Craigslist Crapshoot

Robert Emslie

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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. For last week’s scavenger hunt  you were tasked to round up some captive imports, which considering they are already captive, that shouldn’t have been too tough, right?  We’ll find out just how hard it was after the jump, but first this week’s assignment!

They say turn-around is fair play, and while I think that phrase has its origins in exhibiting proper manners when bumping uglies, we’re going to usurp it today in our search for the anti-captive import. This week, I want you all to find American-built cars, advertised for sale in other countries, the farther away the better. Moroccan Mustangs? Cretan Corvettes? Bring ’em on.

And as usual, 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
Craigslist Crapshoot doesn’t work if your candidates don’t get seen, so hopefully following one of these options will ensure that the floodgates of crap are fully open. And now, Let’s go catch us some imports!
When it comes to captive imports, the farthest down the rabbit hole a maker may go is to actually create a unique brand under whose umbrella their products may shelter. GM did that with the pot luck dinner that was Geo, and Ford similarly created the inscrutably unpronounceable Merkur (mur-kur? mair-ker?  murk-air?) brand. One of those invented brands was the Canadian-only Envoy, a GM off-shoot intended as a mechanism for marketing Vauxhalls in our neighbor to the north.
 
Last week oldcarjunkie hit pay dirt, finding an ad on the Alberta Kijiji for a 1969 Envoy Epic. This non-runner is a rare example of the ironically named car based on the Vauxhall Viva- itself a heavily badge-engineered version of the Opel Kadett A. Considering the lineage and the rarity, it’s easy to see why oldcarjunkie’s find earns him the crown as Craigslist Crapshoot king this week. Well done!
 
Envoy Epic
Image: Alberta Kajiji

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Robert Emslie

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68 responses to “Craigslist Crapshoot”

  1. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3E83Lf3Na5L85Gd5Fed4979da2cbaae831658.jpg"&gt;
    Jeep Liberty in Zagreb. Of course, this is almost cheating as Jeeps are just as popular in Europe as they are in the USofA.
    <a href="http://zagreb.craigslist.org/cto/3732780562.html” target=”_blank”>http://zagreb.craigslist.org/cto/3732780562.html

    Reply
  2. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    This is bizarre. It was listed on the Craiglist in Finland. It's a Chatteroy, WA man trying to trade his Mustang for the removal of a brain cyst? Real? Probably not. It did get local media attention!
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3Fb3L73N85I95F45Hcd5j136869f56ef517a1.jpg"&gt;
    <a href="http://helsinki.fi.craigslist.fi/cto/3815472163.html” target=”_blank”>http://helsinki.fi.craigslist.fi/cto/3815472163.html

    Reply
    1. erikgrad Avatar
      erikgrad

      I'm not a neurosurgeon, but for that Mustang GT…. sure, I'll give it a try

      Reply
      1. fodder650 Avatar
        fodder650

        Normally the replies shouldn't win but I think that comment should at least get a special mention next week.

        Reply
        1. engineerd Avatar
          engineerd

          I second that!

          Reply
        2. RegalRegalia Avatar
          RegalRegalia

          As an indictment of the US heathcare system.

          Reply
  3. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3Eb3Ja3Nb5E45Kd5M1d5m54aa9be2a8f01cc7.jpg"&gt;
    99 Acura integra turbo 100k miles – $7500 (Yigo) (Guam or Micronesia)
    "Won the Utah car show as the best foreign car"
    <a href="http://micronesia.craigslist.org/cto/3821154297.html” target=”_blank”>http://micronesia.craigslist.org/cto/3821154297.html

    Reply
  4. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3L53J33H55Lb5N65K5d5j82dd2d87f5ce10f5.jpg"&gt;
    honda acord 94 – IQD2500 (6625 @lta drive) (Iraq)
    Baghdad Craigslist!!! Awesome!
    <a href="http://baghdad.craigslist.org/cto/3817043535.html” target=”_blank”>http://baghdad.craigslist.org/cto/3817043535.html

    Reply
  5. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3K93J53Hf5Ib5F75J4d4p19a70009d2e21561.jpg"&gt;
    1959 chevy apache truck – KWD10000 (Kuwait)
    Sadly, Kuwait's CL is chocked full of cars from California. I was really hoping that DeLorean was for realz.
    http://kuwait.craigslist.org/cta/

    Reply
    1. 68monk Avatar
      68monk

      What's weirder is that that pic looks like it was taken in a driveway in California…

      Reply
      1. Vairship Avatar
        Vairship

        I think that that's what he was referring to: there aren't too many Craftsman style houses in Kuwait.

        Reply
  6. smalleyxb122 Avatar
    smalleyxb122

    Captive import US made badgineered egregiousness: The Toyota Cavalier!
    <img src="http://www.japanesevehicles.com/photos/M/147020/147020-2.jpg"&gt;
    http://www.japanesevehicles.com/vehicle_details.p…

    Reply
    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      It's a Toyota, so it's reliable, right?

      Reply
  7. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3Lc3M73Ib5L55E15J2d5673732f9a83eb17c1.jpg"&gt;
    Chrysler PT Cruiser – $8000 (Orewa, North Shore) (New Zealand)
    Crack. Pipe.
    <a href="http://auckland.craigslist.org/cto/3789549922.html” target=”_blank”>http://auckland.craigslist.org/cto/3789549922.html

    Reply
    1. C³-Cool Cadillac Cat Avatar
      C³-Cool Cadillac Cat

      RHD, too.
      There's no way someone would pay to have this converted…at least nobody in their right mind!
      Wait…PT Loser…in NZ.
      Nevermind.
      FWIW, import regulations on LHD vehicles to NZ state, if you do not convert it to RHD, you may not sell it for 10 years after you imported it.
      I was seriously considering moving there for a time, back in 1999.

      Reply
      1. muthalovin Avatar
        muthalovin

        Scared of Y2K also?

        Reply
        1. C³-Cool Cadillac Cat Avatar
          C³-Cool Cadillac Cat

          Nope, just wanted a change.
          Will get there, someday, though more likely 'Stralia.

          Reply
      2. sporty88au Avatar
        sporty88au

        It's not a conversion – Australia and NZ got RHD PT Cruisers ex-factory.

        Reply
        1. C³-Cool Cadillac Cat Avatar
          C³-Cool Cadillac Cat

          Allow me to apologise on behalf of the US and Chrysler for unloading that POS on that market.

          Reply
  8. Number_Six Avatar
    Number_Six

    2010 Suburban for sale in Cyprus but advertised on a South Korean car sales site. What do I win?
    http://autowini.com/en/Cars/Used-Chevrolet-Suburb…

    Reply
    1. fodder650 Avatar
      fodder650

      I'm guessing some kind of Kevin Bacon award.
      <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Kevin_Bacon_Comic-Con_2012.jpg&quot; width=500 />

      Reply
      1. Number_Six Avatar
        Number_Six

        <img src="http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view2/1536265/kevin-bacon-finger-crossed-o.gif&quot; />

        Reply
  9. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3Gb3M33Nf5I55Nc5J3d4tc63ec3c8fd4f1fc3.jpg"&gt;
    FORD F 100 MOTOR PERKINS – $21000 (Roque Perez Bs. As.) (Buenos Aires)
    Nice. Price.
    <a href="http://buenosaires.en.craigslist.org/cto/3773677572.html” target=”_blank”>http://buenosaires.en.craigslist.org/cto/3773677572.html

    Reply
    1. Tim Odell Avatar
      Tim Odell

      It seems CL Photo Technique is an international thing.

      Reply
  10. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3Ke3G53H85Ie5E95H3d58153554ec66701e28.jpg"&gt;
    CHEVROLET APACHE 1955 CLASICA – $4500 (CUENCA ECUADOR)
    RAD
    <a href="http://quito.en.craigslist.org/cto/3793353604.html” target=”_blank”>http://quito.en.craigslist.org/cto/3793353604.html

    Reply
  11. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    Found on Tokyo Craigslist, arriving at the port of Tokyo soon.
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3L13F13Hc5N55Ka5Jdd5h9f8fe2eadd1714c3.jpg"&gt;
    Admittedly also comes with rather nice Camaro

    Reply
    1. muthalovin Avatar
      muthalovin

      I was going to go to Japan for this CL Crapshoot, but I needed to get a little work done today or I would get fired.

      Reply
  12. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    Also, here's a conversion van in Japan.
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3I93F43N25Id5Fe5Jfd5d233bffd6b1a915ba.jpg"&gt;
    Conversion vans are a thing there, aren't they?

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      "Specially enhanced driving position helps driver avoid hitting curbs…"

      Reply
    2. Fenian Avatar
      Fenian

      I don't know about conversion vans specifically, but the Dajiban phenomenon was covered here in 2010.
      http://hooniverse.info/2010/02/24/japanese-combine…

      Reply
  13. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    I gotta say, I am having a ball!
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3G13M43N65Ia5K95Fed5f171781b9c87113b4.jpg"&gt;
    74 FORD LTD ONLY 29K ORGINAL – EUR1700 (VIENNA) (Austria, probably)
    If that thing was around me, I would seriously look at it.
    <a href="http://vienna.de.craigslist.at/cto/3786024441.html” target=”_blank”>http://vienna.de.craigslist.at/cto/3786024441.html

    Reply
    1. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      I think that's a '75 or later LTD. My uncle had a '75.

      Reply
      1. toxicavenger1 Avatar
        toxicavenger1

        5 Digit odometer on that car,beginning to see a lot of that " 29 thousand miles" my butt.

        Reply
        1. dukeisduke Avatar
          dukeisduke

          The way the paint is wearing off, it looks like it's been run through a billion car washes, and/or waxed a billion times. I'm guessing it's 129,000 miles.

          Reply
    2. fodder650 Avatar
      fodder650

      I think you just Shant'ed all over the place.
      Muthalovin will understand this.

      Reply
  14. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3K33Ia3Nc5Le5H55M5d5de46fccb028601178.jpg"&gt;
    Pristine 2005 Mustang GT – NOK145000 (Tammerfors, Finland)
    "Machine is located in Ylöjärvi, near Tampere Finland."
    <a href="http://oslo.en.craigslist.org/cto/3802466019.html” target=”_blank”>http://oslo.en.craigslist.org/cto/3802466019.html

    Reply
  15. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    I am so sad there is not any photos!
    1997 S10 pickup – RUB3500 (moscow)
    http://moscow.craigslist.org/cto/3792553605.html

    Reply
  16. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    A '49 Willys Jeep in South Africa…by way of Berlin.
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzUwWDEwMDA=/$T2eC16d,!zEE9s3!Y8u0BR%28ofrl19w~~48_12.JPG">
    http://www.gumtree.co.za/cp-cars-in-george/1949-w…

    Reply
    1. fodder650 Avatar
      fodder650

      "By way of Berlin" shouldn't it be a '45 then?

      Reply
      1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        The U.S. occupation of Berlin officially lasted until the western allies established the state of West Germany in May of 1949.

        Reply
        1. fodder650 Avatar
          fodder650

          Darned good point there. I was thinking invasion of Berlin instead of occupation but you have a darned good point. Which would be why they would have been left there.

          Reply
        2. P161911 Avatar
          P161911

          And we had US Army bases in Berlin until 1994.

          Reply
  17. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    Another South African find: A US-spec 1991 Honda 1500 Gold Wing SE.
    (And yes, the Gold Wing was built in USA — worldwide production was in Marysville, OH from 1981–2009)
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjY0WDEwMDA=/$T2eC16F,!zQE9s3sqJPMBRdidgOozQ~~48_12.JPG">
    http://www.gumtree.co.za/cp-motorcycles-scooters-…

    Reply
  18. C³-Cool Cadillac Cat Avatar
    C³-Cool Cadillac Cat

    Rookies…though Muthalovin has the perfect idea.
    Take American land yacht, move it to where fuel is $9/gallon, proceed to walk everywhere.
    http://oslo.en.craigslist.org/ctd/3802020364.html
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3G93Fa3L55Lb5Gf5Mad5d815585111f851003.jpg&quot; width="400">
    Muthalovin gets credit for this, too, as he steered me to it…wit dat variable ratio tilt/telescope steering, yo!
    This dealership, in Norway, appears to cater to those who want American vehicles. Who'dah thunk?
    Having owned a yellow version of this same car, I can say 8 MPG is about all you're gonna get out of the non-lockup three-speed and 472.

    Reply
    1. muthalovin Avatar
      muthalovin

      Awesome. If I am ever in Norway, this dealership is on the short list of tourist destinations.

      Reply
    2. engineerd Avatar
      engineerd

      My wife's best friend is Norwegian. Her parents spent a couple months here years ago traveling around the country. They bought a Suburban do do their travels in figuring they would just sell it when they were getting ready to go back. They loved it so much they paid to have it shipped over to Norway and licensed for use there.

      Reply
      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        Did they pay import duty? This depends on how long you have lived outside of Norway, if it has been long enough, I think you get away with paying 25% VAT. If not, the tax well in Norway is deep. Very deep.
        A taste: A 2011 Suburban will set you back 900000NOK, that is 155000$. Taxes on cars are based on weight, displacement and CO2-emissions. Can you see the 'burb getting red cheeks?:
        <img src="http://finncdn.no/mmo/2013/3/vertical-3/13/2/403/556/82_2098132663_xl.jpg&quot; width="600">

        Reply
        1. engineerd Avatar
          engineerd

          I have no idea of the details. I just thought it was odd considering how expensive gas is.

          Reply
  19. Tomsk Avatar
    Tomsk

    How about a pro touring '68 Firebird from that hotbed of American muscle car activity…Amsterdam?
    <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v315/cliffcamaro/IMG_0399.jpg&quot; width="500" />
    <a href="http://stockholm.sv.craigslist.se/cto/3806394595.html” target=”_blank”>http://stockholm.sv.craigslist.se/cto/3806394595.html

    Reply
    1. fodder650 Avatar
      fodder650

      In the paperwork is a note "Traded for ten kilos in 1977"

      Reply
  20. Manic_King Avatar
    Manic_King

    1972 Gran Ville: http://eng.auto24.ee/used/880912?id=880912&ca…
    <img src="http://img10.auto24.ee/auto24/560/777/22916777.jpg&quot; width="555">

    Reply
    1. Manic_King Avatar
      Manic_King

      Or…1972 Lincoln Continental http://eng.auto24.ee/used/803023
      <img src="http://img10.auto24.ee/auto24/560/853/20441853.jpg&quot; width="555">

      Reply
  21. Manic_King Avatar
    Manic_King

    4 door Excalibur….. http://eng.auto24.ee/used/895241
    <img src="http://img1.auto24.ee/auto24/560/718/23327718.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. Manic_King Avatar
      Manic_King

      Aztec in Lithuania (pics are from US though): http://en.auto.plius.lt/ads/pontiac-aztek-3-4-l-m…
      <img src="http://img1.oplius.lt/beta.plius.lt/images/anns/autoplius/2/29178/41/naudoti-automobiliai_7322020_thumbnail.jpg"&gt;

      Reply
      1. dukeisduke Avatar
        dukeisduke

        Yay! An Aztek far away, where I don't have to see it on the road!

        Reply
      2. P161911 Avatar
        P161911

        There is an Aztek for sale down the street from me. A large oak tree fell on it last week and crushed it. I'm not sure if it was for sale before the tree fell on it or just after. Anybody looking for a LeMons ride?

        Reply
    2. fodder650 Avatar
      fodder650

      An Excalibur registered in Estonia?! How? Why?!

      Reply
      1. Manic_King Avatar
        Manic_King

        That's not the only one. I have no idea why, maybe some limo people saw it as a nice cash cow. Bad taste exists everywhere. I guess limo owners are not the most stylish bunch, not here nor there.

        Reply
  22. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    This is what the Norwegian Amcar-enthusiast considers a proper car: 1966 Cadillac Deville:
    <img src="http://finncdn.no/mmo/2013/5/vertical-3/20/7/417/418/67_1883854013_xl.jpg&quot; width="600">
    I'm coming back later for more ontopic vehicles, but what I found yesterday got me really excited. A guy selling off his Toyota Crown 7 seater station wagon and a super cheap Toyota Crown sedan. Both apparently in good original shape, black and with a stick. That's a Toyota family I could live with.
    <img src="http://finncdn.no/mmo/2013/5/vertical-3/19/3/406/739/13_1774202210_xl.jpg&quot; width="300">
    <img src="http://finncdn.no/mmo/2013/5/vertical-3/19/3/417/114/53_1084054428_xl.jpg&quot; width="300">

    Reply
  23. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    BCAS-Approved 1978 Buick Le Sabre Landau in Leinden.
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDgyWDcyNg==/$%28KGrHqF,!rkFE3Dzef7pBRkjchI%29Y!~~48_1.JPG">
    My god it's glorious.

    Reply
  24. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    How about an American personal luxury car living in Emmerich, Deutschland?
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$T2eC16VHJH8E9qSEWJ3,BRnBoUedUQ~~_19.JPG"&gt;
    Screw the Kyoto Protocol!

    Reply
  25. joshuman Avatar
    joshuman

    I did some recce yesterday to prepare for today's crapshoot (what, you don't?) and found two things totally not matching the theme this week. Regardless, they must be shared.
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3Ef3Mc3Ic5N85E45K4d5ieb23c97f0f7c10be.jpg"&gt;
    $23,000 http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/3812909076….
    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3K13Fe3Jb5Gc5K45J9d5f08d639e3a01b1a93.jpg"&gt; $40,000 http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/3808236675….

    Reply
  26. smokyburnout Avatar
    smokyburnout

    <img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3Ed3K13M65I35Kc5M8d4tc7f3f18f9f5b1de2.jpg"&gt;
    Nothing JDM about an Eclipse. Built in Illinois! <a href="http://taipei.craigslist.com.tw/cto/3774131006.html” target=”_blank”>http://taipei.craigslist.com.tw/cto/3774131006.html

    Reply
  27. Pinkerton1 Avatar
    Pinkerton1

    1980 Oldsmobile Omega. The last letter in the Greek alphabet, and the last American car you should spend 280,000 of your hard earned Rubles to own. Ad is current, pictures are from 2010. 280,000 rubles = $8923.59 USD. http://www.ooyyo.net/detail/c=CD5A2F7114D2854F111…
    <img src="http://avto-ug.ru/upload/avto-ug.ru-web-bb60b601975c2c62d2fa9bd979012659.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. salguod Avatar
      salguod

      A $9K Russian 1980 Olds Omega? That's a lot of crack pipe in one phrase.

      Reply
  28. mallthus Avatar
    mallthus

    There seem to be a sick number of Pontiac TranSports in Germany. I say sick because…really…a TranSport?
    <img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/02/!!tH3v4QB20~$(KGrHqF,!i8EzNo,!j8MBM1B+hbyp!~~_19.JPG" width=600>
    http://goo.gl/HGpD1

    Reply
    1. salguod Avatar
      salguod

      It's a Pontiac based on the interior (although image #5 seems like a different car) but that's an Olds Silhouette nose.
      And I love all the extra lights in the tailgate.

      Reply
      1. FoxfireGlow Avatar
        FoxfireGlow

        The shuttlecraft vans did better in the European market than the US market due to the Espace having been around to sort of prepare them for the looks, so when they restyled them to look more conventional in the U.S. they just put the old Silhouette nose on the Trans Sport for the European market.

        Reply