Tax return

[attworth]

 :danger:

 :poop:

Need some advice fellers, (and ladies.) My tax refund is coming soon. My wife has been gracious enough to let me purchase a new vehicle, or continue dumping money into my current one (280ZX.) I don't have any transportation at the moment other than my  :mp:

My car is decent, but needs quite a bit of work before it's up to par (was supposed to be a project, not a daily driver - stuff happens.) It's going to need about $2000 worth of work to meet my standards for road worthiness. (Lots of steering work, rust repair, some non-necessary things like body panels and a heater core, etc.) My budget right now from our tax refund is about $2000 or a little less. I'm considering just putting my car on the back-burner, or getting rid of it completely en lieu of another vehicle which is ready for the road.

I've been in touch with a guy about another 280ZX just like mine, but in much better shape. His asking price is $1500. Not too bad, except I'd then have 2, and have to scrap or sell my first one. This would also leave me with extra motors with which to dump money I don't have into. I've been researching various high compression applications (read this as : $$$$)

I've also been looking at a few older Ford Diesel trucks. (Navistar engines, bullet-proof.) I don't really need a diesel, but have always wanted one. Diesel fuel is a bit pricier, but for how much I drive, it's not a big deal. Also, I'd like to make my own bio-fuel, but have no need to without a diesel in the stable. It's been one of my dream science projects for a while. I'm thinking long-term on this one. I'll eventually need a bigger vehicle for the kiddos that won't be here for a few years, and a diesel would last me plenty long if I take care of it (which I always do.) Plus I miss having a truck. It's great being able to haul stuff around whenever I need to and not rely on friends. I could also hire myself out on Craigslist or whatever to haul stuff, and have a place to put all my detailing goodies (they're currently stuffed in the back of my 280.)  Not to mention I'll be able to move all of our crap when we move. Currently nobody in my family has a truck, and my only friend with a truck lives about 45 minutes away. Plus it's his dad's and it's a pos.

I'm not really interested in another gasser truck. All the older ones have way too many miles for me to be comfy with it, and gassers tend to get really bad fuel mileage compared to diesel (even though the fuel is cheaper. Kind of an even trade I suppose.) I'm not really interested in a compact either. I've had a ranger and a single cab F150, and didn't really like the lack of room in either of them.

I've also been looking at other sporty cars, but I'm not sure I want something I'm not familiar with. For instance, there's a few older Supras in my area. I've always thought they were neat, but I know nothing about them. I don't want a four banger, and I can't afford an old Mustang, Nova, Chevelle, anything like that, etc.

Anyway, any and all advice or "you're an idiot" comments would be appreciated. Trying to make the best choice for my wife and I and at the same time make sure I have something I can rely on to get me to work and back.

She's kind of impartial. She thinks my car is almost ready to be on the road. She thinks that it only needs tags and an inspection. She's never driven in on the highway and dealt with the death wobble that I refuse to deal with every day. It has a total of 6 tie rods, 2 of which are connected via a metal rod and it costs 200$ all by itself. Add in the other 4 (40$ ea,) 2 ball joints (40$ ea,) and a new idler arm assembly (50$) and that's quite a bit of dough. Add to that a nearly non-existent interior, no exhaust, and crappy tires. Like I said - it was supposed to be a project, not a daily driver.

Rant over.  :sblah:

[Too Stroked]

Attworth,

I hear you on wanting a truck, but diesels are not for everyone in my humble opinion. Remember, I work part time on a whole fleet of F-350s - all of them diesels. Although they work great for us (snow plowing & towing landscape trailers), I wouldn't recommend one for a daily driver. Why not? Here's a few of my personal reasons:
- Expensive to buy
- Expensive to maintain (properly)

So why do they work for us and not for most other folks? When you work the hell out of them (snow plowing is brutal), the mileage doesn't drop nearly as bad as a gasser and they have torque up the wazzoo. Those two reasons alone are what drove us to change over from gas motors.

Want my recommendation? If you really want a truck, what about a Ranger. Get one with the 2.3 liter and you'll get very decent mileage. Want more power? The 4.0 liter is a great motor and I towed up to 4,500 lbs with mine. The extended cab has decent room and the 4x4 will go through almost anything. I had two of them on the ealry 90's and loved them. Just my 2 cents.

[attworth]

Thanks Stroked. I've been a little worried about the maintenance as well. I know it's a lot more expensive to maintain them.

Hmmm....

I used to have a 2.3 Ranger, and it was decent. It hauled our 3500 lb boat just fine. It actually did just as good of a job as my 4.2 F150 did surprisingly. I wish I would have kept that truck in hind sight, but that's life. I hated the lack of room as well. I wouldn't mind having another Ranger, especially a 4.0 with 4wd. I simply can't afford one however. With my wife working for free (internship is over-rated,) we can't afford a car payment. Plus if we could, she'd be the one getting a new ride. She's got a 97 Taurus that I've dumped quite a bit of money into over the last few years. It's in good shape and is really reliable for now though.

Now you've got me thinking. I hate when that happens.

[Zaairman]

I vote for a Powerstroke.  There are plenty of cheap ones around you.  Maintinence for my 7.3 compared to my F-150 is a tad more (maybe $20-30 more every 15K miles), but the increased mileage and power are well worth that.  Only downside is that stuff is more expensive (brakes, wheel bearings, etc) when they do go out. 

http://dallas.craigslist.org/sdf/cto/1029294663.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/1024626409.html

[attworth]

Hmm.. 1st one is a dually, which I definitely do not need, second one sounds like it's got too much crap on it. Lol.. Thanks for the finds though.  :NW:

[Poorboy]

Well I'm a practical business guy who has a totally different point of view...
2K is only going to buy you someone else's headaches. A decent diesel truck will cost you at least 5-6K.  I'd go with your wife's advice, at least you can blame her if it doesn't work out  :red: , and keep fixing up your 280zx. At least you know what you have  :gl:

[attworth]

Practical business guy... psh....  :rn:

Maybe I'm being lazy?

[Too Stroked]

I've got to agree. Things are probably much different in Texas due to the lack of road salt, but up here, two grand won't buy you road kill for a deisel. Remember, parts for heavy duty trucks come with heavy duty prices. My father once told me that "If you buy a cheap tool, all you get is a cheap tool." That goes for a lot of other things - like trucks - too.

[attworth]

Yeah my dad told me that once too.

 :pitty:

If I were closer to work I'd ride my scoot every day, freezing or not. But 30 miles on the highway in <50 degrees is no fun. I rode a few days in the 30s and got to work with what felt like the start of frost bite.

[Poorboy]

yeah I'd agree that's a long way on a Scooter, let alone in the cold. You need to find some old car  (granda's car) with no body left, but either a 350 or 351, chevy/ford and just use it as a winter fun beater ... they give you good heat and are cheap as dirt to fix ... and no electronics ... old electronics = $$$$$$$$$$

[attworth]

I've considered an older chebby pickup with a 350. I found a Nova a while back for pretty cheap, but it was pretty rusty and rough.

I'd rather not throw away money, ya know?

[attworth]

There's a nice Fox body GT on CL as well... It's an automatic though.  :lame:

[Poorboy]

think of it as investment ... if you can pick one up for $500 and use it for a few winters only, then it's well worth the money ... you'll go back to the scooter when the weather gets better and you'll still have money to work on the ZX

[attworth]

Here's what my car needs:

Tags/Inspection (won't pass... know a few people though) : 200$
Steering crap : ~500$
Heater Core : ~200$ new, or take a chance on used - ~$50
Fuel Sending Unit : 27$ shipped
Dash : ??
Patch rust : ??
New tires : ~300$ for cheapies
Motor work : ~150$ (leaky in places)
Clutch : ~150$ (one in it is ok, but worn)
Fluid flush : ??

With all that I'm looking at almost 1400$ plus all of the unknowns. That's about what I've got in it now, with the price of the car, new brakes and shocks and some of the motor work I've already done. With all that, it'd be a pretty decent car. Add another couple hundred bucks for some new body panels and it'd be really nice. I just don't know if that's the best thing right now. Maybe it is? The biggest issues on this car are rear quarter panel damage, rust, and the steering. Plus it leaks like a SOB, but that's what having an older car is about, right?

I keep telling the boss lady to just tell me what she wants me to do, but she never will. I guess that's normal right?  :taz:  :BE:

[Poorboy]

Yup ..that's a project car that you do over time to a car you REALLY love ...
If the wife is supportive, then she probably knows you well enough that you might  :207: if you got rid of it or never completed it.   :peace: