15 and Determined

[Gealii]

Originally Posted by 23baseball3

I don't think I'll necessarily stick with GM. My new way of thinking is that I don't want to depreciate the value of a GM but I wouldn't mind totally messing up a Ford or a Metro.

One thing to keep in mind dont just buy a vehicle because you think it would depreciate with mods as mods can be reversible with no trace of them. If you cant enjoy being in the car bad things happen. From experience i'm on my 5th car at 19 and thats because my 2nd car i hated so i drove it into the ground literally. the 4th car was just uncomfortable to be in which i bought a 5th car about a month after buying the 4th which runs perfectly fine still to this day and still own.

[UltArc]

Keep in mind, if this is just a beater, you could rip off the trunk of a Cavalier, and use that as a base. I am not advising that, just saying- you can get wild.

I agree with your point on not wanting to ruin a car, but man, that S10 would be a great car. Rear wheel drive is a bit less efficient than a FF, but a standard S10 isn't hard to find, especially with the four cylinder (not sure on real numbers, just experience). A lot of good points on it, it's a vehicle (even here, in Ohio) that is still on the road. Yea, rust is an ehhhole, but it seems they still fair pretty well. A lot in wrecks (people making poor decisions), and a lot of people who make poor decisions invest good money into a vehicle like that. You could pull a part some nice stuff for it, really whatever you need would be available.

If I had a truck, I would drop the tailgate- legal, and then build the rear Aerohead style, but to the tip of the tailgate. Build it right, and it could be easy storage.

Chances are neither of these ideas will work perfect for you, but just remember you can get as crazy as you (legally/safely) want. So whatever you get, your imagination can run wild. I always hear good things about those Saturns, but a dear friend had two and they were both absolute garbage. She rebuilt a nice Chevy, and her family was rather automotive savvy, so for their situation, it was not a good car.

[23baseball3]

Gealii- Yeah I guess that is true. I could always remove them. But, it might be worth it to keep it and drive it until it's toast rather than reverse the mods.

UltArc- There are really endless things you can do, within the law of course. This is really what I'm after I think with that Sentra in the garage. It's identical I think, with the 2.0 5 speed and everything. I sent some pictures to my dad and now he seems suddenly interested in fixing the fuel delivery issue. I have tried to learn and help, but he's stumped too. The fuel pump is not getting any power and we cannot figure out what the problem is. Other than that, he just rebuilt the Transmission and it's been sitting for ten years with only 120k on it. Practically rust free too.

[roosterk0031]

I've had 2 sentras, semi totaled the first a 87 while the wife was driving it, later bought a 90 and drove it to 195,000 miles, Ithe 2.0 is thirstier than the other engine options no doubt fixing it is cheaper than pretty much buying anything. I want to try a SE-R sometime. My 90 had the 1.6 but it's 96 hp, 3 valve head was almost 30 hp stronger than the 87.

Revive that sentra, tune it, get some good rubber, get a good baseline, then start moding. Don't know why but still like those Sentra's, only car I've ever bought 2 of, and love to find a reasonable SE-R 6 spd manual. My Cobalts OK, but a SE-R is sweet.

On your car, do some swapping of the relays in the fuse panel under the hood, I had problems with the clutch interlock one going bad keeping the starter engaging, maybe theres a fuel pump one. I push started it for a few months leaving home, and parked accross the street at work to gravity bump start it.

[Cobb]

It looks like from your profile you live in Ohio. I take it you live in an area with adequate snow removal? May want to consider an awd vehicle or a 4wd like a suzuki tracker or geo tracker.

[Gealii]

Originally Posted by Cobb

It looks like from your profile you live in Ohio. I take it you live in an area with adequate snow removal? May want to consider an awd vehicle or a 4wd like a suzuki tracker or geo tracker.

nah, FWDs run the snow area (more weight over drive wheels). 4wd is useless on ice, which is the only time the roads get bad which NEO is good about plowing and salt laying.

[23baseball3]

Originally Posted by Gealii

nah, FWDs run the snow area (more weight over drive wheels). 4wd is useless on ice, which is the only time the roads get bad which NEO is good about plowing and salt laying.

Yeah most of the cars I see in the ditch are the Jeeps and trucks that belong to people who are overly confident. My road hasn't even been salted or plowed except for the only dangerous turn. Everything else actually still has ice on it. It's a back road, in my little town, but it's the most common back road.

[elhigh]

Originally Posted by 23baseball3

Yeah most of the cars I see in the ditch are the Jeeps and trucks that belong to people who are overly confident. My road hasn't even been salted or plowed except for the only dangerous turn. Everything else actually still has ice on it. It's a back road, in my little town, but it's the most common back road.

It's what I keep telling people: you might have 4WD or AWD, so you can keep going - but your brakes were always on all four wheels. People forget that if conditions are so bad that they need all four corners to get going, they have always relied on all four corners for stopping, and that that performance must be similarly degraded.

There are certain drivers I'd trust in bad weather with only two wheels driving, much, much farther than I'd trust other drivers with four.

[Smurf]

Personally, I like the idea of an S10 to start with. Get a 1993-or-earlier Dime, because after they redesigned the S10 (1994-97, then 1998-2002) the trucks started to get heavier. Four cylinder, rear wheel, five speed manual. Parts are plentiful! Think of all the S10s, Sonomas, Blazers, Jimmy's, and Bravada's over the years.... then remember, the S10 shares many components with the Camaros, Firebirds, 1980's era Monte Carlo/Cutlass/Regals.. etc. Want a lower rear end ratio, and maybe upgrade to disc brakes? Then just grab a Blazer rear axle! For that reason alone, I'd suggest the S10/Sonoma over a Ford Ranger or the Dodge Dakotas.

Also, the Cavalier has been mentioned several times, and that's a good option as well. If you're going the car route, then try to find something that has plenty of parts available. Cavs/Sunfires/Aleros/Grand Ams/Malibus/blah blah blah are all the same drivetrains. The Neon/Eclipse/Talon/Avenger/Stealth, etc all used similar parts.

[JRMichler]

Another possibility for a low cost good mileage car is the Chevrolet Aveo: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...mpg-24988.html

I put a total of 789 miles on it, and averaged 35.8 MPG. In the winter.