Thinking about first car....

  • Thread starter Thread starter socomplayer2
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Get a Tercel. Cheap, cheap cheap to buy, run forever, get 40 MPG, and because they weigh less than 2000 lbs, are actually fun to drive.

Its what I had for my first car. Everything for them is cheap, fairly easy to work on, competitive in H Stock autocross on okay tires. 4 x 100 lug pattern, so you can find wheels easy enough. There is a 1.3 L turbo engine that falls into it from the Starlet that is good to about 200 HP on stock internals, if you ever want to tune it.

Insurance is dirt cheap as well. Personally, I feel they are the best first car you can get, and they are fairly safe (mine survived a couple accidents). Plus, no one wants to steal them since they aren't a Civic or Corolla.
 
Azuremen
Get a Tercel
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No:dopey:

Here are some pics I took today...



Sorry about the crappy 2 year old cell phone quality. I am really doubting that it is an impala SS because its is a '93 and the SS's were first made in '93. But it will be better for insurance being able to call it a caprice.
 
I'll tell you right now: That's definitley not an Impala ;) No rear window kink. :)


But it does have the 5.7L right?

EDIT: Guess not. That'll be your first project then, along with removing those RIDICULOUS wheels. :yuck:
 
Tophaticent
That'll be your first project then, along with removing those RIDICULOUS wheels. :yuck:
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+1 I hate all of these stupid 20" and larger rims...they look retarded.

Azuremen
Get a Tercel. Cheap, cheap cheap to buy, run forever, get 40 MPG, and because they weigh less than 2000 lbs, are actually fun to drive.

Its what I had for my first car. Everything for them is cheap, fairly easy to work on, competitive in H Stock autocross on okay tires. 4 x 100 lug pattern, so you can find wheels easy enough. There is a 1.3 L turbo engine that falls into it from the Starlet that is good to about 200 HP on stock internals, if you ever want to tune it.

Insurance is dirt cheap as well. Personally, I feel they are the best first car you can get, and they are fairly safe (mine survived a couple accidents). Plus, no one wants to steal them since they aren't a Civic or Corolla.
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I agree with everything he just said. ^

High-Test
305? Oh dear...

I personally loathe the 305, but that's another story.

The rest of the car is probably even more bulletproof than my W124. Maybe I just had a bad apple. (Although I could get a Caprice SS for the price of an A/C evaporator:sick: )
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The 305 may be the bitch of the GM short-blocks but those sons of bitches run for-freaking-ever. Again, I point to my Camaro which has the 305 and as of today 240,115 original miles on the engine. For a first car you can't go wrong with something that's DIRT CHEAP to fix if anything DOES break. I along with the owner after/before me replaced a total of $300 worth of "under the bonnet" stuff in my Camaro over the lifetime of the vehicle. I doubt you'd find something more reliable then that. I also think the Caprice is cheap insurance as well regardless of engine size.
 
If you get the Caprice people will think you deal drugs.
 
Even if you get rid of the rims people will still think you deal drugs if you drive around a Caprice. At least that is how they get labeled around here.
 
Wow. People who deal drugs around here drive early 90's Lincoln Town Cars. Are Michigan drug dealers less classy, or are they simply more reserved
 
he 305 may be the bitch of the GM short-blocks but those sons of bitches run for-freaking-ever. Again, I point to my Camaro which has the 305 and as of today 240,115 original miles on the engine. For a first car you can't go wrong with something that's DIRT CHEAP to fix if anything DOES break. I along with the owner after/before me replaced a total of $300 worth of "under the bonnet" stuff in my Camaro over the lifetime of the vehicle. I doubt you'd find something more reliable then that. I also think the Caprice is cheap insurance as well regardless of engine size.
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Tell that to the broken connecting rod in my Biscayne.. :ouch:
Then again, the motor was Pre-86 with perimeter bolts on the valve covers. Hopefully GM got the later ones right.

Wow. People who deal drugs around here drive early 90's Lincoln Town Cars. Are Michigan drug dealers less classy, or are they simply more reserved
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I delivered two solenoid valves to my brother in law for the fuel tanks at the Budweiser distribution center in Springfield, MO, and I passed an Orange Caprice with 22s on it. There was a Black and white crown Victoria parked behind it. On the way back, 5 minutes later, there were seven crown victorias parked behind it, nine officers standing around, passing small bags from the trunk of the Caprice to the officer at the back of the line. So, I guess the Caprice really is a drug dealer car.
 
Lol, the rims are a tad excessive but they do come with the car. I could sell them and pop some stock wheels on it and use the money to put airbags or hydrolic suspension. I would much rather a '90's lincoln towncar or an 80's caddy le but none are for sale around my house. I have been really into getting a "cruising car", or basically a big old peoples car that was taken care of and garaged. I have been thinking if I have a cruising car I wont really be temped to speed, just drive around with my windows down and the music up. Its not like I don't like sports cars because they are my life, but now I am not responsible enough.
 
Never put hydros on a daily driver...ever. Airbags are fine as long as you don't mind giving yourself extra time in the winter to let them thaw out or not driving really fast around corners. Do yourself a favour and get an engine driven compressor too. Bagging a car will run you about $2000 if you want to do it half way decent, an awesome set up will be closer to $4000.
 
Joey D
Even if you get rid of the rims people will still think you deal drugs if you drive around a Caprice. At least that is how they get labeled around here.
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Toronado
Wow. People who deal drugs around here drive early 90's Lincoln Town Cars. Are Michigan drug dealers less classy, or are they simply more reserved
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Drug dealers prefer Crown Vics / Mercury Grand Marquis around here. :sly:
 
Joey D
Even if you get rid of the rims people will still think you deal drugs if you drive around a Caprice. At least that is how they get labeled around here.
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Have I mentioned that your side of the State is stupid?

BTW: Everyone who drives Impala SS' around here is a B-A. Hell, I nearly had a green '96 for my first car. Damn shame Uncle Ed wouldn't sell it to me...
 
Get a Impala SS. Oh and on the drugs here.. Drug dealers here have fox body Stang's and E36 BMW's... Cause everyone here has money.. except for me...
 
The drug dealer who I went to High School with had a Grand Prix GTP on 20" wheels, and I'd definitely rather have the Impala SS in that instance...
 
Trust me, the Honda Fit is a great car. First, it gets like 38 or something miles to the gallon. Second, for a small car, it has a lot of headroom. It also hs fold down seats that provide more than enough space, lets just say I could fit both me and my dad's golf clubs and carts in there. Its a great car for only 16,000. :dopey:
 
I have some good news (finally) my friends mom who I have been talking to is willing to sell me her 91' Nissan Sentra. She got it for her and her son (my friend) to learn stick. Well I have talked to my dad and for the first time he is actually considering letting me buy it. He even wants to test drive it! I don't think I will buy it for a few months (march:crazy:) because they are still using it and that is when my friend gets his license and when he get his new gti (my favorite new car). It will give me enough time to get my license have be on the road for a few months. The best parts are its in good condition, its a stick shift, its a 2 door and its only 900 bucks.👍 It may not be a bad ass speed machine but it will be mine:):dopey:(if all goes well).

Heres a picture....
 
I have been doing some research and I am liking the Toyota Matrix. I am probably going to get a used one with a manual trans if I get one. It is a nice 5 door and it has a nice suspension (XR version). My dad's friend has one and it felt like a nice car it had pep and a nice tight suspension. New the base version with a 5 speed is about 15 thousand. I'm sure I could find one for much cheaper used. Hopefully on Thursday when my dad's friend comes over he'll let me take a test drive.

As much as I think I like the Matrix I know I love the VW Rabbit. That is still my main choice. When I get my license which if all goes well will be in 2 weeks I am going to try to test drive both of these cars and I will make up my mind. As of now I am really pulling for the Veedub but my opinion can still change.

Comments?


EDIT: Oh, and the post above is no longer really an option for right now because I'm not sure if they want to sell the sentra still.
 
You know you can probably snag a Pontiac Vibe cheaper and it's more or less the same car, although the looks are quite debatable on whether you like them or not.
 
Joey D
You know you can probably snag a Pontiac Vibe cheaper and it's more or less the same car, although the looks are quite debatable on whether you like them or not.
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I never thought of that, I'm going to look it up now.👍

EDIT: Just looked it up. The new Vibes are more expensive than the Matrix but the used Vibes (I used 2003 as a year to compare) and on average cheaper than the Matrix. So I guess it depends.
 

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