Decided It's Time To Get A "Beater"...Used Car Shopping

[Dix]

A v6 K-car??


I thought you where looking for good mileage and reliable...... .

.
Reviews say 20- 29 MPG

Remember, I stopped paying attention to cars a long time ago.

 

[Dix]

Price a replacement convertible top.

I have pics of the top...it's not too shabby.

Remember, beater. 1 - 2 years out of it.

 

[BrotherBart]

Ragtop fever. Everybody has to own one sometime. Me too. In 1981 flew to California, bought it and had a great drive back to Texas. Fun but never will own one again.

Go for it.

 

[jharkin]

80s and early 90s Chrysler was about the low point of american car reliability. My sister drove an old beater lebaron in college. That car stranded her at least 3 or 4 times in less than a year. Drank a quart of oil per tank of gas too.

Its your money but if you want a drop top for $2k, I think you would get more fun and a lot less aggrivation out of a first gen Miata.

 

[Dix]

Ragtop fever. Everybody has to own one sometime. Me too. In 1981 flew to California, bought it and had a great drive back to Texas. Fun but never will own one again.

Go for it.

I had a 69 Camaro Indy Pace Car .... loved that car

It's red, BB .. talk about a bold move for me on many, man levels

*disclaimer* ... finally to the point where I can look .. just putting stuff out there.

 

[BrotherBart]

That exact same car was my brother-in-laws mid life crisis car. He loved it.

My mid life crises car was a 1995 3/4 ton 454 Suburban. Still got it.

 

[begreen]

You could do worse Dix. Ask if the transmission fluid has ever been changed and if not have it checked out. Also check when the timing belt is due to be changed. If it is at 60K, uh oh!, it's overdue. If it was well maintained and the belt was changed at 60K you should be able to pull a fun 30K out of it.

 

[vinny11950]

I bought a used 1987 LeBaron from a friend who is a gear head. He took real good care of it. Low miles. It was real nice with the wood paneling look outside and the corinthian leather inside. Most comfortable car I ever had. Sitting in anything else just doesn't feel right. That is why I put up with so much mechanical failures as it went along.

I had to replace an engine gasket (which was common for that engine model), and the transmission also had to be rebuilt. What finally did my love in for the car was the convertible top. When it rained hard and at certain angles on how the car was parked, water would accumulate in the inside of the car. The floor mats would get soaked and water would be swishing around for days until I found a steep enough angle so it would drain out.

The floors rotted away and the electrical started malfunctioning. Look for rust underneath the carpets, or even rust holes on the underside of the car.

It is a fun car to drive, with plenty of power and easy to work on, but it will require maintenance.

 

[Ashful]

80s and early 90s Chrysler was about the low point of american car reliability. My sister drove an old beater lebaron in college. That car stranded her at least 3 or 4 times in less than a year. Drank a quart of oil per tank of gas too.

Its your money but if you want a drop top for $2k, I think you would get more fun and a lot less aggrivation out of a first gen Miata.

Ditto on everything here, even my sister owning a 1990'ish red Lebaron in college! Weird.

 

[Dix]

Uploaded pics












These would have to go !

 

[begreen]

If it hasn't been serviced recently for the timing belt I'd stay away. That could add $500-$1000 to the car price and shouldn't be deferred. Take your time, you can do much better for reliability. Here's a sampling of LI craigslist offerings today:

(broken link removed to http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3883074895.html)
(broken link removed to http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3830082318.html)
(broken link removed to http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3832002037.html)
(broken link removed to http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3887578006.html)

 

[homebrewz]

I've found Hyundai's to be pretty reliable and they are usually lower in price than similar makes They made the Elantra wagon until 2000.
Would be good for hauling stuff out the horses, etc. One of the things I don't like is that the timing belt interval on them is 60kmi.
Just a thought..

 

[begreen]

Yes, I was also looking for a late 90s Sonata for Dix, but didn't see one right now.

 

[Dix]

If it hasn't been serviced recently for the timing belt I'd stay away. That could add $500-$1000 to the car price and shouldn't be deferred. Take your time, you can do much better for reliability. Here's a sampling of LI craigslist offerings today:

(broken link removed to http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3883074895.html)
(broken link removed to http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3830082318.html)
(broken link removed to http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3832002037.html)
(broken link removed to http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/3887578006.html)

I'm scoping out Craigs List ever day.

Big problem is the geography, plus you have to be on the alert for "Sandy Cars" ... that one in Elmont sent my radar off. Plus, I'm 1 1/2 hours away from there.

Soldiering on ....