{"id":67056,"date":"2022-02-25T12:43:11","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T20:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=67056"},"modified":"2023-10-11T06:38:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T13:38:55","slug":"should-you-buy-a-super-cheap-older-car-the-answer-is-usually-no-and-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-you-buy-a-super-cheap-older-car-the-answer-is-usually-no-and-heres-why\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Buy a Super Cheap, Older Car? The Answer Is Usually No\u2014and Here\u2019s Why."},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;}.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column_0429d7-84{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column_0429d7-84 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column inner-column-1 kadence-column_0429d7-84 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-4f5d93  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-e129e1\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_e44e6a-75, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_e44e6a-75[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_e44e6a-75\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_e44e6a-75 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_e44e6a-75[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_e44e6a-75\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_e44e6a-75 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_e44e6a-75[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_e44e6a-75\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading_e44e6a-75 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading_e44e6a-75\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A cheap-to-buy car doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean it will be cheap to own. If you&rsquo;re an average consumer, owning a cheap, old used car can end up being a frustrating experience that drains your bank account and leaves you stranded.<\/li><li>A dirt-cheap old car will typically have a lot of worn-out and broken parts that will be expensive to repair. Parts can also be difficult to find. The car can also break down often and it can even be a safety issue.<\/li><li>You&rsquo;re usually better off buying a quality, late-model used vehicle than a cheap, old clunker. You can use the money that you would have spent on a beater for a down payment on something better.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone knows the car market is crazy right now. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/buying-brand-new-car-vs-used\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"New and late-model pre-owned vehicles\">New and late-model pre-owned vehicles<\/a> are fetching <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/why-are-car-prices-so-high\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"unprecedented prices\">unprecedented prices<\/a>, which leaves many buyers looking for an alternative.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A cheap, older used car, perhaps?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recently had a friend who&rsquo;s in the market send me a list of used vehicles he&rsquo;s considering. The lineup included older, high-mileage models, all priced under $4,000. Because used car prices are so high, my friend hoped to save some money by going this route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the problem is&mdash;cheap to buy doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean cheap to own. If you&rsquo;re an average consumer, owning a cheap, old used car can end up being a frustrating experience that drains your bank account and leaves you stranded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_753073603-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"shutterstock 753073603\" class=\"wp-image-67059\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_753073603-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_753073603-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_753073603-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_753073603-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_753073603-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_753073603-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_753073603-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption>The problem is&mdash;cheap to buy doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean cheap to own. If you&rsquo;re an average consumer, owning a cheap, old used car can end up being a frustrating experience that drains your bank account and leaves you stranded.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5 Reasons to Avoid a Dirt Cheap, Older Car<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have never had a car payment (except for once when I was <em>much<\/em> younger and just <em>had<\/em> to have this shiny sport compact). My current daily driver is a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid that I bought for $1,000. To get the car roadworthy, I had to replace a laundry list of parts, ranging from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/steering-angle-sensor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"steering angle sensor\">steering angle sensor<\/a> to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/thermostat-housing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"thermostat housing\">thermostat housing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, I was able to fix the car&rsquo;s problems for just a few hundred dollars in parts. But for the average consumer, having that work done by a professional would have easily cost a couple of grand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My experience with the Escape is pretty typical for a cheap, older used car. An aging, high-mileage vehicle that costs next to nothing can seem like a bargain on the surface&mdash;but all too often, it can end up being a nightmare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Reliability Tends To Be Sketchy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually, you can count on a quality late-model used car to get you where you need to go with very few (if any) problems. But if you&rsquo;re considering purchasing an older model that only costs a few grand, don&rsquo;t be too surprised if you have to catch the bus to work every now and then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get what you pay for with an aging car that&rsquo;s super cheap. Parts tend to be worn-out or broken, and you might not be able to sort the problems out well enough to make the vehicle reliable long-term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_170749043-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"shutterstock 170749043 1\" class=\"wp-image-67062\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_170749043-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_170749043-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_170749043-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_170749043-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_170749043-1-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_170749043-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_170749043-1-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption> You get what you pay for with an aging car that&rsquo;s super cheap.  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. The Cost of Repairs Can Drain Your Bank Account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cheap, old used cars are cheap for a reason. They tend to have hidden problems (which the seller may or may not know about) that can quickly become expensive to repair. Say, for example, you purchase a clunker for $3,000, and it immediately needs $4,000 worth of repairs. Then the car isn&rsquo;t really that great of a deal, is it?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The repair bills also tend to keep on coming with a beater. All too often, when you fix one problem, another pops up soon after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Inconveniences Can Drive You Crazy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Inexpensive, aging used cars are often riddled with quirks that can drive you crazy. For example, you might be in the drive-thru one day, and your car&rsquo;s power windows won&rsquo;t go down. Or you could be rushing to an important meeting when the car refuses to start. When you drive an old junker, every day has the potential to be filled with new inconveniences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clunkers can also be inconvenient expenditure-wise. It never fails that you end up needing a major repair at the worst time possible, like before Christmas or when the kids are going to need back-to-school supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_1866530749-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"shutterstock 1866530749\" class=\"wp-image-67063\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_1866530749-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_1866530749-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_1866530749-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_1866530749-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_1866530749-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_1866530749-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_1866530749-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption> When you drive an old junker, every day has the potential to be filled with new inconveniences.  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Safety Issues Can Come Up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cheap, old cars can have all kinds of safety issues, both in plain view and hidden out of sight. While you&rsquo;ll likely recognize something obvious (e.g., an illuminated anti-lock brake warning light), other issues can go unnoticed, such as worn-out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/brake-discs-pads-and-calipers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"brakes\">brakes<\/a> or failing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/brakes-suspension-and-steering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"steering and suspension parts\">steering and suspension parts<\/a>. When components in these critical safety systems fail, you and your loved ones could be at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Parts Can Be Difficult To Find<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Parts suppliers don&rsquo;t stock components for a vehicle forever. Once a car gets to be more than about 25 years old, you might have a hard time finding certain replacement parts. So, if you&rsquo;re considering buying a car that&rsquo;s both cheap and old enough to be considered vintage, you&rsquo;ll want to keep parts availability in mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_494860162-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"shutterstock 494860162\" class=\"wp-image-67064\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_494860162-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_494860162-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_494860162-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_494860162-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_494860162-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_494860162-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_494860162-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption> If you&rsquo;re considering buying a car that&rsquo;s both cheap and old enough to be considered vintage, you&rsquo;ll want to keep parts availability in mind.  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What To Do Instead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have the tools and the know-how, you might be able to avoid a car payment by keeping a  cheap, older used car (like my Escape) on the road. Otherwise, you&rsquo;re usually better off buying a quality, late-model used vehicle than a cheap, old clunker. You can use the money that you would have spent on a beater for a down payment on something better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although buying an ultra-cheap older car can be tempting, it&rsquo;s usually not the best choice if you want to maintain your sanity and avoid visiting the mechanic.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Everyone knows the car market is crazy right now. New and late-model pre-owned vehicles are fetching unprecedented prices, which leaves&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-you-buy-a-super-cheap-older-car-the-answer-is-usually-no-and-heres-why\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":67058,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3950,3768],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2622],"class_list":{"0":"post-67056","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-for-the-car-owner","8":"category-lifestyle","9":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Should You Buy a Super Cheap, Older Car? The Answer Is Usually No\u2014and Here\u2019s Why. - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019re an average consumer, owning a cheap, old used car can end up being a frustrating experience that drains your bank account and leaves you stranded.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-you-buy-a-super-cheap-older-car-the-answer-is-usually-no-and-heres-why\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should You Buy a Super Cheap, Older Car? The Answer Is Usually No\u2014and Here\u2019s Why. - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you\u2019re an average consumer, owning a cheap, old used car can end up being a frustrating experience that drains your bank account and leaves you stranded.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-you-buy-a-super-cheap-older-car-the-answer-is-usually-no-and-heres-why\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-02-25T20:43:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-11T13:38:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shutterstock_791267923-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2048\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1365\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-buy-a-super-cheap-older-car-the-answer-is-usually-no-and-heres-why\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-buy-a-super-cheap-older-car-the-answer-is-usually-no-and-heres-why\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"29\",\"name\":\"Mia Bevacqua\",\"jobTitle\":\"ASE Master Automobile Technician\",\"description\":\"Mia Bevacqua has over 14 years of experience in the auto industry and holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in Advanced Automotive Systems. 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