[Destroyer]

I've been looking for an economic car for awhile and then stopped when gas prices went down. Now that gas is $2.65 or so I finally did it. I drive an '05 RAM Daytona extended cab and my wife has a Lincoln Mark VIII plus I just sold my '00 Ranger V6. I drive ALOT, wife not so much but I figured it was finally time for some economic cars. Got some sweet deals too. Bought an '05 Suzuki Forenza station wagon for myself ($3k) and an '04 Mitsubishi Lancer for my wife ($3k). Both cars came out of estates. The Suzuki has only 16k miles and the Lancer has 47k. Both in real nice shape save for a few dents and scrapes (old people do that alot). I'm driving the Forenza now and pick the Lancer up on Thursday. I have to say the Forenza station wagon is not a bad little car. Fairly comfortable, very decent stereo and all power options plus the price was damn good!. The Lancer looks to be almost the same condition except for higher miles and a few dings. Both dead old people cars so I know they were not abused. Will keep the RAM but am debating selling the Mark VIII. I'll see if the wife likes the Lancer first. It's funny but I feel like less of a MAN driving the little Suzuki but at the same time kinda like driving the small car, I don't know exactly what is happening to me.......... Pics coming (try not to laugh)

 

[Playdrv4me]

So you might FINALLY decide to sell me that Mark?...

 

[ted tcb]

So, how does one go about finding estate cars, and for such a low amount??
Wouldn't retail on those two cars be about double what you paid?

Congrats ... I did the same thing last summer when gas went up to $1.40 per litre in Canada.
Sold my LS400 and grabbed a Mazda3.
Loved the fuel economy, hated the small tinny feeling/high noise level on the highway.
Eventually, made my way back into a LS430.
I hope it works out better for you, Destroyer.

 

[Playdrv4me]

So, how does one go about finding estate cars, and for such a low amount??
Wouldn't retail on those two cars be about double what you paid?

Congrats ... I did the same thing last summer when gas went up to $1.40 per litre in Canada.
Sold my LS400 and grabbed a Mazda3.
Loved the fuel economy, hated the small tinny feeling/high noise level on the highway.
Eventually, made my way back into a LS430.
I hope it works out better for you, Destroyer.

Destroyer has a dealer's license.

 

[The Tony Show]

Dibs on those wheels if you sell the Mark- seriously. I've got a set of perfect Chrome Octostars, no peeling around the center caps, with brand new rubber on them. Trade + cash.

 

[Playdrv4me]

Dibs on those wheels if you sell the Mark- seriously. I've got a set of perfect Chrome Octostars, no peeling around the center caps, with brand new rubber on them. Trade + cash.

HEY! Leave my wheels alone! :thepan:

Actually the Octastars are REALLY nice.

 

[96Fleetwood]

Hmmm... how many miles are on the Mark now ?

 

[Destroyer]

So, how does one go about finding estate cars, and for such a low amount??
Wouldn't retail on those two cars be about double what you paid?

Congrats ... I did the same thing last summer when gas went up to $1.40 per litre in Canada.
Sold my LS400 and grabbed a Mazda3.
Loved the fuel economy, hated the small tinny feeling/high noise level on the highway.
Eventually, made my way back into a LS430.
I hope it works out better for you, Destroyer.

I find them on Craigslist. The Lancer I found at an estate I bought out. I went for the home contents, ended up buying the car and the actual home too (gonna be a rental). It's Florida, some old fart is always dying followed by his/her family cashing in on the estate. Don't hope it works out better for me, this is a choice. I COULD drive anything I want whenever I want, I actually get thrills from buying stuff cheap and saving money, in this case fuel. I also only pay cash for my automotive purchases so financing a new Lexus is out of the question as is paying for one cash. The older I get the less spending big money for a car makes sense to me. Had my windows tinted yesterday on the Forenza. The kid who tinted my windows pulled up in a new(er) Lexus IS300 (or IS350? New style anyway). I asked how he liked the Lexus, he said he loved it but the payments are getting to him and he might have to give it up. This is a problem I will never have. Do you know how many rich people I know driving shit boxes and how many poor(ish) posers I know that drive high end cars so they can look rich? A lot.

 

[Playdrv4me]

I find them on Craigslist. The Lancer I found at an estate I bought out. I went for the home contents, ended up buying the car and the actual home too (gonna be a rental). It's Florida, some old fart is always dying followed by his/her family cashing in on the estate. Don't hope it works out better for me, this is a choice. I COULD drive anything I want whenever I want, I actually get thrills from buying stuff cheap and saving money, in this case fuel. I also only pay cash for my automotive purchases so financing a new Lexus is out of the question as is paying for one cash. The older I get the less spending big money for a car makes sense to me. Had my windows tinted yesterday on the Forenza. The kid who tinted my windows pulled up in a new(er) Lexus IS300 (or IS350? New style anyway). I asked how he liked the Lexus, he said he loved it but the payments are getting to him and he might have to give it up. This is a problem I will never have. Do you know how many rich people I know driving shit boxes and how many poor(ish) posers I know that drive high end cars so they can look rich? A lot.

Soooo... about that Mark... :lildevil:

 

[V-Eight]

Do you know how many rich people I know driving shit boxes and how many poor(ish) posers I know that drive high end cars so they can look rich? A lot.

So true.

 

[Playdrv4me]

So true.

I believe the name for this phenomenon is "30k Millionaire".

 

[ted tcb]

Still waiting for those pictures.
I think I'm going to be envious at what $3k buys you at a fleet sale in Florida.
Geesh, up here, $3k got me a tired, 10 year old Maxima GLE for my daughter.

 

[The Tony Show]

Soooo... about that Mark... :lildevil:

Get away from mah wheels!!! :killer:

 

[Destroyer]

Soooo... about that Mark... :lildevil:

Wife hasn't yet seen the Lancer, gonna get it tomorrow. She is familiar with the body style and doesn't like it. I'm getting it anyway cause it's a package deal with the house. I will convince her to take it just cause A. it has 4 doors and B. the gas mileage.

The Mark needs 2 front tires and a camber kit ($15-$25). Right now it has the stock wheels back on it (original tires). Evidently the camber is off due to the lowered suspension. Wore the 2 front tires out pretty bad on the inside. Sucks because I didn't even know there was a problem till the tires were shot.

 

[The Tony Show]

. Right now it has the stock wheels back on it (original tires).

 

[Playdrv4me]

Wife hasn't yet seen the Lancer, gonna get it tomorrow. She is familiar with the body style and doesn't like it. I'm getting it anyway cause it's a package deal with the house. I will convince her to take it just cause A. it has 4 doors and B. the gas mileage.

The Mark needs 2 front tires and a camber kit ($15-$25). Right now it has the stock wheels back on it (original tires). Evidently the camber is off due to the lowered suspension. Wore the 2 front tires out pretty bad on the inside. Sucks because I didn't even know there was a problem till the tires were shot.

The wheels are already off it?... Tony is foaming at the mouth...

 

[dirt_cheap_fleetwood]

I believe the name for this phenomenon is "30k Millionaire".

Haha. I'm a 13k millionaire. However, the only things I spend money on right now is tuition and cars. You're only young once.

 

[Playdrv4me]

Haha. I'm a 13k millionaire. However, the only things I spend money on right now is tuition and cars. You're only young once.

Your tuition is an investment!

 

[Destroyer]

Still waiting for those pictures.
I think I'm going to be envious at what $3k buys you at a fleet sale in Florida.
Geesh, up here, $3k got me a tired, 10 year old Maxima GLE for my daughter.

Don't get too jelous, lol, it is just a Suzuki. Ain't gonna go snap some pics at the local beach or park for this one, just snapped a few in the garage 2 minutes ago for ya. It's a got a few bruises on the outside from old person usage, otherwise mint. The floormats came out of my Ranger and they are NASTY dirty.

 

[ted tcb]

The mileage really sinks in with that odometer shot ... yikes, only 16k for $3k.

$3k would pretty much amount to the sales tax on a new one up here!
Hell, you bought the Suzuki for less than the cost of repairing a Northstar headgasket.

The most fun I've ever had purchasing a car was getting my neighbour's 1983 Marquis for $800. Any fool can buy a new car for $25k. Now, try to find a good used car for chump change, there's the challenge.

Well done ... hurry up and sell the Mk to Ian, so we can see Jesda crashing it by the fall (kidding, of course, but hasn't Ian been hinting at the Mk for at least a year, now?).