Spend my money

Ok, my auto ADD is acting up again. Here's the story, followed by the dilema. As many of you know, I'm starting my own business and the plan was to sell the mini (74, RHD) and use that money for the business. Sell my Miata to do the cosmetic repairs my truck needs (93 3/4 ton dodge with the Cummins beast motor) and use the truck for work. Well, I don't need a 3/4 ton truck for my business, I could get away with an escort wagon easily, though I'll never drive one. My wife tells me to sell the truck and buy a cargo van but again, I dont need a cargo van and I know the truck has a few hundred thousand left on the drivetrain and that's WAAY more than I could say for a $3000 cargo van. So I sold my Miata 2 weeks ago. Then my wife says, "too bad you can't use a miata for your business" and I realize I can. 75% of the time what I need to carry with me can fit in the trunk and passenger seat, the other 25% of the time I could use an auto-X trailer. That has me thinking about the money I have from the sale of the miata (this is normally where I Berkley things all up). So, for $2500 what you get? I needs to be fun(ish) to drive, and reliable since it's for work and I can't leave customers hanging. So, here's my short list: Miata, older 3 series (though I don't know if I want to rely on a BMW I can get for 3K), DSM, SVX???, Turbo Brick, Wrangler, ????

How do I me a paragraph??? I wanted to list the vehicles on a seperate line.

Do I even need to say it?

No you don't. I meant to put that on my list just to prevent you from adding +1 to your post count Seriously, what kind of economy do you get?

If you need to carry stuff, I'd be looking for something with a bit of cargo room. If a customer will ever be in the car, I'd want something that is comfortable. Both of these put the Miata off the list for me.

For a fun work "truck" I'd have to look closely at a first gen Scion xB. Lots of room, comfy enough, and it looks professional enough with a magnet thrown on the door that you won't look like a hack.

I don't anticipate having a customer in my car and the Scion would be out of my budget.

Hatchback Celica, Escort GT, EG Civic Si (might be tough in your price range), Ford Probe/Mazda MX6 (second gen would probably be better), 2nd gen Integra, Miata, MR2, Audi 90 Quattro, Any turbo saab.

Ok, there is another scenario. I could hold out till I sell the truck and have about $6000 to spend......

Celica AllTrac! It's got boost!

I'd buy a nice E36 BMW for that price. A NICE one.

$6K will get you a lot of much nicer cars.

But for $2500 you can't ignore a Crown Vic / Grand Marquis. I get 23/27 driving normal with A/C, etc on 87 octane. Trunk is HUGE (will hold a SBF with T5 attached, or a pair of 1st Gen RX-7 doors, or an entire Power Wheels H2). Comfy civvie interior snaps right in for cheap (new carpet was $89, NOS seats were $25, dash was $15) and the A/C will freeze your jiblets off.

$2450 netted me an 01 P71 almost 2 years ago. Now it should net you a squeaky clean 01 civvie or even better a Grand Marq (very nice interior). Stay away from anything older than 01 though.

First gen CRV with cut springs.

Why no escort wagon? I have two and love them!

Joey

DrBoost wrote: How do I me a paragraph??? I wanted to list the vehicles on a seperate line.

For some odd reason, you have to leave more than one space at the end of each line before you hit return.

And
it
works
like
this

joey48442 wrote: Why no escort wagon? I have two and love them! Joey

Sorry
Joey
I
just
can't
get
excited
about
an
escort
Though I did see on at an auto-X and it was doing incredibly well!

Thanks PInchvalve, ^^^ works!!

And in response, I say:

Civic Hatch - Surprising room inside and lots of mods.
Saab 900 - Huge inside, find an SPG and have some fun.
Colt Vista Wagon- Or similar mini-mini-minivan. Tercel, Civic AWD, Eagle. Neat, cheap, and slap on a turbo for fun.
Mercury Tracer LTZ Wagon - Make your own Escort GT wagon, but be original and use a Mercury instead.
(fill in the blank) with a HF trailer - I mean, a small trailer from Harbor Freight will give you all the room you need.
Cordia Turbo - No one ever suggests these poor misfits on any "what car" threads and I felt bad for them.
MX-6 Turbo - IIRC, big rear hatch.
Celica - Again, big rear hatch area.
Golf GT - See above.

If you need to deliver stuff quickly...

joey48442 wrote: Why no escort wagon? I have two and love them! Joey

Needs moar motor!

pinchvalve wrote: And in response, I say: Civic Hatch - Surprising room inside and lots of mods. Saab 900 - Huge inside, find an SPG and have some fun. Colt Vista Wagon- Or similar mini-mini-minivan. Tercel, Civic AWD, Eagle. Neat, cheap, and slap on a turbo for fun. Mercury Tracer LTZ Wagon - Make your own Escort GT wagon, but be original and use a Mercury instead. (fill in the blank) with a HF trailer - I mean, a small trailer from Harbor Freight will give you all the room you need. Cordia Turbo - No one ever suggests these poor misfits on any "what car" threads and I felt bad for them. MX-6 Turbo - IIRC, big rear hatch. Celica - Again, big rear hatch area. Golf GT - See above.

The MX6 Turbo isn't a hatch, though..... but it does have a HUGE trunk.

I think i could fit about as much in the MX6 as i could in my Celica, and my celica IS a hatch.

I like the BP powered Tracer/Escort wagon idea. I've always wanted to do one. There's a flat black one on cardomain w/ a BP, lowered nicely on some white wheels. I have no idea what the setup is, but it looks amazing.

DrBoost wrote: No you don't. I meant to put that on my list just to prevent you from adding +1 to your post count Seriously, what kind of economy do you get?

I get 21 mpg and thats with no highway driving. Just need to remember you dont need to race every one at the light.

Z31? Big hatch and fun.

BIG hatch, I miss mine.

I'm thinking z31 with the 4.0 pathfinder engine would be an awesome thing, ot a vq45!!!

93celicaGT2 wrote: The MX6 Turbo isn't a hatch, though..... but it does have a HUGE trunk. I think i could fit about as much in the MX6 as i could in my Celica, and my celica IS a hatch. I like the BP powered Tracer/Escort wagon idea. I've always wanted to do one. There's a flat black one on cardomain w/ a BP, lowered nicely on some white wheels. I have no idea what the setup is, but it looks amazing.

no, but there was a 626 GT Touring (hatch) version, but they're really rare. here's a fun fact, the mx6 GT was in GS, while the 626 GT got classed into HS. same chassis, same drivetrain, just two (or three) more doors. 'cept now they're all in HS because they're 20 years old...