Looking at a 1995 Honda Civic with 200k Miles on it for $500. Wanted to use it for just a beater and something great on gas. It has a new sticker as well as recent brake work, new starter, and new front axle.

It also says it will need a new AC condenser, which I don't really care about it if it is just for air conditioning. It does have rust on the fenders and things.

What should I look for when looking at this car? I don't know what the common problems are with these cars so any help would be awesome! Also, is 200k miles a lot for this car? I want a cheap car that is good on gas, but don't want to be dumping money into it constantly.

 

You really can't go wrong at that price since scrap metal value is close to it. Like you said, you don't need to have a condenser unless you want the A/C to work.

Test drive and have someone behind you to see how much smoke it makes. Look underneath the car for major rust out of the main rails and floor, especially around structural parts where the suspension attaches.