Can I find a car for $1000? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DieselHead · #1 05-11-2003, 12:25 PM

Hi,
This is probably a stupid question because the answer will be an emphatic no, but are there any used/fun/beater cars I can get for around $1000? I kind of need some excitement in my life so it'd be nice to get somethng I can tinker around with without worry. Also, I'd like to get something that I could bring to good enough condition to drive me to and from the city. I really don't like bringing my 300D to NYC and parking it on the streets overnight. I just bought my sister a car so I don't have a ton of money to spend. I figure I have about $1000 for the car, and $500 for initial repairs and maintenance to spare. Thanks for the advice.

Alex

Holson Adi · #2 05-11-2003, 12:28 PM

a 1994+ Toyota Tercel...

A Ferrari Red one (that was local to me) was sold on E-Bay for $881!

Too bad it had an automatic box.

#3 05-11-2003, 12:46 PM

Alex, its sort of a silly question. Yes, you can get a car for 1000 or under. But you have to ask yourself, do you really want one? Will you be willing to live with the quirks, the drawbacks that $1000 buys. Besides, you seem to have a nice collection of cars already, just drive one of them to the city. People do it all the time and if something happens, well, they're just cars....

DieselHead · #4 05-11-2003, 12:50 PM

You're probably right. I'm just itching to buy something as I usually am after an academic year. Any suggestions?

Alex

#5 05-11-2003, 12:58 PM

Do you like wristwatches? Maybe a Rolex? They have a following much like a Mercedes and you don't have to worry about parking them! But if you want to buy a fun car to drive and fix-up, look at a BMW 2002 or something. It'll offer you some better "sport" than what you already have, and they're simple to work on...

engatwork · #6 05-11-2003, 01:25 PM

There was a local fella that had an '83 300SD listed in the paper for $1000. It was originally a Chicago car and had the rust at the jack points but about a year or so prior to him getting it the prior owner had the engine/tranny rebuilt. It was a very strong running drivetrain and I suspect the engine/tranny were worth the $1k alone. Not sure if he has sold it or not.

Capt Kirk · #7 05-11-2003, 04:39 PM

a VW

any old VW will do, you could get an 89 Diesel Jetta for hardly anything

TTaM · #8 05-11-2003, 04:51 PM

Look around for Charity Auctions. That is where I got my Volvo. People donate the cars for the tax write off. The one by me is for the Volunteers of America. Every Friday they open the lot for you to inspect and test drive the car. Then come Sat morning, the actual bidding takes place. It is quite fun. Some real clean durable cars cross the block and often sell for under $800. VOA doesn't care what they sell for since all the cars were given to them so any money they get is positive gains. They normally start the bidding at $100 and go up at $25 incriments. A little bit ago there was a '76 300D. I was all excited until I found out it wasn't for auction due to title problems. There was a VW Rabbit that crossed the block running under its own power but with a horribly ripped up interior that didn't sell at $5! I was sorely tempted to buy the car just so I could crash it into things or jump it or drive it into a lake. :p

300SDog · #9 05-11-2003, 10:14 PM

Hey DieselHead, this is your lucky day..... I've got just the ticket for you - located not far from Westchester.

johnbald1@hotmail.com

#10 05-12-2003, 12:12 AM

You can find a nice Subaru for $1,000, and for that price it should run and be in nice condition, and might even have AWD.

My brother is actually looking for a beater Subaru for under $200 that runs. A few years back he saw one for $75 that was sitting in someones yard, and it ran

.

Rick Miley · #11 05-12-2003, 11:22 AM

Ha ha ha ha ha, ho ho ho, he he he. Your post really gave me a good laugh. If you had been looking a few weeks ago, you might have seen this: 1980 240D in Brooklyn

I bought that car for $500 and my partner drove it to Florida. I've spent $132 on rear halfshafts, and $109 on a replacement keyswitch, so there's a total of less than $800 in it and I'm driving it every day to work.

It would have been the perfect car for you to drive to the city, since it lived there for many years and looks like it belong there. The grille screen I sent you was the original from that 240D, the P.O. had already bought a new one and included it with the sale.

Just keep an eye out here and, like you've already done, let the folks in this forum know that you want one, and something will turn up. Sorry but there already two buyers in line ahead of you for the 240D. Here's the thread I posted when it arrived here.:
I finally joined the W123 club!