A reliable used car for just $1,000 has become increasingly rare. Today, if you want something you can count on in this price range, you’ll have to make other car buying sacrifices. You may have to choose an unwanted vehicle with visible damage, such as caved-in doors or bent fenders. You also may have to spend hours inspecting vehicles with vaguely written ads before they go to auction. It is also worth noting that the cheapest example of any make and model is rarely the most reliable. A car that’s cheap now can cost you a lot of money down the road.

Vehicles with visible damage are often cheaper

One way to find a vehicle way under market value is to opt for one with superficial damage. A car with a huge dent in its door or a smashed-in fender will not command much resale value. But as long as the damage is merely cosmetic, it may still be reliable and safe.

No one wants to spend their hard-earned money on a car with only three working doors or a mismatched fender. Therefore, vehicles that have crashed can be had for cheap. You have several ways to find one. Most junkyards aren’t licensed to sell running cars–but some are. Call the local scrapyard and ask them what they have.

There are also many companies that specialize in “salvage” auto auctions. These are mostly vehicles that have crashed, been totaled, and then repaired. Because an insurance company deemed them too expensive to repair, they tore up the original title and sent them to be scrapped. Some enterprising mechanics then fixed them and applied for a new “salvage” title.

You can often find vehicles with a salvage title–also called rebuilt title–for as little as half the price of a vehicle with a regular title. They have passed an inspection, been registered, and are both safe and legal to drive. But note that with the salvage title they will never again be worth as much as a vehicle with a regular title. Do an internet search for the closest salvage auction company to you and find out when and where their next auction is. Also read up on your home states laws around buying and registering a vehicle with a salvage title.

Abandoned cars can be had for a song

Long story short: people sometimes abandon cars. This happens on city streets, in airport parking lots, or even when they can’t make their payments anymore. When a town or county ends up with a lot full of cars, they auction them all off at once.

One option is a public auction. This is an auction run by a private company. You may find cars that banks repossessed or that a dealer is struggling to sell. Because these are the cars that don’t do well on a used car lot, they tend to go for lower prices. But you will want to pick a make and model you know well so you can do a thorough inspection.

Another option is a government auction. Some auctions will have cars which police impounded. You may also find retired police cruisers, fire department pickups, or a whole range of other municipal vehicles. There are even nationwide sites hosting auctions on a huge range of retired government vehicles.

Government auctions, both small and large, are notorious for offering very little information about the vehicles for sale–according to Car and Driver. You may be able to ask your local town government for some service records on its retired vehicle, giving you critical insights into what work has been done and what work you will need to do soon. You also will want to arrive with plenty of time to examine all the vehicles you are considering. A toolkit, complete with an OBD II reader is your best friend in this case.

The problem with a $1,000 car

A mechanic friend of mine always says the cheapest example of any make and model often ends up being the most expensive. What he is saying is that a $1,000 car is often priced so low because of serious mechanical issues that you’ll need to address soon. Keeping this car on the road could–potentially–cost much more than a slightly more expensive version of the same vehicle.

Deals do exist. You may just be able to find a car for $1,000, which will perform admirably for years to come. But any motor vehicle at this price point represents a serious gamble.

Next, find out the most reliable used cars over 10 years old or see some $1,000 options in the video below: