Need component for specific type of catalog with filtering

Question

I'm trying to find existing component to create a catalog with custom search (could be part of component or separate module). I've already tried SobiPro, OS CCK, JU Directory, SpiderCatalog Lite but without success - some of them are just too complicated for me, it should be free, we're now tight on budget.

The purpose of catalog is to keep information about car engines, with possibility to filter Make>Model>Year (3 dropdowns, need to pick Make first, then Model, then Year..).

Categories should be Make/Model only, like this:

Audi / A1, A2, A3 ... Volkswagen / Golf, Passat etc.

They also should be clickable (pictures of Makes, then pictures of Models) and in Models there should be list of Model years with engines. (so, if using filtering, it will go directly to Model that was being made in that Year). Nice example is http://goo.gl/CYbUvc only we want to separate different Models, so one more step from Make to engine..

Creating categories is fine, I was able to create them in JU Directory and SobiPro, but I can't figure out how to enter Year for engine. For example Audi had A4 model made between 1995-2001 with 1.8T AEB engine. If I filter Audi>A4>1998 it should open Model subcategory A4, scroll if necessary to production years (1995-2001) with all engines where I can click on my engine. Also, this engine could be used in VW, Skoda and Seat cars, so I need to assign it to multiple Models with different Years. (and here I'm totally lost)

Every engine needs fields like Make/Model, engine code, kw, bhp, ps and I'd like to put there also what kw/ps members of site achieved (by tuning, only one number that will be added by me)

Thanks for any advice!

Answer 1

This component Zoo from Yootheme was perfect for this your need.

Was free and you can customize any fields and layout to show this fields.

http://yootheme.com/zoo/

Answer 2

I'm not aware of any existing simple free component that will do this for you.

You could probably do this with ChronoForms or one of the other forms extensions with some custom PHP and JavaScript code but it would not be especially simple.

ChronoForms is free to download but a small contribution is required to remove the link back to the developer.

For example code, search the web for "three level dynamic drop down" or "triple dynamic drop down" or similar or search the chronoengine.com forums.