Okay, so every now and then I get this itch and decide I NEED a new toy, so the quest has begun.
I know I want a phase 2 car, I am not worried about getting a hard top, but I know I absolutly do not want a car with a red exterior or interior.
I do all of my own mechanic work, and getting intimatly involved with an allante does not scare me in the least, however specific parts availabiility does. Knowing the ABS system these cars have, and being very familiar with the 4500 I am big on making sure that the maintenance is done correctly (to make this point, I have owned at least 5 4.x cars, all of them with the original motors, all of them have lived past 200k).
So my internal debate is going like this:
1. Buy a low dollar high milage car that I know I will have to put some money and sweat equity into...going this route the biggest concern would become rust. body panel, and weatherstrip. the bottom line - spend $3500 on something somewhat drivable, and spend $10k building it into what I want.
2. Look for perfection, inspect every element of it, hope all of the maintenance has been done properly and take the plunge - the bottom line - spend $15k on a car thats almost 20 years old, and pray for no big surprises.
3. Accept the fact that I am nuts and should walk away from this endevor (it wont happen, but it would make the wife happy).
At the end of the day I would like to limit my first year of ownership to not more than $15k (and less is always better...time is no object, money is), and not run into the problem of having to take the car of the road because a part necessary to drive it is not available.
I think a big part of my concern is there is so little information available on these that I have not been able to find anything as far as mechanical interchange.
FWIW, I already know I absolutly do not want a 93....My luck hhas been way to good with 4.x cars, so I am VERY biased (to the point that if there was a 92 & 93 side by side I would pay $2k more for the 92)
I know I want a phase 2 car, I am not worried about getting a hard top, but I know I absolutly do not want a car with a red exterior or interior.
I do all of my own mechanic work, and getting intimatly involved with an allante does not scare me in the least, however specific parts availabiility does. Knowing the ABS system these cars have, and being very familiar with the 4500 I am big on making sure that the maintenance is done correctly (to make this point, I have owned at least 5 4.x cars, all of them with the original motors, all of them have lived past 200k).
So my internal debate is going like this:
1. Buy a low dollar high milage car that I know I will have to put some money and sweat equity into...going this route the biggest concern would become rust. body panel, and weatherstrip. the bottom line - spend $3500 on something somewhat drivable, and spend $10k building it into what I want.
2. Look for perfection, inspect every element of it, hope all of the maintenance has been done properly and take the plunge - the bottom line - spend $15k on a car thats almost 20 years old, and pray for no big surprises.
3. Accept the fact that I am nuts and should walk away from this endevor (it wont happen, but it would make the wife happy).
At the end of the day I would like to limit my first year of ownership to not more than $15k (and less is always better...time is no object, money is), and not run into the problem of having to take the car of the road because a part necessary to drive it is not available.
I think a big part of my concern is there is so little information available on these that I have not been able to find anything as far as mechanical interchange.
FWIW, I already know I absolutly do not want a 93....My luck hhas been way to good with 4.x cars, so I am VERY biased (to the point that if there was a 92 & 93 side by side I would pay $2k more for the 92)
