The assumption that a 2005 CR-V in reasonable condition is a $3k car was probably a decent one 3 years ago. Less so now if my recent auto shopping is any indica

The assumption that a 2005 CR-V in reasonable condition is a $3k car was probably a decent one 3 years ago. Less so now if my recent auto shopping is any indication. I like driving older cars into the well-maintained 200-300k mile range myself and I heartily agree that it’s the economical choice. I’ve financed a year-long sabbatical by driving a ‘93 sedan, so the potential gains really are not only four figures per year, they can reach into five figures. At the same time the GP’s projection of catastrophic failure rings true to me — almost every car I’ve had reached this point. Each time I’ve also either had the resources to deal with the problem or generous help to fall back on, but it’s easy to imagine what it would be like if that had not been the case and it isn’t pretty. And it’s usually time-consuming and inconvenient to find the next bargain old auto as well.