List of Best Used Cars under $5,000?

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog

Oh come on.... He's 17! don't make him drive a grandpa's car.

There are lots of advantages to a grandpa's car: Low purchase price and insurance cost, often impeccably maintained and never abused.

The main one is: low profile, the last thing a lead footed new driver needs is a car that draws unwanted attention from the police, especially these days.

 

[skate1968]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog

Oh come on.... He's 17! don't make him drive a grandpa's car.


Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone

There are lots of advantages to a grandpa's car: Low purchase price and insurance cost, often impeccably maintained and never abused.

The main one is: low profile, the last thing a lead footed new driver needs is a car that draws unwanted attention from the police, especially these days.


And there might even be an advantage to my nephew owning the goofiest, slowest most unnatractive car imagineable!

Practicing "safetey?" "protection"

Yes, he is 17. But he is also a guy. (1)

i have a client who retired from his job and is no longer using the company car:

The above vehicle might also help prevent my sister from worrying about an "unplanned" event that hasn't been mentioned. Kinda like killing two birds with one stone.

[again, in all seriousness, thanks for all the help]

(1) i am, of course, referring to the fact how 17 year old boys have urges to take risks by driving too fast.

 

[fisher83]

I have had good luck with used Hyundais. The Elantra is a particularly good one. Resale values are low which helps you to find a newer car for less money. You can usually find some nice ones with decent mileage for not much money. It's very important to change the timing belt on these cars because they have an interference engine. I have had great luck with them. I usually try to buy cars with around 80-90k or less. Private owners are a good resource as they may be able to provide you with service records. Hope this helps!

 

[Spazdog]

That Grand Prix I posted was either well maintained or that lot has a [heck]uva good detailer/refurbisher.

It's $1000 less than the Chevrolet Prizm at the bottom of the page it's on. I might go buy it. That's a nice car.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: 95busa
I got my Mercury for $8300 with 40K miles on it. I am betting you could get one with about 75K for less than 5 thousand. I had a police car I put 190K miles on. They were very hard miles. The powertrains on these things are tough. Try to get a 2003 or later (better suspensions and PI engines).

This^^^^^

You should be able to find a 03-07 Police Interceptor [depending on mileage and condition] for less then 5K bucks..Even a 9C1 Impala would work for that matter..Most are maintained very well with everything working in them..Most have service records.

The only thing you will find in Miami for less then 5K bucks is 10-15 year old sludge monsters with a ton of miles with broken power equipment and zero service records.

Decommissioned Police Interceptors are very popular down here with the kids and even the older crowd..I see a lot of them on I-95 everyday running just fine.

 

[ET16]

How about a Ford Taurus.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: ET16
How about a Ford Taurus.


That would work..The bulk of investigators in Miami-Dade and Broward County use them and have no issues with them..A lot of the Tauruses they use are over 10 years old..The Fusion also works well for them.

 

[yesthatsteve]

Originally Posted By: CROWNVIC4LIFE
Originally Posted By: ET16
How about a Ford Taurus.


That would work..The bulk of investigators in Miami-Dade and Broward County use them and have no issues with them..A lot of the Tauruses they use are over 10 years old..The Fusion also works well for them.


I see lots of former fleet models for sale around here with 150k-200k on the odometer, and a fair amount of life left in them.

 

[Gene K]

Panther's (Ford Crown Vic, Mercury Gran Marq, and Lincoln Town Car) are hands down the best buy.

That said we are are talking a 17 year old who may not appreciate the style and mpg of a Panther.

A good choice in a smaller car is a Toyota Corolla.

 

[yonyon]

That weinermobile may not be much fun to drive, but it's gotta be gretty awesome to arrive in. If I could have had that at 17 instead of the boring to look at but fun to drive Coupe deVille I ended up with have jumped at the opportunity. Come to think of it... I'm not quite too old to enjoy a ride like that even now. Is it for sale?

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: Gene K
Panther's (Ford Crown Vic, Mercury Gran Marq, and Lincoln Town Car) are hands down the best buy.

That said we are are talking a 17 year old who may not appreciate the style and mpg of a Panther.

A good choice in a smaller car is a Toyota Corolla.


Unfortunately you can not find a Corolla in decent shape in my neck of the woods for under 5K bucks..My friends kid went looking for one a few months ago and everything he looked at [I went with him several times] was a big time POS plus they had a million issues with very spotty service records.

Actually the bulk of the decommissioned P71 Ford Police Interceptors [down by me anyway] come with push bars,spot lamp,dark tint and dog dish hubcaps so it does not look like a grandpa car at all..Especially the Black and White ones which seem to be the most popular ones by me for the 16-30 year old crowd.

To my amazement the 16-30 year olds maintain their P71'S very well as I know a few guys who own them..All their cars came with service records and everything works perfect in them.

Getting back to friends kid he ended up with 06 owner operated taxi with 300K miles..I knew the owner..The car came with service records..It was serviced by Ford and Mobil 1 Express every 3-K miles..A lot of stuff was replaced..Everything works perfectly.

He paid less then 1K bucks for it..So far it only needed a alternator..He had it a few months now..He does not plan to keep this car for a long time but it will hold him over for now.