Help Me Not Buy A Car, And Hip Injury Update

"Sally O'Broder" (KojiroT)
09/13/2014 at 16:31 • Filed to: None

So fulfilling my agreement to keep ya'll updated on that can that smacked into my hip...

...It still hurts. Particularly when I sit down in the driving position. I don't see any discolouration of my hip, though...so it can't be fractured, right? I mean, I feel that same kind of deep bone pain from that one time I broke a toe, but...hm.

Now, the car? It's a 2004 Saturn Ion Redline. I've recently started a job and I'd saved pretty meticulously in order to be able to afford either a new vehicle or vehicle repairs, and I needed to get a new car for my new job. I managed to snag one, but it was so far below KBB I will be able to instantly turn a profit on it should I decide to. It's a 1999 2WD CRV Automatic in pristine condition and it was $500. It is a gas guzzler, and I cannot afford to drive it as a daily driver. Hell, that kind of fuel economy is barely suitable for my job! I have got to have something else, and unfortunately my Jalop, the Sniper, probably has to go soon despite my repairs to it.

This leaves me my car budget left over.

Now, the Redline has problems. Its owner didn't know how to properly care for it, by which I mean his tuning was awful. He's done some of the staged mods himself off of an alarming abundance of wrecked Junkyard Redlines, however he didn't know about the ECU reprogramming that's supposed to come with those. It's got a K&N CAI, only it doesn't feel like it does.

Acceleration is sluggish as all hell. It's the most sluggish acceleration per torque that I have ever driven. I can fix this . I know I can.

It needs a windshield replacement. Ouch. I'm not going to lie Oppo, that's going to be costlier.

It also needs body panels. Body paneling that will cost me...half a night's worth of pay. Rear suspension parts that will cost me a night's worth of pay.

It needs the speedometer cable. I have a GPS I can use for speed, and speedometer cables are easy so whatever.

I also need to bring the shifter back to stock. =_= Bro your shifter is ugly.

The biggest problem is that the guy recently curbed it. The beauty of that is that's why he's only asking for the money he is. The rear axle got a bit bent, and he destroyed one of the rims I don't care about. Thankfully, said rims don't matter as he's getting the stock wheels from a buddy for free and will install them for me.

Other than that? It's in gorgeous shape. I mean absolutely beautiful . I can envision it as a show car, or getting Vinyl on it and getting paid to have it as a marketing vehicle

This, I feel, is the only car that can truly succeed my 1990 Geo Storm, Joe, may it be recycled into many useful products.

$1800 is the asking price for this Ion Redline, a vehicle who's non-tuning parts can come from any of the numerous Ion models What say you, Oppo? I have to decide by tonight.

DISCUSSION (23)

Nibbles > Sally O'Broder
09/13/2014 at 17:09

Sounds like way more hassle than it's worth (and that's coming from a guy who's restoring an old Saab lol)

There's no speedometer cable. It's digital, read by speed sensors in the hubs. The curbing likely knocked loose / damaged the sensor(s) or tone ring(s).

Check to make sure the suspension, suspension mounts, and unibody near the mount connections are good. I bought a curbed truck and had to replace the RR axle shaft (cheap) and have one of the lower control arm mounts pressed back into place and re-welded (not cheap). On top of that, tie rod ends / sleeves, ball joints, etc

deekster_caddy > Sally O'Broder
09/13/2014 at 17:21

CP. Do they still use a speedo cable? Electrical issue! Sounds like a nightmare of a car. Do you still have the CRV? They have reputations as fuel sippers, not guzzlers. What's wrong with it?

E92M3 > Sally O'Broder
09/13/2014 at 18:04

I'm thinking all of that would pay for a lot of gas for the CRV.

EL_ULY > Sally O'Broder
09/13/2014 at 18:21

I had no clue the CRV was a gas guzzler. Plus they are pretty solid feom the once I've seen. The ION scares me if they can knock it to $1500 tops then maybe. I'll syart at $1100 and work up.

As for you hip, I think there is some slight damage since there is pain after all these days. Give it a little while more I suppose since money is how it is.

Hvae someone go with you to check out the car

Sally O'Broder > EL_ULY
09/13/2014 at 23:48

It'll just repair itself, right?

I already checked out the car. I have to decide tonight .

This is the first generation CRV. 1999. Remember: It's an automatic. 4 speed automatic. The air intakes for these things were optimized for quiet , and the chassis is too heavy for the motor. That it is 2WD makes the thing's theoretical towing capacity less useful and it boggles my mind that they would set the torque for towing and not daily driving.

They fixed that in subsequent generations. It's the damn transmission. ~22 MPG city. I'm a hypermiler and so with this transmission I can do nothing about that.

I drove the Ion and these were my impressions about it. The asking price is 1800 because I'm competing with a guy who has his own ported engine he wants to drop it. Well, I'm wanting to get the car and then convince the hopefully then-dejected guy to sell me the motor cheap, where I'll then work on the motor I'd swap and sell it at a profit.

Sally O'Broder > E92M3
09/13/2014 at 23:49

The work I'd put into it? Nah. I'd save gas by driving the Ion and I'm confident I can market it as a car to advertise on.

Sally O'Broder > deekster_caddy
09/13/2014 at 23:51

Nothing. It's a 1999 and it's an automatic, that's what's wrong with it. It's a soccer mom car for bourgeois soccer moms. ~22 mpg City. I'm coming from a Jalop that gets 43 mpg, and it's not even OBDII!

deekster_caddy > Sally O'Broder
09/13/2014 at 23:56

22 cty is not awful... Unless you come across the right deal it's hard to justify replacing unless it has significant "other" issues.

Sally O'Broder > deekster_caddy
09/14/2014 at 00:25

I bought it for $500 and can flip it for like 4-5 times that?

I also drive a busted jalop that gets 43 MPG. The CRV's mileage is inexcusable.

Sally O'Broder > Nibbles
09/14/2014 at 00:27

Oh, OK. I can handle the sensors; a kid owns it and it's clear he just doesn't know what to do. All I have to do is just plug those things back in.

He told me about the suspension today shortly before this post. I can buy the whole rear stock suspension brand new for $60, he checked for me. The bent axle isn't bad, it's just a bent axle and needs replacing. I'm confident the mounts did not sustain particular damage.

EL_ULY > Sally O'Broder
09/14/2014 at 00:32

about your hip, maybe it's just a deep bruise or something.

Money talks, have it in hand and ready with a handshake for the ION for as cheap as you can. Those issues were just a little much and I feel there is more no matter how clean it might be. Definitely take someone if you can. I wish I could help more.

Sally O'Broder > EL_ULY
09/14/2014 at 00:37

I'd think a deep bruise would show more discolouration. It's not like I have particularly thick skin roundabout that region.

EL_ULY > Sally O'Broder
09/14/2014 at 00:45

it could be fracture of some sort like I originally thought. Damn I feel for ya :'( Any OPPOnauts in the area that help check out the car with you? I don't think you are near me in Houston. Fingers crossed the deal goes down and that you feel better. Dale ganas carnala!

Sally O'Broder > EL_ULY
09/14/2014 at 00:49

Are there any OPPOs in coastal SC?

It's buy or don't, tonight. At least commit, seeing as it is like ~40 miles away. Do you think I'll be able to drive it to my axle/muffler guy, albeit slowly?

I've already imagined the OPPO vanity plate I'll be getting, because >9000 HP will be added and my fuel economy will be spectacular.

EL_ULY > Sally O'Broder
09/14/2014 at 01:34

confirmed with my OPPO sticker :] Check for rust as well, slat water is a killer. I went to Folly beach once :]

Sally O'Broder > EL_ULY
09/14/2014 at 01:38

I already did that, man! I'm OCD about rust, unless it's a jalop in which case it's a cosmetic feature.

EL_ULY > Sally O'Broder
09/14/2014 at 01:40

lol agreed :]

E92M3 > Sally O'Broder
09/14/2014 at 09:11

It will get better mileage, but what about unforseen problems that could arise? You could spend $2000 on the ion pretty quickly. What kind of advertising? Like a wrap?

deekster_caddy > Sally O'Broder
09/14/2014 at 11:57

What's busted that gets 43 MPG city?

Sally O'Broder > E92M3
09/14/2014 at 13:24

Yes, like a wrap.

This kid has been totally honest with me on every issue the vehicle has. To put any lingering fears to rest, he's selling it because he just wants a different car. If not for his friend offering the amount he has, I'd be getting the thing for some lowball price!

Sally O'Broder > deekster_caddy
09/14/2014 at 13:35

Not city, it gets more like 36+ city and being a manual I can coast when necessary. It's a 1995 Mitsubishi Mirage S.

The problem that I have with the first-gen CRV's design is that the automatic gets roughly the same city miles as it does highway. I know that automatics are going to get awful city mileage for a driver such as myself, but that doesn't change the weirdness that is its highway performance.

I mean, I've heard that some people can tune them for like 30+ with increased utility capacity, too, but after really checking out what's under the hood it seems to be not only slightly beyond my skills - too big a job - but also risky without a second vehicle for backup. The best drivers where I work always have a backup car for these kinds of situations; my trainer, one of the best in the business, is having to use his Shelby for work now.

deekster_caddy > Sally O'Broder
09/14/2014 at 13:39

Wow, yeah that's a crappy automatic!

Sally O'Broder > deekster_caddy
09/14/2014 at 13:48

It was designed for needless quiet mostly. Scary engines, amirite?