Need some opinions

[The_buster]

Why are we discussing a car that is on craigslist now for a purchase that is happening tax time next year? Car won't be around then. Move on.

 

It was more for a reference of available low mileage in my price range.

[Littleguy]

Are you just encouraging the Civic because you want him to have a slow car? I see nothing at all wrong with the Caliber posted, looks like a really great deal.

[aussiek2000]

Are there any unmolested 1g or 2g Talon/Eclipses left out there? They are cheap and fun, but not necessarily reliable. Or a 3.8 supercharged or 5.3l impala/grand prix

[pontiacfreak142]

Before buying anything "fun" in your situation, do yourself a huge favor and sit there and think, "if something major on this car breaks, can i really afford to fix it?"

 

Like others have said, used turbo cars are just a bad idea, especially something like a neon. Sure it might say unmolested or the such, but if its gonna be my main daily, thats not something i would trust.

[pontiacfreak142]

Are there any unmolested 1g or 2g Talon/Eclipses left out there? They are cheap and fun, but not necessarily reliable. Or a 3.8 supercharged or 5.3l impala/grand prix

 

I was going to mention the bottom 2, but there again, both are just transmission problems waiting to happen

[The_buster]

Like I mentioned before, I don't want to race anything. I just want something that is fun to drive.

[aussiek2000]

Some of the funnest cars are the cheapest and slowest.

[2 Sweet]

Buster,

 

I would fix what you have, or replace it with a newer cheap/safe/reliable (boring) car. Then I would save up for a second car, which would be the fun car. Then if it breaks, who cares? You still have ol reliable to haul around the family.

[Robochan]

I didn't think you could get a loan on rebuilt title cars. I vote taking the fam on vacation and buying an economic sedan for cheap. That way you get fun, cheap and reliable.

[pontiacfreak142]

Like I mentioned before, I don't want to race anything. I just want something that is fun to drive.

 

Didnt say you did. But your talking about neon srt4's. Thats like every 16 year old kids dream car, and you can bet they have already been rode hard. Youll just be buying some one else's junk, and left with the bill when shit starts breaking

[Miller]

Buy an srt4 when tax time comes. You've turned into a vicarious pet project for half the advice lobbing syrup skinks on this forum.

 

If it don't blow :megusta:

 

If it do :fa:

[Turbs3000]

You honestly need to just buy a civic off of lease for 12k with 30,000 ish miles. And drive it into the ground. It's plenty quick for your day to day, great mpg, cheap to maintain.

[Cordell]

I didn't think banks would loan money on a salvage title? I could be wrong, but I bet at least most banks would tell you to piss up a rope.

[The_buster]

The loan I got to pay off matco is using the crv as collateral, it has a rebuilt salvage title. But that's also a $1900 loan. Not 7grand. Not sure if the amount difference changes things. We went through True Core, a credit union out here, paying 9.9% interest.

[Turbs3000]

For what it's worth, that's not the same. They loaned you 2k on a car worth double that with an absurd interest rate. On a rebuild be prepared to pay cash or not at all.

[pontiacfreak142]

The loan I got to pay off matco is using the crv as collateral, it has a rebuilt salvage title. But that's also a $1900 loan. Not 7grand. Not sure if the amount difference changes things. We went through True Core, a credit union out here, paying 9.9% interest.

 

Wow.

 

Yea the chance that you even get a loan on a salvage title car is slim anyway. Even if you do, your gonna raped even harder than that on interest

[greg1647545532]

Like I mentioned before, I don't want to race anything. I just want something that is fun to drive.

 

Some of the funnest cars are the cheapest and slowest.

 

This, this, a thousand times this. I've never driven an SRT Caliber, but the base model rental car I had was probably the worst handling car made in the last 20 years. Give it a shitload of power and wide tires and you've got a car that's pretty much only fun for the 45 seconds during your morning/evening commutes that you're merging on highways. Why do people optimize their cars for this sort of fun? 99% of the time you're driving at or around the speed limit, get a car that's fun doing that and your dollar to fun quotient drops to something much more reasonable.

 

Get a Focus ZX4 ST with a manual trans -- 2800lbs, 150 hp, willing suspension, skinny tires. You can throw some SVT suspension bits on it from FRPP, they're dirt cheap. That's a fun little car! Heck, just get a base model, mine only had the 2.0 ZETEC and I still thought it was fun to drive. Who cares about power!?

 

How about Honda Fit? Fun car! Or a Mazda3? There's so many good small cars out there right now, there's no reason to feel like you have to choose between a boring automatic sedan and a limited edition performance model.

[The_buster]

Ok.. so the buster is going to listen for a change. Any thoughts on the corolla s?

[BBQdDude]

Money isn't tight anymore, not like before anyway.

 

Not picking but think a moment about what I quoted above ^^^.

 

You are in an excellent position. By something reliable now/keep the current car and get it repaired, yeah I know it sucks. Bank some of that extra money/no car payment for a year or two. Then buy what gets you hard. Think about 9% interest. Calculate it out for the life of the loan. Now think about how much nicer of a car you could get from saving for a year or two.

 

Just my two cents.

[Green Bastard]

Ok.. so the buster is going to listen for a change. Any thoughts on the corolla s?

 

Probably a much better choice. I don't know much about them but Toyota's are usually pretty reliable. I'm sure Rocky can give you better info on them, I believe he used to work for Toyota.

[greg1647545532]

The Corolla S has long gearing, torqueless engine, understeer city, plush ride. Cheap, reliable, sensible, yes. Fun? Meh. I wouldn't look down on anyone for buying one but it wouldn't be at the top of my list.

[iwashmycar]

Fun, cheap, and reliable. Pick 2.[/quote

 

Technically if you dont mind endangering the lives of the passengers, you can have all three. Foxbody Mustang. Depends if "fun" fits into driving in a few inches of snow.

[The_buster]

Inches? I live on a historic brick road they refuse to plow. So it all adds up

 

Also there is a xrs version of the corolla I read about but have never seen anywhere. Any info on those? It's a manual transmission version from what I read.

[Aaron]

I think they have the vvti engine from the celica GTS with 180hp.

 

Rare though.

 

Set your sights on a Civic Si, or a VW rabbit 2.5 5 speed. Lots of room, and a hatch, and available in 4drs.

[-Alex-]

I owned a couple SRT4 Neons and a '08 Jetta 2.0T when they were new/fairly new and have driven a '07 Civic Si sedan daily for the last 2 years or more. Look into an Si, for the price range I think they're a great blend of sporty, economic, not too outdated, and family friendly. Very little mechanical problems also, and it seems like there are a lot more out there and owned by a more mature group than SRT4s and GTI/GLIs, so much better chance of finding a clean, unmolested one.