Source
r/Frugal•
wildlife

Need a reliable car for 7 months, buy a $1k beater or this other idea...?

I've had at least three ~$1k cars in the past and always they end up costing me lots in time, money, and stress. While out of the country my current car is likely a lost cause as it won't start after the caretaker didn't drive it every week like I asked. Might be able to get a few hundred from it though.

So I can spend my money either to

A) fix a 93 Toyota Paseo with who knows how many miles on it above 118k (broken odometer)

B) buy another beater

Or c) get a used car on payments and hope there's no down payment and that I can resell it in about 7 months without losing much more than $1k. I saw 2010 Jettas are holding their value well, any other ideas? Can this work? Is it stupid and I'm naive? Thanks everyone!

Posted Dec 27, 2012, 5:05 PM UTC

7786
[deleted]•

stop buying $1k cars. if you want something remotly dependable spend at least $2k.

cars, in my opinion, last roughly 1 month for each $100 spent on buying it. or a year for each $1k, its a very rough estimate in any case.

making payments might be possible, but no down payment isnt likely to happen. you will probably need 10-20% of the total cost for the down payment. that means you could get some with a 5-10k sticker price, but keep in mind, the total cost is way higher at the dealers.

personally...if i were in your shoes, i would try to fix the paseo, get what it needs to be reliable, but dont fix what you dont have to. if it wont start because its been sitting, it may just need a jumpstart or a new battery.

27
opsomath•

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the $3-4k car. Below that you pretty much get crap. Second fixing the Toyota, though.

12
mangage•

$1K cars are great, but you gotta be careful where you get them. What you want is the car worth 1.5 to 2k but being sold at 1k. The best cars are older high-end cars.

I got a 1994 Camry with 150k on it over 5 years ago for $1k, in great condition. Safetied and E-tested without putting money in it. Over those years I put well under $1k of work into it. It got 600-1000km on a tank of gas and I would still be driving it today had some fucking idiot not plowed into the front of it two months ago.

7
cheese7•

600-1000 km per tank? How big is the gas tank?

That's amazing, I thought I was getting good mileage on my 08's ford focus, 50L tank = 750 km (highway).

0
mangage•

65L

1
theraf8100•

I had a buddy buy a car for $150 and it lasted him at least three years.

2
[deleted]•

there are always exceptions to the rule. and there are idiots who will sell a car for a fraction of its value. good for him though.

3
LetsGo_Smokes•

a year for each $1k

I guess I'm doing pretty well with my $2100 Toyota truck that I've owned for 8 years then.

2
[deleted]•

:D

brofist.

ive got a 1993 toyota pickup v6 4wd. overall its a good truck, ive been a little less lucky with mine, i had to replace the clutch, and something got stuck in my rad fan, and i had to replace the radiator, a bunch of pulleys and some other stuff. :( even still, i think ill get similar value out of it, ive got like 4k in it, but only likw 220k miles, and i should be good to go another 220 from here.

5
LetsGo_Smokes•

I only included purchase price. I have some repair money in it, but honestly not that much. And then some tires, and oil and gas here and there. It might actually equal out to $1000 a year if I look at all of it.

Mine is a 1987 2wd 4 cly. 22R carbureted, extra cab, long bed truck with manual trans. It has about 215,000 miles on it. I'm actually at a point where I either need to dump a bunch of cash into it, or get a new truck. But it still goes down the road.

2
[deleted]•

Zip cars? Car share programs? Do you really need a car? What about a short term lease?

15
[deleted]•

Zip car is no deal. It comes out to be way more expensive then buying a cheap car then selling it when you don't need it later. Everyone I know who has tried zip car comes to the conclusion that it is a huge scam.

11
trouphaz•

I think it works well for people who can't have a car. For example, some friends live in New York City where it is super expensive and inconvenient to have a car. Zip car works ok for them every so often when they go to visit people in NJ and can tie that to a big trip to the supermarket.

14
[deleted]•

I mean I live in NYC. From mine and others calculations its cheaper to take a black car into NJ whenever needed then the zipcar fees. Also it isn't that expensive or inconvenient to have a car if you don't live in Manhattan. If you do live in Manhattan you can definitely afford a regular rental car or as I said black car service for the same price or maybe a little bit more. Definitely less headache. I'm not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination and when I go visit family in NJ or Westchester that isn't accessible by public transportation (which most of it is) I just take a gypsy cab. This happens tops once a year.

People in NYC generally live close to a supermarket also rendering the need for a car obsolete. If they don't or they don't feel like walking at all, Fresh Direct offers competitive prices to any local supermarket and delivers the groceries to your door, including a wide selection of organic and specialty items again for way less then the zip car fees.

I'm not kidding when I said everyone I know who got the zip car regretted the decision and didn't renew. It is more then a handful.

8
nursejacqueline•

I used ZipCar when I lived in NYC, and absolutely loved it. If you're a student, it's $25 a year plus the hourly rate. The cars were conveniently located and had free gas/tolls. It's not usually worth the money to keep it overnight if you're over 25 (a rental will be cheaper, even with gas, etc...), but for short trips to Costco or to go apple picking upstate, it is more convenient than a gypsy cab an the same or better price.

3
trouphaz•

Wow, I never realized what it was like. I haven't seen them in a while, though I should see them on New Years Eve. I wonder if they've kept up with Zip car if it is as bad as you say it is. I know they don't go with the black cars only because they usually go to a few different places. If they're coming into NJ, they'll visit her parents, then come to our house or another friends house and then Costco. I think they'll go to the supermarket in NJ just because it is easier to get bulk items back to their place in a car vs however else people in NYC do it. :)

1
fr1endlyf1re•

meh, this just isnt accurate. i dont live in manhattan, but live in boston proper and zipcar, while not cheap, is way cheaper than taking a black car whenever i need it, let alone a car i need to park [parking is "reasonable" near me, and still $200/mo]. for trips longer than a couple hours, a zipcar is not a good option, but for groceries and short errands, it costs about half what a taxi/black car would.

i primarily use it for groceries, and the delivery options are not competitive where I am. even stop and shop's own "peapod" service has a huge markup, as they do not have the same prices as are advertised in the flier, and charge delivery fees. i am frugal when it comes to these expenses and have also worked out the costs. for short trips to get groceries, zipcars in downtown boston are cheaper than taxis/black cars/delivery, etc. for long trips, rent a car. for small grocery trips, walk.

EDIT: What I would add is to always look for daily deal sites to have zipcar on them as that waives the yearly fee and gives you driving credit, so with that combined, it makes it much more reasonable for occasional use. I do agree that it is expensive, and wont be looking to renew unless I get another of those deals.

-1
verywidebutthole•

I use zipcar. A while back I drove to my girlfriend's house about 80 miles away in a zipcar pickup, it has a 180 mile allowance per day with gas included. Also, this. Essentially I picked up the car at 5:40ish, since you can pick it up early, drove to her house, relaxed and fucked around for a few hours, slept for a few hours, and drove back home with her and most of her things (she was moving out for the summer) at around 6 AM, all for a little over $40. The gas alone would have cost $30.

Other times I pick it up for 2 hours, go to the grocers store, grab a quick bite, and park it again less than a quarter mile from my house. For someone who uses public transportation, bikes, or walks, it's the perfect solution to give you mobility when other options just aren't worth the time/effort. Also, it's great to know you have a set of wheels for emergencies.

Another example is when I took a car for 3 hours to pick up my parents and brother from the airport. The cost was way less than a taxi and even public transport for 3 people would have cost approximately $18, and they'd have to deal with a public transit system they knew little about.

Should you use it every day to get to work? Or even every week to go to the beach? No. The idea is you want to have it parked for as little time as possible, because when it's parked you are losing money and when you drive it you are getting a good deal. Seems like it's a bad idea for this guy, but it's not at all a scam. It's a niche.

9
[deleted]•

Well that over night plan isn't available in yc where I live. Also it doesn't seem terribly convenient being only Monday to Thursday and havin to reserve it 2 days in advance. Is that including the 60 dollar a year fee or do you use the 50 dollar a month plan? With the drive as you want it looks to be 83 dollars a day. Since I am over 25 a rental car would be a better option for me in your situation. That being said neither zip car or rental car or cab are good options for op

1
verywidebutthole•

I guess for students, Monday-Thursday doesn't matter too much. Also, I'm not sure how prices vary from place to place but I pay $25/year, may have something to do with my university. Apparently there's a plan for $15/year. I'm from SF Bay Area. And yes, you generally don't want to take the car for a day. I think I've only done that once and it was to go visit my gf again. Usually when I take the car, I calculate how much time I need and stick to a strict schedule. For some context, I only use the service maybe 8-12 times a year, which is why I say it's a niche market.

edit: added stuff

1
steamed__hams•

In Chicago you can get a zipcar for $8-10/hour, including gas and insurance. For people like me who need to use a car about twice a month, this is way cheaper and more convenient than owning a car.

Between car payments, insurance, gas and renting a parking spot, owning a car in Chicago will easily run you $400/month or more. Taking a cab the distance I need to drive (80 miles round trip) would also cost a lot more than renting a zipcar for 4 hours.

4
konrad9•

$400 a month is extremely generous if you commute to work more than a few miles.

2
HaMMeReD•

I use it and don't feel it's a huge scam. Maintenence/Insurance/Gas is all included.

I once used it for 3 full days for a long trip, and it still come out much cheaper than a rental.

$7-$12 hour is much cheaper than the cost of a taxi, if you just need it for errands and such.

I also have access to a truck when I need it.

I wouldn't call it cheap, but it is valuable to those who only need cars for short periods here and there.

3
hemlockone•

I absolutely love zipcar. The key for me is it's less about moving me, but more about me moving stuff. In most cases for me, I rent the van or the truck for an hour or two to move a couch or something.

The key is convenience. If I need a couch, I look on craigslist, find it, and get it.

For me, it is much, much cheaper. Getting myself around involves a bus, the train, or my bike. But for that once every few weeks when that is insufficient, the ability to walk down the street and just get the automobile you need for the job is well worth it.

1
konrad9•

Everyone I know who has tried zip car comes to the conclusion that it is a huge scam.

Then why are they still in business if it's such an obvious scam?

0
Frosty840•

I'm in the UK so I'm exceptionally clueless, here, but I happened to be watching the RussiaToday propaganda news channel this evening and they had a story on a new-ish service that has opened in NYC which sounds like this ZipCar thing, but only charges you while you're driving.

The price I think I heard quoted was 38cents per minute, but like I said, that's driving time only...

Pretty sure it wasn't ZipCar, though.

Anyway, like I said, completely clueless, but the news article sprang to mind.

0
eepun•

This is the company "Car2Go" where you pay per min driving.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

8
notiraglass•

Agree. My parents have only bought Toyotas and I was driving my mom's old 1990 corolla for a while. It still works, she uses it to drive to work now. The only problem it's had (Aside from cosmetic) has been the muffler going out. That was annoying but it wasn't a huge deal.

3
[deleted]•

I had a 1999 Toyota Camry for about a year, my Dad had it since the year it was released. It was an awesome car. The only problem ever with it was that my Dad liked to park it in the yard, so when I got it a lot of things were rusting through underneath the car.

Got ran off the road by a drunk and now I have a 1999 Buick Century.

3
archlich•

The way this is phrased, it might sound like that one should not lease, nor own a toyota.

3
[deleted]•

My parents keep buying toyotas. That just can't seem to stop. /rimshot

2
drastickmeasures•

Leasing is viable right now. It almost never is, but right now it's viable.

In a down economy used cars go up in demand and new cars go down. Leases fall off entirely.

In some markets you can lease a Nissan Leaf for $199/month. It's out of his price range but as an electric it will cut his fuel costs considerably. The benefit here is that the longevity of the battery packs in electric cars is questionable, and a bit unknown. You can take the benefit of an EV without depreciating the battery pack.

Depending on electric costs it can cut his fuel expense to 30% of what he was paying before. If he'd normally fill up for $150, he'll save more than half the lease cost in fuel, making this a very viable choice.

It'll be up to market conditions and his negotiation skill to determine if it is worthwhile, but it's definitely a top pick in some markets.

(also, Toyotas are amazing, they're easily a top pick. The Versa isn't bad either, mostly because it's just so damn cheap)

2
BungiFungi•

I bought an 02 Corolla with 127k for $2.5k. Runs like a champ and gets 40 mpg, best car I have ever owned

1
bard329•

Sometimes you get lucky with cheap beaters. A few years ago I found a 1987 chevy s-10 blazer in craigslist. $200 got me about 9 months worth of driving until the fuel pump died. I ended up selling it as is,$325 for scrap

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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drastickmeasures•

Since his actual cash is limited this won't be as good, but your strategy is viable if you stack it with a frequent flyer program.

Southwest gives 2,400 points for a 7 day rental through hertz. This converts to $39.84 to $48 in reward mileage, depending on flight. www.millionmilesecrets.com explains how to get a companion pass so a second person can fly for free, effectively giving double value to those pts. Since that might not be possible, I'll ignore it for this scenario.

If he picks up an Aveo at 40MPG and a beater at 20, he stands to save half on his fuel costs, or about $15-30.

There's also credit card bonuses and loyalty perks for rental car places, if you rent 4 weeks you can usually get one free plus a percentage cashback.

If his budget's $1000 and he saves $55 per rental, and is renting for 24 weeks (after free weeks are considered) then the rental cost can be up to $95 to meet budget. It'll be tough to meet the $1,000 budget and some money will be locked up in the form of reward miles, but it's a smaller gamble than everything else he's doing. If he has a need for a companion pass then this may be the best option (if he has the cash for it)

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
drastickmeasures•

It's definitely possible either way. Things are tough, and rental car pricing is fickle. It's important to never dismiss an opportunity, even if it sounds silly at first. Economic conditions change, businesses get more efficient, and there's always someone looking to cut a deal.

1
Concision•

You're looking at probably $2.5k

2
apestate•

it's common for cars that sit to drain batteries. the car's "computer" memory and other tiny draws will leave drained batteries at airport parking garages, for instance. if a dead battery experiences freezing temperatures, it will freeze and become useless. Your new battery is going to cost around $100 and you're back in business.*

Try some simple auto maintenance! It isn't complicated, it's just painful. It is also tough to find space to work on a car... apartment complexes usually frown on such activity. You spend money on tools, yes, but you gain the tools and knowledge to work on your own car.

That being said, a '93 Paseo is probably not an ideal project car.

Let me give you an example... a 2000 Hyundai. We put new struts (shock absorbers) in the back, a new alternator, new front brake rotors and pads and one side caliper, changed the oil and replaced both low beam lamps. Besides the oil, these repairs happened because something broke. Meanwhile, we were living out of the car, driving it up and down logging roads to car camp in the national forest. Total tools = 1 set of metric wrenches ($15), a 4lb sledge hammer, screwdriver. Total parts cost is about $500. It has 140,000 miles on it.

edit: *if indeed the battery is toast.

3
bytemovies•

Sledgehammer was for....?

2
punkfunkymonkey•

Advanced car maintenance, the really delicate stuff.

3
apestate•

Brake rotors wouldn't come off. In the end, a few $'s spent on 12mm screws and nuts is all it needed.

1
theycallmeheisenberg•

if you can jump start the car you have now, drive it straight to a dealer. you are likely to get okay money on a trade in. (I had a piece of shit car that was in really rough shape but i still got $2k for a trade in). You might still need a down payment but instead of getting a $1k car, use it for a down payment. You get what you pay for, and it looks to me like you are throwing your money away with unreliable cars. I'm not saying get an expensive car, but be reasonable.

what is in 7 months where you wont need a car?

3
wildlifeOP•

Leaving the country again for a couple years. But I have to commute 20-30 miles each day while I'm back in Texas.

1
rebeldefector•

93-98 Honda Civic, or 94-98 Subaru Outback

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

5
rebeldefector•

This is r/frugal... many people do their own repairs. A head gasket is fairly simple, all things considered... you'll spend maybe $200 in parts, all said and done.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

4
rebeldefector•

My understanding of the situation is that in 1996 on the 2.5l engine Subaru used a composite type head gasket similar in construction to the head gaskets found in the Subaru Legacy & Impreza 2.2l engine. Starting in 1997 and used through 1999 Subaru began to use a multi layer steel shim head gasket with a graphite type outer film, and this is where the problems started.

In mid year 1998 Subaru redesigned the 2.2l and 2.5l, most of the changes were in the cylinder heads and camshaft configurations. This design has had mostly problems with external head gasket leaks. Both oil and coolant...

Regardless, there is (barely) enough room to work in engine compartment and change the head gaskets on every one that I have seen... it's not fun, and it's not straight forward, but for those who are unable or feel uncomfortable removing the engine, it can be done... though it's recommended to remove the engine and replace the rear main seal as well, and it will likely take less time to do it right, especially if it's DOHC.

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f66/how-replace-ej25-head-gaskets-without-removing-engine-57335/

1
[deleted]•

I bought a 2000 Cavalier ayearish ago for 800. It was a very good deal, but I havent had to sink any money in to it besides the break line(30 dollars), a blower fan(purchased on ebay for 25, installed myself), and fluids that you'd have to pay for with any car.

2
kaisersousa•

What's wrong with the Paseo? I bet it will cost less than $1k to keep it on the road for 7 months.

2
notshipwreck•

I have an 87 BMW 528 that I bought for $1500 w/228,000 miles. Had it 8 years and it still runs like a champ, most reliable car I've ever owned, so if you can find one that's been well-maintained, it will run great and in 7 months you can sell it in about 12 seconds.

2
sapo916•

Get a nice $4k car and it won't even lose $500 in 7 months.

2
imgary•

I bought a car under the same idea. 3 years later I am still driving that 97 Honda Accord. It has about 180k. I've put about 1000 into since.

2
CuriousDonkey•

Drag your toasted Paseo in for your down payment?

Sequence of events is critical:

  1. Find a credit union that will pre-qual you for financing
  2. Go to car dealer, mention nothing of 1 and negotiate
  3. Once a final deal is set for total price ask how much you need down.
  4. If it's 1-2k, you should be okay, they usually are generous there.
  5. Offer the car for down payment, if he bites:
  6. Bring in car, when he tries to introduce you to finance, say you have your own loan and buy it on the already negotiated price assuming they were going to make money back on financing it.

That's the only way c is worth it at all imho. Likely to get much more than what the car's worth in trade if you wheel and deal right.

2
MrFitzgibbons•

When it comes to frugal cars, the only 2 options are mid - late nineties toyota camries and honda civics.

You can get a great car that will need little-no work, is great on gas, and will last you 100-200,000 miles for between 3,000 and 5,000 dollars.

When buying a car, 3 things everyone needs are:

www.Edmuds.com (this has great consumer reviews for cars of all years and models)

www.autotrader.com (search engine with ridiculous amounts of car listings)

www.fueleconomy.gov/ (obviously, tells you the gas mileage of a car you're looking at).

But, as I said, the best thing for you is, to anyone who knows anything about cars, obviously mid-late nineties camry or civic...

again... the car you want is a camry or a civic, between the year 1995 an 1999. It will cost you virtually nothing and last for ever as long as you take care of upkeep...

2
fantastic_apathy•

If you don't want to lose more than 1000 in a year then you should probably look at imports in the 5-6 range or higher. You would be really rolling the dice with another beater, and if you bought on payments you would have interest and comprehensive to pay IN ADDITION to not knowing how much you'll recoup when you sell down the line.

Best case, find a good deal for cash on an import sedan or coupe. Take good care of it and keep it clean.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
spoonraker•

It's not really frugal to buy $1,000 cars if you have absolutely no ability to perform basic maintenance and aren't willing to even attempt to replace parts on them yourself. I highly doubt a car that sat for a while and now won't start is a lost cause.

Get greasy and learn a few things, otherwise multiply your budget by 5 if you want something that will actually be reliable.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

1