Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

The other problems with the Eclipse include cracking/shattering transmission cases, rapid piston ring wear, and general electrical weirdness.

Eclipses can be made stupid fast, but they are extremely fragile. I've helped enough friends build them... and then helped tow them home when they broke. I've also towed their girlfriends' *stock* N/A Eclipses home, so it's not a turbo thing or an abuse thing - Eclipses just break.
 
I was just going to ask whether they only break when fiddled with, but then you edited your post :mrgreen:
 
Yeah, I'd forgot to mention that it doesn't matter whether you modify them and proceed to beat the life out of them or keep them stock and drive them gently, they just break.

Mitsu lightened *everything* on that car, including a lot of things they shouldn't have.
 
Looks weird from the outside, but I guess what's inside that matters.

What's this weird Boxster by the way? Is it the concept?
 
Looks quite similar, yes. I hate it though, it's like a coachbuilder like Mulliner or Zagato got hold of a Boxster and proceeded to make it 'bespoke'.

There's also a funky looking green 911-thing next to it. :D
 
I just would like to point out that first gen Eclipses 1989-1994 are MUCH less likely to have issues with crankwalk than the 2nd gen... sadly everything else everyone said is completely true
 
MadCow809 said:
The part where it says "130K Kms"
Click to expand...
Actually, you should just stop after it says "1993 Eclipse". :p

I don't think I've ever seen a 3000GT that hasn't ended up either in flames or in a pool of fluids, either. Ahh, DSM.
 
So, my car search continues unsuccessfully :(
Yesterday I travelled 150 miles to go look at a "well maintained, clean, good running" 1997 Volvo 850R advertised for $3000 at a dealer.
That car had so many problems that I can't even remember all of them.
1. The standard alloy wheels (they go for $500 usually) were missing and the car had regular steel wheels with plastic covers.
2. The engine was making a slight knocking noise. Pretty sure it was a valve. The dealer said that this is normal sound for a Volvo 5-cyl and it was known as "Volvo tick". The people from the Volvo forums told me it is not normal!
3. The power steering pump was leaking pretty badly.
4. Turbo - not sure if it was working. The gauge on the dashboard wasn't working, and the car didn't feel particularly fast (it was supposed to do 0-60 in 8 sec)
5. The dashboard was lit up like a Christmass tree - Check Engine light, ABS light, Traction Control light, Service Light, and the Oil light was flickering for 1-2 second intervals when I test drive the car.
6. Front right suspension was in bad shape, it was knocking and the whole car felt like a boat (not normal for a Volvo R)

The dealer dropped the price to $2500, but I had to pass. I just didn't have the time, energy and money to fix everything that was wrong with that car. My guess is that it would have taken me AT LEAST another $2500 just to make it a reliable runner.
 
wow that blows. That sort of "truth in advertising" is the sort of thing i expect from a private sale not a dealer.
 
Actually, it's *more* likely to happen with a dealer.

Car dealers, especially used car dealers, will almost invariably lie to make a sale. That's why they're sometimes referred to as "car stealers" and their places of business are "stealerships."
 
Last edited:
How about these auctions that Jonny has visited a few times on Fifth Gear?

He always seems to find really good mint deals there without much hassle. Do places like that exist in North America?
 
Yeah we have them. I know that around here the only way you can get in is with a dealers license though.
 
Yes, they do!

My former 300ZX came from a police auction, my Jaguar Series III was given to a charity auction (didn't sell, and was thence dumped on eBay by someone at the charity auction company who couldn't spell 'Jaguar' properly), my Pathfinder was from a police auction via a dealer (who tried to rip me off and failed). There are also insurance auctions, dealer-specific auctions, and dealer auctions open to the public. There's one (seemingly) every day here in the DFW area, for that matter.

Edit: Some require dealer licenses, many do not. There are also places that buy from the dealer-only insurance company auctions and then turn around and sell rebuildable cars to the public for cheap. You can get some interesting projects that way.
 
Last edited:
Same thing happened with my families Audi, They said it was in great shape but there was a huge dent in the bumper, it wreaked of smoke, The radio was gone and the idiot didn't know it, the title was still owned by a bank, the thing legally couldn't run on the road, failed emissions tests several times, and it was leaking oil like a bugger, and after about a month of the guy getting it the ass from my dad giving it free maintenance and everything it worked out great! So if you but a car on ebay with the stealership advertising and only go to see it when you pick it up then simply be completely hardheaded and demand they fix it for free or else you'll sue for misleading representation!
 
I hate ebay. I've been trying to buy an MG midget differential for about a month now and have lost about six auctions. I've always been snipped at the end. I even used esnipe and lost by someone who bid $2 higher than me at the end.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top