Buying a Car to Fix: Smart Move or Money Pit?

We've all been tempted by a cheap listing with the caption: "Needs minor gearbox service" or "Engine needs small attention." It sounds like an opportunity to save money and fix it up—a nice project for the weekend, right? Unless you are a professional mechanic, this is usually a financial suicide mission.

"Small issues" in modern cars often hide catastrophic failures. A slipping gearbox usually needs a full replacement (Ksh 80k+), not a service. A "small overheat" usually means a warped cylinder head or a cracked block. Only buy a project car if you have a second car to drive and money you are willing to lose. For your daily driver, you need reliability, not a science experiment.