YSSMAN's Infinite Crisis: Blackest Night (Post #816)

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5th gen Preludes are cheap mainly because they get looked over for RSX's and older Integra's (same car different name). That's a good thing as the Prelude is a better car in my opinion.
 
After some thinking, Brad, I've got some advice for you.

Stop evaluating.

It might not be as easy as it sounds, unless the car you really really want gets sold just 3 hours before Douglas DeMuro goes out of his way to check it out for you. I didn't look for another car for nearly 3 weeks.

And then my cousin tells me a buddy is selling exactly what i want for cheap. "Eh...really? Well that was easy."

The same thing happened when I bought the Del Sol. I drove by the lot and unbeknownst to me I'd stumbled upon 1 of 10,000. So I suggest you give up searching until you can afford to search because all you're doing is distracting yourself from the stuff that actually matters at this point. Like failing relationships.
 
Keef
After some thinking, Brad, I've got some advice for you.

Stop evaluating.
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It's how I got my Audi (after having rendered it out of my price range).

Not sure if it works that well though... considering that, you know, buying a car is usually an active process. :D
 
Very few people got their cars by planning for 4 months. No matter what you plan, you still don't know what exact car you're going to get. One day he'll figure it out and that's the bottom line. Too many things change with us young people. Every decision needs to be calculated, sure, but not too much.
 
I found my car by accident and I couldn't have been happier with my purchase. I was actually looking for a car for my friend, and my mom happened to see it for sale in front of someone's house, took a look at it and had to have it. One of my best friends had an Integra as well, so I knew if I ever had any issues I'd have someone else to share information and stuff with. Fortunately, I haven't had any problems with it yet :) 13 years old and Going strong!
 
Very true indeed... My current Jetta was a find that I stumbled upon (well I did plan on buying a Golf or Jetta), a second-chouice option that ended up saving me over $3000.

I'm keeping my options open, but I'll be damned if I see a car that I like and may say something about it.

But, I need more money first... Manager pretty much said that I was getting a promotion soon anyway...
 
Update (again)

So, its been a bit cold in Michigan, and it looks like the Jetta is on its last leg. Attempted starts today noted that there was low oil pressure, which can't be good. A quick change of the oil may be called for to see if it helps, otherwise, its game over...

So, what to do? In a quick look of the local car scene, I stumbled up this less than five minutes from my house:

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Its a 2003 Pontiac Vibe (not a GT, also known as the Volt in Japan), and it has a little over 120K on the clock. That does seem like a lot, about double what I'd want with a car that new, but it having Toyota parts underneath, it should go a while (right?). Obviously its got a stick, and its pretty obvious that the transmission issue hasn't effected it (otherwise it would be a lot cheaper).

...Good idea? Bad Idea? Too many miles is my biggest fear... Otherwise, its cheap to insure, which is a bonus, and I think I can afford the monthly payments too. Probably.

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EDIT: There are two Ford Focii in the area too... The first is a 2001 ZX3 hatch (slushbox) and the other is a 2002 ZTW wagon (slushbox). Oddly, there is a $2000 price difference between them...

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EDIT EDIT: Reliability scores on the Focus are terrible! No go...
 
A 2002 Focus shouldn't be that bad, the only really bad ones were the first year models. Otherwise, you could go for the Vibe.... Or another Jetta! :dopey: In all seriousness, the Vibe is the best bet for the long run.
 
If you ever consider buying a Toyota product, get lots of sitting time in it – I’m of resolutely average height (5'9"), and yet I can’t get comfortable in our Taco because the seats are so damn low. And I’m sure you’ve heard of similar complaints about the Corolla and the Matrix/Vibe twins.

On a more emotional level, are you sure you want it? It seems… forgettable.
 
Sage
On a more emotional level, are you sure you want it? It seems… forgettable.
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So that's what that empty feeling inside of me when I looked at the car.... It's not right for you dude. I see it now.
 
Forgettable, yes, I can see where you're coming from. We've got a Camry right now, just about to cross 194,000 miles, and it has been a solider. At least with the Vibe it was built in the United States, and it was a "GM" product. Meh, I don't know...

I really, really, really don't want to have to pay for it right now, but I will need a car if I can't get the Jetta fixed. Hopefully all it needs is a decent oil/filter replacement. Anything else (major) and I think it may be time to sell it. And yes, it pains me greatly to know that I just spent that much money replacing the clutch on her...
 
Too bad the Vibe doesn't have the the 2ZZ-GE...but, then again, I wouldn't be the only one on the forums with a silver base-model NUMMI car!

Perhaps you an' me can start a NUMMI club, then. I do feel that the Vibe is the best of the NUMMI cars from it's era, (Nova in it's day too..4door + 4A-GE = zzzzzzzZZZZEEEYOW!!!) and it'd probably be reliable enough for your needs. Not to mention, it wouldn't be hard to find fast parts for it.
 
The Vibes are ok, a co-worker has one and I drove her to the airport in it. The steering feels great on them and they are on the peppy side. The cargo room was pretty amazing as well I must say. I just hated the blind spots in the car.
 
I would strongly suggest you do NOT purchase a car under 'duress'. That's just buyer's remorse waiting to happen... the automotive equivalant of beer goggles. Next morning, you'll be trying to gnaw your own arm off trying to get it out without waking her.

..and while the Vibe is not a terrible car per se, I'd personally peg it as a 'twelve packer'.

My 2 cents: take your time. Find something you'll like. There are too many good choices out there for you to just settle.


M
 
Meh, I'm not looking now. Its so damn cold here (it won't get above freezing until Friday) that I assume its causing a lot of issues with the car. My guess is that the engine is flooded and that the oil is shot, so that will have to be replaced, and probably the spark plugs too while I'm under there replacing the distributor cap.

Fun!

Still, my patience is wearing excessively thin, so I'm pretty sure I'm just going to suck it up and get something else once the weather warms up. If I'm lucky, I can pass this Jetta off to a new driver looking for a good deal (a mechanic friend of mine estimated that she could do 220-240K in her current state with proper maintenance). Shes a good car, and I'll miss her, but I'm getting sick of dealing with it.

My boss wants to sell me his 2001(?) Monte Carlo SS (just the 3800 V6), and hes willing to give me a good deal on it, but I'm not sure if I want a W-Body right now. That one is the last resort I'm afraid.
 
If the Jetta dies on you, and you're stranded, you could walk into a dime store, pick up a classified ad, and find a '85-'88 Nova to get yourself home in for less than a Grand. I'd think THAT'D be a last resort. (despite being a reliable one, but a HUGE step down.)

And then I wouldnt' be alone. XD

I think the Monte might be a slight step down, really more of a sidestep, not really an upgrade over the Jetta, other than it's newer and the 3800 probably won't go sour on you anytime soon.
 
Quite right, and we've already got one W-Body in the household anyway. Not that I don't like the W-Body, I just don't feel like having another. But knowing that its there as a last resort is nice...

I pretty much laid out my plan to my Mom this afternoon:

- Fix the Jetta, get her in running condition
- Place a 'FOR SALE' sign in the window, $2200 (I bought it for $2500, tee hee)
- Drive her till she sells, pay off bills that still need to be paid
- "Borrow" the Grand Prix or Camry when necessary
- Buy something good when it shows up
 
YSSMAN, how did you like that Vibe's steering wheel?

Nobody makes a steering wheel quite like Toyota. I got in a Vibe and held it and said "This is it. This is the steering wheel." My cousin thought I was retarded, but I'm like "Dude, just hold that. It's frickin' perfect!"
 
Don't even consider that Vibe. It's a four-year-old car with 120,000 miles. That's just ridiculous. Toyota could make the parts - hell, God himself could make the parts - and it'd still be ridiculous.
 
Yeah, don't worry about it. The weather is going to be a bit warmer in the next two days, I'm going to be fixing the Jetta myself (hopefully) and just limp it through the winter/spring and hope to get something better around the time that school ends.

Hopefully...
 
TopHat
Design longevity that's only surpassed by the Crown Vic.
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Fun Fact: The Crown Vic was completely restyled inside and out in 1998. So the Saab 9-5 is, in exterior and interior design at least (which is really all most Americans look at), the oldest car on the market.
Its no E-Series, though.
 
The platform itself was completely revamped in 1992 I believe, and when they "redesigned" it, they just gave it new sheet metal. No real platform changes. The Interior was overhauled of course.


Did I mention that I actually like late model Grand Marquis? :dopey:
 
TopHat
The platform itself was completely revamped in 1992 I believe, and when they "redesigned" it, they just gave it new sheet metal. No real platform changes. The Interior was overhauled of course.
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They also redesigned the rear suspension (to make it more explosion prone, I'm guessing) and ignition system.
All told, despite the fact that the 9-5 is on a newer platform, I would say that the Crown Vic is still newer based on the complete restyling of the interior and exterior the year after the 9-5 launched. Besides, the Crown Vic also got a chassis and (front and rear) suspension update in 2003. All the 9-5 got was some holes drilled in the front end. The Crown Vic may be older, but it has been updated much more. Still comically uncompetitive, but so is the 9-5.
 
Are 9-5's fleet specials back in Trollhattan? That'd be interesting, seeing the streets flooded with the buggers.
 
TopHat
A manual gearbox GM car with a turbo 4 cylinder? Sweedish (Bjork Bjork!)? Yes!
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Hate to "urinate on your proverbial bonfire" here TopHat, but I can't help pointing out that you'll make a whole bunch of Swedish people very angry by associating them with the squeaking Munchkin that is Bjork. :lol: :p
She's from Iceland. :sly:

YSSMAN, I'd say hold onto what cash you have from the VW sale, save a little more and then come and pick up a nicely kept CA car 👍 (you know which sort I mean ;)) in about March / April time. People will start to offload convertibles at this time of year now that the rain has started, before they buy something new in time for Summer. :rolleyes:
 

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