Piston Slap: H-Town Boy Needs a Texas Toy

Beto writes:

Sajeev,

I been reading TTAC for about a year and really enjoy your column, it’s very informative and fun. I live in Houston and I really enjoy cars. I am still young, not rich, I don’t know much about repairing vehicles, but I would like to learn and make it a hobby.

I am would like to purchase an “older cool vehicle” that I can ride around on the weekends and I would be able to work on it myself, something not expensive and easy to keep up with. I am not looking a long project car that would be sitting on jacks in my garage for years, but something that it’s already running, or just needs a few parts to make it run and more importantly that I can learn to work on it. I would like to spend less than $5K on the car itself, and I am very open to all kinds of vehicles. I really would like an old roaster or small sport car, but I like older trucks too. Whatever the vehicle it is, I think it’s time to start getting my hands greasy.

Sajeev answers:

Epic Win for car enthusiasts! Next time someone says that young people only lust after those smarty phones, them iPad or Xbox thingies, or the Facebook and Twitters, I will remember your quandary. We, the car enthusiast, stand tall.

Much like the indigenous population, Houston is a vehicle-diverse kinda town. One example: the moderately well-heeled Asian/Caucasian rice burner scene is long since dead, but the hottest of Hondas that used to prowl Westheimer are still around, now sold in your price range by Hispanics in less advantageous parts of town. Maybe I better stop here: before my words are misconstrued as a rant with a racial slant.

The list of vehicles that fit your needs is remarkably long, it’s difficult to pare it down. They must be simple to repair and diagnose. Parts must be affordable, with bonus points for plenty of replacements at the junkyard. And the electrics must be comprised of common sense components designed with some amount of bang for the buck! All of the above rules out neat cars like VW GTIs, heavily-depreciated European flagships, half dead Vettes/RX-7s/Supras and so forth.

More to the point, this vehicle shouldn’t put you in the poor house, living on jack stands for months while you save up for a replacement part. So let’s break it down.

Older Trucks:

• 90’s Tacoma – Command a premium, great sport truck potential otherwise.
• 90’s Nissan Hardbody – Great looks, good value, hot-rodding potential from other 4-cyl Nissans.
• 90’s S-10/Ranger – Cheap and easy to restore and modify, popular platforms for good reason.
• 80s-90’s Detroit Full Sizers – not exactly your kind of fun, I’d pass.

“Sports” Cars:

• 90s Diamond Star Turbo – Just kidding!
• 80s-90’s Civic, Prelude – common, fun, easy to fix if hoon’d to near death.
• 90’s Nissan Sentra, 240SX, 300ZX: harder to find, still a great value. 300ZX is a complicated money pit compared to the others, but Nissan does offer RWD at this price point.
• 90’s V8 Mustang and Camaro – arguably the best performance potential in straight lines or corners.
• 90’s Miata – irresistible, aside from the “girly” stigma some cannot overcome.
• Original VW Beetle – even today this is a wonderful vehicle for a newbie enthusiast
• British Roadsters – numerous MGs are available on Craigslist, the local UK-roadster following is helpful.
• Non-Mustang Fox Body Fords – because people do love a good 5.0 Mercury Cougar at times. Or maybe that’s just my bias.

So what’s my choice? I can’t decide between a Ranger, V8 Mustang/Camaro, Beetle, Miata, British or a Fox body. Best and Brightest, now it is your turn.

Send your queries to mehta@ttac.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.