My parents gave me a choice to pick either a Eclipse, non tubo with cat back and intake. Or a stock 97 cavalier? which one should i pick?

Go with the Eclipse. They aren't the best tuner cars, but it's a damn sight better than a cavalier.

But thats the thing, the ecipse's right door is pretty much smashed, and has the stock black rims and paint chipping on the hood.

well, if it weren't for the door being smashed, I'd still say go with the eclipse. What year is the eclipse? What do you intend to do with the car you choose? If you are going to be fixing the cars up anyway, I'd still go with the eclipse, as long as the door is functional. The rims can be replaced (likely a good idea anyway even with the cavalier) and maaco is cheap for paint jobs. What engine in the eclipse? These are all things to consider, but most of them point towards the eclipse rather than the cav. But you must remember that it doesn't matter what anyone else's opinion is about the car because you are the one who has to live with it.

I would take the Eclipse over the Cavalier, but only because its a Cavalier. Eclipses pretty much suck; you wont get any good numbers out of it, it will break constantly, and if its an RS, its got drum brakes. If you have the 2.4L instead of the 2.0, its a big plus, but still super slow. If you put a turbo on it, it would be faster than a GSX because of it being a 2.4, but I wouldnt do it due to how unreliable I think they are.

Its a 2.0 non turbo and runs pretty good and so is the cavalier, but the eclipse is auto and the cavalier is stick.

well, it sure does sound like a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. see which one has the higher bluebook value and sell it after you get it and use the money for something better.

I dont think the blue book on them is more than $1000 on each other, it just cant be.

You think it might be that high?

eclipse.. cavy's are to damn slow no matter what you do.

really, i'd pick neither. The eclipse looks good at first sight, but it's non-turbo and the engine is ass backwards from the turbo one. Good luck making it fast for cheap. your best shot is nitrous, the bottom end can handle up to about 450 on a stock bottom end.

Dude i would take the car with the lowest miles get a job build some credit then get a subaru or a used rx7 or supra. I honestly would give up trying to street race either one of those cars unless you love the body or sum shit like that. Seriously though not all of us started driving fast cars hell i drove a ford escort 1.9li for 2 years and it did the job getting me to work and back. If i was you thats all i would worry about.

Im being cool and doing a B20Z swap into my Integra. Motor is about $800 bones, but it makes about 160hp and 160 lb/ft, and is considereably cheaper then a GSR. The point I am trying to make is that you can find a nice car for retalively cheap, and do whatever mods you want. Its your car, so do what you want with it. Sure I would want to have mine all Type R turbo and bullshit like that, but its what I am confortable with, and its within my current funds. Dont kill yourself over not having an "Import Tuner" ride (But kill yourself if you have altezzas)

get the eclipse a good car that looks fast but isent but if you mod it up buy spending mad money then it will be kickass

Take the Eclipse, fix the door, and sell it to some airhead for way more than its worth. It's easier to resell an Eclipse over a Cavilier. Then buy something better with that money.