What would you get for 5K to use for a daily driver in the summer(UPDATE)2-5?

[greenpigs]

We plan on getting a new mini van in a few months for the wife\kids and I am going to keep my truck. The wife said she would feel bad about getting a new car and me driving an old one. So....I will be looking for a spring-summer-fall car that has the following priorities.

1) Get 15 mpg city or better
2) Be able to seat 4
3) No 4 doors
4) Nothing newer than 1990
5) V8 preferable but not a deal breaker

Yes I know its sorta vague but I am open to ALL brands and other than being a solid running car would like something that I can pratice sheetmetal work on. My current choices are:

Mid 80's Monte Carlo or Grand Prix
Any year Dart or Duster
Any year Volare,Aspen
67-69 Firebird
67-69 Cougar
Mid 70's Nova

[69bronzeT5]

I got this for $650. Have about $1,700 invested.

[69rtse4spd]

We picked up an 88 Le Baron convertable for 1450.00 4 banger 30 32 m.p.g. good shape & just a fun running car.

[rt green]

get a pontiac grand prix with the 3800. they go along ways. milage aint bad either. i know its a 4 door, but just transportation, right?   also, a used accord would fit the bill.

[Silver R/T]

There's a lot of project cars you can pick from for $5K

[chargerboy69]

So....I will be looking for a spring-summer-fall car that has the following priorities.

1) Get 15 mpg city or better
2) Be able to seat 4
3) No 4 doors
4) Nothing newer than 1990
5) V8 preferable but not a deal breaker

/color]

She meets all your needs, and I bet she is in your price range.  And she is a Mopar to boot.  

And no, it is not mine.

[dpm68]

If I had the cash, I would, no offense, please, get a Supra - like about an '88 or so. They are a bit more fussy to work on with that big six in them, but man they sure scream. Or what about a nice late 70s Z (with fuel injection, not those fussy and hard-to-tune Hitachis) Another inline six car that is more than capable. You can always cram a chebby 350 (Google Scarab) in them too.  

[stripedelete]

If I had the cash, I would, no offense, please, get a Supra - like about an '88 or so. They are a bit more fussy to work on with that big six in them, but man they sure scream. Or what about a nice late 70s Z (with fuel injection, not those fussy and hard-to-tune Hitachis) Another inline six car that is more than capable. You can always cram a chebby 350 (Google Scarab) in them too.  

Supra.  good call.

[41husk]

I would look into the 1982-83 Shelby Chargers sporty look good gas milage and can be purchased in your price range.

[69charger2002]

get a 94-02 trans am (and pretend it's older than 1990)you can find some for $5k not all ragged out, and they are great cars with good power and remarkable gas mileage for the engine. i just picked this 02 firebird convertible up for less than $3000, and it has 36000 miles on it. it gets very close to 30 mpg!

[71ChallengeHer]

A /6 Duster  or Demon .    Or a nice 90-93 Daytona. 

[Nacho-RT74]

Or a nice 90-93 Daytona. 

I was to post about LOL...

maybe a same generation Lebaron IF you get a newer than 90 car, but earliers

I like a lot Aspens/Volares/RRs. Great sleepers, great body line, nice and comfy interiors



maybe even some T top version of the same car

[200MPH]

caprice,Dippy, jeep cherokee 4.0  4 doors decent MPG run a longggg time.dodge omni turbo,

[69charger2002]

I got this for $650. Have about $1,700 invested.

cody that duster is a sweet car for what you have in it! those "boobie" hubcaps HAVE to go though!   

[TruckDriver]

  I never yet have had $5000 in my hand at one time ever. I usually have to buy something under $1,500, and that is a struggle to buy for me.

BUT, If I have $5000, I'd look for a nice "F" body, or a Duster, or a 1980's Camaro or Trans Am, or Monte Carlo SS.

[bull]

So are you saying this is going to be a temporary car or you're going to keep it for a long time and only drive it during the spring-fall seasons?

[69bronzeT5]

I got this for $650. Have about $1,700 invested.

cody that duster is a sweet car for what you have in it! those "boobie" hubcaps HAVE to go though!   

Already got freshly painted Rallyes in the garage.....just gotta get tires

[greenpigs]

Bull, yes it would be more of a keeper and something with performance potential is what I want.

[Arthu®]

Since everybody here is already stating the obvious Mopar A-bodies, etc I will not do that for two reasons. One being the obvious one that it already has been done and second you already own a 69 Charger R/T and really are there any Mopars out there for 5k that can come close to a 2nd gen Charger R/T? Everything else is just going to be a disappointment . So I did some long and hard thinking and seeing you now have an all-american garage and you said you would consider all brands I thought of these two options.

Nummer eins
Brought to you from an era when Porsche had completely lost its marbles, it is a available in a wide variety of ugly 1980's colors with an even worse interior. If you want fun, speed and the grand tourer experience and happen to have children with detachable limbs than this is the car. It's the Porsche 928, unlike the 911 this one has a drive train that makes sense, it's as 1980's as the fake Ferrari Daytona in Miami Vice and was produced when Mark Wahlberg was still Marky Mark. It's not the every man's Porsche like the 944 or the 924, this one had a proper Porsche 8 cylinder engine and a ton of options that most likely don't work anymore.

Number two
Designed and built by the communists of British Leyland, it is in todays world as classically correct as an Art Nouveau style cabinet placed in the Guggenheim museum. It will be frowned upon, hated, slow, smelly with poor build quality and design, but you can't be a true gearhead without having owned an English classic. It's the Jaguar XJS. A 2 door time traveling machine that when you sit in it, will make you feel like you are in a late 18th century English townhouse. It will be by no means be a sports car, it's made for cruising and it has some of the best ride qualities in the world and with this car your kids might be able to keep their limbs!

The only thing I did not touch I think was the MPG, that is because for one I have no idea on the MPG on either cars and two because they are probably completely irrelevant, but these cars are both great fun and something different.

Arthur

[bull]

If it were me I'd try to find something that's going to hold its value. I've actually thought long and hard about this and although it pains me to say it one of your best bets is going to be a Mustang in the 65-69 range. You can get every part imaginable for a Mustang, you can do all the work on it yourself, you won't have to bother with DEQ (if you do at all) and when you sell it it will be worth as much or more than you paid. The only reason I recommend a Rustang over a Mopar for a daily driver is parts availability. Other than that I'd say a 67-69 Barracuda but you'd have a hard time finding parts, especially body parts.

[Mike DC]

  
I agree about getting something that will hold its value.  There are some cars that will lose whatever you invest and some that totally won't.


I also think there is a big difference between something that has to work 100% of the time and need 0 work/money invested, versus something that has to work 95% of the time and need "a little" invested.   There's nothing wrong with occasionally working on your driver but just be realistic about what you're getting yourself into. 

[greenpigs]

I am keeping my Ram and using the car because I want a 'new' ride. A 3rd gen Charger with a 318 may be possible. I don't expect perfection I just do not want to start with a barely running project car.

[dkn1997]

86-88 mustang gt.  like the 86 best.  for 5K you can probably get something ok...  high mileage.  the bodies on these didn't rust that bad either. 

fuel injected too

[greenpigs]

Many choices thats for sure and I have a soft spot for Mustang GT's. I will just wait and see what comes along as I have the Charger to drive this summer. Just took about 5 years.

[viper r/t]

get a 94-02 trans am (and pretend it's older than 1990)you can find some for $5k not all ragged out, and they are great cars with good power and remarkable gas mileage for the engine. i just picked this 02 firebird convertible up for less than $3000, and it has 36000 miles on it. it gets very close to 30 mpg!

Not to hijack the thread,, but I really love these cars. Just bought 1 myself about a month ago..

[PocketThunder]

Jeep Wrangler!!!!!!!  The TJ's hold their value and you will have the top down in the summer.  I sold my 97 TJ 5 years ago for $7000 and i would probably pay $5000 to buy it back today.  They only get 17 mpg though with the 4.0L.  The smaller 2.5's do better though.

[stripedelete]

Jeep Wrangler!!!!!!!  The TJ's hold their value and you will have the top down in the summer.  I sold my 97 TJ 5 years ago for $7000 and i would probably pay $5000 to buy it back today.  They only get 17 mpg though with the 4.0L.  The smaller 2.5's do better though.

And you get a convertible.  Another good call.

[66chargerkid]

89 turbo 2 5 speed Daytona

[davidn3]

Monte carlos seemed to be going pretty cheap these days. 

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/1562719712.html

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/1541999743.html

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/1567346770.html

and so are the buick skylarks

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/1562674517.html

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/1549916481.html

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/1560582198.html

[NGC414]

Another vote for a fox mustang. I would go for a 89 -93 though. 86 was much lower HP and 87-88 were non mass air. They run much better & easier to mod after they added 55mm mass air in 89. They also had forged pistons in 89. Awesome performance for the money. You can find some decent ones under 5k.

I also love the turbo regals. I would go for a 86-87 since they were intercooled and made much more power than the hot air cars. Fun, fast cars but very hard to find a decent one for 5k.

[greenpigs]

Well the guy backed out on buying the Vette, so I got the glass casket for the for seeable future.