Schrödinger's Car (I'm Up a Certain Type of Creek).

I miss driving the Sienna. Yeah, the alignment was off, and it smelled odd, but it was practical and got great mileage. Part of me is stuck trying to decide where to go from here with the Crown Vic. Do I turn it into a drift car, rendering it impractical as a car, or do I return it to stock height and exhaust, removing what made it interesting in the first place? I won't be able to afford insurance on two cars anywhere in Canada, nor am I able to currently afford the upkeep of two high mileage vehicles. My mom's taking it to a shop notorious for failing inspections for minor reasons (without my permission, I may add), and if it doesn't pass, what then? She'd make me fix it if I were to do anything with it, and I'd probably take a noticeable hit selling it like this. As it was just about the cheapest car on the market at the time, I'd be unable to afford another. Since I live far enough out of town, I need a car so I can commute. Without personal transportation, I'm looking at a 2 hour bus ride each way. Basically, I'm screwed no matter which way I look at it. Let's just say that the next few weeks will be very interesting.

A boring car that is reliable and effective can be much more desirable than a "unique" or cool car that is often broken.

In reply to JohnRW1621:

I know that for sure, it's just that everything is currently hanging in the balance.

So the crown vic is in a box and until we open it, the car is both dead and alive?

In reply to patgizz:

Pretty much. Except given the amount of air in the box, it is 75% more likely to die than live.

Bring the Crown Vic back to stock or at the least bring it to Marauder spec suspension wise. Repair the front, I mean there have got pull-a-part yards up there with thousands upon thousands of Crown Vics lined in rows.

If you want to drift, get a car you can dedicate to that, don't insure it, and just drive it at events.

Pictures for inspiration.

If thing don't work out with the Mercury it won't be the end of the world.

Remember, it's way more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. Next time out go find some tiny light weight econobox, preferably with a stick shift.

HappyAndy wrote: Remember, it's way more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow. Next time out go find some tiny light weight econobox, preferably with a stick shift.

Also remember that most econo boxs are faster than op's non pi crown vic.

My only advice is its usually cheaper in the long run to get one car running and driving right is cheaper than hopping around to different cars every other month. Dont worry about ruining it to drift it, all you need is an lsd, shocks and some sway bars (p71 or adtr/whatever) and that's perfectly streetable car. Hell i daily drove a stripped miata with springs 7 and 3 times the spring rate (front and rear) than stock, for 3 years! I doubt youll do something that extreme but just saying its still going to be plenty streetable and comfortable as long as you DONT GUT IT. trust me its not worth it unless its your spare car

In reply to chiodos:

Nah, I wouldn't be stripping it out, all interior panels, stereo, everything will remain intact. It will still be streetable.

If you're forced to sell

Fly and drive

It'll make for an excellent write up on the experience and you'll have a rallycross car and chassis ready for engine swap, BP or even KL, for down the road.

JohnRW1621 wrote: A boring car that is reliable and effective can be much more desirable than a "unique" or cool car that is often broken.

I'm going to be the bad influence here, but... I disagree, at least in this instance. You (OP, not John) keep flipping cars looking for something you're not finding, with a big plan every time for what the new one is going to be.

See it through to the end for once. Go nuts. Build something, make mistakes, and live with them- you'll learn a lot about what you actually like, how you prefer to work through a project, and what you can tolerate. I feel a lot worse about the projects I Bob Costas'd out on than the ones I lost time, money, and practicality for.

I suggest saying "no mom thats a bad mom" and smacking her on the head.

Wait, you had a Sienna?

Kids...what are you gonna do?

Trying to remember where you are at in life, late highschool?

Return to stock-ish for now. Not saying dont mod, but saying you need something you can enjoy using as that seems to be what you are saying is wrong with the Vic.

On a limited budget, you are almost universally better off making sure what you have runs well, rather than spending on mods.

If the Vic is dead, I agree with the slow car fast suggestions. I have the Mustang, its fast, I have the Miata, its FUN. It was actually kinda more fun on the street when it didnt have the loud exhaust on it as I could just about get away with murder without calling attention to myself.

Smallbore, stickshift, confident yet somewhat comfy suspension. Dont make it loud or visually obnoxious, make it about maximizing the tactile feedback of the driving experience. Then work on your heel-toe downshifts and late apexing wile being totally anonymous. learn to row row row that 'box if you know what I mean.

These cars are usually also much cheaper to upkeep, shop right and even replacing the motor will only set you back a few hundred bucks. Miata would be a fun answer, but maybe not mom-approved. Look at 90's hatchbacks with sticks, commence the fun.

I've got one big question here: did you buy the car with your money? If you did, why the berkeley is your mom taking it for an inspection and giving you no choice on where it goes? I'd just pull the "it's my car, I paid for it, I'll deal with it" card.

In reply to rslifkin:

I did everything with my money, and the car's in my name. I still have no say unless I never want to talk to my parents again.

What's wrong with the Vic exactly?

I'm in the keep it and see it through camp. The transaction costs in taxes and such everytime you swap cars just money that could have otherwise been spent on mods or repairs, which ANYTHING in your price bracket will need. Get it reliable then do whatever the hell you want with it. You're what, 17? What the berkeley do you care about practicality

G_Body_Man wrote: In reply to rslifkin: I did everything with my money, and the car's in my name. I still have no say unless I never want to talk to my parents again.

I am assuming that they don't necessarily approve of the modifications you made to the CV, so you need to play the long game here. Acquiesce; return it to stock. Try and have fun with what you have until you're in a position to do what ever you please to the car. Who knows, maybe your tastes will uh, improve with time.

Lifes too short for a boring car. Drive something you enjoy. Ive tried the practical daily route several times and it doesnt work for me. If i cant do a donut on dry pavement im not interested.

I vote keep the Crown Vic, decide what you want it to be, then find a way to make it that as cheaply as possible while looking like a grandmother's car.

• source, 20 year old college kid trying keep myself entertained while I work towards being able to afford racecar things and a house.

Stock height and exhaust, covertly add P71 bits when possible.

Kartoffelbrei wrote:

G_Body_Man wrote: In reply to rslifkin: I did everything with my money, and the car's in my name. I still have no say unless I never want to talk to my parents again.

I am assuming that they don't necessarily approve of the modifications you made to the CV, so you need to play the long game here. Acquiesce; return it to stock. Try and have fun with what you have until you're in a position to do what ever you please to the car. Who knows, maybe your tastes will uh, improve with time.

This guy got it right!

It sounds like your mother doesn't like what you did with it, so she is going to make it fail inspection and then you are taking the bus.

Make it stock - when you live at home you gotta follow the rules. You can do what you want, after you move out.

In reply to NGTD:

Surprisingly, it's not about the mods. It's actually about my impromptu bumper test following the ABS failing during a panic stop.

I got your answer: return it to stock suspension, get some snow tires. And rally it. It's Canada, you can't be far from dirt roads. I just literally did this with my Celica. I live in the sticks. My track suspension was fun, but limited me to where and when I could have. Now I'm oem. And I love it. I can go drifting anytime on dirt. For free. and my wife actually likes riding in the Celica again.