conversation: User (TheHangOfThursday_): "I read somewhere (probably here) that this might be the cheapest way to own a car: Buying a shit car, driving it until it breaks and then getting another shit car. \n\nThe math looks like it works out great, but I'm not a numbers guy. Can anyone confirm this idea, or tell me why it's too stupid to do?\n\nJust to be clear, I can afford a much better car right now, but would rather use my savings for other things - like saving."
  Self: "There's a happy middle ground for $3,000-$5,000 cars.\n\nWhen you buy a $500 car, you have to register it, insure it, get it to pass safety/emissions, etc. That adds a fairly hefty amount of transactional expense to each purchase. There's also the opportunity cost you pay when it does break down.\n\nI paid $3,000 for a car 9 years ago and just replaced it last year. It went 100,000 miles during that time, including a couple cross-country trips. Driving that car was cheaper than the bus. We replaced it with a much nicer car that my wife now drives.\n\nI paid $4,000 for my daily driver 6 years ago. It's on about 50,000 miles put on it and hasn't let me down.\n\nI wouldn't pay $500 for a car, but $3,000-$5,000 has tons of options."
  yddeyma (yddeyma): "What makes and models did you buy?"
  Self: "97 BMW 318i at 200,000 miles. Drove it until it hit the 300,000 mile mark.\n\n99 Toyota 4Rrunner. Bought at 198,000 miles, currently somewhere around 250,000.\n\nPeople knock BMW's, but the e36 cars were dead reliable and dead simple. You can change the spark plugs with the trunk toolkit, for crying out loud."
  DookieS13 (DookieS13): "I had a 96 318is that I literally beat the piss out of, even something like a radiator replacement only takes 10 minutes to do. They were overengineered to the teeth, and fantastic cars. Good gas mileage. \n\nNext on the beat list would be my also 1996 Toyota Tacoma. Jumps, burnouts, off road, hauling more weight than it probably should. Basically a 4Runner with a bed. \n\nAlso owned a 95 4Runner, super reliable as well, cheap parts and low maintenance. \n\nAll in all, of the mix of 20 different bmws, toyotas, and a few other brands ive bought and sold and traded, the only thing I've had blow up was a Mercedes turbo diesel. Don't ask how. "
  