Car guys: Can you help recommend a car to me?

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Scared0o0Rabbit

Established Member
What state are you in? If you're talking about modding cars at all that can be very important. In california for instance, anything made after 1975 will always have to be smogged. A smog check is more than just the numbers your tail pipe makes too, in California you have to pass a visual inspection under the hood and anything that isn't stock needs a CARB number or you fail instantly.

Edit: and stock from another car isn't good enough, if you live in California and want to do an engine swap on a car made after 1975, you better forget it if you want to be able to have it registered here. Even pre-1975 cars still need to be smog compliant, you just don't have to go get it tested, you can still get busted by any cop who wants to look under your hood or by the roadside tests for polluters. We even occasionally have checkpoints where they pull over any pre-1975 car and test them on the spot!
 
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Pearl Jammzz

Established Member
american cars are pretty reliable, the ones that are made for it. they are just ass, lol (this comming from a camaro/gm lover...like their style but they make cars like ass). basically anything labeled economy car is gunna get ya around good. research research research is all I can say.

and ya, stay away from RWD if you live in snow county :p. subaru 2.5rs is where it's at, woot woot!
 
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Dud

Established Member
I'm in Illinois right now, so I don't need any of California's silly emissions modifications. Really I just need something to go from point A to point B. I don't care about modifying or going really fast, and I don't even like driving. I just need something to get me to work or occasionally for a long trip.

So far I'm considering:

Ford Focus

Acura Integra (used)

Toyota Paseo, Camry or Corolla

I'm going to stay away from Nissans, Saturns, Hondas, and Dodge Neons because those are really played out around here and I'm tired of looking at them. It seems like every other car going down the road here is a Dodge Neon.
 
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Dud

Established Member
Originally posted by IceMan2k@Tue, 2005-05-24 @ 07:30 PM

BTW, the cadillac is a damn fast car and reliable. Get a used deville with a northstar.

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A Cadillac would be really cool, but the temptation to pimp it out would be too great. If I bought one, I'd spend thousands of dollars on stupid accessories like white things for the wheels (whatever they used to call that), curb feelers, furry seats, a golden chain steering wheel etc.

After more half-assed research (the only kind I do), I'm leaning towards a used Toyota Paseo. Oh yeah I've ruled out buying a new car, its going to be a used car now--it's just not worth it to me to buy a new one. So unless anyone else has some really good advice I think that's what I'm going for.

Thanks a lot guys.
 
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Supergrom

Established Member
this is slightly off topic, but in re: pre-1975 cars in california, I used to drive a 63 VW bus with a non-stock (and im fairly sure illegally modified engine) and my dad used to drive a 74 porsche 914. I didnt have to go get mine checked at all, but my dad's car had to pass smog. im pretty sure the cut off is 1973, because he said he just missed the cut off. I've also never heard of random check points or pull overs.
 
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Scared0o0Rabbit

Established Member
Acura is honda (not everyone knows this, if you did then you can ignore that comment). Depending on what car you get it may require 91+ octane fuel. The integra GSR being one of those I believe, though I don't own one so I can't tell you for sure.

Toyota makes good reliable cars. We recently sold a toyota pickup we had (to buy a new one with 4 wheel drive which ours lacked) that had something like 212,000 miles on it. The engine had never been rebuilt, and it still ran like new. I've got a friend with a 4runner sitting at around 197,000 miles that also runs great still.
 
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Scared0o0Rabbit

Established Member
the emmissions stuff in california works like this, until april of this year it was 30 model years and older did not have to be smogged. Starting april of this year cars built in 1975 and later ( might just be later than 1975 can't remember now) will always have to be smogged, no more rolling smog cutoff.

As to the roadside things, this is fairly new stuff, it's never happened to me, but on another forum I post on it's happened to others. I live out in the country so I don't expect I'll see it anytime soon, but it could be coming to a street or highway near you.

As to finding a TT 300zx, yeah you're not going to find one of those for less than $15k, they're not a common car and sometimes even the non-turbo Z32's go for near that much.
 
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Gallstaff

Established Member
If you want something cool for not a ton of money check out a Mitsubishi 3000gt. I know someone said stay away from mitsubishi but I recently got the chance to drive one and I enjoyed it a great deal. It's a pretty fun little ricer.

If you want to be a bit sportier (albiet less original) you could try for a mustang made in the last few years or something along those lines.
 
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Pearl Jammzz

Established Member
lol mitsu 3kgt = DSM....it'll break like crazy and isn't cheap to fix. STAY AWAY FROM THEM! Paseo is a good choice. will run for a long time :). and is way cheap. Toyota's aveo pretty much
 
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Scared0o0Rabbit

Established Member
Mitsubishis may be fun for a while, until you have to start fixing stuff all the time. Might be a fun car if you want to work on your own car, and have a lot of knowledge, otherwise I'd stay away.
 
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Nadius

Established Member
Along the same vain as Racketboy, I'd like to suggest suggest the same type of car I drive. Get an older w124 chassis benz. They're built like tanks, have decent millage, and feel great.

I really didn't like driving either until I started driving it for a while. The handling is incredible; it just occurred to me one night when i was on my way home. I was going 80 on the 110 north where the highway just starts going crazy with the curves and it hit me while I was exiting the freeway. I thought, "this driving stuff is pretty neat". I guess once you get your car (whether and you love it off the bat or learn to love it), you'll like driving.

Anyway, so yeah, if carefully bought, i'd say the w124 can be one of the best used car purchases you're ever gonna make.

I drive a 1986 300e. It had a some idle problems that came with a 1100 dollar price, but it seems to have just needed to be driven around (or needed a tune up) because it's gone. (apparently it was sitting for a while) It also helps I guess if you have someone with car knowledge willing to help you out. On that note, another reason why I like my car is how it gives me a chance to hang out with my dad when he helps me out (cars seem to be the only thing he's excited about). So while I still have minor problems to fix, repairs haven't been too expensive (thanks to forums)... yet.

http://www.mercedesshop.com/300e.htm

http://www.mercedesshop.com/400e.htm

http://www.mercedesshop.com/500e.htm
 
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gamefoo21

You could always be like me and drive a Crown Vic. No one ever suspects the boat. But I hate rattle can ricers and the lil trash wannabe asian white boys who think its hot to have a car that sounds like my lawn mower. Hell my parents have a Swift with a 1.0 and that thing with a stock exhaust at around 2-3 grand sounds like it has more balls than alot of these kids cars.

My favourite look in the world is the stunned look in my rear view mirror as the rich kid in his car that daddy bought him and that has his gf sittin beside him getting smoked by the most unassuming grandpa car around. Its priceless that look of bewilderment and wonder and then the trying to explain why his toy just got mopped.

Bah I just guess I'm just behind the times and a growling engine isn't considered powerful anymore but a lawn mower is.

Remember its fun to be different. Oh and quiet pipes are real nice with cops.
 
IceDigger

IceDigger

Founder
Staff member
Gamefoo21 ever get mistaken for a cop car and have people slowing down around you? My friend has a 91 Caprice Classic interceptor package and people mistake him for a cop car all the time, it's hilarious. The thing was damn fast too with the LS! in it.
 
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Scared0o0Rabbit

Established Member
most V8's are old technology.

I like OHC engines and most v8's that you see seem like they're pushrod.

Also, not all of us who are into asian cars are into the whole "ricer" thing. Sure one of my cars is a honda. Doesn't mean I have a fart can on the back. My other car is a z, and it has an exhaust, and it sounds like a V8 (even though it's not).

However as someone who likes to have fun with cars I can tell you it's not all about the look and sound of the car, it's about being able to have fun in it.

That and street racing is a bad idea!
 
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Dud

Established Member
Originally posted by Nadius@Thu, 2005-05-26 @ 12:08 AM

Along the same vain as Racketboy, I'd like to suggest suggest the same type of car I drive. Get an older w124 chassis benz. They're built like tanks, have decent millage, and feel great.

I really didn't like driving either until I started driving it for a while. The handling is incredible; it just occurred to me one night when i was on my way home. I was going 80 on the 110 north where the highway just starts going crazy with the curves and it hit me while I was exiting the freeway. I thought, "this driving stuff is pretty neat". I guess once you get your car (whether and you love it off the bat or learn to love it), you'll like driving.

Anyway, so yeah, if carefully bought, i'd say the w124 can be one of the best used car purchases you're ever gonna make.

I drive a 1986 300e. It had a some idle problems that came with a 1100 dollar price, but it seems to have just needed to be driven around (or needed a tune up) because it's gone. (apparently it was sitting for a while) It also helps I guess if you have someone with car knowledge willing to help you out. On that note, another reason why I like my car is how it gives me a chance to hang out with my dad when he helps me out (cars seem to be the only thing he's excited about). So while I still have minor problems to fix, repairs haven't been too expensive (thanks to forums)... yet.

http://www.mercedesshop.com/300e.htm

http://www.mercedesshop.com/400e.htm

http://www.mercedesshop.com/500e.htm

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Good call. A Mercedes gives +10 STYLISH points right off the bat. I read some reviews, and they seem to agree with what you are saying. A 300 Eor a 400 E/E420 are at the top of my list now.

EDIT: Yeah as it stands, I'm defintely getting a '92 300 E or something. I'm really liking this car, what with the leather seats, the sturdy construction, the still stylish appearance and things like this.
 
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