Man Buys Car on Facebook Marketplace for $1,000. Then He Gets on the Highway

A man went viral after poking fun at the potential misfortunes of buying a car off Facebook Marketplace.

The Instagram account @mendontaskfordirections, which posts videos about “men’s health” and “men’s humor,” shared the clip on its Facebook page, showing what can happen when a Facebook-bought car meets the highway.

“Taking a [expletive]-box you bought on Facebook Marketplace for $1,000 onto the highway for the first time,” the account writes in the text overlay. The clip also includes a scene from the 1985 film “Back to the Future,” with the line, “If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour you're gonna see some serious [expletive].”

In the caption, @mendontaskfordirections adds, “That rattle will go away,” hinting that the car might not be built to last.

The Dangers Of Buying Cars Off Facebook Marketplace 

Buying a car on Facebook Marketplace comes with real risks, something some content creators have found out firsthand. After all, there’s no buyer protection, which means you’re on your own if something goes wrong. Scammers post fake or inaccurate listings, pressure buyers to send money before seeing the car, or request that they receive payment via untraceable methods, like gift cards. The car’s condition might be worse than advertised, and in some cases, as one woman experienced, sellers could even be offering a stolen vehicle.

To stay safe, here are some tips. Start by researching the seller. Not only should you check their Facebook profile and when it was created, but you should also take note of any suspicious activity. Before concluding a sale, always ask for the VIN and run a report through Carfax or your local DMV to verify the car’s history. And when it’s time to pull the trigger, try to meet in public, well-lit areas, like a busy parking lot, and never hand over money until all paperwork is correct and the title is signed correctly.

Have a trusted mechanic inspect the car before you commit. Hidden issues can turn a seemingly good deal into a major headache.

Trust your gut—if a deal seems too good to be true (e.g., a dealer selling a car for way less than it would cost at a dealership), it probably is. Avoid pressure tactics and never pay deposits through untraceable methods.

Even when a listing looks legitimate, exercising caution at every step is critical because, as @mendontaskfordirections suggested, you never know how good a car is until you get behind the wheel and test it in every driving predicament you might deal with.

Checking the vehicle’s history, verifying the seller, and using secure payment methods can save you from financial loss, legal trouble, and a vehicle that’s more trouble than it’s worth. Facebook Marketplace can work, it’s only when done right: by buyers staying vigilant and planning.

Positive Stories of Buying Online

Some commenters who watched @mendontaskfordirections’ post shared their own success stories about buying cheap cars online that somehow lasted for years.

“My 1200 dollar car has lasted 7 months so far lol and with a lot of miles on it,” one man stated proudly.

“Drove a 1997 Grand Cherokee for two years, paid $300 for it,” another wrote.

“I bought my current daily drive (a 1996 Subaru Legacy Wagon) 4 years ago for $1k,” added a third. “The inner tie rods were toast, as was the driver’s front CV shaft. I drove her 2 hours home. Sketchy all the way.”

“I drove mine 4 hours home and have been driving it daily for 4 years,” said a fourth.

Others argued that Facebook isn’t even the riskiest place to buy a car, pointing out that other sources can be just as questionable.

“Y’all ain’t seen nothing until you offer the scrap yard a price on a car then drive it home,” one man quipped.

Another woman said she got her 2001 Toyota Corolla from a tow yard. She didn’t say if she’s still driving it toda.

Motor1 has reached out to @mendontaskfordirections via a direct message on Instagram. We'll update this if he responds.