This is an '81 Spider, with Dell'orto carbs in place of the awful single throttle Spica. Grey with burgundy interior, and the rare cheap musty sheepskin / taxicab beaded seat cover combination:
And before you ask, yes, that is my yellow Spider in the background.
As some of the CCBA group know I had a cherry '92 Miata fall into my lap, which I wasn't quite sure what to do with. That problem solved itself - my instructor at the track day I took the Miata to fell in love with the car, tracked me down afterward, and convinced me to sell it to him.
The Alfa belonged to a friend of his, who bought it in one of the all time eBay snow jobs. It's a shabby driver which was sold as a pristine, needs nothing car. He saw my Spider, figured his was better off in my hands, and agreed to throw it in to seal the Miata deal. I paid $1 to keep the DMV happy.
So, with this car I'll finish the conversion to pre-smog specs with a 4.56 rear end, euro cams, and early exhaust system. I have all that in my garage already so that won't cost me anything. I'll install a new vinyl top and dye the carpets, do something with the seats, get all the electrics working, and fix the brake booster.
The paint is OK from 15 feet or so but don't get any closer. There's definitely some mediocre body work, but the floors, jacking points, and trunk are solid so I'll just polish it up. I have no delusions that it will be anything but a driver but with a few bucks and some elbow grease it'll be a fun, interesting car that won't be an embarassment to drive around.
Definitely worth restoring, the '51 Ford convertible, as long as you don't get crazy about it. If you bought it for $10,000, you could sink about $35000 into it and still come out all right.
Now $35,000 won't buy you a frame off, but the car could be made to look pretty darn good from 5 feet away.
I'd love to have that car but I sure would inspect it for rust before purchase.
So we finally found and purchased a pickup truck this morning. Ad came out today and we were the first there.
its not as big as I'd hoped, but I'm anticipating it will be more reliable than a full-sized '80s truck.
the vehicle: '92 Mazda B2200 5-speed 2wd w/138k miles. recent history includes a clutch, radiator, head gasket, and battery. currently in need of an exhaust and probably brakes. Overall pretty clean. One rust spot on the front edge of the hood. Bed amazingly solid. Now, he says its not a stripper model. It says "extreme" on it ... but its got no AC, no power windows, no power locks, and the aforementioned 5-spd. So what makes it NOT a stripper alludes me.
No leaks I could find to worry about. No smoking, no burning, no runs, hits, or errors.
$800 cash.
I'm going to pick it up tonight after dark due to not having current tags or inspection sticker.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
1998 Supercharged Buick Riviera, Black "Signature Edition" There may be more Plood on this interior than I've ever seen.
It's cheesy and classy at the same time. Looks sharp, and I bet it really goes. The handling is probably less mushy than 98% of Buicks out there (although that's not saying much)
Bidding is now at $4500, but there's one day to go. Original list on this car was probably around 35k. Looks like it has some good life left in it. I liked these boats, but I don't think they sold worth a darn.
That Bonny was hilarious!
Re: the Mazda B2200. We had a 1986 Mazda B2000 LX Longbed 5-speed. It was a good truck that we got at a nice price. It listed for $6900, but we got it on sale "one only" for $5995. We got it just as the new body style came out, in the summer of 1985. We had the car until the year 2000, and I think the only repair of note until then was a new clutch at 140k. It went 163k, I think, before it died. Even then it might possibly have been fixed, but my dad was sick of it and wanted a 4 wheel drive Subaru.
I think those Mazdas are good little trucks. Even our LX, however, lacked AC or power windows or locks. In fact, I'm not even sure it had power steering, now that I think about it. The last of a breed.
Once Mazda adopted Ford's design for their trucks it seemed like it was all over. I kind of lost my respect for them as a company.
Broz, I'll be happy to take the PU off your hands in 3 months when you are tired of it. I'm back to thinking something like that would come in handy for a spare car, and would take some wear and tear off the interior of the Odyssey. That, and a good set of wheels to teach my son to drive a stick.
Jason, I would be happy to give you a 100% instant profit on the new ALfa. It looks too nice to be a throw in.
He just needs to take that down to the hood and some G will buy that. Most of the time the guys use Chevy Impala's and just lift them enough to use the 22 inch wheels. Otherwise I have seen a few of these things rolling down to the street. Talk about flipping over. They never seem to be driven that fast though. Crazy
Jackie Gleason drove a 1980 in the second Smokey and the Bandit movie. Well, okay, he drove a 1980 in most of the scenes, but whenver it got wrecked it suddenly turned into either a 1975 Grand Ville or a 1975-76 Bonneville! :surprise: I could definitely see Buford T. Justice taking one look at that thing and then threatening to barbeque somebody's rear-end in molases!
As for the '98 Riv, I actually kinda like it. That woodgrain kit looks better than I thought it would. These things actually had a pretty plain interior scheme stock, with just too much monotone on the dash. The woodgrain (or is it ploodgrain?) actally sets it off kinda nice. On the day I bought my 2000 Intrepid, I was planning on going to a used car lot and checking out a '95 Riv I had found online. But that morning my uncle needed me to give him a ride to the dealer to pick up his truck, and while we were there he talked me into looking at the new cars they had on the lot. I ended up with the Intrepid and needless to say, never made it to see that Riv.
I wonder if I would've been happy with the Riv if I had bought it instead. It would probably be worn out now though, as it had about 75,000 miles on it then. My Intrepid has about 122,000 miles on it, so if I had bought that Riv, presuming it was still running, it would be pushing 200K by now. It was supercharged too, and I've heard that it's common to need a new supercharger every 100K miles.
Looks clean but it is alot of what was/is wrong with GM. The dash and door panels looks horrible and it's ridiculously big for a 2 door car. I can't believe that it's a 98. It's like a rounded off 78.
I'm not sure how long it will be around. We got it to haul leaves and trees to the compost pile. Once that's all done ... who knows. Would still be nice to have around for the occassional hauling. My wife's mulch in the spring, etc. I mean, this is obviously just a spare vehicle for us, too. So now we've got the 6-passenger SUV, standard family sedan, 2-seat convertible, and pickup. Its a nice rounded collection, I think.
So the drive home last night was interesting. It is NOT happy with the holey exhaust. Rides pretty good, though. Just very loud and has a tendency to buck and pop when trying to acclerate in high gear on the highway. Definitely needs those brakes. So a new exhaust and new brakes should fix her up pretty good.
question, though ... and maybe benjamin can help me out with this since his family had one (if theirs was EFI, that is) ... right now its idling very high. Not a problem. But here's the weird part ... when you step on the clutch, the idle goes even HIGHER. And not just a little bit. It will sit there at about 1600 rpms, but when you step on the clutch, it goes to 2100. What's that all about? Is the clutch in neutral really that much of a load? I've never had this on any other vehicle, including my '87 4runner, which this truck very much reminds me of, by the way.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Ours idled at 800 rpm, if I'm remembering correctly. It was pretty smooth for an engine of its time too. Although I'm sure my Honda vtec would put it to shame (the Honda is so smooth that once I tried to start it when it was already on, because the engine is so quiet and vibration free). But, now that you mention it, I'm almost positive our Mazda wasn't fuel injected. It had a carburetor. Just as it was one of the last vehicles made without power steering, it was one of the last with a carb.
In any case, I'm not mechanically minded. I helped my wife do a tune-up on the 1961 Dodge Lancer we once had, but that's about it. I enjoy cars, but I leave almost anything that's not on a simple beast like that to our various mechanics.
You're going to think I am absolutely batso-crazy, but step on the clutch at night and let me know if the intensity of the headlights or panel lights changes....this idea I have might not only cure the idle but also the bucking.
i did drive it home last night and noticed no such change.
what was your idea anyway? I'm curious.
I won't bother chasing down the idle issue until I have the exhaust fixed. I'm sure it is affecting it to some degree.
Oh, and my wife said it smelled REALLY bad driving home behind me last night, so I assume the vehicle is running REALLY rich right now, too, which would probably explain the idle issue, as well.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I think the ad said something like "I'd say this car is perfect, but no mechanical thing is truly perfect." A good thing to say when it comes to an Audi.
Still, these are sharp looking cars, and I bet very fun to drive. I fell in love with them when they first came out. If the Riviera is too big, I think this will please you. The difference is that the Riv has a back seat you can use, while the TT is for toddlers (although now that I think about it, there's no way to put a child seat back there, so I guess midgets only).
I'd go for the Riviera--less money, more car, cheaper to fix. Yeah, it's big for a two door, but that makes for a car you can actually use on trips carring your luggage. The Riv is nicely styled, in the modern mode, and not far off in size from the Rivs of the early 60s (in fact smaller than those by a bit, I assume). I think Buick's current cars have questionable taste. I like old things, but bringing back the "Ventiports" was probably a mistake.
The last Riviera was the nicest-looking car to come out of GM during the '90s by a wide margin. Unfortunately, the interior, drivetrain, and suspension undercut the promise of the exterior. I suppose you could put a Shortstar under the hood and seriously tighten up the running gear, or just buy an SC300 and call it a day.
the TT is a fun car. I test drove one before buying my Z. I really wanted to like it, but after about 20 minutes in it, I realized I just couldn't be comfortable on long drives.
There's no way I'd pay $15k for that. Those high miles is the kiss of death. As shifty said, nobody wants to deal with the service issues on this thing.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I'm in love with that '57 pickup. And a 1-ton with a flat bed to boot! Reasonable price, looks to be in decent shape. Man. Sometimes it is better just not to look.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Toyota is the worst at making a decent-looking wagon, but the Cressida would make a good beater/2nd car for that price. I doubt I would try too hard to keep it prestine though.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
You said it was a... '92, qbrozen? The idle is probably somewhat controlled by sensor feedback, so a bum oxygen sensor or MAS could probably result in high idle. With the richness, perhaps the temperature sending unit is awry and the truck thinks it is cold, even when not.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Ick... you piqued my curiosity and I took a look. Maybe the driving experience is SO good that you forget about the hideousness surrounding you.... Hahah. Admittedly, these are pretty much the only little sport coupes I see out and about during a Fairbanks winter. When running, they are probably a hoot on an icy road. Not sure I would want to tackle too much snow in one, though!
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Actually, the TT is an Audi I would like to have, I'm sure it would be a hoot to drive, but something about blue leather, and blue interiors in general really turn me off. Good to know I am not totally weird in my tastes.
yeah, without having gotten under the hood for very long yet, I'm guessing its similar to the late 80s EFIs that I'm used to, which use a combination of sensors and vacuum lines but still rely on good ole tuning to keep it running right. So it could be a sensor, a vacuum line, just needs a couple of screws turned, or any random combination of the above.
Oddly enough, it still looks like there is a carburetor under the air cleaner. I'm anxious to take it off and see what's there. On the surface, it looks more to me like an '87 Blazer with TBI than my '87 EFI 4runner.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I almost bought one years ago (new). It was a '91 2000 (or 2200?) maybe a '90 2000 or '91 2200. Anyway, I was amazed that it still had a Carb, and I think it was the last normal car/truck with one. Ended up with a Nissan PU instead (way more oomph).
Nicest thing about the Mazda was it had a forward facing front seat. The Nissan didn't last long when the first car seat came along (a big no no with the jump seats).
So, it could be any number of old-fashioned tune-up items, in addition to a more modern sensor.
I would get the exhaust done first, then look at the basics and see what you find.
Your suspicions are correct. Your '92 B2200 pickup does indeed have a carburetor hooked to that motor; it's one of those wacky electronic feeback carbs that are sometimes hard to rebuild. Shifty can elaborate more on this since he knows a little about Mazda trucks.
My father had an '87 B2200 long-bed back in the late '90s; it was a nice, reliable little truck. An interesting story- he purchased the truck from the original owner when it had but 19k original miles on it (yes, 19k miles!). That owner kept it in a heated garage and never took it out in rain or snow. That's why when we got it, it didn't have a speck of rust on it, as most '80s B-Series pickups that lived in Vermont did.
never really impressed me from the get-go, but I agree about those blue leather seats. I think blue is one of those colors that when applied to leather is a bit pimpy Midnight blue might be passable in a luxury car, but the medium and lighter blues are better suited to something like a '76 Eldorado convertible.
That shade of blue in the TT just looks bad though, IMO. Looks to me like someone pulled the seats out of an '88 LeBaron coupe and tried to dye them, and the lower part of the interior, in that blue and it just didn't work out. Almost like they were originally another color, like gray or beige, and the dye job didn't turn out as planned.
I think it's just kind of clashy with that silver exterior, anyway. If they had used a silver with a bit more blue in it, like what I've seen on Jags and BMWs, or heck even some Chrysler products, it might coordinate better.
I've been asking for a long time for manufacturers to go for an interior other than the typical sea of gray, beige, putty, etc we get. But after I see that blue interior, I can see why most makers these days stay away from them.
I wonder if blues, greens, burgundys and other interior colors really require a softer interior with more cloth and vinyl coverings to begin with? Most cars these days are pretty stark inside, with stuff that's either hard to the touch or looks hard to the touch. Maybe the generic putty, gray, and beige colors just work better with these harsh, stark materials?
And what is with a lot of these 5-10 year old luxury makes with aftermarket CD players? I see it a lot. Are the factory units really crappy sounding or do they just die after a few years?
better than that TT, but that's probably because I've always liked the Z3 to begin with! I do like the red inserts with the black interior better than the TT's blue/black interior, but I'm still not crazy about it.
I think red is one of those interior colors that really only looks good with a red, white, or black exterior. Or maybe burgundy. My '76 LeMans was originally kind of a burnt red called "Firethorne", but it was painted burgundy. It has a red interior, and I think it still matches well with the burgundy exterior.
Now a burgundy interior looks good with silver, IMO. I had an '86 Monte Carlo that was a 2-tone gray-over-silver. The hood, roof, and pillars were gray and the trunk and rest of the car were silver. I thought it looked good. It also had a cloth interior with cloth on the doorpanels, and the whole interior was burgundy though, so it wasn't just a generic interior with burgundy inserts. And while there were more than enough plastic parts here and there, overall it was plush enough to pull off that color IMO.
About 10 years ago, when I was thinking about getting another beater to replace my Dart, which had well over 300,000 miles on it by then, and one of the cars I looked at was a 1976 Chrysler Newport 4-door hardtop. It was silver with a burgundy interior and a burgundy top. It was a nice combination. The seats were this kind of brocade type of cloth, and it had thick carpeting and thick padded vinyl inserts on the door panels. So it was pretty "soft" and well-padded, and not stark like today's cars.
Now that I think about it, my cousin had a '79 Volare wagon that was a 2-ton black over silver, with a red interior. It coordinated well, but probably because of the black, which was on the roof, hood, and roof pillars. If it was all silver, it might not have looked as good. That was another beater I was thinking about at the time, but she'd already promised it to some relative down in the mountains of VA that I didn't even know, for $300.
I'd probably prefer that Z3 if its interior was just solid black.
"With the richness, perhaps the temperature sending unit is awry and the truck thinks it is cold, even when not. "
Been there, done that. 4cyl GM engine. The sensor was right on the very edge of what would set the CEL, but it didn't. The little beast would idle high at any time except very hot idle conditions.
Finally got out the VOM and checked it. Turns out it was off by about 40d farenheit. Not only did the replacement fix the idle problem, the gas mileage improved significantly.
Those Mazda B2200 carburetors are *mighty* tricky...do not go in there if you can avoid it.
SYMPTOMS: are you also stepping on the brake when you step on the clutch? I was thinking power brake booster leak.
Oh, my "headlight theory"? Sometimes if the enginge grounding strap breaks or is removed by some monkey, then the only time the car gets a good ground is when the clutch is depressed---in other words, the car grounds through the driveline!! This can affect alternator, engine computer, etc.
Z3--- a Z3 with a 1.9 takes a BIG hit in value. I trust the '96 is priced accordingly. I'd buy one CHEAP, definitely.
Audi TT - car for an interior designer wearing a large straw hat....Audi out of warranty? Are you just ASKING for it, or what?
Learned Friends, I sold my little powder-blue Datsun that I bought for $300. And then proceeded to pour $800+ into for this & that.
Much to my surprise, people actually started calling, and I sold it to the first person who showed up to look at it. Having had the foresight to put what antique dealers call a "whorehouse price" of $1,400 on the thing, I was happy to accept a $1,200 counter offer.
Until it was time to start the truck in the evening and run it over to the buyer's house. As it turned out, the battery conveniently chose that moment to die. Won-der-ful.
I push-started it, drove it over, and confessed. He still wanted it, so I knocked $100 off the price. Sigh.
I'm just glad to be rid of the thing with most of my skin intact. My luck with older cars just hasn't been that hot off late.
Comments
This is an '81 Spider, with Dell'orto carbs in place of the awful single throttle Spica. Grey with burgundy interior, and the rare cheap musty sheepskin / taxicab beaded seat cover combination:
Interior
And before you ask, yes, that is my yellow Spider in the background.
As some of the CCBA group know I had a cherry '92 Miata fall into my lap, which I wasn't quite sure what to do with. That problem solved itself - my instructor at the track day I took the Miata to fell in love with the car, tracked me down afterward, and convinced me to sell it to him.
The Alfa belonged to a friend of his, who bought it in one of the all time eBay snow jobs. It's a shabby driver which was sold as a pristine, needs nothing car. He saw my Spider, figured his was better off in my hands, and agreed to throw it in to seal the Miata deal. I paid $1 to keep the DMV happy.
So, with this car I'll finish the conversion to pre-smog specs with a 4.56 rear end, euro cams, and early exhaust system. I have all that in my garage already so that won't cost me anything. I'll install a new vinyl top and dye the carpets, do something with the seats, get all the electrics working, and fix the brake booster.
The paint is OK from 15 feet or so but don't get any closer. There's definitely some mediocre body work, but the floors, jacking points, and trunk are solid so I'll just polish it up. I have no delusions that it will be anything but a driver but with a few bucks and some elbow grease it'll be a fun, interesting car that won't be an embarassment to drive around.
-Jason
Hey, nice price, and I don't mind the color.
Now $35,000 won't buy you a frame off, but the car could be made to look pretty darn good from 5 feet away.
I'd love to have that car but I sure would inspect it for rust before purchase.
its not as big as I'd hoped, but I'm anticipating it will be more reliable than a full-sized '80s truck.
the vehicle:
'92 Mazda B2200 5-speed 2wd w/138k miles. recent history includes a clutch, radiator, head gasket, and battery. currently in need of an exhaust and probably brakes. Overall pretty clean. One rust spot on the front edge of the hood. Bed amazingly solid. Now, he says its not a stripper model. It says "extreme" on it ... but its got no AC, no power windows, no power locks, and the aforementioned 5-spd. So what makes it NOT a stripper alludes me.
No leaks I could find to worry about. No smoking, no burning, no runs, hits, or errors.
$800 cash.
I'm going to pick it up tonight after dark due to not having current tags or inspection sticker.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
No bids... go figure
There may be more Plood on this interior than I've ever seen.
It's cheesy and classy at the same time. Looks sharp, and I bet it really goes. The handling is probably less mushy than 98% of Buicks out there (although that's not saying much)
Bidding is now at $4500, but there's one day to go. Original list on this car was probably around 35k. Looks like it has some good life left in it. I liked these boats, but I don't think they sold worth a darn.
That Bonny was hilarious!
Re: the Mazda B2200. We had a 1986 Mazda B2000 LX Longbed 5-speed. It was a good truck that we got at a nice price. It listed for $6900, but we got it on sale "one only" for $5995. We got it just as the new body style came out, in the summer of 1985. We had the car until the year 2000, and I think the only repair of note until then was a new clutch at 140k. It went 163k, I think, before it died. Even then it might possibly have been fixed, but my dad was sick of it and wanted a 4 wheel drive Subaru.
I think those Mazdas are good little trucks. Even our LX, however, lacked AC or power windows or locks. In fact, I'm not even sure it had power steering, now that I think about it. The last of a breed.
Once Mazda adopted Ford's design for their trucks it seemed like it was all over. I kind of lost my respect for them as a company.
Jason, I would be happy to give you a 100% instant profit on the new ALfa. It looks too nice to be a throw in.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
As for the '98 Riv, I actually kinda like it. That woodgrain kit looks better than I thought it would. These things actually had a pretty plain interior scheme stock, with just too much monotone on the dash. The woodgrain (or is it ploodgrain?) actally sets it off kinda nice. On the day I bought my 2000 Intrepid, I was planning on going to a used car lot and checking out a '95 Riv I had found online. But that morning my uncle needed me to give him a ride to the dealer to pick up his truck, and while we were there he talked me into looking at the new cars they had on the lot. I ended up with the Intrepid and needless to say, never made it to see that Riv.
I wonder if I would've been happy with the Riv if I had bought it instead. It would probably be worn out now though, as it had about 75,000 miles on it then. My Intrepid has about 122,000 miles on it, so if I had bought that Riv, presuming it was still running, it would be pushing 200K by now. It was supercharged too, and I've heard that it's common to need a new supercharger every 100K miles.
I'll keep ya in mind.
I'm not sure how long it will be around. We got it to haul leaves and trees to the compost pile. Once that's all done ... who knows. Would still be nice to have around for the occassional hauling. My wife's mulch in the spring, etc. I mean, this is obviously just a spare vehicle for us, too. So now we've got the 6-passenger SUV, standard family sedan, 2-seat convertible, and pickup. Its a nice rounded collection, I think.
So the drive home last night was interesting. It is NOT happy with the holey exhaust. Rides pretty good, though. Just very loud and has a tendency to buck and pop when trying to acclerate in high gear on the highway. Definitely needs those brakes. So a new exhaust and new brakes should fix her up pretty good.
question, though ... and maybe benjamin can help me out with this since his family had one (if theirs was EFI, that is) ... right now its idling very high. Not a problem. But here's the weird part ... when you step on the clutch, the idle goes even HIGHER. And not just a little bit. It will sit there at about 1600 rpms, but when you step on the clutch, it goes to 2100. What's that all about? Is the clutch in neutral really that much of a load? I've never had this on any other vehicle, including my '87 4runner, which this truck very much reminds me of, by the way.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
In any case, I'm not mechanically minded. I helped my wife do a tune-up on the 1961 Dodge Lancer we once had, but that's about it. I enjoy cars, but I leave almost anything that's not on a simple beast like that to our various mechanics.
what was your idea anyway? I'm curious.
I won't bother chasing down the idle issue until I have the exhaust fixed. I'm sure it is affecting it to some degree.
Oh, and my wife said it smelled REALLY bad driving home behind me last night, so I assume the vehicle is running REALLY rich right now, too, which would probably explain the idle issue, as well.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Audi-TT-quattro-coupe-t-belt-70k-rare-BLUE-leathe- r_W0QQitemZ250028533578QQihZ015QQcategoryZ5345QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I think the ad said something like "I'd say this car is perfect, but no mechanical thing is truly perfect." A good thing to say when it comes to an Audi.
Still, these are sharp looking cars, and I bet very fun to drive. I fell in love with them when they first came out. If the Riviera is too big, I think this will please you. The difference is that the Riv has a back seat you can use, while the TT is for toddlers (although now that I think about it, there's no way to put a child seat back there, so I guess midgets only).
I'd go for the Riviera--less money, more car, cheaper to fix. Yeah, it's big for a two door, but that makes for a car you can actually use on trips carring your luggage. The Riv is nicely styled, in the modern mode, and not far off in size from the Rivs of the early 60s (in fact smaller than those by a bit, I assume). I think Buick's current cars have questionable taste. I like old things, but bringing back the "Ventiports" was probably a mistake.
There's no way I'd pay $15k for that. Those high miles is the kiss of death. As shifty said, nobody wants to deal with the service issues on this thing.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
You said it was a... '92, qbrozen? The idle is probably somewhat controlled by sensor feedback, so a bum oxygen sensor or MAS could probably result in high idle. With the richness, perhaps the temperature sending unit is awry and the truck thinks it is cold, even when not.
Oddly enough, it still looks like there is a carburetor under the air cleaner. I'm anxious to take it off and see what's there. On the surface, it looks more to me like an '87 Blazer with TBI than my '87 EFI 4runner.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Nicest thing about the Mazda was it had a forward facing front seat. The Nissan didn't last long when the first car seat came along (a big no no with the jump seats).
So, it could be any number of old-fashioned tune-up items, in addition to a more modern sensor.
I would get the exhaust done first, then look at the basics and see what you find.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
My father had an '87 B2200 long-bed back in the late '90s; it was a nice, reliable little truck. An interesting story- he purchased the truck from the original owner when it had but 19k original miles on it (yes, 19k miles!). That owner kept it in a heated garage and never took it out in rain or snow. That's why when we got it, it didn't have a speck of rust on it, as most '80s B-Series pickups that lived in Vermont did.
That shade of blue in the TT just looks bad though, IMO. Looks to me like someone pulled the seats out of an '88 LeBaron coupe and tried to dye them, and the lower part of the interior, in that blue and it just didn't work out. Almost like they were originally another color, like gray or beige, and the dye job didn't turn out as planned.
I think it's just kind of clashy with that silver exterior, anyway. If they had used a silver with a bit more blue in it, like what I've seen on Jags and BMWs, or heck even some Chrysler products, it might coordinate better.
I've been asking for a long time for manufacturers to go for an interior other than the typical sea of gray, beige, putty, etc we get. But after I see that blue interior, I can see why most makers these days stay away from them.
I wonder if blues, greens, burgundys and other interior colors really require a softer interior with more cloth and vinyl coverings to begin with? Most cars these days are pretty stark inside, with stuff that's either hard to the touch or looks hard to the touch. Maybe the generic putty, gray, and beige colors just work better with these harsh, stark materials?
It would look alot better if the seat bolsters were black. And it needs a touch of red somewhere on the dash to pull it all together.
This 1996 BMW Z3 Roadster includes a powerful dual overhead cam 1.9 liter inline 4-cylinder motor
uhhhh... that's an awfully loose use of the word "powerful."
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
And what is with a lot of these 5-10 year old luxury makes with aftermarket CD players? I see it a lot. Are the factory units really crappy sounding or do they just die after a few years?
I think red is one of those interior colors that really only looks good with a red, white, or black exterior. Or maybe burgundy. My '76 LeMans was originally kind of a burnt red called "Firethorne", but it was painted burgundy. It has a red interior, and I think it still matches well with the burgundy exterior.
Now a burgundy interior looks good with silver, IMO. I had an '86 Monte Carlo that was a 2-tone gray-over-silver. The hood, roof, and pillars were gray and the trunk and rest of the car were silver. I thought it looked good. It also had a cloth interior with cloth on the doorpanels, and the whole interior was burgundy though, so it wasn't just a generic interior with burgundy inserts. And while there were more than enough plastic parts here and there, overall it was plush enough to pull off that color IMO.
About 10 years ago, when I was thinking about getting another beater to replace my Dart, which had well over 300,000 miles on it by then, and one of the cars I looked at was a 1976 Chrysler Newport 4-door hardtop. It was silver with a burgundy interior and a burgundy top. It was a nice combination. The seats were this kind of brocade type of cloth, and it had thick carpeting and thick padded vinyl inserts on the door panels. So it was pretty "soft" and well-padded, and not stark like today's cars.
Now that I think about it, my cousin had a '79 Volare wagon that was a 2-ton black over silver, with a red interior. It coordinated well, but probably because of the black, which was on the roof, hood, and roof pillars. If it was all silver, it might not have looked as good. That was another beater I was thinking about at the time, but she'd already promised it to some relative down in the mountains of VA that I didn't even know, for $300.
I'd probably prefer that Z3 if its interior was just solid black.
Been there, done that. 4cyl GM engine. The sensor was right on the very edge of what would set the CEL, but it didn't. The little beast would idle high at any time except very hot idle conditions.
Finally got out the VOM and checked it. Turns out it was off by about 40d farenheit. Not only did the replacement fix the idle problem, the gas mileage improved significantly.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1947-DIAMOND-T-CUSTOM-HAULER-SLEEPER-FLAMES-CHROM- E_W0QQitemZ160031327740QQihZ006QQcategoryZ6218QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I guess someone could haul their car collection around with it, but you couldn't go very fast. No need for a hotel, since the bed's included.
I like that Z3.
Mixed about the blue. Would be hard to live with, but it makes an interesting contrast to the usual colors.
Andre: You've probably told it before, but if you don't mind saying, how much did you pay for the Intrepid? What engine does it have?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-DODGE-INTREPID-20-RIMS-HIDs-SOUND-SYSTEM_W0Q- QitemZ230028153537QQihZ013QQcategoryZ6202QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
SYMPTOMS: are you also stepping on the brake when you step on the clutch? I was thinking power brake booster leak.
Oh, my "headlight theory"? Sometimes if the enginge grounding strap breaks or is removed by some monkey, then the only time the car gets a good ground is when the clutch is depressed---in other words, the car grounds through the driveline!! This can affect alternator, engine computer, etc.
Z3--- a Z3 with a 1.9 takes a BIG hit in value. I trust the '96 is priced accordingly. I'd buy one CHEAP, definitely.
Audi TT - car for an interior designer wearing a large straw hat....Audi out of warranty? Are you just ASKING for it, or what?
I sold my little powder-blue Datsun that I bought for $300.
And then proceeded to pour $800+ into for this & that.
Much to my surprise, people actually started calling, and I sold it to the first person who showed up to look at it. Having had the foresight to put what antique dealers call a "whorehouse price" of $1,400 on the thing, I was happy to accept a $1,200 counter offer.
Until it was time to start the truck in the evening and run it over to the buyer's house. As it turned out, the battery conveniently chose that moment to die. Won-der-ful.
I push-started it, drove it over, and confessed. He still wanted it, so I knocked $100 off the price. Sigh.
I'm just glad to be rid of the thing with most of my skin intact. My luck with older cars just hasn't been that hot off late.
Used truck prices are NUTS!
-Mathias
Speaking of Datsuns, there have been 2 $1000 offers on the Datsun 610 my dad paid about $100 for last year...I think its days are numbered.
I myself am not very keen on out-of-warranty Saabs, as you and I know they become nightmares once the miles start increasing.
And that's exactly why I wound up paying $800 for this '92 Mazda that needs an exhaust and brakes.
I figured, worst case scenario, I fix those items and I could list it for $1500 without batting an eye.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S