The Best Places To Buy Cheap Project Cars

The term "project car" means different things to different people. Some folks seek to restore antiques back to their former glory, others want to repair old classic cars to get them running again, and others modify modest cars to soup them up into restomod project cars. Yet, while the reasons for buying a project car can vary, everybody should be getting a fair price.

Unsurprisingly, most of the cheapest project cars can't be found from professional dealers in used car lots. Auto dealers want to make a profit, and they're willing to use tricky sales tactics to avoid a fair negotiation. That's why the best places to find cheap project cars are typically listings from private sellers.

That being said, keep in mind that "cheap" doesn't always mean a "good deal." While exploring the different sites and options, you should remember that private sellers might not be transparent about their vehicle's worth. They may conceal certain details or feign ignorance to get the upper hand during price negotiations. Thus, whichever of the following sites you rely on to find a project car, you should always examine the vehicle thoroughly.

It's probably no surprise that Craigslist is one of the best sites for finding cheap project cars. After all, it's essentially the online equivalent of the classifieds section of newspapers. The advantage of Craigslist, however, is that you have plenty of tips and tricks to narrow down your search based on region, keyword, price range, and other parameters. This is ideal for those with a particular project model in mind.

For the cheapest deals, look for listings that state the reason for selling. The best deals can be found from sellers that just want to get rid of their car. For example, if someone says their 1970 Dodge Polara is taking up too much space in the garage, they're probably eager to get some fast cash for it and won't bother nickel-and-diming you. Look for listings that say the price is negotiable, or the seller is willing to accept offers. The keyword is "OBO" which means "or best offer."

However, if a seller states in their listing that the price is firm, you probably won't have any luck negotiating the price down. Keep an eye out for signs that the seller is trying to make a profit from the sale. Also, professional used-car dealers sometimes post on Craigslist without stating so in the listing in order to attract bargain-hunters looking for deals. As always, ask what the seller's reasons are for selling.

If you can't find a project car that interests you in your local area, you can try expanding your search to other areas. The downside to this method is the extra time it takes, since you should still inspect the car in person before making a deal. Furthermore, if the car isn't road-worthy, and it's far away from home, transportation costs will be higher. 

Facebook Marketplace is another tried-and-true site for scoring cheap cars to project, but you'll still have to know how to navigate the site to find the best deals. Much like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace is essentially an online classifieds site, where private owners can list their cars for sale. It also has much of the same search tools as Craigslist, with options to search within specific regions, price ranges, and even the condition of the car.

However, posters on Facebook Marketplace may list the price as far cheaper than their actual asking price to gain more exposure. Putting the price at $1 will help a listing appear in search results that are filtered by price, even when the seller wants something much more. Some sellers will go as far as to put the price at $0, forcing you to click on each listing of interest and sometimes reach out to the seller before you can ascertain the actual asking price.

Thus, the best practice when searching for a cheap car on Facebook Marketplace is to cast a wide net. This is because the site allows you to message sellers directly rather than emailing or calling them, you're likely to get some prompt replies and answers. Even if you contact dozens of potential hits, all your correspondences will be neatly organized in the Facebook Chat. Reach out to any listing that seems like a good deal, ask a lot of questions, and abandon any post that raises a red flag.

Once you're ready to inspect the car in person, stay safe and follow the best tips for buying a car from Facebook Marketplace. The site is also a place for scams and other mishaps, so get informed before you make a deal.

BringATrailer works a bit differently from other online classifieds like Craigslist. The site has a team of moderators who review submissions and accept the ones that they find "interesting." Then, the team corresponds with the seller to make sure the description is accurate and thorough before publishing. Each listing also has a comment section, where interested buyers can discuss the car. Buyers benefit from this format by getting a good idea of the history, issues, and repair state of the vehicle without having to directly message the seller with a million questions. As far as virtual due diligence goes, it's about as good as it gets.

BringATrailer is an auction site, for better or for worse. The supply is limited to a few dozen live auctions at most (per category), and each listing is up for only a week. Thus, you're unlikely to win an auction without at least some back-and-forth bidding action against other interested bidders. On the plus side, all the transparency and formality of the auction process can sometimes help you get a cheaper price. If you do your due diligence and come up with a maximum price you're willing to pay, there's always a chance of winning an auction at a price that's below your personal limit. Another positive is the site's "Verified Checkout" service on eligible listings, which facilitates title transfers, payments, and other paperwork.

Although it's called "BringATrailer," most of the cars on the site are road-ready and operable. The only vehicles that will need to be towed are mostly found in the "Projects" category. But even if you don't have a tow truck or a way to pick up the car from the seller's location, BringATrailer offers its own shipping services.

Yes, you can buy cars on eBay. But can you score a cheap project car on eBay? The answer depends on how much work you're willing to put into the search. That's because there are tens of thousands of vehicles for sale on eBay Motors at any one time. And unlike Craigslist, you can't exactly exclude search results that are outside your local region.

You can, however, organize your search results to show the cars that are nearest to you first. This is important for those hunting for a cheap project car, since long-distance deliveries can take a huge chunk out of your budget. And even if you travel to pick up a far-away car yourself, you'll still have to spend money on fuel and time. But besides difficulties with delivery considerations, eBay Motors has many search filters, tools, and categories to help you refine your results.

The primary search categories include classic cars, collector cars, exotic cars, commercial trucks, motorcycles, and more. From there, you can further refine your search according to the make, model, condition, price range, and more. It's a good idea to tinker around with the different filters to compare what's available.

The extensive search tools on eBay motors are helpful for those who already know what they want, whether it be a specific model, make, time period, or type. For those just trawling the options for any cheap car that would make a fun project, online classifieds like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace might be better. Nonetheless, eBay Motors is worth browsing for options, even if you don't want to do an extensive search. With a little luck, you might find the perfect cheap project car on your first search.

OfferUp is a simple online classifieds site that allows people to put an item up for sale at a set price. It's free to use, and the site doesn't charge fees or commission. The way OfferUp makes money is through ads and paid features like shipping, extra listings, and promotions that bump your item to the top of the feed. Transactions made through OfferUp are usually paid in cash and in person, much like those made through Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Most importantly for those in search of cheap project cars, the site focuses on local connections. Since OfferUp connects you to nearby sellers, you can find cars for sale within a reasonable driving distance. That way, you can inspect the car in person, and you won't have to pay a lot to get it delivered. 

The best way to explore listings on OfferUp is with the mobile app. The app lets you message sellers directly, and price negotiations are expected. If you're the type of person who prefers to trawl through numerous options, the built-in messaging system also helps keep all of your inquiries organized.

One frustrating part of OfferUp is the difficulty involved when trying to search outside your current location. By default, the app displays cars for sale within a 30-mile radius of your location. To change this, you have to navigate to the search filters and enter the zip code of the area where you want to search. Unfortunately, you're unable to expand the search radius beyond 30 miles, even when exploring other ZIP codes. Nonetheless, OfferUp is a solid site for finding cheap project cars, even if it's not the top choice for old-school projectors used to the in-person negotiation style of other classified sites.