I gotta agree with David C. on this. These cars are great fun, to own, drive,
and work on. But for a commuter....I'd be reluctant, if only for the reason
that although parts are available, they have to come through UPS or USPS and
take several days to get. That would put you out of work for several days.....
Get a real car now. And start looking for a Spridget now. And start saving for
a Spridget now. I'm going to get trashed by others on the list for this
but...oh well.
Geoff Branch
----- Original Message -----
From <DLancer7676 at cs.com>
To: <Patricia.Sauthoff@blvdmedia.com>; <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2000 7:19 AM
Subject: Re: any advice?
> 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.
>
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