My Oportunity of Practically getting a "free" car. Take it or leave it?

[86 911]

A little background: I'm enrolled in Auto Shop in my highschool and overall it's a fun class. I've learned so many new things in that class from tires to engines and transmissions. Anyway, people ususally donate cars to the shop and right now, there must be about 10 cars out back in the shop from Toyotas to Fords and Jeeps (which we are all allowed to work on since they are shop-owned). There is one car that particularly caught my attention today: a 1981 Isuzu I-Mark. It's a carbuerrated, 5 speed manual, 4 door sedan. It's in OK condition. It's missing a driver's door window and inside door panel. The shifting boot is torn and the interior is kinda messy. The engine starts fine, but for some reason, if you leave your foot off the gas, the car will just go to low RPMs and die. This only happens sometimes. Other times, the engine will idle fine. The engine runs strong and the transmission feels smooth. The paint is a light brown/tan and is sun faded. Car has 153,000 miles on it. Obviously, the car needs a tune up and PPI, but the shop teacher is going to let it go for $100 (well... $95 since he owes me $5 from something I bought from him). I was thinking of fixing it up, since there really are almost NO I-Marks left out there (only 3 for sale on Autotrader in the whole U.S.), or just using it as an "uber beater" car.
What's your opinion on the Isuzu I-Mark? Are they reliable / good cars? Should I take the shop teached up on the offer for $95 for the car?

[RANDY P]

A $95 dollar car? In my book, that's cool. Who cares what it is, if it's a runner that's pretty bad ass.

Shoot, I have driven $50, 100, free cars as my main drivers for years. - on dates, work, anywhere. That's DIY chic.

The more messed up it is, the better.

rjp

[86 911]

Yeah, I agree. I also want it to be somewhat reliable when I get it running straight. Was Isuzu's reliability about as good as any other Japanese car manufacturers in the '80's? BTW, here is a similiar photo of the car. Just imagine a four door version of this withought the racing wheels/stripes and in brown/tan color:

[slodave]

Matt,

Why not by a newer Toyota or Honda? I needed a cheap car that was reliable, newer and hopefully somewhat friendly to the environment. I picked up a 2001 Toyota Corolla daily beater for about 10K. True, a $100.00 car is a great deal, other than the stated problem, do you think it will last for the next 5 to 10 years? It seems that you have a bit of money to spend on a 2nd car. Look for cheap/reliable and newer. Good luck either way.

Dave

[bigchillcar]

chump change. hell, part it out if it comes to that or sell it for scrap and make money..lol.
ryan

[86 911]

I thought that with this car, I could just beat up on it and not feel bad since the car was almost free . My friend bought an 80's VW Sirrocco from the Auto Shop for $200 and pretty much used it as an off road "uber beater" . The Isuzu I-Mark is a pretty unique car too if I took the time to fix it up being as rare as they are now. I like the idea about the Toyota, but I think I'll wait for college to get me a reliable commute car. The Isuzu will just be a "for fun" and occasional rainy day, long drive commute car. It's kind of hard to explain.
Ryan, I like your thinking! LOL. I doubt that there's hardly a market out there at all for old Isuzu parts .

[RickM]

$95 fora car to fool around with sounds pretty good. However, IMO, an Isuzu Imark is one step up from a Yugo.
Remember their ad campaign a few years ago? "Isuzu only sells Trucks!" This after a failed attempt at selling cars in the US.


Come to think of it their non-commercial truck sales are in the dumpster too.

BTW, the 1st gen Scirroco is a very cool car. Anymore of those left?

[Steve Carlton]

I wouldn't recommend trying to polish that turd. You'll put a bunch of time and money into it, and it likely won't be worth it. It probably needs something expensive, and that's why it got donated. Like RickM said, the I-Mark is a POS.



PS- Miramonte (teacher Kell?), or Campolindo? I think you said before, Campolindo. Ever get a motorcycle?

[86 911]

No, no motorcycle yet. Maybe I'll start doing something over the summer . Yes, I agree the Isuzu is a POS which is why I'm going to keep it as a beater and do things to it that I would never do with the Porsche or with a newer Toyota. There's a junkyard in Oakland called "Pick n' Pool" that will probably have parts for the Isuzu. Aside from the turd-like styling, do the engines in these cars run similair to an old Nissan or Toyota? There are no more Sirroccos left .

BTW, I'm in Campolindo, Steve. Miramonte is our close rival

Edit: the guy who had the Isuzu looked like he took care of it. There is new fluid in the radiator, the fuel system looks rebuilt, and the engine looks pretty clean.

[Tervuren]

Originally posted by slodave
Matt,

Why not by a newer Toyota or Honda? I needed a cheap car that was reliable, newer and hopefully somewhat friendly to the environment. I picked up a 2001 Toyota Corolla daily beater for about 10K. True, a $100.00 car is a great deal, other than the stated problem, do you think it will last for the next 5 to 10 years? It seems that you have a bit of money to spend on a 2nd car. Look for cheap/reliable and newer. Good luck either way.

Dave

If he got a a car like this every year when the old one died, after 10 years, he'd of spent $1,000 on cars - hrm...

Reliability is only an isue if you have to cover distances on a regular need to basis.

[vash]

no. too much work, and when all is done, all you will have left is an isuzu i-mark. besides, wont you mom get all pessy, if you have some heap in front of the house?

[86 911]

LOL. Yeah, she doesn't like the idea too much. My dad and I think it will be fun to get it to run decently since its pretty easy and basic to work on. The plan of restoring it is out the window. I'll just use it as a play car. I can go up to my Bimmer friends and ask them: "Can you do this (*runs through a huge mud puddle*)?" and when it's finally done with, I can part it out on Ebay.
Dad thought it would be cool to cut the top off and make it a 'vert

[bigchillcar]

Dad thought it would be cool to cut the top off and make it a 'vert

+1 with dad...sawzall time. where's 'leatherface' when you need him..??
ryan

[jim72911t]

I don't know why you guys are bagging on the Izuzu I-Mark. They are really fast, from what I recall.

Case in point: When I first got my drivers license some twenty odd years ago, I thought it might be fun to do a stoplight drag (I know, take it to the track, etc) against an I-Mark (Diesel, no less).

Long story short: The I-Mark smoked me. We must have been doing close to 35mph at the end of the 1/2 mile run, barely in control of our cars' massive horsepower outputs.

My car at the time: '71 Mercury Comet hand-me-down from Gramps.

End result: I bought a Datsun 510 a few months later.

Have fun, Matt, but be careful!

Jim

[Bobboloo]

There's a good chance the motor is the inline 4 that they put in everything from the Rodeos to Troopers. It's probably the most durable motor they made. Just don't overheat them because the head cracks fairly easily. Fairly reliable but not Honda, Toyota reliable.

What the heck. $95.00 Just drive it until it breaks and then sell it for scrap.

Question. Are you really going to enjoy driving this after having driven your 911?

[86 911]

Well, I don't exactly want to take the sawzall to the Porsche or do 180's on dirt roads in the Porsche, so it's a different kind of feeling . My only complaint is insurance - $100 per month is NOT very nice . Do you think I should just not insure it (I'm only going to work on it and drive it like once a week out on the backroads or within the town most likely)?

[bigchillcar]

is that $100 for more than just liability? i wouldn't pay for more than that..
ryan

[86 911]

And here's a screenshot of the cheapest insurance quote I found... $96/month $593/6 months. Ridiculous, isn't it?

[Tervuren]

Its due to age realy. And its not that bad, I live in a high insurance fraud state, which drives my rates up. Clean record, and I payed a heck of a lot more then that when I was younger.

[Steve Carlton]

Save your money for something better, Matt!