Good morning! It’s Christmas this week, and we all know that the best part of the holiday season is getting new toys. So that’s what we’re going to look at this week: shiny, brightly-colored toys, of all types, and in all price ranges. They won’t be perfect, because that wouldn’t be any fun, but one of them might be perfect for you.
We finished up last week with a thought experiment: if you have $1,500 and need a car right now, are you better off shopping for an old clunker, or putting that money down on something newer and nicer? For the vast majority of you, this wasn’t even a question; you chose the cheapo PT Cruiser by an overwhelming margin.
This is, of course, the correct answer. If you wanted to put that money towards a down payment, that’s fine, but don’t do it at one of those awful buy-here-pay-here places. Get a loan from a credit union. Ask your Grandma to co-sign if you have to. But really, a good, cheap car like that PT Cruiser is the way to go in this scenario.
Now, let’s look at some fun stuff.
1973 Porsche 914 1.7 – $12,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.7-liter OHV flat 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Prices of classic cars are nuts these days. We all know that. But nowhere are they more nuts than in the world of air-cooled VWs and Porsches. Cars that used to cost a few grand are now highly sought after by collectors, and sadly, speculators. This car, the Porsche 914, was derided by snobbish enthusiasts for decades as not being a “real Porsche,” but these days it is riding the coattails of its 911 and 912 relatives, and values for good ones are climbing.
914s came in a few flavors; this is the lowest-horsepower version. It’s powered by a 1.7-liter fuel-injected version of VW’s flat 4 engine, mounted just behind the seats instead of hanging out behind the rear wheels like in a Beetle. It drives the rear wheels through a five-speed transaxle. It’s not a particularly fast car, especially by Porsche standards, but it is a lot of fun to drive. The seller of this one says it runs and drives well, and calls it a “complete car – not a project.”
It is a little scruffy inside. The seats could use reupholstering, and the steering wheel rim is worn. But neither of those things will stop you from enjoying it on sunny days. And remember – the 914 is a targa, so fresh air isn’t hard to come by.
It looks good outside, too. Orange is a good color for ’70s sports cars. The seller says the paint isn’t perfect, but the car is rust-free and straight. Underside photos in the ad confirm the “rust-free” part. For someone who got used to seeing good 914s in the classifieds for $3,000, the price is a little hard to swallow, but I guess if you have your heart set on an air-cooled Porsche these days, this is what you pay.
2003 Dodge Neon SRT-4 – $10,900
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.4-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Odometer reading: 81,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
In the mood for something a little spicier? I’ve got you covered. Here we have the hottest version of Dodge’s delightful Neon compact sedan, the SRT-4. It’s not what you’d call refined, but if you want refinement, go buy a Lexus. But it won’t run 14-second quarter miles, or make you giggle like this will.
The heart of the SRT-4 is a turbocharged version of Chrysler’s 2.4-liter inline four, making 215 horsepower in this model year, and a five-speed manual transmission. Helping to control that power are a heavy-duty clutch, stiffer suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and some other upgrades over the basic Neon. Because these cars were inexpensive, a lot of them ended up getting either modified beyond recognition, or thrashed within an inch of their lives, or both, but this one is essentially stock, low-mileage, and in excellent mechanical shape. It has new brakes, new tires, and a new battery, and it runs great.
Inside, there are a few nods to the tuner culture that Dodge was trying to draw in with this car, such as an aluminum shift knob and pedals, and some carbon-fiber trim bits. It also has seats with some serious bolsters on them, to hold you in place while you’re having fun. The vinyl on the driver’s seat is cracked, but otherwise it looks like it’s in good shape. And—importantly for Vegas—the air conditioning works just fine.
You can tell an SRT-4 from a standard Neon by the giant basket-handle wing on the back, and the one giant nostril on the hood. An outlandish car deserves an outlandish color; you could get these in silver or black, but this bright yellow suits it better. It’s in good shape, and any weird panel gaps or misalignments you see were probably there from the factory. One thing puzzles me about this car, though: Nevada doesn’t require front license plates. Why, at some point in the past 22 years, has no one taken that hideous front plate bracket off it?
We all have a different definition of “fun,” so I’m going to try to get a good mix of cars this week. These two don’t have much in common, and definitely appeal to different demographics, but personally, I like ’em both. Which one would you rather have as a new toy?
Top graphic image: Craigslist
I wanted a 914 … until I drove one and discovered it sounds and drives the same as a Beetle. Gotta have the 6 cylinder version to have fun. The Neon SRT-4 is a great sleeper that I’d hoon any day.
Man, close call. Both would be fun.
That price for the Neon is idiotic. I mean the price for the 914 isn’t great either, but still.
No sorta ratty 914 for me. I’ll take a Boxster for a little more money. Or I’d spend like 5x as much for a really nice and fast six-swapped 914.
Maybe the Neon is overpriced? I dunno, these seem to be very slowly gaining a bit of value. I could daily drive it. I could hoon it. I wouldn’t feel terrible if I blew it up or ran it off the road. I’ll take it.
The correct take. I have owned a 2000 Boxster S since 2009 – it is better in every conceivable way than the woefully underpowered 914. I also owned an SRT-4 for a couple of years. A very fun car! This one is the right color.
The Neon would be a hoot, but I’ve always wanted a 914.
I think at this price better cars available. But since that’s not how the game is played I’ll take the Neon. For god’s sake if you’re asking 5 figures for a car, any car give it a detail. Sure that won’t do much for the torn seats but that 3 inches of dirt in the Porch 914, not a typo, is disgusting. Have Mr Manlove check it out for bogies, sputum, scabs, and feces.
As much as it pains me to say it, I picked the Neon. I have had a couple of older German cars, and they just seem to get so brittle with age. (Particularly in hot climates, which I believe LV qualifies as. Maybe I chose bad ones.
I would take the “basket handle” off the trunk, it possible without leaving ugly holes.
Now, if the 914 was a 914/6, I’d be interested. But the seat in the Porsche does look pretty rough. I really didn’t think it wouldn’t be this close of a vote and the 914 would come out on top.
And as I was thinking about the previous episode, it struck me that the PT Cruiser is kind of like your Murano’s little sister. I chose the Altima, because I don’t like convertibles. Both of those are cars I would only own until I got back on my feet and could afford to get something better.
“And remember – the 914 is a targa, so fresh air isn’t hard to come by.” But in the summer that air is still going to be 95* F at 10 o’clock at night in the summer.
Lived there it is hotter than that even at night.
Yeah. Whose idea was it to build a city there. Apparently, from what I’ve read, it was a Mormon settlement. Flying in to LVN and PHX, from a window seat, I always thought who thought “let us plop a city down here.’
My thoughts exactly, I am an old European sports car guy (you can apply the old to me or the cars), always kinda wanted a 914. However, between the rough interior and the 1.7 liter engine, which by all reports was pretty slow, the car shown is not the one I want.
Never listed after a hot rod Neon, but it seems like the better deal, I am surprised at the vote too.
y’all gots gud parsh right there
The SRT. There is a lot I can do with it. The Porsche I would just kind of own, and that isn’t my speed. I am all about modification and the SRT still offers a lot of options for that.
They are both a bit shabby, but I guess gimme the Neon. Mor powah!
I’m gonna learn to drive a stick and get me that Neon. HI!!
A hard choice because I like them both. I need to rescue that Neon and remove the hot air intake. Other than that, it looks unmolested.
That orange was on every German car of the early 1970s. BMW, Porsche, VW and Mercedes all used it in copious quantities, along with a medium green and a tan. I always wondered if there were millions of gallons left over from WWII but the orange would make lousy camo, unlike the green and tan colors.
I came in all ready to vote for the 914 but the pictures drove me to the Neon, hot air intake (pet peeve) and all. That 914 is a project, regardless of what the owner states.
agreed!
Yep! It gives off serious project vibes. And the interior ones often seem worse than the mechanical ones. But they do make nice medium green paint. My old Jetta was slathered in it and it looked great.
Not easy, both are personal weaknesses. Eventually chose 914 because it seems less dumb to choose it over a Miata than to choose the SRT over a turbo Subaru.
I’d love a 914, but I can’t quite swallow that price. The Neon is going to be fun too, and a lot more practical.
Neon, but with the caveat of “there is no such thing as a stock SRT-4”. It may not have many mods now, but I have no doubt it had plenty before. The price is also insane, but the Porsche is even more insane, so I guess it balances out.
Yes. The asking prices for both feel crazy. I don’t know which is more insane.
Those seem rather crack pot prices but I guess they both have become rare enough people start making up prices. I like the 914 but it seems rough especially for the money and I would buy for that much or a cayman for not much more. And I bet I could find an evo for about what they want for the the srt4. But if all things were equal and they had realistic prices probably the srt4.
The VW-Porsche for me.
Hell yeah.
Bonus: That’s my engine!!! A Type 4!!!!! I know that engine!!!
I really like the 914, but I agree with Mark on the pricing…these used to be the cheap way to get into the “no substitute” life. That said, I find the gatekeeping of the Porsche clans to be really off-putting, and I think that’s reflected in the pricing here. You could probably get a nice 944, possibly even a 928 for that price, but you’d still get the “not a real Porsche” response from the air cooled hardos.
Got not time for that, just give me the little neon and let me have some fun.
I fart in “ReAl pArSh GuY’s” general direction. His mother was a hamster, and his father smelt of elderbeetles.
914s are fun.
Elderbeetles, nice turn of phrase very thoughtful
They really are one of the pinnacles of “slow car fast”. Brilliant cars that are far greater than the sum of their parts. Which is also true of the 924.
I really fell like I need to get a 924 (not-S) to hoon around and to see what the similarities are and what its strengths are. Also, I just want to hoon a 924.
I gotta say, the Sebring edition is gorgeous. Martini stripes! Stock! If y’all were sleeping on that vehicle, you were wrong.
Actually that 914 with pep boys mods might be fun to take to a Porsche meeting along with the entire catalog of Porsche clothing, shoes, gloves glasses etc. and show them how foolish they look.
The SRT-4 was one of my poster cars during my teenage years so I’m biased. But objectively it will be way faster and fun to drive than the 914.
Not to mention the SRT-4 is picking up value faster than the 914 and has a bigger fanbase so you’ll always get someone who wants it after you’re done with it
If I wanted to purchase something as an investment, I’d buy a stock. I like the 914, and have a fond memories of driving my friends, which he bought in 1987 for 900 bucks. But those memories have not appreciated in value over the past 37 off years.
The Neon is clearly the superior car in almost all respects.
I wouldn’t spend that money on it, but I’d think the Neon would be much more fun to drive.
The only thing the 914 is good for is being able to tell people you own a Porsche, which is let down by the “ohhhhh, one of those” once people actually see it.
I’m sure that Neon would be fun to drive, but I’m not 18 anymore. Gimme the 914, provided it hasn’t been in anything worse than small fender benders, and it’s not peeing oil. I always wanted one. 🙂