Advice on first car

[Blitz_]

hey every1, im getting close to getting my p's and ive got AUS$3500 of my own money to tool around with, ive been thinking, atm, on getting a 77 Celica or possible an XE, XD, XF falcon or possibly an escort, cortina or gemina.
Could anyone help me out here, me is very stuck

[fpv_gtho]

Go the XE....relatively cheap to fix, still fairly big without being too big and no one will care if it gets wrecked...

[pimento]

Depends on how much you want to spend on maintenance and fuel really. That much is about starting money for an acceptable mini, though you'll need probably another grand over the next year. Old Celicas can be good for handling, nice and light and fairly solid, a friend of mine has one. Old Escorts are cool too. Take your time finding what you want, don't wanna make the wrong decision here.

[Mustang]

Mk1 or Mk2 ESCORRRRRRRRRRRRRT!!!!!!!!

ill be goin to look at a mk1 soon, there amazing cars, but shame the 1.1 only has 40bhp

[Blitz_]

lol, thanx for the tips guys, i was pondering on the XE, fpv would u know the costs, well basic costs of doing one up, probably 12 slotters, new paint job ( winter white ) and probably a new exhaust system? i was also wondering how the remove badges n stuff, fibreglas? sorry im a n00b on mods, well real mods that is.

Im really considering a falcon coz of the amount of parts u can get, its size and ease of modification, i was just wondeiring if someone could please help me out on prices for like paint and so forth.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by Blitz_

i was also wondering how the remove badges n stuff, fibreglas? sorry im a n00b on mods, well real mods that is.

oh man this is gonna be so bad for me when you brits see what mag this came from

[Blitz_]

lol max power :P thanx for those man ^

[Quiggs]

The badges on my car didn't have pins, they were just glued on. If this is the case, get a hair dryer to heat the glue up, and use fishing line to saw it away. Use an adhesive remover to get rid of any excess glue, and wax the area the badge was on immediately.

[Blitz_]

nice! wats the price of a new paint job in Australia? my cousin says 400 - 600 but im not sure, he bullshits alot.

[fpv_gtho]

Touch up's can be a few hundred, complete sand back to metal and reprimer jobs will set you back a few grand.

[Blitz_]

thanx fpv - argghh shit, ill go with the touch ups if the paint job is shite on the car i buy. Any idea on the cost of 12 slotters and lowering it a bit or alot? lmfao i am completley lost when it comes to these kinds of things

[Falcon500]

12 slotter go get yourself to a swap meet or get the parts peddler the price varies greatly but you should be able to get some with treads for around $150

And lowering go around to your local suspension joints get quotes and either get ready to get dirty or play them off eachother (ask them to match prices and such)

[Blitz_]

awsum lol yer ill do some haggling and bartering, ive been through the quokka and sunday times auto trader thingo and a Cortina Mk1 looks mighty inviting since it says its been cared for and has plenty of spares, but at almost 40 years olf im worried about its reliablitly and cost to run and repair it.

[Falcon500]

Hell its a first car its not going to be a concourse winner...just get it cheaked out and keep on top of its maintince and like anyother car unless theres something seriously wrong it should be a good thing

Realiability the engines in them cortinas are quite reliable but they are pains to work on but you have to learn how to somewhere and cost to run should be pittence and the engines are quite modifable too.

[fpv_gtho]

For the lowering, perhaps some Pedders low or superlows would set you back a few hundred, then you might want to look into new shocks as well. Not only to control the body movement a bit better, but im sure the stock shocks arent suited to lowered springs, by however much you lower it.

Still keep in mind though that however much you spend on the car, you cant claim that back and there is a high percentage of people who crash their first car whilst still on their P's.