spitfirebill wrote: I found out while looking for a car for my daughter that $4,000 won't buy a whole lot of car.
I found the opposite, that $4,000 (and less) buys some pretty awesome cars. Then again I'm not sure what I'm looking for would meet the cut for a daughter-car.
dculberson wrote:spitfirebill wrote: I found out while looking for a car for my daughter that $4,000 won't buy a whole lot of car.I found the opposite, that $4,000 (and less) buys some pretty awesome cars. Then again I'm not sure what I'm looking for would meet the cut for a daughter-car.
There's a lot of E36 M3 I would drive that cost < $4,000. But a single daughter with my only grandson on board is a different story.
I figured it was the same situation here in N. Fl. in that only $300-$500 cars were selling for $1,000. Then, low and behold, I start to REALLY comb through CL. A few days ago I found a sweet mid '80s Subaru wagon for $850 obo. Unfortunately, at that price I don't expect working A/C and this time of year it's a definite must.
Cars close to $2,000 can be found, under that? Be prepared to look and wait.
My '97 Civic has 211K miles on it and runs quite well. Just a few weeks ago it went over 2K miles in a week (up to Pa. and back) and has working A/C. I am stupid enough to think it wouldn't sell for more than $1,200-$1,500 because of the crash damage it has (doesn't effect the driving at all) but I can't sell it for less than $2K because that's what it would cost to replace it with something just as good, screw even better.
dculberson wrote:spitfirebill wrote: I found out while looking for a car for my daughter that $4,000 won't buy a whole lot of car.I found the opposite, that $4,000 (and less) buys some pretty awesome cars.
This. At least in appliance land. In October I paid <$3K for a 1998 SL2. Has a straight body, good paint, leather interior, power windows/locks/RKE, Sunroof, AC, CD player etc. The only option it doesn't have is ABS. 100K miles on it.
I paid pretty much book, but it seems like a good value. An all around working car with most standard options with 100K miles on it. I feel like its a lot of car (although I wouldn't describe it as "awesome"). I bought a higher mileage 5Spd Wagon in great condition overall (although a complete stripper model - intentionally) for $1000.
I see cars like this all day long on Craigslist. I feel like in the used car market its only Toyotas and Hondas that are priced crazy high (and for good reason). <$1000 certainly brings questionable results sometimes, but <$4K? There are a hell of a lot of good cars out there for that kinda money. Most of them are probably better performing and more reliable in their used state than most brand new cars someone would consider giving to their daughter in the 70s/80s
I found several Escorts for under a grand on various local CL's. And I am just searching to waste time more then actively looking for a vehicle in particular, unless another diesel truck can be had for under 2k....
So the old Geo Metro in my backyard is every bit an investment as my 401K now.
Got it. 
Yeah, if you are looking for a decent car at a VERY low price, shop the "orphan" brands. Cars built by Plymouth, Oldsmobile and Saturn are quite cheap, and except for the Saturns, they have "sister" brands still in production. Mercurys and Pontiacs, tho, seem to be holding their values well...at least for the short term.
Well I called on the Buick http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/3030528853.html (thanks JRW). I liked what I heard on the phone from the owner so I told my father-in-law to go look at the car ASAP. I'll give him a few point to look for that are go/no go for a car in that price range. Pretty much if the car hasn't been flooded, blown the airbags, or been duct taped together I'm telling him to buy it. Frankly for that price it could need a grand in repair over the next year and still be a good buy.
I looked for Saturns and Geos, forget about it. Unless you want an L300 with a blown oil cooler.
On the up side, I will be getting my brother-in-law's dead truck. A 1991 Ford Ranger 2.3L with a manual transmission. It is an ugly little truck but it will make a great house truck. Too bad it still needs to pass emissions, I have a 5.0L and an AOD in the garage that need a home...
I'm thinking that scrap prices have someing to do with it as well. Right now you can scrap the average car for around $600 or more here in Fl.
Aeromoto wrote: I'm thinking that scrap prices have someing to do with it as well. Right now you can scrap the average car for around $600 or more here in Fl.
Really? You get 240-260/ton here in Ohio. You have to haul in a big ass car to get to $600.
I know that nobody seems to care, but if you hold on to your money for a few more weeks all the tax refunds will be spent and you will be in a buyer's market again.
Scrap really hasn't changed that much in the last three years.
BMWs with blown engines and/or transmission are $1.3K and up. I have my eye on about 15 or so cars in this condition, but the sellers aren't budging on the price. A few of them keep telling me they can get more for scrap or the favorite lines "I can get more if I part it out. I know what I have". I don't know many yards the pay $1K for a 5er or even a heavy 7er 
Is Ohio the only place where yards pay per ton?
You guys are talking like there is some kind of flat rate per car, around here you get a fee per ton, so your crashed CRX is worth half as much as your rusted-in-half Chevy 1500.
They pay per hundred around here. The pull a part yard last week told me they where paying $13 per 100lbs.
That's why I laugh at those sellers that tell me they would scrap it for more than my 5-$600 offer. Especially when they have pay someone to take to the scrapper for them.
Strike_Zero wrote: They pay per hundred around here. The pull a part yard last week told me they where paying $13 per 100lbs. That's why I laugh at those sellers that tell me they would scrap it for more than my 5-$600 offer. Especially when they have pay someone to take to the scrapper for them.
Six of one, half-dozen of the other. It's like everybody has a 3rd cousin that scrapped an 87 Suburban so now they think they're '94 Corolla must be $600 at the scales too. The guys that tell me how much the car is worth "in parts" are worse.
In my head I'm thinking, "Look shiny happy person, you and I both know you aren't going to spend the dozens of hours to disassemble, advertise, then deal with the customers to get rid of this hulk that is leaving rust stains in your driveway. Sell it to me for $300 and I promise not to call you and tell you how easy/cheap it was to fix."
As an example- old Ford Taurus Cat converters to the core buyer $100-150 Radiator, condensor, evap, heater core, and alternator, starter and a/c comp to the core buyer $100 Aluminum wheels at core buyer $80 car crusher, after you have removed cores $350-400. You do the math
In reply to ShadowSix:
I just had to +1 that . . .
One data point: Pick N Pull in Columbus paid $375 for a non-running Volvo 960 that they had to come get. It was complete, not parted at all. Also consider that a tow costs over $100 nowadays.
In Chucktown I hauled shells to the metal recycle yard and they paid a flat rate per pound. If you had an automatic transmission, aluminum heads etc it was called 'irony aluminum' and was worth more.
There were signs all over the place saying 'we will pay you up to $800 cash for your non running car and haul it away'. That kind of stuff is gonna put a hurtin' on LeMons at some point.
In reply to eastsidemav:
I just assume that the people on craigslist that don't list a phone number are bots harvesting emails.
Craigslist by-owner sales in Bham seem to have a few OK things on there, depending what you're looking for. There are also plenty of folks who clearly just took a hit off the ol' pipe. Loads of we-tote-the-note/ buy-here-pay-here crap, too. $1500 for a decent car! Great! Oh, that's $1500 down, it's $300/month after. Oddly enough the downpayment is usually about what the car is worth...
Strike_Zero wrote: In reply to ShadowSix: I just had to +1 that . . .
If only I didn't really want the pieces of crap these guys have!
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