used Dodge for $5000

[lovecars]

Finding the best used cars for sale under 5000 can be a challenge! $5000 is not much of a budget when you’re looking for a car and I am sure you’re asking yourself well what compromises am I going to have to make to find a used car for sale under 5000 that is going to get me from A to B reliably?

I am looking for something on $5000. Is it possible to find A used Dodge for $5000??

Any Information would be great.

thanks

[OhareFred]

Anything is possible.  Just remember, you get what you pay for.  Be sure to test drive and have a professional mechanic check out whatever you are looking at.  Dont expect alot of options, or expect high miles on your potential buy.

 

be cautious and good luck!

[jkeaton]

Agree with the above. Have it checked out. It will most likely be older with high mileage. Craigslist is your best bet for something that cheap. There are plenty of Journeys around me for $5000 and under. They have a bunch of miles on them though.

Edited April 27, 2017 by jkeaton

[larryl]

what kind of used Dodge?

[jkeaton]

3 hours ago, larryl said:

what kind of used Dodge?

 

Assuming a Journey since he asked in this forum but you never know these days. Lol

[lovecars]

 

On 4/27/2017 at 11:11 PM, lovecars said:

Finding the best used cars for sale under 5000 can be a challenge! $5000 is not much of a budget when you’re looking for a car and I am sure you’re asking yourself well what compromises am I going to have to make to find a used car for sale under 5000 that is going to get me from A to B reliably?

I am looking for something on $5000. Is it possible to find A used Dodge for $5000??

Any Information would be great.

thanks

1

Thank you so much Oharefred, jkeaton and others. I hope i will find a car in my budget. thanks

[lmoore1436]

For $5,000 I would be very cautious of where/who you buy it from. I wouldn't go to a dealer if you don't have to. I would try to find something through a site like craigslist or a private seller on autotrader (if you have the cash). Also I would do everything possible to avoid buying a car that has over 100k, and I hate to say this but especially an American brand car UNLESS it has been meticulously maintained and they have the records to prove it. Otherwise you are putting blind faith in someone who only wants your money. If you can't find something along those lines, I hate to say it but I would get either a Honda or Toyota. You see a ton more of the japanese cars on the road past 150k, or even 200k than you do American brand vehicles. That being said I didn't exactly buy my journey for reliability, I bought it because it has what I need/want in an SUV, however with a small budget you may have to adjust your thinking from what you want to what you actually need. If you are still looking feel free to post some of the cars you are looking at or considering. 

[bfurth]

Every vehicle I've owned (Ford, Chevy, Chrysler) has gotten to at least 130,000 miles before repairs got to a point where it wasn't cost effective to keep flushing money.  And the only one that went that early was a vehicle with a known defect that had been subject to a class action lawsuit over the materials involved (GM 3.1L engine, Dex-Cool, and a poor material choice for the lower intake manifold gasket), and at that, I wasn't nearly as careful about researching vehicles before buying one, nor was I adept at any kind of repair work.  If the engine is designed well (the "worst" engine ever used in a Journey is the 3.5L, which is still a fairly solid engine), the vehicle will last.  Equally important is a history of proper maintenance.  Any vehicle will last as long as you take care of it.  When buying a used vehicle, any information you can get on its previous maintenance and repair history is invaluable.  A car with complete maintenance records will also probably be more expensive.

 

As for the price tag - sorry to say it, but good luck finding a crossover or SUV for under $5,000 without a very large number for mileage.  I did a search for my zip code, and there is 1 Journey within 500 miles under $5,000 with under 100,000 miles.  And you couldn't pay me enough to buy another FCA vehicle prior to 2011 (everything got at least a facelift after the 2010 model year).  It's also the 3.5L engine, which means unless you have convincing evidence that the timing belt has been replaced, that's priority number 1 after buying it.

 

As far as reliability of domestic versus other manufacturers:

 

My first car was a former fleet vehicle (95 Taurus) with 120,000 miles on it.  I put 20,000 miles on it in 2 years (I only paid $2,000 for the car).  My sister got it from me for $200, put a few hundred into it, and drove it for another 2 years.  It had about 160,000 on it when it was totaled.

 

My second car was bought brand new (05 Cavalier).  It lasted me 4 years (had to get a bigger car) when I sold it to my sister for $5,000.  It finally died at 150,000+ miles and about 12 years after manufacture.  Not bad for a "cheap" economy box.

 

My third car was bought from a friend who had bought it used (03 Malibu).  I had it from 2009 until I bought my Journey in 2015.  I bought it with about 60,000 miles on it.  I put 70,000 more before the head gasket started to go.  So, another 130,000+ on a domestic.  With horrendous gasket material design that leads directly to premature engine failure, proper maintenance or not.

 

My wife's van (10 Town and Country) has 120,000+ and is, by all appearances, in good mechanical condition.  I'm hoping to get another 4 years out of it, minimum.  Just long enough to pay off my Journey.  We bought it used around 38,000 miles and have put 80,000+ on it of our own.  I've done all of the maintenance on it since we bought it, as well as most of the repairs.  It eats brakes and power steering hoses, but those a problems I can live with.

 

My Journey (2015) has under 16,000 miles on it.  I drive 8 miles round trip for work - I expect to own this one long enough to teach my kids to drive (oldest is 7, so another 9 years before I can even start that goal).

 

TL/DR - take care of your stuff, it will last longer.

 

[Medabum]

With a grain of salt, (no pun intended) I'd suggest a anything with high miles out of the salt belt as long as you can spare some time away from the family and drive it home. My wife bought her 09 zx2 escort in texas used for $5600 in 2002 and I drove it until just last year, only doing brakes, rotors, timing belt,alternator, the usual stuff because it was from a dry part of the country. I caught up with the guy who bought it form me for $500 bucks and he said it has drove 60 miles a day for him as an "a" to "b" vehicle. That noted, it was a manual transmission. 

 

When I sold it it needed wheel bearings and tie rods like no other but if you are willing to put just a little bit into it yourself you can get something that will work great.

 

Lastly, if you live in a state with high emissions codes, you might be asking for a nightmare for inspections. NY is a pain in the A**

 

 

[jkeaton]

The OP is long gone. Thread closed.