My moms car was rear ended about two months ago. Insurance just barely got around to paying her for the vehicle. Unfortunately, all they paid out was $2800 and change due to the salvage title of the vehicle.   Although I'm around the car biz all day long. I look for used cars in all places including craigslist. At $3000 and under, it's a sorry arse field of available cars. I'm mainly only looking for Japanese grocery getters, no American brands or German.   $3000 really doesn't get you

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/3502322591.html   That's the link for the Conquest. This car is well.... Rough. It's got an untuned GM MAFT on it, uknown injectors, and a catless straight pipe (Owner has property in a smog-exempt county so doesn't have to worry about smog). The car has a full set of hardpipes and a BOV. There's a boost leak somewhere. The clutch needs to be bled again, and perhaps have the slave pushrod adjusted. There was about 4" of travel and 2" of engagement in the pedal

I just bought this 88 Starion with automatic transmission. My shop tells me the tranny is shot, they then went on to tell me that they can't rebuild it because they can't get parts!!! Lovely!! Any suggestions???? And I am not interested in spending the money to do a 5 spd conversion. Any GOOD used trannys out there?? Help would be appreciated!!! Thanks Bill.