Not sure that this fits in this subforum. I guess it sort of does. Just trying to think about the two beater Vics and what to do with them. Good stuff in green, bad stuff in red.


'04 CVLX
145666 miles (seriously)
new (old but fine) dual exhaust including manifolds (summer '19)
new alternator (fall '18)
new brakes (fall '18)
new steering shaft (fall '18)
new BMSC (fall '18)
moonroof
Marauder subwoofer
steering wheel HVAC/stereo controls
only paid $200 for it so it's sort of hilarious to keep around
never saw the idle time a patrol car gets
has proven itself as a good runner
it already lasted the one winter I was hoping it would so I'm playing with house money
super rusty underneath, like, real bad
body has more rust than the '03
oil dipstick won't go down into the pan because tube is rusted = I haven't checked oil since March
even though it has new brake parts, the brakes sorta suck
looseness in the steering wheel (even with new shaft)
cracked RF coil spring that hasn't let go since I bought it
transmission has always been sorta lazy in the shifting department
2.73 open diff
everyone knows I paid $200 for it so even though I've done a fair bit of work to it and put some parts in it, nobody will pay more than $200 for it
hole in the trunk 12/13/2019

'03 SAP P71
66666 miles (seriously)
less rusty underneath than the '04
body has less rust in most places than the '04
timing tensioners/guides replaced at some point during its police service
drives very tight and smooth
shifts awesome
new battery
new alternator
3.27LSD
I have no history with this car so it is untested/untrusted
threw a cylinder #1 misfire on the way home (but it hasn't returned since swapping coil/plugs between 1&2)
probably a ton of idle hours
cruise doesn't work
overhead console is sorta janky looking and will require re-working
roof is rather rusty and may not really clean up that well
rubber floor is gross and I would insist on installing carpet
steering shaft looks like it lived on the bottom of the ocean (but steers fine)
with an $800 purchase price, is there any money to be made flipping it?



I really like being down to three cars, but find myself always up to four. Frustrating as hell. So I'm thinking I could just park/wrap one of these beaters until the other sh*ts the bed entirely (meaning yes, I would have a reserve beater). Or, I could hack one up and drop an F100 on top. Though, finished Vic/F100 combos usually go for under $10k and I'd rather just spring for one already done. Or, I could sell one of these and either make profit on the SAP or break even on the Vic (or, whatever 'even' is when you factor in the work I've done to it).

My general lean at this time is to front-line the LX this winter and slowly tinker with the SAP. Depending on how it survives, I could park the LX from March-December and front-line the SAP, then try and get another winter out of the LX. Frig. Idunno. Sign me up for this show:

How many cars have you bought and sold since I've been on CVN?

You may find yourself on this show:



We're your friends and we love you, but we need to have a talk.

You have a problem.

I think the answer's clear.



No seriously, so what's the question here? Which one to park up for a little while..? Which one to sell? What's it worth?

at any rate, usually the evil you know is better than the evil you don't know. Except when the evil you know is super rusty and has way more miles than the evil you don't know.

lotsa help, I know. you can thank me later.



imo put the 03 up until the LX falls apart like the Bluesmobile.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS, THAT'S THE PROBLEM
HELP

"And if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" methodology.

Oh god. I definitely would have an Elwood Sad React if that happened.

Yeah, but then you'd have to run into Daley Plaza, so you wouldn't have time to dwell on it.

Clearly the answer is to sell nothing and buy another one.



No need to dwell, it'd be the only honorable way for it to go out !

Get another winter out of the LX, then swap all the good stuff over to the SAP. Keep the LX as a parts car or sell it off cheap. Sounds like it's getting to the "I'm a money pit!" point in its life, so let someone else deal with it. If you can get $810 for it, you're back to playing with house money.

The LX hasn't asked me for any money in a few months, and I"m under $810 into it.

The SAP has, and I'm over $810 into it now.

Hmm.

Sucky brakes, sloppy steering and poor shifting isn't asking for money?

No, it’s helping me hone my driving skills.

The hole that just opened up in the LX’s trunk, however, IS asking for money!

Obviously you should keep both and then buy something else you don't really need. That seems to be the common thing to do around CVN. Plus, that "one more winter" out of the LX will turn into 5 cuz its never actually gonna die.

At some point, even adam will be ashamed of it, though.

God I hope so. If I get even a third winter out of this, I will be shocked. Not sure about that! It's a $200 car so my standards get skewed with it.

Check out my crappy repair job in the '04 LX thread.

Illtake your broken, possessed LX for $8 and you can slowly watch the salt destroy the SAP

Wait, is it possessed?