3-Year Itch

[RH77]

First, I must preface: Go Royals!!!

OK, to the meat of the story. My "Horsepower Heritage" and vehicle variety is hard-wired. It has been overcome with software tweaks like this site and Marriage.

Background: I used to get a different car every 1.5 years or so (longest I kept a car was a '99 Civic Si Coupe: 3 years).

History (all traded / none wrecked):
'77 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham 350 (1993)
'95 Chevy Beretta Level-II, V-6 (1995)
'90 Chevy Beretta GTZ, DOHC/QUAD-4 (1996)
'97 Honda Civic DX Coupe (only option: tape deck) (1997)
'99 Honda Civic Si Coupe: B16a2 @ 100 HP/L (2000)
'03.5 Mistubishi Lancer EVO-8: 300 hp/AWD (early 2004)
Traded for the Wife's car: '99 Acura TL and I took over the Integra (2005)

Yeah, poor investments at some points, but the 3-year mark is approaching (automatic transmissions speed up the process).

Needed:
$500, a stick shift, runs (reliably), easy to work on, parts abundant/cheap, and not too big of a polluter (FE-friendly).

Suggestions?

Hopefully a fun thread develops

RH77

[LostCause]

I can't think of a $500 dollar car that meets all those requirements, but the closest would be an old GEO Metro.

Personally, I'd up the budget 3x and shop for a well maintained CRX HF. They are gutless, all high mileage by this point, and Honda has earned a dubious reputation as a long-term parts supplier...but they are cheap, plentiful, and full of eco-modding possibilities. You could easily get 50+mpg, you're car history is spattered with Hondas, and there is potential for 60-80+mpg with a D15z1 engine swap.

Unfortunately, the recent gasoline price spike has dried up a once large market...at least around here...

- LostCause

[AndrewJ]

Is this a car for you or the wife? That'll make a big difference.

That being said, I vote for any 90's honda/acura. Particularly the civic/integra/prelude as they're gonna be pretty similar to the civic/integras that you've had in the past and therefore, easier to work on.

And I'm sure you can find some Honda product for $500, especially if you find something with a blown headgasket, bad axles, something like that...

[MetroMPG]

Have you ever driven a Metro?

[RH77]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

Is this a car for you or the wife? That'll make a big difference.

She can't drive a stick, so it's all me. We have an '06 TSX that's her daily driver. We'd keep the Integra as a backup.

That being said, I vote for any 90's honda/acura. Particularly the civic/integra/prelude as they're gonna be pretty similar to the civic/integras that you've had in the past and therefore, easier to work on.

And I'm sure you can find some Honda product for $500, especially if you find something with a blown headgasket, bad axles, something like that...

I'll check the local Craig-Listings, etc. to see what's up.

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Have you ever driven a Metro?

No but I rode in one once. It was a '92, 5-door and I was 14 at the time. My friend's parent's had a Taurus Wagon in the shop, and it was the loaner. 3-Cylinder, Automatic. My bud's Mum and Pops up front and 3 kids in the back: 9, 13, and me. 0-60 test: 19 Seconds!

I never had the chance to drive one. I missed the Geo rental era...

Personally, I'd up the budget 3x

That's part of the challenge: $500.

I think re-runs of the English version of "Junkyard Wars" has had an influence on me lately

[igo]

At least in my area it is very hard finding a car that runs good and is inspected for $500. Typically some repairs or inspection is needed. Also, finding a stickshift will make things even harder.

American cars usually go for cheap (escort, saturn s-series, neon). Metros are getting harder to find and people what a higher price now with gas going so high. Civic, sentra, tercel, corolla, protege and 323 are going to be hard to find without needing some fixing up.