Buying a car for $1000 - what to look for?

[ballmode]

Check the A/C for mice

 

[jmarti445]

Make sure you have a good towing company.

 

[desy]

Find something with SERVICE RECORDS like an old buick people, drive them gently, garage them and usually old people overservice at the dealer so lots of OEM parts and maintenance schedules followed

 

[ViviTheMage]

I got a 97 civic EX 2 door for 1200...only needed lower coolant tube replaced so far ( 10k)...this was for my little brother.

 

[hanoverphist]

i bought a 98 civic HB for 1100 a while back. pretty decent, but i knew id be doing the engine eventually. i pulled the head to replace the gasket and do the valves, good thing i did too. it was failing bigtime.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Necro thread bump! Question same as in OP.

What would you gurus say for 2011/2012 (thread from 2010)?

Only difference from my old suggestions would be remove the K-cars (they are getting harder to find) and add older Camry or Corolla with the 1.8 or 2.2 ltr engines.

 

[Ferzerp]

1. Watch Top Gear.

2. See what they all buy on their low priced challenges.

3. Buy something else (potentially the penalty car that they are forced to use if their car fails)

 

[Miramonti]

Get a toyota camry from 92-2001 that is reasonably healthy. They are easy to work on and forgiving if they haven't been maintained well, and can last a very long time. And if you need replacement parts, the salvage yard or pick and pull will have a ton of them to draw from.

 

[Howard]

Get a toyota camry from 92-2001 that is reasonably healthy. They are easy to work on and forgiving if they haven't been maintained well, and can last a very long time. And if you need replacement parts, the salvage yard or pick and pull will have a ton of them to draw from.

Why these generations?