What Kind Of Car Should You Buy When You Are Broke?

    Well your best option is to not buy a car, take the bus or the train if you can, which I know sucks. Or ride a bike maybe? Too many people say oh I need a car, no, you likely don't. And you definitely can reduce the amount of time you use a car if you do truly need one. Here's my guidelines on what to buy when you are flat ass broke, and public transport is truly not an option:

• A bicycle, yeah, first things first, this kills two birds with one stone if you need to get in shape, you can get a basket to carry shit, and most buses in most cities have a bike rack these days. Even though I do own a car, generally speaking if it's less than 3 miles, I'm biking not driving.
• A vespa? Or a motorcycle, they're not safe in some places, and other places weather kills this option, but consider getting one of these before going up to a car, they are a lot cheaper, and destroy even the best hybrid on gas mileage. Now if you have a family, travel with more than one person, or carry shit for work...
• Uber: Do the math, for a significant amount of people it is cheaper to use Uber or a ride share rather than own a car. This is variable, what is insurance in your city, how much is gas, how much is maintenance.
• POS models: this is what you know was coming, the POS or "Piece of Shit" is hands down the best model for when flat broke. It definitely helps if you are somewhat mechanical with cars to check it and make sure it's gonna run, but if not bring the vehicle to a mechanic for a full inspection before buying it. However, when I say POS I'm referring to style and how cool the car is not. You want something reliable with good gas mileage.
  
  
  
• Remember the car is to get you from A to Z, or rather from Broke to Financed, it doesn't need to look cool, it needs to be reliable and run. Unless you are in heavy construction you don't need a truck or SUV, the vast majority of cars have ample space for tools, and the back seat can go down to increase that. You would be fucking amazed by the building materials I've got into my shit compact car. 
• How long does the car need to last you? Are you a student studying for a semester? Or here for the long run? Don't spend money on something you know you won't be keeping a long time.

     Above all, it is likely once you do buy a car you mentally won't be able to go back to taking the bus or the train, so try to think of your other options before committing to buy, secondary to house and health care, the cars are likely the things we will spend the most money on in our lives, it's a purchase you really need to think about before pulling the trigger.