DarrenWS6
The original Ford guy around here
As some may recall, I was wanting to get a personal loan to get a small little economic 5spd car so I could save at the gas pump, and more importantly save my truck from high miles!
Well from the advice of you folks, some family and co-workers who have financial experience, I did not do it. I kept to paying for my truck's finance debt only ( which is just shy of $8,000 ), and saving to buy a smaller car out right in cash.
Over the summer I tried limiting life luxuries like lattes and crap like that, traveled light and stuck mostly to my avg bills and saved every penny up and had enough for almost that sum amount of what I was looking to finance in a personal loan. Started looking for a little car and a couple months later I found a silver 2002 Dodge Neon R/T with 146k on it. Being an '02 R/T it has the 2.0L magnum DOHC and 5spd manual default. Along with some appeal add ons like a spoiler, ground effects, 16" wheels, and dual outlet exhaust. I went to the small little dealer that was selling it on a Sunday and thought it looked sharp.
A couple business days later I went and checked it out when I finally got out of work early. Checked it out, not bad at all. Very clean surprisingly for a 10yr old Neon. I figured the interior would be rough. A 1 owner from Maryland. I looked under neath and it is hardly rust pitted at all. It is in better shape under neath than my truck.
It had been modified to a decent extent by the original owner. Including MSD ignition, larger injectors, Injen CAI with a custom ram air box built using the duct from the drivers side fog lamp area, shift kit, sway bars, 1" lowering kit, a custom exhaust which I would judge by its appearance is stock manifold/cat, 2 resonators about as thick as the exhaust tubing, no muffler, and dual outlets to 3" tips. The little bastard makes some noise that is for sure, but it isn't over baring. It is quite loud inside going up a hill in 5th & 4th though. Has euro style tails, some cheap LEDs ( have since replaced with standard bulbs for functionality ), eBay halo style projector headlamps, 35% tint.
I took it for a test drive, it rode very smooth and did not pull. The shift kit has the gears very very close. Me and my friend who I let drive it the other day went from 1st, 2nd, then 5th, very close gear box in this thing. It shifts pretty smooth but sometimes it seemed to want to shift a little rougher in the gear box ( still does this ). Anyways, after giving it a nice drive and experiencing it, I asked for a price and a carfax. Got the carfax and it was only $2700. I thought it was a hell of a deal for what it was and how clean it was. I looked up its value and it was about $3200. I wanted a Chevy Cavalier LS sport, but as affordable as this little thing was and how nice it was I went for it. Bought it 2 weeks ago. Been daily driving it and getting about 26mpg. Its almost fun to drive too. Makes me miss the Trans Am WS6 6spd, shifting was so fun and the sound was great. This isn't AS fun, but it is fun to do the gear work.
So far so good in general. I got a nice clean, non rusted out, mildly built up economy car and didn't go into financial debt for it all because I saved up, and waited awhile instead of jumping the gun and got a pretty decent car. Haven't drove my truck since Friday. $40 to fill up where the truck is about $90, the savings have begun already. Hopefully it stays that way! I'm in talks with Nick on getting some Amsoil in it to clean it out of the cheap crap oil I believe it is running. The motor is a little noisy and I don't feel too good about that.. Hopefully some good quality oil is all she needs. Otherwise, being a domestic ricer isn't too bad
Well enough of the book, here are some pics.
Inside I forgot to take pics of but it is your standard cloth, comfortable though. Only thing that sucks is the radio isn't as nice as my trucks. I like being able to connect my phone for music. That may just have to change later on.
I'm going to get an exhaust video here soon too just for kicks.
Well from the advice of you folks, some family and co-workers who have financial experience, I did not do it. I kept to paying for my truck's finance debt only ( which is just shy of $8,000 ), and saving to buy a smaller car out right in cash.
Over the summer I tried limiting life luxuries like lattes and crap like that, traveled light and stuck mostly to my avg bills and saved every penny up and had enough for almost that sum amount of what I was looking to finance in a personal loan. Started looking for a little car and a couple months later I found a silver 2002 Dodge Neon R/T with 146k on it. Being an '02 R/T it has the 2.0L magnum DOHC and 5spd manual default. Along with some appeal add ons like a spoiler, ground effects, 16" wheels, and dual outlet exhaust. I went to the small little dealer that was selling it on a Sunday and thought it looked sharp.
A couple business days later I went and checked it out when I finally got out of work early. Checked it out, not bad at all. Very clean surprisingly for a 10yr old Neon. I figured the interior would be rough. A 1 owner from Maryland. I looked under neath and it is hardly rust pitted at all. It is in better shape under neath than my truck.
It had been modified to a decent extent by the original owner. Including MSD ignition, larger injectors, Injen CAI with a custom ram air box built using the duct from the drivers side fog lamp area, shift kit, sway bars, 1" lowering kit, a custom exhaust which I would judge by its appearance is stock manifold/cat, 2 resonators about as thick as the exhaust tubing, no muffler, and dual outlets to 3" tips. The little bastard makes some noise that is for sure, but it isn't over baring. It is quite loud inside going up a hill in 5th & 4th though. Has euro style tails, some cheap LEDs ( have since replaced with standard bulbs for functionality ), eBay halo style projector headlamps, 35% tint.
I took it for a test drive, it rode very smooth and did not pull. The shift kit has the gears very very close. Me and my friend who I let drive it the other day went from 1st, 2nd, then 5th, very close gear box in this thing. It shifts pretty smooth but sometimes it seemed to want to shift a little rougher in the gear box ( still does this ). Anyways, after giving it a nice drive and experiencing it, I asked for a price and a carfax. Got the carfax and it was only $2700. I thought it was a hell of a deal for what it was and how clean it was. I looked up its value and it was about $3200. I wanted a Chevy Cavalier LS sport, but as affordable as this little thing was and how nice it was I went for it. Bought it 2 weeks ago. Been daily driving it and getting about 26mpg. Its almost fun to drive too. Makes me miss the Trans Am WS6 6spd, shifting was so fun and the sound was great. This isn't AS fun, but it is fun to do the gear work.
So far so good in general. I got a nice clean, non rusted out, mildly built up economy car and didn't go into financial debt for it all because I saved up, and waited awhile instead of jumping the gun and got a pretty decent car. Haven't drove my truck since Friday. $40 to fill up where the truck is about $90, the savings have begun already. Hopefully it stays that way! I'm in talks with Nick on getting some Amsoil in it to clean it out of the cheap crap oil I believe it is running. The motor is a little noisy and I don't feel too good about that.. Hopefully some good quality oil is all she needs. Otherwise, being a domestic ricer isn't too bad
Well enough of the book, here are some pics.
Inside I forgot to take pics of but it is your standard cloth, comfortable though. Only thing that sucks is the radio isn't as nice as my trucks. I like being able to connect my phone for music. That may just have to change later on.
I'm going to get an exhaust video here soon too just for kicks.
