Cale will be 16 in a couple months, so I'm looking for something in the safe/reliable/cheap category. "fun" not a requirement. Grandma's Buick would be perfect!
Budget under $5k... prefer to be way under that, but the $200 beaters I used to drive don't seem to exist anymore.
Lost in the 60s said
Oct 10, 2023
That $200 beater was $35 when I bought my first car... but that was when dirt was still young.
Now it's $2,500 and still a rust bucket needing many parts and dollars to be close to safe on the road.
Good luck finding hima decent "beater".
more ambition than brains said
Oct 10, 2023
They are out there, takes patience, persistence and good Karma.
Derek seems to "discover" lots of neat stuff.
My $$$$ is on him. 
His budget is not unrealistic, for someone with his knowledge and skills.
Keep us posted, my grandson is "Inheriting" my old Gray rusty Trailblazer as soon as he applies himself in school and fixes some grades, that he is very capable of doing.
Have been saving it for a while.
Karl
Derek69SS said
Oct 16, 2023
Well, I found something cheap... Paid $1200 for this 2001 Grand Prix GT with 3800 V6 and 190k on it.
Rockers are really rusty, but it's all covered up with plastic cladding so it still looks decent.
I told him he better take care of it, because if it dies he's buying the next one.
I'll get some snow tires and pay for some maintenance and repair stuff to start him out, and it's all his responsibility from then on.
Nice looking car for $1,200 !! Too bad they let the plates expire but for the price I guess you can pick that expense up too.
Unless you have recent paperwork for any trans work, drop the pan for a new filter and start swapping out the fluid 3 quarts at a time.
Derek69SS said
Oct 17, 2023
I ordered a Trans-Go shift improver kit and a new filter. Should help the trans last a little longer.
Lost in the 60s said
Oct 17, 2023
It should and you most likely already know about the drain plug at the bottom of the case that you can drain 3+ quarts out and refill. I do that 4-5 times with every used car I buy to get fresh fluid in it.
Cale will be 16 in a couple months, so I'm looking for something in the safe/reliable/cheap category.
"fun" not a requirement. Grandma's Buick would be perfect!
Budget under $5k... prefer to be way under that, but the $200 beaters I used to drive don't seem to exist anymore.
Now it's $2,500 and still a rust bucket needing many parts and dollars to be close to safe on the road.
Good luck finding hima decent "beater".
They are out there, takes patience, persistence and good Karma.
Derek seems to "discover" lots of neat stuff.
My $$$$ is on him. 
His budget is not unrealistic, for someone with his knowledge and skills.
Keep us posted, my grandson is "Inheriting" my old Gray rusty Trailblazer as soon as he applies himself in school and fixes some grades, that he is very capable of doing.
Have been saving it for a while.
Karl
Well, I found something cheap... Paid $1200 for this 2001 Grand Prix GT with 3800 V6 and 190k on it.
Rockers are really rusty, but it's all covered up with plastic cladding so it still looks decent.
I told him he better take care of it, because if it dies he's buying the next one.
I'll get some snow tires and pay for some maintenance and repair stuff to start him out, and it's all his responsibility from then on.
Unless you have recent paperwork for any trans work, drop the pan for a new filter and start swapping out the fluid 3 quarts at a time.
Good Karma!
Karl