Used Car Buying Advice

I am currently trying to buy a used car. I am a classic trope: a broke/struggling college student. I am graduating from uni in December of this year. I need a car badly. I only have between 3k and 3,500 total to spend on a vehicle. I see a lot of cars on the Facebook marketplace. I am terrified of getting scammed. I have a few men in my family who know a lot about cars. They are willing to assist me in looking for a vehicle. I have a dilemma. I have been reaching out to potential sellers, and I've offered to pay for a diagnostic test before I buy the car. I don't trust buying a car without knowing what I am getting. I see cars that are below my price range. I know it is a risk to pay for a vehicle cheaper than 3k, heck, even 3k is a risky price. But, I wonder if I go cheaper would it be smarter? Maybe I can invest the extra grand into any car troubles the car may have...Idk, will someone please give me some advice? I need a car asap. I need to have a vehicle by the time I graduate so that I can have transportation for work. I currently live with my mom. I left my job and abusive ex...long story. I am pretty sure I've written about it on here.

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CestManan · 46-50, F

Oh yeah trying to buy a car is a headache all around, especially if someone doesn't have a fortune to spend. Plus once you buy it, it is yours. Even if it craps out on the way home, it is no longer the seller's problem.

Toyota or Honda are usually the best bet. I trust Toyota the most. American cars are junk.

If they do not have the title in their name - avoid it, no matter how good the deal seems otherwise. Could be a stolen car.

If something seems too good to be true than it probably is.

If it says anything about transmission problems then just avoid it because there is no cheap nor simple fix for that.

Also, look up a potential car on carcomplaints.com no matter what year make and model you are thinking of getting. If engine and/or transmission problems top the list then try to avoid. Sadly enough, early 2000's hondas were known for transmission issues. I know that contradicts what I said above but just at least investigate that site.

BetweenKittensandRiots · 36-40, MVIP

@CestManan Yeah, have more sense about buying shit than wanting to show off.

I can show off on having my beastly computer anyways so satsifying when the guys who come over to help me put it together are like HOLY JESUS you're building a monster.

And then the look on their face when I'm like yeah, and then I'm installing Kali Linux and using it for Hashcat.

learning how to use nmap and write a little code and become an advanced persistent threat myself.

[media=https://youtu.be/5k1DxCbGqUQ] My CPU.

and then there's this too

[media=https://youtu.be/voDuPVgNzlA]

water cooled.

[media=https://youtu.be/z4_oqTZJqCo]