$2,000 Car worth looking at ?
Posted by Ehbomboclat@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 34 comments
Is buying a car with $2,000 even worth it or would struggling to save for more be a better choice? I’m not asking for me I’m asking for a family member and don’t know if $2000 would be enough for a car that’s reliable for maybe a year or 2 maybe 3 if they’re maintaining it, my family member has been using Uber to get to work and it is very expensive, he’s spending maybe $700 a month on just getting back and fourth to work which is obviously much much more than financing and or leasing but they’re credit is pretty fucked and they’re trying to fix it, I know with $2000 or even $2500 they can look for cars that around $3300 and wiggle down to $2500 if someone is just desperate to sell it, obviously Craigslist and Facebook marketplace are king for this inquiry, I just want to know if it’s worth it to try and if so how many miles should I be looking at and what makes and models are most reliable, they had what questions to ask and etc, thank you all who have the advice and time to answer and help ❤️
Loveschocolate1978@reddit
It doesn't have to last for 2 to 3 years - if it lasts for more than 3 months, they have already broken even vs the price of Ubers. I would suggest looking into Toyota or Honda mini vans as no one wants to buy vans any more so the prices are typically low and the legendary JDM reliability still exists. Also, I have learned to embrace stereotypes when buying cars. Sports cars and trucks are generally driven by the people you would assume and are generally driven very rough, so those cars tend to have many problems as those age. Cars like mini-vans that are only driven by soccer moms and square dads are generally well mechanically taken care of and used lightly, with those cars typically just in desperate need of interior maintenance which is generally pretty easy, affordable, and doesn't affect the mechanical reliability of the car. I would suggest taking a shot at buying a $2-3,000 car so long as it is boring. Then I would suggest your family member pretend they are still taking Ubers and save $700 per month towards another car. If the original one dies, they can just buy another in a few months for the same price, and if the original one is still alive, I would still suggest buying another $2-3k car so when one inevitably breaks, they can use the other one while waiting for it to be fixed at a non-emergency maintenance rate. It's worked well for me. Also, something I haven't tried but have heard good reviews of is buying a used electric car. If your family member has a short, low speed commute and access to a standard wall plug, there are some great deals out there are cars that can last for a very long time with not much maintenance. Many people are too afraid to buy used electric cars, so the prices tend to sit around the $2-3K mark. It all depends upon their steady and reliable access to a power plug though.
Harrymcmarry@reddit
I mean when I was in college and only had $1500 to spend on a car, I picked up a '98 CRV with 140k miles. Interior was gross, didn't have a radio, paint was faded, the list goes on. But it ran and drove and that's all I needed at the time. Owned it for the better part of 3 years and got rid of it when I got a job and could buy a proper car. Only problem was the cat was bad and it couldn't pass smog, so I got a new cat off Ebay and paid some dude at a pipe shop $40 to slap it on.
Ehbomboclat@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the info brother
xX_coochiemonster_Xx@reddit
It depends. I’ve bought a 1995 Camaro for 2,200 that was indestructible, a 1998 CRV with 270,000 for 2,000 that ran great for a long time for me, a 2000 Outback with 160k for 1,500 that was nonstop issues. Cars at that price are a gamble
Ehbomboclat@reddit (OP)
If he were to try to save up to maybe $4k will he have more luck?
BeardBootsBullets@reddit
The most reliable vehicle one can buy with $2000 is a Honda scooter. It will last long enough to pass along to your descendants.
$4000 does open up some four-tire options. You can buy reliable cars with minor and cosmetic body damage for this price: 4Runner (rear wheel drive for this price), Corolla, Camry, Civic, Accord, etc.
Ehbomboclat@reddit (OP)
Thanks, yea that scooter must be a beast😂
135is@reddit
Yeah I bought a 07 bmw 328i for 4k. It’s been nothing but reliable for the past year I’ve owned it.
doc-sci@reddit
Hard to find a car in 2026 for $2K that you can trust if it isn’t from someone you know and trust.
DTvn@reddit
You’ll be looking at cars closer to the 200k mile range but yes it’s very possible. It’s not that the car will have problems but just that issues are much more likely to start showing up with higher mileage cars. I sold 2 cars last year that I would consider reliable but just a little beat and old for under $2k. 04 Odyssey and 07 IS250
SailingSpark@reddit
One of the best cars i owned i bought fir $1200. It was a 96 Volvo 850 that aside from the drivers seat, was in excellent shape. It was chesp because it was a manual. Nobody wanted a mid-sized car with a 5 speed.
Special-Original-215@reddit
Talk to the local auto repair shops and see if they are selling cars
Greedy_Book8225@reddit
We just bought a 2008 prius for $2500 it has 130k miles. Mechanic said it looks great, needed a sensor and an oil change
FacelessPirate@reddit
Where are you located? I'm getting rid of a. 08 Nissan Altima hybrid (uses Toyota system) probs will all about $1k. There's lots of cosmetic flaws, and a couple of things to fix but tires have a couple years left on them and brakes are new. DM me if interested. Crazy to say this but Craigslist might be useful for your search.
Ok-Lavishness-7904@reddit
I bought a Toyota Solara for $2500 with a long deep scratch from the driver front corner all the way to the back tire. The repair and repaint would have cost thousands; yet it is purely cosmetic. I replaced the headlight, and resecured the front bumper cover, and drove as is. That was 4 years ago 😊 if you can do with some cosmetic damage, you might find a really good mechanical car for a discounted price
MacMurka@reddit
Bought a 1998 Honda Civic LX with 190k miles off craigslist a few weeks ago for $2k. All I've had to do so far was replace the thermostat which was like a $25 part. We'll see what the next issue will be lol
AgonizingGasPains@reddit
At the $2000 price point, you can't afford "reliable" and that word shouldn't even be a serious inquiry. I have found plenty of "good" cars for less (my last VW was $900) but that meant it had about 200k miles, it needed brakes, had a drooping headliner, clutch cables needed adjustment, clearcoat was missing on most of the roof, and had dog hair embedded throughout. Also, I think something had died in the heating ductwork.
However, there was no rust or impact/body damage. Original one-owner car. Good compression and he'd had it serviced regularly. It was just a good car, with me being at the right place at the right time when the owner just decided he was ready for something new. I fixed what it needed myself and put almost another 60k on it as my commuter vehicle before I sold it when COVID hit and I started working from home FT.
NYEDMD@reddit
A Toyota,Honda, or Subaru less than twelve years old and less than 125K miles — maybe. Problem is finding one at that price. Go to every used car site, enter those search parameters, set your distance at 250 miles, and be patient. Good luck.
cdsbigsby@reddit
As another comment mentioned, it's a gamble in that price range. I've had insanely reliable cars that were cheaper than that and ones that didn't last a month.
Your best bet is to try to get an inspection by a mechanic ahead of time.
Ehbomboclat@reddit (OP)
Right, how much would an inspection from one cost usually?
deconstruct110@reddit
$150 to $200. Best bet might be to have a mobile mechanic meet you to look at it. If it's a popular car the seller isn't going to want to take it anywhere.
VW-MB-AMC@reddit
It would depend a lot on what kind of car it is.
totaltimeontask@reddit
GovDeals auction for a fleet Crown Vic or Impala
Kolobcalling@reddit
If you know how to work on cars, there are some good deals out there.
I bought a Durango for $750 from a salvage yard. I put an $800 engine in it and drove it for 7 years. I sold it for $1200, it was the best money I ever spent on a vehicle.
jrileyy229@reddit
Depends how you define reliable... And maintenance. The engine and transmission might last, but it usually takes ongoing maintenance well beyond just oil changes to keep cheap cars going. Whether that's 2k or 4k, there's no simple answer. Depends on the car and its current state Ball joints, wheel bearings, tie rods, fuel pump, all things that are going to cost you a grand if you just pull into a retail repair shop.
You could have 4 of those visits In one year, or have none
Kent89052@reddit
In that price range expect many issues. Professional auto repairs are very expensive. Unless someone is a mechanic don't waste your 2000.
Ehbomboclat@reddit (OP)
If he were to try to save up to maybe $4k will he have more luck?
potato_potahhhtoe@reddit
Yes. 4k should yield more options. 3k might even find you a decent car that might last 2 or so years depending on how much driving is done.
Infinite-Ad-5576@reddit
Depends on the car: 2002-2006 Honda CRV may be in this budget. They are very reliable. Just do your due diligence and have a mechanic do a pre-purchase inspection before buying.
Fun_Supermarket1235@reddit
$2000 can buy good cars too it just all depends what they are looking at.
One thing I learned is that when you are poor you really need to get some basic tools and learn to repair a car yourself. I’m not saying rebuild the engine or trans, but like if the starter goes out or the fuel pump or water pump, that should be something you just go to the parts store and fix. Not take it to a mechanic
Kent89052@reddit
Keep in mind that you will also need car insurance. Get a quote, because that can easily cost over 100 per month.
Medium-Pay-9057@reddit
I know $2000 now doesn’t get you much car now, but you do sometimes find really good deals. Who are you buying it from? And can they provide a carfax report? Sometimes you’ll find a person just wants get rid of their car and are selling it for cheap, sometimes you’ll get someone that bought the car for $500 and are flipping it for profit. If possible, I would take someone with you who knows about cars to look at it. Look up common problems for that year make model and if it’s something that has been fixed recently or if it’s something you would want to take on yourself when it does go wrong. What I do is look up similar year, make, models and see what they are usually going for. If it’s going for a lot less than others, it may be for a reason.
Ehbomboclat@reddit (OP)
Ok, thanks so much man
Easy-Trouble7885@reddit
I bought one of those once and had the transmission blow 3rd gear and engine blow with months of each other. If you do any kind of PPI there will very likely be many issues that will discourage you of buying it.