Help me buy a new car

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posol

RETIRED
This commute is killing my wallet. lol the sti needs to get parked and hang around for winter. Its a great car and i don't want to sell it it at this time, but i just need something that is more practical and doesn't eat 1/4 tank of gas each way to the office and another 1/4 tank on the way home. I need to get gas every day, or i'll run out on the way home the 2nd day. lol The gas station guy knows me by name now. it sucks.

So, I'm looking for
A- something that doesn't suck
B- is fun to drive
C- stock
D- not one of Calyton's projects ( :D )
E- gets mid 20's city/high 20s highway or better MPG
G- must be a 5-speed.
H- must not be american.
I- around $10k is the most i want to spend.
J- needs to be stupid reliable. I can't afford a break down on the highway (normal maintence is not a big issue... so long as its scheduled)

In case you didn't notice, there is no F :)


I'm going to check out a 97 318ti this weekend. 50k orig miles on it.
23/32 published MPG, 4 banger, nice car, fun to drive, lots of cargo space that the sti doesn't have (will make a good 2nd car besides just a commuter). It's a little pricey though and the owner doesn't seem to know much about the car, so i may end up passing on this one.


suggestions?
 
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i know your ass is picky, so this is hard....

my take, nissan s14 with or without an sr20 swap.

why...not too old, cheap, looks cool, fun to drive, rear wheel drive, good power, economical. plus if you get bored with it there are a lot of other modification options. i can't remember, but i thought you had an s13 before.

EDIT: I know you wanted stock, but an sr20 swap is kinda stock.
 
fucking sell the subaru. theres no point in owning a car that you have to pay for and cant drive.
 
Doesn't follow A,B,or H, but.... an Aspire or Metro?;) 45 mpg would be nice.

Or just get a clean ass DX crx. 40 mpg all the time, even if you have a heavy foot.
 
well, the CRX would be perfect for ya...if the turbo stayed off...and I need to sell it soon....got to thin the hurd. A zero miles engine, LSD, 5 speed, as is w/o turbo, and ran a little lean...it could prolly get 35mpg...and I got a fresh carpet for it, and a sterio....what more could you want for less than 4Ks....plus all the parts, and the civic goes with it. Just set the illumina's to soft, and get some Sumitomo HTRIIs...and have no worries for 50K miles...except an oil change ever 5000 miles...

I had to try.... :)
 
or offer $5Ks for walters 75mpg civic...I'm sure he'd drive it back out here and fly back for that much.... :phear:
 
why not like a 98-2000 civic ex or something along those lines.....not the funnest thing in the world but if left stock woth low mileage its prob one of the most reliable cars out there....or otherwise maybe an si along the same yr's my buddy just bought an 00 with like 78k for 10 at a dealer with a warranty....should be just as reliable and get atleaast the mileage ur looking for if not beaten on the entire time its driven...i know these are honda civics and "kids cars" to some but for what your looking for i feel they are very fitting. Just my .02
 
And WTF's wrong with my projects???

I beat the crap out of them to make them better...when I can't blow them up...then they are safe and reliable for other people. Hell I actually got a compliment from some Honda mechs on Walters car...they have seen swaps gone wrong, swaps that went fubar, but his was complimented on....for being done right...except the color was a little off and the dizzy was bad and they still fucked it up and over charged him. Orange engine in a red car :LOL:

Who do you want to build your car?...a shadetree mechanic? A car guy? or someone who works on aircraft? Cars can pull over on the side of the road if it breaks....Planes and helicopters can't! :p
 
im goin with nick (sorta) on this one. brian is too damn picky to have anyone help him shop.
 
Toyota Corolla :D

seriously... well fuck the 318, ugly and not worth the money in all honesty.. who cares if its a bmw. Personally, id say go with something basic, a Civic hatch, coupe sedan whatever, all you gotta do is find a clean one with a clean record.
 
S14's are pretty nice, but finding one thats a manual is a feat in and of it self. finding a manual that's stock, is another story. plus, the ka sucks ass, and i don't have the time nor the patience for a swap. Plus, I had an s13 and i got bored of it quick.

Chris, selling the suby is not something i want to do. I can easily afford to keep it and get a 2nd car. Plus, the hill i'm on, i need awd for the winter. I live on a dead end at the top of a mountain. Read: gets plowed last and gets 2-3" more snow than everywhere else. I would have been stuck in at least 5 times last storm season if i had a fwd/rwd car.

aspire/metro/corolla/insert other ecnono crap here: Simply put, i'd never drive it, so it's pointless to own it. I have a real fun drive on the way to work. I hit 140 3 times this morning, and had many miles over 100 :) I NEED to have a decent car or I'm going to regret the drive even more. It's fun when you turn it into an adventure :) and the roads i take to get there are not too popualted in the morning and open up here and there with no traffic and i haven't seen a cop yet :)

Clayton, with all due respect, i wouldn't offer you a G for your CRX. its a friggin 87, been crashed, doesn't even run right now, been sitting for 4 years, and is a mutt of parts from 13429 cars. I'm not looking for a toy or a project, nor do i have space or time for one or a spare car. I live in a condo.

Walter's civic- also died on him and is a mutt of parts. I need a reliable car.

Who do I want to build my car? a robot :)

last gen preludes are decent- i'd rock one. but their mileage isn't that great, and they are expensive and rare to find in a 5speed. and most of them have 150k+ on them by now. if i find one, it will be on the list, but like the s14, its a rare car around here in manual, and i refuse to drive automatics. hate it.

civic... i grew out of 'em. I don't think I see myself owning another one. I'm 26, a business professional... and I want to have "some" class when i roll up to a clients office. it's like Michael Bolton driving the beater.... lol

i'm not too big on the 318's looks... its not "ugly" in my opinion, but it wouldn't say its "hot" either. But, its a 4-banger, lite weight, handles awesome, gets good MPG, and is practical as hell.
 
thought about the tdi thing.... i dunno though. i'm not a deisel guy... the shit stinks... and diesel is more than 93 octane price now-a-days... even if it does get 50mpg, for 40 cents more a gallon than 87, i don't think it's worth it
 
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