Affordable 1990’s sports & luxury cars – Lets talk

[Ray]

I would like to start a discussion on buying a good used sports or luxury car from the 90’s. A second car to be used for fun or occasional pleasure use, maybe even dally drive.

Why the 90’s? Well, depreciation has really set in, and these cars right now are VERY affordable. The 90’s you’re past the carburetor era, and into fuel injection, and some even have traction control and other modern features. Many pristine examples for under $8K exist. Were talking cars that originally were out of most peoples reach financially. Corvettes, Mercedes, BMW’s, Audi, Porsche. Not beaters, but really sound, beautiful cars you’d WANT to drive!

I saw a beautiful, low millage 1997 Mercedes SL320 for $8K that checked out mechanically fine! (That was an $80K car new!) However, after much research I found out they have wiring that actually disintegrates, causing the wires to be exposed and short out and/or destroy the car. (see my post in the common problems section of the forum). Their head gasket fails too, but that’s not a big issue because a head gasket can be replaced, but biodegradable wiring? ugh! That really disappointed me because I really liked that car.

Then I saw a gorgeous, Porsche 944 from the same era for next to nothing. Checked out fine mechanically and looked almost new inside and out! However after much research found out they were made with inferior timing belts that would fail at 30K miles causing collateral damage of valves and pistons (interference engine). So at a cost of $3K-$5K the timing belt and other belts need replacing every 30K miles! Not practical in time or finances.

On the other hand, and on a good note, I bought a ’94 Corvette with only 40K miles, and paid next to nothing for it. It’s in pristine condition, paint shines like new and everything works! I just replaced a few things due to age.. distributor, water pump, plugs, wires… Now I have a almost a new sports car. Plus it’s vintage cool!

My question is, what higher-end sport or luxury cars from the ’90’s would you say is a good, safe car that doesn’t have any inherent manufacture defects or failures that would be almost impossible or impractical to repair?

What have you owned, What did you like or dislike.

Any suggestions? Let’s start a discussion!

Topic

[Bluesnut]

I own and have owned Lincoln Mark 8s. They have been the most reliable, comfortable, and downright enjoyable cars that I’ve ever owned. The downside is that they’re electrically complex and have a few quirks but regular engine oil and transmission fluid changes can keep them going for a long, long time.

That near 300 horsepower engine which gives about 28 MPG on the highway with the A/C running and car loaded down ain’t bad either.

Street racing was something I gave up decades ago but a few times some of the tuner crowd has decided to irritate me into a short run.
Bad move on their part; the Mark toasted both of them and no doubt surprised them a lot. It was pretty humorous to watch them slam on the brakes and turn or whip a U to avoid pulling up beside me.

It’s interesting that the cars are limited to 130 MPH by the ECM. When they first came out in ’93 several Ford engineering guys took a bone stock Mark, removed the limiter, added tires, opened the exhaust, and hit 180+ on the salt at Bonneville.
My understanding is that they were prepared to go even further and faster with it later but Ford squashed it as they did not want the Lincolns to be perceived by their demographic target as a hot rod instead of a luxury car.

[zero]

In short, the maintenance/repair cost of any car is relative to the original sticker price. Parts availability can be dodgy also.

I think if I was going to get something 20 years old for “fun”, it would be as simple as I could find. What car would depend on what I wanted it for.

[Jamie Hoffman]

I’ve always wanted an NSX. And call me a Paul Walker fan-boy if you want, but I will never cease to want an R34. They just look so sick. That car has all the right angles, and it’s got the engine to back up the body. Just my input.

[Jesse]

I would go with the Honda CRX. Engine swaps are relatively easy, you can throw the car around corners at insane speeds and due to its weight you don’t need much horsepower to have an insane amount of fun. It’s an economical car to own, and a blast to drive even in its stock configuration.

[Andrew Button]

Its absoultely sucks to find a decent CRX or bubble these days. Most are thrashed, and the last civic worth owning was 15 model years ago. Neat cars, rare now.

[Jesse]

[quote=”andrewbutton442″ post=131287]Its absoultely sucks to find a decent CRX or bubble these days. Most are thrashed, and the last civic worth owning was 15 model years ago. Neat cars, rare now.[/quote]
I’m glad somebody else shares my irrational love for CRX’s. Most of them definitely have been ruined by the “JDM” craze. A CRX SI that has been unmolested is very hard to find. I’ve found a few and I’ve been very tempted to buy unmolested ones when I’ve saw them.

[Andrew Button]

You know, I knew A LOT of people that bought these new and took care to them. and a younger nephew of mine bought a brand new 2000 SI Em in Electron blue pearl. Had a friend who had brand new SI CRX and treated it well, knew another person with a factory SI Bubble,. I had a Prelude SI with 4ws that was the best handling car money could buy when it was new. This honda stuff was common. They were left stock, and then everything got stupid and the market dried up with good STOCK candidates to drive Somebody else mentioned this on here, and it so true, used to see really hot gals driving nearly new hondas back in the late 80s, early to mid 90s, now those same Hondas are mostly dirtbag cars. When that hideous looking civic came out in 2001 I knew the end of the good Hondas were near. To bad the idiots ruined this neat stuff for the respectable people.

[Jonathan Stiver]

Don’t be so quick to write off Mercedes – yes, most of the mid 90’s vehicles had the biodegradeable wiring, but in my experience there are very very very few of these vehicles still running with the original harness after 20 years, so they all have been replaced with updated wiring. Think about it this way – my 1996 C220 had the harness replaced after 10 years at the dealership in 2005 with an updated genuine Mercedes harness and today, in 2015, in the same 10 years it took for the original to fail, mine is in perfect shape with no dried, cracking, peeling, etc insulation.

I prefer the older 90’s vehicles – by 96 or 97 you start getting into the electronic transmission, stability control / brake assist, etc. Very prone to expensive failures. The automatic transmissions Mercedes used prior to the 722.5/6 are extremely reliable. Mine has 218k miles and I beat the living daylights out of it on a daily basis and it shifts quicker and smoother than the 2012 Cruze that it’s parked next to every night.

[Ray]

[quote=”stiv625″ post=131408]Don’t be so quick to write off Mercedes – yes, most of the mid 90’s vehicles had the biodegradeable wiring, but in my experience there are very very very few of these vehicles still running with the original harness after 20 years, so they all have been replaced with updated wiring. Think about it this way – my 1996 C220 had the harness replaced after 10 years at the dealership in 2005 with an updated genuine Mercedes harness and today, in 2015, in the same 10 years it took for the original to fail, mine is in perfect shape with no dried, cracking, peeling, etc insulation.

I prefer the older 90’s vehicles – by 96 or 97 you start getting into the electronic transmission, stability control / brake assist, etc. Very prone to expensive failures. The automatic transmissions Mercedes used prior to the 722.5/6 are extremely reliable. Mine has 218k miles and I beat the living daylights out of it on a daily basis and it shifts quicker and smoother than the 2012 Cruze that it’s parked next to every night.[/quote]

stiv625,
I’ll have to talk to you more about Mercedes. I really like the SL320 – I hear THAT particular engine is bullet proof. I know its not as powerful as the V8. Once the wiring issue is resolved the engine in the SL320 can last 200K miles or maybe more. How is the transmission in that year, make, model SL320? I’m not sure what years they were produced.

[Ray]

Another car that is AWESOME is the Toyota MR2 Turbo – The second generation started in 1991. I have RESTORED one to better than new, leaving it about 95% Stock. It is a beauty. There are not many unmolested MR2 Turbos around anymore, so my car is VERY RARE. 230HP of blazing fun! I really enjoy that car!

Here are some pictures in case anyone is interested in seeing it.

http://tinyurl.com/restored-MR2-Turbo

[Bluesnut]

That is one beautiful MR2. Great job on it and done up tastefully with none of that overboard wings and body kit stuff. Very, very nice and in the right eye-popping color too..

[Ray]

Thanks. Yes, that was my goal – to keep it mostly stock. I agree there are too many with body kits and hacked interiors and such.

This MR2 has basically been gone through from suspension to steering, paint/body, engine either with OEM parts or top-tier brand and quality aftermarket parts. For example, I put all four new Bilstein B6 HD Struts – matches factory struts with better ride and handling. Putting coil overs on these cars like so many do just devalues the car.

It’s better than new in many ways, and rides and handles like a newer car.

[Andrew Button]

Luxury cars from any manufacturers are a waste of money – especially european ones. They don’t hold their value at all, and are usually expensive to fix. Funny thing, somebody will jump on the chance to buy a clean Civic from the 90s for more money than a used Lexus or something like of the same vintage, even through new the Lexus was probably many times more expensive. Time has also proven the lighter mores small sporty and simple cars of any origin are more in demand decades later. What makes cars intrinsically more valuable over time is the ability to keep them on the road, cheaply, not a bunch of uneccesary garbage added on.

[Jonathan Stiver]

[quote=”TCC” post=131455]stiv625,
I’ll have to talk to you more about Mercedes. I really like the SL320 – I hear THAT particular engine is bullet proof. I know its not as powerful as the V8. Once the wiring issue is resolved the engine in the SL320 can last 200K miles or maybe more. How is the transmission in that year, make, model SL320? I’m not sure what years they were produced.[/quote]

Hey sorry I lost track of this for a while, but to get back to you… The switch to the 5-speed electronic transmission occurred around 1996-97 for all models, so the 97 SL320 has the 722.6. Many people prefer the performance of this transmission, and by no means is it problematic, but the older 722.3/4 is regarded as one of the most reliable automatic transmissions of all time. I personally love how smooth the inline 6 M104 engines are, such as in the SL320, but they are prone to head gasket failures, so check the condition of the engine oil and coolant and ask if the head gasket has been replaced. Me personally, I’d love to someday get the 5.0 V8 with the 722.3, so a 1995 or older SL 500. I have a friend with a ’91 500SL that has been pretty good for him, obviously any 25 year old vehicle will need some work but the engine and transmission have been perfect.

[Author]

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