Finding a car for under $1,000 isn’t as arduous of a task as it might seem, but it’s going to involve some research.

The easiest way to start is with the Kelley Blue Book.  The Kelley Blue Book is the automotive benchmark for used car prices.  When you trade in a car to a dealership they usually assess its value based on its ranking in the blue book.

Checking this source should always be your first move.  The book sets the standard for resale values for automotive vehicles.  So before purchasing any used car the book should be consulted.  That way you know what the estimated price should be and you don’t get taken by someone trying to get more for their car.

On the other hand, if you know what the value of a car is before you buy you’ll be more likely to spot a bargain or to deduce if the car might have problems with it.  If someone’s selling for substantially below the market value it’s an indication that something’s wrong.  If they can’t get the market price, there’s clearly a reason.

Fortunately, there are specific websites guiding you in the right direction.  For example, there are sites specifically aimed at listing cars for less than $1,000. The site not only points you towards cars for sale under $1,000 but it provides you with a variety of finance options depending on the state of your credit.  You’re not often going to find a set up like this from most used car vendors.

Similarly, there’s a website featured on several major national news sources which also advertises cars for less than $1,000.  It also gives finance options for those with less-than-stellar credit.

Looking in a more localized fashion, Craigslist.com is always a great starting point.  The website serves as local classified ads for people selling property from person-to-person.  Although there isn’t specifically an option to search in a given price range, the advantage is that you know the car is going to be in your area, making for an easier transaction.  In these cases it’s imperative to search the Kelley Blue Book value before buying.

It’s more of a shot in the dark, but you can occasionally find cars within this low price range at Carmax, but they typically specialize in slightly pricier cars.  The plus, however, is that Carmax features extensive documentation on the previous ownership of the car.  Before taking in a used car, they research it in depth and make sure it’s in tip-top shape.

Therefore, it’s possible that they could find a cheap, older car that’s in acceptable condition and resell it for under $1,000.  If you’re fortunate enough to find one of these you’re likely in luck because you know it would only be in the best of shape or they wouldn’t have it in the first place.

At the same time, AutoTrader.com specializes in person-to-person used car vending.  It offers all the information necessary on market values, needed tune-ups, and so on.  It serves as an exhaustive source for crucial information surrounding used cars so that each party knows what they’re getting and what they should be looking for.

Many dealerships that accept trade-ins use older, cheaper cars for parts instead of reselling them.  This makes it difficult to get cheap cars specifically from the dealer.  However, many cities have local used car dealerships that function in the same fashion.  The cars they can’t sell they scrap for parts.

Although many of the cars will likely be over $1,000, they’re still going to take in older vehicles with the intention of vending the parts if they can’t sell it.  This makes it entirely worth checking out these lots on a regular basis.  If you can find a car under $1,000 when it first comes in you can buy it before it has a chance to sell for parts.

Overall, there are several resources for finding used cars for under $1,000, most of which are online-based.