Alternator cut out time after time even after checking everything downstream, bits and pieces would come loose and fell off the interior, wiring issues, wood grain was impossible to keep clean ("grain"), so isolated from the road you wouldn't even know you're moving until you get sick from the somewhat-insulated bounciness, crappy mileage, not even remotely powerful nor fun to drive. It was an exercise in mediocrity. It was also immensely ugly, an area in which it excelled and probably didn't play in my brother's favor in college. Useful, reliable, and cheap to own are all things that other cars do better nowadays IMO.

Being handed one for free changes things a lot, but I wouldn't go out and buy one unless someone was on a hard budget and looking strictly for cheap and reliable (and lets be honest a lot of people are looking for that). I can understand the draw but hope I don't have to in the future. Grandpa clearly thought differently with his collection though. My first regular car (when I was 16, not the first I bought) was an '89 Celebrity wagon from the same collection when he passed. Great for hauling my drums from venue to venue but awful at everything else. We sold it after 5k of our ownership when the coils went at the same time as the fuel pump and ECU...to a guy who used it as a doghouse. He was meticulous with maintenance too, being a mechanical engineer and an all-things proper DIY guy.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

You're just jealous.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

...the doghouse guy?

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

no, my grandfather who owned all these.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

The doghouse guy is using a beat-up station wagon as a dog coop. Doesn't quite sound anal-retentive to me.

No, no, no! He is using the car as a dog HOUSE! Shucks, everybody knows a "coupe" only has TWO doors!

__________________
“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

Just look for a larger shop with good equipment. You might do some internet research on the shops in your area.

Tire balance was $10 per tire. Since they had to remove all the tires they rotated them for free.

The car in question is my wife's Pontiac G8. Very low production numbers with factory top of the line alloys means there are not many of them in the wrecking yards. I did find a place about 400 miles from me that can restore the wheel, and since it is an area I visit now and then I am going to drop it off for repair soon. They say they can do anything for around $200 or so, and they have seen some G8 wheels in the past.

My wife was constantly tearing up her cars by lead-footing them, so I got her one that can take it. Her best 0-60 is right at 4.5 seconds.

"Ro RUF !!!"

~~ the Rottweiler.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Here you people go! Pictures!

Attached Thumbnails

         

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

...posting 6 & 7. Why is there an attachment limit?

Attached Thumbnails

   

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

To limit the amount of "blandness" displayed by US auto designs?

__________________
“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

Let me get this straight: are you really suggesting that this car is not the best-looking, most cutting-edge car from the last century?

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

That's exactly why I like the car, though I have to admit that when I hit a bump on the highway at ~80 MPH, it surprised me with OOMphaoomPHAOOOMphaoomPHA rocking .

What is it like when a wheel bearing self-destructs?

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Does saying that I love the interior design in this car put me in some sort of minority?

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Not really. It just means you share something with people on Social Security.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.