Mitsubishi is an oddity among the major Japanese automakers. It doesn't have the "reliability" stamp of Honda/Toyota, but it doesn't make many "fun" cars like Subaru (except for the Evo and maybe the VR4 things...but that is a story for another time)...but you shouldn't overlook some of the 90s Bishis because they offer a surprising bang per your buck. Find this 1992 Mitsubishi Montero 4X4 offered for $5999 in Orlando, FL via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
There is an old saying in the business world; there are two ways to develop a new product--make it, or buy it...but that rule also applies to classic cars. This choice is often financially motivated, but as often it is personality based. Therefore we are happy to present these two cars and ask which you would buy; intro and words from tipper Erik202. I didn't grow up loving mopars or anything and I'm not sure I want to fully immerse myself in the "Dodge Guy" culture but I think having one of these Darts would be cool, just not sure which one, the project ($3580 USD) or the "turn key" version ($11,400 USD). Find this 1968 Dodge Dart offered for $16,000 CAD ($11,400 USD) located in Sherwood Park, AB, Canada via kijiji.net.
Racer and driving instructor Reeves Callaway bolted a hodgepodge turbo system on a BMW 320i and loaned the car to Car and Driver journalist Don Sherman who wrote a one page article on the beast. At the time, the number of folks who had the capability to turbocharge a car without ventilating the engine block was extremely limited and in 1977 Callaway Cars was incorporated to develop aftermarket turbo kits for the every man. Several years later, Callaway worked side-by-side wtih OEMs to develop turbo systems for BMW, Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Chevrolet, many of which maintained factory backed warranty. Callaway eventually became world renowned for his bonkers twin turbo Corvettes, and prices for these boosted machines are not cheap...but they are certainly cheaper than something like a Shelby...but how long with that last? Find this 1987 Chevrolet Corvette Callaway Twin Turbo offered for $16,999 in Orlando, FL via craigslist. Tip from Jeff.
This next car comes from tipper Art who first writes: 3 on the tree 220 Deeeeeee! Kinda just rolls off the tounge, huh? Lotta cool for 5K... quick glance through looks clean. Can these stay cheap forever? Maybe, since they never die...And a few minutes later wipes a film of coronavirus repelling axle grease off his screen and sends us another message; I mean, minus the cost for a respray....Haha my phone screen was low, didn't notice the last few pics of the paint... still .... this kinda does it for me, be the only one on your block! Yup, you got it right Art. I drove one of these things for a few years and can tell you two things with certainty--(1), the interior build quality is second to none and (2) they are slower to 60mph than the Belarusian response to the coronavirus. Find this 1971 Mercedes-Benz 220D offered for $4999 in Fairlawn, NY via craigslist.
Before I pass on to the great junkyard in the sky, I want to own a supercar. Not a "supercar" like a Honda Civic with a turbocharger and giant fart can exhaust, or a Fauxrari kit car that rides on Fiero suspension, but a legitimate supercar. Something that looks amazing, goes fast, turns heads, snaps necks, and costs a bunch of money to maintain. Ferraris and Lamborghinis are silly expensive but if you want the looks of a supercar and the budget of a classic British car...look for a Lotus. Find this 1989 Lotus Esprit Turbo S3 offered for $19995 in Plano, TX via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
This next car comes as tip from Erik202 who writes: Forums have the best deals. I swear it doesn't get any better than forums. These cars continue to be criminally undervalued. I have to mostly agree with Erik202, because forums are places were diehard lovers of certain makes/models have a reputation, so they can't go asking insane money or selling something that isn't as advertised, but I've seen some ridiculous stuff on forums too. However, when you find a seller who is more interested in getting his car to a qualified next owner, you can often get some of the best deals on the market..particularly with oddball marques like Saabs or Alfas. Find this 1993 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce offered for $5900 in Hendersonville, NC via alfabb.com.
The story of the Custom Cloud modified Monte Carlo is long and tedious...and not one I am willing to recount, other than to give you the quick version..which is; from 1973-1977 a small company in Florida put some fiberglass front and rear ends on the 2nd generation Monte Carlo to make it look vaguely (in the same sense that Danny DeVito looks vaguely like Arnold Schwarzenegger) like a Rolls Royce, until the corporate goons at Rolls sued them and stopped the insanity...anyway, you can read the entire story of the Custom Cloud here and here...or you can buy one of the 14 examples built. Find this 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Custom Cloud offered for $12000 in Las Vegas, NV via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
I am loath to post anything from the Faceplace Marketbach, but now that craigslist charges a small fee ($5 at printing time) it seems that many cheap sellers have migrated to Zucks world. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a Luddite when it comes to social media and all things Web 2.0, but it is exactly because Twitter is the worlds largest men's room wall writing surface, and Facebook is the worlds largest echo chamber...a safe space for you to say the things you shouldn't in public and be shamed for saying the things you should...so I try and avoid it in the same way that I avoid wearing a dead bat as an improvisational N95 facemask. However...HOWEVER...there are times when things posted on thefacemask need to be shared with the rest of the world who aren't stuck in the BubbleBook...particularly when they are El Camino'd Japanese coupes. Find this 2001 Acura Integra GS offered for $4000 in Arnold, MD via Facepalm Mortgagebrook. Tip from Matt.
I had an interesting experience in my late model BMW the other day. It is a 2002 E46 M3 that I've owned and daily driven for a few years now (purchased used from a family friend) and I've got to set up the scene for our readers...and then ask a few questions. It seems like a simple thing, but I had to drive the M3 at 55 MPH for 15 uninterrupted minutes on a SoCal freeway. It was a excruciating and humbling experience.
The Shelby Cobra is known for bad shifting ergonomics because the Mustang based Ford V8 and transmission were designed for a car with a much longer hood. Shelby wanted to the V8 mass as far back as possible and the result is a strangely shaped shifter that arches forward like a scimitar to meet the driver's gear demands...and it is even worse when you drop in a T5 transmission. Today's next car takes that paradigm to an extreme and I think it'll need a driver with a 3rd arm growing out of his back to reach 4th gear. That 3rd arm will also be extremely handy to scratching and/or protecting the enormous steel spherical appendages of said driver. Find this 1972 MG Midget offered for $25000 in Lenoir, NC via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
This next car comes to Erik202 who writes: Send help! (stay 6ft back) just talk me out of buying a V8 Audi S4. I might be going a little crazy from the lack of human interaction but this thing is looking so yellow and fast. And even tho the ad says it’s an auto it’s clearly a stick and it says the timing chains and guides are done and that’s only like $4600USD. Save Erik from monumental repair bills and cheap V8 fun by buying this car before he coughs on the door handles. Find this 2005ish Audi S4 offered for $6500 CAD (approx $4600 USD) in Montréal, QC via facemask marketplace.
This next car is offered by the seller as a "project" but it is much nicer than 99% of the projects offered for sale...it passes smog and has a manual gearbox swapped behind the 3.8 liter V8. Sure, it needs some cosmetic work on the interior and needs new rear glass, but the real kicker is that these R107 Mercedes-Benz coupes are so under-priced in the market compared to anything else with two seats and German build quality. Buy one. Buy another. Get a barn. Make the news in 30 years. Find this 1981 Mercedes-Benz 380SL offered for $5500 in Concord, CA via craigslist.
This next car comes as tip from Jeff who writes; At under 3900 lbs. with a manual trans and upgraded exhaust/intake, this would be a fun ride. Granted, it ain't cheap for a 16 year old GM sedan, but it's got the right things going for it and the low mileage/condition is hard to beat. Thanks Jeff, I have to agree, the first gen CTS-V has been on my short list for the past 10 years, but prices (albeit pre-COVID19 prices) have stabilized with some of the nicer examples demanding significant premium and this is a great example of that. However, this car was built before the current fad of electrification and gizmofication, so I'm thinking this is a buy and hold...just lose the explosive exhaust. Find this 2004 Cadillac CTS-V offered for $20,000 in Virginia Beach, VA via craigslist.
The fifth (and final) generation Honda Prelude was available in the US market with a 200 horsepower 2.0 liter VTEC equipped inline-4 from 1996-2000. Most have been turned into "race cars," grounded to the ground and covered in mismatched body panels, so finding a stock example is indeed a treat...even if that stock example has a check engine light and is photographed at a gas station. Find this 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH here on eBay currently bidding for $720 reserve-not-met with a few hours to go, located in Lincoln, NE.
Roush Performance was launched in 1995 as a way for NASCAR legend Jack "Panama Hat" Roush to provide power to the people. Roush Performance got a reputation for making fast 'n' loud Mustangs, but they also dabbled in other Fords like the Focus and F-150...but for two years in the early millennium, they built about 100 examples of something called the Mercury Cougar Roush Edition. It appears to have been strictly a cosmetic appearance upgrade package, but if you are going to drive a Cougar, this is the one to get. Find this 2000 Mercury Cougar Roush Edition here on eBay bidding for $1000 reserve-not-met located in La Vergne, TN with 1 day to go.
I hate to contribute to the general panic around the coronavirus...but like the 50th person jumping into a dogpile, I feel only a small pang of regret in my gut. Or is that the coronavirus? Lack of smell and pangs in your gut? I gotta google this. Hang on....nope, I'm good. Anyway, if you are thinking that the virus and ensuing economic recession is going to mean you might need a bugout vehicle, I have to think that a used Quigley conversion panel van has the right combination of 4X4, skid-plate, basher bumper, and no windows to help you survive. Find this 2001 GMC Savana Quigley 4X4 Conversion here on eBay offered for $16,990 or best offer located in Braidwood, IL.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a fun little sports car wrapped in a boring exterior (sorry Miata fanboys, the shape is pretty blah...with maybe the exception of the newest model that brings some more style than the OG jelly bean) that is unfortunately slathered with a thick brush of innuendo about the driver and his dog. Regardless, if you want the sweet driving experience of the modern Mazda platform with the classic looks of a 