Any body still remember the $100 cars you got years ago??

old · Feb 3, 2012

Years ago I still remember buying a car or truck for $100 and then driving it for years with out doing much to them. Seems now days those $100 cars now cost you $1000. I have a GMC S-15 Jimmy on Criag's list for sale and people keep trying to buy it under scrap price which is sad to say around $500 or more for the package I have,. Oh well just goes to show how things are now days

LAA · Feb 3, 2012

I remember when the New Orleans paper had a section on Sundays, ''thrifty under fifty'' there would be household furniture, vehicles, appliances etc. back then when you went offshore you parked in some pretty dismal lots, off the beaten track to say the least, someone might steal your battery or alternator or even a tire or two while you were at work. I used to keep an extra work vehicle or two and all of them had a couple maypops and a gallon of billups re-refined in the trunk. Louisiana did not require mandatory insurance until 79 or 80 and you could swap tags from vehicle to vehicle.

Mike M · Feb 3, 2012

I don't think I got deals that good on cars ? But I'm also thinking of only back into the late 70's early 80's. I do remember having to do alot of work to them too. I pieced together alot of cars and trucks and ran them for years and then resold them. I could pick up running 2 cyls. for $200 sometimes. Several parts machine cheaper.

Gun guru · Feb 3, 2012

In the mid 80's one buddy of mine bought a 1970 cutlass for $300, it needed body work. If he still had that car it would be worth $10,000. Another buddy of mine bought a 1974 Nova for $125. a running heap. But it ran for months if I remember right.

oldtanker · Feb 3, 2012

When I fist started driving you caouls fine cars in the 100-200 dollar range all over the place. If you did nothing but just drive em they would run a year or so. My first was a Chevy 3/4 ton truck I paid 75 bucks for.

Rick

tbuzzard · Feb 3, 2012

First car was a 1963 Dodge model 330 2 door post. Had a 361CI with push button auto. Bought it in 1972 for $30. At the time SD had a vehicle inspection. Didn't pass so dealer sold it to me for scrap price. Took it to MN, licensed it, and drove it for 4 years.

Mike (WA) · Feb 3, 2012

Not counting the 1936 Chev pickup ($125), my first "real" car was a '57 Pontiac 2 dr. hardtop, bought from the back row of an Olds dealership in '67 for $175.

But my summer job only paid $1.50 an hour that year, so it kind of evens out. Minimum wage here now is $9, and there are $900 cars out there.

Goose · Feb 3, 2012

Best deal I ever made on a car was in 1993 when I was a salesman for a GM dealer.

We traded for an '84 Chevy Caprice that was a clean, sharp car. Always garaged, interior like new, etc. After we traded for it, we found it kept fouling the #8 spark plug. The Service Dept thought maybe the intake gasket was leaking, so they replaced the intake gaskets, but it didn't cure it. Even just shuttling it around on the used car lot it would foul the #8 plug every couple of days.

It sat on the back row, kind of ignored, for a couple of weeks. One day I asked the Sales Manager how much he'd sell it to me for. He said, "How about $100, just to get the dammed thing out of my sight". I told him he had a deal.

I ran it out to my shop and pulled the valve covers. The drain down hole in the cylinder head by the #8 cylinder was plugged. Instead of draining down, oil was piling up aroung the #8 intake valve. I opened the drain hole, cleaned up the tops of the heads, and changed oil. That stopped it from fouling the plug, but it still took a quart of oil every couple hundred miles.

So, I built up a fresh 305 engine and figured some weekend I'd tear into it on Friday evening and by Sunday be running with a fresh engine. Meanwhile, my wife began commuting 20 miles of open road each way to work every day. Within a month, it quit using oil all together. The old geezer who had owned it had just putted around town, and it was so sooted up and gummed up it just needed a couple thousand miles of open road to clean itself out.

We drove it 50,000 miles with minimal repairs. The Sales Manager never asked about it, and I never told him anything. I finally sold it for about five times what I had in it.

LJD · Feb 3, 2012

During the 60s, where I lived on the border of NY and NJ - good running cars were all over the place for $50. Me and my friends ruined many - either by beating on them something awful- of just stripping for parts. Mid-60s - I remember buying a 49 Pontiac with a straight-8 for $50. Drove it for a few months with the pedal to the floor until the engine blew. Also bought a 55 Chevy two-door sports-coupe with a 265 V8 for $50 and it only had 40K original miles on it. Pulled the engine out of it and pushed it into a local woods and abandoned it. In 1969, I bought a 62 Chevy for $15. Had a straight six and Powerglide. Drove it, non-stop to Mexico with no problems. Shut it off and it wouldn't start again - and I left it there near Tijuana. I later hitched home to lower NY and bought a 55 Ford with a 292 and paid $75 for it. Drove that for a year and then traded for a 1963 Falcon Sprint (I had to kick in an extra $150). 63 Sprint convertible with a 260 V8 and four on the floor. That I kept for almost a year and then swapped for a 63 Pontiac Tempest with a 326 V8 and a trans in the rear (odd-ball).

By the way, I sold my 100 year-old mom's 1987 Cavalier for $100 this Spring. Ran perfect and only had 55K miles on it. Yeah, it would of been worth more to scrap it.

JML755 · Feb 3, 2012

1967 bought my first car, 1960 Ford Falcon for $100. Put a battery in it drove it for a year and sold it for (drum roll, please).....$100.

Old Roy · Feb 3, 2012

My first real car was a 52 Chev I had got my first real good paying job I had to make payments of $25.00 a month working for 0.75 an hour trimming christmas trees till I paid it off $75.00

Had a one owner 55 chev with the outside sun visor paid $35.00 for it drove it for 2 years.

Best one was a 56 Pontiac Star Chief fully factory dressed salmon and off white.

I had a trade of a 55 Chieftain I paid $85.00 for, I traded even up for the 56 (Long story) I wish I had the 56 back... 2 door HT, and chrome skirts, stainless gravel guards, leather interior, full light up hood ornament, and outside sun visor.

RayP(MI) · Feb 3, 2012

Had my old '83 farm pickup truck in to the muffler shop for repair the other day. Exhaust pipe had rusted and come off right at the manifold. They wanted to put new manifold on, but not available. Previous mechanic had brazed a patch on it. Technician very carefully removed studs from old manifold, they broke, of course. Welded nuts on the stubs, applied heat to inside of manifold, and was able to remove stubs. Made me a new pipe, and got her together.

Anyway, tech said that any running 4wd PU was probably worth $1000 - With the exhaust repaired, I sure wouldn't part with it for a small sum!

JF in MI · Feb 3, 2012

I had a '60 Falcon that I bought for $25. Most expensive improvement I did to it was add a loaded radio antenna. Slid off the road one winter and the only damage was a branch took off that antenna. It used about a quart of oil per half a gas tank. Wouldn't have enough compression to start if the temperature was under 30 degrees. New tires cost $9. Drove it for several years and sold it for about the same. Back in the late 60s and early 70s I owned many cars in the $100 range.

old · Feb 3, 2012

Ya an auto appraiser in my area says a 4X4 pick up that runs and drives and take little to nothing to pass inspection in Missouri is worth at the very least $1200.

Nebraska Cowman · Feb 3, 2012

Dad always liked to tell about the Model T Ford his brother bought for $1 and 2 gal of cider. I don't know if the cider was sweet. That was during Prohibition you know.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 3, 2012

My best deal on a used car was when I was a senior in high school, bought a 57 Chevy Belair for $1.00, yep, I said one dollar. It ran good and gave me several years of enjoyment, wished I still had it.

My Dad's 1st cousin had won the car in a poker game at an Air Force Base that he was stationed at and knowing that I had been wanting a 57 Chevy he was going to give it to me. Dad said no that I was going to pay for it and work my tail off to pay for it, his cousin said okay I'm going to sell it to him for $1.00 to make it legal, I still have that bill of sale to this day.

old · Feb 3, 2012

Ya and if you still had it today and could be made to run t would be worth $2000 plus

Janicholson · Feb 3, 2012

50$ nissan LX PU (needed a wire to the fuel pump. Still drive it daily. Jim

jose bagge · Feb 3, 2012

My first car was a 1959 VW bug that I bought for $25 when I was 13...my buddies and I drove it to death in the gravel pits around the house.
In college I traded a car battery for a really clean Buick Station Wagon that was just like an Olds Vista Cruiser w/ windows in the roof. I drove it for a year and gave it to my dad, who drove it for about 10 years. I also got a 69 Skylark for $50 bucks in college, wish i had it now. Not a Buick guy, but it just ended up that way. As i'm sure those of you over 50 recall, V8 cars were dirt cheap in the late 70s early 80s.

Motorcraftman · Feb 3, 2012

Back in 1960 My Dad Bought a 1946 Studebaker from His Boss for 100.00 with 34K on the Spedo... That car was Niiicee!!it was Battle Ship Gray, Larry

Billy NY · Feb 3, 2012

Most people would buy these to run in the salt/winter weather so their pride and joy, late 60's muscle cars or whatever you did not want to drive in the snow.

I can't say I ever found one that inexpensive, except one, I can't ever recall the make or model was a late 70's or early 80's olds/buick, that ran well, would pass inspection. I had a co worker, friend, likeable person, but he had his problems though, alcohol and DWI's. He had no vehicle at the time, and my friends dad had this car, so I bought it and gave it to the co-worker, well sold it actually, but he physically had the car, and I can't say for sure what he did to get plates and stickers on, but started driving it immediately. The guy we worked for, (was an excavation outfit) had sisters and this guy had kids with one of them, were married then divorced not sure, he made a mess of his life at an early age, needed to keep that job regardless of what it cost. The story gets better, I helped him out as best I could, that's how I am, but I was never all that dumb, I kept the title, until he paid me for the car, no money, no title... well he must have drove it for a year or so, decided to sell it, hard to sell without a title, one day he comes to see me, money in hand, I go over to my truck and get the title out from under the seat.... was my only $100 car, darned thing was a runner though, could not beat the cost if it ran 1 year or more.

I just saw this clown over the summer, he's still on the top side of the dirt, not sure about the drinking part.

Brian G. NY · Feb 3, 2012

I bought the '48 in '58 for $50; ran good.
The damage on this side was all that was wrong with it.
I bought the '51 in '60 for $175.00; had a crack between a port and a cylinder. I wish I still had the '51; the only car I still have dreams about. Like the song says "You never know what you've got 'til it's gone".

big fred · Feb 3, 2012

About 10 years ago I bought a 82 van for $400. I had a need for a rebuilt 302 and it was cheaper to buy the van than to pay the core charge. I drove it off and on for two years before excising the engine and tranny. Much to my wife's chagrin, I kept the shell and am using it as a storage shed.

Use everything but the oink!

Kirk Grau · Feb 3, 2012

Remember my Father selling a "57 Chevy Bel Air (4-door) in 1974 for $50. Speedometer/Odometer had not worked the whole time he owned it (since 1960) but it ran. When I see one on the street I kind of wish I could have one.

Kirk

smallercrawler · Feb 3, 2012

Bought a 4 year old '64 Impala SS, 327/4spd, 2dr HT (~30k miles) for $300.00 so dealer could meet week's payroll; didn't help-dealer went belly-up 2 weeks later. Drove car for 5-6years. Unfortunately it's long gone.

Bill(Wis) · Feb 3, 2012

Guys used to buy one of those $100 specials for their hunting/fishing car. That way, they'd just leave their hunting & fishing gear in it, park it out behind the shed where wife couldn't see it and everyone was happy.

Old Timer in Ohio · Feb 3, 2012

In about 1956-57, I bought a Pontiac 4 dr. straight 8, for $35.00, 2 things wrong. One of the "tuft buttons" was missing the cloth covering, and it had a "blown engine. The scrap yard sold me a engine of my choice for $5.00--total cost $40.00. A guy delivered the engine, and helped switch it for $5.00
Drove that car for 4 years, junked it for $45.00. Because I broke the spring on drivers side, cut the gas tank pipe, had to use a length of hose to "gas up". Too busy building our "new home", still ran good.
Bob
God Bless

ss55 · Feb 3, 2012

I haven't hear of a reliable $100 car since the mid 1960's and those were pretty old cars then already.

In the early 1970's Iowa required all used vehicles were to pass a simple safety inspection before the registration could be transfered. It was very basic: 1/16 minimum tread on all tires, working lights, working brakes, no dangerously cracked windshields, working steering, no broken frames, etc. They didn't bother check any emissions, just safety items. That rule got a lot of old death traps off the roads within a few years.

Jon Hagen · Feb 3, 2012

They still turn up on occasion, but cost a little more now.

I just bought a 91 Mazda B2600 4X4 pickup with 170,000 miles. It runs good has 4 new mud tires, has power steering and AC. Paint on the box is scratched up, looks like dandruff on a black truck. Rust free. Just about right for a farm / field / gofer pickup. $250.

Tony S. · Feb 3, 2012

Never see any cheap cars till I have one to sell. Nobody wants to pay anything.

Billy Shafer · Feb 3, 2012

First car I had was a 1954 Ford sedan. Six cylinder with a big dent in the drivers door. Had what my father called maybe wipers on it. Paid 75.00 dollars for it. Paid for it by working at a dairy. Dairy work was not as easy as I thought it was gonna be. Drove it for three years until a gravel hauler ran over it.

oldtanker · Feb 3, 2012

I forgot to add in the year of that 3/4 ton Chevy PU.....1951. I stacked hay to earn it behind a 560D and JD 24T and a farmer who ran in 4th gear about 1/2 throttle. We had jusrt moved to MN from NJ and dad bought the farm we still own. Worked about 8 hours a day baling and then worked a couple more hours helping put an addition on the house for "indoor plumbing". Day I got paid dad says son, can I borrow the money till payday so we can finish the bath room? So I gave him my 100 dollars. The day he got paid he drove me over to buy the truck, wrote a check for 75 dollars and followed me home. Got home and ask for the key and he took it for a test drive. Gets out of the truck and puts the key in his pocket and says "you are not driving that truck anyplace until you put brakes in it". So I baled hay again for the same guy (future BIL's father, sister married into that family). We burried dad in 88......and I'm still waiting on that other 25....LOL.....

Rick

Bartt · Feb 4, 2012

A few years ago a college student in town had a 57 Chevy v8 parked on street. Came out in morning and it wouldn"t start. Got p-od and said he would sell it for $1.00. Guy came by at the right time but only had .97 cents. He bought that car on the spot. New battery, problem solved.You can"t fix stupid!! Have a goodun.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 4, 2012

Haha, that's funny Tony! True statement.....

Brian G. NY · Feb 4, 2012

Back in the 80"s I bought 12 "64/"65 Falcons and a "65 Comet over a period of 4 or 5 years at prices ranging from $35 to $100.
I stripped out anything I could sell and hauled the shells to the scrapyard.
Collected and sold some really good parts and made a few bucks to put into my "65 Sprint.
Even the small cars are worth $250 or so for scrap nowadays.

scotc · Feb 4, 2012

A friend in high school traded a set of Chevy pickup floor mats for a car. And I only graduated in 99.

One of our teachers had a Yugo. He bought a new Chevy truck and they said they'd take the Yugo in to dispose of it as a courtesy.

Any body still remember the $100 cars you got years ago??

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads