DSM thoughts?

[rockin86ranger]

i am looking at getting a new car soon, I am tired of replacing stuff on my old taurus (replacing parts on a 95 taurus with 232,xxxmiles that has a trans isssue just isn't smart spending in my opinion). I am open to anything, I would really like to have a lifted 4x4 suburban (old box style 91-older). The suburban would get nonexistant gas mileage so I looking for something besides that. my main criteria is that it needs to be fun to drive, roomy (I am 6' 3"), and preferably quick and get decent gas mileage, and reasonably cheap, i also prefer odd things. While i dont mess with imports is looks like i am looking at something turbochraged and 4cyl. So thinking of something that would fit teh criteria I though i might keep an eye out for 92-93 Plymouth Laser RS AWD Turbo. I don't know much about them (I am researching when i can but i only have an hour a day the library until i can get my laptop fixed), has anybody had any experience with 1st gen eclipse/talons/lasers if so what do you think. Do they make reliable daily drivers or do they have issues. I know people say the eclipse has a lot of potential to go fast and that is important to me, my only problem with them is they just look outdated and cheap, I like old cars and like a lot of stuff from the 90s but the 1st gen eclipse is just not visually appealing.

I am also open to ideas, most people would say i don't have enough money to buy anything good ($2-3k), but i think its load of crap since i haven't spent more than $750 on car and have never had an issue (I know how to shop and haggle).

Any suggestions or opinions are appreciated.

[Ford Fester]

Only issue with dsm awd cars is they have a weak trans and timing belt issues. When the timing belt breaks the valve hit the pistons.

[pointA2B]

fun cars not very reliable and they are only getting older..........

[festyfreak39]

DSM's are awesome vechicles. The trans are very very good and so are the diffs.

They are easy to mod, easy to fix, cheap to mod and make very fast. Also alot of parts available. Everything is well documented and well designed.

The only downfall are most of them are bagged. However, the only reason they have a bad reputation is 17 year old kids with flat brimmed hats and boost controllers. Enough said.

[FastOrBust]

I had one for 18 months and liked it somewhat. Like every 20 yr old performance car it will need its fair share of maintenance. I had a 3" turbo back and k&n filter and it moved out pretty decently. Launching it was a blast and it would shoot flames which was pretty boss. Modding it would be pretty easy and sorta cheap.

[iceracerdude]

Ok, there's this:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

This is a car we picked up for my buddies to ice race in the 2 wheel drive studded class (notice the tires) that they're now simply tired of. The problem is, this car was so unbeatable in it's very short career, that people would show up in it's second season and not even put their tires on when they saw it was there, refused to compete against it, even the guy with the other DSM! That's what really killed it for them, weird huh? This car has a short racing history as a result of that, only 1 rallycross event, and just two ice racing seasons totaling about 12, 8 mile long races. Now hear me out, I wouldn't try to sell a car to anyone to drive on the street, that had been raced into the ground and wasn't road worthy. On the contrary, this was a street car that simply got a lot of new "handling parts" put on it and a paint job with stickers, and then the interior carpet was largely removed and a roll bar added. Both front seats are still in it and the red paint is not professionally done, so don't visualize a Chip Foose paint job.
So the brakes, struts, stage turbo clutch, flywheel, exhaust system (no cat), timing belt, and ball joints are all fresh and there's even a complete spare 5 speed trans with it although the trans that's in it is fine. I'm not sure how many rims/tires come with it, I'm thinking maybe 4-8?
The bad is, You can remove the roll bar and the stickers easy enough, the back hatch struts need to be replaced, that headlight on the passenger side was removed (not the headlight motor though) so when you flip the headlight switch, the headlight door opens up and scoops air directly into the intake. So it would need another headlight, and probably carpet, I believe the rear wiper is also intact. I personally would have the big 16G turbo ported and the wastegate puck enlarged to help control boost because this is a pretty common upgrade for TDO5 turbos to control boost creep. It's also located in Michigan so that's something that can be a bit of a deal breaker I'm sure. But it's a pretty solid car, especially for a 1st gen DSM, and it's pretty fast...about 260 hp.
I think they're right in your price range...$2,500-$2,700 ish? but I'm waiting for a call back from them about a price and tire/rim count.

[Ford Fester]

I have a Festiva friend whose gone through 3 awd transmissions. Could be fluke deal but he said they are weak. My cousin has an evo, basically same motor that threw down 700 awhp.

[crazypunkerguy]

I have always heard the trans are the weak link. I would personally look high and low for an Impulse RS. Talk about rare, fast fun and AWD. Or a 323 GTX, then it shares some of the festy stuff your used to in a good looking awd package! I have worked on many a DSM and driven quite a few, I can say they are decent cars but I would buy either of the aforementioned long before one!

[koRnhead]

The trans are the weakest link....however, if you avoid 6k clutch dumps and drive like a normal person. They hold up quite well. A low mileage 1Ga or b, that is mostly stock should be in your price range. The hard part is finding one not beat to dog poo.

[DriverOne]

My two cents:

[Safety Guy]

Just my two pieces of eight on OLD DSMs, from somewhere in prehistory:

http://encarsglobe.com/gallery/plymouth-fire-arrow.html

Plymouth (Mitsu) Fire Arrow! The good ones came with the 2.6L Silent Shaft (counterbalancers) 4 cylinder engine making 108 hp, back in 1979 and 1980.

More:

http://www.oldparkedcars.com/2010/07/1979-plymouth-fire-arrow-mitsubishi.html

Good luck finding one fit to be driven!

Karl

[FastOrBust]

Re: DSM thoughts?

I'd love to have that quest

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

[fastivaca]

Re: DSM thoughts?

I had a '78 Plymouth Sapporo. Built by Mitsubishi it was essentially a coupe version of the Arrow. Mine had the 2.0 litre silent shaft engine. Loved that car.

Sent from somewhere west of here!

[wirebrain]

I had a 1.6 liter Arrow and went through two engines... that engine seemed to last less than 100,000 miles before becoming complete Mosquito foggers... Last I saw it it had the 2.3 liter and auto trans out of a Pinto I stuffed into it...lol and was running strong!

[rockin86ranger]

I might also look into some turbo dodges but i dont really find the appealing, I do kind of like the 2door Plymouth Sundance and the Spirit R/T. I drove my brothers 2000 Dakota the other night and liked it, it had plenty of leg and head room and drove good, but the seat was a little narrow (pinched my thighs a bit). I might keep and eye out for ann Ex-Cab Dakota or if I can find a 91-93 Dodge Ram 150 with the magnum V8 (5.9l preferably but would take a 5.2l) or a Ramcharger with the same motor I would get it. I can get some older cummins work trucks for close to my budget and I have always really wanted one, so i might see about getting one and turning up the pump and putting an exhaust on it and play with the boost if I can find one I like for a decent price. I am a diesel nut but they typically linger just out of my price range but I might spring for a Cummins this time. I am open to all suggestion I have no brand bias but I am less likely to own a Chevy (Last ones I liked was the 94 trucks before they swapped interiors) other than that I am open to any and all suggestions (I used to drive a Festiva to work, where I drove an International 9400, so size doesnt bother me) I could use atleast 4 seats but if I find the right regular cab I will get it.