Buying a used car up to 500.- Euros is exciting! After all, a decent racing bike costs more than 500 Euros. The right question is therefore, "what can I expect from a car up to 500,- Euros"? In this article I give you guidelines to answer this question. In the end, you have to make your own purchasing decision when you are about to buy a budget car.
In what situations do you buy a budget car?
It's different for everyone, of course, but I myself have never had a huge budget for expensive cars. When I was a student, I often bought a cheap car to go on holiday with. The prices at which I bought cars back then varied between 400 and 750 euros. Of course, you can also buy a cheap car because you don't value status at all and just want to have a means of transport that works. You may also find yourself in a situation where you simply cannot afford to pay more than 500 Euros. In these cases, you have to realise that driving a car is quite expensive and that unforeseen costs may occur. Therefore, in this situation, it is wise to compare all means of transport. An off-peak season ticket of the NS is in almost all cases cheaper than owning and using a car. Of course, as a car lover, I am the last one who would like to discourage you from buying a car, but there is nothing as annoying as owning a car that you can't actually afford and where nothing is allowed to break down because you don't have any budget left over for repairs.
What kind of car can you buy for EUR 500?
What do you buy for that!? My experience tells me that a 3000 euro car is not necessarily better than a 500 euro car. In this price range, you should not be in too much of a hurry and research the past of a car. How many owners a car has had can be found out from the check the banner below. This is just one indicator, but if a car in the case of a private individual has been recently transferred, then there is a chance that the car may need an expensive repair, such as replacing the timing belt.
Personally, I have good experiences with Volvos and AudisThey seem to stand the test of time well. BMWs, on the other hand, drive great, but as they get older, they can start to show problems. In addition, there are plenty of Japanese and other VAG models/brands to recommend.
What to look for in a used car
Because the range of cars on offer in this price range, a €500 car, is also quite large, we have created a checklist. You can download this checklist and use it when viewing a car. Of course you can add to the list yourself with points that are important to you. Take your time to view a car and don't let the owner or company rush you. Finally, it is important to make at least a 10 minutes test drive and it is best to leave the radio off, so you can hear whether there are strange noises coming from the engine or the chassis.
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