Definitely worth a look, especially with the mileage. Be sure to look at the rocker panels, and the inner door seams. The mileage is nice and low, so it should be good, like many of 'em it probably belonged to some geezer who used it mostly for church on Sundays.
When you test drive it, look for an pulsation or stutter between 60-70 or 90-100 kmph. Sometimes the torque converter can go wonky, most often, if a problem comes up, it's the soleniod on the lock converter. It's not a difficult fix, but it depends on the shop. To make sure, do NOT simply gun it through the speed range, but VERY gradually accelerate through the 90-100 (55-62 MPH) and 60-70 (35-45 MPH) range. You'll know what it is when you feel it, very abrupt. At 50K, it probably won't be a problem, but it's the only real kink in the 3800 series driveline that I can think of -- so look for it.
If the price is right, it would still be worth it. A good shop can remedy that for a reasonable cost, or you can simply drive faster or slower, or accelerate faster untill it gets bad.
For your car I would recommend gettin a 99 or 00 Civic Si....that would be good enough for moi, my dream car is only a Toyota Supra. You could pick a nice for way under 20k, then just save up the rest of the money....invest it. What the Subaru WRX or whatever its called? I dunno how good those cars are.
One thing about Japanese cars, that is, the models that are also sold in the Japanese Domestic Market, is that they aren't friendly to guys over 6' or over 34" waist. The Civics fall into this category, as do the WRX and the Supra. The WRX and Supra are turbo cars, so they're less reliable and guzzle fuel. Not exactly what grove is looking for.
But since you brought up the Supra, here are some places to start.
- The naturally aspirated (non-turbo) model sucks.
- The thing weighs 3500lbs and looks like a whale.
So I called and guess what, it wasn't there. Still going to some local dealerships today. I don't have to get this thing until mid-May, so I have time to shop.
I know it pisses them off, but whatever. I don't need them to lead me around the lot, just tag along and fill out your bills when I want to test drive.
I do not hate salespeople, but I do not feel bad about taking their time. They walked up to me.
I took everyone's advice very seriously and balanced it all in my brains. I test drove about 12 different cars, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Buick and even a Scion.
But after considering all the advice I fell in love and bought a car today, cash outright.
1992 Lexus SC-300
It's older than what I wanted and a little high on the miles (98k), but I do not care. I drove that thing for 20 minutes and I did not want to come back. It feels like it was built for me. I know it is a penis car, but I don't care about that either.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go shopping for Type R stickers.
I took everyone's advice very seriously and balanced it all in my brains. I test drove about 12 different cars, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Buick and even a Scion.
But after considering all the advice I fell in love and bought a car today, cash outright.
1992 Lexus SC-300
It's older than what I wanted and a little high on the miles (98k), but I do not care. I drove that thing for 20 minutes and I did not want to come back. It feels like it was built for me. I know it is a penis car, but I don't care about that either.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go shopping for Type R stickers.
Isn't the SC300 a V8? Or ist it just the SC400? Meh, a sweet car anyhow ---- our local orthopedic surgeon has driven his for almost 14 years now (just recently got a newer used ES300 but still has the SC). It will be very nice to live with.
Sometimes I just get so sick of hearing the same old boring mantra . . . "Japanese cars are more reliable! Get a Japanese car because they never break, and American cars dont work and rust and break!"
Ok, yes, the American car companies, especially Chrysler, had some quality problems in the 80's. In the 1980's the Japanese had a very pronounced edge on us in terms of quality and reliability. This is 2004, and you can show me any Accord with 200,000 miles . . . and Ill show you an Impala or a 300M or a Taurus (yes, a Taurus) with 200,000 miles on it too. With any car made since about 1996, reliability is almost a non-issue. Similiarly priced cars will be equally reliable. The Accord and Camry are WAY overrated (especially the Camry). My dad has a 1994 Taurus wagon with 430,000 miles on it . . . . original engine and tranny . . . (although you have to be gentle with the accelerator . . . the automatic doesnt work quite like it used to, and you can easilly rack the tranny if youre not careful)
As for me, I have a 1995 Firebird, and I f-ing love it. Acuras can go screw themselves . . . my car beats any Acura from the same time period in terms of looks and general feel. Penis car! Pfft! 8)
Well, Groverat, you made a good decision. Youll love that car, guaranteed. Now me, Id rather go with a 1994 Eldorado . . . but thats just me!
As for exactly how essential it is for one to own a car . . . well, I couldnt live without a car. Im going to pay just as much, if not more, for the priviledge of having to walk around and to wait and stand around and to ride in dirty buses and to take three times as long getting anywhere I want to go . . . ??? Umm, I dont think so. In the east, public transportation works. I know DC well, and Im always amazed at how I can get anywhere quickly using it.
Denver . . . mm, thats different. And I live in Englewood, too, so in terms of Denver's public transportation, I have it way good. For most people in Denver's suburbs, public trans is just a joke. And our light rail . . mm . . . yeah, Im not impressed. Its quaint. For getting to downtown, its better than a car. But thats it.
I can leave for school anytime and not have to wait and ride in my own, clean, personal bubble . . . .and get to school and have the car waiting for me anytime I need it. Car = freedom. And I have no financial impetus to do otherwise . . . if gas was $8/gallon, I might then . . . but certainly not now.
The mention of the Crown Victoria earlier in this thread gets my nod! My dream car is an '88 Crown Vic, jet black, tinted windows, and dingle balls around the inside with dice hanging from the mirror. The problem is I can never find one for sale in Canada online or around town- not with the dingle balls and all- it's just impossible to find Crown Vics of the '88-89 variety before they all turned into the assy-looking police cars of the 90's.
*edit* Does anyone know any good sites to check for resale value on Canadian cars? There's a '74 Plymouth RoadRunner for sale, and I'm interested in checking it out just for shits and giggles, but I'd like to know some numbers before talking with the owner.
You can find Tauruses that run that long but (1) there are not as many, (2) they don't hold their value nearly as well and (3) they look outdated. The SC-300 looks like a new car and it is 12 years old and it will age very well looks-wise.
I got it for $7000 w/ 2 year (24k) drive train warranty. Excellent condition. Dark blue. The guy who sold it to me runs a little shop and could not be a nicer. I feel 100% comfortable with him (I did not have this feeling with any of the other people I talked to).
I pulled some strings and got the cash, no loans, no financing, no debt.
I can't imagine that I would feel better about a $20k car that was debt hanging over my head. This thing is mine free and clear, that makes all the difference.
Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. No pictures until I get after it with some wax.
Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. No pictures until I get after it with some wax.
Speaking of... what's the best car wax?
Meguiars is good, and fairly easy to find. Make sure to have an old tooth brush to get the junk out of the cracks, and to avoid all plastic areas. While you're at it, throw some Rain-X on the glass, but MAKE SURE it doesn't hit the paint. Well placed old towels work for this.
It's too bad you're not stickercharging it. Those VTEC stickers are good for 5hp each!
Meguiars is good, and fairly easy to find. Make sure to have an old tooth brush to get the junk out of the cracks, and to avoid all plastic areas. While you're at it, throw some Rain-X on the glass, but MAKE SURE it doesn't hit the paint. Well placed old towels work for this.
It's too bad you're not stickercharging it. Those VTEC stickers are good for 5hp each!
I agree with all the comments, although I'm not sure I'm getting the full 5hp from my VTEC sticker.
Of course, you could also go Zymöl with the wax. I've always loved this stuff. I've seen it being sold in some car parts stores, too, in a polish/wax kit. I'm not big on polish, but this isn't so bad. The shine is fabulous.
Just remember: wax on, right hand, wax off, left hand.
I agree with all the comments, although I'm not sure I'm getting the full 5hp from my VTEC sticker.
Of course, you could also go Zymöl with the wax.
. . . . Spline actually uses Zymol on his RX-7. . . .
8)
When I went to get some wax a while ago, they were out of Meguiars so I bought the stuff next to it, which actually cost more.
I've been told that Meguiars is the "way to go" as far as easy to find wax. But the shine is about the same as Zymol's, which is all natural and smells like bananas and coconuts. (Yum. . . but don't eat the wax) So it's really your decision I guess, but Meguiars has a pretty big legacy.
The car is dark blue. Here's a decent image, about three weeks after a fresh wax/polish and the day after a wash. It shows the shininess prett well. This was also in the summer in DC and I kept the car outside. So thunderstorms every other day for three weeks! The photo was from a photo shoot I did for a small bridge that was put up about an hour south of DC. (Virginia). I had an extra exposure on the roll. (Before the days of good Digitals that don't cost a shitload)
Comments
Originally posted by groverat
I witnessed a motorcycle accident yesterday, I do not understand why people ride those. It is like they are asking for death.
fred:
I'll probably take whatever car I get by a mechanic before I buy it.
Matsu:
What do you think this bad boy
haha, too cool.
Definitely worth a look, especially with the mileage. Be sure to look at the rocker panels, and the inner door seams. The mileage is nice and low, so it should be good, like many of 'em it probably belonged to some geezer who used it mostly for church on Sundays.
When you test drive it, look for an pulsation or stutter between 60-70 or 90-100 kmph. Sometimes the torque converter can go wonky, most often, if a problem comes up, it's the soleniod on the lock converter. It's not a difficult fix, but it depends on the shop. To make sure, do NOT simply gun it through the speed range, but VERY gradually accelerate through the 90-100 (55-62 MPH) and 60-70 (35-45 MPH) range. You'll know what it is when you feel it, very abrupt. At 50K, it probably won't be a problem, but it's the only real kink in the 3800 series driveline that I can think of -- so look for it.
If the price is right, it would still be worth it. A good shop can remedy that for a reasonable cost, or you can simply drive faster or slower, or accelerate faster untill it gets bad.
Originally posted by TigerWoods99
For your car I would recommend gettin a 99 or 00 Civic Si....that would be good enough for moi, my dream car is only a Toyota Supra. You could pick a nice for way under 20k, then just save up the rest of the money....invest it. What the Subaru WRX or whatever its called? I dunno how good those cars are.
One thing about Japanese cars, that is, the models that are also sold in the Japanese Domestic Market, is that they aren't friendly to guys over 6' or over 34" waist. The Civics fall into this category, as do the WRX and the Supra. The WRX and Supra are turbo cars, so they're less reliable and guzzle fuel. Not exactly what grove is looking for.
But since you brought up the Supra, here are some places to start.
- The naturally aspirated (non-turbo) model sucks.
- The thing weighs 3500lbs and looks like a whale.
- The Lexus IS300 has the same 2JZE engine.
Of course, in the end, "the 7 can't lose." 8)
I know it pisses them off, but whatever. I don't need them to lead me around the lot, just tag along and fill out your bills when I want to test drive.
I do not hate salespeople, but I do not feel bad about taking their time. They walked up to me.
But after considering all the advice I fell in love and bought a car today, cash outright.
1992 Lexus SC-300
It's older than what I wanted and a little high on the miles (98k), but I do not care. I drove that thing for 20 minutes and I did not want to come back. It feels like it was built for me. I know it is a penis car, but I don't care about that either.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go shopping for Type R stickers.
Originally posted by groverat
1992 Lexus SC-300
Nice car. Good choice.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go shopping for Type R stickers.
Don't make me hurt you.
Originally posted by groverat
I took everyone's advice very seriously and balanced it all in my brains. I test drove about 12 different cars, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Buick and even a Scion.
But after considering all the advice I fell in love and bought a car today, cash outright.
1992 Lexus SC-300
It's older than what I wanted and a little high on the miles (98k), but I do not care. I drove that thing for 20 minutes and I did not want to come back. It feels like it was built for me. I know it is a penis car, but I don't care about that either.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go shopping for Type R stickers.
pics? price? nice you were able to pay with cash.
Originally posted by groverat
[B]
1992 Lexus SC-300[B]
The SC is a great car. The V6 is very reliable and you should see > 130K without many issues.
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go shopping for Type R stickers.
Oh God. Ricers
oh, almost forgot ---- what color?
Ok, yes, the American car companies, especially Chrysler, had some quality problems in the 80's. In the 1980's the Japanese had a very pronounced edge on us in terms of quality and reliability. This is 2004, and you can show me any Accord with 200,000 miles . . . and Ill show you an Impala or a 300M or a Taurus (yes, a Taurus) with 200,000 miles on it too. With any car made since about 1996, reliability is almost a non-issue. Similiarly priced cars will be equally reliable. The Accord and Camry are WAY overrated (especially the Camry). My dad has a 1994 Taurus wagon with 430,000 miles on it . . . . original engine and tranny . . . (although you have to be gentle with the accelerator . . . the automatic doesnt work quite like it used to, and you can easilly rack the tranny if youre not careful)
As for me, I have a 1995 Firebird, and I f-ing love it. Acuras can go screw themselves . . . my car beats any Acura from the same time period in terms of looks and general feel. Penis car! Pfft! 8)
Well, Groverat, you made a good decision. Youll love that car, guaranteed. Now me, Id rather go with a 1994 Eldorado . . . but thats just me!
Denver . . . mm, thats different. And I live in Englewood, too, so in terms of Denver's public transportation, I have it way good. For most people in Denver's suburbs, public trans is just a joke. And our light rail . . mm . . . yeah, Im not impressed. Its quaint. For getting to downtown, its better than a car. But thats it.
I can leave for school anytime and not have to wait and ride in my own, clean, personal bubble . . . .and get to school and have the car waiting for me anytime I need it. Car = freedom. And I have no financial impetus to do otherwise . . . if gas was $8/gallon, I might then . . . but certainly not now.
*edit* Does anyone know any good sites to check for resale value on Canadian cars? There's a '74 Plymouth RoadRunner for sale, and I'm interested in checking it out just for shits and giggles, but I'd like to know some numbers before talking with the owner.
I got it for $7000 w/ 2 year (24k) drive train warranty. Excellent condition. Dark blue. The guy who sold it to me runs a little shop and could not be a nicer. I feel 100% comfortable with him (I did not have this feeling with any of the other people I talked to).
I pulled some strings and got the cash, no loans, no financing, no debt.
I can't imagine that I would feel better about a $20k car that was debt hanging over my head. This thing is mine free and clear, that makes all the difference.
Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. No pictures until I get after it with some wax.
Speaking of... what's the best car wax?
Originally posted by groverat
1992 Lexus SC-300
20 mpg.
The only adornment I will put on is a chrome longhorn.
Originally posted by groverat
There will be no Type R stickers, that was a joke.
The only adornment I will put on is a chrome longhorn.
Heh. I'm just waking up from an evening nap and read that as a "chrome Leghorn." As in Forghorn
Originally posted by groverat
Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. No pictures until I get after it with some wax.
Speaking of... what's the best car wax?
Meguiars is good, and fairly easy to find. Make sure to have an old tooth brush to get the junk out of the cracks, and to avoid all plastic areas. While you're at it, throw some Rain-X on the glass, but MAKE SURE it doesn't hit the paint. Well placed old towels work for this.
It's too bad you're not stickercharging it. Those VTEC stickers are good for 5hp each!
Originally posted by Splinemodel
Meguiars is good, and fairly easy to find. Make sure to have an old tooth brush to get the junk out of the cracks, and to avoid all plastic areas. While you're at it, throw some Rain-X on the glass, but MAKE SURE it doesn't hit the paint. Well placed old towels work for this.
It's too bad you're not stickercharging it. Those VTEC stickers are good for 5hp each!
I agree with all the comments, although I'm not sure I'm getting the full 5hp from my VTEC sticker.
Of course, you could also go Zymöl with the wax. I've always loved this stuff. I've seen it being sold in some car parts stores, too, in a polish/wax kit. I'm not big on polish, but this isn't so bad. The shine is fabulous.
Just remember: wax on, right hand, wax off, left hand.
Originally posted by GardenOfEarthlyDelights
I agree with all the comments, although I'm not sure I'm getting the full 5hp from my VTEC sticker.
Of course, you could also go Zymöl with the wax.
. . . . Spline actually uses Zymol on his RX-7. . . .
8)
When I went to get some wax a while ago, they were out of Meguiars so I bought the stuff next to it, which actually cost more.
I've been told that Meguiars is the "way to go" as far as easy to find wax. But the shine is about the same as Zymol's, which is all natural and smells like bananas and coconuts. (Yum. . . but don't eat the wax) So it's really your decision I guess, but Meguiars has a pretty big legacy.
The car is dark blue. Here's a decent image, about three weeks after a fresh wax/polish and the day after a wash. It shows the shininess prett well. This was also in the summer in DC and I kept the car outside. So thunderstorms every other day for three weeks! The photo was from a photo shoot I did for a small bridge that was put up about an hour south of DC. (Virginia). I had an extra exposure on the roll. (Before the days of good Digitals that don't cost a shitload)