What Cars Are You Drooling Over Right Now On Craigslist Or Facebook Marketplace?

Oy. Craigslist in LA. It’s almost all I’ve been doing for the past couple of weeks…

I’m still looking for a deal on an early 2014-16 BMW i3 w/some life still left in the batteries (like David has, but preferably w/o the gas range extender) but I usually just skim the net once a week and don’t check LA Craigslist (which is probably foolish on my part, but on-brand for me lately). There are some around for just under $10K, but either the batteries seem worn or no one at the dealership will actually reply to my email asking for a Bat Kapa Max figure, which can give a general estimate of overall current battery health. The BKM can only be obtained from a hidden/locked screen or via diagnostics, which only BMW dealers have. Technically, the batteries in these early i3 cars are still under warranty in CA, but there’s zero guarantee that a dealership will honor it/cover any particular i3, so there’s an element of risk: I could buy a $10K i3 w/only 40-50 miles of range showing on a full charge, and it would still be possible that BMW won’t replace the tired battery pack, so I’d be left w/a 40-50 mile car and a $10K hole in my bank account. 🙁

The 2017-18 i3 came with a bigger 94Ah battery pack (vs 60 Ah in the earlier i3) but those tend to sell for at least $14-15K these days. To spend that much on an early EV with significantly-less-than-new batteries seems iffy for me right now. My risk tolerance seems to be decreasing with age I think.

After selling my ’00 Golf TDI that I owned for 22 years to a couple of nice Hungarian fellows via LA Craigslist last week, I was about to drive 8 hours north to buy a 1980 diesel Mercedes 300 (a SD) but a snafu the night before using my credit card to secure a one-way rental to get up there put the kibosh on that plan. I’d taken the cash out of the bank, printed out directions (I’m one of those no-cell-phone weirdos) and everything. Afterwards, I didn’t feel as bad about the “missed opportunity” as expected, which I assume is my subconscious telling me that avoiding the malfunctioning vacuum and HVAC systems on a 43-year-old Benz was probably a good idea.

And finally, a couple days ago I sent a lowball offer of $3K to a CL seller w/a ’93 Toyota short cab/long bed pickup with 173Kmiles and a busted snoot. One of the front corners is pretty well smushed, so at a minimum it’d need a fender, bumper, headlight, and maybe the hood is salvageable. Body and paint only… it didn’t seem like it’d be structural. Despite the miles, the truck looks straight, modest, clean, and it’s a charming shade of medium blue. He wants “4,800. firm” so I didn’t expect a reply, but gave it a try anyway.

It’s not like I actually need another car: I’ve got a NA Miata and my daily is big, old first-gen Volvo XC90. But I do want an affordable small EV and/or a little truck, so I keep my eyes open.