By John Mc UPDATED ON OCT 23, 2011 autoblog

Best Used Cars Under $2000 Dollars Prove Tough To Find

If you are like most shoppers looking for the best used cars under $2000 dollars, you are on a strict budget. Finding the right used car is hard enough, but finding the best pre-owned vehicles under $2k is nearly impossible. Don't get discouraged, we're here to help you find the best ones. In our quest to find good used cars for less than $2000, we searched far and wide looking through the depths of many dealership lots. Some dealers fair better than others when shopping in this price range. You must be willing to make certain sacrifices going into this endeavor. Age and mileage are two of the biggest things a shopper has to be discerning about when shopping for the best vehicles, but you cannot have unrealistic expectations about what you will find.

Ask Around At Dealerships

It goes without saying, you will be hard pressed to find low-priced used cars at high-end dealerships such as BMW, Audi, and Mercedes just to name a few. These dealerships will tend to carry older vehicles, but these vehicles tend to be luxury makes that hold their value much better than more basic cars. You can use the Internet to aid you in your quest, but beware, there are many sites out there that will claim to list good running cars for $2000 or less, but these cars may not be in your local area. In some cases, their vehicles at these price may not even be in one piece.

Some dealers, like car dealerships in Oklahoma City, are still good resources to find some of the best cars. David Stanley Chevrolet lists their vehicles under $5000 in their used car inventory and routinely feature some of their cars priced for $2000 or less on their wholesale to the public lot.

It is important to note that some of the best cars that cost no more than $2000, are not even featured on dealer websites. Some of the vehicles at these prices take a bit of leg work to find. One strategy to try is calling local dealerships and asking them about their selection of used cars at cheaper prices, and often times you will find a match to what you are looking for. These unadvertised vehicles can really turn out to be one of those that fit for your budget. If they mention a car that is slightly out of your price range, be sure to negotiate with them over the phone and you might be surprised. By negotiating, you will find some of the best deals that you previously thought to be out of your price range.

Best cars for $2000 or less: Tips to getting the most for your money

When you start out on your used car search, know that the prices listed on the websites are not always the lowest dealerships will take. The phrase "money talks" is especially true in this case.

You will want to shop for the best possible price with cash since banks have strict financing rules and typically won't issue a loan less than $5,000 or for a vehicle older than five years.

Use your cash to your advantage and negotiate the price down on cars slightly out of your price range. Dealers are impatient and often won't pass up an opportunity to sell on the spot. You've heard it before, but it's worth mentioning again, be sure to do your homework when shopping for cheap cars for sale under $2000.

There are numerous price guides out there to help you determine how much to pay for a car. Be sure to use them! Look for what other cars are selling for not just in your area, but around the country. Also be sure to listen. Listen to what others are saying and what they think are some of good $2k deals. Read up on forums of car owners and be wise to known mechanical issues when you are looking for low budget vehicles.

Sites like eBay often times will seem to feature good deals on cars priced at auction for below $2000, but many times these vehicles are more trouble than they are worth. These offers are often times the work of scam artists. Even if the vehicle is legitimate, chances are it is not local. If you end up buying your used car online, it is imperative you do the deal locally. Do not exchange money for a vehicle through sites like PayPal, and always insist on transferring the title before completing the transaction. Don't count the Internet out completely, however, sites like Craigslist, are flooded with some of the best second hand cars at prices that don't surpass the $2000 dollar budget. Since these deals are local, you cut out all the hassles of doing business via the Internet and open yourself up to a much broader array of sellers.

Best used cars under $2000 dollars: Our picks for you

Ford Focus

While Ford may have come up in the rankings as of late, it does not mean you cannot capitalize on some of their older but still reliable models such as the Focus. This car can routinely be found for $2000 dollars or less, and ranks as one of the low budget cars you can find.

Dodge Neon

The compact yet sport spirited car is everywhere on used lots. Since this car has enjoyed a long production, there will be plenty of options to choose from on lots. With its reasonable durability, it remains a sold choice for one of the good vehicles you can find at your $2000 dollar budget.

Kia Sportage

Much like Ford, Kia has gone through a renaissance of their own, so this provides the perfect opportunity to purchase some of their older yet still late model vehicles with at exceptional values. That is why this is the only SUV to make our list of best SUVs you can possibly find among the $2k budget.

Honda Civics

Much touted as one of the most reliable cars produced in the last 10 years, you should be able to secure a decent one that costs no more than $2000 dollars. Mileage might run higher than with other vehicles, so be sure to know where it came from. These cars are renowned as one of the more reputable used cars and certainly as one of the good choices for $2000 or less.

Finding optimum vehicles for no more than $2,000 provides challenges, but it can be done. If you are flexible on what you will accept and are willing to negotiate, there are plenty of routes for you to explore for a quality used car that will fit your budget and then you can safely say you have found one of the best deals around or near you. To get more information be sure to use our search tools or take a look at out cheapest cars for sale listings usually starting for less than $500 dollars.