Before moving here I had multiple people tell me you could get used cars for dirt cheap in TX. I am here to tell you it is NOT TRUE! At least not for my area. I've been searching and searching for a second car that we can buy outright for under $2000. Everything I've seen in that price range is either not running, older than me, banged in a bit, or is a huge boat car you see people turn into a ghetto mobile.We've really hoped to get a truck since it would be handy. One ad came up two days ago that peaked my interest. An '85 Ford Ranger. It looked decent (though Matt correctly pegged it as a "Mexican work truck." Not quite PC, but true nonetheless). It was pretty far away, but we had a Dr.'s appointment in Plano so I figured we could swing on over to Garland to at least take a look. It was only $1350, and Billy (the old guy who answered my phone inquiry) told me there were no problems with it at all. What did we have to lose but a bit of time and a little gas?
The meeting was doomed from the beginning. It was a ghetto little mechanic shop with a trailer as the "office". Chiko (the Mexican who was in charge of selling the truck) handed over the key; I took charge since I have more experience with a stick shift.
"Make sure you pump the gas before you start it. It's been having a problem with the fuel (blah blah...couldn't understand) sticking."
Oh Great.
I got in and started it up. It was old, that's for sure. As I sat there, one foot on the clutch and one foot on the brake, waiting to take it out for a little test drive, I could smell a smokey smell. Chiko came and tapped on the window, telling me to tap the gas a little. The fuel (blah blah) was stuck. I pulled it out on the street and it immediately stalled. A car started driving up and Matt was yelling at me that we were going to get hit. I had to restart the car. Luckily the car drove around us (not bothering to slow down much). I tried to pull into the turning lane until I could get it going well.
I try to go and it stalls again. I start it again and man handle it (no power steering) into the parking lot of the Taco Bell next door.
It stalls again. I get it out of the Taco Bell lot, back on the street, and it stalls again. I promptly start it and pull it back into the mechanic lot where it stalled one last time.
Now, one may first wonder if I just don't know how to drive a stick. I do. Not only did I drive a stick shift 2 years in High School, but during that time I taught plenty of friends, my brother and his friends how to drive as well.
And then there was The Sube. The only car I've actually owned on my own that was given to me by my sister, who had it gifted to her by my brother, who had inherited it when he married his wife, who's grandfather bought it used for her when she was in High School. It was a '79. Older than me. Good old stick shift that got me through 2 years of college. (After I got home from China I "gifted" it to my sister's brother-in-law Troy. When he took it in to get the safety and emissions, they told him it would require hundreds of dollars worth of work to make it road worthy. Lol. Some gift, hu? He promptly left it on his street without tags where it got towed...or did he have Mexicans approach him for it? Not sure about that.)
So I know it's not my lack of skillz that was stalling it out. Just a bad car plain and simple.
Strike one. Too bad. I'm starting a job on Monday and it's going to be a royal pain with both of us working "real jobs with real hours" with only one car...
Hopefully there's something out there waiting for us.
We may just have to break down and actually buy something good that would require payments.
*shudder* payments. A profanity in my book of vocabulary.
I wish I could channel the spirit of my Great-grandmother, don some pearl earrings and a nice dress, go into a dealership with $500 cash and shmooze my way into a nice cute little car for that price. She had such a knack for that! Not a gene I inherited.
7 comments:
Buying used cars can be a pain. Good luck with your search! I'm sure something will turn up soon.
Transporting of used cars to Mexico is a huge business in Texas. This may be draining the market a bit, but I can't see it removing all the decent cars from the market.
Besides the typical avenues for finding cars; newspapers, craigslist, car lots, etc., I have a couple suggestions.
First, get the word out to your church that you are looking to buy a car. It just seems socially wrong to over charge a church member or lie about its condition.
Second, put out word at Matt's job. He might find a coworker looking to offload a car.
Third, check the obits. Yes, it's morbid, but it is one place to look. I know in NY people use obits to find apartments, why not cars? I had a good friend out of high school who found his used car that way. A little old lady's husband died and she never drove herself anywhere. Her husband always drove her. She didn't need the car and he got a very good deal.
Fourth, stalk the car lots. You might be thrown off the lot after a while, but you might get lucky. Find someone who is looking for a new car and wants to trade their old one in. See if you can pull them aside and see what they were willing to offer for a trade. Offer them a bit more and take the car.
Fifth, check out the foreclosures at the bank. Some banks will have a lot they hold their foreclosed cars on. You can often get a very good bargain on these cars, often below what is owed on the loan. My older brother had his first car repo'd when he was just out of high school and the bank sold it for less than the loan. He owed the difference.
Six, check the paper for estate sales. Sometimes you can negotiate for the car before the sale. If not, you can check out the car and bid for it during the auction. Then you will have competition.
Seven, check out the police seizures and impounds. You might find something there.
Eight, check out charities that accept cars as donations.
Nine, check out companies or government organizations that have fleets. They often will sell old vehicles as they update their fleets.
Ten, check out the local colleges. Often students will try to sell their cars and will post them on bulletin boards, etc.
Eleven, check the paper for divorces. Sometimes you’ll find where a spouse must turn over the car or the money they received from selling the car. If they are spiteful, you might be able to buy it for $1.
Twelve, see if you can get a job driving one of those mobile signs around town. You might have to give up most of your evening and weekends, but you’ll have a car.
I'm surprised there isn't anything in your range. Have you checked closer to downtown Dallas where there is a little better supply? I bet if you just hold out a few more weeks you can find something decent for $2,000.
Stick shifts are a nightmare. Adam taught me how to drive one when we were engaged and let me just say, it's a miracle I didn't cancel the wedding!
MIZIKE!!! WOW! That's a good comprehensive list you have there. Things I'd never have thought of.
We saw a GREAT truck listed last night at 7:30PM in our price range. I didn't see the listing until 9:30 so I figured I shouldn't call the guy until today. When I called him he said he had sold it within 10 minutes of putting up his Ad! He had 4 calls within 10 Min. and told them that whoever got there first with money could have it. YIKES! Stiff competition here.
I just printed out Mizike's list. We are looking for another car next year. I think this essay could be turned into a best selling self-help book. Each of the 12 suggestions could be expanded on and he'd have a book thousands of people would buy! Thanks for all the suggestions.
The only thing I can add is that a good vehicle has a minimum value. One daughter and son-in-love bought an well working older car, kept it in good shape, and sold it a few years later to a friend for about the original cost to them. Their friend got a good car.
If one is prone to being involved in accidents then this in not a good route since the insurance will not cover the real value to you; only the book value.
I've figured it out.
Dealers have someone watching these ads on craigslist all the time. They have a buyer with $10,000 cash on hand to go buy cars from individuals to then turn around and sell on a dealership lot.
Jerks.
That's why I can't find anything decent for under $2000. I can't beat a dealership's hawk eyes and bottomless pockets.
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