Well that's kind of hard to say. I can't really throw out a specific number.

It all depends on the car and what kind of shape its in. I mean you can get cars all day long for $2k or under on ebay that run, have rust problems, and have below average interior, but that's not what I'm looking for.

For example:

I called on a car north of California around the $4k range that appeared to fit the bill and seemed like it was fairly priced (if not a little under priced). He was claiming full maintenance records and documentation for the little over 100,000 miles, drove great, had immaculate original interior, no rust and always garaged. He said the only downside was that the odometer didn't work and the clear coat was starting to peel off in some places. I told him I would pay what he was asking (as long as it had factory A/C) but I wanted to see more pictures of the car since I was out of state. The seller agreed to send more pictures and call me back the next day when it was convenient for him. I told him, if they looked good, I would fly up and look at it in person and pay cash if it was as described.

I haven't received the pictures or heard from him yet. I'm guessing the car wasn't as described, he decided not to sell, or was trying to work some kind of scam. I guess I should have known when he said he didn't know if the car had factory air installed.


I probably would have went a little higher than $4k he was asking if the clear coat wasn't peeling and the car was as described, but only because he said he had full documentation and service records. To me, those are worth a lot.