not cut or torn, just dirty. Has all windows and doors. Slight dent on passenger side. Clean paint. Being sold out of a body shop.. I suspect an insurance write-off, due to where its being sold from and how it is all the way in the back.

Would you buy that car? Would you buy a super cheap car?

 

[WobblyElvis]

I would buy a cheap car. Not that one.

 

[rkpatt]

Toyota, yes. Not sure about anything elee.

 

[sciphi]

If you knew that model well and had a large-ish budget to get the car running. Otherwise, run. There are too many other cars out there.

 

[cptbarkey]

Is there some sort of end goal with your question or are we just talking about setting money on fire.

 

[SLCraig]

I have bought a $300 car before that was a good car.

I bought a 2000 Saturn SW2 wagon with subframe damage.

After I replaced the subframe the car drove perfect after an alignment and it only needed brakes for safety. I drove it a year and traded it in for $1500. It owed me nothing.

 

[RooflessVW]

Yeah I'd buy it, diagnose it, fix it, clean it, shine it, drive it, and sell it for a profit.

It's easy to do if you know what you're doing, and easy to crash and burn if you don't.

 

[Ramblejam]

Stop playing your ridiculous games, Joseph.

If you want help, identify the make/model.

 

[andyd]

Old BMW, Lexus, stop being cute what is the particular make and model. Trouble with old high end cars is that the parts and expertise still costs bux. That can be greatly relieved if you have a good parts car.

 

[NHGUY]

High end? Its probably a KIA Sephia.....

 

[barkingspider]

Depends on make and model

 

[Mr Nice]

No.

 

[demarpaint]

Maybe, it depends. If I see an opportunity to make some quick cash I'm in.

 

[bullwinkle]

Nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes (if that's what it is). Good news, scrap prices are creeping back up, I saw a couple paying $100/ton for scrap cars-if it is heavy, that would lessen the financial risk.

 

[bullwinkle]

And I have bought cheap cars in the past, a $25 Pinto (needed a timing belt & keys, drove it for 6 months in college until I stupidly ran it out of oil & blew it up), & a $100 Civic (warped head, 2 burnt valves, bad rings)-but newer cars are too expensive to repair, the days of cheap parts & easy repairs are long gone.

 

[totegoat]

I bought a 1960 F100 4x4 for $400 over 40 years ago. It was a good truck.

 

[Lyman]

I bought a classic El Camino once for $900. It didn't run right and would stall after a while. It ran great after I uncrossed the coil wires.

 

[Uber_Archetype]

I got my 1st car free in 1980. It '68 Dodge Coronet needing minor bodywork, tires, brakes and front end work. I spent about $300 and a month of hard labor making it roadworthy.

 

[Turbo_Lemming]

Originally Posted By: Blkstanger
I bought a classic El Camino once for $900. It didn't run right and would stall after a while. It ran great after I uncrossed the coil wires.

Its true. I've had some cheap cars that needed almost nothing, or actually nothing.

Someone asked of a goal, since im mixing this in with a general automotive question, or if it is just an experiment in setting money on fire. To answer: As to the car in mind, If I can secure this car, which is not certain, it could go the cheap profit route. Possible and likely, though it might be a part of my personal fleet. I'm curious what kind of title it has, though. Maybe that's why it is cheap. I don't know yet.

Let me see.. I've had a few $300 cars that had no problems, except that the owner didn't want it anymore. This car was advertised as needing to get rid of, due to space. Based on what I saw, that could be true or could not be true. Its at a business, not a house.

Originally Posted By: Uber_Archetype
I got my 1st car free in 1980. It '68 Dodge Coronet needing minor bodywork, tires, brakes and front end work. I spent about $300 and a month of hard labor making it roadworthy.


I have also once received a free car, needing not much money to make it work.

 

[supton]

Been a long time since I bought a cheap car like this. I think I'd want to stick with some easy to repair--if something broke, I'd want it cheap to fix.

The problem with really cheap cars is they are often worn out. Maybe the body, chassis and engine are ok, but after you add up tires, struts, clutch or trans swap, radiator, rust repair and whatever else might be wrong--you'll realize why the PO became "prior". Now if you can score one which the owner gave up after one too many recent repairs, and all you need to do is something simple; or if you can ignore all of its issues... Sure. Well, assuming you don't need to rely on it, or you're willing to gamble a bit.