Hmm- my rallyx car?

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/car/356912042.html

or maybe:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/335167400.html

steve remchak · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:10 am

just my opinion but if i was going to buy a beater for the POS class, i would at least get one that was running at the time of purchase. not to mention the 230k on the clock. he should pay you $500 to take it off his hands. if he will take $150 then maybe.

Stephen Westerfield · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:43 am

Talk them down some

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

Stephen Westerfield wrote:

Talk them down some

Thanks! - I'll keep an eye on it. I've decided it'd be better to save up more $ and have more options rather than snap up the first thing with 4 wheels and an engine.

ChuckNelson · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:20 pm

You really want a reliable car. Go for rusty/body damage with lower miles over pretty/200K+ any day.

I would suggest an early CRX, they are light with a decent suspension.
Neons, Escorts, 323s. A first gen Sentra(The General) all good choices.

If you really want to economy, get a MK I or MK II VW(Golf or Rabbit, mabe even a Jetta). They are cheap, parts are cheap, easy to work on(I switch out my suspension between AX and RX, sub two hours) and there are lots of junkyard hop ups out there. And if you are near Fuquay, I can help you out. Plus it would be nice to have another VW to chase.

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Sun Jun 24, 2007 11:17 pm

If you get a 1st-gen (95-99) Neon, make sure it's a Sport or ACR (competition package). The base Neon 5-speed final drive is way too tall for any kind of sporty driving.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

ChuckNelson wrote:

You really want a reliable car. Go for rusty/body damage with lower miles over pretty/200K+ any day.

I would suggest an early CRX, they are light with a decent suspension.
Neons, Escorts, 323s. A first gen Sentra(The General) all good choices.

I may be the voice of dissention here but here goes:

IMO age of the car is more important than mileage. I know people with 100k mile 20 year old cars with a LOT more reliability problems than my 200k mile 10 year old car. Of course this may be brand-to-brand specific but if I were you I'd go with something newer, and with a LOT of enthusiast, parts, and aftermarket support, and worry less about mileage. Unless it's a brand with disposable motors.

With 221k miles on the clock on the Subaru, it's amazingly durable. Aside from the known problems when I bought it, all the other work I have done has been for fun and improvement.

Note: I hated Subarus until I started rallycrossing. Now I'm a fan.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:36 am

For reference we paid $400 for the General (1989 model) and it had just over 100K on the clock. If there is a better, more durable car, I haven't driven it. Stephen and I figured the General has now been driven (hard) for over 1,000 runs and it's still going strong. We've replace (1) axle (8 ) struts and (1) ball joint so far. Not bad for what Kevin and others keep calling a POS car. We usually do quite well in the standings too except for the BMW farm. We, nor the car, seem to do well in that sandy soil.

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

ChuckNelson wrote:

You really want a reliable car. Go for rusty/body damage with lower miles over pretty/200K+ any day.

I would suggest an early CRX, they are light with a decent suspension.
Neons, Escorts, 323s. A first gen Sentra(The General) all good choices.

If you really want to economy, get a MK I or MK II VW(Golf or Rabbit, mabe even a Jetta). They are cheap, parts are cheap, easy to work on(I switch out my suspension between AX and RX, sub two hours) and there are lots of junkyard hop ups out there. And if you are near Fuquay, I can help you out. Plus it would be nice to have another VW to chase.

Thanks Chuck! - MkI GTI was the first "real" car I had, and I'd love to get another.

I won't make the August RX, but maybe Carl will let me co-drive the Neon in Sept (please?), and I'll start the serious hunt after that.

ChuckNelson · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:52 pm

MikeWhitney wrote:

ChuckNelson wrote:

You really want a reliable car. Go for rusty/body damage with lower miles over pretty/200K+ any day.

I would suggest an early CRX, they are light with a decent suspension.
Neons, Escorts, 323s. A first gen Sentra(The General) all good choices.

I may be the voice of dissention here but here goes:

IMO age of the car is more important than mileage. I know people with 100k mile 20 year old cars with a LOT more reliability problems than my 200k mile 10 year old car. Of course this may be brand-to-brand specific but if I were you I'd go with something newer, and with a LOT of enthusiast, parts, and aftermarket support, and worry less about mileage. Unless it's a brand with disposable motors.

With 221k miles on the clock on the Subaru, it's amazingly durable. Aside from the known problems when I bought it, all the other work I have done has been for fun and improvement.

Note: I hated Subarus until I started rallycrossing. Now I'm a fan.

That is the car with no heads on it the first time I saw it, right?
You have a point. An ancient car with low miles can be a problem and high miles can indicate a car that has had good care taken of it, But a high mile car, even a well maintained one, usually has a lot of suspension and drivetrain bits on their last legs. People don't just replace ball joints and CVs because they are old even tho they might tune the engine and change the oil every three thousand miles.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

ChuckNelson wrote:

MikeWhitney wrote:

ChuckNelson wrote:

You really want a reliable car. Go for rusty/body damage with lower miles over pretty/200K+ any day.

I would suggest an early CRX, they are light with a decent suspension.
Neons, Escorts, 323s. A first gen Sentra(The General) all good choices.

I may be the voice of dissention here but here goes:

IMO age of the car is more important than mileage. I know people with 100k mile 20 year old cars with a LOT more reliability problems than my 200k mile 10 year old car. Of course this may be brand-to-brand specific but if I were you I'd go with something newer, and with a LOT of enthusiast, parts, and aftermarket support, and worry less about mileage. Unless it's a brand with disposable motors.

With 221k miles on the clock on the Subaru, it's amazingly durable. Aside from the known problems when I bought it, all the other work I have done has been for fun and improvement.

Note: I hated Subarus until I started rallycrossing. Now I'm a fan.

That is the car with no heads on it the first time I saw it, right?
You have a point. An ancient car with low miles can be a problem and high miles can indicate a car that has had good care taken of it, But a high mile car, even a well maintained one, usually has a lot of suspension and drivetrain bits on their last legs. People don't just replace ball joints and CVs because they are old even tho they might tune the engine and change the oil every three thousand miles.

True that

But it was running perfectly fine when I pulled the motor and "improved" it

In my case, with 221k, most of the hard stuff that's prone to failure had already been replaced -- shocks, balljoints, tierods. Rear bearings were on their last legs though.

I guess the point I'd make is that after 100k, the amount of stuff that needs replacement per unit time seems to be pretty constant. However, newer cars tend to be better designed and don't have age-related problems from seals and other rubber bits.

Not to mention that a 10 year old car won't have carbs

BretLuter · **Posted:** Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:28 pm

MikeWhitney wrote:

Not to mention that a 10 year old car won't have carbs

Are you saying carbs suck????

umm, err, you might be right!

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

BretLuter wrote:

MikeWhitney wrote:

Not to mention that a 10 year old car won't have carbs

Are you saying carbs suck????
umm, err, you might be right!

Better than sucking carbs :lol:

How's about this one - '87 Corolla FX-16 GTS, 166k miles, $500OBO - cheap because a) damage to the rear bumper b) no stereo c) AC doesn't work d) stylin' non-stock steel wheels (instead of original alloys). Oh yeah forgot e) - needs CV joints (I can get remanuf. axles for $60, new $90)

Did some research and next-gen Corolla engines can drop in (if I blow it up), and various other Corolla/MR2 suspension parts can be fitted.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

KendtEklund wrote:

How's about this one - '87 Corolla FX-16 GTS, 166k miles, $500OBO - cheap because a) damage to the rear bumper b) no stereo c) AC doesn't work d) stylin' non-stock steel wheels (instead of original alloys). Oh yeah forgot e) - needs CV joints (I can get remanuf. axles for $60, new $90)

Neat car. I had always been a fan, but don't know much about them. Light and good power for the age.

I think Mark Senior (not active here but former club president) had/has one, he'd be happy to talk to you about them.

Back at my first rallycross in 2001 in a rented Mustang at Orange Acres, Tim Aro and Rod McGeorge were running one. If they picked it, it must be good

Go for it!

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

steve remchak wrote:

just my opinion but if i was going to buy a beater for the POS class, i would at least get one that was running at the time of purchase. not to mention the 230k on the clock. he should pay you $500 to take it off his hands. if he will take $150 then maybe.

BTW - "POSCLASS" is an available license plate :lol:

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