Budget Buys, Part 1

People of a certain age are often stuck in a time warp. they remember when a $1000 car was easy to find and would last for 2 years. Such bargains are scarce, if you can find them at all. $3000-4000 is the new $1000.Anything less is likely very used up, or needs work just to get it on the road. That is not completely bad. Cars are better now than they were in those days. A $1000 car 20 years ago was a 1970s or 80s model that was expected to last up to 75,000 miles. Interiors were cheap and self-destructed early in their lives.Electrical failures were common. Squeaks, rattles and shoddy workmanship were the norm. Todays cars are engineered better and use better materials. Even the cheapest cars will run 150,000-200,000 miles without  surprising anyone. With improved technology and materials comes a cost.On entry-level wages, buying a first car may be harder to afford, but the car will likely be much better and safer than it was 20 years ago.
Now that I remember my password and can log back on, I will be looking at cars in the $3000-4000 prce range and we'll take a look at what the cheap cars of today are like. It can vary from 1 place to the next. In areas with lower costs of living, cars can likely be found cheaper. Also, in areas where cars last longer, they can be found at lower prices, often due to the overflow on the market, where supply may outnumber demand.
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1998 Chevrolet Lumina -Low Miles 60K- Chevy Lumina - $3250 (Warren)

Year - 1998
Make - Chevrolet
Model - Lumina

Color - White
Miles - 60,026 Actual
Engine - 3.1 L V6

Runs & drives very well, taken care of / garage kept always. Many options
Call for more info, thank you.

Price - 3,250.00 plus tax,title & plate fee's
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The bad news is, this is a pretty old car-older than a lot of buyers would consider. And it's a Michigan car, so the likelihood of rust damage underneath is high. But honestly, it's one of the better-sounding cars i've seen for this price. I'm used to seeing Malibu's with 150,000 miles. This kind of mileage is a bit of a surprise, and these cars tend to run a long time so another 100,000 miles is very possible. Boring? You bet. Old? Yes. But if the body is decent, this one COULD be a great buy. Of course, one needs to check the carfax first and make sure its got a clean title. Judging by the way the ad is written, it looks like this is at a car lot, so there's less risk of getting a car with a junk title, but still, be careful. Most dealers will sell a car like this for around $5000, and thats with much higher mileage. If this checks out ok, it could be the bargain of the year. These Luminas can take a lot of use.Watch for subframe rust under the doors, an affliction most have sufered in this region. as far as the engines are concerned, these cars are still trudging along even after the bodies have rotted. Dare I say it but I'd put these up against a similar-year Toyota Camry in terms of durability.