The second generation Mazda RX-7 was known as the FC and over 270,000 examples were built in Japan from 1985-1991 for worldwide consumption. The FC was, of course, powered by a Wankel rotary engine and featured the athletic reflexes matched by few cars in the 1980s. If you can live the eccentricities of the odd spinning thing under the hood, these cars are sublime to drive. Find this 1988 Mazda RX-7 offered for $2,500 in Burien, WA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
Oktoberfest starts on the 21st of September and we're gonna celebrate the Bavarian festival of Beer and Fun by featuring some Bavarian classics. First up is this "mechanic owned" BMW 6-series from the e24 generation...and I've got to say there are some pluses and minuses from buying a car that is/was owned by a mechanic. Typically mechanics will do the needed difficult maintenance items (rebuilding the transmission, for instance) but will often defer maintenance that can be "driven around". Items like vibrating under braking might cause you to take to your mechanic for new wheel bearings, but that same mechanic knows that braking hard at the beginning of slowing will make the rotors take over some of the job of those worn out bearings...so I'm not sure if buying from a mechanic is a good or a bad thing. But this E24 is certainly at the bottom of its deprecation curve and we will all be screaming about how over priced the market is in a few years. Find this 1985 BMW 635 CSI Euro here on eBay bidding for $5000 in Eustis, FL with 2 days to go.
As a fellow fan (and owner) of home made junk and the Buick SportWagon, I have to admit that I am intrigued by this next car. The concept of a shift-it-yourself Buick Sportwagon with some Wildcat GrandSport style grill is cool...but the DIY interior and manual single piston drum brakes hold this thing back...well..those brakes won't hold much back...but you get my drift. With some TLC this could be a winner. Find this 1966 Buick SportWagon offered for $8500 Langhorne, PA via craigslist. Tip from ME.
This next van, like all vans, exudes a certain degree of sketchiness...not to the level of the infamous "Free Candy" van, but its on the spectrum. However, with the sweet Star Wars graphics, rad staggered mag wheels, and roof mounted wing, you are far more likely to attract 40-something year old men named Kevin instead of little kids. Nonetheless, you will attract something and let's just hope you lean towards the light instead of the dark side because I would totally go for a ride in this thing and my name isn't Kevin. Find this 1979 Dodge Van offered for $9800 in San Antonio, TX via craigslist.
This next car is for the guy/gal who thinks that the Autozam AZ1 is too big, the Lotus Europa is too common, the Caterham 7 is too safe, and the Bugeye Sprite is too pretty. It is also, in the words of tipper Hugh, "unobtanium" -- but offered for a basic price. Find this 1990 Maxton Rollerskate offered for $16,500 in Longmont, CO via craigslist. Tip from Hugh.
This next car falls into the category of one of the cars that was built in large quantities, but is mostly forgotten...but in the case of the Vanette..the story is much more interesting. The Nissan Vanette was exported to the US market from 1987 to 1990 badged simply the Van as a competitor to the Toyota Van and Mitsubishi Van. The only problem was that Nissan didn't spend much time on engineering and the 2.4 liter Z24i engine inline-4 that was shoved into the C22 for US market didn't quite fit. Cooling issues and engine fires led to a massive recall that had Nissan offering to buy back every single C22 Van sold in the US market and all repurchased vehicles were crushed to avoid future legal issues. Somehow this next vehicle avoid the steel grip of the crusher and now lives with the weirdos in Santa Cruz. Find this 1987 Nissan Van offered for $4,500 in Santa Cruz, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
In 1973 Mercedes-Benz introduced the legendary W116 S-Class to wealthy buyers around the world. In case you are curious, the S is short for Sonderklasse, or Special Class, as in, unless you have a special ability to earn money, you can't afford this. Today, the W116 chassis is known for its low startup costs, incredibly durable interior materials, tank-like build quality and expensive parts/labor costs if something major goes wrong. Find this 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL offered for $6,400 in Moon Valley, AZ via craigslist. Seller submission from Daniel.
The 225 horsepower Mk1 Audi TT (type 8N) Quattro was a moderately cool car when released in 1998. It featured sweet Bauhaus styling and is certainly a style icon that will become a collectible classic in 30 years (or so...). Naturally the high horsepower K04 turbo equipped 1.8T version is the one to get, and while it probably makes more sense to get one that is in good running order, this one just needs a clutch and is offered for next to nothing. Find this 2002 Audi TT Quattro 225hp offered for $2000 in Sonoma, CA via craigslist.
The Bentley Turbo R wasn't just ahead of its time (with features like dual climate zone control in the 80s) it was also so ruthlessly complicated that ownership 30 years later requires an undeniable amount of pedigree or masochistic tendencies. Power in the Bentley came from a Rolls Royce 6.75 liter turbocharged V8 that pushed something in the realm of 300 horsepower and 485 ft-lbs of torque (Rolls never released official power output figures in a coy "gentlemen don't tell" sorta manner) into a GM turbohydramtic slushbox. Expect even the smallest repairs to cost serious coin if you take it to a Bentley expert..but ownership shouldn't be that bad if you are handy with a multi-meter and a wrench. Find this 1990 Bentley Turbo R offered for $14,900 in San Antonio, TX via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
There was a time when I considered focusing Daily Turismo on vehicles from the 70s...but then I sobered up and remembered that vehicles suffered from weight bloat, low compression engines, small finiky carbs / emissions systems, rubber bumpers and shoddy build quality...at least compared to cars from the 60s and 80s. However, the early 70s cars aren't as bad as the later 70s cars and the survivors have become better and offer some of the better "deals" on the classic car marketplace...so maybe I should focus on the 70s. Anyway, find this 1971 Ford LTD here on eBay offered for $9,850 buy-it-now in Lowell, MI.
If someone asks me to recommend a cheap car for everyday driving, I will almost always suggest a used ex-Police Crown Victoria...to which my (soon to be ex) friend will explain the multitude of reasons he/she can't drive an inexpensive rear-drive heavy-duty car that'll part traffic like Moses. But for every person who can't drive them because they are afraid their mother-in-law might scrunch her nose or they might have to get their hands dirty with a few inexpensive and easy repairs...there is the person who points out the lack of a clutch pedal or shifter. I guess police officers need one hand free to radio for back up or pump bad guys full of hot lead -- but all domestic cop cars have been slushbox equipped since sometime in the 60s or 70s (you'll find the later model European cop cars equipped with manuals because they don't give their cops guns, just whistles and ticket books. Cop cars in Australia are also manual gearbox equipped, but they are lunatic descendants of criminals who can shoot and shift from birth like Mad Max.) So for the one person who had a legitimate reason for NOT driving a P71 interceptor...I present you...the counterpoint. Find this 2004 Ford Crown Victoria P71 offered for $4,500 in Liverpool, PA via craigslist. Tip from Jeff.
What is the last thing you would expect from the classic little Honda S600? Acceleration? Burnouts? Extended wheel base? Yeah. Any single one of those things would get you surprised, but this next car combines all of those attributes into one insane Honda subcompact sitting on a Ford Model A frame with big block V8 power. Find this 1972 Honda N600 Hot Rod offered for $8500 in Weaverville, NC via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
Back before Mercedes-Benz plastered AMG stickers (and hefty price premiums) on everything that moves (AMG Golf carts, AMG Barbie Benz, AMG toothbrush...etc) it offered an all or nothing proposition for the big Benzes, until Y2K when it started offered "AMG Sport Package" as an option to the S-Class..you get some of insane acceleration of the AMG S55 with a price tag of only $90k...but that same car costs less than the sport package (MSRP $4900) on the used market today. Find this 2001 Mercedes Benz S500 AMG Sport offered for $4,500 in Laguna Hills, CA via craigslist.
