Welp my engine is on the way after several months of saving money so now comes the time for the beater search
price: MAX 1500$, would like it as CHEAP AS POSSIBLE.
i will drive almost anything as long as it dosent feel like its going to explode while im drivng above 40 mph.
suggestions please!
CHEAP RELIABLE beaters! suggestions!
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Holisticbeatz
- Posts: 1221
- Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2003 6:09 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
1985 and later Maxima. You can find a high mileage example of a third-gen 1989-1994 Maxima for under $2000 if you look hard enough. But the 85-88 are dirt cheap, and bulletproof reliable (if you do the timing belt for $400 and make sure the fuel pump is good.) Its also fairly quick, with 8.5s 0-60.
And since you said beater, that opens the door to the Sentra, Civic, and Corolla. The Corolla might have the best fit and finish if youre going earlier than the 90s. The Sentra will be equally reliable, far cheaper, but noisier if youre going before 1992.
An 80s Mazda 626 (the older ones even have turbos) can be EASILY found for under $1500. You can get a more modern 88 626 for around $1000 in pretty good shape. Save even more money and get a Protege or 323.
The 323, especially, can take a SERIOUS beating. Just be prepared to feel seriously intimidated driving alongside a semitruck at 65mph on the interstate. The 323 is also "zippy" and pretty darn good for quick lane changes. Just dont expect to have even an ounce of passing power.
I dont know much about Corollas, except the interior is very durable, like good tupperware, and it feels like it has adequate power for its size and good enough steering feel to get a modicum of road feedback.
The Ford Escort, after 1990, improved drastically. Keep an eye out for cheap used values on those.
All of the above are available for under $1500. I bet you can even snag an ugly 323 covered in Free Tibet bumper stickers and a pungent dead squirrel interior odor for $200-$400.
And since you said beater, that opens the door to the Sentra, Civic, and Corolla. The Corolla might have the best fit and finish if youre going earlier than the 90s. The Sentra will be equally reliable, far cheaper, but noisier if youre going before 1992.
An 80s Mazda 626 (the older ones even have turbos) can be EASILY found for under $1500. You can get a more modern 88 626 for around $1000 in pretty good shape. Save even more money and get a Protege or 323.
The 323, especially, can take a SERIOUS beating. Just be prepared to feel seriously intimidated driving alongside a semitruck at 65mph on the interstate. The 323 is also "zippy" and pretty darn good for quick lane changes. Just dont expect to have even an ounce of passing power.
I dont know much about Corollas, except the interior is very durable, like good tupperware, and it feels like it has adequate power for its size and good enough steering feel to get a modicum of road feedback.
The Ford Escort, after 1990, improved drastically. Keep an eye out for cheap used values on those.
All of the above are available for under $1500. I bet you can even snag an ugly 323 covered in Free Tibet bumper stickers and a pungent dead squirrel interior odor for $200-$400.
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skydragoness
- Posts: 9394
- Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 6:49 am
- Car: 03' 350z Touring 6spd
92' 240sx 60k survivor :) - Location: North DFW, TEJAS
- Contact:
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Thee 240sx Owner
- Posts: 1192
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2003 9:58 am
- Car: Canadian 89 240 with LSD/stock no ac/ and 4 motor swaps
- Contact:
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Stoneage_Turbo
- Posts: 2178
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 3:33 am
- Car: 1994 Caddy Deville 4.9
Just about anything
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Thee 240sx Owner
- Posts: 1192
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2003 9:58 am
- Car: Canadian 89 240 with LSD/stock no ac/ and 4 motor swaps
- Contact:
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Nismo_Freak
- Posts: 10314
- Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2002 10:42 pm
- Car: 89 Nissan 240SX
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Thee 240sx Owner
- Posts: 1192
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2003 9:58 am
- Car: Canadian 89 240 with LSD/stock no ac/ and 4 motor swaps
- Contact:
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coloradoracerboi
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 4:45 pm
- Car: go-peds,cars,electronices
Uhm if its something under $2000 why dont you just buy a 240sx? you can buy an average s-13 for that much. Might not be the cleanest thing in the world but hey its better than driving a corolla or a civic. I have never had a problem with mine and i have been beating the snot out of it for over two years.
Another car I love for absolute barain basment beater transportation is the chevy caparices from the 80's and early 90's, and the various other gm counterparts based on this platform. They are ugly as hell, have no style, but the parts are avaliable in any junkyard, pepboys, rednecks driveway, etc. They are comfortable as hell, and if you live where it snows they are great since they have almost the same ground clearence as an SUV. Another cool thing that you can do with the caparices is beat the crap out of it when you are mad, even if you cave the fender in who cares since the whole car is worth like $50.
P.s. its really fun to drift a 1986 cheverolet caprice with hubcaps flying everywhere, just to see the shocked look on bystanders faces.
Another car I love for absolute barain basment beater transportation is the chevy caparices from the 80's and early 90's, and the various other gm counterparts based on this platform. They are ugly as hell, have no style, but the parts are avaliable in any junkyard, pepboys, rednecks driveway, etc. They are comfortable as hell, and if you live where it snows they are great since they have almost the same ground clearence as an SUV. Another cool thing that you can do with the caparices is beat the crap out of it when you are mad, even if you cave the fender in who cares since the whole car is worth like $50.
P.s. its really fun to drift a 1986 cheverolet caprice with hubcaps flying everywhere, just to see the shocked look on bystanders faces.
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MainEvent212
- Posts: 4182
- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2003 1:21 pm
- Car: 95 Nissan 240SX SE w/ SR20DET+goodies
mainevent212 wrote:CRX...cheap, it'll get u places, good gas mileage...CHEAP! lol
they're really light weight w/ small *** engines so they get pretty good fuel economy and they're sporty in handling
i previously said civic hatch, but crx would be even better if you have no need for back seats/ hauling much.
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Rockenreno
- Posts: 2891
- Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2003 5:48 pm
- Car: 1997 BMW M3
- Contact:
a 240 would be great but id be afraid of modding it..."oh a s13 redtop motorset for how much?! **** might as well throw that in there!"
that would suppliment my RB240 lol but i dunno if i want to do that...maybe if i can find a good one for cheap..
they are VERY hard to find here for a good price. i dont know why...
that would suppliment my RB240 lol but i dunno if i want to do that...maybe if i can find a good one for cheap..
they are VERY hard to find here for a good price. i dont know why...
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Stoneage_Turbo
- Posts: 2178
- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 3:33 am
- Car: 1994 Caddy Deville 4.9
Just about anything
tino is a fellow member of the board , we like to pick on his mom , i started that trend about a year ago , now its just a hazeing/intiation gone terribly wrong
we made fun of his mom trying to get him to make beatter comebacks , but its not working , his still a posterchild for a.d.d. and downsyndrome , a product of innerbreeding
we made fun of his mom trying to get him to make beatter comebacks , but its not working , his still a posterchild for a.d.d. and downsyndrome , a product of innerbreeding
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nametakennow
- Posts: 10024
- Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2002 4:14 pm
- Car: '06 MINI Cooper S