Press "Enter" to skip to content

Author: Andrew

This site contains Ebay partner affiliate links, which may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.

1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 2

1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 2

Published April 26, 2015 by Andrew

The first time I ever saw a 964 Carrera was in 1992 when my mom took me to see Beethoven at our local two screen. Out of all the images that were burned into my brain from that movie, the bad guy’s black Carrera 2 is the one that I have always vividly remembered. It’s kind of weird that all these years later whenever I see a 964 I think of that movie when there are so many other things to associate the car with both in the racing world and in pop culture. The 964 should really be the most iconic 911 as it bridged the gap between the purist car that the 911 was and the consumer friendly machine it has become. However I think these cars remain under appreciated by most folks, dismissed as being the first step towards the softening of the 911. I’d be quick to point out to these naysayers that the 964 was in fact quite hardcore in its performance numbers despite the addition of creature comforts. This was truly the beginning of the journey towards the “have your cake and eat it too” Porsche we know and love today.

The 964 saw an increase in power, better ride and handling, improved safety features, more effective climate control system and an all wheel drive variant. I’m willing to bet that when it debuted many Porsche enthusiasts made a big fuss about the car going against everything Porsche stands for, much like we do today about, well just about anything Porsche does. With nearly 25 years of hindsight I think that even the grouchiest Luftgekuhlt lovers would have to admit, the 964 generation deserves a whole lot of respect. Take a good look at this example right here and I think you’ll agree that a Carrera 2 might just be the perfect classic 911.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Porsche Carrera 2 Coupe

Read Our Post1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 2
2 Comments
1983 911 SC Targa

1983 911 SC Targa

Published April 25, 2015 by Andrew

Another day, another crisp SC Targa found down in Florida. This one is a real head turner as it is covered in rather rare Schwarz Metallic paint. The ad says it can appear Slate Grey in certain light, black or even brown at other times. I think I saw  a 911 with this paint a few years back at a meet but didn’t realize it was so special at the time. Also could have been my eyes playing tricks on me, hard tellin no knowin I suppose.

Anyhow, I thought this ’79 Targa deserved some attention as it features not only a unique exterior but a very clean, very pretty Cork interior. This is certainly among my favorite color combinations for a 911, I think it works particularly well on this era. The leather on the dash and on the front seats is new and the Targa top has been reupholstered with OEM material as well. From a visual stand point this vehicle appears to need nothing and the mechanical side of the equation also seems to be balanced. Brand new tie rods and steering rack boots were recently installed, the seller notes that the A/C squeals at bit at start up but from what I’ve read that’s both rather common on these cars. Whether or not it is an easy fix is beyond me but if it was my car, I would keep the A/C off and the top popped to keep cool.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1979 Porsche 911 SC Targa On eBay

Read Our Post1983 911 SC Targa
6 Comments
2011 BMW 135i M Sport

2011 BMW 135i M Sport

Published April 25, 2015 by Andrew

Here we have a very fine example of a car I still think falls into the drastically underrated category despite its reputation amongst those in the know. The 1 Series is viewed by most as a Bangle era failure to modernize the formula that made BMW famous, a tightly packaged two door with a solid powerplant under the hood. While the 128i is no slouch, the 135i with its 300 hp twin-turbo inline-6 is the only spec I’d consider. Add in the M Sport package which gives the car six piston calipers up front, two piston calipers in the rear, a very nice perforated steering wheel/shift knob and super comfortable sport seats. I’ve sat in one of these cars with and without the M-Sport package and in opinion, the M Sport package is a must. Without it the 1 Series appears rather basic, especially the 2008 to 2010 pre-facelift models. Aside from visual tweaks that really tightened up the overall look of the car, from 2011-on the 135i got the N55 inline-6 which used a single twin-scroll turbocharger to make the same power as the N54 and its two turbochargers. While having a twin-turbo motor sounds cool, it’s really just one extra part to worry about. The N55 has less turbo lag, better low rev torque, lower emissions and is more fuel efficient than its predecessor. I’d call that a no contest victory.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2011 135i M Sport on AutoTrader

Read Our Post2011 BMW 135i M Sport
11 Comments
1998 Audi A6 2.8 Quattro Avant

1998 Audi A6 2.8 Quattro Avant

Published April 23, 2015 by Andrew

Growing up in Southern Vermont a lot of people had wagons. My parents first shared vehicle was a beige 1984 Subaru GL, my grandmother had an 1990 Legacy and my aunt and uncle had an 1989 Loyale . There have been a number of Subarus owned in my family since and I’m actually the first of the clan to go for something German, although it was still a wagon. Point is, there was no history of Quattro love in my family, no reason that I should feel such a strong connection to these vehicles. However, as is often the case in the automotive community, there is no rhyme or reason for feeling a certain way about a certain car. When a car works for you, it just works for you and for me such is the case with the C4 A6 Avant.

My first experiences with one of these was with my buddy’s 1996 Casa Blanca A6 Avant spec’d out just like this example. Right away I was nerding out on just about everything in the car and it’s still just as impressive now as it was then. We all know that your co-pilot needs to be aware of the oil temp, battery voltage and time so the brainiacs at Audi went ahead and made that information easily available to them by extending the gauges over to the center stack. It’s just one of many design details that makes me think of logging many highway hours in this vehicle with a family and a ton of gear. I remember the seats as being some of the most comfortable I had ever sat in and I’d say that still holds true today.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1998 Audi A6 2.8 Quattro Avant on eBay

Read Our Post1998 Audi A6 2.8 Quattro Avant
3 Comments
1989 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.5-16V EVO I

1989 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.5-16V EVO I

Published April 19, 2015 by Andrew

As I have mentioned previously, there are not many Mercedes models that I really lust after. Sure, there are models that I certainly wouldn’t mind driving if someone handed me the keys to them but very few that I really desire. The car you see here is one of those few, in fact it’s at the very top of the list. I would take this car over an SLS, C63 or even the new AMG GT any day because while those cars might be luxurious, pretty and insanely fast, they lack the uniqueness Mercedes and AMG were able to instill in the car you see before you. The 190E 2.5-16 was a rare car to begin with, but in 1989 Mercedes added the Evo I designation to the mix creating a new tier of rare for the brand. Only 502 of these fantastic machines were built and like the regular 2.5 liter equipped 190Es, none of them came to our shores. If you want to own what I consider the coolest Mercedes ever built, you’ll have to import one or move out of the U.S. I hear Portugal is quite nice almost year round.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.5 16 Evo I

Read Our Post1989 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.5-16V EVO I
3 Comments