Looking for a first car, need help/recommendations

"deprecated account" (savethei4s) 05/14/2015 at 13:10 • Filed to: None

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Before I start, a smoky Hellcat burnout for your time.

Hey Oppo! I’m looking for my first car, and here’s what I want:

under $5K

RWD

V8

(prioritized in that order). I’ve been looking at first-gen Lexus LS400s, first-gen SC400s, second-gen GS400/430s, Lincoln LS V8 (iffy), E38 7-serieses, this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (my first choice as of right now, and the description on this one is pretty funny), and the odd MR2 (AW11s, mainly), E39 5-serieses or E36/46 3-serieses. Could you guys help me out? Suggestions? Pitfalls? Things to avoid? Recommendations? ALSO, PLEASE DON’T GET STARTED ON INSURANCE PREMIUMS (as far as the RWD/V8 combo), MY PARENTS ARE PAYING FOR THAT.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Thanks!

Textured Soy Protein > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:13

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Who is paying for the inevitable repair costs of a 15+ year old car that likely has expensive parts?

Wacko > Textured Soy Protein 05/14/2015 at 13:16

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sorry meant to reply to save the v8

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:16

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Fox-body Mustang

Wacko > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:16

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Mustang?

easy to find parts with all the crashed ones from doing burnouts.

Your boy, BJR > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:16

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Get a LT1 Fleetwood.

deprecated account > Textured Soy Protein 05/14/2015 at 13:17

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That’s why I’m especially interested in the Lexuses (i.e., reliability), but my dad had to buy a new engine for my Brother’s old 4Runner, so I would guess my dad.

deprecated account > Wacko 05/14/2015 at 13:18

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Yeah I’ve been looking at Mustangs, but most that are on the local Craigslist are v6s :(

youshiftem > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:19

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80’s G-body. (Cutlass, Regal, Monte carlo, Malibu)

Cheap to make fast (and manual if desired), fix it with a hammer.

It’s why I have 2 of them (both converted to manual)

OPPOsaurus WRX > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:19

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I do not approve of the ‘its not my money, its not my problem’

Alfalfa Romeo > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:19

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May I recommend an MN12? (90’s Cougar or Thunderbird, if you didn’t know)

The 4.6 Modular V8 is relatively torquey, reliable, and easy to maintain. The main thing to look out for is front steering and suspension, sometimes the added weight of the V8 over the V6 can cause them to wear faster.

deprecated account > Your boy, BJR 05/14/2015 at 13:19

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You would be surprised at the number of GM whale-wagons on craigslist. And yes, I want one, but most are in bad condition.

Captain of the Enterprise > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:19

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Crown Victoria Sport trim(center console, bucket seats, leather, sport rims and monochrome for the grille and bumper trim).

deprecated account > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 05/14/2015 at 13:20

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I’ve never really liked the Fox-bodies, but I can’t exactly put my finger on why I don’t.

Textured Soy Protein > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:21

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Just because it’s a Toyota doesn’t mean there won’t be expensive repairs.

Case in point: buying a new engine for your brother’s old 4Runner.

It sounds like your parents are pretty generous about this. So do something to impress them with how responsible you are, and ask their opinion. Tell them you’re looking at cars, some of them are older and might cost more to keep running, and you want to have a good understanding of who is going to pay for what if/when something needs fixing.

They’ll be all like “wow look our child is so responsible for checking in with us before setting us up to potentially spend a bunch of money on some old car, unlike his brother with that damn 4Runner I had to buy a new engine for.”

Captain of the Enterprise > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:21

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How long does the car need to last? 3 years? 8 years? ect.

deprecated account > Captain of the Enterprise 05/14/2015 at 13:21

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I’ve thought about, but finding an unmolested one in Memphis is hard to come by.

Wacko > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:22

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Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:24

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So 80's Camaro then. But you'll be stuck with a 305.

deprecated account > Textured Soy Protein 05/14/2015 at 13:25

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They’re making the same deal with me that they did my brother. They’re making me pay for some but not all of it. My dad knows I’ve been looking at cars, and he apporved of the 4Runner when my brother got it, but the engine gave out 2,000 miles after purchase on it. It wasn’t an immediate thing. I would have to check in with them before spending the money since they’re paying for part of it anyway.

And as a case in counter-point: Matt Farah’s Million-Mile Lexus.

deprecated account > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 05/14/2015 at 13:26

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There are some 90s ones with LT1s, but I’m trying to stay away from anything 80s GM.

deprecated account > Captain of the Enterprise 05/14/2015 at 13:26

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Probably 3 or 4.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:27

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CVPI

deprecated account > Alfalfa Romeo 05/14/2015 at 13:27

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Meh. I think they’re kinda ugly.

StoneCold > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:28

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If you go a 740i, try to get one without Vanos (pre-’98). Headaches will be saved.

deprecated account > OPPOsaurus WRX 05/14/2015 at 13:28

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I’m not saying it’s not my problem becuase as soon as I have an accident, they’ll make me start paying for some insurance.

Captain of the Enterprise > Your boy, BJR 05/14/2015 at 13:28

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Impala clone

deprecated account > youshiftem 05/14/2015 at 13:29

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I love GM, but 80s GM just isn’t for me.

deprecated account > StoneCold 05/14/2015 at 13:31

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Crap. There was a really clean '01 740iL on cl. Thanks for the advice though.

deprecated account > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 05/14/2015 at 13:32

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I live in Memphis, where most CVPIs end up like this , unfortunately.

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:38

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Better not have an accident

deprecated account > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 05/14/2015 at 13:39

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But this is tempting, I must say.

deprecated account > Captain of the Enterprise 05/14/2015 at 13:40

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This one?

youshiftem > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:40

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How can you not love this.

deprecated account > BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE 05/14/2015 at 13:40

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SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:43

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Here's what you should get -

Under $5k

FWD

4 cylinder.

deprecated account > youshiftem 05/14/2015 at 13:43

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That's a different story entirely. It's stuff like this that I'm trying to avoid.

deprecated account > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/14/2015 at 13:45

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SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:46

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It's your first car. You want something cheap, reliable, and that won't have stupid insurance. It's nice that your parents are paying for all of this for you, but you will get into an accident or arrested with what you're looking for. You already mentioned looking at AW11s. Don't buy one. An AW11 will kill you.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 05/14/2015 at 13:46

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Not necessarily. Some of them had the L98 350.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 05/14/2015 at 13:48

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I doubt you'd find one for under 5k.

jjhats > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:48

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why would your parents buy you a rwd v8 death trap. your requirements are ridiculous for what I assume is a 16 year old high school student. drive a shitbox then work your way up you don't need rwd or a v8 to have fun

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:48

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Depending on your brand preferences, a 3rd or 4th Gen Camaro is the answer. If you're more of a Ford guy, then Fox Body or SN95 is the answer.

deprecated account > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/14/2015 at 13:49

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The AW11 was kind of just a cool find, I guess. But the only thing on my list that I'm super willing to forgo is the V8.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:50

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Baja bug. Small block V8. Done.

deprecated account > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 05/14/2015 at 13:51

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Zero to #orloved real quick.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:51

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Does it have to be a car? Because dragons are a great choice. They’re surprisingly self-sufficient as well.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:51

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Trust me. I’m an AW11 owner who tracks it all of the time. You don’t want one. I mean, you do. They’re awesome. If I had one when I was 16 though, I wouldn’t be here. They’re tricky. You want nice, soft understeer until driving your own car is no longer something special.

deprecated account > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 05/14/2015 at 13:53

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Chevy all the way, but the thing is though, it’s hard to find a cheap one that hasn’t been redneck-fied of ghetto-fied.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:53

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Infiniti Q or M 45. Basic Nissan V8, rwd, luxury interior

Slant6 > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:53

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Get a truck if you want rwd and v8. If you get a car just go FWD. It’s plenty of fun and is more predictable. Every kid wants a sports car first. It never works out. You’re young, you’ll have time for interesting cars in the future.

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 13:53

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I have a bad history with dragons.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 05/14/2015 at 13:53

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While they’re not as common, they can still be found pretty easily for under $5k. I came across a few when I was looking for my car. For example, I found this one in like 30 seconds.

http://saginaw.craigslist.org/cto/5000674948…

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:55

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Do tell.

deprecated account > Slant6 05/14/2015 at 13:55

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I really want a car, though. I’m not saying just sports car, either. Older Japanese luxobarges are higher on my list than sports cars anyway.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 13:56

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Very glad to hear that. Where are you located? I can find V8 Camaros for under $5k pretty damn easily around here. They won’t be perfect, but they’ll be pretty decent.

deprecated account > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/14/2015 at 13:56

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Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 05/14/2015 at 13:57

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Funny, I didn't find any. Could be less common in Canada.

deprecated account > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 05/14/2015 at 13:57

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I’ve been looking at those too. Pretty much any V8 Japanese luxobarge is good with me.

deprecated account > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 05/14/2015 at 14:00

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I live in Memphis, where we have these abominations

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 05/14/2015 at 14:01

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Oh, I didn’t know you were in Canada :p That explains your difficulties. My bad.

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:01

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;)

Your boy, BJR > Captain of the Enterprise 05/14/2015 at 14:01

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It's not even on the same platform. The Impala/Caprice/Roadmaster are B-Body. The Fleetwood is D-Body.

Your boy, BJR > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:02

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Yes. Although it isn't even on the same platform as the Impala.

Your boy, BJR > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:03

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That's why you should get a Fleetwood. sedan. They're Cadillacs, so they're already gonna be better kept and lower mileage than other full sizes of the era.

Captain of the Enterprise > Your boy, BJR 05/14/2015 at 14:04

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my bad was thinking of this: got fleetwood and roadmaster confused

deprecated account > Your boy, BJR 05/14/2015 at 14:06

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That’s true. I didn’t think about that. But in Memphis? Good luck finding a good one.

deprecated account > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 05/14/2015 at 14:07

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Most in Memphis been turned into donks or redneck-mobiles, anyway.

Slant6 > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:08

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You’re looking for someone to tell you this is a good idea. It really isn’t. You actually want a safe car as your first car (yes you do). Countries that have restrictions on what young drivers are allowed to drive have those laws in place for very valid reasons. You don’t need a boring car, your list is just a bit optimistic.

I’d look for a nice Saab or maybe a hatchback of some sort. The later mr2 would be alright but probably the most risqué you should go on a first car.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:08

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Well, then, I’ll suggest an 4Runner (particularly a 1990s one). I know it’s a v6, but you can get it for under 5 grand, and you can get it RWD. It’s not a v8, but....

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:08

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OH GOD KILL IT WITH FIRE

http://bham.craigslist.org/cto/5023708579… . What about this?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:09

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When I was 16, I was going to buy an 80s turbo 300ZX with my own money. My parents wouldn’t let me, and instead bought me a Del Sol so that if I did something stupid, it would be small and light. I was pissed, but I got into plenty of trouble with that. I didn’t need twice the power driving the back wheels. Get something cheap, reliable, and slowish and take it to autocross to learn about car control. Driving is a skill, not a talent. It needs to be honed. I was not as good of a driver as my testosterone fueled 16 year old brain convinced myself I was. You don’t need throttle-on oversteer or tons of torque to have fun. Sometimes, the smallest and lightest cars are the most fun.

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:10

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Thats’s what my brother had. He took my dad’s ‘04 F-150 to college and the 4Runer is occasionally used now but it’s super sketchy to drive. Notchy throttle, weak brakes (combined with no ABS), and no traction control.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:11

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Or??? http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/5020278879…

deprecated account > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 05/14/2015 at 14:11

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I like it, but ones like these are few-and-far-between in Memphis, and more expensive than that one.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:11

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The 1999 ones had ABS. But it does not have TC.

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:12

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It’s a ‘95

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:13

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Yeah not sure about those.

deprecated account > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/14/2015 at 14:14

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I under stand the logic here, but I’m not buying with my head because this is pretty much just a car to drive to school, back home, and go out with friends on the weekends, I’m not goona be tracking it or anything.

deprecated account > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 05/14/2015 at 14:16

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I was going for a Gen-4, but that’s really clean. Here's one.

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:16

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If they do, ours doesn’t work, lol.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:17

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Then why does it have to be a RWD V8? Going out with friends on the weekend or showing up at school talking about how it’s a V8 is where you’ll get in trouble, not at the track.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:17

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The ABS in mine works, but it’s a 1999

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:18

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I think the body changed after ‘95.

deprecated account > Slant6 05/14/2015 at 14:18

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You’re probably right, I guess.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:19

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It did. It got a little bulkier and the bumpers got thicker.

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:20

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That’s what I thought. My brother wants to swap in a 2JZ after college.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:20

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Well that should be fun.

JGrabowMSt > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:21

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RWD/V8 means nothing for insurance. My DD is a RWD V8, and for a 24 year old, I pay peanuts compared to most others in my age range.

Most importantly, get something modern. I’m sure half the people here will think I’m just saying it because I DD a Dodge Magnum, but if you look at an LX platform, Charger/Challenger/Magnum/300 with the V8 and RWD, they’re amazingly easy to work on yourself. It’s so spacious under the hood and the parts are pretty cheap that it’s just a simple answer.

Having a V12 Mercedes makes me very inclined to say don’t get one as your first car unless you enjoy paying for your first car to be in the shop all the time. A 560SEL is pretty expensive, and very labor intensive for what would normally be considered cheap jobs.

So not even thinking about insurance, just get something far simpler overall. Get a V6 Charger, a V6 mustang, something overall much simpler, much cheaper and overall easier to work on yourself and most importantly, something that you wont be underneath every weekend you own it trying to chase down some stupid little issue.

I have this conversation with another Oppo pretty often. Sure, I DD a V8 with 390HP, but I wanted the car for more than the V8. I wanted a wagon, I wanted something with RWD, I wanted a V8 with 2 valves per cylinder. I wanted something unique, and that’s exactly what I’m turning mine into.

Look at something small and simple and fun, not a gas guzzler. Unless you’re making a lot of money you aren’t going to be able to keep the car for very long. If I didn’t land my new job, I can tell you 100% I wouldn’t be able to keep either of my cars, and I still live at home. I’m able to keep my cars while also being able to look at apartments right now. Having a DD that’s a V8 isn’t something to just jump into.

So yeah, I don’t even care about the insurance aspect, unless you’re able to get wholesale cost parts and do your own labor, good luck with that V8. You’ll drive it hard, you’ll have no money for gas, it’ll break, and you’ll have no money for anything else.

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:21

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Read: insane

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:22

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I don’t know why anyone would do that, but...

Your boy, BJR > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:22

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Those ARENT good ones?

deprecated account > JGrabowMSt 05/14/2015 at 14:26

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I’ve looked at Magnums, and FYI, the 560SEL has the 5.6 liter variant of the M117 engine , not a V12. And as far as the Magnum/Mustang/Charger market in Memphis, well...

deprecated account > Your boy, BJR 05/14/2015 at 14:30

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Or should I say, GOOD ONE!

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:31

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That and a 5-speed manual. I wonder about my brother sometimes.

JGrabowMSt > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:33

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I never said it had a V12, just that it’s a Mercedes, and Mercedes repairs aren’t linear based on the engine. The 5.6L motor is okay, but requires a rebuild every 120k or so just to keep it fresh. I very good friend of mine has a 560SL, and he had the motor rebuilt at 120k, and the radiator replaced shortly after.

If you narrow your search to a single town, of course you’re not going to find something. I had to go 30 miles and several towns over for my Magnum, and merely 5 months after buying it I had to yank the motor out and replace it.

If the somewhat modern used car market is any indication, I would avoid a used Mercedes on craigslist at all costs.

Search on forums if you want to buy a car that’s actually worth the time of day to look at.

deprecated account > JGrabowMSt 05/14/2015 at 14:35

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Oh, okay I see what you were saying now. Thanks for the advice man.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:36

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I wouldn't mind the manual. The auto is only a 4-speed I think.

deprecated account > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/14/2015 at 14:37

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You would be correct. The shift points are incredibly low though.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > deprecated account 05/14/2015 at 14:41

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I found that one on Memphis CL. I thought it was pretty damn nice.

deprecated account > Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage 05/14/2015 at 14:45

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The thing is, it’s a little pricey, and my mom is shopping around for a new car too, so the cheaper it is, the sooner I get one, since my dad is paying for part of mine and all of hers.