Car decision help
 

As some of you may know, I lost my P5 a few weeks ago. The my other car (our only one) was towed by the police because of expired tags. So, to make a long story short, my father does the website and stuff for Christ for Humanity (charity organization) and they have a Buick or Oldmobile or something being given to them, which the founder of the organization said we can have. Now I'm 99% sure that we'll sell the car and get something that we actually like, but I don't know what kind of car it is and how much it is worth. I'm sssuming we can get about $4,000 - $5,000.

Here's where the problem lies...we need something large enough for a family, but my dad and I want it to be quick, or easily made so. A friend of mine have a '90 Accord (automatic) with intake, exhaust, alum. pulleys, fuel rail and fuel regulator. Another friend has a 2000 Neon (5sp) with exhaust and chip (about 35hp increse total). Another friend has a 2001 Neon (automatic) with intake and exhaust. And another has a '96 Neon (5sp), completely stock with no exhaust, but interior completely gutted.

I'd like to be able to hang with most them, or even surpass 'em. I'd really like the stay in the Mazda/Protegé family, but the older ones have dinky engines (no offense guys, I love all Protegés) and probably wouldn't have a chance against most of the poeple I know. I could also fix up my 240sx, but the engine has 131,000 miles and It might not be wise to push it very hard. Although with 155hp it is pretty quick (I'd need a new clutch to be able to race) -it can easily beat the accord and hang with the 2001 Neon.

OR, I could do one other thing. I could buy a car, no matter what the back seat is like, and then sell my 240sx for about $2,000 and buy a cheap commuter car for the family.

Here's where I need help deciding what to do. Keep in mind that I don't know how much the Buick or whatever is worth (should know this weekend), so I'd like to keep the total cost low. I've considered a Civic sedan, but it would probably require an engine swap to make any real power. One of my dream cars is a CRX with a B16/18, but it has no back seat! Plus, I need as little 'downtime' as possible.

We used to have a '98 Maxima with the VG30DE (192hp) and it was pretty quick, for a 3200lb automatic sedan. The '90 and '91 Maximas have the same engine but are a little lighter. Only thing I've noticed is they all have 125,000+ miles.

I've also looked at the 1st gen.(?) Sentra SE-R's...those are supposedly fairly quick. Plus there's beaucoups of stuff for the SR20DE.

As with the Civics, the older Accords don't have that big of an engine and might not be worth the money to mod the stock one.

The only other car with a back seat I can think of is a Neon. Sport Compact Car's Project Neon is getting some impressive power, but they've done cams and some internal mods, which I myself don't have the expertise to do (I could probably get someone to help who does).

If ANYONE knows of oddball cars, or aANYTHING that would fit within my specifications, please help!!!

Merci!
Evan

Don't take this the wrong way, but if I were in your predicament, I'd certainly be happy with what was given to me whether I liked it or not. You're looking for something large enough to move a family around and the last time I checked, most Buicks and and Oldsmobiles were 4 door family vehicles. Considering your budgetary constraints, purchasing a pre-modded vehicle that could have questionable reliabilty shouldn't even be a option. What year is the donated car and how many miles are on it?

You asked for advice, so here's mine. If you want to sell the car given to you, spend the money on a car that is somewhat new with the lowest miles possible. Speed and quickness shouldn't really be a factor, much less modability (is that word?)

My 2 cents...

Buy an old Camaro. You can fit people in them as well as you can a Neon..


But out of the choices you had.. Accords are pretty nice cars.

I'm with Kcbhiw on this one. You might not like what I am about to say, but you did ask....

I recall reading the first thread you posted about this. Sorry about the loss of the Mazda. If I recall correctly your grandmother gave you her old car (a Cadillac no less), and I am assuming that is the one that got towed for the expired tags. It would seem to me that if the church/charity is willing to give you a car that runs reliably then your family should really consider just driving it. The last thing I would be worried about at the moment is what kind of performance used econo-box I can get at the moment is. Get over the fact that you need some kind of "performance vehicle" and take what is being given to you with a happy heart.

If you really think that you could get 4 or 5,000 for the car you are being given, then that might open up the option of getting the Cadillac back (I can not imagine that new tags, plus insurance, plus fines is over 2,000) and driving it. Then, your family can take the remainder of the money and put it to a much better use than some performance enhancement for cars.

As said before, a used Buick or Cadillac are more than acceptable transporation when it comes down to basics. And, from what I can tell, at the moment sticking with the basics sounds like a good idea. It's time for you and your dad to hang up what ever ego is telling you that you need to be faster than the other guy and start looking at what makes sense for you and your family. Trust me, a quick car is not it.

Heck, you have a 240SX already... when times get better you have something to play with! Hell, from your post it even sounds like it is driveable, just not raceable. That would seem to indicate two working cars.... not such a bad deal in the end.

We never did get the Cadillac. At the very last moment my grandfather decided he didn't want to buy a new car. But, my grandmother is still trying to convice him to give it to us. It is the 240sx that was towed. New tags = about $150. Ticket = $80. Towing and storage fee = $25. If we can get new tags within 7 days we can have my ticket dismissed.

The main reason that we would sell the charity car is it is probably old with high miles, and being american it probably won't last long. I've tried so hard to hold back my lust for speed, but I cannot. Cars and modifying them is the only love in my life, and without that I might as well be dead. If you knew me you'd understand.

I really do appreciate you guys trying to help... Anyone know of any other cars/options that might be useful to me?

First of all, the BP is NOT a "dinky" engine. :rolleyes:

2nd of all...I hate to be rude...but get some common sense!

I however, in this case am happy to be rude.

Wholy crap is this kid the most spoiled kid I've ever heard of.. with every whiny post he adds to this forum I get more and more discusted..

My family ran into some hard times and we lost our brand new car.. we can't give up our cable!! I can't find a job (not a single job in your whole populated area eh).. I have a car.. and a garage (maybe not a perk to some, but in my whole life I had a unattached unheated garage for less than a year).. people keep being very kind and giving to us.. so we're going to hawk off the car and dump all our money into mods (or buy a pre-modded car).. I can't race my car... waah we're out of money and its SOO not our fault.

In your "worst" time, you seem to have it better then anyone I know. I'm so tired of hearing it. Sheesh.

Not to be rude Nigaud5sx, but I have to agree totally with what 'kcbhiw'said.

Now is not the time to be picky. If you are worried about the reliabilty and SIZE for the family, you can exclude half of the cars you mentioned. Like the CRX (old and small. Plus, right now isn't the time to think about speed), Sentra SE-R (old, small, high maintenance), Neons( are fairly small and some have reliabilty issues)

The only car that made sense to trade it in for was the '98 Max since it is roomy enough for the family and has some punch. Also. an older Camry would be a good choice. Toyota is practically the most reliable car you can get, plus it's roomy.

Just rethink your priorities...

I hope I didn't come over as a jerk while saying this.

Actually, I think you should leave to decision making for your parents. They do know whats best and have the most experience.

Experience at what? Getting into severe financial difficulty?
Anyway, my two pesos:
Buy a lawnmower - it's grass-cutting time! Your focus should be attaining solvency, not speed. You can make some decent dinero with yard work (plus, you'll get the added benefit of the scent of burned hydrocarbons - mmm, better than coffee!).
It seems to me you may actually wish to try some hard work for a change - this may change your attitude and appreciation of life's pleasures.

And considering the human bipedal stride, there is absolutely nothing wrong with walking and biking for transportation. After all, that is what the human body/machine was designed to do (as opposed to sitting around watching cable, playing on the net, and even driving).

ever heard of learning from your mistakes?...

Yep! But it seems this question should be directed at the thread-starter.
This family's financial perils are a direct product of the parental units' inability to money manage. And given the plethora of inane commentary/questions from their offspring regarding "new and improved" methods to foolishly waste money, I'd hazard to guess that not much has been learned by anyone.

First, if the buick is old with high miles dont espect to get 4-5K$.
Second, dont try to make money with charity. A church is giving you a good car for a familly, probably the best brand car for a familly and you want to sales that car to get a small car with mod on it to be fast...
Your in a position where speed should be your last issue. Buick parts are cheap, and I am sure that someone who gave a buick to a church did not beat the crap out of this car comparing with a lemon neon beated like hell.

Sorry but I would be ashame of asking what you just ask.
I imagine the person who gave the buick to the church knowing that the person who received the car sold the car to buy a neon with a ship...I mean the car probably worth 2 grand but that person who gave the car was still able to get 2 grand for it...

You love cars but think American made autos don't last... Hmm.. IDIOT.


Hey asshat, I should really kick your face in and then you can tell me about hard times, ok? I don't drive a RX8, I could't afford one. OH, I WANT one, but I couldn't afford one. I guess I might as well be dead cause I didn't get the car I wanted.

Hell yeah, I wish someone gave me a BUICK. Give me ANY Buick and I will give you a 500HP (at the wheels) muscle car in a year.

Ya know, after going back and reading my post it does seem like I'm really spoiled...just now realized that.

But anyway, just got an update and it turns out that they gave the Buick to someone else and that they can't give us any money. So scratch that idea.

Now we're stuck with barely enough money to get the 240sx out of the impound, and none to live off of. Guess I will have to put my car dreams aside (as I have been for the past few years)....man life sucks.