280ZX (S130) Forums Dedicated to 79-83 ZCars

Dail Driver

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Old Jun 22, 2006 | 12:05 PM
  #1  
KTM200-280zxt's Avatar
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Dail Driver

Just wonering what some of you guys are using for daily drivers?? I know it aint much too work with but I only want to put about $2k into buying a daily driver. Between the concrete pad and portable garage im getting and my car I dont have much money.

I might work out something were I buy a car for about $4,000 and he pays for a big chunk of it. I would just drive it to work and school for the next few months till my car is ready and it would become his, kinda like renting a car.

So does anyone have any ideas for a car for both those price ranges?? Id really like a Maxima or Sentra or something like that.

Id greatly apreciate any advice.

Thanks
Rob
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 12:11 PM
  #2  
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My daily drivers are:

1992 BMW 325i & 1997 Saturn SL2

I recently inherited a free 1995 Mercury Tracer. Just needed an ignition switch & it's a keeper... Prolly sell it for $1000 on ebay.

Cars like that are easy to come by. Around here we call them "mechanic's specials" because they are good cars, but need some work to get them street-able again. Check around the classifieds & craigslist.com for good deals like that.
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 12:29 PM
  #3  
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I have been using my '82 280zx for a while now. I used to use my '83 Celica GTS, which I no longer have. But my little brother, is verry happy with it. So considering my '81 is wrecked, and no good motor, and my '75 Firebird, is too expensive in fuel to drive. My Z is it for now, just have to keep up on him. He has been a great car, since I got him running. Starts right up everytime, great pickup, and my best mileage driving on the streets to work, is 22mpg. Which I think is great, considering, I like quick take-offs.

Anyway you want something dependable, and reliable, and decent on fuel. But it all depends, on how far you have to go to work. What you are looking for, and what money you have to spend. Just shop around to get the best deal possible, for the right amount of money. Sometimes it take some patience, to find the right one. But you will, and I think the cars you mentioned would be great daily drivers, so you can fix up your Z. Good luck to you man, and happy car hunting.
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 01:34 PM
  #4  
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I drive my 280ZX. It is all I have right now...
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 02:08 PM
  #5  
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Originally Posted by Bleach
I drive my 280ZX. It is all I have right now...
That sucks man, so I take it you never got your truck back? If so, I am sorry about your loss. Those trucks aren't as easy to come by, as they used to be. And I thought your truck was pretty sweet, the way it looked. Okay enough of me reminding you of it or missing it more. I still feel for you bro'
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 02:19 PM
  #6  
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I drive my 280zx, im only 16, therefore cant really have another car.
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 02:27 PM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by SoCal-s130
I drive my 280zx, im only 16, therefore cant really have another car.
Hey! Welcome to ZDriver!
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 02:35 PM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by NismoPick
Hey! Welcome to ZDriver!
Thanks, im a member over at Got-Z and I was telling someone how I wish there was a place with a bunch of s130 owners, and they directed me here.
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 02:47 PM
  #9  
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Right on. Got-z was quite the place for a while, then a lot of shiz went down between some members, and now they don't even talk about Z's anymore (other than the yearly Got-z meet).

Anyway, ya got some pics or web page of ya Z?
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 02:49 PM
  #10  
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http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2060550
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 02:57 PM
  #11  
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Hey welcome to Zdriver, Im only 16 too so I feel you. Its tuff coming up with money sometimes...
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 02:59 PM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by KTM200-280zxt
Hey welcome to Zdriver, Im only 16 too so I feel you. Its tuff coming up with money sometimes...
Yeah it is. You have a very nice zx there! Love the wheels.
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 04:13 PM
  #13  
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I was looking at a 280zx FOR my daily driver. My real car is a 2006 GTI. I wanted something classic to cruise around town. I let a 280Zx slip out of my hands last weekend. And I missed a VW Corrado Supercharged 2-3 days ago also. The good deals are gone within a day on Craigslist. I am looking at any Z 1983 or older, and miatas or RX-7, 944's also.
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 05:23 PM
  #14  
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Hey SoCal... Thanks for the compliment, your car looks very nice also. Its nice to have a nice car like

And Plac... You could buy mine so I could put the money towards a new 350Z that way there would be no need of a daily driver.

Anyways my dad stopped by a dealership and there was I think a 2002?? Sentra. It was a lower model, Automatic but it only had about 60k miles and they wanted like $8,000. He talked them down to $5,000. But Im going to keep looking. The guy was into Z's so I guess if I buy a car from them they want me to bring my car by sometime.

But thank you guys for all the help,

Rob
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 05:36 PM
  #15  
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Got-Z is only good for chatting and random crap...
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 07:18 PM
  #16  
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my daily is a Focus ZX3...atleast until I get the Z up to daily driver status. Still needs a few minor details like gauges and current registration.
Old Jun 22, 2006 | 07:45 PM
  #17  
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My daily is a Mazda3 hatchback. Ideally, I think a daily driver should complement the fun car, so it should have good cargo/passenger space and better gas mileage.
Old Jun 24, 2006 | 11:14 PM
  #18  
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get a 1993 SAAB 9000 turbo, fast front wheel drive cars for around $2000
Old Jun 24, 2006 | 11:24 PM
  #19  
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My daily driver is my ZX for sure...I got spanked by my friends 1996 Cobra tonight though by about oh I would say 60-70 car lengths!!!! It would be so nice if my daily driver was a 3.1 Stroked L28ET!!! It kinda hurt my feelings a bit but he laughed so hard he almost pissed himself...COME ON, thats not nice. But hey it looks fast.
Old Jun 25, 2006 | 09:16 AM
  #20  
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eh, his car is from 96, yours is 24 yrs old. if its a svt cobra from 96 it should have 300 hp and 300ft-lbs, LOL id rather have the Z
Old Jun 25, 2006 | 09:39 AM
  #21  
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my 280ZX is my daily driver

I do have other cars but they're not for street driving
favorite:
1986 volvo 740 < rally cross beast, soon to be rally sprinter (once i cage it)

Old Jun 25, 2006 | 09:57 AM
  #22  
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my daily is my zx in my sig, and my in progress race car is going to look loke the one in my sig, and i got 2 more parts zx's too, i got a lot of zx's, but its never enough!!!! i wanna try and get a s30 too, just cause its a z. lol i need more space and money to accomplish my dreams
Old Jun 25, 2006 | 10:00 AM
  #23  
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My Z is my daily. I had a Fiat X1/9 lined up to be my DD but it was such a mess i put it aside for now. Its a needs a whole slew of wiring work.
Old Jun 25, 2006 | 10:01 AM
  #24  
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I'm, right with Shady! I want to get myself an S30 to complete my Z obsession. That way I can have both models of the S series of the Z cars.

My daily drive is the 91' Dodge Caravan. I'm thinking about getting rid of it and getting like a mid 90's Honda Civic or something. It's smaller and would be probably cheaper and more reliable. This van had to have the tranny rebuilt at barely over 60k miles!! Maybe an old civic or an old corolla. Or maybe some sort of mid 90's Nissan to keep it in the family.
Old Jun 25, 2006 | 10:08 AM
  #25  
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yeah and at 120,000 youll need another tranny, better sell it cause the head gasket is soon to follow.



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