Cars are incredibly important to modern life, however they can also be incredibly expensive, that’s why you need a plan. If you’re looking for a new car but don’t have the money for a big purchase, this is the article for you, as we’re going through the best way to buy a car cheap.

Shop Used

While they’re are certainly ways to get a new car on the cheap under very specific circumstances, in most cases you’re going to want to look at the used market. Once you get over the stigma of buying used you’ll find that there’s lots to love. Used cars come in at a significantly cheaper price point, which means you most likely won’t end up with loan payments and critically: no interest.

You have two options when shopping used, either through a dealership or privately, a dealership will be faster but more expensive, vs a private wake which will have a better value but at the cost of much more hassle.

Set A Tight Budget

One of the most important things you can do when shopping for anything, but especially when you’re trying to save money, is to set a strict budget so that you will not go overseas. Not only will this ensure you get a car at the price point you want, but it will also help you narrow your search.

Figure out exactly how much you have to spend, and exactly what kind of car you need, with these two facts you can figure out a reasonable budget.

Search Smart

Finding a cheap car is all about looking in the right places, yes you can find cars for $50 on Kijiji but ideally you’re looking for a car that makes it out of the driveway. You want to set the price range to somewhere around 15% above your budget, that allows some wiggle room for reasonable negotiation, and you want to focus much less on brands, and much more on reliability. 

Shopping cheap is all about the research, so look into all the cars you find, how old are they? What do other people think of them? What’s their reliability rating? Don’t be picky with your choices, be thorough.

Learn Auto Mechanics

This might seem an odd one to end on but having a basic understanding of anything your trying to buy is exceptionally useful. It’s one thing to read about a car’s reliability, but Being able to look and see anything that’s wrong yourself is far more useful. Plus it means your able to buy less reliable cars with the comfort that you should be able to patch them up yourself for cheaper than a mechanic.