Probably the 01' unless you personally know the owner(s) or know some credible people who are very familiar with the 98. I have purchased a modded vehicle and many friends have purchased modded vehicles in the past, and our overwhelming experience says beware. You can get a great car for a good deal, but not too many people that mod their cars like that do it just for bragging rights. They run the cars and they run em hard
I have plans for FI in the future, that's why the 98 is so appealing. ABS is the only reason the 01 is in the pic. As Bgck13 stated, people dont mod them for bragging rights and not run them. 98 would save me money in the long run but the 01 is piece of mind in some ways (Do my own mods and know the history). 98 is at a dealer, 01 private party (getting inspected by a tech next week, passed visual/test drive). Only thing is the 01's check engine light is on, owners says its from no 02 being put on the corsa exhaust (which is the only mod) and has taken to dodge dealer and light still comes on (which concerns me some) but car drives strong, shifts well, brakes good.
__________________ "It is as great an error to speak well of a worthless man as to speak ill of a good man."
not too many people that mod their cars like that do it just for bragging rights
This is viper land. Anything but bragging would involve putting miles on the odo.
get a leak down, compression test, and have the oil pan pulled to check #8 bearing. if all is well, dyno the bitch, if the numbers are good, buy it. 10k miles, or 100k miles, the wear will show from those tests.