Andy Ball wrote to All:   
      
    AB> Hello!   
      
    AB>     I have to find a "very affordable" used car for a family   
    AB> member (somewhere between US$ 1,000 and 2,500?)  Ideally an old   
    AB> hatchback or perhaps a subcompact sedan.  At this price point I   
    AB> realise that whatever he buys should be considered a temporary   
    AB> vehicle but if it lasts him a year or two, that would really help him   
    AB> out of a difficult spot.   
      
   My advice would be to go to a supermarket or a dedicated book store and   
   find a copy of an automotive consumer's report. Also find a copy of "Blue   
   Book" automotive values. Some cars are created equal and others are bad   
   news. You'll get the idea once you read blue book values.   
      
   Then there are such places as Craigslist.com, where people advertise cars   
   all the time. Some good, some bad and the old cliche' of 'Buyer Beware'   
   applies. Others like "AutoTrader" publish a weekly magazine where you can   
   look at pictures and read what the owner has to say about it, how much   
   they want for it, etc.. Their magazine is usually published for a certain   
   market, like; Chicago, Rockford, Los Angelos, San Francisco, Dallas and a   
   slew of smaller cities...you can find these on display stands at   
   restaurants, drug stores, etc...   
      
   Personally, I wouldn't consider anything that isn't made by Chevrolet, or   
   any of the other GM divisions. One caveat with GM products is to steer   
   away from (no pun) front wheel drive vehicles if you can. (I no longer own   
   any of those because they're harder to work on) Another option that   
   youngsters like to have today is a pickup truck. They're a dime a dozen   
   and you can find one almost anywhere. In fact, I have 5, rear wheel drive   
   Chevy vehicles and my daily driver (also my favorite) is a pickup.   
      
    AB>     Sadly I know very little about things with engines.  I   
    AB> can't even get my 2-stroke strimmer to start. :-| That said, he's   
    AB> more mechanically-minded than I am and I know he'd be able to patch   
    AB> up rusty bodywork and fix brakes, suspension and things.   
      
   Your trimmer's 2-stroke carburator is probably gummed up from sitting over   
   the winter months. You can find 2-stroke carburator cleaner at Home Depot   
   and/or Lowes. When winter comes again, drain the tank and let the trimmer   
   run until it runs out of fuel. Put some gasoline stabalizer in it and in   
   the spring, drain it all again and fill with 2-stroke gas. It'll start   
   next year.   
      
    AB>     Which manufacturers or models should we be looking at?   
    AB> Do some have more simple engines than others?  Affordable spares   
    AB> would be a plus.  Any constructive suggestions or advice would be   
    AB> most welcome.   
      
   Find a few potential cars that your family member (grandson?) would like   
   and come back for advice on those...   
      
      
            R\%/itt   
      
      
   --- GoldED+/W32 1.1.5-31012   
   --- D'Bridge 3.92   
    * Origin: Bow Tie Racers, Been There, Done That! (1:387/22)