I’ve been looking for a cheap Civic HX coupe for months on end. When one popped up in North Jersey on Craigslist a few weeks back, it set my wheels rolling. It was exactly what I was after: solid, but with cosmetic issues. (It needed a fender and possibly a door.) The price was spot on: just $1300. I immediately emailed the owner, but didn’t hear back. I waited a day and emailed again. Finally, he got back to me … the car had been sold. With my hopes dashed for that specific car, I vowed to finally get this project in gear. I found another car in South Jersey that looked to be a likely candidate. It had high miles, but was relatively clean, other than one mismatched wheel. The price was roughly double that of the North Jersey HX. I watched it for a few days, before it sold, as well.
The Kickstarter campaign for Ain’t Fuelin’ reached two milestones yesterday, crossing the 50 backer and $1300 funding marks. Fifty backers and thirteen hundred bucks … a small crowd and the exact amount of the car that spurred me into launching the campaign. The car I currently have my eye on is nearly triple the price of the banged-up bargain car. It’s extremely clean but has over two hundred and twenty thousand miles on the clock. I should have my head examined for even considering the car at that price. That said, I’ve driven the car and it doesn’t feel like it has that many miles. It’s solid. But it’s not worth what they’re asking.