Recommendations for another car?

[SHOGIRL1994]

I want to get another car. As much as I thought not messing with or not modding the 89 would keep me on the road, I was allowed to be fooled for only about 5 months and now I'm stuck riding the bus every day until we can find out what's wrong with it, or until I get another car. Not that the bus isn't entertaining, it just takes me an hour and a half to get to work every day because of having to get off one bus and connect on another one, and it usually takes about 20-25 mins if I drive.
So here are a few ideas:
There is a 1992 VW Jetta for sale near my work. The guy wants like $300 for it. I'm not sure why, as supposedly the engine is sound (just needs a tuneup & brakes). I haven't been able to go drive it yet, but took a look at it and the interior is in excellent shape, and the body is straight, no obvious dings or anything. The only thing I really noticed is that some of the plastic trim around the windows has sort of shrunk up a bit. Supposedly the guy is so flexible on the price because he owns too many cars and a wife or something said he needed to get rid of some. And supposedly VW's are fairly reliable.
Other thoughts:
Honda Prelude
Chevy S10 or 1500

Any thoughts on the reliability of these?

 

[SuperchargedSHOguy]

I would get another SHO. Reliability has never been an issue since I have never been let down to date (knock on wood). Plus you probably have tons of spare parts and know how to fix most of the maintainance issues.

and I just picked up a 94 ATX so 4th SHO for me Spun bearing and possible ATX gone sour

 

[SHOGIRL1994]

Ehh... that's what I thought too but when crap like this happens that no one in the friggin world can diagnose, a 3rd SHO isn't going to help me.

 

[SHOGIRL1994]

Plus you probably have tons of spare parts and know how to fix most of the maintainance issues.

and I just picked up a 94 ATX so 4th SHO for me Spun bearing and possible ATX gone sour

I just remembered I have a spare 3.0 motor (spun bearing as well) in storage... Time to look for a crank!

 

[SuperchargedSHOguy]

My Supra was the same way with a problem not being able to be solved. Major harness issues and replacement harness was out of the question...thats why it runs on a different drivetrain now. You may be in the same boat with your 89. I will read up on your other thread about your 89 and see if I can think of anything that you could be missing...after all I am known for getting that flooded 92 to run

I gots a spare crank...just need to get some rod bearings

 

[shoteen95]

cant you still lease leftover taurus for like, 129 a month or something like that..haha

if you're just looking for basic transportation there are a lot of cheap lease deals out there..plus you get the peace of mind knowing that if something breaks..you can just take it to the dealer.

 

[1stSHO]

Ill sell you my Cougar. Its very dependable...4.6V8. I just drove it to Chicago, pleanty of power and gets good MPG.

 

[K-Dawg]

I don't know anything about VeeDubs, but I'd stay away from it. S10s tend to be pretty cheap, indestructable, and usually somewhat reliable. Might be something to look into. I sure as **** wouldn't but another SHO if I were you.

So what's up with the SHOs? Either one of them running yet? Gotta be something simple. Let us know what happened, what's happening now, and what's not happening. I'm sure we can figure it out. I guess there's no way to get the car down this way?

 

[BodylessSHO]

S10's are indestructable, I think the only thing I dislike about them is side terminal batteries that get the bolts stripped inside of them all the time.

 

[SHOtime2511]

i say look for a 88-and up honda civic,there cheap,and indistructable,the most reliable car i have had personal experiance with,parts are cheap as ****,and easy to come by,and the d-15 and d-16 engines are by far the best to work on as well

 

[SHOGIRL1994]

The VeeDub seems to be the most attainable car at the moment, in that it's sitting right there waiting on someone to buy it and I haven't really had the time or means to go around shopping for anything else. Plus, it's an easy sell when I'm tired of it. Eventually we do NEED to get a truck, I'm sick of hauling around spare motors in my trunk. So I'm pretty sure we'll end up with the VW this weekend.
The car is still at the shop, waiting on a California computer. I have another forum member that says he'll sell me one, but its a matter of him getting to the car and actually pulling it out and shipping it to me.
I am almost starting to favor taking the bus every day, this afternoon a guy was trying to convince someone else that he lived in the BASEMENT of the Jehovah's Witness church... (since when do we have basements in FL anyway???)

 

[K-Dawg]

Hold on, new computer? What makes you think you need a new computer?

 

[SuperchargedSHOguy]

Hold on, new computer? What makes you think you need a new computer?

Read her post on whats going on with her car.

As for the VW...just remember its hard enough to get a running reliable car for $1000 let alone $300. I don't even think I could find a car for that price here that I would not have to sink atleast $1000 into. I am not telling you not to get it but again...you get what you pay for and $300 is not a whole lot.

 

[SHOGIRL1994]

Read the thread in emergency issues, gen 1&2.

Finally actually talked to the guy with the VW today and he's being kinda weird, now he doesn't wanna sell it for "3 or 4 more days" cause his regular car is broke down and he needs to drive the VW. So... back to looking. The price was actually what I was going on because I don't care if it craps out on me 2 weeks from now, I just need something cheap and fast (not as in the car is fast! lol).

 

[SHOtime2511]

ive got a extra B9B if you need it tara,outta my parts car

 

[SuperchargedSHOguy]

ive got a extra B9B if you need it tara,outta my parts car

It needs to be out of a Cali car...

 

[SHOGIRL1994]

Already bought one, just waiting on it to get here. Thanks though.

 

[K-Dawg]

Friend of mine has an early 90s Jetta. Its a piece. Everytime he gets something fixed, something else breaks. Sound familiar to anyone?

 

[1stSHO]

i offered my 95 Cougar, im not letting it go for too Cheep. But its a 4.6 and i just took a trip to Chicago with it, no problems. She can drive it for a long time. Plus if something does go wrong with it, it wont cost an arm and leg to repair,,,,,,Its an American car!!!!

 

[n8rsk8r]

Get an S10, I love mine. I love trucks, this looks good...it IS a chevy, but there is soooo much you can do for em. I ordered a rollpan for $55.00 (same as extreme's rollpan..AND steel!) off ebay, that is delivered!!! Seems to be a simple enough truck too. I really wanted a ranger but got a **** of a deal on this one. Go with the truck!!!!! Go with the truck!!! And yeah, parts can be easily tucked in the bed, much easier than the trunk LOL good luck!