Looking for advice - Sedan into Wagon worth the time?

[aluminum13]

Wondering if I could get some advice from people who've been there. What do you think I should do? What makes sense here?

Currently have: 91 Lx sedan 5 speed.
I'd like: a wagon (5 speed preferred) for DD, but better looking than current car.

I'm thinking of swapping parts into a wagon. I have fairly good mechanical skills, no body skills but I could learn I'm sure...

The facts:

- I have 170k on my car, replaced with new (rebuilt) cylinder head 10k ago.
- Engine runs fine, not the best compression numbers, but no big issue.
- My car is fairly beat up. Many dents, rust in wheel wells, paint is dry and dead. I'll try and take pictures if you guys are interested.
- The clutch is on the way out and needs to be replaced soon
- The trans is OK - shifting isn't amazing, but good enough, some grinding into 3rd. (got better after adjusting cables but not by much)
- The brakes and rotors are due for a change.
- The passenger CV is going out
- I tore out A/C a while ago and don't really miss it that much, but some other buyer might
- The shocks aren't in great shape, or I have a possible broken/weak motor mount, or both. Something going clunk.
- I removed the seats (except driver, obviously) for more space and storage room. I do handyman work, a wagon would be a better choice. FWIW, the seats are in storage and are pretty clean. Not a big deal to stick them back in, but it'd probably take a little time at least. Blue interior. White exterior.

Interior is pretty clean, actually.
- The tires have a little life left.


Based on the above, I figure, even with the seats and interior put back in, new clutch and brakes and all that, my car still isn't worth much because the body is rough. And that's a fair amount of work and some money too, don't know how worth it that all is. The car would work for me but wouldn't be worth much even with new parts...at least I can't imagine it's worth much.

Instead of doing the clutch and all, I'm thinking, how about buy a wagon with a blown trans or something like that?

Spend the time and effort on brakes, axles, clutch, maybe new mounts, maybe even fixing that 3rd gear synchro, all in a new wagon shell. Something with a straight body. Ideally a solid color paint that I can touch up easily enough.

So what would make the most sense, cost and effort wise? Fix my sedan and sell it off as a whole car? What would my car be worth, anyway...not much I expect.

Or keep it around for parts? Buy a wagon with say, a blown auto trans/really high miles/some sort of issue. Use the parts from my 5 speed sedan and swap it into the wagon. Maybe swap engine if there's an issue with the one in the wagon, having the rebuilt head in mine is nice I suppose. Do the clutch work with it pulled from the car for ease perhaps. Replace axles and do brakes all at once. Motor mounts if I need them (I know about the 5spd/auto mount issue), and, rear main, etc. Whatever parts are left over from my sedan sell as parts and then scrap. Come out with a decent DD wagon.



What scenario sounds like it'd make sense to you guys?

I partially just want to have a project to work on, I almost want to do the clutch for fun/learning but I want to be at least a little bit practical about it. Looking to save money in the end over just buying a 'good to go' wagon with my labor.

[honda2014]

I say fix everything wrong with yours, and sell it. Then buy a wagon. If you can't get $1000 for it, get a wagon and swap over the good parts. Sounds like your car isn't worth the money to put into, unless you WANT to lose money.. But that's almost all of us on here.

[aluminum13]

I say fix everything wrong with yours, and sell it. Then buy a wagon. If you can't get $1000 for it, get a wagon and swap over the good parts. Sounds like your car isn't worth the money to put into, unless you WANT to lose money.. But that's almost all of us on here.

OK, good point.

Budget is important here.

I'd like to come out with a good to go wagon daily driver, with decent looks and in good running condition, for $2000 or less Max about $2500.

So:
Effectively scrapping my car for the purpose of putting into a screwed up (read: cheap) wagon.

OR

Fixing mine, selling it, using profit to in part just buy a better quality wagon and maybe use junkyard parts as needed.

[Jking72]

After reading the laundry list of issues with your car... I would say sell it as is as a mechanic special because there's no sense in spending 1500-2000 fixing it to break even. In the end it's a sedan worth 1000 to 1500 in most cases.

If your not attached to your car that would be the way I would go. Find a fairly clean, unmolested wagon and work off that.


Cars like ours are a labor of love not making money.

Just my 2 cents.

[aluminum13]

After reading the laundry list of issues with your car... I would say sell it as is as a mechanic special because there's no sense in spending 1500-2000 fixing it to break even. In the end it's a sedan worth 1000 to 1500 in most cases.

If your not attached to your car that would be the way I would go. Find a fairly clean, unmolested wagon and work off that.


Cars like ours are a labor of love not making money.

Just my 2 cents.

Yeah, I can't see it being worth more than 1200, probably 1000 in good shape.

I'd be doing the labor on clutch, brakes, axle (all in one go) so it wouldn't be 1500...maybe 300-500 in parts. But even then, I could probably get 700 for my car today...I'd hope? It's totally drive-able, still. Probably would break even on parts cost but 'lose' the labor.

Though in my case the labor would sort of be for fun, I like doing this. But I'd like something to show for it...

[Jking72]

Yeah, I can't see it being worth more than 1200, probably 1000 in good shape.

I'd be doing the labor on clutch, brakes, axle (all in one go) so it wouldn't be 1500...maybe 300-500 in parts. But even then, I could probably get 700 for my car today...I'd hope? It's totally drive-able, still. Probably would break even on parts cost but 'lose' the labor.

Though in my case the labor would sort of be for fun, I like doing this. But I'd like something to show for it...

sell it as is the for $4-700 and lose nothing in parts...that's just what I would do...your car tho bro!

EDIT:you did say shocks, brakes, rotors, mounts and tires...so it'll add up fast.

[cb9love]

I suggest parting out the sedan , this way you should more money then selling it out right. also you will get to keep the parts that you want too use on your wagon. not sure what parts maybe the front interior/exterior pieces, but the wagon speedo goes too 140mph instead of 130mph , has larger front disc and calipers , and sway bars on lower end models.
The wagon is great for handyman work. I use mine for painting during the week and parts chasing on weekends.

[aluminum13]

Bringing this thread way back from the dead.

Over all this time I ended up replacing the clutch, skating by on used tires, left the old rotors but put in new pads and a new motor mount. The passenger CV hasn't crapped on me yet. At around 192xxx now.

When I did the clutch I changed the manual trans fluid to synchromesh and the grinding went away. I give that stuff my stamp of approval.

So I found a clean body and interior wagon with an auto and this swap will go on. Only took a year and a half.