Project Cars--You Get to Vote on "Hold 'em or Fold 'em"

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Comments

  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    Ah yes, many fine memories of sitting in the very back of that thing with my brother on long family road trips with the bucket between us so when we got carsick we woudn't hurl on eachother...
    However, that front-engine/rear-drive/actually has a frame wagon is one of the last cars that came out of GM that could tow more than 10 lbs. My uncle had one to tote his boat, and now I am wishing for something like that to tow old cars around.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    Later unusual Audi
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    looks like a money-pit to me. High miles and very $$ to repair this car.
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Those early Quattros are very cool cars. Better set up a trust fund to fix it though if you plan to drive it much.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    I am looking for an earlier Quattro though, 83-85 coupe. Money pit, probably won't ever be worth anything, slower than my Honda, but eh, its cool and will keep me occupied.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,741
    Cool? I live in Fairbanks, AK.... the last thing I need is a cool car. :P
    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
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'm afraid you will live to regret that decision, unless you have an extremely good sense of humor.

    If you want an Audi that will be worth something, try to find a 5000 Quattro Turbo Wagon. That's a car worth having; otherwise, it's money down the drain IMO.

    BTW: the quattro systems aren't the problem...it's everything else attached to it.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    Actually, if you want a wagon like that, your needs would likely be better served by a 1991 Audi 200 Quattro Avant. Its the same car, except with plastics that don't deteriorate, a wire harness that can actually handle current, and best of all, a 20 valve 5 cylinder with turbo, so it is actually almost quick, even by today's standards.
    The biggest issue besides the typical Audi parts availability, is the "UFO" brakes. Apparently, the caliper is on the inside of the rotor, which allowed them to use bigger brakes with smaller wheels. Most cars have either had the brakes replaced by now, or they have been converted to conventional brakes.
    I am partial to the UR-Q because it invented the AWD sports car, the godfather of the Eclipse GSX, EVO and STI. I also know enough about the car and its maladies to know what I'm getting into, just too stupid to care.
  • oregonboyoregonboy Member Posts: 1,650
    My racquet-ball partner just bought a pristine, early 90s Audi 90 2.8 V6 quattro (5-spd) for $4,500. Leather, heated seats & mirrors... beautiful inside and out.

    Like I told him, "Dan, this is an incredibly nice car for the money, but you've only just begun to pay for it." :P

    james
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Let's wish him the very best, but usually these cars eat buyers for breakfast. This is why (DOH!) they are SO CHEAP! (supply vs. demand).

    If you are okay to pay $500 for a high pressure side power steering hose, or $1,000 for replacement headlight assemblies, then good on ya'.

    I even back away from these cars, and my personal good friend owns an Audi repair shop.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    And this is allowing you can actually find the part. Unlike other German auto manufacturers, Audi pretty much drops support for anything over 10 years old. Anything before the '96 A4, good luck.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    Funny thing...someone in my building drives an Audi 100 from the mid 90s...that body used between maybe 92-97. I've never seen it broken or seen him drive anything else.

    Not a car, but would be cool for the fintail or any period car
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    Not the worst looking old tank

    This is in the dictionary under "money pit" - hmm where do I start...the rear suspension has failed, the paint looks shot, the door frame trim is shot (so the leather and wood likely has issues), the fender trim likely hides rust, the front bumper is dented...but on the other hand, it's a Euro car with lights and washers and bumpers, it could have good parts, some people like those goofy period wheels...maybe for $500 as a parts car or beater

    I think this is lovely, and so fetching with the Euro lights. I would remove that fender trim, but otherwise it looks perfect. I think these are just beautiful cars
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,088
    the style that had the double-loop bumper and hidden headlights? As a kid, I used to hate those '69-73 fuselage style Mopars with a passion, but I find as the years go by, I like them more and more. Especially the various styles that had the hidden headlights.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    ask to see his repair bills :cry:

    You can't warn people off bad cars they really want. They have to learn for themselves. A few get lucky, like the guy who falls off a building and lands on a matress truck. But really, who wants those odds?
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    My wife had one of these her last year of college that I think was a 1989 or maybe a 1990 I don't remember.

    All that thing ever did was break, electrical this electrical that busted coolant hoses and expansion tanks just a mess. The car did have 210,000 ++++ miles though so that was part of it. The odometer only worked from time to time so who knows how many miles it really had.

    I ended up repairing one of the rigid plastic hoses on the expansion tank by epoxying in a bit of PVC pipe. Used it to keep the crack from expanding anymore since they wanted like 750 dollars for a new tank.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    I used to really dislike those fuselage cars too, slugs and tanks. Now I don't think they are so awful...they look like they would be very comfortable anyway - for a passenger at least.

    And yep, it looks like those cars would have hidden lights

    I like the differences between that $1500 500SEL and the $7995 example. You could paint the $1500 car and fix the rear end, and already be at $7995. The most expensive Mercedes is the cheapest one.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,088
    is a is a handsome brute, but not at this price point! Maybe half that much? Isn't $6995 pushing convertible territory for something like this?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The car would have to be show quality for even $6,000. This asking price is silly money given the condition shown by the photos. I'd say $3,500 is plenty for the car, even generous. I hope the dealer has plenty of birthday candles...
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    Of all the Audis that you've driven and evaluated over the years do you have a pick for all-time "worst model series?" (Just wondering)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    My main complaint is mostly that cars like Audis and Saabs and Jaguars don't age well, whereas a Benz or Porsche or BMW seems to hang in better.

    So it's all relative really.
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    Shifty I've seen your comments played out in reality- I saw many Audis, Saabs and Jaguars deteriorate rapidly after about the 5-year mark.

    What about Volvos, what do you think of their long-term durability? My 1996 850 has 71K miles but it still looks like new. The 240 series is a different story though...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I really have very little experience with Volvos after the 240 and 7 and 9 series left the scene--those never impressed me as having much durability in terms of materials or build quality. But they did seem to run a long time, even with most of the parts falling off. So you have to give them some credit. Real rattle traps though. I think Volvo really improved in the 90s.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    I will admit it looks like an excellent survivor, but that price sure is up there
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    Vovlo, like Audi, in a way, made a very robust engine. The BF230 series (the 4 cylinder that Volvo put in everything) was over built and under stressed, even with a turbo. The issue was with some of the auxiliary systems. Volvo doesn't sell that many cars, so they had to adapt more general mainstream components to fit. Over the years they have had transmissions from different manufactures as well as interior pieces. They just didn't have the quantity of scale to have top quality for all trim pieces.
    Then Volvo got bought by Ford, who put an end to the piece-meal silliness, but hurt the cult standing of the car a bit. Eventually, the capitalized on strengths and watered down the brand a bit (Ford 500 uses Volvo/Audi TT AWD, Ford Freestyle similar to XC70...).
    One of my friends from where I grew up is driving around his parents 1984 Volvo 240 GLT wagon they got via European delivery. It still has it's European temporary plates under the California plates. Its got like 200k, head has never been off, but its on its 2nd turbo, 3rd driver's seat, 3rd glove box, not original wheel etc. My favorite thing is it still has that back back seat I remember sitting in when we got picked up for soccer when I was 10 or so.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    Man, not to whine, but the Detroit craigslist is (insert PC derogatory term here) compared to Seattle. Even Chicago and Cincinnati aren't as good. Santa Cruz/San Francisco/San Jose is good, but thats because everyone needs to buy used stuff to be able to afford to live there.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,710
    I haven't seen one looking that good in 25 years. That bus is great! well, as great as they every were.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    ....has deteriorated BADLY the past few months. It's pretty much filled with curbstoners (LOTS of those), re-sellers (people selling the junk they bought from a curbstoner a month ago), dealers, dreamers (my $600 XYZ is worth $2k because that's what I have in it, or 'need to get out of it') and other assorted scammers (the ones in Calcutta selling new BMWs for $11k). It's really no fun any more most of the time.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    I'm not thrilled with the color, but this looks about as clean as my old 126
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    I still think, though, that I'd just as soon (or rather, really) have a 300SEL or 420SEL, especially if I could find one with the power rear seat, if my own money were involved. The extra power of the 560 isn't worth the trade-off in gas mileage, or worse yet, having to repair/replace the air suspension when it fails.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    ...probably the nicest of its ilk, especially in Chicago:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/car/135934903.html

    This thing was $6500 the other day, glad to see he came to his senses :P . Jesus. These are nice and all, but doesn't an Infiniti G20 have the same engine and only about another 300 pounds on these (and for a third this price)?

    This is another, "Gee, Honey, I tried to sell it" deals.
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    Jeebus. It's worth around $2500 in consideration of the low miles. The only way to get $6500 for it is a VVL or turbo swap.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    That 2.0L SR20 that is in the SER and the G20 has a big following. It responds well to turbo kits, or can be replaced by an SR20DET (although you need a front drive version). Even using the JDM Primera motor raises the compression and has more aggressive cams, and runs well under a grand.
    I agree that this guy is dreaming at 6k, but with an SER racing classes on both sides of the country, I imagine someone will want that. OpenTrack now NASA has an SER class on the west coast, and I believe there are similar organizations on the east. Fun stuff.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    Cheap land yacht

    The price is too high, but I think this car wears red well...and I usually don't like red on many cars
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    They say Elvis died in 1977...but I think he might have owned this

    I suppose parts are hard to find anyway
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    $400 for a busted-up parts car? Um, no.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    surprise surprise, that Honda 600 will see in a red hot minute....why? Because NO....as in NOOOOOOOO....parts are available for that car. Unobtanium.
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    well, I've got a Briggs & Stratton from an old riding mower you could put in there. It would probably be as powerful as what come in the car!

    Seriously, this is one of those that I would pay someone to take off my hands.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...in good condition at Macungie two years ago. To get an idea of how tiny this car is, look at the license plate in relation to the rest of the back of the car.
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8036959826
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    Looks like a good beater...a 240 gas though, I dunno about that
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    Agreed hard to find good unmolested SER's anymore so the guy might get lucky. Still doubt he will get 6k for it though.
  • ghuletghulet Member Posts: 2,564
    ....this looks quite nice, though w/167k and new oil pan and head gaskets, it might be a patch job just good enough to get it on the road to an unfortunate new owner. At least the seller discloses these things. Still, could be a decent first Bimmer-slash-poseurmobile, or just a second car:

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/car/136144531.html

    Anyone know anything about these, other than the fact that with 134hp, they're not exactly fast?
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    Anyone remember the 80s movie "The Money Pit"? Here's the car version
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The 735i is a good car, probably the best car BMW ever made, but still, those are mighty high miles....mighty high. It's a $750 car.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    I suppose some people might like these
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    I have always liked those I don't know about 3 grand though.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    The house came with a money pit car - maybe an old Rolls or something, I can't remember.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    Even 912 prices seem to be on the rise.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,583
    It was a late 20s Lincoln, a big touring car/phaeton thing, they had it smoking quite a bit.

    That movie also had a good scene in a MB showroom ca. 1985.
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