1) Find someone with a car.
2) Convince him or her to sell it.
3) Give them money.
But seriously: Carmax or Carvana is how I will be getting my next one.
It’s a real challenge. The better choice may take up to a year or more to find.
I bought my last three vehicles off craigslist and still have all three. That was before fundamental transformation. Used cars are now no longer plentiful.
Toyota RAV4/Highlander/4Runner
Honda CRV/Pilot/Passport
Subaru Crosstrek/Outback
All of the above are reliable and relatively affordable transportation for used cars.
Don’t waste your time with anything else unless you want to deal with maintenance hassles.
hatchbacks?
Mazda 3 hatch is my choice.
Pay cash but as little as possible for something owned by a little old lady who only drove it to church and back. It helps to know something about cars too.
There are a ton of car search sites on the web. Just google them.
Main thing is to get a mechanic you trust to check the car out thoroughly before you buy. Might cost you a hundred or three, but well worth it in the end.
Ask your friends who may have recently purchased a used car about where they got it and their evaluation of the dealership they bought it from. Also look up the car on carfax to get its report, that is what I did when I finally replaced my 2001 Saturn L200 Station Wagon last fall. As for buying one from a stranger, I have no comment.
I recommend going to a dealer, because buying a used car from someone is fraught with danger, especially for a woman. Tell her to also get the extended warranty.
Honda CRV. Wife and I are on our third one, we love them. Sturdy and reliable. Good mileage and a good amount of cargo space.
It's amazing how many people will tell you the truth about a car when you give them that ultimatum.
Also, call your insurer and ask them about rates for the car.
I would fly to Texas or Florida and buy there. Actually any southern state that doesn’t have as much winter as NYC does.
I used to take my used 200,000 mile cars to MN (family there) and sell them, many years ago.
No rust, maintenance records and I could make an extra $1500-$2000 per vehicle.
Buy a one way ticket to somewhere with a Carvana and drive it back.
Used cars, reliable ones anyway, are no longer cheap. She may be better off trying to get her truck damage fixed. It may actually cost less. Did she not have insurance?
I thought my car was only worth $500-700 but I checked online and the prices go from $3500-13,000 , what is going on ? LOL
Figure out what vehicles will suit her needs.
Go to those dealerships.
Wander around the used car sections.
Look for the vehicle that she is interested in buying along w evidence that it has been sitting there a while-ie spider webs, dust etc....
offer the used car sales manager a lowball price.
Do not be surprised and be prepared to pay for it when he accepts your offer.
Look at estate sales or auctions.
Bring a mechanic friend with you.
In my city, the police send unclaimed impounded cars to auction. Sometimes you stand a chance of paying a fraction of what a car is worth.
Call Gavin Newsom...
Start by looking on Consumer Reports Annual book. It lists autos and gives a reliability of most makes and models.
Typically anything made by Toyota and Honda are good reliable cars. Toyota Venza comes in a hatchback.
You can find cars from Private individuals on Facebook Marketplace. There are any number of internet sites that advertise autos nationally for used car dealers.
Just do a internet search with the model auto you are looking to buy and the words For Sale. You will get about a dozen options.