New here looking to buy my 1st DSM, what can 2-4k get me?

[fatboyq]

Just sold my 89 LX 5.0, want to try out a turbo car and see if I like it. I have no time with work and new baby so I want one that has been done up, nothing crazy just bolt ons maybe a nice 16g. Must be streetable daily driver kind and have 5 speed prefer AWD.

so with that said what can I get for a 4k max budget? maybe higher if need be.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

This looks pretty promising>>>http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=52194&cat=2, go to the classifieds on here, and check out the 1Gs.

Dustin

 

[Dark_Horse]

Dustin - the link you posted is the opposite of "nothing crazy".

I think you'd have better luck buying a nearly stock DSM and modding from there. Buying someone elses modded car is a crap shoot. Sometimes you get lucky and get a very well modded car that runs great. Other times you hit snake eyes and get some ghetto POS.

Take it from someone that got the ghetto POS, if you must buy an already modded car, do some serious snooping around on the car.

 

[fatboyq]

Ha that one is too far out there. Need something to drive to work etc, and have fun at night time on the deserted streets. looking for a low to mid 13 sec daily driver. I want power however reliability and the police not chasing me is important as well.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

I guess we have two different thoughts on what is streetable...of course Im building up a 2.3L strocker motor, and will be pushing 30psi on the street daily driven
Ill find a few more that are a little more toned down I guess
Here's what I have found so far>>>http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=52098&cat=2, this one is FWD but still>>>http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=52063&cat=2, http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=52011&cat=2, this looks to be a good one>>> http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=51821&cat=2

Dustin

 

[chickmagnet]

I looked long and hard to find something that was completely stock. If you go this route you can be more sure the car is solid and build it for your specific goals. It took me almost a year to find a solid car but I think it was worth the wait. Good luck and enjoy whatever you end up with.

 

[duck95]

You may get lucky and find something in that upper range that is in good condition and runs well. As for $2k, you'll problably be getting into some cars that have a few problems, or have been modded and not running well. Take your time in looking. I found mine as a lien sale, from a tow yard, on craigslist!

 

[formulav893]

This looks pretty promising>>>http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=52194&cat=2, go to the classifieds on here, and check out the 1Gs.

Dustin

wow i wish i seen that one four weeks ago....

but also check ebay, ive seen some 95 gsx's in your price range, i bought two spyders off of ebay, one turbo the other n/t

 

[twack]

Use autotrader and car soup if you buy it from someone outside the dsm community you will have better luck that they didnt d=beat on it and they dont know what they have.

 

[fatboyq]

Thanks for the help. Seems everytime I call on one it has been just sold etc. I will go check this one out today what do you guys think? it is a bit ruffer than I wanted condition wise(dirty interior, engine bay, dent on hood), however nice mods and price. http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=49386&cat=2

send me a pm if you dont want to respond here or to [email protected]

 

[fourreGsixty3]

Oil puddles up on the valve cover, dont know why.
That doesnt sound good.
There seems to be a large dent on the passenger side door/rear quarter panel, but it could just be the way the light hits it.
I dont care what he says a tranny should not grind any, it will need to be rebuilt soon.
Also the 1G exhaust manifold is prone enough to cracking before being ported, how well do you think it is/will be after porting?
Also I see no fuel upgrades, either he is keeping the boost low, or you will be getting into a half assed project.
When looking at modded cars, look to see if they are modded completely, I.E. If they has a wally 255 with injectors that are too small for the boost levels, and no AFPR, its half assed. If they have a stock cat but rest of the exhaust is 3" its half assed.

For that S16G to be running at say 18psi, the car should have a Wally 255, an AFPR(that raises fuel pressure on a 1:1 base), 660s, a logger, and a way to tune(S-AFC, DSMLink, ect...)

Dustin

 

[fatboyq]

Thank Dustin,

he is only running 10psi. The tranny and overall condition are some what of a turn off. Looks like the rest of the car was brought back to driving conditon(ball joints, cv boots, axles, struts, alternator, rebuilt motor etc)

what about this one, kinda on the high end of things however much cleaner and better mods, only draw back is stock internals in the motor, stock tranny holding all that power.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=52398&cat=2

 

[fourreGsixty3]

The link isnt working. You didnt get all of it copied.

Dustin

 

[fatboyq]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=52398&cat=2

see if this works, if not its on the 1st page 3 cars down the white one in Iowa.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

I was going to suggest this one but I though it was a bit out of your range./ Im going to look through it, and Ill put an edit at the bottom of this post with my thoughts, but in the end its your desision we can only give you info to help you along.
EDIT: The hatch struts are no biggie, they are like 50$, the headliner cost me like 30$ to fix and 40 minutes, so that isnt a big thing either. The dash can be fixed up with some super glue if it is similar to what happened to my dash on my driverside. That BB 50 Trim is an awsome street turbo and is quick spooling like the EVO 16Gs. The fuel is set-up 100%, and the DSMLink to tune is great. He has a ported SBR manifold on it which has the same dimensions as the EVO manifold, but larger runners and a bigger collector area, with a tubular o2 housing(max flow through an o2) and 3" turbo back exhaust w/o cat so the exhaust is set-up 100% as well. He has a hard air intake with filter, thats good. He also has an RRE catch-can with a filter on top, so oil from the PCV doesnt do into the intake then into the turbo then into then IC piping and junk it up so thats good. Light weight Fly will allow quick rpm rise so that will be good for a street driven car, and the clutch will hold all that power. Just so you know its not a 92..it just looks like it, but that doesn't matter just thought you aught to know. Its an AWD so that will be fun for the winter, and those cams will pull right up to 7400rpm. Just take it for a test drive and see how everything pans out, it looks sound to me from the parts used, and its looks.Check this out>>>http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=238710, I would use this when you go to check it out. Also I saw a MBC so thats good, not sure if it has a boost guage but you will want one for sure.
Not to get off topic but what part of Chicago you from? My family has a condo on Michigan Ave across from Millenium Park.

Dustin

 

[fatboyq]

Thanks for you help again Dustin!
I used to live off Michigan and Ohio street in downtown now I live in a suburb about 15 miles north of the city.

That car is a bit of a stretch for my budjet. I would have been all over it if it had a built motor and trans. Sooner or later that stock motor will not hold up to all that boost right?

what would a build up like that cost on a car that has all the bolt ons already?

 

[fourreGsixty3]

If you pay in cash like I would you may be able to talk him down to 5k or so, I would try and talk him down atleast 500$, if you show up with the cash in hand, he might just take 5k. Heres a good price on a stage 2 tranny>>>http://www.teamrip.com/DSM_AWD_STAGE2_REBUILD_SERVICE.html, and for the bottom end build up I would say Ross 8.5:1 CR ($439.99), and Manley H-Beam rods ($359.99), New HG, shave the block and head to make sure for flatness, and bore the cylinders out to .020. But you will built up perfectly for you power level with some more room to make more power. If your not boosting past say 17psi, and you keep good care of the car, and do all the maintenance religiously it will last for quite some time, and giving you enough time to save up and do all this to the car. But if the tranny is in good condition I dont see this breaking anytime soon, unless you bring it to the track, and are dumping the clutch from high rpm's. And if the engine has a good tune which I sure you can have done with the DSMLink at a local DSMN shop with a dyno, and your engine will be in great shape.

Dustin

 

[Dark_Horse]

I still wouldn't pay $6K for it though. I don't think there are many 1G DSM's that I'd consider paying that much for. Maybe if it had forged internals.

But it does look pretty clean and it doesn't seem to have any major problems. If it were cheaper, I'd consider buying it. I don't like the way he cut the front bumper though.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

He cut the front bumper so more air could get to the FMIC.

Dustin

 

[Dark_Horse]

He cut the front bumper so more air could get to the FMIC.

Dustin

Yes, I know why he did it. I still think it would look better without being cut.

 

[fourreGsixty3]

To each his own I guess, I personally would not do it to my car for wanting a sleeper look, but for performance reasons I cant knock it.

Dustin