http://southbend.craigslist.org/cto/2826390253.html

Main reason for buying is I need a winter beater/DD, without spending over $1,500. If I were to pursue this, I think I could get him to knock at least a few hundred off if I waved some cash in my hand.

From the pictures it appears to be an automatic...yet he claims he replaced the throw out bearing :shrug. I'm not too worried about it being AT with its purpose being a DD. I've heard people say the automatics are sort of rare too. Also has the red interior in excellent condition, I thought that was kind of cool. Owner claims the car is completely stock, but has changed out some parts for maintenance purposes it appears.

As far as the symptoms he describes "it will run longer than five seconds, but you have to be on the throttle and even then it still doesn't run right." It doesn't seem like that bad of a problem, could be a simple fix, but then again, I don't know a lot about these cars, just enough to be dangerous.

Any opinions, thoughts, insight etc...are welcome. Positive or negative.

Edit: after doing some more investigative research I have found the user on Tuners.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/90-94-dsms-and-gvr-4s-for-sale-5/1992-eagle-talon-tsi-awd-5-speed-38940/

Its a M/T, thats the infamous jumbo 5000 "shift knob". If you could pick the car up for either 1k or cheaper it would be a good deal. Honestly (of course just going off symptoms) it sounds like the car has a bad maf-t. Could be a simple fix and you have a good beater. Go check the car out personally, you have a good mechanical head on your shoulders, if you see something sketchy then run if not imo it would be a good deal.

Edit: looking at his pics on tuners he doesn't even have a filter on the MAF-T, so its a likely candidate.

Edit 2: After looking through this guys threads on tuners, he sounds like an idiot, beware of what he might have messed up!

Originally posted by Slo2g
Edit: looking at his pics on tuners he doesn't even have a filter on the MAF-T, so its a likely candidate. Edit 2: After looking through this guys threads on tuners, he sounds like an idiot, beware of what he might have messed up!

Jumbo 5000 shift knob....lawl.

Yeah I went through all the threads this morning too. I may go look at it still, but from what I read it kind of scared me away.

Especially about replacing the gas tank, and blowing the "rust" out of the fuel line, replacing injectors/fuel pump/MFI Relay/Fuses, claiming the CAS/CPS was dead, then it was working again posts later, dicking around with the clutch pedal assembly and master/slave among other things.

Then if for some reason he did take 1k cash or perhaps lower, I gotta find a trailer to haul this thing away. Not exactly ideal either. With my current situation, I could really use something that I can start driving within a week of registering and all that.

If you have a friend in the area that could lend you a MAF then you could possible drive it away. Big slap in the face to him lawl!

Well I think I found a better deal...and I know this person as well. It's not an AWD, but I think I could manage without.

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/2852528866.html

For a winter beater no ac isn't a big deal but the no ps could be an issue unless its a manual rack.

Well no manual rack, but he still has the pump and all the lines for it.

Thats a great deal for 1500. Lowest one I found on Cl was 1200 for rolling shell in red, owner also listed parts from it. My vote is to pick it up but dont stray away from 2gnt and join the darkside. lol

Originally posted by dalesmitsu
Thats a great deal for 1500. Lowest one I found on Cl was 1200 for rolling shell in red, owner also listed parts from it. My vote is to pick it up but dont stray away from 2gnt and join the darkside. lol

Yeah, the hard part is getting the woman on board with it. I've got plans for the 2gnt still, it will always be #1.

AWD; 90;meh. lot's of strange problems worked on by an idiot (you guys say, I didn't look). I'm positve that you can pick it up for $1500. Yes, it could be an easy fix (hell could be a loose plug with goofy guys, lol). BUT it could be a wiring harness job as well (90 kinda old; cracking wires; safc possibly instaled and taken off etc. Are you willing to go in that far?

FWD why? For a winter crasher, your just as well off with a 420a (you'll find them cheaper than that). And you'll have the fwd issues to deal with in the snow. Why does it have a FMIC if it only has a 14b. Is this a "return to stock" sale?

Originally posted by bullettdsm
AWD; 90;meh. lot's of strange problems worked on by an idiot (you guys say, I didn't look). I'm positve that you can pick it up for $1500. Yes, it could be an easy fix (hell could be a loose plug with goofy guys, lol). BUT it could be a wiring harness job as well (90 kinda old; cracking wires; safc possibly instaled and taken off etc. Are you willing to go in that far? FWD why? For a winter crasher, your just as well off with a 420a (you'll find them cheaper than that). And you'll have the fwd issues to deal with in the snow. Why does it have a FMIC if it only has a 14b. Is this a "return to stock" sale?

I already gave up on the AWD. Too many possible horror stories with it, and the guy has ignored me anyway. As for the FWD, it was a cheap pickup and he got it back into "physical condition" for a lack of better terms. I'll have to ask him about the FMIC, I'm assuming he had the parts laying around or the SMIC was shot and he got a deal on the FMIC.

I've thought about finding a 420a too, just haven't found any good deals in my area yet. I may just give up on all this anyway and start riding a bicycle to work. Probably better off saving the money and paying off other bills in the long run.