Archive for the ‘Feature’ Category

Overexposed – 1988 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma

September 23, 2013

One of the great themes of 1970s and 1980s design that has yet to be repeated is the wedge, and perhaps it will never come back due to pedestrian safety rules. Great expressions of the wedge include the Lamborghini Countach and Lotus Esprit. Less great, but equally interesting wedge design cars include the Subaru XT sports coupe and the 1988-90 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma. In fact, having those two parked in your garage would make an interesting picture. In the US market, the Galant Sigma was available with a 3-liter V6 and 4-speed automatic, and had limited sales success. You can find have your own Japanese rarity, today’s 1988 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma, for $2250 in East Elmhurst, NY.

1988 Mitsubishi Galant Sigma front

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Not Wankered – 1972 MBG Roadster

September 21, 2013

Here at RustyButTrusty, we’ve made varying levels of attempts to get friends into old cars, mostly with limited success. Often this is because an old car is not suitable for the potential buyer’s lifestyle. However, a friend visiting from Finland wanted to buy an older sports car to bring back with him, so after making some calls, doing some research and a careful inspection, we purchased an MGB that was very similar to today’s feature car, a 1972 MGB roadster in white on black with Rostyle wheels, available for $3800 in Moyie Springs, ID, close to the Canadian border.

1972 MGB left side

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East Coast vs. West Coast – Pair of 1985 Mercedes 190E 2.3 5-speeds

September 21, 2013

With BMW M3s going skywards in value, I’ve been fantasizing about picking up a similar car while they’re still at the bottom of their depreciation curve. Unfortunately a good, sorted BMW M5 or Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth will still set you back $15-20,000, possibly more for a stellar example. Sooo, what to do on a baby budget? Pick up a version of the first baby Benz, that’s what – and it might be a surprise that these little cars were available with 5-speed manual transmissions when they came out. Check out the first choice, a pale yellow 1985 190E 2.3 for $2000 in Durham, NC.

1985 Mercedes 190E 2.3 right front

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