This next car comes as a tip from Art C who writes: Some seriously cheap fun here. 275 hp, 6 speed, posi... strip it and turn it into an auto x toy?? Art is onto something here because this thing should be fun and the missing title shouldn't scare away the guy who wants to race this thing in the 24 Hrs of LeMons. Find this 1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Convertible offered for $1700 in Derry, NH via craigslist.
The X100 generation Jaguar XK8 was released in 1996 on a platform shared with the Aston Martin DB7. It was a much more modern looking car than the XJS is replaced and looks dead gorgeous in drop top spec if you ask me. What could make it better? An engine that is more powerful, more reliable, and cheaper to maintain mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox? Find this 1997 Jaguar XK8 LS1 T56 here on eBay
offered for $14,000 buy-it-now or make-offer located in Akron, OH. Seller submission from Zhong.
This next car is a late model Japanese sport sedan that threatened BMW's 3-series for the title of king of the luxury sport 4-doors when it was released in 2003. The Infiniti G35 wasn't available in a spec that could compete with BMW's M3, but it was available with Nissan's fantastic V6 and today will run you a fraction of the price of a similar condition 335i. So skip the BMW hype and get the next better thing, this 2006 Infiniti G35 offered for $7,950 in Milpitas, CA via craigslist.
So, you want a Ferrari, but you don't want to pay the expensive buy-in. You could buy a Fiero with a body kit or build your own 250TR, but with all that clanging and banging, people are going to think you are trying to bust El Chapo out of prison, or are being visited by the ghost of Christmas past -- look, if you want a Ferrari and can't afford one, just buy yourself a Maserati. Like this 2001 Maserati Sports Coupe offered for $21,900 via craigslist, located in Los Angeles, CA. Tip from Sean S.
As previously mentioned, DT's logo guru Kaibeezy is relocating to Neptune for career reasons, and the cost per gram to send stuff into space is astronomical, so he is liquidating his entire fleet via these pages. Up next in the DT exclusive fleet sale is this 1998 BMW E39 540i 6MT with 184K miles offered for $6,000.
The E39 (1995-2003) BMW 540i is one of the few decent BMW performance bargains available
on the used car market today. Prices for the all-alloy V8 engined cars
start around the price of a winter beater and even the nice/rare
examples trade for well less than the price of new Nissan Versa...actually, you might have a hard time picking up a nice E39 for les than the $11,990 MSRP of the 2015 Versa...but there is no comparing the two cars. Find this 1999 BMW 540it with 6-spd swap offered for $12,000 in Anderson, SC via craigslist.
Porsche's 914, 928, 924, and 944 coincidentally followed a tidy naming convention wherein the last digit corresponded with its cylinder count. Stuttgart then introduced the 968 as if to say We're Porsche and our models don't need numerical significance. We're above significance. The 968 got marks for good handling behavior but was nonetheless expelled from Porsche Academy with its delinquent classmate, the 928. Today, it's a cheap entry into the marque with better civility and more power* than its 924/944 forefathers. Find this 1994 Porsche 968 Coupe in Portland, OR for $8,900 via craigslist or AutoTrader. (*Okay, the 944 Turbo S had with 7 more horsepower, but did it have a 6-speed like this 968? No. And nobody likes a nitpicker.)
Quicksand is a non-Newtonian fluid (like silly putty) that behaves like a solid until it is gently stressed and suddenly it flows like a liquid. The result is a surface that looks like sand, but a person (or large animal) who attempts to cross its surface will suddenly find himself sinking into a jello-like ooze and any attempts to swim or thrash around will only cause you to sink deeper. The harder you fight, the deeper you sink into the briney depths, but if you stay calm and move slowly you can float at the top until your screams are heard by others. I can not think of a better analogy for picking up a high mile Audi from the early 2000s. Find this 2002 Audi Allroad
currently bidding for $3,850 with a few hours to go.
The Jaguar XJS was a luxury grand tourer from those crazy blokes in Coventry and was built from 1975 to 1996. The big cat is equipped with an inline-6 or V12 that requires routine upkeep from a Jaguar specialist, so engines frequently get swapped. This one looks nicely modified and has a Chevy LT1 V8 mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Find this 1980 Jaguar XJS LT1 V8 6-spd
currently bidding for $5,975 via ebay, located in Crestwood, KY with 3 days to go.
The
friendly, fat-cheeked Wisconsinite B5.5 Passat you're looking at has an
unusual yet desirable combination of drivetrain options. And it's here
to rob you of everything you own. Volkswagen decided to fit an
experimental W8 engine in an already crowded engine bay, leaving little
room for anything but your checkbook. Find this 2002 Volkswagen Passat V8 4Motion wagon with 6-speed manual for $11,000 in Richfield, WI. Words by DT contributor slowcarSLOW-MPGlol.
The B5 generation Audi S4 was sold in North America from 1999 to 2002 and featured boosted power from a twin-turbo V6. The B5 S4 was the first properly fast S4 model and set the stage for good looking 4-door Audis for years to come. Today the B5 S4 is well depreciated but still remarkably fast for a sub $10k car with a clutch pedal and modern comfort. Find this 2001 Audi S4 for sale in Sioux Falls, SD for $6,700 via craigslist.
You know DT loves some XJ6's w/ Chevy power.. imagine the excitement of finding one with a 6spd?! Imagine that it's California smog exempt because it is titled as a '73. Now comes the hard part...it looks an awful lot like an 86. Find this 1973 Jaguar XJ6 LT4 6-spd
for sale in El Cajon, CA for $8,500 or best offer via ebay. 
for sale in Philadelphia, PA currently bidding for $6,700 with a few hours to go.
The fifth generation Nissan Maxima (A33) was introduced in the 2000 model year, but it wasn't until the 2002 model year that the engine was upgraded to the VQ35DE and it was equipped with a 6-spd manual that it became a genuinely fast sleeper. Find this 2002 Nissan Maxima A33 6-spd offered for $6,500 in Las Vegas, NV via craigslist.
The Giorgetto Giugiaro (of ItalDesign fame) designed Maserati Coupé was a product of a time when the prancing horse (Ferrari) held the reigns at the home of Poseidon's trident (Maserati). The Coupé used a Ferrari designed engine and was sold for less than the cheapest Ferrari - more of a competitor to the base model Porsche 911. We've been counting the hours before these hit DT prices and then is now. Find this 2002 Maserati Coupé GT 6-spd for sale in Marina, CA for $20,000 via craigslist. Tip from Kaibeezy.
