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Is it possible to get an older car and not have to put 10k into it?
I've always liked older cars. Not sure why...I'm not old by any means (23). Some of these new cars just look like junk.
My 2001 mustang with over 180k miles won't last forever and have been thinking of what to get after. I'm frugal and can't see spending tens of thousands on a car.
I've been looking at some late 90's BMW's. There seem to be some good deals out there. Less than 100k miles or a little over for a couple of grand. 5k tops.
My dad is a mechanic and can come with me at some point if and when I ever get one.
Any reason not to get what I want. Even if it is almost 15 years old?
Eh, I bought a 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo in 2002 and spent maybe $500 on it in the next few years (maintenance-wise) before selling it for $8500.
Buy the right car and it's a non-issue... while your dad will be a good start for inspecting the car, find someone who specializes in whatever you decide on for a through pre-purchase inspection. Worth every penny.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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The only thing about 10 yr old cars that bugs me, (besides those that have obvious issues) is they have PLASTIC which will eventually get brittle and break.
I would definitely get the car you prefer, no matter the age (I drive a 30_ yr old car DAILY) I also have a few 15 yr old cars that I use to haul people around in that feel more comfortable with airbags.
Most of my favorites are FAR older than 20 yrs, and VERY dependable / no extra hassle for Maint or reliability. (in fact, they are often more reliable than most of my friends NEWER cars. I DON"T have to worry about Warranty issues
there are some really sweet older Beemers. My son was looking to get an older awd BEFORE he opted for his Volvo 6spd AWD. That is NOT a cheap car to keep running. He has spent more in repairs than I have EVER spent on a CAR!
I vote... get what is right for you, and don't be afraid of age or mileage. (within reason). My daily driver has well over 300k, and will last me for my final 40 yrs on the road. I spend about $200/yr on maint, including synthetic oil change 1/ yr.
But YES safety is a legitimate concern. Be SAFE (I'm an ex-motorcycle racer and I'm insured, so .... I'm safe 'enuff' for me) YMMV
Good luck, be smart, and keep asking questions.
AND if you are young and adventerous and live in the 'rust-belt' (OH?) you can get a lifetime of 'used' cars CHEAP as close as Dallas! I use San Antonio, Dallas and Austin + NM and So CA to find most of mine. I buy online and fly in ($89) an drive them home. Several friends make decent income / and trade up cars doing this... Buying NON-RUST and selling in the rust belt.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 04-10-2013 at 08:14 PM..
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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The kinds of things that go out from age rather than miles are often minor in cost, but they add up. In some cases, at 10 years old an low miles you will have seal issues causing leaks that can lead to expensive damage if fluids are not checked more often. Otherwise, it's things like shocks, heater core, seat and window mechanisms, ball joints, exhaust systems (including catalytic converter), seat belts, power steering, AC, body rust. If you are lucky and it was well maintained, you could get another 10 years out of it, but there's risk to it.
If you can fix most things yourself or learn to do so, an old car can be quite affordable.
A wrecking yard has tons of parts for very low cost. The only thing is to get a car that a lot were sold or that the same parts were used for several years. Then plenty of parts available.
If a car was not made for very many years and not very many of them were sold, then few parts will be available anywhere.
But something like the early 90's Chevy pickups. Same parts for Blazer, GMC pick-ups, Suburbans, and for many different years. Tons of those vehicles were sold.
I love 90's BMWs. They CAN be great cars, if you know how to work on them. BMW's straight 6 engines are essentially bullet-proof. The cooling system is their greatest weak-point, though. When / if you get one, go through the whole engine. Make sure it runs well, gaskets aren't leaking, etc. Then, buy a couple extra water pumps. They WILL fail.
The late 90's / early 2000's generation 5-series (known as the E39) are great, but they have a few weird electrical quirks. Have a wiring diagram handy. One of my friend's dad's had one with the automatic -- it started shifting REALLY rough (to the point of being un-driveable). The quick fix? Open the passenger vanity mirror, and make the light come on. For whatever reason, that "fixed" whatever sensor was throwing the transmission out of whack.
The E36 3-series (mid 90's) is also quite good -- the same friend as above has about 4 of them at his house (mostly M3's). You can get them for dirt cheap, and they're really easy to work on.
Only real gripe is that some parts can be expensive, and labor will KILL you if you try and take it to a shop.
You could buy a 10 year old Corolla sport model with low milage on it for around 4K or less. I have had three of them and I did NO WORK on them till 200,000 miles at which time I sold them for around 2K.
I have had a couple of Beemers and they are not a car I would recommend for a young guy who does not want to spend a lot of money on upkeep. It's not that BMWs break down a lot but they do and it's very costly to fix them. I needed a rad for my 535, could not find one in the wreckers and it cost me over $1000 for a rad. A factory muffler for that car was $1500. I drove mine over 200,000 miles and never had to replace the muffler but if you do..........
All of my used cars have been standard shifts for a long while, even the 535. They never wear out, are fun to drive and the modern day auto transmissions are the junking of many a good car when they break and they DO break.
Is it possible to get an older car and not have to put 10k into it?
I've always liked older cars. Not sure why...I'm not old by any means (23). Some of these new cars just look like junk.
My 2001 mustang with over 180k miles won't last forever and have been thinking of what to get after. I'm frugal and can't see spending tens of thousands on a car.
I've been looking at some late 90's BMW's. There seem to be some good deals out there. Less than 100k miles or a little over for a couple of grand. 5k tops.
My dad is a mechanic and can come with me at some point if and when I ever get one.
Any reason not to get what I want. Even if it is almost 15 years old?
Not one darn thing wrong with older cars if they have been reasonably cared for. I drive a 20 year old Suburban and an 17 year old Chevy truck. Both perform, and look, like new. Not to mention the money I've save on insurance etc.. by owning older cars.
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