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nocones
nocones PowerDork
12/6/24 3:43 p.m.

I've been on the lookout for one to drive.  On paper they seem fun.  We had an aveo and it was kinda mid so I'm not sure what to expect from a spark.  That said they always seem really expensive for what they are (3 cyl Mirages also).  They never seem to be <$4500 and that buys a lot of things that are more interesting.   I would try one of they were challenge money though.  I see them for sale with broken autos a lot but rarely with bad motors.  

I think it comes down to if it brings you personally joy it doesn't matter what kind of car it is or what other people think.  Drive a spark if it makes you happy.  Just because someone else thinks that for them it would be a "never" car doesn't mean you shouldn't try it and you might like it.  

Skobie
Skobie Reader
12/6/24 8:24 p.m.
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Skobie :

sure thing!  She's out near Pittsburgh somewhere.  Butler maybe?

Edit:  Slippery Rock

Thank you, Curtis! Slippery Rock is more rust belt than Harrisburg area, for sure, but maybe the low miles lessened the impact. You ever see the car?

EchoTreeSix
EchoTreeSix New Reader
12/6/24 9:20 p.m.

In reply to Peabody :

Never given any thought into a Spark but these look good. I am a sucker for hatchbacks.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter)
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
12/7/24 3:04 p.m.

In reply to Skobie :

I haven't seen this one, but I sure don't see any rust.  Mary says she doesn't drive it much because of health reasons.

I've decided to pass on the car.  Skobie, I'll PM you once Mary lets me know her preferred contact method.

Skobie
Skobie Reader
12/7/24 4:34 p.m.

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

Sounds good, Curtis! Thank you!

P3PPY
P3PPY UltraDork
12/8/24 10:59 a.m.
Peabody said:

Yes.

Steve_Jones said:

The Spark is fine for what it is, and a very reliable car.  It will do everything you need it to do, and get great gas mileage while doing it.

If she cares that you drive a Spark, she's fine for the weekend, but not long term, and isn't that what you're looking for anyway?

My first date with PW I picked her up in a built 55 Chev. She thought it was a Checker cab. I guess I could give her credit for recognizing the general shape.

Steve is right.

I bought mine almost 3 years ago and it's been perfectly reliable. Except for mods, I have done NOTHING to it except oil changes. It has 200k on it now, 2/3 of which have been me beating the E36 M3 out of it. It's been so good that I bought one for the previously mentioned PW.

The hatch area is small, but I removed the rear seats and it does triple duty as commuter, track utility vehicle, and entertainment. With what I've done, it is every bit as quick, and as much fun as the Swift GT's I've owned while being better in every single way. And I still haven't tuned it.

I am actively looking for a base LS in good shape to build up as a project.

 

 

 

You guys keep mentioning "LS" with these cars and I think I have an idea...

Captdownshift (Forum Supporter)
Captdownshift (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
12/8/24 11:06 a.m.

$5k buys a lot of Saab 900 turbo for first dates. 

Or a Saab 900 turbo and a Prius or a Saab 900 turbo and a Corolla so that you have something reliable to commute in. Also any of said options can tow a teardrop camper for weekend fun when you want to travel light and the van isn't the answer. 

 

A Saab 900 turbo could eventually become a challenge car as well, a box that you already have checked but it could be a rare challenge car (sans aristocrat class) that you could take on a date. 

Peabody
Peabody MegaDork
12/8/24 11:17 a.m.

In reply to P3PPY :

Not a lot of room in there... 

The 1.4T in the later Cruze, and the 1.5T in the Malibu share the same block as this gen Spark. 175hp and 200lb/ft of torque would be plenty entertaining for me. It's too bad modern day Peabody just doesn't have that kind of energy anymore. 

P3PPY
P3PPY UltraDork
12/8/24 11:43 a.m.

I drove a rental Spark in Aruba a few years back. It wasn't too awful, but I didn't realize until then just how low-spec cars could be

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) MegaDork
12/8/24 11:45 a.m.

In reply to Peabody :

Eh.  IMO more than 100 ft-lb in a light front driver is a waste of effort on the streetsmiley

VWMS ran into this when they tried to stage rally TDIs.  On paper they should have been as good as the 16v naturally aspirated cars, in practice they weren't as drivable because the powerbands were too much torque and not enough rev range, which is a little curious when you consider the close ratio gearboxes.   It's easier to pedal a revvy naturally aspirated engine, and in front wheel drive you are always balancing traction vs pedal.

 

This thread has me looking at Aveos again.  All the ones I see locally are trunk cars, though.  That the hatches are all 4 doors is a bonus to me, as the biggest issues I had with my Golf, and the Sentra it replaced, was that they were two door.  This makes the back seat annoyingly unuseful.

Peabody
Peabody MegaDork
12/8/24 12:37 p.m.

In reply to P3PPY :

Trying to trying to explain to my buddy in Aruba what I was driving now. Oh, we don't have those here... as one drives by.  We went to the GM dealer to see if they had one on the lot, I wanted to see what motor they had in Aruba. Unfortunately they didn't. I'm surprised they'd have a base model as a rental, base models don't have air. 

Peabody
Peabody MegaDork
12/8/24 12:43 p.m.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

My Firefly's, were probably making 125 or more lb/ft and lighter and they were fine. The Malibu numbers, probably a little much but I'd imagine, but you don't have to use it all. 
I saw a half dozen manual trans hatch cars when you made me look yesterday

P3PPY
P3PPY UltraDork
12/8/24 1:33 p.m.

In reply to Peabody :

Dude, this was third world spec. No AC, manual windows, no airbags (took me a minute to recognize why the wheel looked so different), IIRC it was just a hard plastic interior. 
 

Funny thing though, being there reset my idea of what cars are for. There were a few Mercedes and Jag/Aston Martin type cars, but they seemed entirely pointless. Like-- where are you driving TO?? Isn't everything there the destination? It's only a 20x6 mile island, there's no traffic, why are you wasting extra time and money in/on your car? Just get from point A to point B and get out and be in the water. Very strange. 

Peabody
Peabody MegaDork
12/9/24 9:34 a.m.

In reply to P3PPY :

If you ever go back there let me know.

There's quite the car culture on the island, and it's a little different than here. Last time we were there it was just before a big drag race weekend, and there was a car and bike show to kick it off  the island's major brewery. As a tourist you likely would never hear about these events.

I've seen both these cars run, they're fast.

It's only a matter of time til we spend half the year there. It just feels like home.

fidelity101
fidelity101 UberDork
12/9/24 9:40 a.m.

you're all missing the key question: how tall are you? 

P3PPY
P3PPY UltraDork
12/9/24 9:47 a.m.

In reply to Peabody :

Man, we loved it there so much. At the time their slogan was "one happy island" and it wasn't like American resorts or tourist destinations -- everyone was for real friendly, like an actually happy island, people went out of their way to help us, even when we were off-roading - by the middle part that looks like New Mexico. We did some grocery shopping in the locals' part of town and had to get the Mrs some medicine, and maybe we were naive but never felt unsafe. 
My main car recollection was that there were tons of Sentras. Like '94 style. And Sonomas.

 

Okay back to the point...

Peabody
Peabody MegaDork
12/9/24 2:30 p.m.
P3PPY said:

 

Okay back to the point...

Nah, Curtis bailed on the Spark, this is the point now.

You weren't being naive, it's very safe there. I tell people that the difference between most vacation type Caribbean islands and Aruba is that Aruba's standard of living is the same as ours.

Peabody
Peabody MegaDork
12/9/24 4:44 p.m.

This is kinda tempting. If only to remove the factory body kit - ultra rare, fix and flip. I wouldn't keep it, it's an auto car

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1707960398

 

grafmiata
grafmiata UltraDork
12/9/24 7:40 p.m.

I've only driven a Spark as a rental several years ago, and I just remember it as a painfully embarrassing experience.  First, it had the CVT, which from my butt-dyno, made it accelerate quicker in reverse than drive.  Second, I had to drive it to old friend and GRM legend Auusie's house for a July 4th party.  I will never recover from the laughs and abuse hurled at me when I pulled in the driveway. 🤣

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) MegaDork
12/9/24 7:41 p.m.

In reply to grafmiata :

The early Sparks apparently had a 6 speed auto.

I note that the Aveos had over 100hp from a 1.6l smiley

 

Another TIL was that the Aveo was designed by Ital.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter)
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
12/9/24 7:42 p.m.

Ok.... car is officially up for grabs to anyone.

THREAD IN THE CARS FOR SALE FORUM

grafmiata
grafmiata UltraDork
12/9/24 7:55 p.m.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

The one I had, don't recall the year, but it was either CVT, or the world's smoothest-shifting, crappiest auto in the history on mankind.

adam525i
adam525i SuperDork
12/9/24 8:07 p.m.

This seems appropriate, time stamped to the relevant Spark part

 

rslifkin
rslifkin PowerDork
12/10/24 8:58 a.m.

A friend of mine (who had only DD-ed RWD American iron previously, mostly 80s GMs and P71 Crown Vics) bought a Spark a couple of years ago because he wanted to try out new car ownership.  And it was pretty much the cheapest thing he could buy with a manual trans.  It's by no means a great car, but in the better optioned trims it's not awful.  In general, I'd score it a "could be better, but also better than expected". 

Peabody
Peabody MegaDork
12/10/24 9:15 a.m.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:

In reply to grafmiata :

The early Sparks apparently had a 6 speed auto.

I note that the Aveos had over 100hp from a 1.6l smiley

 

Another TIL was that the Aveo was designed by Ital.

The pre - 16 sparks are pretty funny looking, but kind of growing on me like one of those quirky Asian cars that we would never get here.

The motor that was used in the Aveo was also used in the Lanos. One day while I was in the wrecker's getting cores I saw a stack of Lanos' and decided to check them out. I pulled a few sets of cam cores, degreed them, and ground them with a mild street grind. I put them on ebay and they all sold within a week.

FYI, they use the same/similar design (direct acting, large base circle) and lobe profiles as a Quad4, which opens up all kinds of possibilities.

 

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