|
Well, I've done it. I finally have gotten an ancient (in econobox years) gas saver. I've already arranged to buy the car on Wednesday for $600. This will be my girlfriend's first car, and it also looks like the perfect platform to teach her the basics about how the things work. Car was actually pretty solid, it's the base hatchback with the carbed 1.5 liter. Good: Engine sounded healthy, no knocks or tapping. Tires are good, new battery, interior in decent shape, body in good shape, no apparent rust. Trans shifted smoothly without fuss. Bad: Ignition coil is arcing, which I plan to remedy by just replacing the whole ignition system; plugs, wires, coil. I'm going to leave the distributor alone for now. AC either needs recharge or replacement, won't know till I run a diagnostic on it. According to the seller, the vehicle developed a leak at the rear main seal. Checked it, leak isn't too bad, and I found a shop that'll do the seal for 400, so no big deal as far as I'm concerned. My girlfriend is a graphic designer, and we've realized that most of the jobs she's seeking are in Tampa, about 30+ miles from where I am in Bradenton, Fl. Since my daily is a 94 Lincoln Town Car (for now) I can't reasonably make that commute for her every day. So I decided that, since she's unemployed, I'd find her a cheap beater economy car that could make the drive so she could extend her job search a little bit. All the Toyota Echos and Honda civics and kin in the area all had massive issues, usually with transmissions. Then this car pops up on ol' craigslist. Went to look at it and realized it's perfect. Once I have it in my possession I will post a picture for you cats. What I would love however is if any of you can shed any personal experience with the car, its cousins or its motor/trans/body, as even online it's difficult to find info about the car. 11BulletCatcher fucked around with this message at 04:29 on Sep 28, 2014 |
#
?
Sep 28, 2014 04:24
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 06:18 |
|
|
Are you really sure that's a good direction to go? You might end up dumping a ton of money into what is a truly disappointing car, even by disappointing car standards. It would cost the same to keep up something like an i4 foxbody or VW rabbit, with a larger DIY community and more documentation behind it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2014 04:31
|
|
|
Powershift posted:Are you really sure that's a good direction to go? Believe me, if those cars were available in my area at a decent price, I would have snapped them up. Unfortunately, most everything IN my area is a junk heap. You know, *mechanic's special* type cars. Look good outside, terrible within. Anyhow, this 88 colt is low risk, because if it is simply complete garbage I flip it to someone who wants to swap motots for a sleeper or scrap it and probably still make most of the cost of the car back. And I've already got a reliable Panther (minus working A/C. Florida heat did it in...) as my daily. I am aware of the car's reputation, but then it isn't really a project; it's something for my girl to tool around in and learn. Also will save me gas and time when she finally gets a job in her field. Anyhow, I've dumped money into hopeless cars before and been no worse for the wear. It's kind of the point isn't it? You never get out what you put in.
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2014 04:43
|
|
|
Those were terrible cars when new. I shudder to think of actually driving a carb'd one 25+ years later. I was looking to buy a new 1988 Festiva and a Colt was below my threshold as a high-schooler with a part-time job. I ended up with a used Camaro, which is much more :iamafag:
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2014 17:16
|
|
EVERYWHERE 
|
meatpimp posted:Those were terrible cars when new. I shudder to think of actually driving a carb'd one 25+ years later. I was looking to buy a new 1988 Festiva and a Colt was below my threshold as a high-schooler with a part-time job. I ended up with a used Camaro, which is much more :iamafag: They do have a terrible reputation, but what little info I do find on them, the owners all seem to love their car for what it is. As long as it will drive and function for my girlfriend, that's all I need it to do. And sometimes, terrible cars are the most fun. When's the last time you saw anyone with a Colt/80's Mirage? The test drive was actually pretty nice in that thing, it seems like a fun little car, just one that I'll need to stay on top of. But it doesn't seem any more labor intensive than, say, a VW Beetle.
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2014 17:52
|
|
|
They were sold in the UK as the Mitsubishi Colt and don't have a terrible reputation here, they're just fairly typical Japanese economy cars of the era - bit of a dull reputation, corrosion issues (I suspect you won't have that problem), starts first time every time. I know a guy with one and he seems happy enough, I've not heard of him having any reliability issues. Just keep an eye on the fluids, Mitsubishi stuff from back then seems more prone than most to dropping a bit of oil on the floor. Running a weird car is great as long as you're enjoying it. I've had more a lot more fun driving awful cars nobody really likes than legitimately well-rated ones. Little old economy cars are great fun, pitching them into corners and watching as they desperately scrabble for grip. It's not like they're complex in any case, so provided you can get parts, I can't see the problem. As you say, for that money, what's the worst that could happen?
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2014 20:47
|
|
|
11BulletCatcher posted:Anyhow, I've dumped money into hopeless cars before and been no worse for the wear. It's kind of the point isn't it? You never get out what you put in. Don't talk about the Impala like that 
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2014 22:22
|
|
|
Raluek posted:Don't talk about the Impala like that The Impala is the exception. I miss that car every day. But it's got a new lease on life, something I couldn't give it. The guy I sold it to is putting a built 800hp 327, th350 (I think) and performance brakes. He's doing a restomod in his garage, so he'll get to write his own story with it, and I'm ok with that. And, perhaps, this ol' beater Colt will do the same for my GF in her adventures through the U.S., given her upbringing in the Virgin Islands, where she could never go anywhere, and I'm anxious to find out. Also, other than the window and ac issues on my town car, there's nothing to work on. Boring. I can't wait to mess with that engine... I miss carburetors already, and I'll be swapping my Panther for something older again as soon as a good example opens up. 11BulletCatcher fucked around with this message at 01:35 on Sep 29, 2014 |
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2014 01:09
|
|
|
11BulletCatcher posted:When's the last time you saw anyone with a Colt/80's Mirage? My dad was driving an 80's Mirage Turbo as of a couple years ago, not sure if he still has it. I wrecked his old one in 1998 or so? Which leads to the other point, they really aren't safe cars by modern standards so make sure your Significant Other is aware of that and drives it accordingly.
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2014 22:51
|
|
|
Goddamn, I grew up in one of these. My family used to have a 1988 or 89 Mitsu/Dodge Colt wagon. 5-spd AWD no less. It was a glorious retard-cousin-of-the-subaru-legacy car. Lasted us 11 years, leaked oil like a sumbitch, but never stranded anybody, and would always get us home before breaking down completely.
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2014 06:56
|
|
|
I had a 91 Colt hatch with a stick for my first car, ended up selling it for next to nothing because I didn't know anything about cars at the time and thought I had blown a head gasket and it was going to need a ton of work. One of my favorite sleeper builds of all time is swapping in the drive-train from a Eclipse GS Turbo (4G63!!), selling that drat car is one of my biggest automotive regrets and had I known more about cars at the time I would have pursued this swap as I had quite a bit of disposable income back then. Anyway good luck, I know yours is a generation older than the one I had but they were fun little cars!
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2014 08:42
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 06:18 |
|
|
My experience from when my mother had one ten years ago: couldn't reach highway speeds with the pedal to the floor, passenger side mirror rusted off, wheel bearing failed on a freeway onramp with no warning at all. Good luck.
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2014 21:36
|
|
