What would you do? I need to buy a car - probably used and need to figure out...?

How to do it given the following circumstances:





I have $12,000 saved up. that's all my savings.


I wanted to buy an old used cheap car for about $6,000 at first so I would have transportation and keep some money in the bank and not have a payment.


But I have two kids and a dog. I have not been able to find anything safe and reliable. I have found some 2003 models that actually still have warranty left on them. But they cost @ $12,000.


I still would not have a payment but I would have a better car but i will have used all my money.





What should I do? Please.What would you do? I need to buy a car - probably used and need to figure out...?
Keep looking. Your general plan is good - congrats on not falling into the financing trap! Look for Toyotas and Hondas. Try to buy from a private owner, not a car dealership. Just make sure you have a trusted mechanic check it over. For $6k you should be able to get something decent, though maybe you'll have to travel a bit to get it.





Check out craigslist.org.





Good luck!What would you do? I need to buy a car - probably used and need to figure out...?
well you are pretty much in the same shoes i used to be inand 6,000 for a used car is a crappy deal, i know people all around my area selling for under 4000. try comcast automotives online or if you have cable. local papers, a couple in my area are echo, nickel ads, cars and trucks for under 7999.00 try those out if you can and do try looking on the internet, you can also try what we tried is making a bunch of copies of what you want and how much you will be willing to pay... put it at 5000 OBO, and go from there, im sure you will get a lot of responses. but yeah if you go online search cars for sale in .........,....... city and state and go from there good luck
I would keep looking. I had gone to private dealerships to look for used cars. I was able to find a 1997 Buick Regal for $6900. It was a really reliable car in great condition. There are a lot of good old cars out there, just make sure that they allow your own mechanic to take a look at it before you purchase it.





The dealer I went to drove my car to my mechanic and paid for the inspection.
Check out hyundai. These cars are reasonably priced. Most of them have great safety ratings and a really great warranty. My husband loves his. He paid 6000 for a 2003 accent which came with airbags and is very roomy. He uses it for his hour commute everyday and it hasn't let him down once. He even drove it home to Massachusetts from Florida.


Good luck
Buy a new car unless your a mechanic with access to a garage and equipment. Put down the minumum downpayment. If you buy used, you gamble. A new car is cheaper in the long run. You should be able to find a decent new car for about $15,000. Try Honda, Toyota, and Nissan.
Look for an older car especially a Ford. You should be able to find an older Ford Escort for about $3000 or less. They are very reliable cars. I had two. Of course with an older car you should expect some problems, but with the money you save you can pay for a good bit of mechanical work. Do be sure to get the car inspected however before you buy. I also have a Ford Contour that has been rock solid also. You should be able to pick one of those up very inexpensively.
Well here is an option to look at, use your $6000 to use as a down payment and finance the rest. As long as the car isn't too much more than that your payments will be really low depending on the term and rate you get.
Do not use all your money. Keep looking in the papers and online for a cheaper, more reliable car. Look for ';mechanic-owned'; vehicles. You could talk to your local mechanics and have one call you when they hear of a decent car coming up for sale. The mechanics usually know what their customers are doing with their cars. Good luck.