Financial Planning

If you are looking for a car that will get you from point a to point b and you don’t really care a lot about looks or longevity, there are a variety of places you can find cars 1000 and under.  Autos in this price range usually run and have many working features however they are usually in need of a lot of work.

The classified ads in your local paper are a good place to start looking.  Some papers local and national have specific sections where all cars listed are under a certain threshold, such as 1000 dollars.  The great thing about looking in the paper is you can deal with someone local and not have the hassle of traveling long distances and wasting time looking for a car.  It is also easier to double check information such as clear title when you deal locally through a newspaper ad.

Another good place to look is on the internet.  Most car listing websites such as Autotrader.com or even eBay motors offer a variety of vehicles for very cheap.  The benefit here is that you can cover more ground in less time meaning you can see information about a lot of cars without having to leave your home.  Obviously the downside is that you can only see a picture and the information the seller provided about the vehicle.  Sometimes things look much different in person.

If you are feeling resourceful you can check out your local salvage or junk yard.  Even though these businesses deal mostly in scrap and used car parts, some of them may have cars that run for several hundred dollars.  Be sure to check out the reputation  of your local scrap yard as sometimes these places will not have your best interest in mind.  The general guidelines that you should follow with any private seller should also be followed here.

No matter where you look for dirt cheap cars just remember to shop around.  When someone is selling an auto for under one thousand dollars there is always room for bargaining and you may get a better price than you planned on.  Be careful and cover your bases to make sure you aren’t getting swindled.  Cars 1000 and under could be the best value you ever found but it could also end up as a big mistake.