How to Get a Car When You’re Poor? – 10 Golden Rules for Buying a Car

Even if you have already paid for the car, it will still cost you a significant amount of money to keep it in good working order. If money is tight for you right now, you may be wondering how you’re going to manage the expense of buying a car. On the other hand, there are a number of things you can do to make things go off without a hitch.

If you are cash-strapped and want to buy an automobile, be quite certain that you need one. Have you given any thought to the other possible choices? Would you be able to get by on just public transportation? Will going for a stroll or riding a bike be sufficient? Are you able to share a car? Is it possible for your family to get by with only one car?
Continue reading this article and keep the following rules in mind if there is no other choice than to purchase a vehicle.

The 10 golden rules for “how to get a car when you’re poor” are as follows.

1. “Point A to Point B” Mindset
   

Automobiles were first invented so that people could travel farther distances more quickly than a horse could manage. You need to make sure that you have the appropriate mentality when it comes to purchasing a vehicle. In the first phase, an automobile is only a means of traveling from point A to B in a secure manner. Take a moment to pause and reflect on how far society has deviated from the mentality of getting from point A to point B.

2. Don’t Buy for Features
   

Although having a vehicle may be essential, having all of its bells and whistles need not be. You won’t be purchasing anything based on its characteristics. You are not in a position to be choosy at this time. You aren’t going to wait for a sunroof, leather seats, or a sound system with luxury components, are you? Keep in mind that the sole aspect that should concern you is how securely it will transport you to your destination.

You can get by without many of the things that are deemed essential in this day and age.

It is quite simple to let one’s guard down and spend more money on safety measures than is necessary. The topic of safety may be a very sensitive one. If you pay more for your family’s protection, you might put your family’s financial stability in considerable peril. The majority of decisions involving money involve making tough choices between competing options.

Accidents and fatalities are an unfortunate but unavoidable consequence of providing millions of people with the capability of moving at high speeds. The presence of safety measures does not always eliminate the risk of catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Be cautious about how much of your budget you are prepared to put into purchasing safety measures.

3. Purchase a Vehicle for $2,000 to $7,500
   

If you’ve read the first two points, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we advise getting a car that’s on the more affordable side. On the other hand, we caution you to avoid purchasing a vehicle that is priced too low. A price point of less than $2,000 is considered to be very cheap. You don’t want to acquire an automobile that, in a few short months, you’ll have to trade in for something else.

Are you interpreting this to mean that you should not spend less than $2,000? The first and most obvious exception to this rule is if you or a member of your family is a vehicle mechanic (free labor). If you are capable of doing maintenance and repairs on your own car, then you have a far deeper understanding of automobiles.

If you are certain that you are receiving a good bargain, you should consider purchasing a vehicle that is as inexpensive as you want since you will be able to take care of the vehicle without having to pay for the work associated with its maintenance.

The second circumstance in which you shouldn’t expect to save money is when you purchase a car from someone you have confidence in. If you have a friend or family member who is willing to give you a good deal on a car that falls within this price range, then you should definitely consider their offer.

Be careful to inquire if there are any problems with maintenance that you should be aware of.

Make use of your existing connections and let people know that you are looking for an affordable and dependable automobile. It’s in people’s nature to be helpful to others around them. Many individuals have told us about how they were able to purchase a car at a significant discount from a family member or friend. All of this is due to the fact that they were aware of the need.

Some of you may wonder if the highest possible price of $7,500 is reasonable given the range. At first, we were hesitant and entertained the idea of reducing it. Why did we choose to leave it in that position? Only those whose jobs are heading in the right direction should consider purchasing cars at the most expensive end of the price range.

Let’s take the example of a new college grad who has already found a job that pays well and is looking for a car that may last them at least five years while he pays off the student debt.

Whatever you do, be sure it fits within the parameters of the range. It is highly recommended that you make your purchase from a private party. Avoiding the hassle of dealing with a car dealership is a significant benefit of purchasing a vehicle from a private party.

When a salesperson demonstrates how affordable the car’s monthly payments may be, it’s easy to let yourself be talked into purchasing an expensive vehicle. If you take out a loan with a term that is sufficiently lengthy, you will be able to “afford” any automobile. Try not to be fooled by this.

4. Stick with Reliable Brands.
   

Buying a used automobile comes with a number of risks, one of which is the likelihood of making frequent trips to the auto mechanic. These visits may put further pressure on finances that are already under stress. Investing in dependable automobiles is the surest way to guard against any risks. Reliability is a hallmark of some brands, such as Honda and Toyota, and their vehicles’ repair bills are often affordable. Avoid purchasing premium automobiles with outdated models.

Even if you can obtain a BMW for $5,000 right now, it is not the right moment to make that purchase. Repair costs for luxury automobiles, especially older models, are often higher than those for their more affordable equivalents. Conduct some preliminary research on the dependability of the brand and model you want to buy before going ahead and committing fully to the transaction.

5. Get an Inspection Before Buying
   

This stage should not be skipped! Too many individuals try to save money by avoiding the examination, but this strategy almost always backfires, causing them to spend much more money in the long run. It is smart to have a car examined before purchasing it, and this recommendation holds true regardless of the price range you are shopping in. Finding out about potential maintenance problems may save you hundreds of dollars.

If you are purchasing a reliable vehicle from a member of your own family, it is still a smart idea to have the automobile examined before you make the purchase. Even while the vehicle may not be exhibiting any obvious indicators of difficulties, this does not indicate that there aren’t issues hiding beneath the hood waiting to be discovered.

We can only hope that you already have a good relationship with a trustworthy auto technician. You should budget around one hundred dollars for the pre-purchase examination.

6. Pay as much cash as you can

In an ideal scenario, you would pay for your automobile in its entirety with cash. However, if you don’t have any money, idealism isn’t always the best choice. This is a situation in which realism is more important than idealism. In the event that you are forced to get a loan in order to finance the purchase of a car, choosing a more affordable automobile should enable you to pay off the loan in a shorter amount of time.

Make every effort to pay off the debt as fast as you can! It is not a good idea to take as much time as the bank allows you to repay the debt just because they provide you with a certain number of years to do it. You do not want making payments on your automobile to become an everyday occurrence in your life.

7. Take Pride in Your Car

How can one feel proud when driving an unsightly car? Having confidence in oneself is the first step in the process. You should be pleased with the fact that you did not overextend yourself financially in order to purchase a more costly automobile than you could afford.

Consider your rust bucket of an old car to be the fast track to your future financial security. You didn’t give in to all of the marketing tricks. If you can persuade yourself that you are making the right decision by driving a car that is within your financial means, you will start to appreciate it more.

You come to accept the dings and scrapes as part of the charm of the item, rather than making an effort to hide them. That mortifying sound that your automobile produces at the worst possible moment? It’s simply your vehicle’s way of bragging about how clever you are to the rest of the world. It is not the end of the world if someone opens their vehicle door inadvertently and scrapes your car door in the process. You just reassure them that there is nothing to worry about and go on with your day.

The majority of people could care less about the kind of vehicle that you drive. If you explain to your friends that you are attempting to reduce the amount you owe on your student loans before upgrading your vehicle, they will understand.

8. Keep Emotions Out of It

If you have ever visited a car dealership with the intention of purchasing a vehicle, you are aware of what we are referring to. You could have a strategy, but once you’re there, that plan is likely to be thrown out the window, and you’ll likely let your guard down once you discover the ideal vehicle.

Rather than purchasing a vehicle for functional reasons, your feelings get emotionally invested in the transaction, and you feel as if you really NEED to have the automobile. This puts you in a precarious position and has the potential to put you in a difficult financial situation.

If you can’t walk away from the transaction and the automobile without feeling uncomfortable, then your emotions are the ones driving the car.

9. Keep Your Ego Away

The previous point and this one are related in some way. You have to keep in mind that the only purpose of an automobile is to assist you in traveling from point A to B, and nothing more than that.

If you start letting your worries about what features it has, what it looks like, and what other people may think about you, then you will once again wind up with a vehicle that will cost you much more than you can afford.

If you don’t have enough money right now, it’s not the time to be concerned about how you look in a vehicle. However, we all want a flashy car that looks amazing and that we can show off. If in the future, you find yourself in a better financial position, then you will be able to purchase the vehicle of your dreams. You need to put aside ideals and focus on the here and now.

10. Go to a police auction

If you reside in or close to a bigger city, there is a better than average chance that you will have access to a police auction in your area.

At a police auction, there are often a lot of pretty fantastic bargains to be found. Bear in mind that the automobile must be paid for in full before you may drive it away.

You won’t be able to test drive the vehicle before you purchase it, and there’s a chance you won’t even be able to peek under the hood of the vehicle either. This is another potential drawback.

If you are someone who is capable of doing some modest repairs on a vehicle or if you have a family member or a friend who is knowledgeable about automobiles, attending a police auction is an excellent alternative for you.

The Bottom Line

Even if money is tight for you, there are a few different routes you may take to get behind the wheels. How to get a car when you’re poor? You may go to a police auction, purchase a vehicle from a cousin or a friend, or check with a car rental business to see if they have any deals on used automobiles.

You should look for a vehicle in an affordable price range which is reliable and can be driven for at least a few years.