Which Is A Better Use Of $1,200? 1997 Ford Aspire vs 2000 Chevy Tracker

It’s been a while since I’ve given you a silly scenario to help you choose between cars, so I think it’s high time we did one. Today we’re playing a game I’m going to call “Brewster’s Thousands,” and if you get the reference, you probably already understand the broad strokes. If not, hang tight, and I’ll explain in a minute.

Yesterday’s choice was between an automatic VW Passat with a check-engine light and an Infiniti G20 with a manual and some non-trivial body damage. Good arguments were made both for and against each one, but in the end, the Primera-by-another-name took a comfortable win, despite the whole driver’s side being banged up.

I agree wholeheartedly. If the Passat were a manual, I would have chosen it, but I just can’t get on board with an automatic in that car. And I don’t know what all is involved in a manual swap. I’ll take the G20, dents and all. Oh and by the way, I think the goop on the side mirror is glue or epoxy or something holding it together. You do what you gotta do.

Now then, for today’s choices, here is your made-up back story: Your weird uncle (mine was named Gordy, yours may not have been) passed away and left you something in his will: twelve hundred dollars, and a set of instructions. You must use that money to buy a car, and drive it to his celebration of life on the other side of the country next week. If you do that, his estate will buy you whatever car you wish – within reason, and subject to the estate lawyer’s approval. You’ve been looking around, and these two seem like the most viable candidates at the moment. Let’s review the finer points of both, so you can make a decision and hit the road.

1997 Ford Aspire – $1,200

Engine/drivetrain: 1.3-liter OHC inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Lynnwood, WA

Odometer reading: 152,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives

The joke almost wrote itself, and I heard it for the first time thirty seconds after I saw my first Ford Aspire: “Do they call it that because it aspires to be a real car?” This egg-shaped follow-up to the tiny Ford Festiva was the butt of jokes from the very beginning, but it never was all that bad of a car. It’s just cheap, simple, and honest. That shouldn’t be considered a character flaw.

The Aspire’s mechanical specification more or less carried over from the Festiva, and the Mazda 121/Kia Pride that spawned it: a 1.3-liter Mazda-designed four-cylinder, making 72 horsepower. It drives the front wheels through, in this case, an old-school three-speed automatic. Other markets got a 1.5-liter engine with more power and an overdrive gear, but we weren’t so lucky. The Aspire’s strong suit was never performance anyway; it was fuel economy. But don’t worry; it’ll cruise along the freeway at 75 without a problem. It just takes a while to get there, and makes a terrible racket doing it. We don’t get any useful information about this one’s condition or history; all the seller says is that it runs and drives. That’s good enough for our purposes, I guess.

Inside, it’s a typical ’90s economy car: crank windows, bare-minimum instrumentation, and gray seat fabric with a funky pattern on it. There’s some heavy wear on the passenger’s seat, but it isn’t ripped or damaged. Actually, for twelve hundred bucks, it’s pretty nice inside. I can’t see if it has air conditioning or not; the steering wheel is blocking the view of the button. But if it does, you probably can’t use it going uphill anyway.

Aspires were popular as tow-behind dinghies for motor homes, and this one has the tow bars for that use. I don’t know how you flat-tow a car with an automatic, though. You can’t just stick it in neutral like you can a manual. Maybe the transmission has been modified to allow it? It’s beat-up and tired-looking, but it doesn’t have any rust.

2000 Chevrolet Tracker – $1,200

Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, 4WD

Location: Fraser, MI

Odometer reading: 134,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives

The Chevy/Geo Tracker, and its twin the Suzuki Sidekick/Vitara, were also popular with the motorhome crowd. But these little 4x4s were popular with pretty much everybody for many years. They didn’t have the mountain-goat-like off-road chops of Suzuki’s Samurai, but they were a hell of a lot nicer to drive on the highway, thanks to independent front suspension. Everybody these days wants a two-door with a soft top, but the more practical four-door wagon version sold a lot more units.

Power for the second-generation Tracker comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder. A four-speed automatic sends power to a traditional transfer-case-equipped 4WD system, complete with a big lever to shift between 2WD, 4WD High, and 4WD Low. Those were going out of style by 2000 in favor of push-buttons, but I’m glad to see the lever here. It runs and drives, but the seller does note a few flaws: it has a failed motor mount, so the engine shakes at idle, the check engine light is on for an oxygen sensor, and it’s leaking oil from somewhere. It does, however, have a new battery and good tires.

The interior of this one is surprisingly nice for the price, too. I was expecting it to be all torn up inside, but it looks remarkably well cared-for. It has power windows, but the passenger side rear one doesn’t roll down.

It’s a Michigan car, so of course it has some rust, and it looks like it has been parked outside, because the clearcoat is fried. Still, for the price – there’s that qualification again – it’s not bad. As long as the frame is still solid, it should have a road trip or two left in it.

So all you have to do, for the purposes of our game here, is pick which one you’d feel more confident driving across the country, after which you’ll have your pick of automobiles – within reason. (For reference, my own weird uncle Gordy’s idea of “treating himself” to a car was a brand-new Buick Skyhawk T-Type, but I think you can aim a little higher.) Vote on your choice of car, and then tell me in the comments what car you’re going to ask for.