I sold my Suby earlier this year to free up some cash so we could move back here from Cali. Ive been riding a motorcycle as my daily transportation ever since, but that will probably only work for a couple more months. So Ive been toying with the idea of buying a cheap project car for a few hundred bucks and getting her running for winter. Id eventually like to get her all built and dressed up (Id love to do a GF8 clone!!!), but thats not a priority. Problem is I dont know anything about fixing cars. On the one hand, this seems like a pretty good way to learn, since I dont need the car for a little while. But on the other, I dont really have any kind of support system to rely on as I go about rebuilding a car aside from this forum and a hand full of buddies I can ask questions to who all live out of state. I am eager to learn how to work on my own cars but I worry that a repair manual will only get me so far. That being said, would it even be advisable to go ahead with the bigger project, or would it be a better idea at this point to shell out a couple grand for a reliable winter beater I can feel comfortable tinkering with? Im also concerned about the financial ramifications of either decision. Theoretically, buying a non-running car for nothing and putting a few hundred bucks to get her going could save a bunch of money, but it could also turn into a money pit and end up costing more than buying a decent car would have in the first place, and then never working right. Im interested in your opinions on the matter. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Well, the words project car and reliable don't typically belong in the same sentence, regardless of mechanical skill. If you need a daily driver to get you around, I'd stick with something cheap and reliable -- and save the project car/learning project for another time.
What does your toolbox (or access to tools) look like? Either way, if you want or need a reliable DD, then get a reliable DD.
How much time do you have on your hands, and how critical is it that you get to where you need to go, do you have another vehicle in the house? If time is scarce and you don't want to worry about your car not running when you need to get to a meeting or what have you, I'd put the money towards peace of mind. I've went the cheap and just keep fixing it route. It worked in college out of necessity, but given the choice, the headaches are not worth it. Especially in the dead of a Minnesota Winter.
Thanks guys for the responses. My wife Drives an '03 Corolla, so we do have another set of wheels to use if I cant rely on my "project". Im only entertaining the idea of getting another car (project or otherwise) in order for her to not have to take me to and from work everyday, or be left stranded on days when she relents to let me take it. We did that for a little while before I got my bike, and it wasn't intolerable, but it was pretty inconvenient even in the summer. I can imagine with the winter coming there will be plenty of additional frustrations for her to deal with without the added stress of chauffeuring me around. As far as tools, I just figured I pick up the essentials with the project and start building my collection as needed. Is there a toolbox checklist somewhere on this forum that I could refer to? I guess that probably negates any kind of savings I would have scored by going the cheap route, but Ill want a good set of tools anyway and without an excuse I probably will never get them. I should clarify: When I say "project" lets not assume Im looking for a shell to build from the ground up into a full on JDM spec GF8. Im thinking of a somewhat neglected older car in fair cosmetic condition that needs a little TLC and a few minimal mods to get it going. Time is probably the biggest factor. I know I can MAKE time to work on a car, but the limited time I have now I usually like to spend with my family. Now If I could convince my wife and 2 year old son to come hang out in the garage with me, then wed be in business. LOL It sounds pretty unanimous that if the purpose of buying any car is to use it as regular winter transportation, its a better idea to go ahead and get something reliable and save the project for something else. That being the case, what can I expect to find and pay for in the way of a reliable Subaru winter beater out here? Im leaning toward an Impreza wagon, 93+ any trim, any color, manual transmission, and AWD. My only criteria is that I don't want to see pavement through the floor as I drive it down the road and that Im not going to have to do a major servicing job like rebuilding the motor or something. On the flip side, If I were to pull the trigger on a "project" car, what would I need to look for and what can I expect to pay? Please let me know, and if you or someone you know is selling something that fits the spec send 'em my way. Thanks again!
