We might look at this dark blue metallic 3.2 Carrera and think that it’s a standard color that we would come across fairly often. After all, Porsche did offer a variety of shades of blue, canvassing most of the spectrum, during the 3.2 Carrera’s production run, and these days dark blue is a pretty common color to come across from any marque. Yet, I sit here trying to think of the last time I actually came across a classic 911 in a color like this. This particular blue happens to be paint-to-sample so by definition it is a little more rare, but even among the standard colors offered at the time there do not seem to be a lot of these early 911s in this sort of color. All of this to say that I really like this one. There are things I would change: I could do without the yellow lens on the fog lights and I always prefer a whale tail on a Carrera Coupe – and since this has the front spoiler already the tail would balance things out nicely. In a perfect world I’d prefer a different interior shade as well. Still, this is a striking exterior color that is eye catching without being flashy and, as always, a reminder of the excellent variety Porsche has long made available for buyers desiring a particular color that might sit slightly outside the norm.
Month: April 2015
When certain dream cars end up way more expensive than you ever thought they’d be, you’re forced to decide if you’ll wait until you make tons of money (which may never happen), or make some compromises and try to get an example you can enjoy as soon as possible. Maybe it’s just a high-miled chassis with a rebuilt engine, but when those are going for as much as a brand new GTI, what do you do? The ultimate value-killing rebuilt title is a big gamble, but with 70k miles enjoyed post-rebuild and a reserve of “well below $30k,” it may just be the best overall value for a Westy Syncro out there.
Click for details: 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia Syncro on eBay
1 CommentIt’s hard to believe, but it’s approaching two decades that the “New” Beetle has been with us. What debuted as the Concept 1 at the 1994 North American International Auto Show begat the New Beetle for the 1998 model year. This revival of an entry-level motoring classic was offered with a 2.0 liter inline-4 or a 1.9 liter TDI engine initially, with a hotter 1.8 liter turbocharged petrol unit arriving shortly thereafter. Everyone from college kids to retirees began snapping these up in their quest for a little bit of nostalgia. These were not the most reliable of Volkswagens, suffering a lot of the same trim and electrical glitches that plagued the car they were based on, the MkIV Golf. A few years on, you could buy one for a song on the used market, and demand for new ones started to wane.
Enter the A5 based Beetle which debuted in 2011 for the 2012 model year. This was a larger, more powerful and feature laden car than its predecessor. Its appearance was meant to ape a bit of the cues from the original Beetle, with a modified roofline and available steel wheels with chromed trim rings and hubcaps. We’re a few years now into the current generation of Beetles, and this 6-speed manual example with low miles comes to us by way of our friends at Euro Automotion in Happy Valley, Oregon.
CLICK FOR DETAILS:Â 2012 Volkswagen Beetle at EuroAutomotion
Comments closedBack in February, we came across a mint condition 1978 BMW 733i for sale. At that time, I opined how rare it is to come across an E23 on the road, let alone one that has been kept in good shape. Lightning has struck twice, as this 1982 733i for sale in Oregon matches that prior example for originality. Unlike the 4-speed manual variant we saw in February, this particular example is equipped with the 3-speed automatic gearbox (the E23 would not see a 4-speed automatic until 1984). Originally an Arizona car, life in the western parts of the US has been kind to this 733i.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1982 BMW 733i on eBay
Comments closedAs frequent readers will be well aware, I typically write about the 911 and as such I write about a lot of pretty high-priced machines. In the 911 world value is very much a relative term and many buyers can be quickly priced out. Thus, when I dip my toes into the value side of the Porsche pool I am constantly amazed at the amount of car you can get. Porsche’s fleet of front-engined rear-drive sport coupes, ranging from the 4-cylinder 924 to the V8-powered 928, can provide some of the best values in the marque while also delivering plenty of exciting driving in an elegant design. Here we’ll look at a very low mileage Black 1984 Porsche 944, located in New Jersey. Having borrowed much of its styling from the 924 Carrera GT, the 944 effectively was the more muscular version of Porsche’s entry-level 924 retaining much of the basic shape along with a 4-cylinder engine, though in this case that engine would be a Porsche designed 2.5 liter inline-4. The result was an excellently well-balanced car that was both more refined and more powerful than its less muscular sibling. It should be no surprise then that these enjoyed quite a bit of popularity in their day.