If you want to know what we’re into you, you can probably guess from reading the website. If you’re really curious, become a member and you can read this post.
If you want to know what we’re into you, you can probably guess from reading the website. If you’re really curious, become a member and you can read this post.
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A common reason to see crappy old cars sell for eye watering amounts on auction sites: money laundering.
If Sal has some ill gotten gains and a random Festiva literally nobody on the planet actually wants, Sal can list said Festiva for auction. How much is it worth? Who the heck knows. Sal has his cousin Vinnie set up an account at the auction site, and Vinnie bids. When Vinnie wins, he pays with Sal’s ill gotten gains to this auction site with very few financial transparency regulations, and bing bang boom, for the low price of an auction site taking the normal cut, Sal’s money is cleaned.
If some insane person beat’s Vinnie’s bid on the Festiva, Sal laughs all the way to the bank, and then lists his 2004 Volvo and Vinnie tries again.
Oh cool, a mention of the impossible to avoid amps from my youth!
Oh no, a mention that reminds me I am “old” now.
Yeah. Two things I want are a twin reverb, and somewhere to use it without being “that guy the cops keep visiting”
I had an Ampeg VL1002. Couldn’t play it without damaging the house. I sold it and bought a 7 watt Miata of an amp. That Ampeg was rad, though
Was at a friend’s lower east side apartment when a loud amp made the plaster ceiling and the pre civil war rats and cockroaches that had died up there peel off in one big wave.
It was pretty gross.
There’s a Mystic Yellow 2015 Honda Fit EX on BaT with 1900 miles. I own a red one with 98k. I’d love to be crazy and get it.
I bet it gets over $20k easy. There’s nothing like these now, let alone virtually new.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2015-honda-fit/
Bet you’re feeling real smug after they covered that Fit in its own post and you were even close with the price! Great hunting lol
It appears that SWG is as multi talented as SVG.
Damn, that super clean Tercel was a steal at that price since it looks like it will last as long as a brand new car! (and til the heat death of the universe)
God people younger than me saying they feel old makes me feel old. My activist crew reacted to my story about minimum wage at Tower Records with wide eyed “damn you are old.” I died.
Matt, I am going to preemptively say “I told you so” on the subject of buying a P2 Volvo in 2026. They were decent enough cars new, they were pretty good cars when they were 5-10 year old used cars, at 20+ they have aged like milk. You have been warned. But sometimes like a kid with a hot stove, you just have to let them get burned to learn the lesson.
P3s are much better cars overall, but still bloody expensive both to acquire and to fix compared to the driving enjoyment they (don’t) have.
We’ve both tried. I’ve even trotted out my experience going from an E39 to a P2 (and the reasons why I’m back in an E39, for as long as I can possibly keep one going). On one level, I get it. The P2 V70 is still a stunningly good-looking wagon, and few cars look like as good a balance between rational and emotional on paper. The in-person experience just doesn’t translate, but the problem with in-person experiences is…you gotta experience them in-person.
I feel exactly the same way about them. They look great, the design is great, the reality kind of sucks. They are actually MORE expensive to run than a German car while not being nearly as rewarding to drive.The juice ain’t worth the squeeze.
E39s are pretty stout cars. They have their built-in dilemmas, but not nearly as many as a P2, and unlike the Volvo you really can DIY everything on them ,as they are not electronically wed to the $tealership/mothership.I was actually looking for a “just right” used e39 wagon for a long time before giving up and ordering my e91 new back in 2011. Had I found one I have no doubt I would still be driving it today.
My first amp was a Crate! Some rinky-ass 10 inch practice amp maybe worth $20 today. A few years later we upgraded to a dirt-cheap 100W solid state Crate head and a 4×12 half stack, it was IMMENSE for a 16 year old. I think it was like $250 all in, and a few years later I filled it with V30s.
Now I run a Peavey 5150 lunchbox into my PC. I say “now” even though I haven’t touched it in years lol
Right now three friends and I are watching a 2019 Toyota Avalon at a dealer. Dark red, dark brown interior. We keep telling each other, “You need to buy this!” We all have just recently purchased cars. It never ends. Yes, we’re all retired. How did you know?
A few months ago someone had an empty Demon crate on Craigslist for $475. When it disappeared I wondered if it actually sold or if the listing expired the seller just gave up? I hope the latter.
I miss my Peavey
Peavey black widow tube with spring reverb. Oh yeah.
They were workhorses. My brother still has the 112 that he got in high school in the 80s. I had a KB100 that I bought to use with my Korg DW8000. That ended up being my guitar amp, too, for a long time. The y broke off, so we nicknamed it “Peave”.
Hey, I know what they mean! About the amps that is.
I also spend waaaay too much time window shopping cars on Craigslist.
Somebody please tell me why a BMW Z2/Z3/Z4 is a bad idea for a fun retirement car.
I saw a clownshoe M today at lunch so I’m right there with you
Of course, maybe Miata really is the answer, but I have an long term fondness for German cars. I think a clownshoe BMW would be great!
A BMW roadster or any fun car is a great idea for anytime. Life is too short to wait and drive boring cars. My son’s first car was an NC Miata. It was a great first car. So much fun that I bought one too. Now he has a high mileage C6 Vette and misses the Miata since the Vette is always leaking and breaking. There is a Z4 at our local autocross that absolutely rips around the course. I’ve ridden in it and yes, it’s a BAD idea (not really, but you wanted me to tell you that).
I daily-drove my Z4 Coupe 3.0si (non-M) for 10 years, got a new daily 3.5-yrs ago, and have no intention of ever getting rid of my pocket GT. I’ve never been an “engine guy” per se, but I LOVE the N52 like nothing else! and even in L.A. I rarely see any Coupes… E85/86s are at the bottom of their depreciation curve I think, so now is a GREAT time to get one! and TBH, I’ve done 100k in mine with very little other than regular maintenance: it’s been VERY reliable, just look out for all the now-20 year-old plastics.
Nothing wrong with those BMWs at all, though to me you need to avoid the 4-cylinder Z3s, they just aren’t that special. The sixes are disproportionately better.. IMHO, the pick of them would be a Z4 with the N52 n/a six. But consider a 1-series coupe or convertible for something nearly as much fun to drive that is a good bit more practical. The turbos are faster but a lot more painful to own. If you can swing the price, the clownshoes are amazing driver’s cars.
I have largely stopped window shopping cars. Too much temptation. Need to get my real estate dilemmas sorted first, then I will do a bit of fleet refreshing. I very much see another Alfa Spider in my future in 3-4 years. It’s likely time to finally let my Spitfire go. Sigh. I always said I would keep it until I can’t get in and out of it comfortably anymore.
I’ve heard they aren’t as sporty as they look but I put it up there with the DB9 in so far as “I don’t care how it drives honestly, just look at it!”
I think a Z4 is a great idea! Especially the NA 3.0