Craigslist Crapshoot

The World’s Worst Car Is For Sale On Craigslist
Welcome to Craigslist Crapshoot, our weekly search for the most bizarre, awesome, and/or terrible vehicles that the online classifieds has to offer. 
With computers in our pockets and spaceships almost making landings like they did in ’50s Sci-Fi, we are truly living in the future. Of course that’s not to say we don’t have plenty of future ahead, and last week we asked for what cars and trucks for sale you thought might make good investments for that future. We’ll revisit that in a sec, but first, this week’s quest.
The downside of buying a vehicle as an investment is that driving it can potentially negatively impact its value. This week let’s say the heck with that and go for cars and trucks that you may eventually lose money on, but that will be a blast on the way down. What I want is: the most horsepower you can find for under $5,000. Vroom, vroom, cheap, cheap.
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.

  1. 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 tips@hooniverse.info and we can put you on the whitelist
  2. If you don’t want an IDC account, you can create a wordpress.com account and do the same thing.
  3. 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, now let’s check out our potential portfolio enhancements.


Wow, from the looks of things the cars that are presently undervalued are being held onto by their present owners, who are savvily awaiting their eventual market explosion. There were a few potential earners out there, and I’d like to award honorable mention to mrh1965 for nominating a Chevy Cavalier Z24 convertible for only $1,500. I think that’s a car that down the road will garner a following, and is cheap enough to snap up and garage until it does.
The car however that I think will eventually demonstrate the investment acumen – if not the taste – of its buyer, is this ’11 Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet, found by salguod. That’s a car so weird and so unappreciable expensive when new, that its present near-half asking makes this one a decent investment opportunity. Rare, oddball, and likely never to be duplicated, the Cross Cabriolet was Nissan’s middle finger to conformity, and I think it’ll be worth something in that future we’re always told will come. Congrats, salguod!
http---www.autotrader.com-cars-for-sale-vehicledetails-CC
 

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  1. mrh1965 Avatar
    mrh1965

    An honorable mention, I'm pretty tickled, thanks! That Z24 was awesome, dude.
    I'll get the ball rolling this week with this (claimed) 600 HP Accord for $3500. That works out to $5.83 per horsepower, I believe. And why wouldn't you want to put 600 hp through the front wheels of your family sedan?!
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00606_cYmjEU7pdgg_600x450.jpg"&gt;
    http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/4820518132.html

    1. Rover_1 Avatar
      Rover_1

      That air-conditioning modification looks like it would be strikingly effective at extra cooling.
      As extra heating?
      Less so.

    2. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      At first glance I thought that was Ford Tempo…with a 500hp V16!

  2. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    My first option (A Skyline GT-R, for $3,500) disappeared before I could post it, but here is a '97 F-150 with a claimed 450 hp for $1,500. It just happens to have lunched its transmission.
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/Hs0AAOSwiCRUa0cU/$_20.JPG&quot; width="500">

  3. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    1968 Caprice wagon with a 396. In '68, the only 396 offered was the Turbo-Jet 325 hp (gross hp, but also 410 ft/lbs torque). Not bad for $3895
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00v0v_gUUGjiOwKGo_600x450.jpg"&gt;
    <a href="http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/cto/4809351338.html” target=”_blank”>http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/cto/4809351338.html

  4. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    Somebody has to go down this rabbit hole, right? 700hp for 49000€, just a bit below one million km in mileage. Great deal.
    <img src="http://pic.truckscout24.de/images-big/23/11/0015381123001.jpg&quot; width="600">

      1. Rover_1 Avatar
        Rover_1

        Now, all you need is Dennis Weaver and a Plymouth Duster?

        1. NotJustDucky Avatar
          NotJustDucky

          Just to be that guy, it was a Plymouth Valiant.

          1. Rover_1 Avatar
            Rover_1

            Thanks. Teach me not to check. Here's the poster to compensate. 🙂
            <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d4/Duel_poster.jpg&quot; width="300">

  5. Tomsk Avatar

    How does 275 horsepower for $2,000 strike ya? That's what this '95 Camaro Z28 offers.
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00x0x_2GxDHzEnFMs_600x450.jpg&quot; />
    <a href="http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/4826684971.html” target=”_blank”>http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/4826684971.html

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      That dust will fly right off!

      1. Wildcat_445 Avatar
        Wildcat_445

        And what a lovely shade of orange peel below that dust!

  6. nanoop Avatar
    nanoop

    The statistician in me wants the hp²/$ pie chart…

  7. muthalovin Avatar

    This is also a "future classic"
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/01111_c1KNhspGUPI_600x450.jpg"&gt;
    Rare 1992 3000gt VR4 – $2500
    Doesn't seem half bad (or half good)
    <a href="http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/4844186250.html” target=”_blank”>http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/4844186250.html

  8. mac350 Avatar
    mac350

    2000 XJR Suoercharged V8 for $5K. Not sure the horsepower rating for this Jaaaag but you also get walnut and snob appeal, all for $5 grand.
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00P0P_2btFPWB9Sy4_600x450.jpg&quot; width="600"> <a href="http://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/4824627642.html” target=”_blank”>http://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/4824627642.html

    1. Tomsk Avatar

      They were rated at 370 horsepower, if memory serves.

  9. mac350 Avatar
    mac350

    1974 Corvette – with motor and trans (?) $4K
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00r0r_5qydSrKW4AK_600x450.jpg&quot; width="600"> http://fayar.craigslist.org/cto/4820745428.html
    1984 Corvette – Runs and drives, as is $2,800
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00o0o_24LMuVJgn3e_600x450.jpg&quot; width="600"> http://fayar.craigslist.org/cto/4825344160.html

    1. mrh1965 Avatar
      mrh1965

      Was the 84 corvette the worst year for a corvette or the worstest year? Low on power, crossfire injection (iirc), hard riding, digital dash. Yikes.

      1. nanoop Avatar
        nanoop

        Now I somehow want one.

  10. muthalovin Avatar

    I have no idea what output is, but this is goddamn cool for $3500!
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00x0x_krB7K8CgwyN_600x450.jpg"&gt;
    hemi V8 1955 Desoto. hot rod rat rod classic automatic transm – $3500
    <a href="http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/4811004738.html” target=”_blank”>http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/4811004738.html

  11. salguod Avatar

    Hey look, In won! Cool.
    I think the Cross Cab will be a great buy in 7-8 years or so, closer to the bottom of the depreciation curve. Ditto on the ZDX I posted as well, but more like 10+ years out on that one.
    Now, let's see what I can find this week.

  12. salguod Avatar

    Does it need a car attached? Here's a "new" Chevy 408 (it says so on the tape on the valve cover)estimated to make 485hp for $4950:
    http://columbus.craigslist.org/pts/4843920229.htm
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00U0U_aJ0EH7pHoSc_600x450.jpg&quot; width="600/">
    If I can bust the price cap, here's a "Honda race engine" that was "professionally built as a magazine project:" and "Built to produce as much as 1000 HP with T76 turbo." It's sure shiny, but alas, it's $6K: http://columbus.craigslist.org/pts/4798093771.htm
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00707_jChRsRIBXeP_600x450.jpg&quot; width="600/">

    1. topdeadcentre Avatar
      topdeadcentre

      That Honda engine… I'll allow it.
      Especially if it can be mounted in a beat-up base-model Civic with a rollcage, to prank the LeMons Supreme Court…

      1. VolvoNut Avatar

        VTEC just kicked in, Yo!

      2. EriktheAwful Avatar
        EriktheAwful

        BOOM! within ten laps.

        1. Kiefmo Avatar

          Eh, just put a smaller turbo on it. Reliable 400hp still ain't shabby!

    2. Wildcat_445 Avatar
      Wildcat_445

      Hmmm…a B-series engine. Which means it should fit into my CR-V. With a big enough crowbar and hammer.

  13. salguod Avatar

    89 Conquest stuffed with a "built 360" V8. No idea of the power, but ought to be healthy. Besides, it's a V8 Conquest?
    http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/4825667296.htm
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00s0s_asDe5IC4df2_600x450.jpg&quot; width=600>

  14. Pinkerton1 Avatar
    Pinkerton1

    $4575 for a claimed 400-450 HP in this shit-brown base-model 79 Malibu sedan. http://wausau.craigslist.org/cto/4817743045.html
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00H0H_4dJmt1ntDhs_600x450.jpg"&gt;

  15. 1977chevytruck Avatar
    1977chevytruck

    1992 Subaru SVX AWD GREAT FOR WINTER
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/KBUAAOSwxYxUrJWx/$_20.JPG&quot; width="600">
    http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/1992-
    Only 230hp, but don't funky windows act as a multiplier?

  16. OA5599 Avatar
    OA5599

    http://neworleans.craigslist.org/rvs/4845826121.h
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00y0y_hyXmfXwX84M_600x450.jpg"&gt;
    300 HP diesel pusher, turning the wheels, and untold additional horsepower in the Skoal Bandit funny car on the side.

    1. EriktheAwful Avatar
      EriktheAwful

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_Jetstar_I
      345hp, not adjusted for inflation.

  17. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    Not sure exactly how much is available here, but the seller said he "added stickers on the back window for more horsepower," so I'd guess we're looking at at least 533hp here…
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00u0u_kXb7fSNlJTc_600x450.jpg"&gt; <a href="http://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/4821830981.html” target=”_blank”>http://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/4821830981.html

  18. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    450+ horsepower, for only $4995!
    … wait, where's the engine?
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00w0w_3XnUzCC2WWJ_600x450.jpg"&gt; <a href="http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/4808258542.html” target=”_blank”>http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/4808258542.html