You lost your car. Now what?

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You've been affected by a life changing accident that has taken a lot away from you. You car was subject to 1 of 3 incidents (your pick).

1. Your car has been stolen, and the police have given up trying to locate it. Your car is gone forever. You are just starting out and don't have a lot of spare money to replace it. You don't have very good insurance, and they don't hand over any money for a replacement. Recently, you started living in a cheap apartment, but due to you not being able to get to work due to a very long commute, you've been ejected and are now homeless.

2. You've been in a house fire, and all your possessions, money and car were lost. Insurance won't fork over enough cash to do much with.

3. You've been in a severe, life altering accident that totaled your vehicle and you are now in need of a quick replacement to get back to work. Medical bills have piled up extensively, and you have nowhere to turn. You have been kicked out of your friends place and have nowhere to go. Again, your insurance is sub part and just enough to get by.

You have $650 in an emergency fund for situations like this. You have to split that between a place to stay, your basic necessities (food, water etc) and a car. You live out of state, with no family, so you have no shelter. You work, but cannot get there until you have a car.

What do you do?
 
I'd try finding a bedroom to rent from somebody so that I can have an address to be able to find another job and accumulate enough cash to find something that runs cheaply.
 
I'd try finding a bedroom to rent from somebody so that I can have an address to be able to find another job and accumulate enough cash to find something that runs cheaply.
Ok, lets say you've gotten that far. What car do you get?
 
568px-Hybrid-bicycle-1.jpg


A car can wait until I'm back on my feet (if I've still got them from option 3).
 
I guess I would have to move back in with the parents, they'll take me in and won't charge rent. As far as a car, I can share my mom's PT Cruiser until I can afford a decent car of my own.
 
Used Police cars generally cost more than $650.00.


You buy the cheapest, yet best car you can afford! Whatever make/model it is makes no difference in a emergency situation.
 
Used Police cars generally cost more than $650.00.


You buy the cheapest, yet best car you can afford! Whatever make/model it is makes no difference in a emergency situation.
Exactly...I was looking for real world (ie Craiglists) examples. In depth.
 
Issue with cars this cheap is.
They might not be road legal or safe to drive on the road.
 
I'm with Roo on this one. Assuming I still lived in the UK, I'd never be far enough away from my place of work that I couldn't buy a cheap bicycle and use that to commute on until I found my feet.

Or alternatively, public transport.
 
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