how do i get a cheap relaible car

[AMAZINWOMAN]

i need a car to help get kids from a to b, shopping, days out, visit friends as they live miles away. But my budget is next to nothing! I dont know anything about cars!!
do i just buy one private thru paper and hope for best it will be reliable? ive lookd at garages, and it will be too expensive there. but im really scared to buy a car and it will be a heap of junk, and i couod have used the money for a well deserved holiday. How do i go about repairs too? some gargaes charge more if they think women are clueless about cars

[Blondilocks]

Private sales tend to be cheaper but less backup if anything goes wrong IMO. You could get the car checked out (think the RAC or AA do checks for if it's ok, if it has any outstanding finance etc).

Be wary of things that look too cheap to be true.

Do you have any male friends or friends husbands who know a bit more than you & who you could borrow when going to look at cars?

Other things to investigate are the cost of tax, insurance & servicing (you've probably thought of this already) but these can work out to be more than the car actually cost in the first place.

[singledadofthree]

depends how much 'next to nothing is'. if its anything like mine youre thinking well under a grand. best advice is get someone you know - and who knows plenty about cars - to help out.
garages at this price tend to be selling main dealer trade ins, cars bought at auction or other peoples dodgy trade ins. the only advantage of garages is the warranty. a decent one costs around £250 on top of the real cost of the car - the useless warranties that start at £100 only cover the parts that hardly ever fail.
there are plenty of honest private sellers, is best to go for someone that has had the car for years - if not from new. check the service history regardless, and have someone that can spot body repairs. i have done this for a few people and a genuine seller - private or trade - wont mind a thorough inspection.
as for cars, depends on what you like. would say stick with the common makes - theres loads to choose from and pattern parts are cheap. stay under 1400cc, cheap tax, insurance, but most of all fuel economy. from choice i have stuck with me corsa. build quality is better than many of the cheap makes and isnt as tinny and rattly as many.
the biggest running cost - after petrol - is garage labour costs if it needs repairing. with that in mind go for lowish mileage and of course a serice history.
i could ramble on but ask if you think of anything.
oh - whatever you do - DONT go out looking on your own. despite equality and stuff - you will - like as not - get ripped off. nothing personal of course but it happens all the time, whether private or dealer, many are only in it for the money.