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 I asked fro something pretty specific, which was cars that possessed two qualities, a straight six engine, and a pillarless greenhouse. It doesn’t get much more fine-tuned than that. We’ll see who’s the most six cyliner pillarless of the community in a minute, but first, this week’s used car challenge!
This week I want to go back to the back. What I want is Japanese sedans that are rear-wheel drive and DOHC. As an added bone to be thrown, I’ll allow Rotary engines in addition to those double cammers.
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.
- 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**@ho********.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
Jeff Glucker
So close!
<img src="http://birdphotographic.com/gallery/var/resizes/Cressida/IMG_4184small.jpg?m=1370156668" width="600">
<a href="http://www.celicasupra.com/forums/showthread.php?71480-85-Cressida-Wagon-3500-obo-San-Diego” target=”_blank”>http://www.celicasupra.com/forums/showthread.php?71480-85-Cressida-Wagon-3500-obo-San-Diego
How has that not sold yet!?
There's a guy from MN coming to check it out next month, and if he doesn't take it, it's going to eBay.
I think that a lot of people thought the J30 was just another lux'd up Maxima like the i30 (or worse, a lux'd 1st gen Altima, which it resembles), but they were RWD and sported the venerable VG30DE.
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00z0z_eegxXmjg3L9_600x450.jpg">
<a href="http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/3950670129.html” target=”_blank”>http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/3950670129.html
The J30 is one of those always-just-under-my-radar favorites that I forget about, then re-notice every once in a while.
Basically a 4-door 300ZX.
…packaged up in a really ugly wrapper.
I kind of have a crush on LS400's of any 90's vintage right now… anyone have any experience with them?
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3Gf3K53sf5Nf5re5q7d7f82b17fc914321bfc.jpg" width=500> <a href="http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ctd/3936920685.html” target=”_blank”>http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/ctd/3936920685.html
A friend of mine has one. He bought it for super cheap, but it's really cushy and runs very well. Kinda sluggish for a V8, but seems like one of the best bang-for-the-buck bargains on the market right now.
He managed to make it do this…
<img src="http://i.imgflip.com/1shb3.gif">
That's super low miles for an LS, much less that car. Price is now on the high side of 'okay'. I'm now seeing early LS430s dipping under $10k, but for a rougher example.
The LS: Fabulous Barcaloungers on wheels. Insane build and material quality, even 20 years on for the early LSes. Can be made to handle surprisingly well for a big car for not a lot of cash (Addco rear sway bar + poly sway bar bushings all the way around FTW). The designs and cars have aged very well, overall. Used parts supply and availability is pretty good.
The later LS400s ('98-on, like the one you're scoping out) get surprisingly decent highway mileage, I've heard. Downsides: Thirsty, not as big inside/trunk as one would think. Snow tires: Mandatory. Timing belt changes 90-100k miles; pre '98 cars are non-interference, later ones: interference. The optional air ride, when it works, is nifty. Otherwise, it's nightmarish. Easy enough to fix or ditch when it croaks.
I'd probably go the pre-98 route for around 2 and do things that shouldn't be done in a vehicle of that type. Thanks for the info.
There's a '90 LS400 that races LeMons in the Midwest. The car is extremely overbuilt, but despite its considerable heft, it blows the doors off of just about everything else in the region. 250 HP in LeMons may as well be 1,000.
Another team just put a 1UZ in a Cressida and it's way more power than they were expecting. If you just want the motor, they can generally be had for a couple Benjamins from a junkyard.
Not sure if that's helpful if you're looking for a street car.
The LS is supposed to be ridiculously bulletproof, but parts and repairs are expensive. The starter is nestled in the valley between the heads, which makes it a pain to replace. I read somewhere recently where someone said they had sat in on a presentation by Toyota engineers that said the LS and Previa were the most durable cars Toyota had made in quite awhile.
As someone who saw a supercharged-swapped '92 Previa get jump heights in a sandpit that the guys with sandrails wouldn't attempt to reach, yeah, they're durable.
Yakuza style for me please.
I've heard certain items are extremely hard and expensive to replace, like the rear windshield. But other than that they are bombproof. The 1UZ is an extremely good engine, if a bit overburdened in this heavy a body. It's easy to get more than a quarter million miles out of the drivetrain without any major work. They parts bin fairly well, as it shares a bunch of parts with a ton of other cars up and down the range. A friend of mine in college had one, a 96 that served him very well. Mileage is quite respectable at around 20 average, as they have a VERY good coefficient of drag. A little boring, but beautiful build, super comfy, resonably fun to throw around, and cheaper than dirt, to buy and maintain. You could certainly do worse.
I don't know why more of these aren't showing up in T-Buckets and '32 Highboys…
<img src="http://cdn.speedhunters.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_6454.jpg" width="512">
Try Wheeler Dealer's episode on the car!
(Can't embed Youtube from phone)
How about a tasty Infiniti M45. Pay no mind to the interior neon and jumbo speaker box.
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00u0u_ikiDUAolJy2_600x450.jpg" width="500"> http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/3971052746.htm…
The styling is a little funky, but I like them. You get the Q's engine in a smaller package. A real sleeper.
I went looking for one of these when I read the question. None available locally. Cool car.
The $6500 XJC lost out to that?
Sad Jag is sad.
The Mazda 929 was available with a DOHC V6 and RWD until the Millenia replaced it. I forgot that these existed.
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00N0N_ihod22J59o3_600x450.jpg" width="500"> http://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/3915362820.html
Probably due to the styling. It's like camouflage.
Totally of topic, but I found this today, and it is awesome:
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00E0E_7cK6kLZzWph_600x450.jpg">
1970's Haflinger 4wd Jeep – $3000
LOOK AT IT! SQUEEEE
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00r0r_1XbfpcXh8Ar_600x450.jpg">
http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/3971566265.html
My neighbour has a couple of similar Bucher tractor's that he actually uses for farming work on our hills. Incredibly capable vehicles that will usually move at below walking speed.
There's something faintly telling about the photos that deliberately hide the questionable body kit.
<img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTQwWDcyMA==/$T2eC16NHJIkE9qU3jcd3BR0E!GtdvQ~~48_20.JPG" width="500">
Puttin' the crap back in crapshoot. (Though I quite like the normal Lexus LS)
"Mechanic's special"
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00u0u_2KzQM7Hr2UM_600x450.jpg">
He made sure to list it 6 times, in case the bright green and chrome didn't catch your attention the first time.
I'll only post one of them though, because I care.
<a href="http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/3963371088.html” target=”_blank”>http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/3963371088.html
That's awesome. I wonder what its problem is? Hopefully not the starter motor…
I'm going to guess something power steering related…
Does she come with it?
A Toyota Crown Royal in Moose Jaw, which is not something I would expect.
<img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDg2WDY0OA==/$(KGrHqVHJBkFHJ74iinDBR16qMWdu!~~48_20.JPG" width="500">
Sask JDM for the win.
Well, it's not that far from Gimli.
2JZ from the factory, yo!
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00A0A_2sYAkaBi562_600x450.jpg" />
Only $1,500!
Infinity M30, only $1000
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3G63F33J85r55sa5H1d6s2a98ffde41421234.jpg"width=500> <a href="http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/3901534896.html” target=”_blank”>http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/3901534896.html
it is mandatory to smear Vaseline on the lense before taking CL photos, isn't it?
It helps hide the flaws. Also make sure half the car is in shadow and half in bright sunlight.
<img src="http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view1/4611737/mask-oscar-2-o.gif" </img>
If anyone finds a PGC10 Skyline or HB Cosmo sedan for sale, feel free to post those. The only PGC10 I found was this one but it has already been sold. Didn't find any HB Cosmo sedans for the rotary entry.
Smaller Lexus is also an right answer
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00404_9hT9JHBFs7m_600x450.jpg">
<a href="http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ctd/3967172089.html” target=”_blank”>http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ctd/3967172089.html
Had an automatic G and was a nice car.
Cheaper than a Zcar, has the 6 speed. Clean up the headlights and you'll have a peach.
I might have to check this one out.
<img src="http://images.autotrader.com/scaler/544/408/images/2013/7/27/351/157/32524533447.351157267.IM1.MAIN.565x421_A.565×374.jpg" width="600">
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehiclede…
Sorry for the nasty URL.
Q Ship
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00x0x_3zhPa1dH6dk_600x450.jpg">
Get your DOHC here.
Mazda RX-2!
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/00O0O_cWv5o0B6OPM_600x450.jpg">
It's been molested.
Well, I'd be posting this Nissan Leopard…:
<img src="http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa259/1303rwasser/DSCF2713.jpg" width="450'">
…as it is unspeakably excellent and has all the requisite Japanese gadgetty bits and several camshafts.
But, firstly, 18 months ago it was being hawked around on the Retro Rides forum; clickety click
Then, some absolute hero bought it for a grand, drove it around with ideas about carrying out all sorts of entirely necessary modifications, foiled only by the cars development of an overheating problem, whereupon he put it back up for sale for £700 more than he paid for it, because LOGIC.
Here 4 Sale on the Driftworks website; More clickety click
But it's sold now, anyway. I give it a few months then it'll be back for sale, absolutely knackered, for about £3000.
Nissan Leopard = U.S. Infiniti M30. Always liked 'em.
Having read this I believed it was very informative.
I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this information together.
I once again find myself spending a significant amount of time
both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!