Is it worth getting this car?

I'm trying to find my first car. Someone is selling their 1999 Honda Accord for $800. It has $130k miles. Brand new battery. They said the car runs fine but it needs a new starter.

I don't know anything about cars. How much would that usually cost (a new starter)? Is the car worth getting it if I have to replace that?

A new starter would cost a few hundred dollars.

Have a mechanic look the car over. With that age and mileage, there's likely to be a lot of wear and tear. You need to make sure the engine, transmission, and brakes are all working OK. Not perfectly, but OK.

As for a new battery, that probably cost somewhere between $50-$75. In other words, that shouldn't influence your decision.

If the car lasts a year, it'll end up being a good value. Hondas (and Toyotas, too) can last several hundred thousand miles if not abused. So you might be able to get several years out of the car. Think of it that way.

I don't talk to anonymous people, sorry.

Most people would fix the starter and increase the price.

You really need the help of someone who knows more about cars than you, like a family member or professional mechanic. Otherwise you risk making a huge mistake.

If someone says the only think wrong with their car is a starter, you can bet it has several other problems, possibly more expensive than the starter. Besides, if they are not a mechanic, how do they know it's the starter. It might be something much more serious.

It may be worth you getting a mechanic to check the rest of the car, if it is only the starter, you should be able to get a second hand one from a junkyard or car wrecker for around $50

130,000 miles and $800? That's too reasonable price for that mileage. Ask mechanic.

Let me guess. They are telling you the car won't start and it's because of a bad starter. So you can't test drive it or inspect the car while it is running.

Tell them to fix the starter, have the car running when you return and you'll give them $900 for the car. Put it in writing.

Replacing the starter is an inexpensive repair. If the seller is unwilling to do minor repairs in order to sell the car he's hiding something else. Something major.

They said? And you believed. Very poor idea. If it just needed a starter he'd fix it and sell for 1500. Money pit. Worth 500 in spares. Walk away.

Old cars are much cheaper than new cars, so unless you have cash to blow get a used car.

Okay, I recently bought my 2001 Honda Accord in November for $3200, the battery died the first day I got it, but it's fixed now. I actually put a new starter in about a month ago, because I was having issues, it was about $280 I believe. I wasn't too thrilled because I'm young and didn't exactly want to drop 300 on a starter, but I'm also stubborn. Hondas are good cars though, and they last awhile.

But if you're about to purchase a car that doesn't even drive, I would suggest having a mechanic look at it first just to clarify that a starter is the only problem, and if so, then I say get the car and just buy the starter. Or you could have the seller, purchase the starter then you'll pay the amount along w the total of the car, just to be sure that is the problem. Best of luck.

also, the radio totally stopped once I got it, in the past 6 months, I've had to purchase a battery, starter, and radio, so i don't know if that's reliable, but other than that, it seems to be running find, but for a 15 year old car, I suppose its okay.