3 ms·
cars made in the last 15 years don’t look that different from each other. You can purchase a 7-8 yo mass market vehicle for 2-6k that will run alright. Having
by lumost 6y ago
cars made in the last 15 years don’t look that different from each other. You can purchase a 7-8 yo mass market vehicle for 2-6k that will run alright.
Having used cars older than that as a daily driver, the cost of repairs/downtime outstrip the cost of replacing the vehicle more often than not. Not driving isn’t really an option in the US, and driving a clunker will raise some flags to coworkers/other parents in the parking lot.
The other cash poor option is to grab a lease with good incentives, it’s a terrible deal - but it’s the best if you need to conserve cash flow month to month ( particularly if you can’t afford fixing a breakdown )
Which is all to say, if your poor - driving a half broken down car would be a terrible investment.
- maxerickson 6y agoGlancing at craigslist here, the first 3 vehicles under $6000 are a 2010, a 2008 and a 2006. The low mileage of the group is 133,000. They are dealer listings also, so probably not the best deals, but there aren't many others at the price.
- souprock 6y agoThat is because the cash-for-clunkers program, intended to help the automobile industry, sent the older cars to be destroyed. We crushed perfectly usable vehicles. That's like breaking windows to help the glass industry; it is not so nice for the poor or for the environment.
- maxerickson 6y agoIt was tiny (relative to the US vehicle market, ~700,000 vehicles vs ~15 million annually) and obviously didn't remove 2010+ cars from the market. Which those more recent vehicles are the vehicles the other poster alluded to, that I did not find with a real basic search.
- skinnymuch 6y agoThis is talking cars in last decade. Not cash for clunkers. Which likely isn’t a big enough of a dent to mess with cars made after it
- ryandrake 6y agoNot sure what is wrong with a 200x car that has 133K miles. With diligent routine maintenance, most cars from that era should last another 133K miles easily. I remember the days when it was good advice to avoid cars with over 100K miles on them, but that time is in the distant past. I would buy a 200K mile 2006 Toyota Camry today without any hesitation.
- maxerickson 6y agoNothing particularly wrong with them, they just (completely) fail the 8 year old, $6,000 bar set by the poster I replied to. Looking, I see 2006 Camry's with 100,000+ miles pricing out at $6,000. I was questioning their characterization of the used vehicle market.