marginally so perhaps. But a short-run parts bin Volvo versus a Camry-platform based car that wears like iron, if headache-free motoring with just routine maintenance is the order of the day, it’s a no-brainer IMO. My wife had a hand-me-down ‘04 S60 as her college car, with just 115k miles that thing had some…

The issues seem to really have started with the GMT900 trucks. Lutz was pushing towards more and more outsourcing to China to cut costs, and the results were predictable. The GMT800 trucks were the last of the good ones, aside from their propensity to rot. My buddy has a ‘98 K1500 stepside with the 305 that’s had a…

I’m doing the $1500-2000 beater thing and loving it (I have an equally old but reliable Toyota 4wd as backup, granted).  I get to drive a bunch of different cars, buy, drive for a while, clean up and fix a few things, and sell for a minor profit.  Zero depreciation motoring that keeps me from being bored.

That was my thought: if nothing else, these old Colts/Summits/Mirages(and old Excels too) should be able to bolt up some hairy Turbo mitsu powertrains (and AWD drivetrains) from the Evo/Eclipse. I remember wanting to buy a base-trim Colt hatch back in highschool, they were like a cheaper EF Civic hatchback (and…

Agreed, a specific gear (aside from first, or top gear) on a manual transmission seems entirely arbitrary. I’m coming from some low standards, but I will say I really like how my new B5 Audi beater responds to throttle from 65-70mph in top gear (5spd stick) on the highway. That’s just short of torque peak at 3400rpm…

Easier to drive?

Buy an older Avalon with 150k miles for $3k and forget all about turbocharged European cars then.

Awesome to see your van featured Jamie! From one rusty MPV lover to another. Have you ever considered Fluid Film?

“The extra weight means turning lean is more pronounced, as is brake dive and general responsiveness. You don’t have to be a sports car or handling fan to notice that.”

I’m willing to bet that most CRV buyers don’t give a hoot about that and if someone offered them a Pilot for the same money, they’d jump on it. Heck I…

“ a car that is terrible”
Most lay-people could give two shits about handling. CUVs ride and handle perfectly competently these days

“terrible to park”

Copy and pasting from my reply to the “rule of three” guy:
That sounds beyond insane to me. Even the 10% rule sounds a bit crazy. Enthusiast/hobby aspect aside, imagine putting even 10% of your annual income into a rapidly depreciating asset, for something with the basic utility of getting you from A-B, something that…

That sounds beyond insane to me. Even the 10% rule sounds a bit crazy. Enthusiast/hobby aspect aside, imagine putting even 10% of your annual income into a rapidly depreciating asset, for something with the basic utility of getting you from A-B, something that a $3k Camry will tackle with aplomb. I’m a car guy, but…

Actually that’s more like circa ‘01 or so, that’s a gen 2 Aurora.

FWIW the bright red is the subframe

As a former owner of an “EF” wagon on those same ‘99 Si alloys (back in highschool), I’m sad to call this major CP.

I would have expected a fresh B16 swap at least, and even then I’d probably put the upper limit of the price at $5k with those miles on the chassis.

America: driveway wrenching on the suspension and ancillary components of an A6

Russians in a remote village near Murmansk: Hold my beer

Read this with interest, I just scooped up an ‘01 A4 (2.8, Quattro, stick). Only 127k miles and a fairly good service history for the last 5 years at least, but she’s lead a rough life (rebuilt after a front end accident by the looks of it). Been slowly working through the laundry list of odds and ends that it needs,…

Hell yeah

I’d imagine it’s something like this:

You’re not wrong, in terms of (generally speaking) American tendencies toward neglecting maintenance and in general lacking “mechanical sympathy” for their cars. Of course, manufacturers aren’t helping things currently by stretching oil change intervals out to 10k and beyond. In an era of thin oil and low tension…