Project: The Anal Probe

[Sven7]

Originally Posted by Tango Charlie

A less than 15 year old car that's good on gas that will attract the opposite sex for under $1200 is quite a tall order.

Well not aiming for attracting so much as, "oh, that's cute". Or, at least not repulsion. After all nothing short of a used BMW would "attract" women, and by women I mean gold diggers. A friend offered me her '88 E28 5spd but I decided 20mpg highway wouldn't be too fun.

Trying to go look at a '93 SE-R, otherwise watching CL every day for a Miata to pop up. Found one today I was going to fast-track into ownership but turns out it just got sold.

Honestly I don't know if anything but an NA Miata will really make me happy. Trying to cull the herd to two cars (F100 and...) so whatever I buy has to be super fun and rather economical. And must look good with some rally lights

Edit, Probe price lowered to $600 as is, $700 without boat tail.

[Galane]

"...whatever I buy has to be super fun and rather economical."

Opel GT with a modern drivetrain transplant. They're a cute little scaled down 1970's Corvette style with a steel body. The headlights are in pods that rotate sideways so they're fairly slick when up.

Unlike most cars, the door windows on the Opel GT are a double curve, sort of shallow bowl shaped, so you absolutely want good glass as a priority.

[Gealii]

look at ford escort zx2 i got mine 3 years ago with 175k miles for $850 only thing replaced on it that's normal maint was brake lines. No codes and most dependable vehicle i've ever had. and it pulls over epa hw driving like an idiot

[Cd]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Should have seen the ultra-hot 20-yr old selling a Miata locally. Minnesota is a very long ways away.

Did you get his number ?

[Sven7]

That Mercedes is a collector item, not a winter car. Same with an Opel GT. No engine swaps, no major work. Buy and drive.

I promised myself not to buy another VAG product for awhile.

Been watching CL religiously.

Short list of "want"
NA Miata
CRX HF
Metro XFi
Lifted Subaru
Unmolested S13
MR2 that's rusty enough for winter duty

If you read nothing else in the past five pages, read the following.

If I'm going to get some boring econobox it'd better get EPA of 45mpg or higher. Otherwise it'd better be RWD (with the exception of a lifted Scooby). The more I look at FWD stuff, the more I just don't want to plunk down money on something that won't hold a drift.

[AaronMartinSole]

Why RWD instead of FWD? What does not holding a drift mean? Ditto on the Metro XFI and the Civic CRX HF, I dream about those cars, but could you explain your other choices? And what's VAG? I searched for it in the glossary.

[Galane]

VAG = Volkswagen Audi Group, If I'm not mistaken.

[arcosine]

F.O.

[Sven7]

Originally Posted by AaronMartinSole

Why RWD instead of FWD? What does not holding a drift mean? Ditto on the Metro XFI and the Civic CRX HF, I dream about those cars, but could you explain your other choices? And what's VAG? I searched for it in the glossary.

When cornering, a FWD car's front wheels have to both power the car and accelerate/brake, meaning they often get overworked during performance driving and in slippery conditions. When a FWD car loses traction on a corner it wants to go straight ahead (understeer).

A RWD car's front tires have to handle only turning and stopping, leaving the rears to accelerate. This distributes the traction across all four tires and gives you better turning power, also allowing you to power out of a corner earlier than with a FWD car. A RWD car will have the tendency for the rear wheels to step out, causing the car to rotate (oversteer). With counter-steering and throttle modulation it can be controlled (drift), as understeer really cannot.

While you can force a FWD car to oversteer by pulling the emergency brake or by braking hard into a corner, any throttle input will straighten the car back out and you will lose the drift. With RWD you can keep your foot on the gas and the car will stay sideways as long as you like.



Understeer: (with an AWD car)

Sno*Drift 2010 by Tyler Linner, on Flickr

Drift: (With a RWD car)

Sno*Drift 2010 by Tyler Linner, on Flickr

Anyway, I'm picking up my new gas guzzler on Friday. It's got a longitudinally mounted inline six.

[MetroMPG]

Oh ho ho! So what kind of BMW 328 did you get?

FYI, my ecodriving session this week is with a 328i owner. I'm looking forward to it.

Or... wait ... an old Supra?