Can you find a good, used car for under $1000?

Rarely. Most cars under $1000 USD are sold for that amount because they have many mechanical and electrical issues or because they simply aren't running. For less than $1k these are the models I would suggest: A Volvo 240 - Although you likely to get a lower end model, this car is a workhorse and will last you for many years with proper maintenance. A Volvo 740/760 - Again, a workhorse of the Volvo line, but it will run well with the proper maintenance. A Saab 900 series - A rare find for under $1000, but if you can locate one I would suggest buying it as this car will also last as long as the Volvos. Dodge Aries K - If you can one that is still running, buy it. This vehicle is simple to work on and will probably run for many years after your purchase A Ford 150 -  Another workhorse of its company's production line, this vehicle will last you for years, is easy to work on and also has the advantage of having a bed for hauling. References: 1985 Volvo 240 1989 Volvo 740 Series (Wagon) 1996 Saab 900 Dodge Aries K Ford F-150

What said.  Plus a few tips of mine: Keep in mind you will probably have to spend days or weeks trying to find a car that doesn't have an almost dead major component, like slipping transmission, or knocking engine. Something smashed you can live with might be a better bet, unless you have a suspended license or don't plan on getting insurance. A couple of years ago there was a major spike in scrap prices, so a lot of good older cars got scrapped making your <1k search a lot harder. Last time I went looking in that budget, I looked at 10+ cars and nothing was worth more than scrap. I just gave up and bought a non-runner that was clean and swapped out the engine. Cost less than $1000 total, and took less time than hunting down a viable $1000 car.  I did have a friend with a garage who was willing to let me make a big mess for a couple days. Look at the back lot at a dealer.  They send low-value trade-ins to the auction.  Sometimes you can find something good there.  They have always sold one to me for estimated auction price plus a reasonable percentage, which has been under $500.  In 1990 I got one of these for $400 at a new car dealer: Learn the easy-to fix-if-you-know-the-trick problems.  Find a car that needs that.  Fuel pump that the book says you have to pull the tank to get to, but you can cut a hole under the seat (Chevy Cavalier).  Rear main seal that requires dropping the trans, but you can avoid that by reaching in and dropping the oil pump (Jeep straight six). A wanted ad can often yield better pickings than looking at what is advertised.  People don't want to mess with an ad, and tons of phone calls for a low-value car, but they might call you.  This has worked the best overall for me.  --Karl

is on the mark when he writes that cars under $1000 often have mechanical and electrical problems. One reason for this is that many cars in this price range have more than 100,000 miles and in some cases approaching 200,000 miles, essentially at the end of their useful lives. There's often an inverse relationship between the price of a car and the cost to repair it. European cars are typically more expensive to repair than Japanese or American cars. (The exception to this is brands like Acura, Infiniti and Lexus, aka "highlines.") For this reason you will find high mileage Volvos, Saabs, Jaguars and other European cars selling for less than Japanese cars with similar mileage. I've purchased cars for very good prices (none of them under $1000) on eBay (1994 Infiniti Q45, 2002 Jaguar X-Type, 1990 Volvo 780), and one at an auto auction (1993 Volvo 960). All of these cars were expensive to repair. Another thing you'll find in the under $1000 range are "orphans," cars from manufacturers that no longer exist. Sometimes the term is applied to cars that were never sold in the U.S., or are no longer sold in the U.S., cars that had a very brief existence, like one or two model years, and marques that have been discontinued, like Edsel. Some of these include older Renaults, Rovers (not the same as Land Rovers), Peugeots, Fiats, etc. These tend to be low priced because, quite frankly, they are undesirable (many are just plain ugly and they are almost never status symbols) and impossible to fix with dealers having left the U.S. and repair shops unable to service these cars. An example* is this 1987 Pontiac Fiero offered on eBay for $980 "Buy it Now," meaning that is the selling price. It runs but needs work. An Experian Auto-Check report (included in the eBay listing) reveals that this car has been in an accident. 1983 and 1984 models of this car experienced engine fires and faced a possible recall. http://ateupwithmotor.com/sports-cars-and-muscle-cars/201-pontiac-fiero.html Perhaps there are good cars for under $1000, but this Fiero illustrates some of the many problems with cars in this price range. Your best bet for finding a good car for less than $1000 is to buy from a family member or close friend, though these methods have their own issues. * Whether the Fiero is a true orphan is debatable, since it had a five year run, but it was a quirky car plagued by problems.

My dad has given me the following advice: if a car is clean, un-dinged, and running well, it's worth $2000. Anything less is a gamble.

This is hard, but if you’re lucky you may be able to find a used Chevy/Geo Prizm. The car is the same as the Toyota Corolla (made at the same factory in Fremont before it was bought by Tesla). However, since the car carries a GM nameplate, it often sells for less despite having the same excellent reliability as the Corolla.A couple other routes to consider might be finding cheaper cars among brands that were discontinued (Saturn, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Mercury, etc -- but none of those cars were particularly good and had reliability issues) or looking at cars that are ubiquitous and thus less desirable and cheaper (e.g. Ford Taurus). While these latter two options might get you a car for $1000, they might not necessarily be a "good" used car, so make sure you have it checked out by a mechanic before buying.

Find one of those people who buy a $3000 car, has driven it a few years (40k - 50k miles) and is ready for another one. I recently sold a 1996 Buick Regal that I had paid $2,900 for with 110k miles on it just over four years ago. With 152k miles and still running strong, though looking a bit ragged, I sold it for $800. With reasonable care and maintenance it will likely be good for another 40k miles... but one never knows.

You have lot of options for cars under 1000, but most of them will be of the 90's and 80's era with a lot of mileage on it. If you know this and still want to get a car, then these are few of the cars which are worth buying at the price of 1000$ 2002 Kia Spectra, 2000 Ford Taurus, 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, 2001 Chevrolet Impala LS 2001 Buick Century Limited Ford 150 Source: http://www.ipricecars.com/popular-inventory/used-cars-under-1000.cfm

You can buy a used car in this budget but i suggest try to get a valuable car as compared to low cost car.Two car may look same but their valuation is always different.Proper maintenance of car can give you more money at the time of reselling.There are many tools available on website which will give you proper valuation of car which you are going to buy. http://www.rightcar.com/used-car/find/city/north-delhi

Yes. However, you're going to be feeding off other people's misfortunes. Look for cheating husbands, spiteful wives, nasty divorces, and vengeful kids on craigslist.