Decent 1st car?

1985-1988 E28 - BMW 535i- 5 Speed- 3.5 inline 6 187-218 BHP- Four wheel independent suspension- near 50-50 weight distribution-
135-150 MPH.

Lose the American bumpers for Euros and its a great handling dynamic car!
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Porsche 931

 

Yeah, go with that one. You'll care more about the car because you "built" it, plus it gives you a hobby to keep you out of trouble.

 

Porsche 914-4.

VW parts, tough cars - and a very cool, superb-handling mid-engined car.

 

I love the project car idea, but at current muscle car prices a $2000 Mustang will be so far gone you'll first drive it when you're about 25 years old, assuming you don't get married and have a kid.

I like the BMW suggestion, as a bonus, they are well built solid and safe cars. Those years are hip, and the 89-95 5 series cars are real good ones too. I had a 91 535 I loaned to my brother, and his wife and 2 little girls were in it when it got T-boned at an intersection by a light running 73 Cad Sedan DeVille going about 50. All the side glass powdered and the bags went off, the doors all stayed shut and they all walked out of the car. Amazing hit and held up well.

The 914 is a good idea too, depending on where you live. If you need a heater and defroster go with the Bimmer!

 

Don't forget - excellent gas mileage too. Don't know if you can find one in the $2k & under
range these days though... they've been creeping up pretty well.

 

Any 914 or 5 series you get is going to have a ton of miles (problems) and be rusted to helll (at lesat the 914 will be). Repairs and upkeep won't be cheap on those cars either. My suggestion is to get a civic or soemthing like that, there is plenty you can do if you want a project car.

 

Of course a Honda would be cheaper to run (who wants to drive a Civic?) but if the OP does the work himself as he stated a E28 is a very robust platform, and they are a blast to drive!

E28's are known to go 250,000 to 300,000 miles without a rebuild, their trannys are bullet-proof as well. Little things like front suspension thrush bearings and guibos are known weak spots, otherwise they are some of the best built BMW's ever.

Try www.mye28.com .........they also have turbo kits that net anywhere between 300-450 BHP for under $6K.

 

alfa spider's are cool - pininfarina styling, double overhead cam motor...it's Italian and will leave you stranded, but then you get to learn 'survival'

 

You could get an alfa 164 cheap and they are actualy reasonably reliable, junkyard parts would be cheap too. Cant beat a bimmer, though if they go wrong you can eat the purchase price in parts before you even think about it.

 

Look for a first generation VW GTI. One of all time best, front drive "drivers cars". VW parts are cheap and plentyful at the wrecking yard. They can be had for cheap, and I can tell you, they will embarrass cars many times as powerful and expensive, in the mountains.


Darrell.

 

This is the Car... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/halloween-honda-accord-dx-runs-great-with-title-1990_W0QQitemZ270188064983QQihZ017QQcategoryZ7251QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

 

Ditto, Thats what I'd go for for my first. Alfa Romeo Spider!

 

My first car is a 1994 Mustang GT 5-speed. I picked it up for $1500, with 150k miles. Not horrible for a 5.0, and the body is straight.

It's a blast to drive, and it's a modern car, so upkeep is not bad. Not horrible gas, though it is a V8. In the 18-24 MPG levels. I would highly suggest it as a first car.

Peter Hatch

 

You guys want him in an Alfa Romeo with that limited budget? Eeeeek!

No way.

 

I'm still on my first car which is an MR2 (dare i call it my baby ferrari!). An awesome little sportscar that can be picked up for pocket money. MR2s loves the twistys and if you get the turbo model, have a lot of get up and go. Awesome summer driver with the ability to remove the targas (on most mr2s). I suggest you research the driving style and car quite a lot if you do consider one as they can be quite a handful in the wet and like many mid-engined cars, suffers from snap-oversteer.

Good luck with the search

 

Hey I warned clearly that he will have to be a modern McGyver to 'survive' with that choice...but when all is okay he gets the full sports car experience and it can be done within his budget

 

VW GTI

 

I have to agree here. Unless you get a rare find from a relative this won't be a good choice.

For a beginners project car it MUST be a running and driving car with functioning brakes (all 4 wheels) an intact electrical system and some kind of interior. It would help a lot if it had little to no rust in important places.

A couple years ago a young friend of mine (older than you) took a loan to buy his "dream car" a '66 GTO project car (mostly a $3000 piece of non-running wreckage). He GREATLY underestimated now much work and money was required (that he really couldn't do) just to get it running and driving. It never left the driveway until he sold it to someone else.

Unless you know someone that works on Italian cars stay away from the Alfas. They're certainly fun cars but a bit much for a first car. No parts are available locally and probably you will have few people near you to "lean on" when you have trouble.

 

"When all is OK" that's not going to be enough and his budget seems small.

 

If you only have $1000 for a car, the LAST THING ON EARTH you want is a project car.

Buy a nice used Honda.

 

Pontiac Fiero GT but make sure you get one thats in decent condition.

 

I'd go for a well used Miata. The parts are plentiful and cheap, they are dependable, and are a really fun car that gets excellent gas mileage.
Here's one for $1400 leaving you a few $$$ for repairs and upgrades.
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp;?tracktype=usedcc&searchType=22&pageNumber=0&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=YEAR+descending%2CPRICE+descending&certifiedOnly=false&criteria=K-%7CE-%7CM-_30_%7CB-2000%7CA-1000%7CH-%7CD-_278_%7CN-N%7CR-10000%7CI-1%7CP-YEAR+descending%2CPRICE+descending%7CQ-descending%7CX-popular%7CZ-33418&aff=national&paId=249316432&recnum=3&leadExists=true

BT