Austarion

Over the past few months driving a car i can just get into, start, drive... not worry about warming it up or cooling it down has got the better of me I think...

Ive made a list of all the things i believe i need to tend to on the starion over the past week while driving it (yeah it finally got some use), and its getting to me.. The thing just doesnt stop. Its just like owning a puppy..... No matter what you do for it, it still shits on the floor and you gotta clean it up...

Im seriously considering jumping ship and upgrading to a newer car (you know with an interiour thats actually nice to be in for one, replacement parts that dont cost an arm and a leg IF you can actually find them.)

Although driving it is fun, dont get me wrong... except for the shuddering power steering (on its 3rd pump now.) I really wish i could just turn back the clock and have been old enough to own one straight off the showroom floor, so I could have experienced it without all these bloody problems :(

How does everyone else cope with this?

I did start with a pretty bad specimen, not maintained or serviced properly, corners cut everywhere... for the most part ive resolved these issues (bar a couple of things) Mechanically it runs very well.

Its just little things like that i wanted a JD not a JA... so the door trims feel 2nd best to me, etc

All in all I love the thing, but I see the flaws in it from the perspective of what I initially set out to get, and what I ended up with.

/rant

This is what sorts out the men from the boys

What sorts out being moneysmart... No matter how much i spend it will still be worth stuff all.

Chryzla wrote:What sorts out being moneysmart... No matter how much i spend it will still be worth stuff all.

I don't think thats really true! I keep tabs on the cost of my staz and after 13months in pieces its cost me about 8k. "BUT" its not a car that i would ever sell. You have to look at cars like this as more of a member of the family than just a cheap hack that you intend to sell to recoup money!
I would not sell my staz to anyone.... So it's worth a hell of a lot to me from that perspective :beer

Silas :D

i agree its a never ending up hill battle with the starion.

but there is nothing better than driving your starion when everything is just working.

but i agree a nice new car would be loverly!

Ive fixed so much on it but theres alot left to make it something i would consider family material......

I dont hate the thing, love driving it for the fact its unique, etc... It just lacks so much in the luxury interiour department.

:( im of two minds on it... I have no idea what to do with it :(

personally, if u dont really have the time/money to sink into it then ull never get it to the level you want and you should save yourself and just cut off now.

yeah i get those feelings too! lol.

sometimes i'm over it and wanna sell it...other times my Staz gives me more pleasure than anything!

i guess its not just a question of Starions, but buying a performance car in general. its that addiction to make it go faster... spending money on mods ect ect. it becomes more than just a A to B transport car. it becomes your hobbie and your life.

or else you may as well buy a civic like my little brother did

My JD ran awesome and had very few troubles with it considering its 20 years old. Was devastated when it got rear ended....

So i bought a JA to drive as well

You can look at it from the other direction. My 98 Berlina 5.0 cost $23000 two years ago it is now worth around $15000 or less and I have spent close to four thousand on it, A/C, Heater core, Drive shaft, ABS Sensor, Diff seal, etc etc The car had only done 78000km when I bought it (Some may say my fault for buying a Holden).
Where as my Starion cost $3600 it has 68000km on the clock Probably B/S being a second hand Jap import. But apart from the LSD grinding when warmed up every thing on the car works perfectly, bought a standard diff for $70.00. The car is still worth what I paid for it and probably always will be and maybe some day when the unenlightend catch on it might be worth even more. Even a brand new car will lose in depretiation more than the price of an average Starion as soon as you drive it off the showroom floor.

seeing i owe nothing on the starion might be worth keeping it in the shed for a rainy day... they are an enthusiests car and im pretty sure i would be very upset to see it go. i own it outright so why not. hmm

I'm looking into a new car however, found afew nice ones :)

Yeah, keep it as a project/weekend car. Not many of them around so it'll always put a smile when you take it out for a cruise

Get yourself a second runabout, not much you can get which is luxurious, economical and under $5k...... Toyota Camry's aren't too bad, can't think of much else of the top of my head...

didnt say it had to be economical.. luxury is newer style interiour... im lookin at RX7's hehe

Well thats way I have an little Fiat Cinquecento sporting for going to my work,and driving in city :), and Starion is just for fun :).

Chryzla wrote:didnt say it had to be economical.. luxury is newer style interiour... im lookin at RX7's hehe

Trust me, RX7s' have character and style, but they are worse then Starions........... a stock Starion will last forever, a stock Rotary will require every 1000K maintenance to run well...., but if you want to find out the hard way ?.....be my guest :beer