Time to give it up?

[Jeff]

When do you decide a vehicle has given you too much trouble? Most of us have had a daily car or a project car that has just caused too much trouble and needed to be put out to pasture. On my way to Hyperfest my clutch blew up in the minivan. It had been chattering in reverse since I put it all together and the clutch was USED. I guess my question is this. This most recent failure seems like my fault, not the car's, so does this qualify as the "straw that broke the camel's back"?

It has had two automatic transmissions, I removed the first one 3 times before replacing it. So I have pulled the transmission 5 times now, one more makes it 6. All this and I have not owned it a year yet. All of the electrical problems and suspension/driveline ills are gone now, as far as wheel bearings and such. 2 of the 3 times I pulled the first tranny were because I f'ed something up...to be honest. So really I have only pulled it 2 times due to actual tranny failure assuming this last time is because a faulty clutch was used.


For the record, my estimated total expenses so far (really rough)
Initial - $500
Towing (total over all the times) - $200
Flexplate/parts for automatics (seals, fluid, etc.) - $100
Manual conversion - $200
Wheel bearing - $75
Suspension/brakes - $150
Axles - $75
Radiator - $100
A/C - $100
Motor mounts - $75
Head set - $80
Clutch - $100

Performance/Modifications <- thatÔÇÖs a cheap 50hp really...
Exhaust - $80
Intercooler - $85
MBC - $20

So, the rough total spent on it for as long as I have had it....$1940, so $2000. When I sit back and look at it like that it really sucks. Now I guess I should only look at the things that were REQUIRED to make it run. That cuts it down to about $1400, or there abouts. More than anything I have learned a lot from this car. I have misdiagnosed quite a few things and done a lot of work that wasnÔÇÖt needed. Those things, and about $600 spent so far, were not the car's fault. I have learned a lot from all this and I am a better mechanic for it, so I owe this vehicle a certain amount of respect.

All this having been said I need to decide if enough is enough or if I should give the old girl one more chance. I could fix it and sell it as it is, I could likely get $1250-1500 for it if I found the right buyer. With paint and a new headliner I would have no problem asking $2000obo. That could make an ok down payment. My boy Dusty wants to sell his SRT-4 and I am first in line for it if I want it and can swing the payments. Its and 05 with lots of mods, most of which are MOPAR. It has all the stage II stuff, STS, HUGE aftermarket FMIC, AEM intake, exhaust, and much more. Ill post once I know more about how much he wants, miles, and such on Monday. The only problems with it are it has been hit once in the back and had a quarter panel replaced, then that panel was hit again and needed to be repaired. Also, it needs tires (but I would be doing wider anyway). I dont want to look at this as van vs. SRT4 because that is not a fair comparison. I need to look at this as what each brings to the table, where the Daytona falls in all of this, and where my money is better invested. It looks like the van should be good to go after this HD clutch is installedbut you never know with an old car. Anyway, Ill post more about the SRT once I know, price should be around $12k.

[Goodspeed]

Sucks that the van has given you so much trouble Jeff in such a short time, but at least you got some experience.

My thoughts....sell it, and if you were to get that SRT-4, what would the Daytona then be? You'd have two FWD Mopars, but the newer one would be "better" in almost every imaginable way (IMO). As to how the Daytona fits in, were you to get the SRT, it would be redundant on paper.

In my blunt, honest opinion....SRT-4 + Challenger project. Best of both new and old Mopar, without the omg-wtf-it broke again in the middle

[Mike]

sell van, sell daytona.

daily omni once you get a nicey nice motor in it, project challenger.

[Jeff]

so, put my built motor in the omni? Thats an idea that I never really considered.

Lately we have been talking about selling the Omni, we can pick one up anytime for under $500 (no turbo model in good shape) so its really not worth the space to let it sit around. But also, its not worth the work to put it all back together to sell it for under $500. So, my thinking is to store it until I graduate then put a FWD-Performance Koni Coilover setup under it and slap a stock turbo motor from an 88+ car down in it and take it out to the track. I was kinda thinking with the acception of the suspension doing a "budget racer" with it. Its the best layed out TD for the task. Once I graduate none of this will matter because I can store as many cars as I want once I have my own place. The problem right now is too many cars, not enough space, because I would just keep the van AND buy the SRT-4 in a perfect world. But then I would run out of money for the Daytona, which has $0 value as it sits.

On the Daytona-
Yes an SRT-4 would be better. But if we are compairing them I think there are a few things to point out. The SRT-4 is a Neon with a big engine, a turbo, and a goofy wing. The Daytona is an 80's sport-coupe with styling not unlike a 240 or Supra. I like the Daytona better on the design priciple. 2dr cars own 4dr cars, and I personally like sharp lines. They are both FWD, so neither one is really a handling car. The SRT will out handle the Daytona based only on its rear suspension and LSD. The front suspension on Neons is only slightly modified from the same basic K-car design. So, the only difference is my non-independed rear end makes the Daytona like a dog in a wheelchair. If I buy Dusty's SRT-4 I am only a stones throw from 300whp w/ LSD. But it would only be a matter of time before things would start breaking and I would still be making payments on the car, which would greatly reduce the amount of horsing around I will want to do with it. The Daytona would basically be a non-issue here because, yeah I spent $5000, but its all spent. So I can take the car to the track or whatever and if I wreak it, just drag it home, gut it, and buy another shell. So, in a lot of ways I think the Daytona will be the better 300hp FWD car. Not better in a matter of fact numbers kind of way, but better for me. That and Sylvia still owns half the car, so I can't just sell it. :wink:

On the Challenger
I need to sit down and talk with my dad on this. I want to change the color and go big block. I really need to see where he is at with it and what he really wants to come of it. If he is not willing to provide any further finances for it then we will need to really talk about him just giving me the car and letting me start from 0. He wants $15,000 for the car as it sits and it is for sale. But that is really the "if somebody wants it that bad" price, its not really worth that in its condition. I can't really figure out if he has given up or not. Half the time he is like "I'll never sell it" the other half "find me 15K and its out the door!" So I need to figure that out first before I spend a dime or an hour on that car.

[HAULN-SS]

I say ditch the van, daily the daytona, project the challenger

[JustinG]

Sell the van, yea its cool cause its a turbo van, but honestly thats about it, its unreliable and the only thing you could possibly use it for is transporting illegal aliens and abducting small children.

Keep the Challenger.

Rex and I already told you we think you should get the SRT-4, its a good car, you can modify it with the mopar kits and keep it as a DD without having any reliability issues, because all the bugs have been worked out. It will be fun, larger and the styling is much better than a stock neon, and if you dont like the wing, buy or trade for a wingless trunk. Im sure that car is just like the Evos and STis as far as people wanting to trade trunks.

Daytona, either scrap it or finish the damn thing, your dumping money into a worthless cause with the van. You spent almost 2k on the van that could have been put towards the Daytona.

Also sell anything else you have, cause if you havent started on it yet you more than likely never will, and you might as well wait til you can afford to take on multiple projects.

[Mike]

i should qualify why i said to ditch the daytona instead of the omni... because i think it's one of the ugliest cars ever made.

do you want to end up like these guys? <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Daytonashelby.jpg">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Daytonashelby.jpg</a><!-- m -->

[Jeff]

i should qualify why i said to ditch the daytona instead of the omni... because i think it's one of the ugliest cars ever made.

do you want to end up like these guys? <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Daytonashelby.jpg">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Daytonashelby.jpg</a><!-- m -->

I think you are ugly...there...we're even.

[Goodspeed]

ROFL, not to dump on Jeff or the Daytona but I gotta post this given mikes post, I spotted this beauty in San Antonio, TX in May



IMO the Challenger is first and foremost the coolest car you own, and should therefore recieve most of your attention (should your Dad give it to you of course). If you think you can work on that and have an SRT-4, that would be awesome. Don't fool with the SRT too much and reliability should be more than acceptable for a fast as shit DD, and like others said, the wing can go and the styling is otherwise pretty good.

[Jeff]

ROFL, not to dump on Jeff or the Daytona but I gotta post this given mikes post, I spotted this beauty in San Antonio, TX in May



IMO the Challenger is first and foremost the coolest car you own, and should therefore recieve most of your attention (should your Dad give it to you of course). If you think you can work on that and have an SRT-4, that would be awesome. Don't fool with the SRT too much and reliability should be more than acceptable for a fast as shit DD, and like others said, the wing can go and the styling is otherwise pretty good.

Thats an 87 with the door and side GFX from an 89. I don't know where that got the huge top spoiler, maybe its aftermarket. The extra GFX below the stock type really makes it super awesome :roll: . I'm not going to give up my classic turbo mopar. The big problem with focusing on the Challenger is that I can't afford shit for that car. Its not like a Mustang or a Chevy, parts are not cheap and plentiful. Until I have a real job the Challenger is on hold. That is until I get a real job or until dad decides to fund the project AND agree to do it my way.

The Daytona is a Sylvia and Jeff project. She bought the car, picked the color we are painting it, and has helped me with most everything that has been done on it. You can pick on tacky ones owned be poor rednecks all day long, this car will surprise the haters once it is done...

[JustinG]

once it is done...

[CaptainHenreh]

Clearly, the van needs to go. You've spent 2 grand on the van for...a basically stock minivan with a few upgrades. Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig deal.

12K For that SRT? Fuck man, why are we even talking about this. That's 230/month, and if you've spent two grand on the van in less than six...the SRT is *cheaper*.

"Where does the Daytona fit in all of this?" Well, that's really a question only YOU can answer, but I think you'll be pleased as punch with the performance of the SRT-4, and when you're not constantly wrenching on your busted shitpile minivan you'll actually have time to work on the 'tona, and with the SRT-4 being a fixed cost every month, you should be able to budget for the Daytona, also. The Challenger isn't yours...don't spend a dime on it until you and your dad have decided what the deal is. Same with the Daytona...you need to talk to your woman about what's going to happen there.

Clearly the SRT-4 has got an edge over the van, and that's before we even get into about how silly it is to drive a ugly minivan with as much power as the V6 equivalent vs an SRT-4.

[WRXtranceformed]

Sell all of the piles and get an SRT-4. Everyone knows is teh fAstar!

[.RJ]

i should qualify why i said to ditch the daytona instead of the omni... because i think it's one of the ugliest cars ever made.

It looks just like a Mitsu starion... and i know you like those.

[ScottyB]

at this point i don't even think your problem is as much about investments as it is about not having fun. wrenching is cool and all, but driving is better.

get something you can drive, have fun with, and fall back on when your project breaks. keep that one project and pour your efforts into it.

[Mike]

i should qualify why i said to ditch the daytona instead of the omni... because i think it's one of the ugliest cars ever made.

It looks just like a Mitsu starion... and i know you like those.

no it doesn't... not at all.

[.RJ]

no it doesn't... not at all.

:dunno:

[ScottyB]

whoa...besides the blister fenders and the protrusion of the front bumper, they are way more alike than i had thought...

[WRXtranceformed]

at this point i don't even think your problem is as much about investments as it is about not having fun. wrenching is cool and all, but driving is better.

get something you can drive, have fun with, and fall back on when your project breaks. keep that one project and pour your efforts into it.

^^^ really good advice

[Jeff]

I think they look quite a bit alike...that is a Chrysler Conquest.



Thanks for the constructive comments. I need to see how broken the van is today and see what my finances will allow for.