Time for a new commuter car for Seanz0rz!!!

[Seanz0rz]

ok so its time for a new (to me) car. i got rid of the ticking timebomb that was my previous car, and am looking for a new daily driver/fun car. cant afford to put the miles on the 4runner, and cant afford the gas when its getting 17mpg.

here is what i have been looking at:
late 80's 300zx
mid to late 80's celicas and supras
early 90's MR2

heres the catch:

under 1k, preferably around the $500 mark, dont care if it needs some engine work, but looking for a decent transmission, etc. for 500 bucks the car is going to be FAR from perfect, but looking for a project car that needs some TLC and some mechanical work to end up being a GREAT car.

my friend has had luck with his $500 300zx, so i know its possible.

so what do you guys think? am i crazy for doing this or have you done something similar? what should i be looking at in a 500 dollar car? and does anyone have a car for sale that meets these criteria for the 500-1k range?

also, any other vehicles i should be looking at? i want something besides a boring econobox. no corollas or civics please. want something with a little snap, crackle and pop, something that isnt like everyone else. im NOT looking to rice it out, just make a fun but economical car to drive. something with good gas mileage (above 25) but is still fun to drive.

thanks guys, if you have ANYTHING at all to add, please do, it all helps!

[Good Times]

looking for a $500 car is possible but most will be a money pit. Especially the ones you are looking at. Unless you have bucks growing from trees it's going to be a challenge as those vehicles that you show will end up sucking more $$ than your 4runner.

not sure if you can both a fun car and daily driver as it's like saying hey my 4runner is fun to drive but no way it can be a dd. get it?

but if you can find something fun to drive, how about a rwd corolla? gonna be $$ and also hard to find. other vehicles to consider.... subaru's :)

[Good Times]

personally speaking, I'd look into a honda crx and do a motor swap and call it a day. cheap, easy and also easy to find :) I say this cuz i've done something like that back in the hay days :D

[xonetruthcrewx]

Stop complaining about your 17mpg you get in your 4Runner. I only get 13. Haha. In my opinion, a good dd that can also be fun is going to be hard to come by for 500 bucks. A dd should also not be something that you are always worried about it breaking down. No 500 dollar car is solid in that area. Sounds to me like you need to let some more time pass and wait until you can afford to have a sports car and the 4Runner. For now just get the reliable Corolla or Civic and have a good boring commuter car. Dont spend just 500 bucks either. Save a little more and get something that is worth a sh*t.

[turboale]

Like you said, your friend got lucky with his $500 car... its a gamble. The odds are against you but you never know...

Personally I'd look at an old VR6 GTI. Fun to drive, reliable, quick and cheap parts. A buddy of mine just picked one up for $1,500 and for under $2k has a reliable fun car to drive thats damn quick and gets 25mpg on the hiway. He is going to gut it and when he finds his new "toy/baby" hes going to go nuts with the GTI and his goal is over 400hp to the wheels. (he works at a tuning shop and already has the turbo).

[elripster]

I don't know if it will save you much money since they seem to devalue to around the same price but you might pick up a motorcycle. I have a truck and a bike to help my mean mpg increase. There's nothing like 35mpg out of an $1200 1100cc motorcycle!

It also satisfies the need for speed very well.

Frank

[slosurfer]

http://slo.craigslist.org/car/472141249.html '86 Celica $500

http://slo.craigslist.org/car/468135693.html '85 2wd mini $850

http://slo.craigslist.org/car/465886231.html '79 Celica $500 possible cracked head

http://slo.craigslist.org/car/455051080.html VW Bus $500

http://slo.craigslist.org/car/474151111.html '77 Triumph TR7

http://slo.craigslist.org/car/459565226.html '68 Volvo Runs on Propane!

It's amazing what is on there, I just basically put in the search as $750 as the max. I'm sure in your area, there will be even more.

[Seanz0rz]

yea, basically looking last night after this post, i found alot of OLDER cars, some MG's, a rambler, some old toyotas:

something like this: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/car/474873567.html

honestly im willing to put money and time into it, i just want something unique and reliable, but it doent have to be ready to roll immediately.

no motorcycles - had too many friends, seen too many people die on em. just not for me.

im willing to do fabwork, rust removal, engine swap, etc.

[neliconcept]

MG = money guzzler.

very nice to work on but its british, and british is no comment on mechanical stuff.
if you know your brit cars then you can work on it with ease, but lets say, oil is the downside of a british car, they leak it like no other.

[Seanz0rz]

lol yea i WONT buy an mg, but thats an example of what im looking at.

i saw one, and i cant find it again, dont remember the name, but it was soooo beautiful! i just want something unique that gets 25mpg.

[Marc P]

Here you go....

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/car/476867110.html

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/car/476807332.html

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/car/474318276.html

[ecchamberlin]

A Fiero? Marc you are messed up man! We know this guy dude. You would do that to him? I guess I don't know you at all... LOL So Funny

Sean it is a dead horse but I would not go less than the $1500-$2000 area for a DD. Just a money pit gamble. Even at that level I would really check the vehicle out big time. If it goes bad then you saved nothing and it is just extra insurance you had to pay.

Just my opinion though. Which is worth as much as the US dollar right now...

[Marc P]

you are right E...sorry Sean

This is more your style...

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/car/475896754.html

[Seanz0rz]

LOL ERIC, thanks man!!!!

actually i found a diesel rabbit for 800 or something, thought about it as the diesel should get great mpg.

[ecchamberlin]

That could be a cool car actually and I have not heard of any spontainious combustion issues with those....

[xonetruthcrewx]

Your looking for a dd right? Cause the way you keep talking and from what everyone is posting it is looking more like a project car/restoration project.

A cheap dd is something you can buy for 1500 bucks or so with very little needed as far as money put into it. You then drive it for a couple years and when the motor blows you take it to the scrap yard and they give you 50 bucks for it. Thats that. I have had quite a few beater dd'ers and that is what i have always done with them. I usually sell them on eBay though and make a couple hundred bucks.

[Seanz0rz]

well i guess im looking for a resto project that will become a DD.

[slosurfer]

yea, basically looking last night after this post, i found alot of OLDER cars, some MG's, a rambler, some old toyotas:

something like this: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/car/474873567.html

.


:lol: That thing is so ugly it is cool!

[xonetruthcrewx]

well i guess im looking for a resto project that will become a DD.


Definitely go VW. They can be built on the cheap, parts/motors whatever are a dime a dozen, the build possibilities are endless. Here are a few that i found.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/car/458355781.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/car/462379028.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/car/460814170.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/car/444463165.html

A scirocco would be fu**ing sweet. Go over to www.vwvortex.com and check things out. Good site with tons of info.

[arjan]

I like the square back in the above post. The nice thing about VW is that they have a variety of engines, and the belhousing to engine bolt pattern on the 4 Cylinders hasn't changed since 1978 or so. You can bolt a new 1.8T engine into a '78 rabbit if you'd like.
My cousin shoehorned a 1.8T into an '85 scirocco. 225hp in a 900kg car makes it fun to drive. Now he added an awd system into the mix for traction.

[Seanz0rz]

ok so i have decided on a vehicle, after much consideration, much research, i have decided on THIS (http://www.sergiopetrelli.com/people/pages/images/21Vespa.jpg)

:lol: :gay2:

ok all kidding aside, i have actually decided on a vehicle. i am now searching for a VW Type III Fastback, Notchback, or Squareback. in reality im really looking for the fastback, but i will consider the other two.

now, anyone know of any forums that support air cooled vw's?

now start the search fellas (and gals), i have a few that i need to call on, dont mind rebuilding an engine, transmission, doing bodywork, interiors, whatever! thanks soooooo much for helping me out, i appreciate all your comments, etc!!!

[Marc P]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/

[arjan]

www.vwvortex.com <-- seems to be the largest VW forum and they have an aircooled subsection

[Seanz0rz]

marc is a life saver!!!!

as for vwvortex, they have some aircooled stuff but just not like the other place.

thanks for the posts guys!!!

[Good Times]

hey sean, have you looked into datsun roadsters? those are some pretty slick vehicles too.

http://www.risingsunracing.com/images/banner1.jpg

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/pts/440029860.html
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/car/440032900.html

Same vehicle two craigslist ad. For $1, it's a good start :)

[xonetruthcrewx]

Too much body roll in something that dosent have a hardtop and body roll sucks ass. Wouldnt be near as much fun to drive. Plus, convertible? You have to be one of 3 things to rock a convertible. A chick, foreign or gay. Either way, :gay:

[xonetruthcrewx]

If you want to spend a little more, a Corrado would be sick.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb48/bumblevr6/dormant5.jpg

http://www.pifiu.com/vortex/uploads/2007-jun/rado27.jpg

[arjan]

I think the sciroccos actually look better then the corrados. Never cared for the front end on those things.

[Seanz0rz]

a convertible is not practical for someone who parks in a school parking lot every day. same parking lot they were cutting cat's off of cars. though i do admit that's sexy.

as for the corrados, i just dont like em as much as the type 3. and the lovely thing about a type 3 - no smog check every two years! one im looking at is 850 firm, needs an engine rebuild, has fuel injection (good on these cars as the carbs always caught fire...) and a recently redone interior (i hate reupholstering stuff)

im going to try to get down there this weekend and check it out.

[Good Times]

well if converts are no good then how about a good ol fashion 510?