This next car comes as a tip from Art C who writes: Hard to tell if its a diamond in the rough or a poorly polished turd. If it's even somewhat sorted seems to be a great buy! That just about describes EVERY car I find on craigslist these days...but I digress. Find this 1988 BMW 325i Convertible offered for $3,500 in Rhode Island via craigslist.
In the world of "cute" cars there aren't many cars that can challenge the original Mini for being both adorable and functional in a variety of styles...but the original Fiat 500 comes close and it was available in a number of configurations, like this Panoramica Decappottabile...which I don't think was a real factory designation but sounds cool. Find this 1964 Autobianchi Bianchini Panoramica Decappottabile offered for $7000 in Sausalito, CA via craigslist.
Have you ever worn an outfit where you've simultaneously attempted to blend into the background, but be the best dressed person at the party? What you are trying to do is to be ignored by the masses, but get major respect from the few people "in-the-know" and this next car is the automotive equivalent because it will get blank stares from most of the appliance drivers on the road, but mad respect from people who read this site. Find this 1980 Ford Fiesta offered for $1750 in Warsaw, KY via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
You know what 10 grand cash with get you at the new car showrooms across this country? Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Not even a stripped out power-nothin econobox from an emerging region. Even the most basic cars are quite expensive when you get 'em fresh from the factory. But head over to the used side of the world and suddenly 10 thousand smackeroos can get you something that makes you look like a drug kingpin or a warlord from one of those emerging regions. Find this 1962 Mercedes-Benz 220SE here on eBay offered for $9995 or best-offer located in Palm Springs, CA.
BMW built an astonishing 2.5 million E30s in coupe, sedan, estate & convertible trim from 1982 through 1994. The ursprünglicher gangster BMW 3-series was a successful yuppy-mobile when new and has generated a significant cult following as a cheap, fun & reliable sports sedan...but don't expect the prices of the sporty all-wheel-drive 325ix version with a manual gearbox to stay low for much longer. Find this 1989 BMW 325ix here on eBay bidding for $4,050 reserve-not-met with 6 days to go, located in Encino, CA.
This next car comes from DT tipper Safety Fast who writes: I don't know why it's listed in two different ads at two completely different prices, etc. But it's weird, obviously unusual, and rare. I wasn't going to send it in at first because of the $24K listing, but when I found the $18K one, I thought why not. Enjoy the beauty-challenged late-70's Aerocon Boa. There is some easy-to-find info on the web about this thing. Built in SoCal, Porsche power, yada yada. Find this 1978 Aerocon Boa offered for $18,000 and $24,000 in Sacramento, CA via craigslist.
Those little gremlins were such cute little things...until you got 'em wet or fed them after midnight. Then the bad stuff started and they transformed into pavement burning death machines that'll rattle your fillings loose on mildly distressed pavement and swap ends faster than you can say A.M.C. Find this 1974 AMC Gremlin offered here on eBay for $8,500 or best-offer located in Palm Springs, CA.
There is a Ren & Stimpy song that goes something like this; It's log, it's log; It's big, it's heavy, it's wood; It's log, it's log, it's better than bad, it's good. Now, I don't know how long its been since I'd seen that episode of Ren & Stimpy (decades, for sure), but for some reason it popped right into my cranial echo chamber when I saw this next car. Find this 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser offered here on eBay for $9990 or best-offer located in Simpsonville, SC.
BMWs E36 M3 was the steal of the market until a few years ago when the E46 M3 depreciated to the point where it makes more sense to step up to the 333 horsepower S54 powered beast that replaced the 240 horsepower S52 after the 1999 model year. Some people might complain about the SMG transmission that you'll find in many of the cheapest examples, but the single clutch automated thing is surprisingly fun to drive, easier in traffic, and can be cheaply converted to self shifted. Find this 2004 BMW M3 E46 offered for $10,800 in Los Gatos, CA via craigslist.
This next car will invoke some serious "why would you do it?" and "why wouldn't you do it?" discussions with car guys. It could be the best car to meet your future inlaws and simultaneously the worst car to meet your future inlaws. A Toyota 7M-GE from the 80s also the best possible upgrade to a 60s Ford inline-6 and also the worst engine to put into your El Cami---errr--Ranchero. You be the judge. Find this 1961 Ford Ranchero offered for $4900 in San Diego, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
This next car is a strange combination of seriously low price for an Austin Healey and moderately high price for something with a small block chevy swap. But you don't stumble onto Austin Healey 3000s for anything less than $30k nowadays (burnt out hulks or kit car versions notwithstanding) and I'm going to give this a two thumbs up. Find this 1960 Austin Healey 3000 V8 Swap offered for $17000 in Kuna, ID via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
An old Beetle is an interesting car to own and plenty of folks are majorly obsessed with the blob-shaped people carrier...but they are super common out here in Southern California and if you want a Beetle to stand out, you need something that has the same mechanical reliability of the Type 1, but with some 70s style. Find this 1976 Bradley GT offered for $6,500 in San Leon, TX via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
I had the opportunity to attend the LA Auto show this past week and lemme tell ya...everybody who is anybody is selling SUVs or crossovers these days. Unfortunately, they are mostly slushbox equipped penalty boxes that make driving a serious chore. But fear not, because Daily Turismo is here to show you how to drive something that has a manual gearbox and isn't a tippy fireball ready Ford Exploder from the 1990s. Find this 2008 Porsche Cayenne offered for $10,970 here on eBay buy-it-now located in Lombard, IL with 6 days to go.
I can almost feel the wind in my hair now and smell the occasional waft of a mild chemical scent (all Porsches emanate some kind of petroleum based scent from time-to-time...just don't take it to the dealer and ask for a diagnosis because they will say you need a new rear main seal and a complete blinker fluid flush for only a few thousand bones.) But what was that noise...and what will the next trip to a mechanic cost you...but seriously, how bad can a REALLY cheap Porsche 911 be anyway...? Find this 2000 Porsche 911 Convertible offered here on eBay for $12500 in Tyrone, GA.
I hate getting other people's half baked projects. It never ends well. It always starts with a simple -- hey I'll adjust the timing, air up the spare, and drive it...but ends with crap, where the blazes can I get another a double cardan constant velocity u-joint for a Simca? The ONLY reason I'd ever take another project is if the price was really good...yeah...$500...that'll do. Find this 1978 MG Midget in pieces here on eBay offered for $500 buy-it-now located in Haddam, CT.
I've said it before...and I'll say it again until the prices go nutz...the E36 generation BMW M3 is a really good deal in the world of used sport sedans. It was a great combination of responsive chassis and inline-6 power and slightly upgraded in 1996 with the introduction of the 3.2 liter S52B32US good for the same 240 horsepower and in 1997 BMW introduced a 4-door version. Find this 1997 BMW M3 E36 offered for $4250 near Seattle, WA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.