Buying my first car (used) NEED HELP
I’m (26F) wanting to buy a second hand mini SUV car (ideally a gen 2 Honda CRV or Toyota RAV4) and have a pretty tight budget of around 5-7k. I’ve never bought a car before and had little knowledge but been researching like crazy. I’ve checked out a few FB marketplace cars and found one that I loved, did a test drive and thought the seller was lovely.
I was recommended to get a mobile mechanic to check the car I wanted, but it cost me $340 and the report ended up being 1.5 stars. I did it again, found a car I loved, a lovely young couple owned it, did a bunch of checks I was told to do and seemed fine. Another $340 for a mobile mechanic which came back with a 2.5 stars and a recommendation to not get the car.
Now I’m $680 poorer, still no car, and feeling burnt out. Each private seller is an hours drive away to check out the car, and I don’t have a mechanic friend to bring with me. I’m leaning towards a dealership even though I’ve been told not to, but I’m running out of options. I really need a car for work, and I’m realistic about my budget and what I can get. I’m happy for a car to be in the 200kms and not be mechanically or aesthetically perfect, just not one that will have expensive problems in the near future. Even if this car lasts me a couple years, that’s fine. I want a car I can drive around in the city with, and can take me and my dog on small road trips.
What do I do????