Are you bored? Want to help/watch as I find my next cheap car? Come inside and join me!

The BMW is getting sold. It's become a victim of automotive ADD and the realization that it while it tempts me to spend on pricy German OEM parts and fancy suspension bits, money that I could have more fun with elsewhere. There are other fun cars that don't cost as much to tinker with.

If anyone knows of a non-trashed second gen. Escort GT for sale under $2k... you might become my new best friend. Seriously, that's a bucket-list cars.

That being said. I start my quest sitting here after dinner in my chair with a beer and a laptop full of local craigslist ads. My wife is trying to read a book so she's not responding enthusiastically to my sub $2000 findings. So I find myself here sharing my findings with a bunch of gearheads on the internet.

I'm feeling strangely drawn to this Neon with the wacky flames. I've never ventured into the Mopar camp but I grew up watching Neons dominate showroom stock racing at Waterford Hills so I've always thought they were cool.

"1993 Cheney camaro" A purple Camaro would probably fulfill at least two childhood dreams

This Escort wagon is strangely clean. It's almost surreal. I like Escort wagons and I like white cars.

On the boring side, I've also found at least 3 promising Saturn SL1s, a second gen Escort (green, of course,) and a couple cheap ex-police Crown Vics that look decent.

What about a Focus SVT? There was a 4-door version on eBay that went up for auction twice with a buy-it-now of $2300 and no one even bid on it.

These seem to be a good car for cheap money right now.

Honda Civic/Acura Integra!

That way you can learn to work on them and take them to track days and learn how they feel. Plus they are cheap to operate which frees up money for even more track days/AutoXs/Crap Can stuff.

Not that I am biased....

https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/5787447386.html

How does a camaro fit in the same category as a neon and an escort?

Not SL1, at least go DOHC SL2, SC2, or (my vote) 1995 White SW2.

smokindav wrote: What about a Focus SVT? There was a 4-door version on eBay that went up for auction twice with a buy-it-now of $2300 and no one even bid on it. These seem to be a good car for cheap money right now.

They are great fun, and even nice-ish ones can be found for challenge budget money. My dad still has one that he bought new. I've never been a huge fan of the seating position and pedal placement Which is too bad because otherwise it would check all my boxes.

logdog wrote: Honda Civic/Acura Integra! That way you can learn to work on them and take them to track days and learn how they feel. Plus they are cheap to operate which frees up money for even more track days/AutoXs/Crap Can stuff. Not that I am biased.... https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/5787447386.html

Not a bad idea. I usually don't bother searching for Hondas because it seems they're either rusty, riced out, overpriced, or some combination of all three. That one seems decent though. Lots of miles on it...

fireball123 wrote: How does a camaro fit in the same category as a neon and an escort?

Cheap, domestic, manual trans, and 1990s! Plus it's purple I like to diversify my options.

Indy-Guy wrote: Not SL1, at least go DOHC SL2, SC2, or (my vote) 1995 White SW2.

You're right. 2 is better than 1 when it comes to Saturns. Sadly, no good dual cam 5 speed Saturns to be found lately They're so cheap it's not worth settling for a ratty one and I do like them. I wouldn't be opposed to driving a ways for a good one. An SL1 would be the boring last resort easy button solution.

How about another trip to Illinois?

'85 Corvette NMNA $1,700

I've got a rust free passat tdi....

90-94 Mazda protégé lx, same bg chassis and 1.8 dohc BP motor as the escort gt

I think the flame painted Neon is the obvious answer here.

Coldsnap wrote: I think the flame painted Neon is the obvious answer here.

Especially when it is a flamed neon rt and he's a music teacher....

Someone please help remind me that I was too young to remember these cars, my mind is clouded by nostalgia, and that I don't actually want it...

1990 Escort

In reply to BlueInGreen44:

I despise Fords and FWD cars in general and I kinda want it. I can't talk you out of it.

I am baffled at how you listed the Escort wagon not in the boring category in the OP however

In reply to Nick (Bo) Comstock:

I can't explain it and I understand your confusion. Because it's a wagon, I guess. I think crappy Fords are cool... and I don't know why. Maybe there's a support group somewhere

Dusterbd13 wrote:

Coldsnap wrote: I think the flame painted Neon is the obvious answer here.

Especially when it is a flamed neon rt and he's a music teacher....

I sent an email This may be dangerous territory because the wife took one look at the pic and said "ew, it looks like a frog and the flames look dumb..."

Maybe I should explain the impact the hot Neons had on club racing to her and how owning a Neon R/T would be owning a piece of American history... Think that would help? Ha...

see if you can find a 99 saab 9-3. 99 was the best year (first year of the updated chassis, last year of Trionic 5, last year of the beefier engine). they can be found CHEAP in good shape. more power is just a cheap tune away. they are genuinely nice cars, especially compared to your current list

http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/cto/5794836570.html

these are pretty rare (manual+wagon), beware of sludge though

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/5805524646.html

In reply to old_:

Hadn't thought of those. I have exactly zero experience with Saabs and turbocharged anything but I guess lack of experience hasn't stopped me before. What's parts cost and maintenance like? The main criteria for my current list is "dirt cheap and easy to fix"

BlueInGreen44 wrote: Someone please help remind me that I was too young to remember these cars, my mind is clouded by nostalgia, and that I don't actually want it... 1990 Escort

Did the seller intentionally run it through every mud puddle he could find?

That Camaro has so much potential. Even if all the Z28 badging and trim is fake and it's really a 3.4, an LZ9 with an M90 and an MSII would be nuts (an NA LZ9 on a stock computer is an even 240/240 and has 90% of torque available from 1500 rpm all the way to 5500 rpm)

markwemple wrote:

BlueInGreen44 wrote: Someone please help remind me that I was too young to remember these cars, my mind is clouded by nostalgia, and that I don't actually want it... 1990 Escort

Did the seller intentionally run it through every mud puddle he could find?

That's pretty normal around here for a car that's had a run on a wet dirt road.

In reply to G_Body_Man:

I don't know anything about most of those numbers and letters you said, haha. The ad says it's a V6 but it does look like Z28 badging. Hmm. Either it's a V6 with Z28 badges or they just posted pictures of a different car they found on the internet. Not the first time I've seen something like that

In reply to BlueInGreen44:

On a farm yet no access to a hose? If you can't be bothered to hose off mud for a For Sale picture, how often did the seller get around to, you know, ANY type of maintenance?

There's some exceptionally cheap SN95 Mustangs in Ma. Can't be too much different in other places.

I've read good things on here for reliability but I'd have to look closer. Parts are EVERYWHERE and dirt cheap