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 really want to vote for that 914, but just can’t get past the memory of “one that got away”. I had a chance to buy a beautiful yellow ’74 914 that was completely restored for $4500. Unfortunately I had just bought my ’73 Karmann Ghia for $4K which was nice, but not nearly the deal that the “Volks Porsche” turned out to be.
That was back around 2001 or so, which is around $8500 in today’s money. So, even if it is rust free, the Porsche tax is creeping up past my comfort zone and I’m going with the Nearly Extinct Old Neon.
Voting SRT-4 just because I’m thrilled to see that one person seems to have taken care of one!
I used to say that my ’05 SRT-4 was the only one left without a salvage title. I sold it to a friend about 10 years ago – and she still has it!
I purchased a 2000 Neon brand new and similar to this one the rear windows are hand cranks with only the fronts powered. Still picking the Neon.
The 914 is going to keep going up in value. This isn’t so bad if it truly is rust free. Those seat cushions aren’t attached to the seat, so they can be easily swapped out.
I meant price, not value I guess. . .
I’m sorry. I don’t care if 914s are currently going up in price. Over $12k for a decent one is crazy talk, and it’s a shame what has happened to the used car market since the pandemic.
I went with the crazy Neon.
Neon slightly gets the nod here. I could happily go either way, but honestly if we had a both option, I definitely would take both.
SRT-4, the spiritual successor to my GLH Turbo!
SRT-4. There’s not a ton of survivors of them. A lot were modded and “consumed.”
The 914s are fun cars, but there’s a LOT more money you’re going into put into one to get them properly restored.
914s were popular “starter” Porsches during the first tech-boom.
I cannot get excited about a modded-up Neon – so it’s the Porsche for me.
Tough one. Both seem overpriced to me. The Neon would likely pose fewer headaches, but the 914 is something of a classic at this point, and as a kid, I aspired to own one. That interior would take some work, though.
I guess I’ll go with the Porsche. Walking out the door and seeing it in the driveway vs. the Neon is worth the extra $1600.
Neon for me. It’ll be a way faster and wilder driving experience. And it will likely be cheaper and easier to maintain. And I believe that SRT Neon just might become a future classic.
But a part of me wants both. Old school fun AND new-school fun.
I’m sure the Neon is a better drive, but I just couldn’t be seen in one. Too boi racer for me….
Neon is in the lead! The turbo 2.4 is a well-built engine and the internals are pretty much bulletproof. Anything that does need going over would be much easier than my old PT GT and its incredibly tight engine bay.
I have always liked the 914 for some reason. I suppose it is because my favorite car is the classic Beetle, and the 914 is a basically a fancy sporty-ish Beetle. This 914 would look great parked next to my bright orange ’76 Beetle. I genuinely want this car.
The Neon is also cool, though. It is lowbrow in a good way. I am not a fan of American compact cars, but I’ll make an exception for an unrefined factory souped up econoshitbox American compact car like the SRT4.
I’m usually not one for tarted up mid-oughts compact econoboxes, but I never cared for the looks of the 914.
I just hope the neon doesn’t have the obnoxiously loud wastegate some of those had . . .
I looked closely at the Neon’s pictures because I expected to see some sign of a crash, like mismatched paint or an aftermarket steering wheel. Nope, it all looks good. These cars are a riot to drive from what I’ve heard and finding them in decent condition is only getting harder.
It’s hard enough keeping an an aging and increasing decrepit Me going every day. I don’t want to bother keeping a car even older than me going anymore. I’m just not that interested.
I’ll take (relatively) modern the yellow econobox on steroids and hope I’m not to fat for the big side bolsters on the seats.
$12,500 for a project 1.7? That’s absolutely insane. And like old GM cars, an air cooled VW engine will run poorly longer than most engines will run period. I would budget at least a grand to go over the engine/FI system (assuming it hasn’t been converted to Webers) and replace that janky exhaust, and about the same for the chassis (bushings, shocks/struts, turn signals, etc.)…probably another $2k to refresh the interior. I’m a huge 914 fan, but there is no way I would drop that kind of cash for that car.
Neon by default.
I’ve always been curious about the SRT4, that’s my choice.
I had a 944 Turbo, and do not want Porsche maintenance again. (Is the 914 the same level of hell?)
I really want a Neon SRT4 or it’s Caliber relative and that’s the cleanest one I’ve seen for sale in a long while so that’s what I went with.
I’d totally give that 914 an engine swap from a Buick GNX.
Can’t believe I’m voting for another Chrysler product, but here we are….
I do like both of these, but you can actually use the Neon as a car more of the time. I’ve also owned and driven low-powered sports cars in the past and I’ve realized it’s just not for me.
I think it could be for me, in the tiny doses I’d actually drive this toy purchased with play money.
Yes, the Neon could be daily driven, and that’s not nothing.
I’d be calling the owner of that Neon if I was in the market… Seems you can never find that special deal when its time to buy!
I feel like the SRT4 got beat on more so Ill take the Porsche