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. 
Porsche has always maintained that, while their products target the affluent, there is always an entry-level option for those of lessor means. That’s called a used Porsche. We looked at used Porsches last week, confining the search to those that were water-cooled and front engined, and under the limitations of a $20K price cap and the exclusion of the current Panamera and Cayenne models. We’ll see the best of what’s left in a sec, but first this week’s challenge.
One of the most unexpected competitors for Porsche came in the form of Datsun’s (later Nissan’s) Z cars. From the 240Z of 1970 all the way through to the 370Z of today, the Z-series has provided bang for the buck and often drop-dead good looks. This week, let’s see if we can’t find the best Z-cars the used car market has to offer. Price is no object, but it better be validated by the car.
As always, we want your finds to go down in infamy and not in the site’s spam filter. Since we’ve changed commenting systems, you may need to update your commenter account. Make sure you have a Disqus account – they’re free and easy to get – and then comment away.

Got that? Good, now let’s see what’s a good entry-level Porsche.


When you stipulate that water-cooled Porsches need to be front-engine, you immediately eliminate all of the current 911 models, and all the Boxsters and Caymans. Further strip away the Panamera executive hatch, and the Cayenne Crossover and you’re left with basically only two models, one of which extended across three distinct iterations.
The first of course is the 928, originally intended to replace the 911, but instead outlived by it. That V8 GT features legendary styling and and an exhaust growl like an avalanche of lions.
The second is the car that Volkswagen originally commissioned Porsche to execute as a model for Audi. Once that plan fell through, Porsche kept the car, and its weaksauce Audi mill, and put it into production as the 914-replacing 924. The effete 924 begat the should-have-been-this-in-the-first-place 944, and out of that eventually grew the lovely but long in the tooth 968.
The $20K price limit stymied many of you in finding cars that otherwise fit the selection criteria, but there were some appreciably good buys to be had. The best of those seems to be this 1988 928S4 found by Kiefmo. Yeah, it’s an automatic, but it also looks to have had just about every major and minor go-bad item replaced along the way. That potentially makes it worth topping out our price limit, and even with the automatic, it’ll probably keep on going up in value if it’s kept nice.
Way to go Kiefmo, and thanks to you all for playing. Now, let’s catch some Zs!
1988 Porsche 928S4 928 Black

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14 responses to “Craigslist Crapshoot”

  1. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    1990 300ZX. I love these cars and this one looks to be pretty decent for the asking price. Could use a good cleaning, particularly on that lovely red velour interior.
    http://images.craigslist.org/00I0I_2vweL753DOb_600x450.jpg
    http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/5413795694.html

  2. mdharrell Avatar

    Quantity has a quality all its own: “I have over 50 other z’s in my collection in various conditions that I need to find a good home for.” One of them presumably is the best.
    http://images.craigslist.org/00B0B_14718gVkSyZ_600x450.jpg
    http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/5449246308.html

    1. Texlenin Avatar
      Texlenin

      Think I used to ask this guy questions on the z forums, back in the day……

      1. nanoop Avatar
        nanoop

        That’s the right car for a certain Zaphod!

  3. Andrew_theS2kBore Avatar
    Andrew_theS2kBore

    350Zs are such a rich vein of absolute Craigslist Crap that for once I’m going the other direction. The asking price is actually quite reasonable for a race proven TT1 car.
    http://images.craigslist.org/00m0m_8sUOWZqADrn_600x450.jpg
    https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/5452973431.html

  4. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    Sometimes you think you’re looking for something specific until you realize you were looking for something else altogether. For example, when you type “280Z 2+2” into Search Tempest.
    http://quadcities.craigslist.org/cto/5458624278.html

  5. Gryphon68 Avatar
    Gryphon68

    Runway Racing anyone? – 940RWHP Twin Turbo 350Z
    http://killeen.craigslist.org/cto/5446921412.html

  6. Fuhrman16 Avatar
    Fuhrman16

    Not necessarily cheap at 19 grand, but it does have a supercharged V8.
    http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/5422933751.html
    http://images.craigslist.org/01010_pd7igxzGKa_600x450.jpg

    1. ol shel Avatar
      ol shel

      The V8 should actually lower the price.

  7. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    Custom Widebody 240Z!

    Actually, I think the widebody kit kind of wrecks the looks of the the only Z-Car I like*, but whatever floats your boat.

    http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTk4WDgwMA==/z/IqUAAOSwvUlWrPGT/$_27.JPG

    http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/calgary/1973-datsun-240z-widebody/1136615972?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

    *I respect the others, but the 240Z (and 260Z) are more my style.

  8. Gryphon68 Avatar
    Gryphon68

    Not CL, but a super clean 280 up for bid over on BaT . . .

    1983 Datsun 280ZX 5-Speed

  9. mrh1965 Avatar
    mrh1965

    Not much to look at in Houston so I found this pretty red 260 in Vegas. Yes, it appears to be 2+2 and auto but so red! And festive.
    http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/5424351073.html