Some context: i've never needed a car, because i've mostly lived in cities where you can get around using transit.
I've recently moved to a rural area where unless you have a car, you're shit outta luck on the weekends, because there are either no buses or one bus a day to move around. I can make it decently far riding a bike, but it is not a substitute for a car, unfortunately. I make a modest salary, and while i don't have a lot in the way of savings, i just saw a car the next town over for sale for a very low price (under 1000). I spoke to the owner and they were very clear that the car is pretty old (1999) and needs some work, but that it still works regardless.
Considering that the car would be mostly a convenience, and that gas/insurance shouldn't be too much of a expense... am I dumb for jumping in on this bargain? might I be in over my head in case the car needs a whole bunch of repairs?
Also see if the timing belt has been replaced, there should be a sticker in the engine compartment. It's a $1k job that you probably don't want to do yourself since you have to take the engine half apart.
It needs to be done at 10yrs or 100k miles, and there's no way to know if it's going to fail. If it does fail, it will probably destroy your engine.
Just something to be aware of and plan for when buying an older vehicle.
Always nice to find an old car with a timing chain, saved you the headache of dealing with a belt
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Still gives you more warning than a belt, which is good if you just need a commuter that won't suddenly explode on you