<sigh> Too much drama...but it's worth it.

Two weeks ago, I'd never heard of the SVX.

One week ago, I went and bought one.

Three days later, it all hit the fan.

See, I'd been looking for a car for three or four weeks. I'd been looking for a reasonably sporty, kinda small import. Something I could have a bit of fun with, but wouldn't absolutely murder me on insurance. I was looking at the Nissan 240SX, the VW Corrado, that sort of thing [I'm not a big fan of FWD...]. Anyhow, somebody mentioned the SVX in a review of another car, and I d it to see what the car was.

As I'm sure you can relate, I fell in love at first sight. I popped it in Autotrader and found a black 92, about 40 miles north of here. Despite my mom's pleas that I look at something closer first, I held out, knowing that I wouldn't be able to live with the 'what if' if I bought something else. It took a few days to get around work schedules and find someone to go with me, and I spent several hours at this fine forum, soaking up all the information I could.

Last monday, I drove up there to see the car. I instantly spotted her in the dealer's lot, and performed a cursory inspection. Shiny and black, and the body is in nearly perfect shape. A scratch by the spoiler and a chip or two on the hood. The car's wearing 17" alloys with 45 series tires. I'm impressed. I open the door and sit in the first [and only] SVX I've ever seen, and grin like an idiot as I play with the door over the stereo. I pop the hood and find that it won't stay up. I figure the struts'll be cheap to replace, so it's no big deal [oops.]. ATF fluid smells like it should, oil has recently been changed. No add-on tranny cooler is apparent. We close her back up, go inside, and get the keys.

The test drive is fantastic. Shifts smooth, handles great. There's something like loud tire noise coming from the back, but nothing else seems amiss. I play with the sunroof.

I inquire as to the $5900 price on the windshield. This is the financed price, I'm told. Cash is $3900. This is agreeable. They take the car to renew emissions and put ten bucks in the tank. I drive home grinning like an idiot and drawing stares from slackjawed Civic drivers.

Day 2. We drop the car off at a trusted mechanic for a general checkup. Under Georgia law, we still have the right to void the purchase contract within three days, and I wanna make sure nothing's seriously screwed up. I get home from work in the evening, mom says that everyone there is impressed by the car and they say I got a great deal. I am pleased. She says they wanna keep the car overnight. I am not pleased.

Day 3. I work again. I get home, the car is in the carport. I gently pat my new baby, promise her a wash, and go inside. "We need to talk," my mom says.

Cue total meltdown.

Seems there's an oil leak. The mechanic got under the car with the UV lights and says it's got leaks everywhere. "Valve and timing covers?", I guess. "Well, yeah, he mighta said something about valve covers." The front sway bar bushings are pretty much gone, too. Mechanic now says that the car's been driven hard, that I'll be seeing really expensive repairs soon. He hears that I had to borrow money to buy it, and reportedly says something about "If you can't afford to buy a car, you can't afford to maintain it." [Note to self: Tell mechanic to mind his own effin' business...] Mom has panicked, and pretends to tell me that I have to decide whether to keep the car or not while really telling me that the car is going back in the morning. Much shouting ensues. I tell her that they're notorious for leaking, and that it's no indication of abuse. I say that the oil would destroy the bushings, too. And besides, an oil leak isn't gonna kill the car. It's not gonna strand me in the bad section of town where I'll quickly be mugged, robbed, and/or killed. She continues spouting the BS this mechanic has given her. I ask why she trusts his word over mine. Yeah, sure, he's a mechanic. A general mechanic. Ask that old bastard about the wheel bearings! I've spent probably twenty hours over the last few days researching everything that goes wrong with these cars. I walk out the door, to give myself some time to think and to prevent any holes in the walls...

I get in my SVX and put the key in the ignition, and here comes mom out the door after me. "You can't go driving that thing if we're gonna take it back in the morning!" I get out, shut the door, and start walking. I go to the nearest supermarket, sit down at a table outside.

I can't go back now. Can't give the car up. I'll buy another car and keep comparing it to the Subaru. I'll keep looking. I'll be miserable.

I go home and head straight to my room. I hop online and start looking up the parts I'll need. Mom bursts in and tells me I need to go to sleep, that I'll have to get up early to take the car back [it's probably 1am by now]. More cursing ensues. I question why she ever asked me if she'd already made up her mind. I tell her rather nicely that if she has nothing constructive to say I would like her to leave me alone. She storms out, only to return perhaps ten seconds later. "That's a really crappy thing to say, you know."

So now I'm the bad guy. I'm the asshole because I'm trying to solve a problem and I ask her to stop screaming at me. Ugh...

She finally leaves. I get to sleep around 4. 7:30 comes, I'm dragged out of bed. Now my dad's awake, he tells me what the mechanic told him [a slightly different version, of course]. Mom chimes in, "see, your dad agrees."

Like hell he does. He's willing to listen to reason.

So I put my foot down. "I'm keeping the car. I don't think you realize what I'm willing to go through to make this car perfect."

I promptly go back to bed and sleep until about 2pm.

And now it seems as if everything's gonna be alright. Mom's accepted my decision, and it seems that some of my logic finally made it through. I'm looking for parts, I'm reading up on the work involved. Heck, I've torn down a Type IV Volkswagen/Porsche boxer engine, and I've helped with suspension upgrades. I'll manage.

So lemme thank you all for this most excellent community. I'm glad I've got a car that can inspire such passion in its owners. I hope I'll stick around for a good long time.

An extra thanks to any of you crazy enough to read all this, too