Archive for Uncategorized
Friend of GCFSB listing – Bimmers and a Merc
One of our loyal readers here at German Cars For Sale Blog has a few of his rides for sale on eBay. Let’s take a look at what’s up for bidding.
#1 – BMW’s Best looking flagship executive sedan: Check
This is an absolutely stunning 740i Sport, in absolute mint condition, never any accidents, low highway miles, and most importantly, PROPERLY SERVICED ITS ENTIRE LIFE WITH INVOICES TO PROVE IT! This car was serviced at no-expense-spared and it shows. It needs nothing but a new owner, and looks/drives like a brand new car. Awesome and rare special order paint color, CD changer, navigation, parking sensors, and much much more. Lots of recent service, and some very tasteful modifications.
#2 – Mercedes-Benz’s rarest, most expensive and top-of-the-line offering in 1981: Check
A stunning, rare, and collectible-quality 1981 500SLC 5.0 AMG with only 71K original miles. Only ~100 of these cars were brought into the USA, and some of those were not legally imported but were gray market cars. Of those, how many survived and are still in service? Not many. Of those remaining in-service cars, how many are in excellent original cosmetic and mechanical shape? Fewer still. Of those, how many have well under 100K original miles. A handful. And of that handful, how many have a correct R107 AMG full aero body kit, monochromatic ‘whiteout” paint, and period-correct BBS 16” wheels? Only one, and you are looking at it! This is a one-of-a-kind car, and it’s as nice as the photos suggest. It is unrestored and original, with the patina that shows it to be a loved, maintained, and excellent original car.
#3 – An immaculate White on White 3-Series: Check
It’s a 1994 BMW 325is 5-speed manual in alpine white over dove grey leather with matching grey carpets. It has 84,xxx miles, looks like a million bucks, and drives like a million bucks too! These photos are all taken after a wash and vacuum; no detailing of any kind.
Some amazing German muscle in this post…which of the 3 would you like to take home?
-Ben
Porsche 1973 911: When Honesty is the Best Policy
Here is a neat 1973 Porsche 911 that has been altered a great deal. As the seller states this is not a car for the purist, it is a driver’s car.
“If you value originality, you probably don’t want this car.
If you are looking for a concourse car to show, you probably don’t want this car.
If you want a powerful sound system with huge subwoofers, this car isn’t for you.
If you want a comfy, quiet ride, and convenient cup holders, this car will disappoint.”
1973 Porsche 911 Coupe:
Some further details on the car -
“1973 911 no-sunroof coupe, powered by a 3.2 liter engine.
-Fresh tranny, with 7:31 ring & pinion, Quaife limited slip.
-23mm front, 31mm rear hollow torsion bars.
-SSI heat exchangers, Triad West dual-in dual-out sport muffler
-Body is stock, except for Carrera flares and 935-style mirrors.
-OMP race seats, with 5-point harnesses.
-16 x 7 & 16 x 9 Fuchs wheels
-Also have an “S”-type front bumper, waiting for prep, paint and installationWhat it isn’t:
-No Radio
-No Cruise Control
-No power windows or locks
-No A/C
-No PS
-No PB
-No BSJust a hot-rodded early 911 that spends too much time just sitting under a cover in the corner of my garage.”
I posted this for the description as much as the car itself. You have to admit the car buying/selling process is pretty ridiculous at times. On one hand you have the seller trying to squeeze out as much as they can from their car, this becomes very tricky if the seller is heavily emotionally and/or fiscally invested in the car. On the other you have the buyer that is always trying to get maximum value for the lowest price. I would have to think an honest description would go a long way towards weeding out those who may not be interested in this sort of car.
The car itself looks well done, for all the honesty in the description the ad could use more pictures to complete the story. If the mechanics checked out and the car is cosmetically up to par I think the asking price is a good start for negotiation.
~Aaron.
1979 Trabant
While German vehicles have a reputation for over-engineering, reliability and prestige, cars manufactured in the former East Germany are a different story. First produced by VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in 1957, the Trabant was known for an infamously long wait times to purchase one. Some customers would wait up to 15 years to collect their new car from the time of order, which helped drive used Trabant prices up. Made out of a plastic resin called Duroplast, the Trabant had other unique features such as a gas tank mounted up high in the engine to feed fuel to the carburetor, as the vehicle did not have a fuel pump.
Here is an example of the infamous Communist runabout from the heyday of its production run:
1979 Trabant P601 LX on eBay
The seller states:
1979 Trabant P601LX. Clear NC Title. Comes with original German Fahrzeugbrief (German registration). I bought and shipped this Trabant from Germany in Dec.05. Motor starts and runs great! 6V, standard/dual point ignition. Original factory paint job; white car/green top. There are minor nicks here and there, but not worth mentioning…paint is still near 100%. Motor is super clean…starts every time and keeps running. Interior is also in great shape and very clean. Drivers seat has some minor wear (see pic). There is minor wear from a tire that sat for a while in the back seat (see pic). Drivers side mirror needs to be replaced….glass is not broken, but reflective material inside the mirror has broken up in some areas (you can find a fairly cheap replacement on German eBay). The mileage indicator has obviously turned many times since 1979…it is now at approx 2300 kilometers.
Bidding is at $4,900 with two days left in the auction and no bids. If you want a piece of East German nostalgia that you can drive, bid now, as these don’t come up for sale here stateside too often.
-Paul
Miami Vice Moment: 1992 Porsche Boat for Sale
EDITOR’S NOTE: I promise we aren’t shifting the focus of this blog to the marine world, but this find of Aaron’s with its big Porsche V8 power (“that can be serviced at any Porsche dealer”) is some spice to keep our readers surprised. I’d love to hear it run. Unlike the nuts 2700 horsepower Mercedes AMG boat that is powered by Mercury engines, this Porsche boat seems to have genuine Porsche power under the “hood” ~Evan
Here’s what Aaron has to say:
Being a child of the 80′s I have an unhealthy affection for the hit TV show Miami vice. Crockett and Tubbs drove fast cars, even faster women, and had those cool racing boats. I have never had the urge to be a boat owner per se, but something about those boats is ever so intriguing. When this boat showed up on eBay it took me back to a time when it was OK for men to wear pink sport coats.
What we have hear is one of two boats Porsche Design built in 1992. The list of features reads like something from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The seats look like they came straight out of a GT3 and the motor looks a lot like a modified 928 power plant. This boat boasts 550 hp and is capable of speeds up to 70 mph.
From the seller’s post -
“Ultimate Porsche Collector Find, FA Porsche Design, Porsche 550hp Marine Power, 28′ Carbon Fiber Kevlar Hull, 70mph Performance, Stored Since New, 0 Hours, Built 1992-Motor 2010, Porsche Metallic Silver,Teak Decks and Kick Plates, Porsche Wood Steering Wheel, Silver w/Red Upholstery, Retractable Hydraulic Swim Platform w/washdown and ladder, Hydraulic Engine Hatch /Sunpad, Dual VDO Gauge Instrumentation, Dual Fully Adjustable Silver Hard Shell w/Red Upholstery GT Sport Seats, “PORSCHE” Designed By FA Porsche on transom, Small Berthable Cabin w/VacuFlush Toilet, Gray Cushions, safety gear, bumpers and docking lines, Dual Axel Aluminum Trailer, this is Hull #1 of 2 Porsche Boats and the only Porsche Marine Powered Porsche Boat, Extremely Rare Porsche Collectible, the Porsche Boat project cost well in excess of a million dollars, the Porsche Marine engine development cost was in in the millions for Porsche, the Porsche Boat is currently listed for $495K, the original MSRP was $550k plus $75K for the Porsche Marine Power option in 1992, own a rare piece of Porsche history, the Porsche Boat can be serviced at any Porsche dealer.”
All of this for the low low no reserve bid of $375k. This boat has been listed several times with no sale taking place so I am sure the seller has some price flexibility. Given I know nothing about boat values I would have to think a limited release boat with zero hours that sold for over $500k new still has to be worth at least $250-$300k. Either way I am going to dust off my Miami Vice soundtrack and dream of blasting through the water in a Porsche boat of my own.
~Aaron.
1959 Tatra 603 Found in the PNW
A nicely preserved Tatra 603 has surfaced on Craigslist in Seattle. While this car is not exactly a German auto, it does have roots in German motoring history. Besides, there is not a Czech Cars for Sale Blog to post this car on.
This car is an interesting meld of performance and styling that was well before its time. The V8 engine moves this four door sedan down the road. In it’s time it carried government officials to and from engagements on behalf of national business. In fact, very few of these cars ever made it to the car buying public. The gross majority of these cars were used by the Communist Party in post World War II Europe. It is rumoured that Fidel Castro is the proud owner of a white Tatra.
The styling offers a glimpse of things you would see in later Corvette’s, Volkswagen’s, and even some Porsche’s. Tatra has been credited with creating the rear engine/central tube chassis design. Ferdinand Porsche himself spent some time with a Tatra before designing the original Bug. Evidently Tatra felt Porsche took too many cues from their cars and filed suit in 1938.
1959 Tatra 603 For Sale:
From the seller’s ad -
“1959 Tatra 603. Exotic CZECHOSLOVAKIAN “Super Car??” – well how else would you describe a Communist hot rod car with a rear engine SOHC all aluminum HEMI V8 !! Stock, original, unmodified and runs well!! The most exotic, bizarre classic collector antique car you’ll ever see. Favored by eastern European Communist party officials during the cold war era, even Fidel Castro has one!! A classic fastback split window long before the Corvette! $39,500 is my price, if you don’t like it, just go find another this nice for less . . . for that matter, go find another one period! Not likely you’ll do that either!!Car will be consigned to auction at Monterey in August if not sold now.”
While I appreciate the seller’s exuberance I find it unlikely they will sell their car, this car is going to Monterey. Regardless this is a nice piece of European motoring history that would give its new owner an interesting car to own and drive.
~Aaron.
1986 Merkur XR4Ti with 34,500 miles
How about a Ford with some German influence to spice up the week? Here we have a 1986 Merkur XR4Ti hatchback. Related to the Ford Sierra and built by the folks at Karmann in Rheine, Germany, these hatchbacks started appearing in the US in 1985 by the urging of then Ford Vice-President “Maximum” Bob Lutz. Powered by the venerable 2.3 liter four cylinder turbo similar to what was found in the Mustang SVO, it cranked out 145 hp in automatic form (175 for those cars equipped with the 5-speed manual). These interesting machines had a run in the US market up until 1989, when airbag legislation doomed the car due to retooling costs. Also, it didn’t help that Lincoln/Mercury dealers were peddling these things and had no clue how to market them. While they are becoming scarce on American roads today, finding ones with low mileage is even more daunting. Here we have an example of just that.
I purchased this vehicle from a VW dealer in 2002. It was traded in on a new vw. The original owner lived in Howard Beach NY. I bought this car for my father who needed a vehicle to get around town. He lived in boxford MA. At the time of purchase the xr4ti had 33,625miles.(I have documents). I had the vehicle gone through checking all the mechanical and replacing the tires, brakes and tune up. Shortly there after my father got sick and never really drove the car, as you can see current milage is 34581. In May of 09 I had the car towed to my house after sitting for the last 6+ years. I had the vehicle again gone through checking all the mechanical with only hoses need replacing due to age. The tires have flat spots but have been rounding out with me driving it around.Since they were new in 02 I hated to replace them.
There are a couple of things that need attention. There is a small dent in right front fender(pics), the headliner is beginning to fall, and the door panel needs to be glued on drivers door (pics). Otherwise the vehicle is in great shape. Everything is working. I have been driving it for a couple hundred miles and it seem everything is sorted out and working properly. It’s a great fun car and It’s rarity will pretty much guarentee you looks where ever you go. It is surprisingly quick when the turbo kicks in.
Not sure what the reserve is, but NADA.com is valuing high retail on an ’86 XR4Ti at $4,475, so I’d say anything under $5,000 would be reasonable, as this is not an easy car to put a price on. The only thing holding this back would be the automatic transmission in my opinion, but that could be a boon to the right buyer.
-Paul
2005 MINI Cooper S with RennTech Supercharger
The MINI Cooper has been hailed as one of the most fun and best handling cars for the money but many owners have been left wanting more oomph out of the tiny 4-banger. While I haven’t driven the JCW, I can imagine it offers a good bump in performance. An alternative to these straight-from-MINI upgrades is a RennTech package, which doesn’t quite make sense seeing that MINI is a BMW brand and RennTech is a Mercedes tuner…
Anyway, the RennTech package, which I couldn’t find any information on, consists of a RennTech Supercharger with larger Pulley and Air Intercooler. In addition, this Mini received a Race Short Shifter, Pagid Brake Pads with Red Calipers, Borla Exhaust and powder-coated 17’s which adds up to roughly $10K in upgrades.
This Cooper also carries the added significance of being owned and driven by Bob Snodgrass (1942-2007), President of Brumos Racing. The auction says Bob specifically made this car for himself and described it as “truly like driving a Porsche”.
With low miles, nice upgrades and the status of the previous owner, I doubt that this Cooper will get away for a MINI price…sorry it was just too easy.
-Ben
Low Mileage 1983 VW GTI on Craigslist
The original hot hatch is still one of the cleanest and most fun, routinely ranking well on “Best Drivers’ Cars” lists. Ever since my hand-me-down 1981 VW Caddy I’ve wanted a GTI. With lines as tight as its handling, A1 GTIs turn my head more than most modern sports cars. Simple, useful, and fun, it just doesn’t get much better. This example has a mere 95k miles on it with a freshly rebuilt gearbox.
1983 VW GTI for sale on Craiglist SF
It shows it’s age in some spots, but the interior looks very clean (great Recaros!), as does the engine. Though less-than-safe, GTIs look awesome without the bumpers. 95k well-documented miles means there’s plenty of fun left, and $3200 is a fine price for this condition. It’d be mine if I had the means/space.
-NR
1976 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer
I have to admit, I’m not an SUV fan. For my purposes, at least, these vehicles are of little use. That being said, there are a few I admire for their capability and design. The original Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen come to mind. Oh yeah, and this thing, the Pinzgauer. While this vehicle isn’t German, it’s made in Austria by the same folks who had a hand in developing the Geländewagen, Steyr-Puch. Production of the first generation Pinzgauer ran from 1971 through 2000 in both 4×4 and 6×6 models. Powered by an air cooled inline four cylinder engine with dual carburetors, these vehicles are noted for their durability. Other features include a two speed transfer case, hydraulically actuated locking differential hubs and a 24 volt electrical system. While they don’t have a huge following in this country, you do see them around from time to time. Incidentally, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger owns two of them.
If you are familiar with the 712 Pinzgauer, you know it is a “go anywhere” vehicle! With three driving axles and dash lock-in hubs on all axles and high ground clearance, it truly will go anywhere. I purchase it in 2006, have added 100 miles and always stored inside. Includes tool kit, space tire and English manuals. The vehicle is in very good condition, everything works. Vehicle is” for sale” local, Seller reserves right to end sale at any time. Thanks for looking.
During the last blizzard here in Arlington, Virginia, a 4×4 Pinzgauer passed me on the street. I instantly knew what it was but had to do a double take because I had never seen one in person in the US that I can remember. This beast didn’t miss a beat through snow drifts measuring several feet high. This particular Pinzgauer is the 712, or 6×6 model. I can only imagine what it is capable of. Bidding is currently under $10,000, but there is a reserve. I recently saw a 4×4 for sale at $18,000, so I’m guessing the reserve would be in the $20k range somewhere, at the least. Not too bad for a vehicle that could conquer just about anything you throw at it.
-Paul H.
Pinzgauer’s are awesome. They take the S out of SUV, but sure emphasize the U.
~Evan
Please Welcome Our Newest Authors
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You’ve probably noticed a few changes around here. Dan and I are glad to have landed several new authors who have fit right in with their posts. This will help us bring even more great cars to you at an increased frequency. We’ve put together an About Us page so you can read a bit about the new contributors. We still welcome the occasional guest post and are happy to hear about our readers’ own cars and finds, as well as any suggestions or feedback you might have about how we are doing. Shoot us an e-mail at dan@motoringblogs.com.
~Evan
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