In reply to John Welsh :
It looks like the bottom edge of that fender and quarter panel is cracking. Would that be indicative then if a "repair" with bondo?
In reply to John Welsh :
It looks like the bottom edge of that fender and quarter panel is cracking. Would that be indicative then if a "repair" with bondo?
That Integra gives me the creeps. Definitely been resprayed, probably has a ton of rust. Yuck. You might be suprised when you look at it, but I'd bet it has some serious rust issues.
Unless you love punishment, I'd skip an E46 with that many miles and that much going on. I had a 6 year old E36 BMW M3 with 85k miles when I was in my mid 20s, and it needed a LOT of attention. It was okay, because the car was sort of my life, but I can't even imagine a BMW that old with that many miles and that much going on. Prepare to be dealing with a lot of headaches. Especially a car that has been that modded and talks about "burnouts."
Just my thoughts. I might be more uncomfortable with that kind of thing now that I'm 40 than you are at your age.
That is the exact kind of advice I'm looking for, thanks. That e46 is off the list! Might look at the integra but I'm not optimistic. The cracking fenders are not confidence inspiring!
Glad that helps.
I think the other factor is that you're looking for cars in Chicago in the winter. My guess is more options will open up in the spring.
It ain't perfect but it ain't bad...'08 Honda Fit in the city w/111k @ $5.5k.
Just so we are clear, regardless of how cool this looks...this is not the car you want. It will drain your wallet. It can only bring you doom and unmitigated failure! I dare you to guess before clicking the link. One hint, it is not a Maserati BiTurbo but it is supercharged.
In reply to John Welsh :
I think I'm going to test drive the first fit next week! BUT if I'm spending 5.5 on a fit I'd go for the track prepped one posted around here.
The corrado is really cool. I was drawn into the Jason Cammisa school of VW lust but some reading quickly disabused me of that notion. But it's such a pretty car!
In reply to CyberEric :
Is spring a better time for car buying? The trouble with that is that the longer I wait, the less time I have before college to actually drive and get seat time. Once I get to college I likely won't have as much time for the track, especially as an engineering student
GOOD NEWS!!! My parents have said that if i can find a really nice car in a farther away, non rusty area (read: the south), they might consider letting me have a local GRM'er or mechanic look at it and if it checks out fly and drive. I have to show them a specific car/ ad from the closer southern states (arkansas, tn, georgia, etc), but they are tentatively willing to consider it!!! HELL YEAH!
In reply to Evanuel9 :
Is your college in a better climate?
Buying down south is nice...no rust.
But
On the southern cars, for the same price will have more miles, worse paint, and more beat up (sun-baked) interiors. You'll see things like cracked dashboards, brittle plastic and drooping headliners.
As a rule of thumb, get your used metal from down south but get your used plastics (and interiors) from up north.
In reply to Evanuel9 :
You will have to pick what is most appealing to you. I've owned literally hundreds of cars and tried pretty much everything, as I like variety. What car interests you most?
Let's get back to some basic concepts. Your goals are to learn and have fun, in addition to having a commuter you can rely on. Those goals can be accomplished in a Civic Si, Ford Fusion SE or Toyota Avalon Limited. It really can.
Second, how often are you going to autox or HPDE? Think long and hard about that. Of all the miles you put on it, what percent will be performance driving? 3%? 5? 8? Don't buy a car aimed at the vast minority. Buy one for the other 90+ percent of your driving and make the most of it with the small amount of performance driving you do. See my point above, you can have fun in just about anything.
We could go on ad nauseum about all the different models, and I don't mind doing that, but at the end of the day you have to live with it. Think about what I said in the paragraphs above. Additional food for thought... If you have to shop in Michigan do you really want an economy car that's been through 25 winters? I just think you'll be sorely disappointed with an old Civic non Si. The rust on that Integra isn't good, and it's clearly had some poorly done bodywork in the past. From there it's personal taste. Again, we can go on and on about specific models. I'd also skip that E46.
If you can, buy from the south. No rust. Yes, if a car sits in the Florida sun 24/7 it's hard on paint and plastic if not well cared for. However tons of well cared for cars with no rust.
https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d/lake-mary-2006-bmw-330xi-speed-manual/7713895178.html
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/d/lilburn-2013-mazda-skyactiv-speed/7713324949.html
Ad is a bit corny but if this is legit it's a bad ass car... https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/cto/d/winston-salem-2007-honda-accord-v6/7712097954.html
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/scottdale-2000-toyota-celica-gts/7710029122.html
In reply to John Welsh :
Nope! Upstate ny :D
In reply to John Welsh :
I'm gonna be honest, I'm willing to accept an absolutely destroyed interior with half the upholstery ripped out and all the headliner sagging, and a destroyed exterior with no clear coat and dents on every panel if it means that I can get a car that I really like that doesn't have rust or mechanical issues. I care less about aesthetics and interior than I do about rust and mechanicals. So that sounds like an awesome compromise.
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
That Celica looks ridiculously nice, so does the 330.
Is the accord raised? It looks like it's riding pretty high. Am I correct in saying that it's basically a tl type s with a Honda badge?
Don't love that generation of mazda3 (design wise). Good car though?
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
Honestly the most interesting. cars to me are the ek civic (mostly em1 and ek that I would modify), 3 series, mazda2, celica, and cobalt ss. Can't really make a decision til I drive more of them though but in terms of interest.
You're right, my first priority should be road fun because that will be 90% of my driving.
Skipping that e46 and Integra. Rust on the teggy is pretty bad and the e46 has a lot going on which, as stated earlier in the thread, is not great.
Going to try my best to buy from south. Going to ask my mom about that 330 and Celica. I think if I find a really nice southern car they will give in to the idea of asking a GRM'er to look at it and then letting me fly and drive
SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:In reply to Evanuel9 :
You will have to pick what is most appealing to you. I've owned literally hundreds of cars and tried pretty much everything, as I like variety. What car interests you most?
Let's get back to some basic concepts. Your goals are to learn and have fun, in addition to having a commuter you can rely on. Those goals can be accomplished in a Civic Si, Ford Fusion SE or Toyota Avalon Limited. It really can.
Second, how often are you going to autox or HPDE? Think long and hard about that. Of all the miles you put on it, what percent will be performance driving? 3%? 5? 8? Don't buy a car aimed at the vast minority. Buy one for the other 90+ percent of your driving and make the most of it with the small amount of performance driving you do. See my point above, you can have fun in just about anything.
We could go on ad nauseum about all the different models, and I don't mind doing that, but at the end of the day you have to live with it. Think about what I said in the paragraphs above. Additional food for thought... If you have to shop in Michigan do you really want an economy car that's been through 25 winters? I just think you'll be sorely disappointed with an old Civic non Si. The rust on that Integra isn't good, and it's clearly had some poorly done bodywork in the past. From there it's personal taste. Again, we can go on and on about specific models. I'd also skip that E46.
If you can, buy from the south. No rust. Yes, if a car sits in the Florida sun 24/7 it's hard on paint and plastic if not well cared for. However tons of well cared for cars with no rust.
You really got to take a second read at posts like this because the guy knows what he's talking about. When you're young and inexperienced you may have a lot of ideas about what a car can and should be. One of the things you'll learn in engineering is that everything is a compromise of budget, quality, performance, etc.
While you are definately after the "cool" factor, handling, light weight, track performance, etc, at the end of the day 90% of your driving is probably a college kid doing college things. That is why the fit is such a good choice with the versatility of the interior, while still being able to handle well and be fun to drive. There is no way I would touch anything 90's or 2000's, nor BMW...unless you can depend on your parents to bail you out for repairs.
I asked your question to bing
Remind me again what the budget is for this. I know where there are a couple of Scion xD, manual hatches. Both low mileage (55K), but both asking around $8K. I've got a 68K mile Cooper S that needs work, the clutch pedal has to go all the way to the floor to shift, but it doesn't slip.It also has other things needing attention. Just for a price point, I'm into it for $5 and that's because I paid a premium to get one that wasn't rusting in the usual places. I'd vote for getting something southern and I've done it 3 or 4 times myself. You'll appreciate it the first time you work on the underside.
In reply to twowheeled :
Yeah, you're right. I have a lot of preconceived ideas without much experience to back it up. And I definitely need to strike a balance.
Honestly, counterpoint, I'm not too interested in the college kid doing college things part of this. I already have to have 4 seats because my parents said so, but the rest of the need for interior volume, cargo space, and practicality isn't something I really see myself being too worried about. Right now, I've got a remarkably short commute. In college, most stuff is on campus and if I want to go out, I can use the car, but practicality isn't so much a need.
Don't get me wrong, reliability is is a big deal so I can actually use the damn thing, but cargo volume, versatility, etc are less important to me than fun.
and no, can't depend on my parents to bail me out lol. They've got insurance costs but the rest of it is on me
In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :
My overall budget for the car for the rest of this year until I start college is $9500, until I make more money from my summer jobs in college. However, that is all-in including taxes, title, registration, tires, consumables, maintenance, repairs, safety equipment, and modifications. So I'm aiming at buying the car for right around the 6 ish mark to save money for all of those things and in case something goes wrong. This is to last me until either this winter (winter break job) or next summer (summer job/internship).
Definitely want to get a rust free car. It makes things much easier.
Stop messing around and check out that Celica. One of my friends autocrosses one, and he knows a thing or two about performance cars.
He's a former national champion road racer. He still owns the corvette he won the championship in, he also has a BRZ, and a Toyota MR2. I'm racing against him Sunday in an autocross and track sprint, and he's bringing the Celica.
In reply to Evanuel9 :
If the EK is the car that really interests you most than I don't think anyone here would say it's a bad car. You'll almost certainly want to find one from the south, they are VERY rust prone. If it's not an Si, I'm just very concerned you'll be unhappy. It was sporty feeling for an economy car a quarter century ago. Today, even if it's fully restored, the performance is not great in stock form. If it's still on original bushings, mounts, etc... ugh. They are also kind of becoming collectable, so prices for a good one are rising.
The Mazda2 is a more modern version. Less likely to be rusty or in need of major restoration. It'll feel sporty, but is very slow. Yeah, kinda similar to a FWD NA Miata in concept.
Last generation Celica is similar to the last Prelude. Very sporty, good handling, dead nuts reliable. IMO far better than the Mazda2 or Civic for what you want. Cobalt SS is the horsepower choice. Lots of power, stock handling is good (not great) and very easy to add power. Reliability is something less than Honda but not terrible. On that note, don't forget the HHR SS... same car as the Cobalt SS. One of my favorites, no idea why. I just like the HHR, it's unique and versatile. The SS just makes it fast and fun to drive. I love my son's. The 3 series is widely regarded as the gold standard for performance sedans... certainly in the E36, E46 and E90 years. I'd agree, as evidence by my daily driver. I have 600tw tires and older shocks and it's still a blast on the track. HOWEVER, it's German. They require more upkeep so history is important. Again, the N52 is a great engine, it just needs to be kept fresh. It will cost more to keep, so just plan accordingly.
The Accord is not raised. I know it may not look like it but the V6 6-speed is a beast. It's fast and handles really well. Think of it as a Honda 3 series.
The Mazda3 is a great car. A step up from the 2.
In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :
I like the Celica. I have to get parental approval to look at one in the south so once that comes through I will check it out. If you mean the Georgia white one.
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
Honestly the ek interests me less from a stock perspective and more from the modding potential. Like I said it seems like a Miata to me. I found a couple SIs but they're hard to find and I prefer the hatch body style.
I still am planning to drive the mazda2 soon. How does it compare to the fit?
I like the Celica. Not a great looking car but the 2zz engine is super cool to me with the lotus Yamaha heritage and it's pretty sporty.
What's not great about cobalt ss handling? 'ring record seems pretty impressive. The hhr ss is such a quirky car, but it's more of a van/wagon than a sports car or sedan.
The three series is hard for me to get over. If I did find a good one I really want to consider it but if I can't find a good one then I can't afford it.
That accord is intriguing as well. I prefer the civic or tsx but I would consider it.
I like the first gen 3. Not a huge fan of gen 2 but it probably would be a better car?
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