Bad idea?

"Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car" (pilot-and-car-guy)
02/17/2015 at 13:03 • Filed to: None

I am still looking for car...

The MANY hours of searching have found a few good things but nothing is set in stone.

How is this? Any major headaches to worry about? How much will usual maintenance cost? Attached is the listing and carfax. Thanks for the help.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory…

DISCUSSION (15)

As Du Volant > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
02/17/2015 at 13:10

If you think you're going to be able to just hop in that thing and start driving it, you're going to have a bad time.

This is the kind of truck you buy as a project, not a daily driver. The engine and trans are nice and sturdy but the thing is 30 years old. Things are going to break and they'll break often. Maintenance-wise it's as simple as they come though.

crowmolly > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
02/17/2015 at 13:10

Any reason why you want a 30 year old diesel pickup?

Diesels from that era are nowhere near as refined as the ones today. In particular, this one is a non-turbo diesel. Something like 150hp/300tq power wise.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > crowmolly
02/17/2015 at 13:16

I have a total max budget including any repairs to get going, registration, and all of $2500. So anything will work. No preference on a specific vehicle bu it should be somewhat economical on fuel and cheap/easy to maintain.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > As Du Volant
02/17/2015 at 13:17

What would you recommend?

I'm in the Denver area.

As Du Volant > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
02/17/2015 at 13:22

How fun do you want it to be?

The most non-Jalop answer possible but most practical/least risky would be to look for a Chevrolet (or Geo) Prizm. They're a rebadged Toyota Corolla but cost a bit less because they don't have the Toyota name. Could look for a Pontiac Vibe too, it's a rebadged Toyota Matrix. Not sure if you'd find any in that price range though as they're a little newer.

Of course I'll probably be shunned from this website for suggesting such a thing.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > As Du Volant
02/17/2015 at 13:24

As fun as possible. Bonus points for a manual with a hydraulic clutch.

I'm 15 but need a car withing 6~7 months so I have some time to look for a good deal. I have thought about an older Miata but can't find one that is within my budget except one with oil leaking from the head gasket.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
02/17/2015 at 13:30

Having a 20+ year old pickup is not for the faint of heart. While they are built to last, the pieces aren't exactly built to last.

Example: My 1995 F-150 recently had an axle rebuld at 96K miles on the odometer. Not 196K or 296K, 96,000 (I'm the second owner, and I know the original owner). $1800, and it was all due to a pinion seal going bad after 20 years.

If you are trying to keep this under $2500, I'd seriously consider a 4th or 5th gen Civic. Bulletproof Honda D motor, reasonable manual gearboxes, will teach you how to work on a car, and parts are inexpensive.

Actually, don't even bother with the year. Just buy a Civic or Corolla and start there.

Thunderface > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
02/17/2015 at 13:32

Get an old crown Vic

As Du Volant > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
02/17/2015 at 13:37

Here's the dilemma at that price range.

Any bona-fide sports car you find is going to be a piece of crap. It'll be abused and falling apart. Same goes for German cars. You may find some BMW's or VW's in that price range but you'll want to stay far, far away- they're a nightmare. They're great cars if they're properly taken care of but under $2000 I can assure you the ones you find will not have been cared for.

So that leaves sporty compact cars.

A Honda Civic is going to be tough- 90% of what you find is going to have been ruined with shitty mods and abused. But if you can find one that hasn't been destroyed they're great cars.

If you're really, REALLY lucky you might be able to snag a Nissan Sentra/200SX SE-R or NX2000 in that price range. They're super rare though and a lot of sellers know that, so someone in the know may mark it up. Same rules about shitty mods apply here, but not nearly as big an issue as with Civics. Regular Sentras are all right though- they're very durable and with a decent set of wheels and tires they're pretty fun to toss around, just not the fastest thing in the world. I had a '93 in college and had fun with it.

On the Toyota side... yeah, they're (mostly) pretty boring but very reliable. If you can find a good one it'll treat you well, but it'll be an appliance. The one exception is the Celica- they're the last "sports" car Toyota made in the US. They're no Miata by any means but they're a good balance of fun/reliability on a budget.

You also might be able to find yourself a Subaru Impreza in that price range. It's not going to be as sporty but they're built like tanks and the AWD makes them fun for winter hooning. Just watch out for blown head gaskets.

On the American end of things... you're looking at Cavaliers, Neons, and Focuses. They're all pretty crappy but on the flip side they're going to be some of the easiest cars in the world to find parts for and they're dirt cheap to fix. They make great IDGAF beaters but you WILL be fixing them often- but they don't cost much and like I said the parts are dirt cheap.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > As Du Volant
02/17/2015 at 13:43

Good advise, thanks. My grandpa might sell me his '98 sentra with the 1.6 and 5-speed manual, but the clutch is off and has an engagement distance of about 3/4 of an inch making it difficult to drive. Any ideas to fix the clutch or mod a n ew one in there?

As Du Volant > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
02/17/2015 at 13:46

Probably just needs adjustment, shouldn't be a big deal.

To make sure the clutch isn't worn out put the car in 5th gear and slowly let the clutch out. If the car stalls the clutch is good.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > As Du Volant
02/17/2015 at 13:52

Letting it out slowly is the issue, like I said, less than an inch between in and out.

How would I adjust that?

Not really good with cars yet, but trying to learn. :)

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Thunderface
02/17/2015 at 13:58

+1, was just going to post. There's a handful of CVs and MGMs on FOCO CL right now for less than $1500. For the money you can't beat a 97-00 Grand Marquis.

crowmolly > Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car
02/17/2015 at 15:13

I'm just going to piggyback with As Du Volant as the stuff he/she wrote is exactly what I would say.

At your price range, and with your experience, you are looking for transportation first and foremost with "fun" being a fringe benefit. You don't want to end up with a car that you have to park because you can't afford repairs.

Jake Huitt - Two Alfas And A Nissan, Not A Single Running Car > crowmolly
02/17/2015 at 23:52

Think that is what I'll do, thanks.