Signature Series: 1993 Lincoln Town Car

This is all the money (and then some) for a '93 Lincoln Town Car...but if you are in the market for something strange from the 90s with super low miles...you don't have many choices. But the only problem with this car is that you can't drive it.  The second the odo turns into quintuple digits, the fun is over.  So you've got about 2100 miles before you've got to park it again or take a $10k hit on the "value".  Is it just me, or has this car collecting thing turned into stamp collecting?  But I still appreciate the shockingly nice condition of this someday-it'll-be-a-classic. Find this 1993 Lincoln Town Car offered for $17500 in Stamford, CT via craigslist. Tip from Cory.

Brown Time Capsule: 1969 Mercedes-Benz 250 4-Spd

The W114/115 chassis is the rugged 60s/70s era Mercedes-Benz E-class predecessor that is frequently a great deal for a cool classic.  The W114 is often overshadowed by the fancier front end and stacked headlamps of the W108/109 chassis, but some prefer the clean and simple lines of the smaller sibling in the Benz family.  For whatever reason, the W114 occupies one of those weird niches in the classic car world - it's old enough to be gazed upon fondly through the tint of nostalgia, yet not particularly revered among Euro car guys with cash...but today's example is something special.  Find this 1969 Mercedes-Benz 250 4-Spd offered for $12,500 near Phoenix, AZ via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Excellent Shape: 1992 Acura Legend

Another minty clean Honda/Acura with an automatic?  Sure, why not -- it isn't like you find mint condition cars from 1992 with only 45k miles on the odometer everyday...so I think the slushbox can be forgiven.  Find this 1992 Acura Legend offered for $13,000 in Fremont, CA via craigslist.  Tip from KBZ.

Mint Condition: 1980 Honda Prelude

The first generation Honda Prelude (SN) is a pretty boring car to drive compared to the stuff available today, but back when new it was lauded by the likes of Brock Yates who once wrote in Motor Trend "by any sane measurement, a splendid automobile. The machine, like all Hondas, embodies fabrication that is, in my opinion, surpassed only by the narrowest of margins by Mercedes-Benz. It is a relatively powerful little automobile by anybody's standards." Fast forward 35 years and Mercedes-Benz is no longer a benchmark for anything other than the triumph of brand over sense, but this little Honda is an amazing time capsule.  Find this 1980 Honda Prelude offered for $6,000 in San Francisco, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Safety Fast.

Young At Heart: 1990 Mazda Miata MX5

Maybe you were too young to afford a Miata when they were first released.  Perhaps you had the first-gen model long ago and want to relive the experience.  It could be that you are a collector who thinks the original might go up in value and you want a great specimen.  Here is your chance to back to 1990 and make it happen.  Find this 1990 Mazda Miata MX5 in Bellevue, NE for $9,500 via craigslist.

Canned Fox: 1986 Ford Mustang GT

The Fox-body Mustang was such an improvement over the bizarrely good selling Mustang II that it can only be a matter of time before the Fox becomes collectable, but I just don't think we have reached that time yet...or have we?  They say that cars don't become collectible until we forget how truly horrible they were when new, and frankly I've all but expunged any memory of my time in a non-turbo 4-banger Fox, and this next car is what I think will be valuable when prices go nuts.  Find this 1986 Ford Mustang GT here on eBay with $11,900 buy-it-now or make-offer located in Taylors, SC with 4 days to go.

Celvivor: 1984 Toyota Celica GT Coupe

Hey, Celica I just found on craigslist: the 1980s called, and they want their white basketweave wheels back. I kid, I kid; an excruciatingly period-specific car such as this needs period-correct wheels. The 3rd-generation A60 Celica is boxy to the extreme, and it's rare to find one that looks like it's only a few years old after turning 30. Would this little creampuff be better than a $19k AE86 survivor on a daily basis? Find this 1984 Toyota Celica GT coupe for sale in rural Agoura Hills, CA for $2,900 via craigslist.

Shrink Wrapped: 1983 Volvo 242 DL

OK guys, I'm done fooling around. Time for a real throwback Thorsday post. Vince's smallblocked '75 242 from Tuesday was a good find, if you're into diving boards, poor taste, and carburetors. Today however I present the pinnacle of Volvo's two door 240 lineup - no, not a finnicky Turbo model - but an '83 DL - and a stock survivor at that. I'll explain if you keep reading. Find this 1983 Volvo 242 DL with 65k miles for sale in Los Angeles, CA for $4,600 via craigslist.

New Old Shlock: 1982 Oldsmobile Omega X-Body, 160 Actual Miles

The Oldsmobile Omega was part of GM's X-body platform, the compact invasion that included the Chevrolet Citation, the Buick Skylark, and the Pontiac Phoenix...the latter of which at least had a cool name going for it.  The X-car in general was terrible, but the Oldsmobile was stuck in this no-man's-zone, slotted below in sportiness to Pontiac, and below in comfort to the Buick, but was somehow need to be better than the Chevrolet without actually costing GM a penny more in production costs.  What could possibly go wrong?  Find this 1982 Oldsmobile Omega with 160 miles on the odometer here on eBay bidding for $4,050 with a few hours to go, located in Livingston, NJ.

10k: 25k Mile: 1989 BMW 525i Auto

This next car comes as a tip from J Jefferson who writes: $7K US for a BMW with 25k miles (40,000 km) seems cheap, but who know what gremlins could be lurking in any car this old.  Funny little mast on the right front bumper too… does it come from an embassy fleet?  This is near Canada’s capital, home to all sorts of foreign nationals, so a plausible theory.  Nothing prosaic on the site to help figure out why this beast has only been driven 1,000 miles per year.  If it weren’t an automatic, this would already be in my driveway….( that’s what we all say, isn’t it). Find this 1989 BMW 525i Auto offered for $8,988 CAD ($7,200 USD) on motorhouse.ca, located in Ontario, Canada.

10k: Show Winner: 1961 Pontiac Tempest Sedan

Cars that take first prize in things like the Pontiac Oakland Club International car show are not typically in the DT price range.  However, a Trophy 4 powered Tempest 4-door isn't exactly a highly desired collector car, so it isn't surprising that the nicest one around is offered for about the same price as a burnt out hulk of a 911 chassis.  Find this 1961 Pontiac Tempest Sedan offered for $11,000 in Minneapolis, MN via hemmings.

10k: Blue Beauty: 1987 Toyota Supra

 The Mk III Toyota Supra offered a staggering level of technology when it hit the showrooms in 1986.  The Supra was powered by the 7M-GTE, a turbocharged twin-cam, 4-valve, distributor-less engine that was miles ahead of its competition and only had a minor problem of consistently blowing up head gaskets due to an improper head bolt torque from the factory (which can be easily remedied by the home mechanic). It was an affordable sports coupe package that gave the Corvette a run for its money and hinted at the Japanese sports car madness that arrived a few years later.  Find this 1987 Toyota Supra Turbo bidding for $6,700 here on eBay, located in Salem, OR with 4 days to go.

15k: White Knight: 1974 Porsche 914 2.0

The Porsche 914 offers a superb driving experience for a fair price, but only if you choose wisely.  Like any classic, it pays to pickup a nice version instead of a junker that needs big bucks in rebuild parts, but there are also a few models of 914s you might want to avoid.  First is the 914-6, which is a great car to drive, but way too expensive for the average man, and the early 1.7 and 1.8 liter cars are just too slow.  The best 914 for a fun to cost ratio is clearly the 914 2.0 that was sold from 1973-1976.  Find this 1974 Porsche 914 2.0 here on eBay currently bidding for $12,100 with 2 days to go, located in Winter Garden, FL.

15k: Scavenger Hunt: 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo

 The Porsche 944 Turbo is also known by the internal designation 951 and is generally considered the best of the affordable front engined Porsches.  I say generally, because some folks will prefer a 928 GTS and others will rave about the big bore 968, but the 951 offers the best combination of potential speed, handling and reliability with the Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG crest on the front without getting into an air cooled 911.  Todays example is in great condition with only 48k miles on the clock, but is offered at a fairly aggressive price point.  Find this 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo offered for $16,900 in Ventura, CA via craigslist. Tip from Erik.

10k: Fairlady Roadster: 1966 Datsun 1600 SPL311

You know what they always say, if you want to experience classic British roadster motoring, you should buy a Japanese car, but not a Miata...not today.  Today, you are going to buy a mint condition Datsun SPL311 because sometimes style trumps measurable performance.  Find this 1966 Datsun 1600 SPL311 in Palm Desert, CA currently bidding for $7,500 with 4 days to go.

2k: A Fistfull of Capella: 1983 Mazda 626

When it comes to the clean car feature search, there are a few things we look for in a late model car.  Let's check the short list; manual transmission, original owner, low miles, nice condition, and stock -- if a car meets those requirements it really doesn't matter if it is a Yugo or a Saab -- like this next piece. Find this 1983 Mazda 626 5psd offered for $2,450 in Danville, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Kaibeezy.