Archive for March, 2016

E32 Double Feature – 1990 BMW 735iL and 1990 BMW 750iL

March 29, 2016

Old luxury cars are in this kind of limbo, which many of them don’t survive. They’re too passé to attract the attention of their wealthy first owners. Tossed aside when the next new thing comes along, they move down to aspiring types who want to project the image of their first owners for less money (or, you might argue, sensible types who can’t stomach the idea of absorbing the double-hit of costly depreciation and maintenance). For round three, they’re fully depreciated to three or four percent of their inflation-adjusted new price. Of course, you’re not getting 100% of the original car – mileage figures are often solidly into six digits, and all the luxury amenities have suffered from use and environmental degradation – but if you budget thoughtfully, an older luxury car can still be a compelling proposition for someone on a modest budget. So first, let’s take a look at this 1990 BMW 735iL for sale for $3500 in Port Charlotte, FL.

1990 BMW 735iL left front

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Duroplast – 1978 Trabant 601S Kombi

March 28, 2016

After the wall fell in 1989, the Trabant became the butt of many of those automotive jokes repeated in those moments when a good joke doesn’t come tom mind – the ones about doubling the value by adding a tank of gas, warming your hands on the rear defroster, and so many more that aren’t worth repeating. But put yourself back in East Germany in the 1960s: the pre-war looking Beetle was the most popular export, with its old-fashioned rear-mounted flat-four engine and lack of a proper trunk. Meanwhile, your half of Germany’s people’s car had modern styling, a lightweight body, front-wheel drive, and independent suspension. And with only half the displacement of the Beetle, the two-stroke twin punched above its weight, putting out 27hp to the Beetle’s 40. So now you probably want one of those charming relics of the Soviet era in Germany, and fortunately there’s this 1978 Trabant 601S Kombi for sale for $4500 in Hollywood, FL (also available at auction with no bids and a $3750 starting bid).

1978 Trabant 601S Kombi left front

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Oddly Bland – 1989 Nissan Maxima

March 26, 2016

Back in the late 1980s, Nissan’s Maxima moved from being a mushy competitor to the “best” GM had to offer, to a car they promoted as the 4DSC or four-door sports car. Gone were the first and second-generation cars’ Toyota Cressida-mimicking styling and talking-car phonograph system, replaced by sportier contemporary styling and an optional 190hp VG30 V6 engine starting in 1991. While the lower-spec (non-SE) cars retained some of the plushness of their predecessors, there was nothing like the tufted pillow-top seats available on earlier cars. With that stunning introduction, let’s take a look at this 1989 Nissan Maxima RHD for sale for $2900 in Broward County, FL.

1989 Nissan Maxima RHD interior

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