This is one of my favorite sleeper sedans of the last 20 years: a 1995 Acura Integra GS-R, listed here on craigslist in Pennsylvania for $2,900. Wearing the same bodywork as the standard Integra sedan, the GS-R featured one very distinctive difference: the B18C1 DOHC VTEC motor driving the front wheels through one of the best manual gearboxes ever made. Unfortunately, a lot of these cars end up either as victims of theft or tasteless customization. This example is for sale after the owner moved to a crowded urban location, so the car is up for grabs with an upgraded intake and wires the only deviations from stock. A sleeper that gets 30 m.p.g.’s – that’s tough to beat!
1984 BMW 528e: Q-Ship Ready
Mar 27, 2015 6 Comments
Today marked a milestone in my 1987 535is’ road to recovery: most major mechanical items were buttoned up, allowing me to finally drive the thing as intended. Since the day it arrived, it had some maladies that prevented me from really understanding what it was all about, first due to frozen struts and then a rumbling driveshaft. With those and other ailments fixed, it finally drives like it should. All in all, it wasn’t a terrible list for a car that was largely neglected for the past 3 years. If you want to join me in my crusade, Credit Card Classics reader Jim S. sent in this 1984 528e that he found here on eBay for only $1,750 – a relative steal for a running, driving E28. Thanks Jim! Read more »
1994 Alfa Romeo 164Q: Soul Stirring
Mar 6, 2015 4 Comments
There are some cars I yearn for under very superficial terms. I’ll admit it – I don’t always pay attention to the engineering or reliability and rarely does the badge on the hood sway my judgment. But this car – an Alfa Romeo 164Q – well, I’m suddenly distracted by intake runners, Recaro-style seating, wrap-around taillights and an engine note that could bring you to your knees. Yes, this isn’t a practical choice, other than the fact that’s it’s a sedan. This is far more about the senses and the allure of driving an Alfa every single day. Let’s explore this 1994 example listed here on craigslist for $5,000. Read more »
1982 Saab 900 Turbo: Estate Original
Mar 3, 2015 4 Comments
Have any of you been lucky enough to stumble upon an estate sale with a classic car up for grabs? Or been tipped off to one that could be had cheaply? This is a life event still on my bucket list, just to feel the excitement that comes with being tipped off to a score that no one else knows about. I get that way with remote junkyards that might have some untouched classics lying about, but I would love to find a complete car like this 1982 Saab 900 Turbo Sedan found here on craigslist in Washington State for $4,000. It’s a one-owner car with less than 100,000 miles! Read more »
Flat Hood: 1983 Volvo 242 GLT Turbo
Feb 27, 2015 1 Comment
If there’s anything I love, it’s vehicles that come with an extra dose of provenance right from the factory. Oftentimes, when you hear the words homologation special, one thinks of the original BMW M3 or its nemesis, the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16. Lesser known but nearly as significant is the 1983 Volvo 242 GLT Turbo, of which 500 were sent to the U.S. to satisfy production requirements for overseas racing series. For the princely sum of $3,500, you could own a piece of history with this 1983 Volvo 242 GLT Turbo listed here on craigslist in Kansas City. Read more »
1991 Dodge Spirit R/T: Record Holder
Feb 26, 2015 3 Comments
One of my favorite eras in automotive experimentation was the time in the mid 80s when Carroll Shelby started boosting Mopars. It was unlike him, given his history for hugely powerful, raucous vehicles, to take fairly diminutive family and economy cars and inject them with turbochargers and body kits. But enhance them he did, leading to vehicles like the Dodge Spirit R/T. Ordinarily, a Dodge Spirit wouldn’t draw even an accidental side glance from passers-by but in the case of a Shelby-enhanced R/T, you might not even catch a glimpse of it at all as it rocketed past. Check out this 1991 example on St. Louis’ craigslist for $4,000. Read more »