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About Us

We are all fans of the great automotive marques of Germany. Our varied experiences with cars and our passion for the automobile makes writing for this site a natural fit. We all would hear about or see in person unique buying opportunities through our travels and connections. We would spend hours killing time cruising classified advertisements and online auction sites for our favorite marques, either for our own projects or just to lust after. Instead of keeping our finds to ourselves, with germancarsforsaleblog.com, we are now able to do what we’d be doing anyway while sharing our enthusiasm with the world in one place. This isn’t our day job, but something we take time to do for fun and in the interest of other German car fanatics.


Carter Johnson – Managing Editor, Audi/Volkswagen/BMW Specialist


Carter was introduced at a young age to his grandfather’s 1926 Bentley 3/4.5 Litre Open Tourer, a car that still resides in the family. In the 1990s his father hooked him on tracking BMWs and Porsches highlighted by a 1988 M5 and 1989 944 Turbo S among a long line of others. Carter’s first car was a 1986 Audi 4000CS Quattro – four Volkswagens, three BMWs, and nine Audis later, he now owns a 1986 Audi Coupe GT 20V, a 2003 BMW M3, and a 2009 BMW 135i Sport package. In addition to being a high performance driving instructor for the Audi, BMW, and Porsche clubs, Carter received a Master’s degree from the University of Cambridge with his dissertation on the Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Silver Arrows. Carter says he is still looking for a 2003 Avus Pearl S8 and lusts over every single V8 quattro he finds. Carter is a proud father and husband, and when he’s not dreaming of cars is a college history teacher.


Andrew H. – Mercedes-Benz Specialist

AndrewBIO

Andrew hails from western PA where he has a real problem with owning multiples of the same vehicle. His first car was a 1998 Volkswagen Jetta but soon sold it for a B5 Audi A4 1.8t after he couldn’t stop singing the “La Cucaracha” door chime song that the MK3 VWs are infamous for. In his nine years with his B5 he also owned two 1989 BMW 325ixs, three Land Rover Discovery 1s and two W210 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMGs. He currently puts all his loyalty into Mercedes now and daily drives a W116 Mercedes-Benz 300SD while keeping one of those E55s tucked away in the garage for nice days as he’s trying like hell not to sacrifice it to the devil known as “DaimlerChrysler rust”. One of the Discovery 1s has still stuck around for winter duty only because he hasn’t found a G-Wagen he’s comfortable bathing in road salt yet.


Dan Crouch – Owner and Founder

Dan’s first car was a ’68 Volkswagen Beetle and in keeping with the VW theme he also has owned a Scirocco, GTI, a track day Rabbit, and currently a 2019 Golf R. Other German indulgences have included an e36 BMW M3, 2002 Audi Allroad, Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG, and a BMW Z4 M Roadster. Dan also owns raresportbikesforsale.com




Previous Contributors



Robert Simkins – Air-Cooled Specialist

Rob’s first exposure to the world of cars came early on when his Dad purchased an Alfa Romeo Spider. Rob would wait each day for his Dad to return from work, top down and exhaust blaring. After the Alfa, there was a 911 in the garage. But like many others who grew up in the 80s, the true revelation came from an E30 M3 parked at the local BMW dealership. There was something about it that always drew his eye anytime they’d drive by the dealership. He currently drives a 2004 Miata that he’s had for over a decade and lives in Washington, DC. Living in the city means driving tends to come quite a bit less often, but it also means that most driving he does is purely to go for a drive.


Paul Henriques – Mercedes-Benz/BMW/MINI Specialist

Paul grew up in a family with a garage dominated by Volkswagens and Mercedes-Benz. His current ride is a 2006 MINI Cooper S. In addition to contributing to German Cars For Sale Blog, Paul works for a technology organization with his client base centered in Europe and Africa. Paul is a German speaker and has conversational knowledge of Portuguese. While on the road a lot, he resides about half the time in the Mid-Atlantic region, keeping an eye out for mint German and Swedish vehicles.


Nate Rooks – Volkswagen/BMW Specialist

Nate’s grandfathers both owned 2002tiis and Porsches, so German cars are in his blood. He still gets a Road & Track subscription he started at the age of 9. Joining Dan in the “VW was my first car” category, Nate’s first was a 1981 VW Rabbit pickup. Followed by an 80s Toyota 4×4, he was able to realize the dream and bought a 1988 BMW M5. Obviously the 80s are where his personal tastes lie, but he appreciates any and all German cars. He keeps his eyes and ears open for us in the Pacific Northwest.


Craig French – Mercedes-Benz/BMW Specialist

Craig French is a German car enthusiast with a particular passion for ’80s and ’90s era Benzes and BMWs. In his day job he teaches political theory at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. On a relatively modest professor’s salary, he has found creative ways to indulge his passion for expensive German cars by seeking out nicely kept daily drivers that won’t break the bank. That’s how he ended up with a W201 190E, and now an E34 5-series. Originally from London, he lives in Washington, DC.


Pablo Deferrari – Porsche Water-Cooled Specialist

EL JEFE 1994 968 CABRIOLET

Somewhere between drawing his first breath in this world and acquiring a keen taste for eating glue, something magical happened. As Pablo describes himself:

“No, it wasn’t the discovery of girls…that bit came later. It was the sight of my first Porsche. Wait, let me rephrase that. It was the sound of my first Porsche as it approached me and then this blur of blue flanked with bulbous fenders and this tray-looking thing affixed to its rump followed it. That was the moment that changed me forever. â€¨â€¨I remember it as if it were yesterday; that delicious mechanical cacophony accented by the unmistakable whine of that huge fan sucking gobs of air was a 911 Turbo—in Minerva Blue. That was all it took.”

Even though he’s dyed-in-the-wool air-cooled 911 junkie, Pablo doesn’t discriminate against other Porsches. He’s spent nearly all of his life collecting and reading every book there is about the company, the cars, the people, and how every model’s existence had unmistakable DNA from the model before it. This lust, this passion he has for Porsches can’t be fulfilled by a 911, or a 944; not even a 928, or 968. He’s in deep, baby. Pablo is out to collect one of every model made from 1950 to 1998. And he’s just getting warmed up.

Pablo is the Founder of flüssig magazine, an authority on all things related to the Porsche 924, 928, 944 and 968.


Andy McCulley – Water Cooled Porsche Specialist

Andy is a college student and is our resident Porsche 928 expert. He is also a Mercedes-Benz SL enthusiast. At 21 years of age, he’s lready had four cars which include a 1999 Mercedes SL500, a 2003 Mercedes E320, a 1982 Porsche 928 Weissach Edition, and a 1983 Porsche 928 S, which he currently owns and drives on weekends. Andy is also a member of the team at flüssig magazine, where his tasks range from writing articles about car detailing and concours prep to keeping data on the markets for classic front-engined Porsche’s. There he goes by the alias “Captain Clean” for his fastidious nature and Porsche cleaning compulsion. Andy is a graduate of UNCW in economics and a minor in English and is pursuing a master’s degree at the College of William & Mary.


Evan Earle – Mercedes-Benz/Racing/Historical Specialist

Evan rebuilt his first engine, with the help of his father, at the age of 12 and was hooked from there. He bought his first car before he had a license and, in the German department, has since owned Mercedes and BMW cars, customized to taste. His passion for the Mercedes marque stems from him following his father and grandfather in Benz ownership. Evan can include a 1970 250C and mighty full Euro grey market 1979 450SEL 6.9 as vehicles he’s owned and restored. He also owns a very custom Land Rover Discovery that has an engine swap upgrade he pulled off amongst other goodies (he insists that there are some German-made parts on it). Evan has traveled the globe on automotive quests to indulge the German car habit, including wheel time in an Alpina B7, powering a new Mercedes down the autobahn, and touring the RUF factory. At visits to F1 and vintage races, factories and shows, he always has his eye open for that next project or post. Evan can occasionally be seen at the birthplace of American road racing, Watkins Glen International race track, which is a short trip from his Ithaca, N.Y. home.


Brian Nichols – Volkswagen Specialist

A native Bay Stater, Brian now resides in Rhode Island. He’s been in to cars as long as he can remember; his father being in the auto restoration business as a fabricator. Instead of watching football on Sundays, they would tinker with whatever car was on hand, mostly Beetles, and ‘64 Rivieras. Brian has been mainly in to VWs since he could drive. He’s owned two ‘84 GTIs, one when he was 18 and the one he owns now which has been in his possession for seven years. Brian has also had a ’84 Subaru 4WD wagon, ’89 Saab SPG, ’85 Jetta Coupe, ’90 Audi 80, ’01 GTI VR6. Currently, his daily driver is a Volkswagen Touareg TDI. As you may find from his posts, he has an unnatural love for the station wagon. While he mainly gravitates towards VW/Audi products, Brian has had a strong appreciation for anything automotive or mechanical. “I love German cars, hot rods, classics, Japanese cars…basically anything that is well done,” says Brian. During the day he drives a desk at an insurance company but at night loves to tinker with his VWs.


188 Comments

  1. Paul Cain
    Paul Cain February 14, 2018

    Hey guys, just found your site; way cool.
    Does anyone know of an appraiser in South Florida for older Mercedes? I have a midnight blue 1987 560 SEC AMG and was told that is a pre-merger AMG factory original. N.B. NOT a wide body.
    I understand that the buyer back then could pick from a menu of AMG mods but I have no idea what that menu looks like to give it to my regular go-to mechanic, a verteran of over 25 years of working on Mercedes only. He says he would need that to confirm anything.
    This car only has 74K miles on it and runs great.
    I would love to get a knowledgeable appraisal since I am thinking of putting it on the market.
    Any ideas?

    Thanks, Paul in Jupiter Florida

  2. Carter
    Carter February 15, 2018

    @Paul – Andrew suggested checking out RENNtech; they’re not far away from you. AMG bits could be ordered by piece from the AMG catalog and authorized installers. Few were imported as proper factory-built cars from Germany. The level of mod depends a lot; the general rule seems to be that if you have 3 correct AMG items installed in period by an authorized installer, you’ve got a period AMG. But a lot of cars were modded after period, don’t have original bits, and may only have cosmetic items. The big-dollar items are the correct wheels, suspension, exhaust and really engine mods. More frequently seen, and less valuable, are the spoilers, badges, and steering wheels. There’s an active AMG group on the Mercedes-Benz fora too, but finding out information can be difficult as there are almost no records of early cars – so unless you’ve got documentation, it will be a bit conjecture. Good luck and thanks for following!

  3. Aaron M Kane
    Aaron M Kane February 24, 2018

    I recently found online a story about an audi a6 avant that was transformed in to an s6 with the lamb 5.2 v-10. It was in the northwest is there an email where I can forward the story

  4. John
    John March 25, 2018

    Thanks very much for this update. Very informative. I an struggling with the tartan interior of the red targa but the car itself looks to be in very good condition. I did notice as well that the carrera insignia was missing from the back as compared to other M491 carreras I am looking at here in the Houston area ($99K and $109K) What would the significance of the missing insignia be? Where do you see the current M491 carrera market?

    Also inquiring about an 88 turbo targa listed on auto trader. Have you reviewed this one? Thank you!

    https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=479333825&zip=77386&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D77386%26startYear%3D1988%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceDESC%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D1988%26modelCodeList%3D911%26makeCodeList%3DPOR%26searchRadius%3D0%26trimCodeList%3D911%257CTurbo%2BTarga&startYear=1988&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0&endYear=1988&modelCodeList=911&makeCodeList=POR&searchRadius=0&makeCode1=POR&modelCode1=911

  5. Al
    Al March 28, 2018

    Hi just wondering if you know if anyone would be interested,in my 1972 mercedes benz 300 sel for sale,its on the new york city craigslist.org,right now,my number is 516 244 7845,Thank you.

  6. Grayson UPchurch
    Grayson UPchurch March 30, 2018

    Way cool Site!

    I found a 1986 Porsche 944 Firehawk Car and am in the process of “fixing it up” after the car’s 12 year garage stay.

    My plan is to sell it this Spring and wonder if anyone knows if there are people looking for these and what a value might be.

  7. bonjour je suis intéressé par la mercedes 124 w 320 automatique mise en vente sur votre peut-on avoir d’autres photos et le dernier prix?

  8. Roy
    Roy April 19, 2018

    Here’s an interesting and unusual one that’s a bit rough (not mine):
    1973 Opel Commodore – $6500 (Perris CA)
    https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/d/1973-opel-commodore/6565043833.html

    1973 Opel Commodore. very rare big 6 cylinder engine, 4 speed manual, factory sunroof, factory air conditioning, gray market car, quite possibly only one in the US, no smog required. (9 pics)

  9. Tim
    Tim May 2, 2018

    Hi, very nice Porsche 935 Martini Le Mans 70s race car tribute for sale, street legal, worth featuring?

  10. Kenneth Mauer
    Kenneth Mauer May 29, 2018

    Based on reading your archives, would I be correct in thinking that the $11,495 Buy It Now price on the 1984 GTI currently up for auction on ebay is not out of line. Appears most of the heavy lifting has been done and the seller, Mark, references your site. Do you endorse him? Thanks very much for whatever advice you can provide, as there seems to be a dearth of price info on these cars.
    Regards,
    Ken

  11. Carter
    Carter May 31, 2018

    @Kenneth,

    Yes, for a complete turn-key car, the asking price isn’t far out of line. You can get one cheaper but it almost certainly will have needs.

  12. Bryan Colwell
    Bryan Colwell June 9, 2018

    I’ve been subscribed to your email list for 4-5 years or so. The 2001 E320 Estate in Aragonite Blue Metallic earlier this week caught my attention enough to follow it on Ebay. So last night I get the warning from Ebay that the auction is ending in minutes. So I look at the price, and I thought, why not put in the next bid. Oops. I won. Now what am I going to do with a blue 17 year old wagon? So, it’s somewhat funny because I’m in the living room with my wife, who hates wagons in general, as well as any “old car”, along with a good friend who is a dealer.
    I can’t possibly tell my wife what I just bought on the spur of the moment, also having thought there must be a reserve. So I text my dealer friend who is sitting right next to me with my wife sitting across from us, and he starts laughing and we still have to keep it quiet. Too funny.
    Am now in the process of arranging shipping from Oregon to Louisiana. We’ll title it in his name and hope she runs and looks ok and use it as a general haul around car and maybe a loaner for his clients.
    The prices on these unbeloved W210s are beat down and under appreciated in my opinion. A 59K mile one just sold on Bring a Trailer for $18,000 plus 5% buyer’s premium, so $18,900. I paid $2,574 plus shipping, which won’t be cheap, but hopefully it’s hit close to bottom of depreciation curve, considering its (hopefully) “impeccable” interior. Wish me luck!

  13. Tom Birchard
    Tom Birchard June 15, 2018

    GCFSB –

    Your website, or the URL specifically, is currently being redirected to a site in Tolekau (.tk)!

    [link removed, but thank you for comment. -dc]

    If I go directly to one of your category pages, I can get to the page successfully.

    I do not know how you check such things, but I would look into it as I am sure I am not the only one suffering.

    –Tom

    p.s. – I am accessing the site from Europe if it matters.

  14. Carter
    Carter June 15, 2018

    Thanks for the warning, @Tom Birchard – we’re trying to sort out the hack. Thanks for following and sticking with us!

  15. Brian Park
    Brian Park July 10, 2018

    Hey guys – awesome blog, love the writeups.

    I noticed you weren’t pulling from many car forum classifieds, which often times are a gold mine for well kept hidden gems.

    I wanted to share a free tool that aggregates car listings from enthusiast forums: https://hiddenrides.com/

    Best,
    Brian

  16. Richard B Avery
    Richard B Avery December 28, 2018

    I would like to know how to buy the 1999 MBZ S500 Grand Edition

  17. Ian
    Ian January 5, 2019

    I came across this blog as I was researching the potential value of two 1971 2800CS couples owned by my father. They have been sitting in a garage in a property he owned for 20+ years, so would assume condition is fair at best and these would be restorarion projects. If anyone can point me in the right direction to sell these, it would be appreciated.

  18. Carter
    Carter January 6, 2019

    @Ian – try “The Vintage” group (they’re on Facebook) or BMW-specific fora such as E9Coupe.com – those would be the best bet.

  19. Robert A. Weiss
    Robert A. Weiss January 7, 2019

    Hi Carter.. Not sure if you remember a review you did for a 2004 SL55 AMG Brabus package. That was March 2015 and the asking price was $80K. Your review was EXCELLENT pointing out that the headline grabber was just not so 10 years later. This car now has 13K miles, and currently priced at low end of $40K. Better than $80K, for sure, but is it worth it today? Similar AMG’s with low mileage are retailing for 29-30K. Is the extra $10k worth the Brabus upgrades in your opinion?

  20. Carter
    Carter January 8, 2019

    @Robert – this car? https://germancarsforsaleblog.com/tuner-tuesday-2004-mercedes-benz-sl55-amg-brabus-k8/ – it must be! If the delta is only about 10K, that seems more in line. The Brabus wheels alone are worth some dough to the right people. Personally, I’d probably still stick with a less exotic and showy AMG model and save $10,000, but that’s me. If you want a super fast convertible that is very exclusive and with a name that carries some weight in automotive circles, you could do worse than spending a bit more dough for a Brabus. Thanks for commenting!

  21. David
    David January 23, 2019

    I am original owner of 1999 C43 AMG with 101,000 miles and love this car to death.

    So I am about to store this car in my barn as just cant part with it. It runs perfectly, has some inside headliner issues that i don’t plan to fix until we move to Florida in 8 or so years but would like your opinion on what I should do to prep this care for an 8 year sleep. Other than battery and gas, what else should i do to prevent unwanted issues when we go to wake her up in 8 years.

    I appreciate your advice.

    David

  22. Carter
    Carter January 23, 2019

    Hi David,

    An interesting question! I would say to make sure fresh fluids like oil and coolant are in the car prior to it going in and that the car is stored in an environment where it won’t be getting damp in the engine bay and inside areas like the trunk. You may want to coat some components underneath such as the suspension with some oil or silicone to prevent drying out and oxidation. I’d be sure to run aggressive fuel stabilizer in the car – make sure it’s the stable one which doesn’t absorb moisture. If you’re planning to start the car periodically, which probably wouldn’t be a bad thing, make sure that it runs long enough and gets hot enough that moisture isn’t building up in the exhaust system or engine compartment. And you may want to either sacrifice the tires which are on it now, or buy some cheap ones for it to sit on, as they’ll develop flat spots over time and will be horrible to drive on when it emerges. Good luck and I hope it works out for you!

  23. Michael
    Michael February 13, 2019

    Hi guys,

    Great site. Love the articles and 99% of the cars are absolutely awesome. Great presentation, comments and discussion. Keep it up!

    I found a cool car you may enjoy. It’s a rare C300 with a 6 speed manual. Lovely colors too. Seems like an unmolested car. Thought you would enjoy seeing it.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/2008-Mercedes-Benz-C-Class-C-300-Sport-Sedan-1-Owner-6-Speed/233123845602?hash=item36474395e2:g:PHEAAOSwikBcS3cT:rk:1:pf:0&vxp=mtr

    Thanks for a great site and keep up the good work.

  24. Carter
    Carter March 13, 2019

    @E88guy – yes, that Forest Green Metallic looks great on them!

  25. Rachel Minard
    Rachel Minard May 11, 2019

    What would be a good market value for a 1997 Mercedes Benz C-36 with 130,000 miles? My mother in law has one and is looking to sell.

  26. Douglas Cabot
    Douglas Cabot May 27, 2019

    Hey there GCFSB —
    A couple of years ago you (Andrew) posted this car:
    https://germancarsforsaleblog.com/1993-mercedes-benz-300ce/

    …which I bought and shipped East…and now I’m selling it:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/173914043122?ViewItem=&item=173914043122&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:MOTORS:1123

    What I think might interest you, besides the fact that it’s a beautiful car, and you featured it once, is the fact that it has not been the “slam dunk” I thought it would be. I have it on eBay at no reserve and I’m sure it’s going to be a pretty big loss for me when all is said and done. A combination of two sad MB-classic-ownership stories:

    First, I didn’t line up a PPI for the car, and thus had no idea about a near-fatal case of corrosion, only barely bubbling up atop the rear quarters, but signaling a major issue with the sheet metal around the convertible top’s well. So I had that fixed and had the car painted by a restorer. (It looks amazing.)
    Second, as other annoying issues have come up — a leaky top and electrical gremlins being the main ones — I’ve lost my earlier interest in salvaging as much this investment as I can, and I just want to move on. Not exactly a feel-good story for me, but I don’t suppose it’s an uncommon one either.

    So in the interest of giving your readers a chance at a good deal, but also looking with clear eyes at some of the potential pitfalls of classic Mercedes ownership, I hope you’ll consider sharing the listing.

    As for me, nobody should feel too bad — I just bought a sweet 1978 300CD through Bring A Trailer. Sometimes you just have to move forward:)

  27. Michael Pine
    Michael Pine August 3, 2019

    How do I post a car on this site?

  28. Ron
    Ron August 4, 2019

    Hey guys, I have been getting very little response to my E12 for sale exclusively on BMW sites. I want this vehicle to go to someone that can appreciate all that it is. Putting it on Craigslist and having just a random buyer is really not an option for me. Any suggestions on where to get the exposure I am looking would be greatly appreciated. See details about the vehicle below.
    Beautiful well kept 1979 528i. 95,000 miles. All original. Original Owner with all original purchase documents and Garage kept. Original White paint with pinstripe. Blue Leather interior with age related breakdown of the Leather. Original Blaupunkt Stereo. Dash, Console, Glovebox (with original Flashlight) all in pristine condition. Original Trunk Tool kit intact along with Jack and Tire Iron. Full size spare tire (BMW spoke wheel). New A/C, Muffler and Tires. Front Drive link replaced with factory part. New Brake booster. Body has minor flaws but never any bodywork. White Vinyl Headliner has oxidation discoloration around the metal rear seat belt brackets. Carpeting both front and rear as well as rear window deck carpet in excellent condition. Brakes in working condition but due for replacement soon (Brake Service light on). Vehicle runs well and passed California smog and is ready for sale to a good home.
    $8,000 or best offer.

    https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showt … ?t=1340083

  29. Jim Misko
    Jim Misko August 5, 2019

    Anyone have a range of value for a 1984 533i kept in excellent condition with 132,000 miles. Anything that failed was replaced with BMW parts. Maintenance records available. Could use a new paint job.

  30. Carter
    Carter August 6, 2019

    Hi Ron, I’ve shared your link with The Vintage (BMW specific) group on Facebook and it got a lot of love. I hope it helps out.

  31. Carter
    Carter August 6, 2019

    Hi Jim,

    E28s are appreciating these days, but a lot depends on how the car is presented. It’s tough to nail down a price range without seeing a bit more. But a few nicely presented 533is have recently sold on Bring a Trailer in the low-to-mid teens.

  32. owen cudney
    owen cudney October 20, 2019

    German car lovers Check out this 1985 Original 500SL AMG on Ebay

  33. Carter
    Carter November 22, 2019

    @Jim – thanks for the comments! Yes, I did see that one. Love those 924SEs!

  34. Robert Masutti
    Robert Masutti January 17, 2020

    Hi only explored your website a little-seems great!, not sure if you have a posting board for cars wanted ( yes not good for negotiating …) but am intested in BMW X5 lower mileage…IMOLA RED – will look at 3.0, 4.4, 4.6, 4.8 …

    Saw one years ago when looking but then chose a specail edition 06 3.0 in Lemans Blue… not regretting … but mine’s over 200,00 miles.. and would look neat to have Red sister in the driveway …

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