By Robert Emslie
Welcome to Craigslist Crapshoot, our weekly search for the most bizarre, awesome, and/or terrible vehicles that the online classifieds has to offer.
Last week was the last Craigslist Crapshoot of the last year, on New Years Eve! It was celebrating the new year and as such, we were looking for some Neue Klasse, those small BMWs that everyone knows and loves. We’ll see who was the most Klassy in just a sec, but first, this week’s challenge!
Was one of your New Years resolutions to make wiser investments? No? Well, how about automotive investments? What we want this week are cars for sale that YOU think will be future classics. We’ve missed all the cheap Ferrari 308s and Porsche 911s, but let’s see what you think can be bought on the cheap today and that will be more valuable in the future.
As always, we want your finds to go down in infamy and not in the site’s spam filter. Follow any of the following advice and you’re crap will be known far and wide.
- Easiest way to not get caught in the spam filters is to create an IntenseDebate account. If you do so and your posts aren’t appearing, let us know at ti**@********se.info and we can put you on the whitelist
- If you don’t want an IDC account, you can create a wordpress.com account and do the same thing.
- If you’re the Ted Kaczynski type and don’t want any kind of account, then try to place only a single link in a comment and just drop any outgoing link in via its raw URL and not as a text link.
Got that? Good, lets see some Bimmers.
Wow, it’s amazing the disparity of all the the Neue Klasse found last week. There were the fright pigs and there were those that have been restored by what were obviously those who loved the brand and the car. I applaud all of the finds, and found that the black beauty discovered by muthalovin (surprisingly not an NSX!) really tickled me in all the right places.
This blue monster, found by Potbellyjoe however, took the cake as it is something that I might actually want to move into and live in. It’s just that sweet. Congrats to Potbellyjoe and good job to you all!
Jeff Glucker 
Kamil Kaluski
Alright so this is the dealer suggesting something is a classic. The ad is for a 1996 Buick Century which is not a classic in most senses. Or particularly memorable, apparently, because the car in the picture is, well…
<img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDgwWDY0MA==/z/53kAAOSwa39UrQuE/$_20.JPG" width="500">
I think the first gen Lexus IS is going to get, at a minimum, a cult following. Here's a slightly blurry yellow one:
<img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDUwWDgwMA==/z/eaYAAOSw7ThUrCuP/$_20.JPG" width="500">
I would argue that the SportCross variant is the more classic IS300.
<img src="http://daddytypes.com/archive/lexus_is300_sportcross.jpg" width="600">
I would agree, but one isn't for sale in my area.
Here's one w/ 100K for sale in Connecticut for $7995
<img src="http://cimg.carsforsale.com/364684/D20B440E-A565-4FC7-AC20-8CFED4B0EB77_8.jpg" width="512">
<a href="http://www.carsforsale.com/used-cars-for-sale/2002-lexus-is300-waterbury-ct-250783137” target=”_blank”>http://www.carsforsale.com/used-cars-for-sale/2002-lexus-is300-waterbury-ct-250783137
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00I0I_ichUoGVLyJZ_600x450.jpg" width="350">
According to the ad this is a Dodge Neon Car from the year 3697. Future classic indeed. On the bright side, manual transmissions will still be available at that time.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/4797753531….
Classic Z24 right here. Convertible, no less.
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00C0C_jBXnmYw0nMn_600x450.jpg">
Some day the market will wake up to the true value of these. Whether that is higher or lower I leave up to you.
http://maine.craigslist.org/cto/4794791845.html
Aren't we hitting a wave of '80s nostalgia right now? There are few cars more '80s.
<img src="http://tanshanomi.com/temp/image-macros/iseenoproblem.png">
The CB7 (1990-93) Honda Accord. I might be a bit biased, though.
Comfortable, efficient, classic styling, entertaining handling, and even the base model will bounce off the rev limiter in top gear (can personally attest to all of these, as best friend wrecked through at least 3 LX manuals in high school, and my dad had an EX wagon that was later, briefly, mine).
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00u0u_ci4Gp7o0uGY_600x450.jpg">
Unfortunately, to find a decent one, I had to skip my usual protocol of searching only locally, as they're all rusted in the Midwest.
<a href="http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/4819122190.html” target=”_blank”>http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/4819122190.html
Rusted is an understatement–it's rare for me to see one in Michigan that isn't rotted. I had an '88 that I had to sell in early 2008 when I was moving, but it had been garaged since 2001. Had only a few tiny bubbles under the paint in the usual rear corners.
I can picture both of these crossing the block at Mecum somewhere down the line…
1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe – $4300 (Tupper Lake)
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00g0g_fOMnTLW3KoN_600x450.jpg" width="600"> http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/4835675099.html
1981 Honda Accord LX 5 SPEED, nice – $5500 (Scotia)
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00y0y_gFjxzhGH9IG_600x450.jpg" width="600"> <a href="http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/4834249538.html” target=”_blank”>http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/4834249538.html
'93 DODGE STEALTH ES, Future Classic Car! – $2200
It's right in the title!
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00h0h_4te0DlFeLWz_600x450.jpg">
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00R0R_fvLROzcSFoC_600x450.jpg">
Maybe it won't actually survive into the future:
"Defects: Recent diagnostic work indicates two significant problems: 1) there might be 1 or 2 leaking fuel injectors responsible for white smoke from exhaust & 2) leaks in power steering pump and the rack & pinion. Other lesser defects include: 1) 2nd gear synchronizer grinds somewhat at normal shifting, 2) tach doesn't read accurately at higher rpms, 3) two dash light are constantly on, 4) spare tire is shredded, 5) hood piston won't keep hood open without support 6) driver's seat belt doesn't retract completely without assistance."
http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/4787804010.h…
http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/bnc/ctd/4820535426…
I don't think prices will go crazy for these, but some day we will wonder were all the panthers went.
This is a no-brainer future collectible: a 2008 Saturn Sky Redline Turbo. Cheap right now @ $13K with only 70K miles
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/4836296745.h…
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00i0i_7xHE0fM1UVM_600x450.jpg">
Sorry if I am wary of anything touted as a 'no brainer'.
The GLH and other Shelby Dodges get my nomination.
<img src="http://www.turbododge.com/forums/attachments/cars-sale/147233d1418170059-1985-dodge-omni-glh-t-3000-20141208_125313.jpg" width="600"> http://www.turbododge.com/forums/f7/f30/836561-19…
Cool name, semi-sleeper status, ties to the 60s-70s muscle cars…
That's a damn good answer.
Yikes, $28k! It'll be worth that much eventually… but in 2015, seems nuts. Am I wrong?
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00101_cmktc4DCd5k_600x450.jpg" width="500"> http://abbotsford.craigslist.ca/cto/4765506597.ht…
Downsizing collection, eh? More like, "My wife told me I have too many cars so I'll price them at what I told her they were worth because they're 'classics' and then when they don't sell I get to keep them because 'the market's too soft'." Yeah, right.
Selling the Cobra but keeping the SSR?
That dude is on crack.
<img src=http://hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2012-Cadillac-CTS-V-Wagon-lede.jpg"" width="600">
With a manual of course.
Courtesy embed:
<img src="http://hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2012-Cadillac-CTS-V-Wagon-lede.jpg">
<img src=http://hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/2012-Cadillac-CTS-V-Wagon-lede.jpg"" width="600">
URS4/6 has yo be a future classic, no?
I think the Starquest twins have a strong chance at collectibility.
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00O0O_f8fzdkJie8W_600x450.jpg">
<a href="http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/4832179144.html” target=”_blank”>http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/4832179144.html
I thought they were kinda already there.
He says he'll take guns and cash in trade. Maybe he should take a shop vac and Armor All in trade and clean his cars out before posting them for sale…
My '88 Accord was probably not a classic, although it was one of the first coupes built in the US. They do have a following, though.
As for future collectibility, what about the Merkurs? Granted, my XR4Ti had a passenger seat installed primarily for a mechanic that needed to ride shotgun (ancient Jaguar joke), but there are some out there who think it's worthy of repairing, restoring, repairing, maintaining, repairing, collecting and repairing. My preference is the one I owned with the dual-wing spoiler on the back–it turned heads! Still looks cool, and I gather that parts are still not too difficult to come by. Too bad the car itself was a festering pile of crap, reliability-wise, the entire time I owned it. Great body though–Karmann-built.
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/4759072138….
http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/cto/4760245781….
An unmolested Golf GTi will be a classic once the racer boy image fades a bit more. <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00h0h_bSAZiR5wEDY_600x450.jpg"> These go for less than $3k. Even this one in Tacoma has some light mods. <a href="http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/4832320639.html” target=”_blank”>http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/4832320639.html
Yes, I know there's a lot to go wrong. http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/audi/au…
But so stylish………and Ronin?
<img src="http://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/full/339491926.jpg"width="500">
These are still a bit pricey, but I'm betting they will be collectable in a couple of decades.
Acura ZDX. Modest cargo & people carrying abilities but man is it sexy. Here's a low mileage '10 for $28K http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehiclede…
<img src="http://images.autotrader.com/scaler/544/408/hn/e46a0e1ed54c4b92b97f87a1fa46faa8.jpg" width=600>
Nissan Cross Cabriolet. Sure, it's ridiculous, but that's why it's awesome.
New ones are mid $40K's, here's an '11 with under 30K for $23K. http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehiclede…
<img src="http://images.autotrader.com/scaler/544/408/hn/20672aa4a95c410d9f7247f6f05ed42e.jpg" width=600>