Buying a POS car for $2K to $5K; what should I know

[Opti]

Haven't gotten an estimate on the 2002 BMW yet, but if I have to turn into something else, it will most likely be a POS
car in its last days from a used car dealer.

What should I know?
My two cars, Honda Accord LXI and the BMW were bought new. I bought a used Corolla before I graduated with my Masters.
Have not bought a POS car, but did sell for little money my Honda years ago as a to the city commute car.

Just a quick look on one of those aggregate sites I found a cheap Pontiac and a 2007 luxury SUV. My little knowledge of the subject includes expect to spend $1000.00 or more in the first year to keep it running AND buy here drive away places fee you to death and don't have the best terms.

I will not be going for a recurring payment through any car dealer.

[jerseygirl]

Opt would it be possible to get a low lease $199/mnth? With $0 down?
How ca you get your insurance company to declare your car a total? Do you have a policy that allows this? Or does your policy only cover liability?
Will your insurance company sue AAA for cost of total car?

[Opti]

May 4, 2023 21:39:25 GMT -5 jerseygirl said:

Opt would it be possible to get a low lease $199/mnth? With $0 down?
How ca you get your insurance company to declare your car a total? Do you have a policy that allows this? Or does your policy only cover liability?
Will your insurance company sue AAA for cost of total car?

I am asking because I can not afford an ongoing payment unless I get a better job or move to a cheaper place. 

Still to be determined what will happen with the car. I need to zip and manipulate phone pics and get them mailed. Mailed out the first pics today late. Tomorrow's agenda to continue on with the car. If mechanically its something cheapish and easily fixed I'll go with that and prepare for buying a POS car or truck in fall or winter.

My car does not like winter and its center display is still failing. Do not think they will fix that.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Do you need a car living in the city?  Could you get by with public transportation for awhile and save yourself the insurance and hassle. 

[andi9899]

Any car you get for $5K or less is almost definitely going to be a POS.

[Opti]

May 4, 2023 22:02:20 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Do you need a car living in the city?  Could you get by with public transportation for awhile and save yourself the insurance and hassle. 

Not really. I am not living in Trenton, Camden, Elizabeth or any large city in NJ.

In fact one of the bordering towns, a fellow church goer called it rural suburban I think. There are big farms there and there are a few very nice ones in my town as well. 

I have a neighbor who might be able to bring me into work short term. But I will need a ride home. Neighbor works third shift and like me no real guaranteed time to leave. You leave when you are done, not before. (My end times have varied by at least one hour.)

[Opti]

May 5, 2023 11:07:47 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Any car you get for $5K or less is almost definitely going to be a POS.

Hence the title. There's a reason poor and underfunded people have to resort to buying them or finding jobs they can walk or bike to.

[Pink Cashmere]

The city I grew up in, is fairly close to where I live now. The area has always had public transportation, buses, but public transportation is not so advanced that it’s not still a fact that you really need a car to get around in this area.

When I lived with my Aunt in high school, because it was easier to get on the bus near her home to get to school, versus my Mom’s home way out in the county where my Mom lived, it was a “convenient” way to get to the high school that was a college prep school that my Mom had spent time and energy to get me into. “Time and energy” literally meant standing in a long line for hours, starting the night before applications would be accepted to try to get your children in an “optional” school. My Mom did that for me, and I did the same myself years later, for my own children to get into a “good” elementary school.

DD was “smart” enough to get her in an optional program in one of the local schools. And the rule was that if you already had a child in the program, their siblings got preference for enrollment. So I was able to also send DS to the same school, which was one of just a few Montessori schools in the area.

I do not agree that a parent should have to jump through all the hoops my Mom did because she knew I was smarter than the average bear, or the hoops I jumped through to try to give my children whatever hoops they could benefit from, knowing they were not dummies.

[Opti]

Thanks for sharing Pink. 

[thyme4change]

May 5, 2023 11:07:47 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Any car you get for $5K or less is almost definitely going to be a POS.

I just bought my Dad’s car. He gave it to me for what he was offered for trade in - $3k. On the street it probably would be $5-$6k. I keep calling it a piece of shit - but my Dad is so particular, it is the best POS you could get. Not a ding or scratch. The inside doesn’t have a stain or rip or anything. He took it in for service every year. He fixed every quirky thing that happened to it.

That said - it is 13 years old and has 100k miles. My dad called it “primitive” - no backup camera or any other sensors that the newer cars have. My favorite is that you can plug in your iPhone to play music, but when you do the display says “iPod” 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Moral of the story - get adopted by my Dad and need a car exactly when he gets rid of his - which is like every 10+ years.

[myrrh]

Building on thyme4change's post, you need to tap into your network (work, church, choir/hobby, gym, other friends and relatives, you get the idea) and let everyone know that you are looking for a gently used older car. Many many people have older cars that need new homes, whether they just bought a new car, have an older relative that needs to give up driving, moving, or what-have-you, that would be happy to not have to do the formal private sale thing and know it's going to a good home. 

[Empire the P.A.]

Yep, my first three cars were hand me downs from family that didn’t need them. Beaters but fun to drive because I wasn’t so worried about getting scratches or dents with the crazy driving/parking in NYC. 
Opti, I hope you find a solution to your car woes asap.

[Opti]

May 8, 2023 13:35:32 GMT -5 Empire the P.A. said:

Yep, my first three cars were hand me downs from family that didn’t need them. Beaters but fun to drive because I wasn’t so worried about getting scratches or dents with the crazy driving/parking in NYC. 
Opti , I hope you find a solution to your car woes asap.

I hope so too. It will be a process. The failed tow broke me and made me sicker than I already was, and I slept even less.


I think a beater is the only kind of car to have for NYC unless you are rich and have parking at home and work.

[Opti]

May 8, 2023 12:58:47 GMT -5 myrrh said:

Building on thyme4change's post, you need to tap into your network (work, church, choir/hobby, gym, other friends and relatives, you get the idea) and let everyone know that you are looking for a gently used older car. Many many people have older cars that need new homes, whether they just bought a new car, have an older relative that needs to give up driving, moving, or what-have-you, that would be happy to not have to do the formal private sale thing and know it's going to a good home. 

Good suggestion. For me it will be church, work, maybe old work, and one or more of my second families here in NJ. 
I am a good home for a car even though it has to live out in the wild in the parking lot instead of a nice garage.

[grumpyhermit]

Not really much to add, other than to echo those suggesting a private sale vs one of those buy here, pay here places. Dollar for dollar, you are are likely to get a slightly better POS private party than from one of those crooks. 

My mother's BF often gets his cars from those as he has terrible credit and no savings, and they are always a disaster.