In the early 1980s the Mercedes Benz 300D was a car ahead of its time. It was a simple yet elegant looking car. It felt solid and rode like no other car in its class.

Competitors such as Oldsmobile and Cadillac had nothing that could compete with the 300D. This car was in a league of its own.

A 1983 300D Turbo retailed new for 26K which certainly was not cheap back then. With a curb weight of 3500 lbs it wasn’t light either. But this car had a distinct feel and personality like no other.

Like other Mercedes this car has a solid and stable feel at highway speeds all while getting terrific gas mileage.

I really like the simplicity of both the exterior and interior. It’s simple yet refined looking.

If you’re looking to buy a 300D don’t forget that they are already three decades old. Don’t expect to come across a cream puff any time soon.

But you don’t need to buy a cream puff to enjoy what this car has to offer. It still attracts attention with its classic boxy exterior.

Though these cars aren’t as luxurious as today’s Mercedes Benz they are still very high quality cars. These diesels were built to last.

The best part is that they are still relatively cheap on the market. For 5 grand you should be able to find a decent condition 300D that will last years to come.

A lot of people with rusty old vehicles encounter this question everyday. When should you stop fixing your car and just buy a new one?

I’m in this predicament right now. My car is a 1998 Toyota Camry V6 with 180K miles. Here is a picture of my car that I took today. It could use a nice wash but overall the car is in good condition.

However, there are some things that will need attention in the near future.

First, my car failed New Jersey state inspection (notice the red sticker on the windshield) because of a bad catalytic converter. Cost to replace it is about 600 dollars, ouch.

Second, my exhaust system has a big hole in it and is rusting away. Cost for replacement is about 500 dollars.

Third, the timing belt needs replacing because it’s been over 100K miles since it was last changed. This will set me back another 500 dollars.

Last but not least, the car will need four new tires and an alignment. I’d say this will cost around 400 dollars.

So the total damage comes out to be $2000.

Now I should say that my engine and transmission is in very good condition and should be able to get at least another 50K miles out of it.

I’m leaning towards keeping the car and getting it fixed. I figure for two grand my car will be almost as good as new.

I’ll probably be able to drive the car for at least two more years with just basic maintenance. That will save me a lot of money.

Have you ever been in a similar situation and what decision did you make?

I know that hybrids are all the rage these days but are they really worth buying?

Take for instance a 2003 Honda Civic hybrid with 90K miles on the clock. Assuming the car is in good condition the average price from a private party is around $5500. It gets 39/43 mpg.

Now take a normally aspirated 2003 Honda Civic EX with 90K miles. A car in good condition will command around $5800 from a private seller. It gets 26/34 mpg.

Though the hybrid is a few hundred dollars cheaper and gets better gas mileage, is it a better buy?

In the short term you will see some savings because of the hybrid’s better fuel economy.

In fact, you’ll see savings until your next appointment with the mechanic.

But you’ll probably want to call your local Honda dealership because Al’s garage shop probably won’t have a clue on hybrid cars.

We all know how much dealerships can charge too.

So which car is the better buy? Of course it’s the Civic EX. It gets up to 34 mpg which isn’t too shabby. Parts are readily available because Honda makes about a million of these cars.

It’s no wonder that the Civic Hybrid’s resale value is so low. Nobody wants to pick up someone else’s problem. Especially a car with a battery that is ten years old.

So don’t jump on the hybrid bandwagon just yet. Unless you’re driving over a hundred miles a day, a compact gasoline car will do just fine.

If you’re in the market for a cheap SUV that has style and is capable of off-roading then the first generation Range Rover (1970-1996) may be the car for you. Most SUVs these days are best suited for the roads and not the terrain. This car has both classic styling and off road capabilities.

The 4.2L 200hp was the most powerful of the old Range Rover engines with the least powerful engine coming equipped with a 3.5L 134hp.

Not powerful by today’s standards but enough for daily driving and off-roading. But if you’re considering buying an old Range Rover you probably don’t care about its off road capabilities.

The old Rovers are tall, roomy and classy looking. They are also cheap on the used car market.

That’s all good but the question is how reliable are they?

Compared to the newer Rovers they can be considered more reliable. They have less of the fancy electronics of today’s Rovers. That means there are less chances of things malfunctioning.

In fact, these early Rovers were built like tanks and could go easily over 200K miles with proper maintenance.

But maintenance is where most owners fail. Taking these cars to the mechanic will cost you a pretty penny unless you know how to do the repairs yourself.

So would I buy one of these cars for 5 grand? Probably not. The maintenance cost is probably what turns most people away from these cars.

There are plenty of quality cars on the market that can be bought for 5 grand. I’d rather get a nice late 90s Toyota 4Runner or Nissan Pathfinder for that money.

Many people tend to overlook bulletin boards when shopping for a used car.

Bulletin boards can be found everywhere from grocery stores to laundry mats. What I discovered was that some really good deals can be found at Asian grocery stores.

There are many international students that need to sell their cars after they graduate to go back to their home countries. You can take advantage of their situation and negotiate a low price.

My cousin once bought a 4-cylinder Camry from an international student back in 2004. She was in a rush to sell because she needed to go back to her home country.

The car was a 1997 model and with average miles on the clock. He ended up buying it for around five thousand dollars which was a pretty good deal at the time.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the car and he ended up driving it for four years before trading it in.

If you’re having a hard time finding cheap cars in your neighborhood then I would suggest you go to your nearest Asian supermarket and look at the bulletin boards.

I’m not saying you’re always going to find a good deal but it certainly is worth checking out.

Have you ever bought a car this way?

There’s a 1996 Honda Accord for sale on Craigslist in the Central Jersey section. It has 36K miles on the clock and the asking price is $4700.

The car has been driven an average of 2.2K miles per year. Not sure if this is a good thing especially if those miles were driven locally.

According to the owner the exhaust, tires and brakes were recently replaced.

If this car really has 36K original miles with no mechanical defects then this is truly a bargain. Since the owner is asking for $4700 you could probably knock an extra 200 to 300 dollars off the price.

I used to own a 1997 Accord SE that I bought used from a local dealer. It was on sale for $5000 with 92K miles on the clock so I immediately snatched it away.

After a few years I decided to sell it. By then it had 155K miles and I sold it for $2700. I think I could have gotten more for it but I was in a rush to sell.

Not once in those years did it ever break down on me. These cars are about as reliable as they get.

I’m not a big fan of the exterior design, I personally think the 1998 Accord looks much better. But the interior dash and controls are nicely laid out. I think Honda makes some of the best interiors.

But regardless, this car at 36K miles is basically new, especially for a Honda. Buying a new used car doesn’t get any cheaper than this.

Fall is just around the corner and college kids are getting ready for their yearly mass exodus.

If your college bound kid is in need of a cheap but reliable used car then look no further than the 1992-1996 Toyota Camry.

Not only is this car cheap to buy but its pretty much built like a tank. I would recommend the 4-cylinder for its great gas mileage.

The Camry is far from what I would consider sporty and people tend to drive somewhat slow in these cars, which is a good thing. These cars are practically invisible to cops on the highway.

There is plenty of interior room and trunk space to haul your kid’s suitcases, lamps, spring water, etc. Also enough room to comfortably fit four of your kid’s closest hard partying friends.

Did I mention insurance is cheap for these cars also? Your insurance company will love you for buying this car.

So how much do these cars cost in the used market? I’ve seen cars advertised below a thousand dollars but with strings attached.

If you’re in the market for a Camry then expect to pay at least 2 grand for a decent one.

I have a 1998 Camry V6 which I bought in the summer of 2009 for $3700. It now has 170K miles on the clock but still purrs like a kitten.

The four cylinder model feels just as powerful as the six cylinder plus it gets better gas mileage. If I had to buy a Camry again I would definitely get the four cylinder.

As long as your Camry hasn’t been water damaged you can expect a long lasting relationship with the car.

Any high mileage Camry owners out there?

I found this red 1993 Honda Civic VX for sale on Craigslist today. Here is a twenty year old car on sale for $2500 and with only 119K miles on the clock.

In case you didn’t know the VX model is one of the most fuel efficient vehicles to come out of Honda. Its fuel rating is 48/55 MPG which is in the hybrid category and without the complexities of a hybrid.

I once drove my cousin’s 1991 Honda Civic way back in the early 90s and remember how well the car rode. The ride was very smooth and quiet for such a small car.

With the gas mileage of a hybrid and with Honda’s reliability the VX makes for the perfect commuter car especially for those that require cheap transportation.

According to the seller this is a one owner vehicle with all service records.

Since there is so much rust on the body it’s important that a buyer check the undercarriage for rust. Minneapolis gets a lot of snow in the winter and with a lot of snow comes a lot of salt.

A nice looking hatchback that delivers excellent gas mileage. Can’t go wrong with that.

Looks like the rust is eating away at the car. Shouldn’t affect the mechanical components of the car though. If you don’t mind the stares this big hole will get then this car is for you.

Interior seems to be in decent shape. This is a bare bones car with no creature comforts. The less things that can break the better. Cheap reliable transportation at its finest.

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Right now Jeep is having a fire sale with its Liberty models. They are offering a $6500 rebate on all remaining 2012 models.

I rented a 2012 Jeep Liberty when I was vacationing in Waikiki last year and must say it has a smooth and comfortable ride.

Not sure if being in Hawaii made the car feel better but it was a nice car nonetheless.

I like how the Liberty sits so tall that you can see over everybody. The 3.7L engine is silky smooth and offers plenty of torque to ride up those hills and mountains. It didn’t guzzle fuel like I expected but that’s probably because I didn’t drive the car much.

At just over 17 grand this car’s price is about as cheap as it gets. It’s around the same price as a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. If I had to choose between the two cars I would definitely get the Liberty.

Don’t really like the looks of the front grill but for 17 grand I’ll take it!

Nice clean lines of the body makes this one attractive Jeep.

Car sits high so you can block the view of people behind you. Isn’t this the reason why we buy SUVs?

Simple and clean interior with plenty of headroom for the driver.

Plenty of headroom for the passengers too.

Plenty of cargo room to haul your golf clubs and groceries.

What do you think? Is this a great deal or what?

It’s already been twenty years since the last of the second generation Sciroccos rolled off the assembly line.

The first and second generation Sciroccos were produced from 1974 to 1992 yet you hardly see any on the road today.

The ones you do see are usually banged up and ready for the scrap yard.

But once in a while you’ll see an all original Scirocco in perfect condition. The clean straight lines of the body give this car a timeless look. It may not have the same prestige and performance level as the E30 M3 but offers more bang for your buck than any other sports coupe out there.

Not only does this car look good but it also performs like no other on the road thanks to its A1 chassis borrowed from the original GTI.

In 1986 a 16-valve model was released in the US offering 123 hp and capable of redlining at 7200 rpm. The only other cars capable of redlining higher than the Scirocco were Ferraris.

Weighing in at under 2300 lbs the Scirocco felt lively and quick in its day. In fact it was a tad quicker than the Porsche 944. It’s still considered quick today with 0 to 60 times in less than 8 seconds.

Not only is this car quick but it takes the corners like it’s on rails. This is a front wheel drive car that performs more like a rear wheel drive. In addition, torque steer is minimal which is almost unheard of in front wheel drive cars.

One drawback with this car is its cramped interior. If you’re over 6 feet tall you can pretty much forget about driving one. The same goes with the rear seats.

It’s pretty much impossible to find these cars in stock condition. Actually it’s pretty much impossible to find these cars at all.

Though the original price was 12K back in the day, used Sciroccos range from $1,000 to $10,000 depending on the condition. Not a bad price considering the performance and driver satisfaction this car delivers.