answer:First off, you’re very unlikely to find a four-wheeled gas-powered vehicle in the USA in any kind of decent condition for the price you mention. That is, unless you get incredibly lucky, or someone is feeling particularly generous. Cars selling for $1000 or less have major problems, as a rule. For a “decent” used car I’d be expecting to spend at least $4000 – 5000, and I haven’t even gone that low since I bought my daughter a used car when she graduated school three years ago. So it’s not “impossible”, but it is “unlikely”. Is there a chance that you can improve your financial position going into the car-buying experience with a loan (or collection of loans) from family members? The reason I suggest that is that if you try to buy a car with no money and no mechanical / automotive knowledge of your own then you have two big strikes against you. What are your other options for transportation between now and when you can raise another $2000 – 3000? Can you get rides from friends and co-workers, and just pay them for gas (and the trouble that would cause them to go out of their way for you)? Bicycle (at least for the summer)? In addition, if your automotive knowledge is so poor, how do you know for certain that your old car “died for good”? You’re right that this is a huge failure to plan ahead, but at least you seem to have learned that.