Should I buy or let it go?

Hello,

I've been offered a deal to buy a 1999 Toyota Corolla VE 5-speed with 186k for $400. The owner did tell me the car is leaking/burning oil (he's not sure which one it is). I searched online for this issue on this vehicle and it seems to be a constant but people don't seem to mind because other than that the car still is a great commuter car. What is your opinion on this offer?

Do you need the car?

That sounds a good deal to me but how bad is the leaking?

"I dont' know if it's leaking oil or burning oil" means it's burning oil... I know not everyone has a garage, but even in apartment situations, people park in the same spot often enough that it takes a willful effort to not notice that your car is leaking oil.

I would have it looked at by a mechanic before buying it. $400 sounds like a great deal until you "hundred-dollar" yourself into a bad deal over the next year or so. A mechanic can't predict the future, but a couple of $400 repairs over the course of the next year, and suddenly your good deal isn't nearly as good. That said, if it's things like tires that need replacing, any car is going to require that at some point.