Topic: Selling my truck...buying a beater...

[ArticSteve]

The ad also says "Warranty available" LOL

Take it from Artic Steve, the king of buying used POS vehicles, there are no well running cars that will last 2 or 3 year for 2 grand without significant repairs.

Occasionally, you stumble upon the widow that has never driven and the husband died and she has no adult children and she wants it out of there asap and could careless how much money she gets from it. "Whatever you think is fair" says she and these opportunities aren't advertised in the paper.

The suggestions about Escorts and Tempo/Topaz are good.  I've seen Tempos go fantastic distances with very minimum care.  I think standard shifts are the way to go with these cars.  Some Escorts and Tempos have timing belts and some have chains.
All are cheap and relatively easy to install.  But with that comes tensioners and rollers so it adds up.

I would think you need to go right into a very basic 4 cylinder econo car with no AC and no power accessories.  I think a 6 cylinder mid size car like the Regal listed above would be a disaster.

Bottom line is that you will not find a descent used car off a dealer lot for less that $2000.  They don't exist.  You will need to find a private seller who is selling something like an Escort not because it is a POS. You will also not have to pay the GST with a private seller.

[safristi]

Somebody "beat" Arctic with a reality stick..Wannabee's payin $800 a month as is (with even the worst POS and they ain't ALL that) she needs 4 months to break even and eveything else is gravy..good god man..she doesn't wanta Toyota LandCruiser(pity they aren't available fer $2K) but a decent 3.8 something or other would give her the size to keep new baby secure and haul a ton of sheet.......

[ArticSteve]

Find me a "decent" 3.8 something for under $2000 on a used car lot in Alberta.

Maybe a 3.8 with the plastic timing gear that is absolutely guaranteed to slip the chain.  Not the best of mileage on those units either.  Or the expensive and problemamitic flex joint between the header pipe to front cat con pipe.  Oh yes, had one of those beauties.

$2000. used car off a lot is somebody's else's headache.  That is why it is there.  Private sales can, on occasion, be different.

First, she must be sure that her truck can be sold privately to cover the amount of the loan.  I assume in Alberta you need a safety or you sell as is which lowers the price.  What is the safety going to cost her.  What year is this unit?  What is it exactly?  Many folks think that their vehicles will breeze thru a safety, but not usually.  Lots of nit picky stuff like emergency brakes cables, worn looking flex hoses, tie rod play and the list goes on.  If the mechanic knows the car is going up for sale they are usually pretty strict in their interpretation of what is acceptable.  They don't want a dude showing up in the 30 day period screaming about this and that.  For example, if you tell them that you are buying the vehicle and not selling it they are sometimes less picky because "understandings" are agreed to.  

Any old beater will sooner or later need all sorts of exhaust parts, coolings is a big one, alt., starter, brakes, ball joints, bearings, belts, electronic parts, oh man the list is endless.  And if you don't do the work yourself and scrape around for cheap parts it is a killer.

She needs an absolute base econo box like mentioned in stick.  Forget mid sized GMs;  V6s, front drive components, trannies, all crammed in together.  Usually with a broken AC system sitting in there blocking access and running a useless compressor

If there was a GOD, he would allow the old rear drive air cooled VW bug back with no goodies other than a 3 point belt.  What a inexpensive car that was to run around in and a hoot to boot.

[mrthompson]

Any cars you would recommend, 'stevie?


Where's Wanna?  Maybe she bought a car already while we're sittin' here arguing.

[ArticSteve]

Like I said in my posts; I agree with Footlong and Accordingly.  I think the years Footlong stated don't have an interference motor and me think Tempos or some of the Tempo motors have chain but that is no guarantee of no trouble. Non interference, 2 valve per cylinder motor would be great. Absolutely all should be had in stick format.

Nothing else comes to mind really.  Decent Japanese 4 bangers for 2 grand and under are rare.

She needs a vehicle with a little basic motor with lots of room under the hood.  Not a V6 crammed in there with one big serpentine belt turning a tensioner and broken AC compressor and everything else.  Not to mention a million feet of worn vacuum lines and the like.

[Ericthejet]

"Decent Japanese 4 bangers for 2 grand and under are rare"

Try to find one if you can.  A used Tempo,Topaz or Escort.  Get to know the local parts guy as you may need him. I don't care how many times you hear of a bulletproof whatever turning over a bazillion k's, finding a used non domestic would be best.  Mazda HBack, Tersmell?

[Barrie1]

The size of the Buick type of car will serve you well. There's no garaunteed Cars out there for that price range. Look for a nice car in the private sector and sell yours off which should be easy in your area. I do recommend the older GM's as they are very dependable and parts are very affordable as well.  

[Mdxtasy]

I would not expect a pristine car for that price but my only advice is that a midsize car would suit you and the little tyke a lot better than a small econobox just for trunk space if you plan to do road trips.....otherwise a small car would save on gas.

http://www.canadatrader.com/result/detailinfo.aspx?adID=6147273
http://www.canadatrader.com/result/detailinfo.aspx?adID=6147542
http://www.canadatrader.com/result/detailinfo.aspx?adID=5420723

I would try to stay away from a Neon....good luck with your search Wanna.
Maybe a little wrangling and you can fit a few of these into your budget.

[safristi]

Lumina best of the 3........good piks Md...yer getting smarter as you age...you must be worth $3,000 NOW.....

[S60]

Good finds MDx, good useful info for Wanna.

[DriverJeff]

What the heck is that thing in the background of the Bonneville pic?  At first it looked like an old Roller... but I'm guessing it's an old Riviera or something with a "Landau kit"?

Good finds, MDX.

Wanna, are you going to give us an update here or what?!

[Drivesideways]

It almost looks like a late '60s Mercury Cougar.

[mrthompson]

I guess many 'cougars' were born in the 60's.  Don't see too many prowling the streets anymore, only in the bars.

[Drivesideways]

Congrats, MrT.  Ya beat Saffy to the punchline.

[Wannabe4x4ing]

Hello, sorry folks! I've been running like crazy!

In regards to my truck, the reason I'm not worried is because I already had the inspection done, and the dealer that did the inspection offered me $13,000. More than I expected, but I've already sunk an extra $6500 on top of the $10 000 I paid for the truck. I had a new engine put in in August, new brakes all around, new rear end (that was the thunk I mentioned earlier), and had to replace the converter (I orinally had just cut it open, removed the inards because they were rattling around and closed it back up...but it didn't pass inpsection so I had to fix it). The underside was sprayed, the box was sprayed, the interior was kept in mint condition (I HATE dirty vehicles), and I paid for a touch up/polish before I took it in for the inspection. The truck itself has been well maintained since I've had it; but its got 250 000km on it, and things are starting to go. It's a lot cheaper to replace parts on a beater than it is on my truck.

I'll have fifty five hundred after I finish paying off my loan - but three thousand has to go back into my emergency fund that I drained to keep the damn thing on the road. So I have approximately $2500 (I said $2000 because I counted on taxes).

Common cars? Hard to say. Mostly because only 1/4 vehicles in Grande Prairie is actually a car instead of an SUV or a pick up. Plus, most of the cars that are around here are brand new. There's a lot of money here, but a Ford would be nice (never thought I'd say that) because I have a buddy that works at a Ford dealership and told me he can get his discount on parts and labour if I need work done.

I know I'll probably have to go to Edmonton to get a used, reliable car. I was thinking of going back to Michener Allen (where I bought my truck), because they had brand new minivans and midsize cars for $500. The problem: you see the vehicle for all of 5 minutes before it goes to bid. So there will probably be a few fixers, and I need a little fund in that case.

Is there anything that I can look for that would indicate major problems? Remember, I can't drive these things. But I can pop the hood, they can rev the engine, and you can crawl around on the ground looking underneath. Any pointers?

Thanks so much!

[mrthompson]

(Thanks DSW.  )

I wouldn't take a chance on an auction vehicle.  I'd scour the local classifieds & car trader publications to see what's out there.  And when you find one that interests you, have a mechanic take a look at it to see if anything major is in need of repair.  Do you have any mechanic-minded friends or relatives?  It would be a good idea to have such a person accompany you when you look at prospective vehicles.

Good luck!