baco99
Hard-core CEG'er
a friend of mine just bought a 1999 9-3 SE Turbo with leather, heated front and rear seats, CD player, and moonroof for $4200 used. Needs a few small things and has some scratches, but rides great.
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New car ideas.
- Thread starter donradeon
- Start date
hotdimmes
Hard-core CEG'er
How much are you looking to spend? Maybe I'll sell you my car 
SE, V6, 5spd, SVT kit already on it. 80k miles.
SE, V6, 5spd, SVT kit already on it. 80k miles.With the distinct differences in the chassis, as well as the track and overall width variances, you'll find that putting the SVT engine into the Topaz/Tempo will be more work than you ever planned on -- not to mention that those cars ran EEC-IV, and the SVT was never set up that way. I'm not busting balls here, by any means -- rather, trying to provide insight based on experience. A friend of mine and I rebuilt a Taurus SHO with stock parts, and it was always a matter of "Well, what else? While we're at it, we might as well do this, to be thorough..." and the cost of the project -- done right, to be sure -- escalated through the moon.
For what its worth, if you could find a Tempo / Topaz with a stick, you could just bang around in that for a while. Those 2.3 liter four cylinder engines were great mills, and though it won't be the fastest thing, it will be cheap and will simplify your life.
I always preferred the '84 and '85 look -- before they got rid of the sealed beam halogen headlamps and changed the taillights. Some elderly lady might just have a gem hidden away in a garage -- you never know. Even a '94 will be inexpensive at this point.
You might also look for a 20-plus year old Crown Vic -- something, incidentally, that you'd likely purchase from the same type of buyer. Its hard to beat a 302.
You may very well find that its easy to hit your approximate target price if you sniff around enough. The classifieds are your friend.
I said about 1 grand. I'm getting 1600 from the insurance company (5800 was the value for my car, minus my deductable, minus 3800 I owe the bank). So nothing more than about 1 grand right now. NO saabs, nothing expensive to A.) fix or B.) insure and put on the road..
On balance, they'll probably bust your budget. Very spacious, comfortable cars, and that 3800 V6 was always a good mill -- even more fun with the supercharger -- so equipped, they really move.
What does "on balance, they'll probably bust your budget" mean? Like they're gonna be expensive to operate? Yeah I don'tknow if it's s/c but it's got the sunroof and alloys factory. Automatic, that's all I know I just drove by and wrote down the ph #.
Edit: here's the info.
Car has 159k miles on it, kept up on meticulously with Receipts. It's the 3.8 Liter Supercharged. Needs a tune up, but nothing major. 1995 with every available factory option. Guy wants 2300 dollars.
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"On balance" has a similar meaning to "on average," or "in general." However, you already answered your other question:
donradeon said:
Yeah, well I will go up to about 1500 but yeah he def wants too much, IMO. "rare" car or not, anything with 160,000 miles, and 12 years old, shouldn't break the 2k dollar mark.
baco99
Hard-core CEG'er
saabs are not any more expensive to fix than any other car.
yes, the dash display costs $280 to replace, but can be fixed for free with a hot iron and a philips screw driver.
if you are handy, saabs are among the least expensive cars to own. and you can get a nice mid-90's LPT 900 hatchback for less than $3k around here.
yes, the dash display costs $280 to replace, but can be fixed for free with a hot iron and a philips screw driver.
if you are handy, saabs are among the least expensive cars to own. and you can get a nice mid-90's LPT 900 hatchback for less than $3k around here.
A 1985 SPG would be about the coolest Saab going, but it would significantly exceed the stated price cap. Beats a 1959 93-B hands down.
hotdimmes
Hard-core CEG'er
No way, I love late 90s saab 9-3 5door hatches! I think they are ver nice!
:drool::drool::drool:
:drool::drool::drool:
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I don't know a whole lot about saabs, but I know 300 dollars for a wire set is pricey, and that most mechanics I know don't want to work on saabs.. bah, at the amount of money I have to spend, the only saab I'll be able to get will be a POS.
todras
Pretty fly for a white guy *cowbell*
For you something slow with a lot of metal. How about an old E250.
Why something 'slow'? In my opinion, a slow car is going to not only be more dangerous while merging onto highway traffic, etc. but also since the car is slow, the handling will most likely be anything but optimal, the braking will be pathetic, as will traction in poor weather conditions. A higher performance car will be much better equipped than a "slower" car will be. Something moderate would be a good idea, like a Honda or a Toyota. Something not 200 horsepower at 2600 pounds.For you something slow with a lot of metal. How about an old E250.
dSVTj
CEG'er
For you something slow with a lot of metal. How about an old E250.
"I was driving way too fast by Smith and Wesson and where the road overpasses the highway I lost control (don't know how, probably hit a expansion joint).. hit the guard rail, went backwards into the right side curb, which launched my car into the air, then I hit a bill-board which peeled my driver side doors off like a banana peel, that spun me around and I landed hitting two parked cars. "
i think you answered your own question
Don't be a ****ing douchebag in my thread already. I told him why I don't think a van would be a good idea.
I like the Topaz idea better than any Honda or Toyota. Also, you might try this (funny, the wagon version of the very same car just came up recently):
There are a few out there in good condition, and they'll likely fit your price range.
There are a few out there in good condition, and they'll likely fit your price range.
cruises8
CEG'er
My wife was driving a 6000 when I met her. She used to use one of her parents 6000 wagons(they had 2). Then she bought a 6000 sedan from her grandmother not long after. Not a bad car.
Squirrel
New CEG'er
How much cheaper would insurance be on a non svt? I pay $50ish for full coverage on my car...