First of all, hello to everyone. Secondly, I'm about to ask a whole lotta newbie questions.
I'm coming to you guys to get feedback, mostly. I already own a couple of "imported Chryslers," as my previous experience is with the old Chrysler Conquest/Mitsubishi Starion twins. My wife and I also own a pair of Jaguars. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. Better yet, three of the four cars we own were recovered from a junkyard, abandoned by the side of an interstate and pulled from a barn in Georgia, respectively, and made to run again. I guess I like a challenge.
Nearby to me, I found a black six-speed 2005 model today at a reputable Toyota dealership. It has a whopping 27,000 miles on the clock but has had three prior owners, two lease owners and (AACK) one rental car agency. The dealership disclosed all of this without me even asking. Clean CarFax, for what that's worth. They want around $13k for it and I test-drove it today.
I've always liked the styling on these cars (especially from the sides and rear) but my mother-in-law has a Sebring convertible of the same vintage and I'm not that enthused with Chrysler interior bits. Mostly, though, I've been hesitant to actually consider these cars thanks to the wonderful review they got on Top Gear, which has become somewhat of a YouTube sensation.
What I found today pleasantly surprised me in a lot of ways. I can get used to the many blind spots, and the lack of tremendous acceleration isn't that much of a deal-breaker. I generally like firm seats but this one felt somewhat lumpy. My biggest complaint was in the clutch take-up, which felt sort of like automotive Russian roulette -- it engaged
here this time, then it engaged
there, and oh, now it's over
there.
My basic questions are the following:
1) Generally, how easy is it to mod this thing to go (somewhat) faster than stock?
U WANNA MOD GET AN SRT.
2) Parts availability for the aftermarket?
iF U FIND ANY LET US NO
3) Cost and demand of routine maintenance (i.e., is it more like a Chrysler, or an Alfa Romeo with a opiate addiction)?
YOU DONT GET THIS GREAT LOOKING CAR AND WORRY ABOUT MAINTENCANCE. BUT IF U MUST NO MOST OF US HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH OUR CARS, AND IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS MOST HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRENTY
4) General reliability of the breed?
SOME NOT ALL DRIVE THERE CARS ALL YEAR ROUND, THIS IS A GREAT SUMMER CAR, THAT CAN BE DROVEN IN THE WINTER.
5) And most importantly, how would you feel about buying a former rental car?
I WOULD NEVER BY A RENTAL CAR AND IM GOING TO TELL YOU THE REASONS WHY. PEOPLE WHO RENT CARS DOG THEM OUT, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY WONT HAVE THE RESONSABILTY OF REPAIRING THEM. MY FIRST TIME EVER IN A XFIRE WAS 3 YEARS AGO. I WAS 17 AND IT WAS A RENTAL-LET ME BE THE FIRST TO TELL U I DROVE THE HELL OUT OF IT, FOR THE WEEK I HAD IT. POPING CURBS, DRIFFING WITH THE EBREAK. JUST BEING A KID. OVER ALL I THINK ITS A GOOD DEAL BUT U CAN FIND BETTER, WITH OUT THE WORRY OF IT BEING A RENTAL CAR. TAKE UR TIME DONT RUSH IN TO ANY THING...
GOOD LUCK AND WELCOME TO .ORG
Thanks for the help, and I look forward to talking with you all.
Jess