Car buying general question thread.

[Baltothewolf]

So I'm just turning this thread into a general question about different cars and buying them.

Current discussion is:

Is the aforementioned car a lean burn? http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/4527579994.html

I could have sworn the HX has lean burn, right?

[cowmeat]

Sounds like he gutted the catalytic converter, not a good idea
I doubt that it gets within 20 mpg of his estimates, and the story about the "donated to salvage yard" sounds like a fairy tale

They're cool cars, but unless there's people on here that can advise you on running one with that many miles on it without the IMA assist, I'd keep looking.

[mechman600]

Running them without the IMA is fine. Highway mileage will stay pretty much the same but city mileage will suffer. Doing a very small mod (shorting out the clutch switch wiring, if I am correct) makes the car ignore the IMA altogether.
MetroMPG was running his this way with success, I believe.
I would love to do an EV conversion on one of these.

[Insight for life]

there is a reason his car has been on there for months and months, so first you must answer the question 'why?'

[brucey]

He gutted the catalytic converter? Why doesn't he just pour out the battery liquid into a local stream as well, it's about the same effect.

[Baltothewolf]

Yea I was planning on getting a new or used or something cat on it, I don't want to drive it around without a cat. And idk, he tells me the only reason he wanted to sell it in the first place was because he moved to a place where they can't own 2 cars, but he is getting away with it so has been putting it off selling it. His post is at the bottom of CL, which means it hasn't been bumped in a very long time. So idk.

[Cobb]

Salvage title, bad ima, 2nd gear grinds, where do I send my money.

[Baltothewolf]

Updated OP with a new car.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

So I'm just turning this thread into a general question about different cars and buying them.

Right now, I have a friend at work that has a 89-91 cavalier (she just got it from her dead uncle, not sure what year exactly). It has 60k miles on it, and she only wants 850 for it. Is this a good deal? Also it's a manual which is a major bonus.

1250-4500 by NADA. I would say yes if mechanically it's still well. Cars have a ~terminal drop point. They get to a point that the price just won't get any lower. 60k isn't that many miles, but it is pretty old.

It will help to let us know how many doors it has, the engine, rag/hard top, AC, so on. If it was mechanically set, I would be very interested. Go nuts with the mods, and just work it.

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by UltArc

1250-4500 by NADA. I would say yes if mechanically it's still well. Cars have a ~terminal drop point. They get to a point that the price just won't get any lower. 60k isn't that many miles, but it is pretty old.

It will help to let us know how many doors it has, the engine, rag/hard top, AC, so on. If it was mechanically set, I would be very interested. Go nuts with the mods, and just work it.

With moon covers for rims, wheel covers on back, fill for the cracks, a kill switch what would I be looking at mpg wise?