MId Week Match-Up: Best Junker For $1k
This week’s Mid Week Match-Up is just for fun — head to your local craigslist, eBay, cars.com or whatever and find me the best sub $1000 running/driving car with a manual gearbox that you could drive daily for the next year. Justify your decision.
My choice is this 1976 Triumph TR7 offered for $900 buy-it-now or make-offer here on eBay located in Baltimore, MD. According to the seller it has minimal rust and starts/runs/stops — what more can you ask for?
What would you drive? Comments below.
For some reason, Craigslist didn't come up with anything as cool as the Triumph in my area, just mostly a bunch of penalty boxes. It came down to a choice between a surprisingly clean '85 Honda Accord, a '93 Dodge Shadow, and a '88 Jetta. Then I asked myself, "If it won't start on Monday morning, would you rather troubleshoot a feedback carburetor with miles of vacuum line, Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical injection, or a primitive EFI system?"
So, the winner is… Dodge Shadow. Plus, if the seats are anything like the '89 Chrysler LeBaron I used to have, they ought to at least be a comfortable place to spend my commute. And there's the potential of tracking down a turbo version of the motor to swap in.
[image src=" images.craigslist.org/00k0k_7gOwKewD0lI_600x450.jpg" width="400px"/]
This was the best I could come up with. Very little runs for under a grand, in my area. There was a cool little Suzuki Samurai for 500, that could be made to work for a thousand, but I think that still breaks the rules. So, here's an old Audi!
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Audi 4000
tight budget
I could only find this crappy e34
missing a mpar
Better than mine
I saw it and thought — WOW, this could be a great deal for a 24 Hrs of LeMons vehicle…and then I noticed the busted coolant issue. YIKES!
I don't think i can play this game. Looking for $1,000 cars in MN yields some really depressing results. I found a 1991 civic si hatchback that would probably be a strong candidate had it grown up in the west. Instead, it was barely recognizable and probably barely drivable.
I was ready to give up till I found this ad:
POS SAAB
Winner winner, chicken dinner!! I'm going to write this one up!
Electric LeCar in Seattle.
[image src=" images.craigslist.org/00l0l_kcFK9X7r0sM_1200x900.jpg" width="400px"/]
Tesla's are a dime a dozen here in Seattle.
I thought I'd look just for entertainment and low and behold, spoiled for choice!.
I'm only going to post a few.
MR2
roanoke.craigslist.org/cto/6184257070.html
??!
roanoke.craigslist.org/cto/6185786135.html
pony car
If you're thinking about a $1K car and the possibility of homelessness is looming, look no further than the 24v 2000 Mercury Sable Wagon! or this for $1 less 2000 Mercury Sable Wagon
I see your homelessness, and raise you square footage.
Heisenberg
There is some serious uncertainty in that old dog!
$500
sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/6187239582.html
I am selling a 1969 Vokaro Volkswagen kit car parts car. It is mostly complete. There is no paperwork. it is not running. The engine is a type 4 and is stuck from sitting. BILL OF SALE ONLY
All sorts of fun options til I read must have manual.
This thing will run for at least a year. Ugly, but reliable and 4wd:
anchorage.craigslist.org/cto/6186024953.html
[image src=" images.craigslist.org/00D0D_ctJ2Q9RzShg_600x450.jpg" width="400px"/]
Or a bit of elbow grease to clean up this pig:
anchorage.craigslist.org/cto/6171713982.html
[image src=" images.craigslist.org/00K0K_5jAkIQ0Ribc_1200x900.jpg" width="400px"/]
How serious is the engine work here? 1-owner Focus ZX3
anchorage.craigslist.org/cto/6172337201.html
[image src=" images.craigslist.org/00505_5d3TjUJ0gfP_600x450.jpg" width="400px"/]
Oh the timing. Two days ago I picked up a '96 Celica convertible for $800. My 8 yrear old son said he wanted to work on a car with me this summer so I picked this up. Passed the CA smog check first go.
Driver's seat has a tear, power antenna needs replacing, power top needs a Cotter pin replaced to work, and the clear coat looks bad in spots. All things well within the ability of a dad and an 8yr old to fix.
So fun, reliable, and manual cars are out there for under a grand.
1993 190e 2.3 5 speed newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/cto/6173959863.html