Hello Scotty, I'm Gweneth. I'm a poor, single mother of one baby boy on welfare. No man present to help with men's duties such as finding a car, which was what lead me to watch your videos on YouTube in the first place! I live down south in Jacksonville, FL. I trust you, so I'm going to share my financial information with you! I receive $861.00 monthly in social security benefits. Between the 1st and 8th of September, I will be receiving back pay of $4,956. Proving you with my financial information, so that you could determine the greatest solution for my son and I based on my financial situation. Moreover, I thought investing the money into a car would be the greatest idea for us especially since we have tons of places to get to on a regular basis such as daycare, doctor's appts, school, etc! I can save $500.00 per month for any unexpected car repairs that the car may encounter in the future such as engine, transmission, etc. I desire cars that are easy to repair and to replace. I see that you recommended Toyota, Corolla, Camry, and Honda Civics in a few of your videos. I have considered financing a new car to avoid car problems, but don't meet the requirements of the dealerships (Toyota and Honda) due to my income being too low, no credit history, etc. It's seems as though a used car might be my only option which I don't mind. I'm greatful for whatever you suggest! I'm asking for reliable, fuel and cost efficient! I search places like Facebook marketplace for cars in my local area that are budget friendly but those cars tend to have 150K miles or more which isn't ideal according to google. I haven't tried any used car dealerships yet nonetheless I will if that's what you recommend! I trust your expertise! Whatever you think is best based on this information I have given, I'm open to all opinions!!!
You know what I need Scotty Kilmer! Please help me and my son find transportation!
Thank you very much!!! 😊
Welcome!
Youll get a lot of good suggestions here. Â But it will come down to what actually is available in your area. Â A well-maintained Kia Rio or PT Cruiser will be better than a Corolla thatâs been flooded or has deferred maintenance.
If you really need a cheap car, look for things with cosmetic damage (like hail) that donât compromise the frame or drivetrain. Look also for âdirtyâ cars that look terrible but just need a little TLC.
Regardless, be willing to pay $200 or so for a professional inspection. Â It seems like a waste to pay for an inspection, but with many low cost cars there are fatal flaws (blown head gaskets) that the seller wonât disclose. Â
The good news is that used car wholesale prices are starting to soften. Â If you can hold on a bit, youâll probably save a few percent just from market adjustment.Â
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PS: to get an idea of what kind of cosmetic repairs you can do yourself, check out âChris Fixâsâ series on restoring a vandalized car:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WihpfXxGOBo
Excellent advice above. Try to stay out of monthly payments, as best you can.
Try to find cars such as these -
Like Dad said, you need see what's available, so start checking Craigslist (or whatever else you have) every day.
Call all your friends and let them know you're looking.
Start by looking for cars with the lowest mileage you can find, which you can still afford.
- Cars not registered to current owner: Skip
- Cars with collisions, salvage, or missing title: Skip
- Doesn't start: Skip
- Cars with cosmetic damage: Money saver!
- Owner has service history: Good sign
Narrow it down to a few you like , and establish contact with the seller. You can post links/screenshots here if you like and we'll give you our opinion. Do not hand over any money until you've had the car inspected.
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Tons more tips and advice in our used car guide in the FAQ.
