Go-Rolla – 1979 Toyota Corolla

March 17, 2016

Sometimes, you can find a car that allows you to both get in on a growing trend, while still getting decent performance for fair money. You might be wondering what a stock 1979 Corolla with the simple addition of JDM-tite-yo mirrors is doing here, but hang on for more details on that. While the Corolla’s current reputation is cemented as an emotionless, reliable-as-death-and-taxes car that will bore anyone who’ll sit in it into working on clearing out their email inbox, brushing their teeth and sipping a latte while driving it, nostalgia means we can look at the few older examples that remain and appreciate them for what they are. But before that, let’s look back at period reviews, in which they were actually criticized by Road & Track for being too large, heavy, overpriced, too small inside, and for consuming too much fuel. The rear suspension also came under fire for being crude. With that convincing sales pitch, you’ll definitely want to check out this 1979 Toyota Corolla for sale for $3000 in Austin, TX.

1979 Toyota Corolla left front

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Swedish Army Knife – 1988 Saab 900 SPG

March 11, 2016

A popular saying goes “jack of all trades, master of none”, and there are many examples out there on the car market today. SUVs trying to be sports cars, sedans and wagons jacked up to go off-road, vehicles that cross-over to a land of poor driving dynamics, and more. In the 1980s, though, there was a car that was probably one of the best – let’s call it a “jack of all trades, master of most”. The Saab 900 had excellent handling and acceleration, great comfort, reasonable fuel consumption, and an amazing capacity for stuff. While the styling was divisive compared to its peers, anyone could argue its case in comparison to, say, a Porsche Cayenne or BMW X6. That said, up for consideration today is this 1988 Saab 900 SPG for sale for $2250 (or $2700 including a parts car and parts collection) somewhere in Cumberland County, ME.

1988 Saab 900 SPG right front

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Depreciation King – 1989 Mercedes 300CE

March 10, 2016

If you’re looking for a youngtimer, to borrow the German term, that will remind you what made Mercedes great, pulls off the coupe transition far better than some of its contemporaries (here’s looking at you, Bertone Volvos), and will not inconvenience you with the ailments of a pre-emissions, carbureted car, it’s hard to go wrong with the Mercedes W124 coupes. Their sedan siblings have a durable if rather stodgy reputation, and while the driving experience doesn’t change with the transition to two door hardtop, the style certainly changes for the better. There is a surprising number of these available in the $5000-10,000 range, but what about something more accessible? How about this 1989 Mercedes Benz 300CE for sale for $3495 in Providence, RI?

1989 Mercedes 300CE left front

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