Selling the Volvo... hopefully... Now what?

[qbodsyt]

93-98 lexus sc300?

nice car, but g/l finding one with a stick (in my area at least) and in good condition for under 5k.....and the mileage blows (18-24mpg)

for fun i'd say the infiniti g20, but for practical go with the teggie (easy to find in a manual, 25-31 mpg, and tons of aftermarket support)

[J-specCb4]

dc2 teg or a DA.

[ACC0RD22]

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/car/261795360.html

this looks promising.

[BlackMagicCB7]

I know you are thinking Infiniti G20:
In my opinion, go for it! I traded my G for the CB7 four months ago and I miss it. It was a 94 G20t (Touring Edition) it had 5sp. manual, black leather, sunroof, spoiler, fogs, ...... It was loaded, japanese, and extra luxury. Under the hood it was the same as a Sentra SE-R with the SR20de motor, so yea it was sporty and extremely fuel efficient too. In terms of price, I paid $1500 for it and thought it was a steal until I found out it needed extensive emissions work so I traded it quickly because I wanted something different. I regret it now.

My advice to you would be to keep your eyes open for clean G20's aka. P10 in your area, you will eventually find one, trust me. I think this car would be perfect for you and it meets every aspect of the car you are looking for. Take it from me. Also if you want to find out more, visit the forum G20.net

Here is what my G20t looked like:

[Dv8]

r30 and older, you know how it works hah.

WHAT so your h22 isnt knocking like a bastard??? damn. well. uhh. buy a dc2 if you can find one

[NAiL05]

r30 and older, you know how it works hah.

WHAT so your h22 isnt knocking like a bastard??? damn. well. uhh. buy a dc2 if you can find one

Not anymore lol. But yea DA teggy ftw!!! They get good mileage my buddy has an LS.

[Dv8]

my god i just made a mess.

[ACC0RD22]

you could get oneoffaccord's integra that hes selling too.

a little over your price range though.

[owequitit]

Ok, I tried something Swedish and wasn't impressed. I think it's time to go back to Japanese.


I'm doing away with my RWD or AWD criteria. It's just too hard to find a nice practical car that gets good gas mileage, isn't overpriced, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg to repair with those attributes.


I've determined what I NEED... and what I want. Those lists overlap a bit... I drive A LOT, so I need something that I actually like. That means some of the things that seem a little less important hold a little more weight.


So, things I absolutely NEED:

Good gas mileage: 25mpg minimum. Preferably about 28mpg combined (like my CB7)

Reliability. I put 9000 miles on my CB7 since last October, and that was working part time. I'm getting heavier into this work now, and I need something that will withstand that beating!

Affordability. I can't break the bank buying my next car. I went a bit overbudget with the wife's car, and though I'm making decent money, bills are kicking my ass. $3000 is probably my ceiling.

Easy/Cheap to repair. I can't go shelling out a million bucks for every little part that breaks! I also don't want the car to be down for 3 weeks while I try to figure out what's wrong. Finally, if I need to take it to a shop, I don't want to pay outrageous prices for labor (Volvo shops charge like $100 an hour... My stepfather's Chrysler dealership, on the other hand, charges about 2/3 that!)

Comfortable. With me sitting in that car for up to 10 hours and 320 miles a day, I can't tolerate something uncomfortable!



Things I want:

Manual transmission. Better on gas, usually, and often more reliable. Replacing a clutch is easier than working on an auto as well. Plus, its more fun to drive!

Responsive handling. My CB7 is nice. It handles well. However, I'd like something different. Something with a little more zip to it.

Power. Ok, I'm spoiled. I have a 200+hp engine in my 2800lb car. Something with considerably less power per pound (like my 114hp, 3000lb Volvo) just won't do. I don't need a racecar... just something that can get out of it's own way!

Looks. Ok, I'm vain. I can't drive a shitbox. My CB7 doesn't look amazing, but I don't look at it and shudder either (well, right now, with 2 steelies and a coating of salt... I do... but not because the car itself is ugly!)

Aftermarket support. I don't really plan on modding my second car... but I can't say I won't. It's in my blood now.

Build quality. I'm a snob. I drive an Accord, which is considered a real luxury car in many countries. I just can't enjoy a Civic, or anything in the same class. I know those little cars are better on gas, but I just can't...





I'm stuck... I know what fits just about every criterion there, and it's driving me nuts. I KNOW the CB7 is quite possibly the BEST car for my needs... and I DO love the model. I just want something different, if I can find it! I might pick up a 5 speed CB9... that MIGHT be different enough. Same handling characteristics though (but better brakes )

Honestly Deev, I think I would look at a BMW E36 318i.

They are about as quick as a stock CB7, which isn't fast, but it isn't terrible either. They have good torque and good MPG.

They meet the RWD Criteria and are actually very reasonable to maintain.

Much different than snobby Benz.

There are forums where you can actually get technical help, and buy parts used. There are also a lot of places where you can get good OEM quality autoparts without spending a bundle.

The Engine bay has room to work, and they actually put good thought into making things servicable.

They are not bad on reliablility either. They maybe aren't as reliable as a CB7, but they aren't far behind.

They have some parts that don't seem to last very long, just like every other car company, but with them it seems to be mostly minor.

If you have to pay a tech for service, or if you buy parts from a dealer, it will be cost prohibitive.

As far as aftermarket support, it doesn't get much better. EVERYTHING is interchangeable with M3's, so you can get whatever you want in the way of suspension etc.

They even make a supercharger kit for the 318 that makes it about as fast as a 328, without really killing MPG.

I say 318 because they are easier to find in good shape because most people didn't buy them for racing, so the mileage is usually gentler, but often times higher. They can be had it good shape for under $4K

Minuses:

Some features were limited.

The interior isn't hugely spacious. It is quite a bit smaller than an Accord, but has an intimate feel too. Don't imagine you do much hauling people around, but it is something to consider.

Some aftermarket parts get pricey quickly, but they seem to have better quality and R&D than your average Ebay Honda part too.

Some parts of the interior are a little plasticky, but not nearly as bad as Mercs. At least the switchgear is better.

They have some commonly worn parts in places where there shouldn't be commonly worn parts (like the sunroof tabs that push the wind deflector down). Most are easily fixed, but they still must be fixed.

Honestly, for the used prices, they aren't bad, and good deals can be found.

[Dv8]

i think owequitit just brought it home. haha.

[deevergote]

I've heard BAD things about the 1.8L BMW engine... I'd rather find a 325, but anything in my pricerange will be cheap for a reason...

G20 or Integra are probably at the top of my list at the moment. Blackmagiccb7, your old car would be perfect in terms of looks!

Dv8, that Skyline is gorgeous... I would LOVE to have that... with that motor, of course I'd take an original one gladly, however!

Accord22, I saw that green CB7... my 93twodoorLX would kill me. That thing is identical to his! Same year and everything!

[91 EX-R]

hey man i kno you seem to be trying to find a good japanese car but have u ever considered a 2nd gen Cavalier? these things are quick, get pretty good gas mileage, are cheap to run and maintain, and last a long time. one of my friends has one that has around 375 000 kms and it still runs strong even though he drives the shit out of the car. if you do decide to go for a japanese car go for a G20.

[kmart64]

deev-how many miles on a car would you consider before not buying it? 70,000? 120,000? Just so we can weed out cars with too much mileage on them!

[Turbo Dave]

remerber integra is acura not honda! civics and tegs are complety diff, they are very luxurious on the inside. i would suggest a 94 ls. then in the future you can look forward to a boosted car.

[93twodoorLX]

fuck it mike buy that green coupe and trade me interior panels and i'll give you 100 bucks. offer them 2300

-sean