The poster formally known as 96DXCivic wrote: Mercedes have no manuals and I would rather have an E30 then a E34 but neither have really turned me on.
My uncle has a gray market '83 300 with a stick.
The poster formally known as 96DXCivic wrote: Mercedes have no manuals and I would rather have an E30 then a E34 but neither have really turned me on.
My uncle has a gray market '83 300 with a stick.
Ok I stand corrected on the Mercedes Benz manual thing but I still don't really want one.
Reading through all of those big luxury sedans makes me think you might like an infiniti Q45 or lexus LS400? Early 90s models have good prices, high feature V8s, and acres of leather.
I drive al alfa milano every day too, they arent bad ,but there are a few sorta important NLA parts , so idk if id buy one again though.
pinchvalve wrote: I am a fan of the Audi V8 (not the engine, it was a model designation for a while). They depreciated like a lead balloon, and you could buy a lot of car for little cash. The hot setup seemed to be someone who had already converted the replaced the odd front brakes to something more common. I say I am a fan because I have never actually owned one. They may be money pits for all I know, but they are good-looking money pits!
I had a 1990 V8Q. Money pit, indeed, but OH MY it was beautiful to drive. Not much grunt off the line, but it just ate up highways like nothing else, the steering was and handling was wonderfully sharp for such a large car. The Quattro was pretty fun in the winter, but too bad I never got the blower motor to work. PO had converted the UFO brakes to G60's. They worked.
Nitroracer wrote: Reading through all of those big luxury sedans makes me think you might like an infiniti Q45 or lexus LS400? Early 90s models have good prices, high feature V8s, and acres of leather.
Call me bias but if I am going to buy a luxury sedan it is going to be European. Japanese luxury sedans always seem to be over filled with gadgets and seem tacky. Lexus is the worst to me.
The poster formally known as 96DXCivic wrote: I live in Alabama.
Thought you lived up north? I reside in AL as well, Prattville to be exact.
"Call me bias but if I am going to buy a luxury sedan it is going to be European. Japanese luxury sedans always seem to be over filled with gadgets and seem tacky. Lexus is the worst to me".
I've owned my '84-E-23 (second owner) for over twenty years(and I usually go through more vehicles than 914 Driver does projects). Do I wish I did a 5 speed conversion? Yeah, sometimes, but I use it as it was intended to be used. Over 270k and never been apart and other than normal maintenance things, hardly never a problem. It still rides great, gets good gas mileage(18city-25highway), parts are readily available and affordable(thanks Al Gore)and still turns heads. It's my daily driver and love taking it on trips.But-it is what it is. A decent handling and performing old luxo boat. It's not a track car, nor is it an autocrosser-but it will get you there in a hurry and in comfort. It stickered at over $48k in 1983 dollars, I bought it for $4k in early 1990 for a family car. It has served us well and, at this point, I have no idea, nor desire, to replace it.
Have you considered the French? Peugeot or Citroen?
Woody wrote: In the 80's, it would have been my third choice, but today I'd get a turbo brick and an IPD catalog.
This. Lots of good examples still exist. Good parts availability at reasonable cost. Very hard to kill.
EvanB wrote: Have you considered the French? Peugeot or Citroen?
Where do you find parts for those? I figured they would be more of a pain in the ass then an Alfa which I would rather have
In my mind it would be hard to beat the SAAB 9000 combo of price, performance and utility. Just be sure to get a turbo one, preferable an Aero.
I'm not sure where you would find parts, it would probably be a huge pain in the ass.
For a milano you just call and order the parts, unless you need a clutch throwout bearing, coolant reservoir, window regulators or a few other things, then you just hope you can find used ones. From the best anyone has been able to find out, production of the clutch throwout bearings stopped 15 years ago, and they are only sold as part of the $800 clutch kit now. IMO unless someone starts making them again, that will be the end of those cars being street driven. I wouldnt have bought mine if i had known that at the time.
I dont think you can really get citroen parts in this country, so probably for a daily driver that wouldnt be such a good idea.
I dont think peugeot 505 parts are that uncommon, but unless you are really short forget about driving one unless its a no sunroof wagon.
81gtv6 wrote: Just be sure to get a turbo one, preferable an Aero.
+1: the Aero has the most power (5sp got slightly more than the automatic, and a bigger turbo, too). There was a '98 CSE, IIRC, that was basically an Aero, but not called one, with the same 225hp engine.
RE: French cars -- a friend has a couple Peugeot 405s that he has little trouble finding parts for.
Just an FYI if it is important to you...I haven't seen a 700/200 Volvo with working AC in 15 years!
petemc53555 wrote: Just an FYI if it is important to you...I haven't seen a 700/200 Volvo with working AC in 15 years!
Maybe it is because I live in Texas, but I see more 700/900/200 with a/c than w/out.
petemc53555 wrote: Just an FYI if it is important to you...I haven't seen a 700/200 Volvo with working AC in 15 years!
Mine works but has a slow compressor leak. After some point, they got really good AC systems.
tuna55 wrote:petemc53555 wrote: Just an FYI if it is important to you...I haven't seen a 700/200 Volvo with working AC in 15 years!Mine works but has a slow compressor leak. After some point, they got really good AC systems.
The A/C in my 17 year old 945T worked fine.
I just ripped the non-functional AC out of my saab... (it was already degassed by a loose connection.. probably 100,000 miles ago) and I cannot beleive how much it weighed and how much cleaner the engine compartment is
You'll need to log in to post.
