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Hello again, already... Its ya boi.... the one that just won't stay away. I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd be making another thread so soon. I'm still telling friends and acquaintances I sold the RX7. I'm still finding wires, relays, and gaskets from it, and I already have another car in the garage. When I sold the RX7, I knew my next car wasn't going to be a swap, or anything complicated. It was time to re-discover the joy I have experienced with cars in something simple.
Once again I considered a Corvette (somehow still a bucket-list item), but I wasn't comfortable with the price. I don't know why, but I feel weird buying anything "expensive". Almost every car I've bought was under 5k... In a country of wealth, or..... presumed wealth, I enjoy the cheaper things. I feel less guilty about them. I am more comfortable modifying them, and I worry less about them. I like used, and cheap.
The problem with buying used and cheap, is that it usually means what you're buying is almost worthless. Cheap things are cheaply-built, and cheaply-built things tend to wear out quickly. Usually when people are "done" with a car, it is at the end of its road. Everything rattles, everything is worn. There are missing parts, dented panels, rust, and all of the expected wear and tear of a vehicle that's been used-and-abused for years.
But not always.
In the enormous sea of used car fish, one may easily forget the feeling, of reeling in a well-preserved, cheap car. It is a rare catch, but it is special when... man... I really need to drop the "fish" analogy.
Without further verbal-poo, I present to you, a 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse with manual 5-speed transmission, and seating for two.
Ah... where do I start? Bless you, unknown souls, that buy cars brand new, garage them, hardly drive them, forget about them, and then some strange day, through death or other unfortunate events, lose that car to such undesirable characters as myself. This car isn't missing one screw, trim piece, or latch. It's all there. It smells like stale, storage. Like the inside of a hot vacuum-sealed bag in a metal shed or warehouse. It almost smells new; if that "new" were a plastic-shell suitcase in your grandparents closet.
The seller said the car might need a fuel filter and pump, cause it bogs when the gas tank is lower than 1/4. Everything else seems new. Belts and hoses. I bought the car with 62,000 original miles on it.
The suspension is firm and has the numb-thud of healthy 90's absorbers. I can smell the plastic as the sun warms it through the windshield, and the carpet is still fluffy. The exhaust hasn't been touched, and the engine whirrrs like it did coming off the showroom floor in 1996. I am smiling widely as I pull it off the highway into our first gas-station together, for a generous filling of premium petrol. Everything is new and exciting.
Its home now. This is my second Mitsubishi Eclipse, or "DSM" as the enthusiasts tend to call them. You are probably wondering about power, turbos, 4G63's, GSX's, and GST's. I am proud to announce to you, that this car bears none of those options. In fact, this Eclipse has quite literally, the least available options money could buy in 1996. Please enjoy the following specs:
1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS
2.0 N/A 4cyl Engine (140hp 130ft tq)
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Weight: 3,550lb
Front Brakes: Disc
Rear Brakes: Drum
A/C and Heat: YES
Cruise Control: NONE
Windows and Doors: MANUAL
Sunroof: NONE
Interior: Gray/Plastic
Seats: Manual/Cloth
Didn't want a black car, didn't want a pre-facelift, but it is clean, low-mileage, cheap, and one of my favorites from the 90's. Excited to take my time with this one, and enjoy sharing it with you all.
.
.
Hello again, already... Its ya boi.... the one that just won't stay away. I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd be making another thread so soon. I'm still telling friends and acquaintances I sold the RX7. I'm still finding wires, relays, and gaskets from it, and I already have another car in the garage. When I sold the RX7, I knew my next car wasn't going to be a swap, or anything complicated. It was time to re-discover the joy I have experienced with cars in something simple.
Once again I considered a Corvette (somehow still a bucket-list item), but I wasn't comfortable with the price. I don't know why, but I feel weird buying anything "expensive". Almost every car I've bought was under 5k... In a country of wealth, or..... presumed wealth, I enjoy the cheaper things. I feel less guilty about them. I am more comfortable modifying them, and I worry less about them. I like used, and cheap.
The problem with buying used and cheap, is that it usually means what you're buying is almost worthless. Cheap things are cheaply-built, and cheaply-built things tend to wear out quickly. Usually when people are "done" with a car, it is at the end of its road. Everything rattles, everything is worn. There are missing parts, dented panels, rust, and all of the expected wear and tear of a vehicle that's been used-and-abused for years.
But not always.
In the enormous sea of used car fish, one may easily forget the feeling, of reeling in a well-preserved, cheap car. It is a rare catch, but it is special when... man... I really need to drop the "fish" analogy.
Without further verbal-poo, I present to you, a 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse with manual 5-speed transmission, and seating for two.
Ah... where do I start? Bless you, unknown souls, that buy cars brand new, garage them, hardly drive them, forget about them, and then some strange day, through death or other unfortunate events, lose that car to such undesirable characters as myself. This car isn't missing one screw, trim piece, or latch. It's all there. It smells like stale, storage. Like the inside of a hot vacuum-sealed bag in a metal shed or warehouse. It almost smells new; if that "new" were a plastic-shell suitcase in your grandparents closet.
The seller said the car might need a fuel filter and pump, cause it bogs when the gas tank is lower than 1/4. Everything else seems new. Belts and hoses. I bought the car with 62,000 original miles on it.
The suspension is firm and has the numb-thud of healthy 90's absorbers. I can smell the plastic as the sun warms it through the windshield, and the carpet is still fluffy. The exhaust hasn't been touched, and the engine whirrrs like it did coming off the showroom floor in 1996. I am smiling widely as I pull it off the highway into our first gas-station together, for a generous filling of premium petrol. Everything is new and exciting.
Its home now. This is my second Mitsubishi Eclipse, or "DSM" as the enthusiasts tend to call them. You are probably wondering about power, turbos, 4G63's, GSX's, and GST's. I am proud to announce to you, that this car bears none of those options. In fact, this Eclipse has quite literally, the least available options money could buy in 1996. Please enjoy the following specs:
1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS
2.0 N/A 4cyl Engine (140hp 130ft tq)
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Weight: 3,550lb
Front Brakes: Disc
Rear Brakes: Drum
A/C and Heat: YES
Cruise Control: NONE
Windows and Doors: MANUAL
Sunroof: NONE
Interior: Gray/Plastic
Seats: Manual/Cloth
Didn't want a black car, didn't want a pre-facelift, but it is clean, low-mileage, cheap, and one of my favorites from the 90's. Excited to take my time with this one, and enjoy sharing it with you all.
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