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

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Comments

  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    That stuff drives me nuts. Can BMW not make a windshield gasket? Is it that hard?

    Or you really want to go a snipe hunt, try to find a BMW convertible with leather in acceptable condition.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    edited November 2010
    I still want a 740. Both the wife and I always admire a nicely kept E38 when we see one.

    I've never been a big BMW fan, but I like that generation of 7-series. I see them around here occasionally, almost always in black. There's a green one I see sometimes at work. Very sharp looking car, but I'd just be afraid of the maintenance/repair costs.

    Here's an opportunity to look rich for cheap. At $9994, that's only $2500 more than I paid for my 2000 Park Ave last year...although it has 50,000 more miles on it. Still, seems like a lot of car, and catchet, for not a lot of money.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited November 2010
    EXACTLY---BMW must have outsourced their windshield gaskets from a small shop in Latvia (nothing against Latvians, by the way) that was experimenting. And is it really *that* hard to make clips that hold interior B Pillar trim pieces in place? And when will BWM figure out that we don't like to stare at the brake light warning for the rest of our lives? Or that we would have enjoyed seeing our radio station display longer than 1 year. :mad:

    2001 BMW 740 for sale: The 9995 is only the down payment, believe me.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    2001 BMW 740 for sale: The 9995 is only the down payment, believe me.

    I wonder how much something like that would cost to maintain/repair, on a monthly basis? I just added up the totals for my 2000 Park Ave, and since I bought it, it's come out to $454.23, which includes all maintenance, repairs, and an emissions test.

    I've put about 10,000 miles on the car since I bought it, and it's been a bit over 11 months. So, I'm at around $41.29 per month, 4.5 cents per mile.

    I'm guessing if I had this BMW, I'd be in it for at least a few bucks more than that? :P
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    You are speaking my language. It is bad enough that a mid-2000s BMW has digital displays that look like clock radios from 1981, but the things apparently have a useful life of less than five years. And I've been through the brake light thing. Working brakes lights aren't good enough. A diet of brand new factory-only bulbs replaced constantly is the only thing that will keep that stupid warning light off.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'd say if you average it out over 3 years, that a miled-up BMW 740 will cost you at least $150 a month, IF....a) you have good luck with it and b) presuming you don't do your own work and c) that you avoid the dealer at all costs.

    If the road gets bumpy, well, sky's the limit. I mean, brakes and rotors for this car could easily run up to $1800.

    BRAKE WARNING LIGHT -- the best solution is a brand new circuit board/brake light assembly. That will correct the problem for a few months. :P
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    I like the styling of the 940 better. A 940 turbo would be nice.

    What's a E38?
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,452
    http://www.google.com/images?q=E38&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=E_3rTPzpIoaglAf9- 75Rx&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CEIQsAQwAg&biw=1024&bih=6- 49">Google knows all
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    Whoops! I thought you were refering to Volvos.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,806
    That's a silly price on that '01. It is worth all of $5k-$5500 on a trade. So $7500 retail is all the money.

    I've seen them with far fewer miles for under $10k.

    '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

  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    I'm becoming less and less of a fan of high maintenance cars. The combination of speed limits, tough enforcement and traffic in our area make high performance more frustrating than enjoyable. That's not to say that I don't enjoy a car that's fun to drive, but my priorities are shifting to greater emphasis on reliability, even if that means owning a car that's somewhat less satisfying to drive. Of course, there's no law saying that superior driving dynamics and reliability are mutually exclusive, but for whatever reason, no manufacturer seems to nail both.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    There is no perfect car. The search is endless and fruitless. A 7 Series comes pretty close in many respects, but then there's the reliability thingie.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    I'm becoming less and less of a fan of high maintenance cars.

    I'm starting to find that the older I get, the less tolerant I'm becoming when it comes to cars breaking down. On Sunday, the passenger side window on the Park Ave quit working, and I got mad enough I was tempted to write to General Motors and tell them that they need to get down on their hands and knees and beg forgiveness for building that car and cars like it!

    Fortunately, the window started working again yesterday, so GM doesn't have to get its knees dirty...yet! And it's not the motor, as the window tries to go down, but then seems to get hung up, like it's coming off its track or something. And, if that window does fail completely, at least it's something that I can hold off on, for awhile. As long as it doesn't fail while rolled down. I might be cheap sometimes, but I refuse to get out the duct tape and clear plastic! :P I actually saw a new-ish Benz E-class a couple days ago with the passenger window taped up, and found it to be amusing, in a ghetto-fabulous sort of way.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    It's probably the window regulator. I had one of them fail in the driver's door of my 1988 Buick Park Avenue. The part is only $16, but installing it is a PITA. Until I could get the part installed, I had duct tape holding the window up. It looked pretty ghetto.
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    Yup. We endlessly seek perfection, while knowing it doesn't exist. Oh well, looking, and hoping that doing the same thing will yield different results, if only we persist, is fun. I guess the same applies to friends, food, vacations, jobs and careers, vacation destinations, etc.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    Lemko, were you able to install that part yourself, or did you have to pay to get it done? I thought about trying to tear into it and see how hard it would be, but I still have bad memories of trying that with my '85 Silverado, when its window motor failed. Part of the procedure there was actually taking the window out, and once I did that, I still couldn't get to the motor, but also couldn't get the window back in, so I had to drive around with no window for a few days until I could get it in the shop. Fortunately, it didn't rain during that time!

    Now in contrast, my '79 New Yorkers are a piece of cake. I've replaced two of the motors myself, and the rest of the stuff in there looked fairly simple to remove. Real easy to get to, and nothing's under any kind of tension, at least not that I noticed, so there's nothing waiting to pop an eye out.
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,452
    GMs around that age have the crappiest window motors and regulators. My brother has been through at least two that he'll own up to on his 2000 Regal and I see a car just like his with the duct tape fix. The General must have sourced them from some third world factory.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    I thought I was going to have problems with my 2000 Intrepid's passenger window. After a couple years, once the warranty was up, naturally, the passenger side window would roll down a few inches and then hit a slow spot, like it was meeting some resistance, but once it got past it, roll down just fine. Fortunately, it never got any worse, and I never had any window problems for the 10 years and 150,000 miles I had that car. The driver's window would creak sometimes, though, but never gave any signs of failing.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Well, I tried to install it myself, but gave up after tearing up my hand pretty good and took it to the Buick dealer. The portion of the regulator that failed is a oblong-shaped nylon bushing that slides in a metal track set at an angle and attaches to a ball joint. The bushing split around the hole where the ball joint goes causing the window to drop down into the door. You'd have thought they'd use a more solid metal piece! Darn bean-counters! I wonder if your generation Park Ave still uses this part?
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 17,361
    Here is a few to look over before the meal. Happy Thanksgiving all!!

    Supra

    LUV

    Winter's Coming

    Budget Bimmer

    Will keep you busy

    Z

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart

  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,452
    That BMW looks really nice. I wonder how many miles are on it. The Z looks nice as well and the Dart is ready for the wrecker. How much could a perfect one be worth?
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,452
    http://longisland.craigslist.org/ctd/2079873595.html">Easy Fix You've got to wonder why he opened up the engine and then stopped

    I'd rather have this for $1,500 more

    Project that could provide a little cheap fun

    Drive something different to cruise night I'd guess that the price is a little high

    You can look different in this too

    I didn't think that these came with V8s from the factory

    Another chance to look different

    This guy knows how to take pictures
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    If that Dart was a factory big block it might be worth something, but I still imagine the cost to restore would be more than it's worth. Most of them just had a 225 slant six or the 230 hp 2-bbl version of the old 318 poly-head V-8. Plenty of more potent options were available though, from a 260 hp 318-4bbl, 265 hp 361 2-bbl (probably the reason they soon dropped the 318-4bbl), and on up to a 413 with cross ram dual quads putting out 420 hp.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    edited November 2010
    I like that Chevy pickup. I've thought about getting an older pickup when my '85 Silverado is finally ready to be put to pasture, but it gets harder and harder to find nice old rough-around-the-edges trucks that are still serviceable. Seems like they're either over-restored, or pieces of junk.

    As for the Monza? Well, believe it or not, in 1975, the Monza's first year, it offered a 350 V-8! It was choked down to 125 hp though, so I doubt it was very fast. Chevy also came out with an odd 262 V-8 that year, that was offered in the Monza and Nova. It had a 3.10 bore and 3.67 stroke, figures that I don't think are shared with any other Chevy smallblock. It had 110 hp.

    The 305 came out in 1976, and it was offered in the Monza through 1979. That final year it had 130 hp stock. It was probably pretty quick for the time, but that heavy engine caused all sort of handling problems, and put a strain on the suspension, sub-frame, etc. I had a neighbor who used to put 350's in Vegas back in the 1970's and race them. However, he probably knew what he was doing better than GM did, and would beef everything else up accordingly.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    79 Monza wagon has to be pretty rare...not worth much of anything of course, but that's a pretty late car
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,806
    haven't surfed craigs in a while...

    only 91k. could be a nice car for $4k.

    anybody else miss the memo about 14-year-old cars now being classics?

    Numbers matching is VERY important on this vehicle!

    '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

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The Impala SS is probably a scam.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    I'd say both the Impala and Toyota are scams
  • gsemikegsemike Member Posts: 2,452
    The 4Runner is probably a scam too. If the Impala had anything resembling reasonable miles, it would have to be worth 6 or 7, maybe more. Notice that the scam ads have weird dollar amounts attached to them? Who sells a car for $3118?
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 21,030
    we see a lot of the same ad's. I saw the one for the Impala a week or two ago and thought the same thing.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Best way to check a scam is ask them for the VIN. That way you can at least check location through CARFAX. What the scammers are doing, of course, is just peeling ads off from the Internet.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    I think I've figured out the fintail's blinker issue - it's not the blinker module, but whatever the piece is called at the base of the blinker stalk. I have noticed if the blinker fails to work, it will work if I try it again and engage it more firmly.

    The car also seems to run a little smoother in cold weather..always been that way.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,600
    The turn signal switch?

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,828
    :D
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited December 2010
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    That's a good name for it :blush:

    I'm proud that I kind of figured it out...of course I have no immediate plans to fix it as I know how to get around it, but still.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    It would depend on the car and the wheels. I'd go with cable chains just to lessen the odds of damage. If he's lucky he has an AWD model.

    When we have snow around here, I try not to drive at all, my car has 18" wheels with low profile tires, it's just not a good mix.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I heard of something called Z Chains that are supposed to be, I think, cable type. Yeah, don't want to bang up that car! We mostly carry 'em to comply with chain laws. If it got really ugly/hairy I'd do what we used to do when flying around in Alaska---TURN BACK!

    Not much use for snow chains in the SF Bay Area, so they'll probably "rot in the box".
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,760
    I've never actually owned a set of chains - not as unneeded as in SF, but I'd rarely use them and snow is a good excuse to stay home here. I'd be afraid of messing up the car too, some of the wheels available don't give a lot of clearance between it and the car, and for some wheels chains might not fit at all. On my car, the rears are pretty wide.

    Back when I was younger and the fintail was my only car, I'd take it out in the snow. It did pretty well, the lack of torque and the second gear start have to help somewhat.
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    I have my finds for today, and they're both interesting:

    http://bend.craigslist.org/cto/2082459969.html

    http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/2091508987.html

    I don't know about the Renault but that BMW does look a little promising. I would want to know if that 1.8-liter four in the Bimmer is in good health, though.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well the Le Car is worth about 1/4 of what he's asking.

    The 318i is an odd duck and I never found much to like about that car--it's slow and the engine just doesn't have that BMW refinement we're all used to. Also over-priced by about 1000 bucks IMO. A "classic"? Not in this lifetime.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 54,070
    best as I can tell, the new definition of classic is when it is old enough to get classic plates

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,806
    And I would even accept that definition... but that bimmer still don't qualify. I think it may vary state to state, but NJ says 25 years.

    '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

  • srs_49srs_49 Member Posts: 1,394
    And in Maryland it's 20. Have had historic tags on the '87 '325 for 3 years now.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,117
    edited December 2010
    And in Maryland it's 20. Have had historic tags on the '87 '325 for 3 years now.

    Yeah, I found that out, totally by accident. A few years ago, a guy at work asked me about historic tags, since he knew I had old cars. He said something about a 1986 Pontiac he wanted to get historic tags for, and I told him that it wasn't old enough yet, as I had always been raised on 25 years. Well, he said someone told him it was 20. Sure enough, I looked it up online, and there it was!

    Oh, the 1986 Pontiac he wanted to get historic tags for? A T-1000!! :surprise: Not that there's much from Pontiac in 1986 that most people would qualify as cool...maybe a Fiero or Firebird/Trans Am? But I was hoping it was a least one of those archaic RWD cars I like, such as a Bonneville G, Parisienne, or Grand Prix!

    About two years ago, I switched my '85 Silverado over to historic plates. They have a "666" in the number, so I'm just waiting for some Satanist to steal 'em, but it hasn't happened yet!

    Back when I wanted to switch my '79 New Yorker 5th Ave over to historic plates, it was still 25 years, and it wouldn't qualify until 1/1/2004. And the regular tags that were on it expired 10/31/03. So, I just turned those tags in, and let the car sit in the yard for two months, and on New Year's Day, I went online and applied for historic tags, and they sent 'em in the mail within the week.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    edited December 2010
    How overpriced is this CLK320? They are fixed price sellers and they charge a $500 doc fee. I've bought two of my current cars from them, my Lexus back when they would deal and my Miata at a fixed price that had been dropped three times.

    I've seen it in person. The driver seat needs to be redyed but other than that it is good to go.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,806
    My MR2 qualifies, but I just don't see the point. I have to actually pay for the privelege of having the plates. I would only do it if I felt it couldn't pass inspection.

    '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

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,806
    damned high. Father bought his '00 just a few months back with 30k less miles for only a grand more .... and he overpaid.

    This '99 is worth all of $3k on a trade on a good day. I wouldn't pay more than $5500 for it.

    '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

  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Saw this yesterday whilst wandering about .....

    BMW

    There was a sale tag hanging from the rear view with a price of $14,988.

    I have to admit, it looked odd with the 16" wheels ... almost like there was too much sidewall.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    Well, if the Miata I bought from them is any guide, the CLK just might be $5500 in a couple of months.
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