Eighties Coupes – 1981 BMW 633 CSi

February 25, 2014

Here we are again, looking at cheaper alternatives to a BMW icon, namely, the E9 coupe of 1968 – 1975. The obvious and nearest choice is the BMW E3 (2500/2800/Bavaria/3.0S), but if you prefer the style of a coupe, the E24 6-series comes pretty close in terms of elegance and performance. You still get a nice open greenhouse, the forward-angled shark nose, and the famous BMW six, along with a reduced (although far from eliminated) propensity to rust and the enhanced reliability and comforts found in a more modern car. Check out this 1981 BMW 633 CSi, for sale for $3000 (negotiable) in Walnut Creek, CA.

1981 BMW 633CSi left front

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First Word, Three Syllables: 1988 Daihatsu Charade

February 24, 2014

Some cars that came to the American market were obvious failures. Look at early Toyotas and Nissans, for example, or the Renault 4CV. More recently, some of the badge-engineered GM frenemies like Isuzu and Saab were also not destined for success – their core customer base preferred the type of car they were already making, while any new conquests would rather stick to the original version of the car, with the benefit of the massive GM distribution channel making purchasing and service more straightforward. The Daihatsu Charade was not quite so obvious – while it was somewhat low on power by American standards, it was recognized for being nice to drive and well built, before that was a given for Japanese cars. Check out this 1988 Daihatsu Charade CLS for sale for $2750 in American Canyon, CA.

1988 Daihatsu Charade left front

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RustyButTrusty on the Street – Pontiac and BMW 3-fer

February 24, 2014

As San Francisco is an interesting place for spotting unusual (or at least old) cars, so are Oakland and Berkeley. And for people who live where interesting cars are a not-too-uncommon sight among the hoardes of Priuses, Accords and F150s, you owe it to yourself to not forget to appreciate where you are. Our first car is a 1973 Pontiac Catalina coupe. Wait, you say, Pontiac? Sure, they’re an orphan brand now, but there are loads of those still on the streets! Well, with attrition, some of the less-popular versions of the General’s platforms have become as rare as cars that had much-lower sales numbers when new. Who knows what engine this car has in it – anything from the 350 to the 455, with a less-than-impressive horsepower range of 150 (boohoohoo) to 250 (meh).

20140122_160749

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