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 originally intended for their 928 to replace the 911. That didn’t happen, and instead the two models lived side by side on dealer’s floors for a time. The 911 is still there while the 928 is only available through the classifieds. That’s just where we went to look for them last week, diving into the world of used V8 Porsche coupes and seeking the best deals we could find. We’ll see all that in a minute, but first, this week’s hunt!
Well, as you all saw, old Porsches can be money pits, either in the initial purchase or in the cost to bring them back from the dead. A car that has gained the opposite reputation—that of cheap wheels that will keep going no matter what—is the Toyota Corolla. Sure, there are a ton of deathly dull Corollas out there, cars that you might want to have breakdown every now and again just to spice things up. There have also been a number of way-cool Corollas, especially in the eighties. Let’s see if we can find any of those cool Corollas for sale. Once again, money is no object.
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 go sit on the Porsche.


Presumptions were fulfilled last week as the 928s found for sale ran the gamut from fright pigs you wouldn’t let a hobo camp in to pristine examples of ’80s excess that came with reciprocally high price tags.
OA5599 found us an example of the former, a $200 “car” that might serve for yard art or the basis for a crazy inventor’s flying car but little more. Likewise, I_Borgward came up with a green machine that looked like it had been saved from doom at the very last minute in a chop shop raid.
You might say to yourself, oh how the mighty have fallen, but then how would you explain cars like the $20K ’88 located by the nonplussed GTXcellent, or the blue car found by nanoop once tested by a Swedish car magazine?
With the exception of the Lotus Esprit, I don’t think there’s another limited production semi-exotic with such a broad spectrum of available conditions and potential heartbreak.
We’ll end here with the 1990 928 found by JayP as it both straddles the line, price-wise, and exemplifies what the 928 became in its later years with its Miami Vice white over burgundy presentation. Thanks to all for your participation.
Okay, let’s get Corolling!
1990 Porsche 928S4 * Grand Prix White * Texas 928 * STACKS OF RECORDS

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35 responses to “Craigslist Crapshoot”

  1. GTXcellent Avatar
    GTXcellent

    It may be an automatic, but this is a Yoda that I’d actually like to have, and $3500 seems like a pretty decent deal
    http://images.craigslist.org/00z0z_168hJ0h9NWo_600x450.jpg
    https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/cto/5614061524.html

  2. Andrew_theS2kBore Avatar
    Andrew_theS2kBore

    How about an all-original, rust free SR5?
    https://images.craigslist.org/00I0I_2BBdGMo7wFe_600x450.jpg
    https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/5580408424.html
    There’s a suggestion that the interior is a bit… crumbly, but buy this one for the body and source an interior from the less sunny states and you have a winner.

  3. Muthalovin Avatar
    Muthalovin

    An AE86 shell for $1500? I guess Nice Price, considering the market.
    https://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5603406688.html

    1. Andrew_theS2kBore Avatar
      Andrew_theS2kBore

      Plus, it comes with not one but FOUR period correct space saver spares!

      1. Kiefmo Avatar
        Kiefmo

        As Monkey once showed us, the key to easy low-speed drifting is mounting up four skinnies.

        1. Andrew_theS2kBore Avatar
          Andrew_theS2kBore

          Indeed. The intent of my comment was more to mock the sort of nonsense “classic” car sellers put in their CL ads when the car is clearly 90% destroyed.

        2. ol shel Avatar
          ol shel

          In the wet, sure. Space savers are also quite sticky, so you probably won’t get maximum drift satisfaction in the dry. If you do, it won’t be for long.

  4. Muthalovin Avatar
    Muthalovin

    Nice! Brown TE31! $3000
    https://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5578503640.html

    1. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      Isn’t that a ’70s Corolla? The E70 launched in March of 1979.

  5. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    I don’t remember the last time I saw one. Always thought the taillights were odd…
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/172230021848?item=172230021848&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466&rmvSB=true

  6. Tanshanomi Avatar

    I’ll be pedantic and point out that ’80-’81 Tercels were branded as the COROLLA Tercel for the North American market. This one is remarkably clean with only 90K. But dem wheels…
    http://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/5592276099.html
    http://images.craigslist.org/00J0J_5TO9PQLjWad_600x450.jpg

    1. longrooffan Avatar
      longrooffan

      saw this one earlier….it is nice but $6,200.00. Ouch.

      1. Alff Avatar
        Alff

        Yep. You can be sure grandma didn’t pay anything close to that.

    2. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      The seller’s misidentified it – that’s a Carina. The sedan version of the Celica. I remember when those first came out, and how I was fascinated with the taillights that wrap over the top (those always get me).
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Carina#First_generation_.281970.E2.80.931977.29_A10_.26_A30_series

      1. Alff Avatar
        Alff

        Thanks for that … I was confused by the appearance. One of my high school buds had a real ’72 Corolla we called “Sperm” because of the way it wobbled down the road with a bent axle. He later fixed the axle, put a JDM engine and racing slicks on it and played boy racer until he lost his license.

    1. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      “Rear quarters are cut out with overs screwed on.”
      “Overs”? Must be a Canadian thing.

  7. Inliner Avatar
    Inliner

    Probably the newest possible exciting Corolla – the 2005-2006 XRS.
    This is the one with the mandatory 6-speed manual, and 8200 rpm redline. This engine, in modified form, was installed in the Lotus Elise and Exige.
    This one is at $5500, though you should sell the HiDs to recoup your costs.
    http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/QJkAAOSwzJ5XVgE-/$_27.JPG
    http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/city-of-toronto/2005-toyota-corolla-xrs-sedan-condition:-excellent/1171722687?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Oh. Spoiler delete and a hat in the rear window – that’s how I’d drive it. Attractive deal!

    2. Kiefmo Avatar
      Kiefmo

      What about the even-harder-to-find 2.4L/5M XRS for 2009-2010? TORRRRRQUES!

    3. Guest Avatar
      Guest

      I’m not a big fan of JDM cars, baring the occasional curiosity, but I do like high revving engines in relatively unassuming 4-door sedans.

      In fact, if I ever decide I want a modern version of my SHO, then I’ll probably take a good look at one of these.

  8. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    https://i.imgflip.com/15iq84.jpg
    We had one for years, basically planning to set aside money for a more exciting car. That concept worked so darn well, and evolved, we ended up on a “money mustachian”-path leading to freedom from debt*. So I can’t understand why not all people who don’t care about cars (we do, so the Corolla’s gone) drive around in cheap, used Corollas. This ad hits the nail on the head: Seller is motivated to get rid of the boring car, after having tried it for its impeccable reputation. He had several crappy VWs before and the Toyota did what it was asked of. But because he is bored, he is selling it now at a loss for a measly 1200$ + registration. Bonus: V12 batch on the wagon door.
    http://m.finn.no/car/used/ad.html?finnkode=76469185
    https://finncdn.global.ssl.fastly.net/dynamic/960w/2016/5/vertical-3/26/l/nul/l_429119701.jpg
    https://finncdn.global.ssl.fastly.net/dynamic/960w/2016/5/vertical-3/26/l/nul/l_1502709981.jpg
    *I never deleted the sales listing. Turns out the photos are still online:
    https://finncdn.global.ssl.fastly.net/dynamic/960w/2013/5/vertical-3/25/4/418/437/64_1722122832.jpg
    https://finncdn.global.ssl.fastly.net/dynamic/960w/2013/5/vertical-3/25/4/418/437/64_1776522233.jpg

  9. Inliner Avatar
    Inliner

    It seems that every single unmolested AE85/AE86 Corolla around nowadays is automatic. The price though is probably at the very top of the market, especially for an automatic, though it does only have 67,000 km (~41,500 miles).
    1985 Corolla SR5 Auto – $11,995 CAD (~$9500 USD)
    http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/MJQAAOSwnFZXUACJ/$_27.JPG
    http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/ottawa/1985-toyota-corolla-sport-sr5/1170376817?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Now this suddenly feels like Bring-A-Trailer.

    2. Kiefmo Avatar
      Kiefmo

      Itsuki will take it!

  10. Inliner Avatar
    Inliner

    On a slightly related tangent – I saw a 1968 Corolla 2-door sedan in a blueish color listed on Kijiji (for $4,200 CAD, IIRC) about a year and a half ago, and I was floored. To this day, it remains the only 1st gen Corolla I’ve ever seen for sale, though admittedly I don’t peruse every day.

  11. salguod Avatar

    Here’s a “1989 Corolla Race Car” for $8K. He says it’ll run low 12s (!) “if you can find traction”. It’s running Weber side draft carbs, which is kinda cool, and he lists an impressive sounding array of go faster engine parts. 5 sped and an LSD. 11K redline.
    http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/5588288463.html
    Allas, the one and only image is a close up of the engine:
    http://images.craigslist.org/01414_9wzW8lfCTVf_600x450.jpg
    For reference, here’s a 1989 Corolla (the ad doesn’t say coupe or SR5 or wagon, so I assume it’s a 4 door):
    http://starmoz.com/images/toyota-corolla-1989-8.jpg

  12. Fuhrman16 Avatar
    Fuhrman16

    1977 Toyota Corolla SR5 Liftback. Has a little shooting brake vibe going on.
    http://images.craigslist.org/01313_grxM8swpcpm_600x450.jpg
    http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/5557560444.html

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Wow. I truly like this one; fair price, too. Great find!

  13. JayP Avatar
    JayP

    Woot!

  14. RHParish Avatar
    RHParish

    So, the listing may be the definition of “sketchy,” but I was on the lookout for an FX16 GTS and did’t find many other than this one. Here’s what it should look like: http://only-carz.com/data_images/gallery/02/toyota-corolla-fx-l/toyota-corolla-fx-l-10.jpg

  15. RHParish Avatar
    RHParish

    There’s also a less sketchy but less hot-hatch-y one on sale on Ebay right now. $10,900 might be steep for a Corolla (same engine as the FX16? I don’t know) but this one seems mighty fine. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-Corolla-GT-S-Sport-/191888273716?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2cad6eb134:g:E~0AAOSw1KxXMmyH&item=191888273716 http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yEEAAOSwl-FXMmyJ/s-l1600.jpg