Before the HR-V became a normal crossover for normal people doing normal crossover things, it was this: a tall, weird, Honda fun box from Japan with a D16 4-banger, five doors, and just enough ride height to feel adventurous without pretending it wants to climb a mountain. It was never offered for sale in the […]
The Volvo 960 (1990-1998) was the last of the proper longitudinal front-engine rear-wheel-drive Volvos built on a platform that started with the 140 series way back in 1966. It wasn’t the last interesting car to come out of Volvo, but if you like your Volvos to be boxy-but-good, this is the car that’ll last past 340k miles or kilometers or whatever. Find this 1995 Volvo 960 offered for $7000 near Harvard in MA via craigslist. Tip from ME.
Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve been a closet E30 fanboy for years. It isn’t something I’m proud of, but the only reason I haven’t owned one is because I have such automotive ADD that I’m always moving on to the next car and watching E30 prices drop…it’s always “well, they’ll be cheaper next year”…but that isn’t the case anymore. I think even basic E30s have hit rock bottom and they are now becoming collectable, so something like a grey-market European 316i wagon for less than $10k gets me right in the gut. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my wallet) the 316i engine likely won’t be allowed into the electrified State of California (it would probably cause wildfires or murder baby seals) and I’ll have to let one of you buy this. Find this 1994 BMW 316i Wagon offered for $9,750 in Naples, FL via craigslist. Tip from 4rim.
I feel the need for a manual gearbox equipped European sport sedan…and I want it big enough for a family. And don’t give me some domesticated import that has had its European mystique neutered, I need something without airbags, that only shows kilometers on the speedo, is grey market and unregister-able in California. Oh. Here. […]
Apparently, Canadians have a few major advantages over their neighbors to the South. First, they are born with an extra set of chromosomes that makes them funny (John Candy, Mike Meyers, Norm MacDonald, Martin Short, Phil Hartman, Leslie Nielsen, Dave Foley, Rick Moranis…do I need to go on?) and, more importantly, they have a shorter […]
Back before people were rolling their eyes at Chrysler’s PT Cruiser and gouging their eyes out at the HHR, there was a properly cool postmodernist series of cars — known as the Pike models from Nissan. The Figaro is the cutest of the Pike cars and it was retrostyled to resembled a 1960s Datsun Fairlady. […]
Today’s Thursday Twister subject is simple — what is the best car you can buy in the USA that wasn’t available here from the factory. Go. Comments below.
The BMW E30 323i was not exported to North America, so we yanks never got the L-jetronic fuel injected M20B23 inline-6. After 25 years of age, foreign-market cars can be legally imported into the US and this one has reportedly been through the rigorous California BAR certification process and has been 50-state legal for the […]
The 745i was a turbocharged brute of a luxury sedan from BMW before it started building M-cars. It was only available in mainland Europe, so you can only get grey-market imports here in the USA, and price will be a premium. However, a few extra dollars gets you a 3.2 liter turbocharged inline-6 making 252 […]
The Mercedes-Benz 500SEC was a large luxury coupe based on the S-Class W126 chassis. Back in the day, the Europeans always saved the hottest versions for their local market and the North American bound exports were always de-tuned, catalyzed and fitted with big bumpers. Get a taste of the good stuff with this 1984 Mercedes-Benz […]