Right Then. "New" Car Time.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tornado
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M5Power
No, they do. Unbelievably, JD Power doesn't have data for the 1st-gen models (or the second-gen ones, but they're more reliabily sound) but essentially the rule is every single one of them gets destroyed within a week of ownership. Many catch fire.



The average price of a '95-'98 Eclipse GSX on AutoTrader is above $9000. Being a 1995 model doesn't help much either, given their average is around $7700. So that's already out of his price range - by a huge margin - and then you want him to drop in an engine from a very recent, even more expensive Mitsubishi product?

Since we're dreaming, Toronado, I recommend a Ferrari 328 GTS.



In the US, the Corrado was only sold from 1990 to 1994. From 1990 to early 1992, the only engine was a supercharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder, good for 160 horsepower and a hell of a lot of reliability issues. From mid-1992 to 1994, that engine was replaced by a 172-horsepower 2.8-liter V6. We got no other engines, and the car was not sold any other years, though Canada got it for 1995 as well.

Unbelievably, the Corrado V6 (the only one worth having) is still commanding values in the mid-$6000 range.
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As I have said before, the 2Gs are not more reliable than the 1Gs, at least not when thinking about the crank walk. Besides, the young drivers of these cars are to blame, not the car. Clutches are fried, boost is adjusted up, cars are taken to the limit with old tires, etc, etc. You get the picture.
A stock car will almost never be unreliable. The biggest problems with the DSMs are that they are built in the USA, and the drivers.

The average model you have found is with an engine, I would guess. How much do you think a bare shell with suspension and interior would cost? Find a parting out Evo VIII, buy the engine and install it, together with the brakes and electrical engine wiring.

Oh, and it is not a reason for being arrogant and chilidsh with the 328.. 👎

Eirik
 
Well as in any other "What Car?" thread, I would probably push for the VW models in terms of a "realistic" choice for cheap, reliable, and performance-oriented cars.

But as always I do have to bring up the drawbacks to the cars themselves. First is the fact that they are generally expensive to insure, which is unfortunate. My '96 Wolfsburg is rated as a "Class 14" car in the State Farm insurance ratings, good for a pretty hefty monthly rate with full-coverage insurance. That isn't to say that you should avoid them only on the basis of insurance, but you are going to want to price things out if you are looking for VW models. Anything high-performance is going to cost a lot, even models that aren't necessarily sporty whatsoever.

Added to that, should anything break on your VW, replacement parts are very expensive as well, but I think that is the case with any European car. It is part of the reason why insurance costs are so high, but as long as you aren't planning to total your car, and choose to keep your car in proper running order, you should be alright there.

...As far as models go, don't be afraid to look for "lesser" VWs out there. All of them are pretty rewarding before the MKIV models, and the majority of them are going to be well within your price range. I love the MKII GTI and GLI, and I think you would be quite happy with them. Much the same can be said of the MKII-based Corrado, but if you are shopping there, make sure you opt for the SLC model with the VR6. But even then, you could be happier with a mid-generation Jetta GLX VR6, as they were known as competitors to the 3-series at the time.

My best advice is to not be afraid of low-spec Jettas, Golfs, or Passats. They still pack in more luxury than most Japanese or American cars of the era, and fuel efficiency is going to be pretty decent with the old 2.0L 8V. Don't expect to go racing there, but modification is easy to do with the old engine.
 
I've got another idea...How about a Toyota Tacoma? Those things go for up to (and past) 300,000 miles. :wow: Also, they are reliable, and the V-6 in those are alright.

Or how about a good old coupe? Maybe an old Monte Carlo? Or possibly a nice big Seville ( I know that is a sedan.)? :D
 
Just had another thought....the VW Type 1, a.k.a. the original Beetle.

No, it's not fast...stock. However, the aftermarket for these cars is HUGE. You see (Air-cooled 4-cyl) Porsche engines and transmissions swapped out all the time. Price has gone up, especially when the throwback New Bug made the old one a collector's item, but they're still fairly inexpensive, under $5K for a daily driver.

My dad has a TON of experience with the air-cooled Vee-Dubs, having owned one, (despite the fact that he turned it into an early '80s version of a Ricer) and he knows quite a bit. On a tuned engine, the thing you absolutely, positively need is an efficient oil cooler. The VW engine may be air-cooled, but hot-rodded, it becomes Oil-cooled. a "Whale Tail" style spoiler may look a bit ricey at first, but I'd think it'd provide a perfect place to mount an oil cooler in. After all, that's what Porsche did on the 911 Turbo.

The other thing...when choosing yours, look at the floor pan. It's suceptible to rust. Not that it's hard to find a new one, but it's money that you probably don't want to spend. Dad also says to avoid the Supers: they had a strut-tower flex problem...but, IMO, that's nothing a brace wouldn't fix.

In conclusion, I feel that the VW Bug is one of the most tunable cars there is. wanna put the work in?
 
I'm going to have to recommend any Honda product made within the last 20 years. There's a few reasons why, but mainly if you're into saving money and getting reliability, it's hard to compete with Honda. CR-X's with lower mileage and good body shape, can go for as low as $2,500. And, if anyone has ever owned a Honda knows, there's no comparison to the aftermarket for Honda's. It'd be near impossible to NOT find a part for the car, that you've been looking for. Plus, with tons of information available from current/previous Honda owners readily-available, it's a great car to own. Of course, the Gas mileage, and track-ability is also another thing to remember.

Anyways, best of luck with your purchasing process.
 
Jim Prower
Just had another thought....the VW Type 1, a.k.a. the original Beetle.
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I had considered it as my first car, but I'm terrified of rear engined cars due to my own perceived lack of driving skill, or the loosey goosey handling they can have at high speeds (and I know such a thing doesn't apply to Beetles). Also, while I know it to be pretty easy to learn, I know nothing about air-cooled engine maintenance, and I don't have the time to learn it at the moment.
Matthetuner
Or possibly a nice big Seville ( I know that is a sedan.)?
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For fear of attracting Ghost C, I will only say this: I don't want a land yacht. The closest thing I will get to a Seville is a Crown Victoria, which reminds me...
 
Toronado
For fear of attracting Ghost C, I will only say this: I don't want a land yacht. The closest thing I will get to a Seville is a Crown Victoria, which reminds me...
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....of what a good buy a P71 Interceptor is?
 
skip0110
....of what a good buy a P71 Interceptor is?
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Yup. Last year my police department auctioned off theirs and 2 year-old P71's went for $7,500. I should do some research into those. One of my older friends has owned an ex-police '93 Crown Vic for quite some time now and has had no trouble with it.
 
P71s hold up pretty well, and are very intimidating to folks who don't realize what they are. I've always been more of a Chevrolet 9C1 fan, as it too has plenty of potential and hold-up incredibly well... But older 9C1s are becoming hard to find either in good shape, or if they are, for a reasonable price. Collectors items they are, yes indeed.

As far as a P71 goes, you should be able to find a fairly new model without too many miles for about what you are looking to spend. Good news is, insurance is cheap, and so too are replacement parts. Bad news is, they are a bit thirsty on the fuel mileage. A friend of mine has a former Michigan State Police (complete with the awesome color) P71, and it goes through gas pretty quick. Maybe it is because she drives too fast, I don't know, but it wouldn't be too bad if you drove it right.

...Just make sure you leave the ram-bars on the grille. It makes the car look bad-ass!
 
I just thought that I'd add a tidbit onto the DSM issue.
1G DSM's (1989-94) are, contrary to what appears to be popular belief, a decently reliable car. The most reliable years being 1991 and 1992, as they had the 6-bolt rear bearings that did not crankwalk, and they had tougher connecting rods then the earlier cars. AWD models are great in the snow, and all 4G63T engines are highly moddable.
I would highly suggest checking out the website www.dsm.org if you are seriously considering a DSM. They are good fun to drive, while being a perfectly reasonable daily runner that can achieve decent mileage or embarass many a common ricer.
 
I'll edit either the first post or this one tomorrow, but yes I have narrowed it down. I haven't test driven anything yet, though.
 
Go with the volvo. It can handle snow, it's totally overbuilt, and will most likely never die. Plus, it is Rear wheel drine and can go fast without too much effort. Plus, if you get a late 80s-early 902 model, it looks really good too. And, they're easy to find with manual transmissions.

I don't know much about the AMC eagle, but being a late AMC/renault product it will be really cheap.
 
High-Test
Go with the volvo. It can handle snow, it's totally overbuilt, and will most likely never die. Plus, it is Rear wheel drine and can go fast without too much effort. Plus, if you get a late 80s-early 902 model, it looks really good too. And, they're easy to find with manual transmissions.

I don't know much about the AMC eagle, but being a late AMC/renault product it will be really cheap.
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We looked at insuring a Volvo....parts rareness means it's pretty steep to insure.
 
Late 80s/early 90 Celica GTs are reliably and somewhat sporty. Hatch design allows you to carry some junk around.

For your price, you can probably find a 93 - 95 Miata. Lightweight, rwd, convertible, smooth transmission, excellent handling, parts are inexpensive, fairly reliable. I've had my 97 for 7 years; I was only planning on keeping it for 2 but I still have it. The car is a blast to drive... I even went out and bought another one lol (2004 Mazdaspeed version for the turbo).
 
Derrict
Late 80s/early 90 Celica GTs are reliably and somewhat sporty. Hatch design allows you to carry some junk around.
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Celicas go for far more than they are worth around here. My friend bought a '91 notchback and it cost him $4000.
Derrict
For your price, you can probably find a 93 - 95 Miata. Lightweight, rwd, convertible, smooth transmission, excellent handling, parts are inexpensive, fairly reliable. I've had my 97 for 7 years; I was only planning on keeping it for 2 but I still have it. The car is a blast to drive... I even went out and bought another one lol (2004 Mazdaspeed version for the turbo).
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Too cold for it. Convertibles are pretty much out, because it will be a year long driver. The car may also be too impractical for my needs, as litle as they may be.
First post updated with current choices.
 
Toronado
Celicas go for far more than they are worth around here. My friend bought a '91 notchback and it cost him $4000.

Too cold for it. Convertibles are pretty much out, because it will be a year long driver. The car may also be too impractical for my needs, as litle as they may be.
First post updated with current choices.
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It's not too bad. I've used my 97 for the last 6 winters; it does fine with snow tires. It is a bit small so I can't carry anything around.
 
Toronado
I live about 250 miles farther north than you do. :sly:
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Even better since my area gets a mix of snow, sleet, ice, rain. The further north, the more powdery the snow is and easier to drive through. If Canadians can drive through the snow with their Miata, New Yorkers can too ;)
 
I think a Jeep Cherokee or Grand Cherokee would be the best for you. There are tons of them around so finding one wouldn't be a problem. They are fairly cheap to insure, cheap to maintain. You can haul alot of stuff with one. Finally they are GREAT offroad and in the snow.
 
Test drove a Mercedes 190 (not a D, but it was still a 190). I have to say, I'm quite impressed. Going to try a 240 V6 over the weekend. List shortened again.
 

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