Social Security
 

Heres the deal guys I am getting a social security check from my mothers passing and I want to spend part of it on a car. the thing is i'm going off to college and need a mildly useful car. I can either take about five grand and get some suspension, brakes, and/or transmission upgrades for my svx, or buy a used car with that money and the money i get from selling the svx. I love this car just the svx seems impractical especially because it is such a hog with gas. I need you guys to convince me to spend my money on the svx rather than buying a more practical/fuel economic car with the money. :rolleyes: help me out guys

Re: Social Security
 

Spend the money on the SVX!:p Is that good enough:)

Re: Social Security
 

I'd save it for books to be honest.

Re: Social Security
 

Keep the SVX, but put the money in the bank so that it is available when your SVX needs something repaired.

Re: Social Security
 

Ding ding ding we have a winner.

I always keep $500 in a separate bank account just in case something happens to the car.

Re: Social Security
 

Well that's what i'm afraid of it seems like the svx is bad with everything except being unique and "looking sporty" and it tears me up inside because this is the car i grew up in.

Re: Social Security
 

It is just as bad as any other POS from 1992... Its an older car, it requires an older budget to maintain properly.

Tom

Re: Social Security
 

People underestimate the value of driving a known commodity: You know what's been done to the car, and thus what it's likely to need. Buy some other used something and who knows what you're going to get? As Tom posted, ANY older car requires maintenance.

What kind of "suspension, brakes, and/or transmission upgrades" are you thinking are going to cost you five grand? If the car is basically sound, spend what you need to keep it reliable and set aside funds for future work as required.

dcb

Re: Social Security
 

I don't know it'll be a little while till i get the money so i can think for a while on what i want, and as far as the upgrades i want something i can play around with and make fun to drive so i was thinking 5 spd, svx files brake kit, coil overs, lighter wheels, nice tires, and maybe sway bars if can get a hold of them. The thing that even got me thinking was the fact my friend is selling his Mazda Miata for a fair price, i know what you guys will say im complaining about practicality and I'm looking into a matchbox with wheels :rolleyes: lol, but in my defense the miata get 30 mpg highway and around 23 in city, with dirt cheap performance upgrades.

Re: Social Security
 

If finances and fuel costs are an issue you probably should bag the "performance" goods and focus on keeping the car healthy and happy. That will cost you quite enough, no matter what you're driving.

dcb

Re: Social Security
 

+1 on that

Re: Social Security
 

How is the SVX a "gas hog"? 20-25 mpg average? If you don't abuse it? You aren't going to get something spectacularly better than that. Sure you could blow 5-8k and get something that does 30-35mpg, but it would be much more efficient to use that money for fuel in the SVX. As much more as you'd spend in fuel in the SVX, it would take years upon years to recoup that money driving your more fuel efficient vehicle.

Just doing some quick math, it would take you over 6 years to recoup the cost of fuel for spending 5k on a vehicle that gets 35mpg, using 20mpg for hte svx and current fuel prices. And that vehicle is going to be rather uninteresting, you're more likely to get bored of it, swap around cost you extra cash in the process, trying to find something you like. And you'll hever have the on road performance of the svx if you are trying to get fuel economy, so there goes your thrill factor. And every time you buy a car you are inheriting other people's problems, like someone said before. you already know what's wrong with your svx, and what's been done.

So the "fuel economy" factor, is a load of hoey. People seem to think that increased mpg will save them all sorts of money, somehow forgetting that htey're spending thousands to get that, meaning they have to continue driving it for quite some time before the see a dime of profit.

Re: Social Security
 

Also, I get 13mpg mixed city/highway, on a good day, on fuel that is more expensive than yours. The SVX is anything but a gas hog.

Re: Social Security
 

Hey, diesels cheaper than regular by me