# Small manual sports car under 5k **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 8, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201 "2018-11-08T17:09:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2018, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201/81 "2018-12-31T22:32:48Z")
I’d like to replace rubber and plastic parts with new ones whenever possible. I’ve got a mechanic friend willing to work on the car for cheap; I’d like to learn how to do some of the repairs myself but I don’t want to invest in the tools. What would you say I’d be looking at, cost-wise, for the tools needed to do these repairs on this particular car? ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201/82 "2019-01-01T00:34:48Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > I’d like to replace rubber and plastic parts with new ones whenever possible. I’ve got a mechanic friend willing to work on the car for cheap; I’d like to learn how to do some of the repairs myself but I don’t want to invest in the tools. > > What would you say I’d be looking at, cost-wise, for the tools needed to do these repairs on this particular car? An older car won’t need too many specialized tools. Normal things like a metric socket set, crescent wrench, pliers, screwdrivers etc. will be sufficient for most repairs. Anything needing specialized tools is likely something you would leave to the professionals. You can probably find youtube videos for most repairs (e.g. [Z31 water pump](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=z31+water+pump)). Some repairs are more straightforward than others. Before you take it into the shop for a repair, check out a few videos to get an idea of what work is involved and if it seems easy or hard. If this is the first time you’ve done car repair, start with simple tasks like changing your oil or replacing a leaky washer fluid tank. After a while you’ll get more skilled and be able to tackle more complex jobs. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201/83 "2019-01-01T00:42:39Z")
Lady Irruncible drives a 2007 Honda Civic SI. 196HP, 6-speed, tight suspension, bucket seats. It’s a joy to drive, never put a dime into it except scheduled maintenance and new A/C. Getting it under $5000 might be tight, but I’m sure they are out there. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201/84 "2019-01-01T23:03:49Z")
[More pictures of the Z](https://postimg.cc/gallery/n4lp9kiw/) for anyone who’s interested. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201/85 "2019-01-02T01:58:59Z")
The Ford EXP/Mercury LN7 > **[Ford EXP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_EXP)** > > The Ford EXP is a sports compact coupe produced and sold by the Ford Motor Company in North America for the 1982 to 1988 model years. The EXP debuted at the 1981 Chicago Auto Show. It shared many mechanical components with the contemporary Ford Escort. > The first-generation EXP entered production in 1981, and was facelifted during the 1985 model year. The model was dropped after the 1988 model year. In 1989 the two-door, front wheel drive Ford Probe hatchback coupe was launched. > From 1982 to 198... An early 80s 2-seater based upon the Escort/Lynx with Mustang looks. 28 LN7 and 8 EXP convertibles were made. [![](https://bangshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/dropEXP2.jpg) ](https://bangshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/dropEXP2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201/86 "2019-01-03T16:12:36Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > The Ford EXP/Mercury LN7 > [Ford EXP - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_EXP) > > An early 80s 2-seater based upon the Escort/Lynx with Mustang looks. > 28 LN7 and 8 EXP convertibles were made. > > [https://bangshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/dropEXP2.jpg](https://bangshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/dropEXP2.jpg) I have never, to my knowledge, ever seen one of those nor did I even know it existed. There isn’t a single one of them on eBay. There are none for sale on Autotrader or Cargurus. How easy would it actually be to find one of them? I honestly think it’s kind of cool, even though I have already bought the Z. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201/87 "2019-01-03T18:16:23Z")
> [@justanothermike](#): > > How has nobody recommended the Pontiac Fiero yet? Lol. For all I know they were great cars, but mid 80’s cars weren’t often super great. > > Miatas have been highly recommended by everyone I’ve ever known that had one. Here’s an idea…get a Fiero, pull the weak-ass four banger out and install the Cadillac v8 > **[Cadillac High Technology engine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_High_Technology_engine)** > > The Cadillac High Technology Engine was a V8 engine produced by the Cadillac division of General Motors from 1982 to 1995. > While the High Technology engine was being developed, due to higher Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards being phased in by the United States government, Cadillac introduced a variant of their traditional V8 engine with the first usage of cylinder deactivation for 1981 as a stopgap measure to increase the fuel economy of their lineup. > However, the V8-6-4 engine experien... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-manual-sports-car-under-5k/824201.md?page=4)