The little first generation Toyota Rav4 didn’t make a blip on my automotive radar when they were launched, but I’m strangely attracted to them now that they are 25 years old. You could get the little SUV with all-wheel-drive and a locking center differential and a manual gearbox to boot! Find this 1998 Toyota RAV4 […]
When I tell people that I’m a fan of cheap cars, they might consider this next car to be a good example of what I’m talking about. Except that I want cheap cars…not cars that are just cheap to buy, but also cars that are cheap to run. A mid 2000s Jaguar…this could cost something […]
I can’t decide which part of this next advertisement annoys me more. Is it the “unsold adams” photography, or the number of alphanumeric designators the sellers haphazardly heaps into the listing. S40, T5, AWD, 6speed, AC, whlz, 82k…are we still paying for characters in a listing like its a telegram? Sure, some is Volvos fault […]
If someone asks you to name an all-wheel-drive Japanese modern classic with a manual gearbox, most people start listings things from the Subaru, Mitsubishi, or Nissan…but the truth is that Toyota probably built more all-wheel-drive cars than any of those specialty makers, mainly because they built a bazillian cars over the years. Today’s example is […]
The second version of Subaru Impreza WRX to wear the STI badge in the USA was produced starting 2008 as a hatchback only rally machine, but in 2011 Subaru introduced a 4-door sedan version of the STI and sport sedan enthusiasts everywhere rejoiced. I’m not saying that I don’t appreciate the hauling capability and style […]
The ST185 generation Toyota Celica All-Trac was known as the “Super Round shape” version of the high performance version of Toyota’s liftback Celica (1989-1993). It combined a turbocharged 4-cylinder 3S-GTE engine with all-wheel-drive and a 5-speed manual gearbox. With 200 horsepower in the USA version, it won’t be the fastest car you’ve ever driven, but it is a part of Toyota’s rally history and will be a desirable classic someday…if it isn’t already. Find this 1990 Toyota Celica All-Trac offered for $7000 in Katy, TX via craigslist. Tip from Graham.
Back when I was in college, I a friend who always drove when we went on a road trip. It wasn’t because he was the best driver or had the biggest or nicest car…no it was much more simple than that. He had the car that would always get us to our destination and back… and his car was a mid 80s Subaru Leone wagon. It didn’t have a turbo or all-wheel-drive like today’s example, but it always got a load of college kids to/from a concert, camping, or wherever college kids needed to go. He sold the car years ago, but I can only assume it is still being used by college kids to get around, or at least I hope it is. Anyway, if you want to make a political statement get a Tesla, but if need a car to get you places, get this 1985 Subaru Leone Turbo AWD offered for $6,000 near Santa Cruz, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
In the world of strange car names, this next feature is a doozy. It is a Honda (that looks like a Toyota to my eyes) that is inexplicably called the “Today Humming.” I don’t know what to say. Today Humming, tomorrow Life Dunk…that would be my ideal car stable. Throw in a King Midget for good measure and I’ll be driving my Mazda Proceed Marvie home now. Anyway, today’s Honda Today Humming is equipped with all-wheel-drive and a 660cc 3-cylinder engine and all the JDM right-hand-drive Kei-hatch style you need. Find this 1995 Honda Today Humming offered for $7,400 in Dallas, TX via craigslist. Tip from Brad.
The Subaru Domingo was a slightly beefier version of the Subaru Sambar kei van. The Domingo (also called the Sumo, Libero, Combi, and Estratto depending on which market it was being sold) shared many of its components and chassis with the Sambar, but it had a larger engine that booted it from keitora (light truck in Japanese) car requirements, but allowed it to drive on the freeway at a reasonable clip and accelerate with traffic. Today’s example is not just powered by a 1.2 liter Subaru EF 3-cylinder that pushes out 66 horsepower into a 5-speed manual gearbox, but it is also equipped with all-wheel-drive. Find this 1993 Subaru Domingo GX AWD offered for $6,500 in Brooklyn, NY via craigslist. Tip from ME.
If you are looking for a small off roader from Japan you probably know about the Toyota Rav4, Subaru Forester, or Honda CR-V…but you probably have never heard of the car-based Nissan 4X4 that beat them to market, looked like a 1/2 scale Hummer and was discontinued in the year 2000 because…I don’t know why, and I don’t know why they never exported them to small SUV crazy America. You can read about the Rasheen here..but only if you can read kanji and kana. Find this 1995 Nissan Rasheen offered for $5300 in Vancouver, BC. Tip from JB1025.