Should I buy?

[WillEjay05]

Hello,
Ive never owned a DSM, but I've always been interested. There is one near me for sale via Facebook Marketplace. I'm interested into purchasing because it is a dream car of mine, but its also a manual transmission.

Owner has it on there for $4000
"OZ rally edition
All original besides radio and door speakers
Cold ac and Heat
239xxx !odometer currently does not work !
Clean title in hand
NO RUST like most out there.
Will need front rotors and brake pads
Slight leak from valve cover gasket
Driven daily no major issues.
Only reasonable serious offers, hard to come by these cars in this shape. Not perfect but it is 25yrs old"

The odometer kinda turns me off from purchasing the car.
Im going to college in august , and am really not sure if I should buy this vehicle.
I currently own a e39 530i, with 207000 miles on it. however I'm looking to get rid of it.

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[pauleyman]

4k for a non turbo car at 200k? I'll pass.

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

I'd pay that much, IF the car looks as good in person as the images. Go view it and see if the pixels are hiding anything. The mileage is a slight turnoff, but it's easy enough to repair these cars and it continously gets harder to find them low mileage as years pass. This is a fully optioned N/T model, the only upgrades beyond this is getting the 4g63T powerplant and AWD. So yea, I'd say go for it- as long as everything is being shown/told honestly.

 

[Justin DuBois]

This is like an AE85, vs an AE86 in the DSM world.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Be sure to check in person around the strut towers in the engine bay for rust(it’ll look like bubbling), and behind the side skirts in front of the rear wheels on both sides. That whole area back there for rust.

Maybe even bring/rent a compression tester and do a quick compression test. $4k is kinda steep for a 420a, but not outrageous. I’d still try to talk him down if it was me.

Also: why doesn’t the odometer work? If the cluster works the odometer works. There are a couple rough spots I can see just in the terrible pictures provided.

 

[curt-s]

This is like an AE85, vs an AE86 in the DSM world.

except the ae85 had engine swap potential

 

[BLACK'98DSM]

Also: why doesn’t the odometer work? If the cluster works the odometer works. There are a couple rough spots I can see just in the terrible pictures provided.

Well, not necessarily. I'd like to know if the speedometer works. Those cars have common problems with the plastic speedometer gear and the brittle connectors.

Either way, go see it in person first. Pictures don't tell the full story.

 

[99dsmer4g63]

FWIW my dads is a 99 oz edition black with the tan leather. Pretty much identical to the one in the pictures.

We paid 4k outta Virginia with 120k. This was over 10 years ago though.

You need to ask yourself if YOU think it’s worth that much.

Someone may have swapped the cam and Speedo plug at a point in time and fried the sensor.

-Daniel

 

[SixBolt_16G]

Since you said youre about to go off to college soon.... Keeping a 25 year old mitsubishi on the road with 239k on the OD isnt cheap and not without its headaches. Would you be trying to use this as a daily?

 

[WillEjay05]

Since you said youre about to go off to college soon.... Keeping a 25 year old mitsubishi on the road with 239k on the OD isnt cheap and not without its headaches. Would you be trying to use this as a daily?

Daily while in college. I won't be driving around to much in the city, however coming back home every few weekends (2 hour drives)

FWIW my dads is a 99 oz edition black with the tan leather. Pretty much identical to the one in the pictures.

We paid 4k outta Virginia with 120k. This was over 10 years ago though.

You need to ask yourself if YOU think it’s worth that much.

Someone may have swapped the cam and Speedo plug at a point in time and fried the sensor.

-Daniel

definitely won't pay $4k for it, ill try and talk it down to maybe $3500 if I like.

 

[chrisman287]

I couldn’t see myself spending more than $2k for the car and even that is a stretch.

 

[steve]

For as little as my advice is worth I'd suggest no.

 

[Bigmike4g63t]

$1500 would be my number.

 

[90fiveGSX]

except the ae85 had engine swap potential

Does an Evo 4-9 swap count?

To the potential buyer, check it out in person for sure to get a better idea if the car's in good condition or if it will be a headache. If it's going to be a headache and college is your priority, I'd say don't buy it.

 

[curt-s]

Does an Evo 4-9 swap count?

To the potential buyer, check it out in person for sure to get a better idea if the car's in good condition or if it will be a headache. If it's going to be a headache and college is your priority, I'd say don't buy it.

Too much fab, so no

 

[99dsmer4g63]

This thread is reminding how well DSMers minds work.

One person says the car is pos and it’s not worth anything.

Same person then thinks their clapped out pos that hasn’t moved or ran on 3 years is worth 10k.



-Daniel

 

[Justin DuBois]

This thread is reminding how well DSMers minds work.

One person says the car is pos and it’s not worth anything.

Same person then thinks their clapped out pos that hasn’t moved or ran on 3 years is worth 10k.



-Daniel

Maybe the OP can shed some light on what attracted them to this car in the first place. If a reliable ride to school is the priority, a good used Prius C would be better than a 20 year old Chrysler.

If they want a Fast and Furious turbo kit mod car, with little to no chance for reliability that will cost on-going every spare cent of their college existence - then this will be perfect.

 

[steve]

Back in the stoneage you couldn't take a car to school the first year. They wanted you focused on class and campus, not off. If that's still the case, the money is going to be rotting at home.

 

[SixBolt_16G]

Back in the stoneage you couldn't take a car to school the first year. They wanted you focused on class and campus, not off. If that's still the case, the money is going to be rotting at home.

Thats how it was my first year at Illinois... The university definitely wasnt gonna be keen on emergency DSM maintenance in the dorm parking lot either...