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Topic: Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough... (Read 3272 times) previous topic - next topic

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #15 –
Since you're in cahoots with a GM dealership, I say you look for a Grand Prix GTP. A small investment in aftermarket stuff can get you into the 13s... plus they don't look too bad.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
 

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #16 –
Six months ago I plunked down a ridiculously small chunk of change for a 1998 Mercury Mountaineer AWD 5.0, with 124K on the ticker. It is dead-nuts reliable, comfy, plenty of room to haul stuff (which I do quite a bit), and Ford's AWD system is rock solid. My expenses so far: brakes, tires and a new serpentine belt. Woo. If you don't mind an SUV--in other words, sitting up high and riding like a truck--then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one. It does absolutely everything I need to perfection, and with no complaints whatsoever. The electrical system seems to be pretty decent too. :)

But given the choice of cars I'd probably steer towards the Caddy as well. My parents had a '91 Sedan deVille with the 4.2 V8 and even though mechanics have always shied away from that engine, it was really peppy. They traded that in last year for an '02 Eldorado ETC with the Northstar. That's a fun tire-fryer there. :) Both cars have been extraordinarily reliable for them. If the floorboards hadn't started to rot on the '91, I'd have bought it from my folks for a daily driver...

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #17 –
Lincoln eh? Mark VIII.

dont get a GTP... i dusted one of those with my beat to hell TC.
93 Festiva L, 193k miles, BP+T/G25MR swap, T3 50trim .48/.42, SRT FMIC, Capri electronics/Rocketchip, 2.5" exhaust
bests: ET 12.86, MPH 110.25, 1.92 short
02 Subaru Impreza WRX, 129k miles
97 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport, 236k miles

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #18 –
My mechanic is selling a mint body 96 STS with 140,000 on it for $3,500. It's a nice car. I'd buy it to replace the Buick but I don't have the money right now. Doesn't help you Thunder Chicken, it's in Chicago:hick:
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #19 –
My mechanic is selling a mint body 96 STS with 140,000 on it for $3,500. It's a nice car. I'd buy it to replace the Buick but I don't have the money right now. Doesn't help you Thunder Chicken, it's in Chicago:hick:
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #20 –
Quote from: bhazard
Lincoln eh? Mark VIII.

Search for Cougars2Go's thread about his junk MarkVIII he had and all the problems he had with it.


Carm, get this:

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #21 –
Id love to get a new Acura TL. Theyre one of the few new cars id love to own. Theyre peppy, can get a 6-speed manual, and packed full of options.
It's Gumby's fault.

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #22 –
I briefly considered a Mark VII, but it would be redundant. I already have a two door, RWD, V8 barge. And that barge should outrun, outhandle and outclass any VIII by the time I'm done with it...

Zach: I don't really like the GP. They are a nice car and are very capable, but they just don't do anything for me. One wouldn't be out of the question if I got a smokin' deal, but I'd much prefer the Caddy.

Eric: Gas is nearly five bucks a gallon here. An SUV for a daily driver ain't in the cards. I'm gonna get a 4WD truck to replace the Dakota in the fall, but it won't be a DD, it'll be a hunting, fishing, firewood gathering, building materials getting, mud slogging, bounce-it-off-a-tree work truck, so it'll probably be a mid 90's F150. It's not that I have anything against SUV's (I've owned two Cherokees), I just don't have much use for one.

The wagon has come in VERY handy during the house renovations (did you know you can stack about 20 2X4X8's in the car with the rear seats down if you put 'em between the front seats? :D) but as the renovations wind down the wagon's usefulness does as well. I bought the wagon because I liked the looks of 'em, but now that I'm soured on Volvo forever I can't see another wagon in the future. At least for a while, until a Vista Cruiser comes along...
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #23 –
What about a Sonata?  Both V6 and I4 engines get great gas mileage for the size of the car.  It was bigger inside than the Accord and Camry and had a bigger trunk than the Accord and Altima.  Since the Accord and Camry were redesigned and I haven't been selling cars since the fall, I don't know if that still holds but nevertheless, the base 06 Sonata after cash backs and whatnot is a helluva buy.  ABS, TC, ESC, 6 airbags all standard on every one.  And for a northern climate, ESC is nice to have.

Not to mention, it's new.  Having a 3-year old domestic luxury car (Mark 8) gave me a whole new perspective on domestic luxury cars.  I learned why the resale value drops so fast and so much. My experiences with the Mark will keep me away from getting a newer domestic luxury as a DD for a long time.  It also made me appreciate simplicity more than I did before.
"lol.. because not too many people care for that style of car"
[size=-2]Click on paw print \/[/size]

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #24 –
You know what I would do?  I would call up Volvo and pitch a fit at them.  This car is obviosly a lemon.  I would tell them you have a real challenge for them, and let them do their worst.
88 TC, Lots of Mods.

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #25 –
I'm really happy with my 4 door Ranger 4x4. It's my work truck and my DD. With the extra leaf spring I had put in the rear, it can carry a decent load. I've carried everything from motors to firewood, to lumber...I picked up 1.5 ton of 3/4 crushed stone last week. And with a fuel consumption of aprox. 16L/100KM it's not to bad on gas for a DD. When the Mustang is paid off in Feb 08, I'll be buying another new Ranger.

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #26 –
If I were you, I'd go new. Used cars leave too many variables and obviously you became a victim of this. I'd stay away from used since you really don't know the true history of the car. Was it wrecked?  (may not have been reported) Was it maintained?(may say so but could have not been) What problems have the car had?(Nearly impossible to find out but could tell you that more are to come)

Seriously, with a new car, you get the advantage of the full manufacturer's warrenty. Not a dealer warrenty like most have for used cars but a genuine full unexpired manufacturer's warrenty.
In my experience so far, this has been one of the greatest things about getting a new car.

I'd be a little leary of the newer CTS'. They are sharp and fast however I've heard that they seem to deteriorate rather quickly. I've heard it doesn't take long for it to rattle and loosen up. But then again this is what I've heard not experienced.

Good luck.

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #27 –
I myself would never buy a new car again.  I've only bought one and while it was nice to be in a new car, I'd rather use the savings elsewhere.  My most recent purchase was a '98 E350 15 passenger van.  I bought it last year for $8700.  If I were to buy it new, it would cost me around $35,000.

Now the whole new car/used car thing also has impact on the type of car you're looking for.  A used Mustang will probably be a lot more on the 'used' side than say a used Crown Vic or Towncar.  When I bought my MN-12 a few years ago, I also was looking at the same year BMW 3-series.  While the Cat has more miles on it, the BMW looked a lot more used than the od was showing.  My car was more than likely owned by an older couple that used it sensibly.  And knowing a lot of the older folks, when something doesn't sound or feel right, off to the shop it goes.  And it's usually the dealer.  Check it out.  Drop by any car dealer and hang out in the service department.  Unless someone is there getting some warranty work done, most of the patrons will be older people.

As far as the warranty is concerned, all cars break.  Yes you are getting a whole car warranty, but that's because the whole car is new.  Now, when you buy a part for your car, that part carries it's own warranty.  Just like the alternator I bought for my Cat.  Just like a new car, when the alternator went bad, I went back to the place I bought it and had it replaced for free.  Again, not saying that there's anything wrong with buying a new car, it's just not for me.  I drive 35,000 miles a year commuting.  That's what I currently put my Cat through.  I park it on Friday evening, and it doesn't move until Tuesday morning (I only work 4 days/week).  The other times, we use the family 'truckster' - E350).  With a used car, I'm never concerned about getting near the 100k mile mark.  My Cat has 214k on it and I can't wait to see 250k.  I always feel the opposite with a new car.  Keep the milage down as much as possible, but then it defeats the purpose of getting a commuter car.


Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter.

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #28 –
Quote from: MexCougar
Yep, but the reliability of these cars arent proven enough, but the caliber may be a good try....


Well look at the big picture, every car company is fairly reilable and reliabilty often depends on the owner and how they take care of it. Most of the new cars now are all so close when it comes to reliability, for me its about performance, safty, and the PRICE as well as parts prices ext. Many puppiesanese car dealerships can be costly to replace parts whent they break, and im sure the same goes for some domestic car companys but with what i have experienced and heard puppiesanese cars on average cost more to replace parts.
:birdsmily:

2.5" Cat Back Exhaust, CenterForce Stage 2 Dual Friction Clutch, B&M Ripper Shifter, T3/T4 Turbonetics 63 A/R Turbo, Rods Stainless Tubular Ceramic Coated Header, Boost Controller @ 15Psi, Kirban AFPR, 42lb Injectors, 190LPH Walbro Fuel pump, Ranger Roller Cam, 3" Aluminum Intake Tubing, K&N Cone,  KYB Struts, Koni Red Horizontals/Verticals, Eibach Sportline Springs, Racer Walsh C/C Plates, Polyurethane Bushings, 17x9 Cobra R Wheels

Swedish shiznitbox is back in the garage. I've about had enough...

Reply #29 –
always could go with a Taurus wagon...3.0 SOHC or the pushrod version...good cars...seen many with over 200k on them...if ya want a small truck go with ford/mazda ranger, or the nissan frontier with the 2.4 4cyl, 5spd...300k on the ones @ my work
'83 Cougar *the never ending project* warmed over 306 v8,c4,8.8 posi with 5 lug conversion
'91 mustang strictly street-in progress
'00 f150 7700-Mean Green: jet stage 1 chip,ported upper intake with 1" spacer,'04 Super Duty intake with injectors,summit racing short tube headers with true 2.5" duals with smithy's glasspacks!