Going to look at 99 Prizm tomorrow for $1200(already talked the guy down over the phone), 127k, looks OK, 5 speed, power locks, cruise, power steering, crank windows, just the way I like em. Ac leaks, but I've got vacuum pump access so it NBD to fix. Anything to look for in particular? That's a timing chain, right?
I'm going to say any full framed, V8, auto transmission, RWD car made by GM or Ford and built before 1980. Don't go for the aluminum blocks or the fancy EFI. You need cast iron and stupid simple carbs. They don't actually need oil in them, that just a rumor perpetuated by the oil companies. I tried to kill a bunch of them in high school and never did succeed. I'd go for the Caprice or the C10 truck. They don't make enough HP to hurt themselves. They might rust away, but the engine will still run.
Kenny_McCormic wrote: Going to look at 99 Prizm tomorrow for $1200(already talked the guy down over the phone), 127k, looks OK, 5 speed, power locks, cruise, power steering, crank windows, just the way I like em. Ac leaks, but I've got vacuum pump access so it NBD to fix. Anything to look for in particular? That's a timing chain, right?
My wife can kill ANYTHING. I actually bought the one she had when we first met BACK from the people we sold it to, after it went through 3 years of a high school girl and a year of college. I suspect they're pretty goddamn strong.
In reply to Toyman01:
Cant handle the fuel bill of a V8, nor have I got the restraint to not bury the loud pedal constantly. That's what the Yugo is for, I can wail away and still get north of 30mpg, but that's an unreliable toy with license plates and no HAVAC system whatsoever, not a car, only to be driven with something reliable on immediate standby.
An old smog era American car is the next logical step if I manage to kill another piece of Japanese WTF metal though.
END THREAD, I now have one unit of Japanese WTF metal in my possession.
$1200! TURN KEY
127K miles, 5 speed w/ good clutch and synchros, power locks, cruise, tilt wheel, no ABS, crank windows, nice headunit, just how I like it. Very little rust, peppy, not smoking, pretty much everything works but the washers and AC.
In reply to Kenny_McCormic: Hi, I'm gonna revive this 3.5 year old thread with my experience of unkillable cars 1996 Honda Accord Auto at 239k: Purchased new by my uncle, handed down to dad, and got to drive it on my permit. The car was almost never maintained (only oil changes or if something broke) and it kept running. It always started first crank and ran almost like new. It leaks oil from the rear main seal and into the spark plug tube and it never misfired once even though the plugs and wires haven't been changed in over 10 years (1 tuneup in 20 years). One time the oil was so low that it didn't even show on the dipstick and I caught that t the gas station. Trans was also neglected. Fluid only changed once at 130k (fluid was completely black) and I put it in park accidentally at 5 mph going into the gas station the same day the oil was really low. It made a ratcheting noise until the car stopped (trans was fine). We got rid of it because the trans was slipping really badly a year later. We traded in the filthy car for 6000 bucks (I'm not lying about the 6k, that's the Jeep dealer) for a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee. If the trans hasn't given up, I would still drive it to this day. 2005 Honda Odyssey at 114k: Van was bought new and driven all the way to niagra falls, Florida, and 5 times between Chicago and manhattan, KS. It also pulled 2 atv's on a 12 foot homemade trailer purchased for 400 bucks (doesn't have a tow package) and all the way to Chicago. When I started driving it, it had a really bad misfire a week later due to a dead coil which also was stuck in the engine thanks to a melted spark plug. Got rid of it and traded in for a 2014 civic manual with 15k (now has 31k). I do 6k upshifts and spin the tires at redlights and no issues. 2000 Ford ranger 2wd auto 4 banger at 230k: Bought I think used (as I'm aware of) and used as a work truck. That one got t-boned and then was replaced with a similar one (painted gray instead of blue). I never got to drive it once cause didn't have a permit at the time. The gray one was used everyday and never had a single problem and ran great (except the radio which was an easy fix). Sold it for 700 bucks on Craigslist. 2000 Ford Econoline 250 Triton V8 at 195k: Bought to replace the ranger. It ran OK until it spit a spark plug and then had a constant misfire whichwas caused by some previous mechanic's berkeley up. At 205k it spit another plug and we drove it to the junkyard for 300 bucks. 1995 Ford Econoline 350 at 225k: Bought for 500 bucks on the roadside. It's rusty but it runs good enough. It was at the mechanic for who knows how many times and we still use it today. It has 245k and still ticking.
I had a '79 280zx. I was casual about upkeep, but not stupid. Always ran good, quick enough to have fun in, and was a good looking car after a bit of body work and a paint job. Very reluctantly got rid of it after wify t-boned an ADT truck with it. At 285,000 miles.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: Late 80's early 90's Crown Vic. Simple as the day is long, 302 powered, infinite improbability drive.
every single one of those I see being driven by a young driver has the plastic panel above the grill blown out.
Hey Kenny, did you ever blow up the geota?
Do you know what car won't ever blow up? The one that you have a spare engine for in the back of the garage. If you have a spare engine you can replace the oil with sand and run for 100k miles.
Nope, car is getting kinda tired/rusty (probably about 2 more winters in the body before things get questionable), trans is feeling more like a truck lately (whatever special sauce Redline puts in MT-90 doesn't seem to hold up forever) but the engine is A OK. Though now that I've said that it will probably go and E36 M3 the crank on the pavement at 2000 RPM tomorrow.
My 84 caprice with a 305 has gotten more than 30mpg before so they can get good mileage
In reply to Antihero:
So, how was the road trip from Boulder to Oklahoma?
travellering wrote: In reply to Antihero: So, how was the road trip from Boulder to Oklahoma?
Must have me mistaken for someone else, nowhere near either of those
Antihero wrote:travellering wrote: In reply to Antihero: So, how was the road trip from Boulder to Oklahoma?Must have me mistaken for someone else, nowhere near either of those
No, just a failed attempt at suggesting a route where an 84 Caprice might coast to 30+ mpg..
travellering wrote:Antihero wrote:No, just a failed attempt at suggesting a route where an 84 Caprice might coast to 30+ mpg..travellering wrote: In reply to Antihero: So, how was the road trip from Boulder to Oklahoma?Must have me mistaken for someone else, nowhere near either of those
It has really high gears so it's turning over at about 1400rpm at highway speeds
It's getting over 25 almost always on a hilly highway in north Idaho. I'm shocked too frankly
I have to say Toyota Echo. Ours had been stuffed into snow banks (among other things), driven at or near WOT for 60% of it's life, V-maxed on multiple occasions, some maintenance items were accidentally deferred, it was rarely undercoated even in Ontario salt, cladding had to be re-attached, the interior was thoroughly worn in, and the A/C eventually didn't work, but it never left us stranded or broke down. It always got 40 MPG, and it only had some minor rot inside the wheel well where it met the sill after 15 years and 175k miles. We gave it to a family friend when we left Ontario, and it's still being driven every day, not burning a drop of oil. If a Corolla is as reliable as the sun, an Echo is as reliable as gravity. Even a first year model with the 4 speed automatic!
Top gear says toyota high lux 4x4
Best car I've ever had was an 87 SAAB 900 four door. A non-turbo car from a company that didn't have the funds to make separate engine blocks. Therefore all the eight valve motor assembly was way over built for its puny horses. Car was solid and still a great driver when I sold it at 275000 miles.
Appleseed wrote: 80s Toyota pickup/4runner. Wail away.
They don't break, they just rust away.
A friend of mine had a Prizm of the same vintage as Kenny. He put it through the ringer and sold it to his mechanic when he got a new car. He sold the new car and bought the car back from his mechanic. He had to apply a roll of duct tape ever so often due to the windshield sealing coming undone. He ended up trading it in on a new suv.
G_Body_Man wrote: I have to say Toyota Echo. Ours had been stuffed into snow banks (among other things), driven at or near WOT for 60% of it's life, V-maxed on multiple occasions, some maintenance items were accidentally deferred, it was rarely undercoated even in Ontario salt, cladding had to be re-attached, the interior was thoroughly worn in, and the A/C eventually didn't work, but it never left us stranded or broke down. It always got 40 MPG, and it only had some minor rot inside the wheel well where it met the sill after 15 years and 175k miles. We gave it to a family friend when we left Ontario, and it's still being driven every day, not burning a drop of oil. If a Corolla is as reliable as the sun, an Echo is as reliable as gravity. Even a first year model with the 4 speed automatic!
I drive my civic wide open on the highway passing and I love it when i got a straight highway on ramp in front of me, I simply drop a gear and floor it. Lots of fun. This summer I might be driving (with my friend) a viper. 640 HP V10 will be a new experience. I never driven any vehicle with more then 300 hp
BrokenYugo wrote: Nope, car is getting kinda tired/rusty (probably about 2 more winters in the body before things get questionable), trans is feeling more like a truck lately (whatever special sauce Redline puts in MT-90 doesn't seem to hold up forever) but the engine is A OK. Though now that I've said that it will probably go and E36 M3 the crank on the pavement at 2000 RPM tomorrow.
Hi Kenny, how is everything going? How are the cars doing?
My best friend had a green Plymouth Valiant that was the same age as him, and he was no kid when he had it. If there was a road between them, one of those old Mopar slant 6's would go to the moon and back. He had a Civic with a D series motor in it that had just shy of a half million miles on it when his sister was driving in the snow and backed it into a ditch for him
You know why they put a rear window defroster in the Yugo? To keep your hands warm when you are pushing it.
Toebra wrote: My best friend had a green Plymouth Valiant that was the same age as him, and he was no kid when he had it. If there was a road between them, one of those old Mopar slant 6's would go to the moon and back. He had a Civic with a D series motor in it that had just shy of a half million miles on it when his sister was driving in the snow and backed it into a ditch for him You know why they put a rear window defroster in the Yugo? To keep your hands warm when you are pushing it.
Did your best friend kill that thing yet?
I'm probably veering this off topic from cars to small engines but I had more experience with small engines.
My experience started with my first ATV, a 2006 Chinese 250cc with a bad motor. It was worn out having no power and burned oil. I babied it for a year then one day it decided to not start on the trail so I then had to try to start it one last time (after about 2 minutes of cranking) and was able to get back to the trailer. At the top of last hill, the ATV blew out so much white smoke you can't see anything. That's the last time it ran. I then sold it for 80 bucks for parts.
We also had another ATV, a 2000 Bombardier DS 650. It was straight piped and had a larger carburetor purchased for 1200 bucks. I rode that quad hard yet it always starts first crank. I kept it all the way till I moved. I then took it out one last time and got it stuck in about 2.5 feet of water. Motor still ran like a champ and then sold it few weeks later for the same price we bought it.
My next toy was a 300 dollar mini bike from Sears. It had a 79cc POS on it and topped out at 20 mph. I jerryrigged the governor to bypass it and it ran like that for about a year and a half and I was hitting like 30-35 mph on a flat road. If i went down steep hills (there was a very steep hill one street over) and I think I hit like 40 or 50 mph. Then one day it blew up while my cousins were riding it. The reason: it overheated everytime I rode it. It had no compression and was knocking.
Moving to the topic of lawn equipment, I cut the grass every week and one time I was cutting my neighbor's tall lawn and it overheated after about half an hour from stalling it a million times. I let it sit 5 minutes and after many pulls it fired back up. It was a modern Briggs and Stratton 6.25 hp. I also ran it with almost no oil in it once or twice and I didn't even own it
For the winter I had a really old Briggs 5 hp snowblower, it took forever to start (about 30-40 minutes of pulling) but it always ran good enough to clear the driveway. One winter the motor was squeaking like a mother and hurts your ears. It probably had little to almost no oil in it but I ran it like that for a full winter season. Next winter I decided to pour in some oil and the squeaking stopped. I then sold that thing for 70 dollars in the summer.
My latest experience was me building a motorized bicycle with a 66cc (I thought it was 80) 2 stroke. It went about 35 mph. It doesn't like to idle properly, I broke the throttle handle once from pulling on it too hard, the exhaust pipe won't stay on as the bolt holes were stripped, but I never stopped running. I sold the motor to a friend for some money and that's it for me.
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