Daily Driver Advise

[Grinder]

I asked this over at Moparts,and forgot to post it here.I always like to hear your opinions!


Need some help guys. I had a '05 Dodge SRT-4 that I sold to go to school. I used the money to buy a 1976 Dodge Dart Sport "Spirit of '76" "Dart Lite" That I found on craigslist in Las Vegas. I had planned on going to school in town,and using the Dart as a Daily Driver. Its a Dart Lite so it has the 225 Slant with the A833 o.d,which sounded perfect for a daily driver!



Well so far it has rarely left my Garage,because it needed a new fuel tank. Before I get it on the road it needs a fuel tank and sending unit(which I already have)Its needs the front end rebuilt,new wheels and tires(has ford ranger 14's on it that rub the calipers in the front)New shocks and leaf springs,weather stripping,and the drivers bucket seat is shot.

I just decided that I will be moving to Florida to go to school with a friend. So I need a car that will be able to Drive cross country,and keep up with todays traffic,and be reliable enough where I dont have to worry about it breaking down(I will be in school and will not have much money;I have to pay for all of my school out of pocket!)


I have untill May or June at the Latest before I move,and about 500 extra $$$ a month to fix up the Dart.


Should I fix the Dart ,or sell it and buy a hyundai accent.... ...I know, I know,but 30+ M.P.G with a 5 year 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty...its my only other option. It will be about 250 a month for a 5 year loan.

I LOVE the Dart.....I just dont know what would be the best for me right now....

 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

What school in florida? (sorry i live here, going to UTI, i'm curious)...and i just moved from Vegas where you found your car. There was a spirit dart sport in a junkyard there about 7months ago.

I daily drove my barracuda for two years. They can be made pretty reliable, especially with that slant and should sip gas for being a spirit. I'd go through and put a new fuel pump, water pump, flushout the radiator (see if its fine), rebuild the carb, new cap/rotor/wires/plugs. Carry a spare ecu, voltage regulator and ballast resistor. Atleast you got the tank squared. Replace the rubber brake lines if they look like they need to be.

Depending on your budget you can either try and beat problem things out like i mentioned, or just be a little more prepared to have a 'trouble day to fix a water pump, fuel pump, whatever.

As far as a accent, i know two people that have them. Yea they have a good warranty, but they use them from what i understand which could be more trouble than its worth. (for wiw i just recently got a 2005ranger for $218/mo about 19mpg on the highway, love it as my replacement daily driver for my cuda). The dart can make a good daily just as they were back in their hay-day.

just my 2cents!
-Mike

 

[Grinder]

Was it a Dart Lite? The car was on craigslist,owner said he had it for 20 years. I am looking at a Comm. Collage in Orlando for the first 2 years...then..???? UTI is a tech school for Automotive right?

 

[BJS racing]

Honestly I would look at working on the Dart. It would be alot cheaper to fix if something goes wrong on your trip and if you take basic tools along with you, you can fix it on the side of the road. The biggest problem IMO with our cars is the wiring. I would take a good look at the wiring through out the car and see if there looks like anything might come close to giving you problems. I would also bypass the ammeter if it is still hooked up. This will more than likely save you alot of headaches. I would also try to take a couple of parts along on the drive with me that would be easy to fix on the side of the road if it went out. I.E. headlight switch, starter, starter realy and maybe a wiper switch along with some fuses. Other than that just do the work that you were talking about doing and enjoy.

 

[rumblefish360]

a hyundai accent.... ...I know, I know,but 30+ M.P.G with a 5 year 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty...its my only other option. It will be about 250 a month for a 5 year loan.

It's hard to argue with 30+ mpg's on a new car with warrenty. But can you float the payment?
If you can float the payment, I'd purchase the new car and shelve the MoPar for a better day
A modern FI engine in a lite weight car vs an old car that has alot of unknowns but with a cool factor......these are the things that make you go , Hummmmmmmmmm.

 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Was it a Dart Lite? The car was on craigslist,owner said he had it for 20 years. I am looking at a Comm. Collage in Orlando for the first 2 years...then..???? UTI is a tech school for Automotive right?

Ah cool, well im outside of orlando, uti is in orlando. Yup its a auto tech school.

Dart light, i think had a lighter decklid and hood, the overdrive, and i think a smaller than 225 slant though i dont remember which one..they were made to sip on gas at the time. That was when the gas crunch was really going around and people were caring.

 

[Grinder]

I know what a dart lite is,my car is one It uses a 225 slant with a aluminum 1 bbl intake and a 2 1/4 exhaust.

I was asking if the one in the yard you saw was a Dart Lite? Where is this yard,and did the car have good doors and fenders?

Thanks

 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

sorry i thought you said what is a dart lite, not what was one. It was a spirit of 76, car had decent fenders. car was crsuhed a few months back. 4speed setup was gone and the buckets.

 

[Thrashard340]

I have untill May or June at the Latest before I move,and about 500 extra $$$ a month to fix up the Dart.


Should I fix the Dart ,or sell it and buy a hyundai accent.... ...I know, I know,but 30+ M.P.G with a 5 year 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty...its my only other option. It will be about 250 a month for a 5 year loan.

I LOVE the Dart.....I just dont know what would be the best for me right now....

As a Mopar guy, I say keep the Dart. IMHO...As a college student trying to make ends meet, I say spring for the Accent with the warranty. You want to look at long term benefit. The 5 year warranty keeps you out of trouble for the most part. If something were to happen to the Dart a year or 2 down the road, you don't know if it will cost $100 or $1000 to fix. So the warranty wins here. Also, time is money. If something happens to the Dart, you spend time to fix it, when you could use that time to study. Like Rumble said, if you can spring $250/mo through school, then go for it. After you finish your education and land a decent gig, you can pick up the Mopar thing where you left off. Good luck in school. STAN

 

[340mopar]

$250 per month payment plus interest buys a lot of gas. I have an '90 Acclaim that I bought last year with a screwed up head. With buying a new head, brakes, front struts, and buying the car, total $600. Gets 27mpg with the a/c on and is very reliable. I drive 280 miles a week and only spend $100 per month on gas. The extra $150 a month will handle just about any repair fees that might surface. You will also save money on insurance because you won't need full coverage like the lender will require.
Then hopefully you could keep your 76 Spirit in storage until you get out of school.


Something to think about.

Chuck

 

[memike]

It's hard to argue with 30+ mpg's on a new car with warrenty. But can you float the payment?
If you can float the payment, I'd purchase the new car and shelve the MoPar for a better day
A modern FI engine in a lite weight car vs an old car that has alot of unknowns but with a cool factor......these are the things that make you go , Hummmmmmmmmm.

Like rumblefish360 said. :thumbup:

save it for a better day :wav:

 

[Grinder]

I would love to save it,but its just not possible. If I get a new car I will not have any extra money a month to spend on a storage uit.I also dont have any family or friends with room in their garage.

So if I do get a new car,I will have to sell the Dart.

 

[flyboy01]

I asked this over at Moparts,and forgot to post it here.I always like to hear your opinions!


Need some help guys. I had a '05 Dodge SRT-4 that I sold to go to school. I used the money to buy a 1976 Dodge Dart Sport "Spirit of '76" "Dart Lite" That I found on craigslist in Las Vegas. I had planned on going to school in town,and using the Dart as a Daily Driver. Its a Dart Lite so it has the 225 Slant with the A833 o.d,which sounded perfect for a daily driver!



Well so far it has rarely left my Garage,because it needed a new fuel tank. Before I get it on the road it needs a fuel tank and sending unit(which I already have)Its needs the front end rebuilt,new wheels and tires(has ford ranger 14's on it that rub the calipers in the front)New shocks and leaf springs,weather stripping,and the drivers bucket seat is shot.

I just decided that I will be moving to Florida to go to school with a friend. So I need a car that will be able to Drive cross country,and keep up with todays traffic,and be reliable enough where I dont have to worry about it breaking down(I will be in school and will not have much money;I have to pay for all of my school out of pocket!)


I have untill May or June at the Latest before I move,and about 500 extra $$$ a month to fix up the Dart.


Should I fix the Dart ,or sell it and buy a hyundai accent.... ...I know, I know,but 30+ M.P.G with a 5 year 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty...its my only other option. It will be about 250 a month for a 5 year loan.

I LOVE the Dart.....I just dont know what would be the best for me right now....

Fix up the dart.

This is what I would do.

Replace the fuel tank & sender (done)
Get a new 500 cfm Carb (holley or edelbrock) with a 4bbl intake ($100-400)
Replace all the lamps and headlights ($40)
Rebuild the suspension ($250)
Get new dog dish wheels and tires ($450)
Rebuild the brakes completely ($150)
Get a new exhaust system ($150)
New carpet and seat covers if needed ($500)
get a sound system, CD player and 4 speakers ($400)
Maaco paint job if needed ($300)
Six-pack hood scoop ($150)

Now you have a reliable car that gets 20-25 MPG and will NOT cost you $250 a month on a regular basis once the initial money is invested. It will also be cheaper to insure. You also have a car that will be worth more than the Hyundai or Kia a month after you buy it.

 

[Thrashard340]

I would love to save it,but its just not possible. If I get a new car I will not have any extra money a month to spend on a storage uit.I also dont have any family or friends with room in their garage.

So if I do get a new car,I will have to sell the Dart.

True, but in the long run, 5 years down the road, you will have a good education, a perhaps a good job to show for it with enough disposable income to buy another Mopar to replace the one you had to sell years earlier.

Trust me on this on. I basically did the same thing that you're thinking of doing back in '97. I let go a 71 Challenger (318 car) & 73 Dart Sport 318 so I could go back to school.

You will reward yourself in the long run. Try to major, or at least minor, in business and get involved with as many internships as time allows.

STAN