Is a car under $1000 reliable?

[DidierAubin87]

Hi guys,

I just found a site where provides the used cars for sale under 1000 (https://carfromjapan.com/cheap-used-...-under-usd1000). Should I buy that cheap car? The price is suitable for my wallet but I'm aware of its endurance. Please give me some advances. Thank you [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/forums.beyond.ca\/b\/i\/smilies\/clap.gif"}[/IMG2]

 

[Vance]

Buying a used car is always a gamble Didier.

An inexpensive used car more so.

I am prepared to double the purchase price when I purchase a low dollar used car. It seems like there is also a list of things that need to be done before the car becomes dependable.

I know something about cars and yet I always pay a mechanic familiar with the make and model to look over my prospective used car purchase. It helps me to quantify my risk.

Tires not only wear out, they age out so the tires may not last even if they look good.

Don’t be afraid to reject a lot of cars before choosing one.

I am usually lucky but not always despite my experience and care.

I wish you luck.

 

[rickloon]

Note all the cars are in Japan, and the price is FOB (free on board ) that means YOU arrange shipping +pay any import duty or tax also they are right hand drive and most likly will not meet federal emission and crash standards. Look up "gray market cars " to see what you may be getting into. And you still don't know how they will run (or if).
Rick

 

[DidierAubin87]

Note all the cars are in Japan, and the price is FOB (free on board ) that means YOU arrange shipping +pay any import duty or tax also they are right hand drive and most likly will not meet federal emission and crash standards. Look up "gray market cars " to see what you may be getting into. And you still don't know how they will run (or if).
Rick

thank for your note. I have known about this issue

 

[DidierAubin87]

Buying a used car is always a gamble Didier.

An inexpensive used car more so.

I am prepared to double the purchase price when I purchase a low dollar used car. It seems like there is also a list of things that need to be done before the car becomes dependable.

I know something about cars and yet I always pay a mechanic familiar with the make and model to look over my prospective used car purchase. It helps me to quantify my risk.

Tires not only wear out, they age out so the tires may not last even if they look good.

Don’t be afraid to reject a lot of cars before choosing one.

I am usually lucky but not always despite my experience and care.

I wish you luck.

Thank you Vance.

There is nothing to be sure about the perfomance and condition of the car so that's why I ask this question. but I think it's worth to try because I saw many people who bought good used car for sale under 1000 from Japanese site.

I think asking a mechanic is great idea

 

[eutrophicated1]

Didier, one last thing: noticing that you've listed your location as France, it is quite possible that the cars listed are not sold in France at all. Which means that parts for them are not available to you, as well as any special tools needed to work on them. Even if they are brand/model/years that do exist where you live, parts can be problematic.

In the US, for many years, the Jaguar Marke was sold to individuals. There were even dealerships specializing in them. Then after 3 to 6 years, when the owners needed transmission parts, they were not available, backordered for 2 to 3 years sometimes. The Jaguar brand became the joke of the industry.

 

[Uncle Willie]

... I think asking a mechanic is great idea

It is not about Asking a Mechanic.
It is having a Mechanic familiar with the make and model look over the actual car Before you purchase It!

Also driving a Right hand drive car on the Right side of the road is playing Russian Roulette every time you attempt to pass a car in front of you.
You can not tell if the left lane is clear until tou are already well into the lane. Good luck with that!

... I think it's worth to try because I saw many people who bought good used car for sale under 1000 from Japanese site.

Do you know these people personally, or are you just reading the testimonials on the Japanese web site?

 

[Kevin_Richey]

I suspect this thread is a sales pitch to drive traffic to the website mentioned several times.

The personal info of the thread starter lists the website.

 

[Heron]

I like cars, but I like people better, so, I match the car with the person and its not the price that will determine the longevity of a vehicle! We buy cars for as low as 100 dollars, fix the problems and sell them for around 1.500, that is on the lowest level . . .right now, driving a perfect Mercedes 2004, under 4 grand . . .and yes, lots of 1.000 dollars cars are in great shape!
foot note: In Japan, an engine is good for 80 thousand miles, they replace it, I am trying to get a source for some Subarus, from a friend living in Nagoya.

 

[kolibri282]

My first car (a VW beetle of course) cost 300,- Deutschmarks in 1975 (today about $ 350,-) . I didn't have a driving license yet so my sister took me to a training area. After a few rounds the engine quit and a quick check revealed that the fuel pump had broken down (the membrane had split in two). I made a quick phone call (from the office of the training area, no cell phones back then...;-) to a friend (my car mechanics coach..) who had a large stock of spare parts. He arrived half an hour later (I had already removed the old pump) and five minutes later we were ready to roll. Thus my answer would be: if it is a car where you look at the engine and feel confident to be able to fix better than 50% of the issues you can fix with basic tools it's a good deal. I have not owned a car now for almost 40 years, so I am not familiar with current makes and models but a colleague in my company bought a Honda and downloaded a diagnosis software which allows him to detect all the errors. He seems to fix most of the issues that crop up, so some know how in handling a computer today seems necessary as well.