> Here's my $.25 ($.02 adjusted for inflation) - life is too short to drive
> boring cars if you are an auto enthusiast! Particularly given Joe's
> situation where he can mostly do without a car anyway (he can always rent
> one cheap for that drive to Sacremento).
Here here! I felt strangled and almost wept most the time I had my Sentra-my
first new car ever-and I was miserable! I would have been happier with the
'71 Maverick! And yes, if you bicycle most days anyway...
> Buy the Spit if it is in good
> shape - any modern car that you get is likely to need just as much money
> spent on it - someone mentioned the cost of parts for Japanese cars - I
> have a couple friends with early 90's Hondas that are severely feeling
that
> pain right now! Those cars are trouble free for about 150,000 miles
150,000? You're joking! My ex put a new engine in his after only 60k!
My cousins husband had a party when he finally got rid of his Toyota
truck! And remember-the idiot lights on Japanese cars mean "too late
now!" When that light comes on, it doesn't mean that you even have time
to pull off the road-believe me!
>then
> WHAM hold onto your wallet! The prices are horrifying! The Japanese seem
to
> do a brilliant job of engineering everything to have about the same life
> span.
Knowing what I know now, I'm really glad I didn't go into debt to buy a used
Mazda (I almost did, but found Nigel instead.)-I would never, ever get a
used
Japanese car-don't trust em.
>Spit parts are at least dirt cheap - even if you need to replace them
> a little more often. And there are a lot fewer parts on a Spit anyway.
At least you won't have to worry if the idiot mechanic remembered to
reset the computers after a major repair. This is a rather common
story I've heard from different people.
>If
> you are at all handy a Spitfire has got to be the easiest car in the world
> to work on, and there is damned little that you can't still buy new, and
> nothing you can't get used through this list.
That's for sure. Even I, with minimal tools and very basic knowledge
have been able to replace water pump, fuel pump, fan belts, heater
control valve, u-joint, learned to adjust the valves, rebuild master and
slave cylinders, replace turn signal (actually, the guy installed it wrong
and it
didn't work, so I got out my Haynes and did it the right way!), replaced the
top,
and all kinds of things!
Try any of this with a car built in the last 10 years or so! Try just
changing the
oil and oil filter on some of these puppies!
>If it weren't for the damned
> Maine weather (and road salt) I would drive mine year round. If I lived in
> California I definitely would.
I'll think of you! :-)
>I would infinitely prefer to be in an
> accident in my Spit than in my Mother's Geo Metro - I have been inside the
> doors of that thing to change a window and I can tell you the Spitfire is
> substantially more rugged. I think this is true of nearly any really small
> car - Spitfires are not that light for their size - they are really quite
> sturdily built.
I am surprised that Geo Metros are even allowed on the road! Those and the
little Honda Civic "wagons" from the early '90s (I had a room mate in '91
who
bought one brand new, drove it for two days and then realized if someone so
much as backed into him, the engine would be in his lap-and traded it for a
BMW!) I know I feel safer in my Spit than I do on the ocaissions I drive the
Nissan-I feel like there's only paper between my and the next car. The doors
are sooo light feeling when you open and close them!
> I would advise buying the best car that you can possibly afford - I spent
> on the high side for mine ($3500), but it has been essentially trouble
free
> for the four years I have owned it. I have spent a fair amount on upgrades
> (new interior, tires, etc.) but the only major mechanical bit has been the
> clutch, and even that was less than $225 to have done by a local shop. The
> price of a clutch on ANY modern Japanese car will give you heart failure!
;-)
Yes, get the best car you can afford-I had $7000 to spend on a car when I
got my
Spit-and looking around at what I could get for $7000 at the dealers and car
lots-
the Spit made more sense-actually, I got it for $6700, no car payments,
gorgeous car,
only 200 miles on a frame off resto-and just had the car appraised for 10k.
I think I got
a good deal! Certainly better than had I used that money as a down on a used
Miata!
> So bottom line - get a Spit, enjoy it 99% of the time - curse it 1% of the
> time, and don't worry about having an accident, if you do you do, but you
> probably won't!
Exactly!
> Kevin Rhodes
> Portland, Maine
> Freddy the very reliable Spit of many model years
> Plus three "excessively interesting" Peugeots
>
> And if you think your friends think you are a nut for wanting a Spitfire -
> just imagine what they would think if you owned a Spitfire and three
Peugeots!
Hey! I lived in France! I love Peugeots! But what I *really* want is a
Renault 4 with the
optional canvas roll back roof! (For a 2nd car, of course)
Laura G.
Vita brevis est: rapide agite, vigore strigate!
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