In a message dated 6/28/2000 2:29:21 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
Patricia.Sauthoff@blvdmedia.com writes:
<< I really like the frogeyes, (hey I'm a girl
and they're cute!) but I question the practicality of them as daily drivers.
I commute about 60-70 miles a day for work, so break downs would be a huge
inconvienience, besides the monetary issues! I also wondered if anyone has
had any problems with vandilism, my work is not in the greatest of
neighborhoods (though far from the worst). I was also wondering about the
cost of upkeep >>
Patricia:
Several things come to mind as I read your post, and you will receive other
more knowledgeable comments from other list members. First, knowing that you
need a dependable daily driver for a long commute, you are not a mechanic but
will be learning as you go, and resolved that you are intent on a Spridget, I
would look for a well-restored, mechanically sound vehicle. Forget those
that need "a little work" because "a little work" always has a way of turning
into a "lot of work". Even a great, newly restored, well-running vehicle
needs a lot of "TLC", so you will learn to "dink" the carbs, set the timing
regularly, and perform a myriad of other mechanical duties that you never
thought you would be doing. Also, you can buy a great restored vehicle for
much less than you can rebuild one--dollar for dollar, not even considering
the amount of time it takes to restore one. As far as buying a
bugeye/frogeye, I would look for one that has the 1275 engine from a later
Spridget installed in place of the stock 948, and if someone has installed a
5-speed Datsun transmission, so much the better for that commute.
My daily driver is a 1979 Midget, 1500 engine with standard 4-speed
tranny--my commute is about 25 miles, and I have driven it regularly on long
trips. I started with a newly overhauled engine. I have had the engine out
of the car twice in the past year and a half to tend to mechanicals. Yet I
would have to say that I have been satisfied with the mechanical performance
and dependability of the car. It takes REGULAR raising ofthe bonnet, hooking
up my dwell meter and timing light, and adjustment. Not anything like your
run-of-the-mill, hop-in-and-go Saturn.
As far as the monetary issues of breakdowns are concerned, overall I would
expect you would pay a lot less for a good bugeye than you would a new, or
fairly new, car. Monthly payments would hover $200 up. I guess you just
have to decide whether you are better adjusting your budget to a set $200+ a
month, or shelling out the $200-300 every now and again when the simpler
Spridget gives a problem. For my purposes, I find the latter much less
expensive.
Vandalism? Where are you? That is always a possibility but the probablity
increases with your location and the parking facilities. Here in East
Tennessee I have never had an occasion of vandalism, although there was one
instance at the school where I worked of a group of students trying to pick
the car up, resulting in slightly bowed out front wings.
Bottom line? If you were my daughter asking the same question? As much as I
love these cars and as much as I love to see as many people as possible
driving them, I would tell her, for now, get a Saturn or Saturn-clone for the
dependability. Start a savings account, and if she really wants a
Bugeye/frogeye Sprite, begin looking for one as she gets the Saturn-clone
paid off and the savings account begins getting to the price of a pretty good
running Sprite. That would give her a dependable daily driver (for MY piece
of mind?) and the Sprite to drive at a more liesurely pace.
My loose change on this issue!
--David C.
|