Car prices have risen sharply over recent times, and that has extended to the used car market. So the days of finding cheap cars for less than around $5,000 are mostly over. But some users on Reddit like a challenge, and have set themselves an interesting challenge.
Reddit user mpgomatic on the r/Cars SubReddit set a challenge to fellow users to find the most interesting and obscure cars in their area that cost $5,000 or less to see what everyone else could come up with.
It was an excellent idea. Some good cars and some strange ones can still be found for that kind of money, even if the condition isn’t always great. Despite the challenges, quite a few Reddit users were able to chime in and showcase some very interesting cars, most of which cost no more than $5,000.
It was a weird mix of vehicles as well. Everything from Chevy Novas to Ford Broncos, to some BMWs and even a Chevrolet Camaro. The opening poster itself found an amazing mix of vehicles, with one costing as little as $3,500. Some were slightly over the $5,000 budget, but they were still very cheap.
What Cars Were Found for Less Than $5,000?
It was quite surprising what cars were out there for the $5,000 mark. Listed on Craigslist was a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. It was being listed by a dealership for $4,500 with 100,000 miles on the odometer, and the dealership said that the previous owner properly maintained the car. There are some signs of wear inside, but the muscle car is in overall excellent condition with no issues listed.
Another unusual Craigslist listing was a 2008 Toyota Scion xD. This car had done 153,000 miles and was for sale in Northeast Philadelphia for just $3,500. According to the seller, it has a strong and efficient four-cylinder engine, a five-speed manual transmission, and is excellent when it comes to gas mileage. The air conditioning and heater work, and as shown by images, it’s very clean inside this Scion. There are some dents and scrapes outside, but for $3,500 for a reliable Toyota, you can’t really go wrong.
Another eye-catching listing was a 2004 Honda CRV. Honda’s, as we know, can last a lifetime, and in 22 years, the seller has done 130,000 miles. They openly said the car was showing its age, but the interior and exterior still looked solid. For anyone in need of a car quickly, or perhaps is a new driver, you can’t go wrong with any of these for less than $5,000.
What if You Are Happy Spending a Bit More Money?
If you don’t mind spending a bit more money, mpgomatic has a few other interesting cars on their list that cost over $5,000. For lovers of Hondas, there was also a 2005 Honda Element listed for $5,800. This came with a four-cylinder 2.4-liter VTEC engine, and despite having done 225,000 miles, it looked to be in great condition. The seller also said it had over $6,000 in new parts added to it by a mechanic.
A 2009 Toyota Camry was also part of the list, with this particular example selling for $5,995 and having done 109,000 miles. The seller stated it had no issues, and that the car was in excellent condition, and everything on it worked. No mention of its engine was made, but it was listed with a five-speed manual transmission, and the images certainly showed it in great condition. So if you are tight on budget for a car, it looks like there are some interesting options out there.