Few questions reguarding the Stealth

[ampzor]

Hi,
Im new to the forums and I have a few questions reguarding the Stealths. I read the FAQ and I found some answers to my other questions. Im looking to buying a Dodge Stealth with a twin turbo. I wanted to know which year would be the most reliable and has the best engine? Im looking at this and the Eagle Talon along with some other imports that have a Inline-4 engine. And my last questions is, does this car put a huge hole in your wallet reguarding insurance? Thanks!

[Stealthee]

You are 16, you are damn right insurance is going to be high. Even on a TSI Talon insurance is going to be high. At your age you need to find a cheap reliable beater. Because the truth is if youre worried about paying for insurance then the money upkeep costs will kill you.

[ampzor]

The reason why I want to get a quicker car is because, I had a 2005 Mazda3speed. Which sucked ass. I liked how it looked and how it handled but, I didnt like how it cost my parents 17,000$ used. I figured I'll get a Stealth and work on it with my dad. Me and my dad do car projects (we supped up a 2002 transam and built an old GTO and Chevelle) together and since Im turning 16, my dad said he'll work on a car with me. He just told me to keep the insurance low.

[Polygon]

Well, a TT Stealth or a DSM will not be cheap on insurance. If you want a turbo-charged car that is cheap on insurance you're going to have to buy a Ford Probe GT, a Turbo Dodge, a Saab, or something similar.

How much a month are you looking to spend a month on insurance?

[ampzor]

I dont mean dirt cheap like a civic or corolla. Just something that doesnt cost an arm and a leg. We will be insuring it under my mother so it will be cheaper.

[Linebckr49]

you're looking for a quick car that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? haha. those two phrases should never be in the same sentence. if you can find a fast car for cheap, most likely the insurance will be high and/or you'll have to spend a LOT of money in maintenance b/c that car has not been maintained well.

so your dad is familiar with american muscle? well DOHC imports are a whole different ball park. i'm not doubting you or your dad's ability, but i just know from experience that people who jump into the import cars having a background in american muscle get in WAY over their heads. and the only way to get out is to fork over a LOT of cash.

case in point, i know a guy right now who picked up a 93 base 3000GT (normally aspirated, so no turbos). he has owned and worked on several american muscle cars, and he got this 3000GT from his brother b/c it sat for 1 year while his bro TRIED to fix it. so the guy gets the car, timing belt is really loose, so he reads online that all the marks on the cams and crank have to be lined up. so he just turns the cams/crank til all the marks are lined up. he purchases a USED timing tensioner from a junkyard (when i told him how critical the part was and to get a NEW OEM part), then the car won't start. it has ZERO compression. why? because he bent ALL THE INTAKE valves on the front and rear heads by just "lining up the marks". he didn't know that these cars have INTERFERENCE engines, in which the valves and pistons can come in contact with each, if not timed correctly. so now he's gonna drop another $800 on a used motor instead of getting some good heads. and the money pit keeps on growing. he won't listen to my advice about how he should do stuff. he just thinks, "oh, well all i have to do is line the marks up."

what i'm trying to say is that you may think you know cars, but until you actually have experience with DOHC cars, everything else is child's play. i had a 96 camry for 4 years, then got my well maintained 3000GT after doing a LOT of research, and then i had to teach myself how to work on these cars b/c parts alone are SOO expensive. and labor is even more expensive.

i'm not trying to discourage you. all i'm trying to do is put things in perspective.

[Igovert500]

Buy something else.



After reading the FAQ, the next thread to read is 'Thinking of buying a vr4 for your first car'


Unlike Linebckr, I am 100% trying to discourage you.

[vectorspecialist]

the stealth is a good car, i'm 19 and my insurance is 900 every six months, granted i dnt have a clean slate, but rolling thru a stop sign and not using ur blinker arent going to kill it.
a fast cheap car, haha, i hae to agree never to b used in the same phrase.
as for knowing muscle and imports, my dad who loves american cars and will only buy american cars, he took one look at the engine bay and said no, no way ur on ur own with fixing this.
which by the way do they make hanes repair manuals for the 3/s 1st gen.
the cars are both reliable, i'vee seen them with upwards of 250k on em, including the tt's(haha almost looks like tits). if u live in jersey, theres a 94 stealth up thte rd from me for 1800, needs a little work, i think its the base model or es. as for the work, it needs a head gasket and something else i think. o hood paint.
u could, i'm not trying to force u away from the 3/s, but u could also think aboutthe 300zx z32, they can b cheap and u can have tons of fun with those.
the stealth tt and the vr4 are a double edged sword. rare and future collectables, but to damn fun to drive to just let it sit there and gain value.
i'm trying to get a high milage one, so i can drive that and let the other one sit for sundays

[ampzor]

Thankyou all for your posts. The stealth will be my 3rd car. I had a 94' Grand Prix for a half of a year and and then I bought a mazda3 and now Im getting rid of it. Well if you think about it, a cheap car to me is under $9,000. I looks like a stealth is capable of tons of speed with a couple grand put into it.

[AutostradaVR4]

i think it was Igovert that once said...Fast, Reliable, Cheap. You can have 2 of the 3.

I wish i had your budget when i was 3/S shopping lol.

[Igovert500]

Wasn't me...I've quoted it a few times, but I didnt' coin it. It was Igovert however who said, 'I am 100% trying to discourage you'.

You are 16 and have gone through 2 cars already....why???

[ampzor]

Because I get bored easily :P Na, I dunno I had the Grand Prix so I could get used to driving then my parents bought me the mazda for my birthday. I'm actually suprised I havent recked yet lol.

[Morphius289]

Uhhh....I highly doubt that you got bored of a Mazdaspeed 3. 263, turbocharged horsepower in a car that weighs just over a Mini.




Yeah.





Right.

[vectorspecialist]

i'd get bored with it. it's a four cyl. theey r great comuter engines, but performance is rediculaus for only a few.

[ampzor]

It sounds like a battery powered engine, I want something with a little bit more power to get peoples heads turnin. I dont think the mazda's have all that great of an engine, I wish it had an inline-4