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Author: Andrew

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1997 Mercedes Benz SL600

As you hopefully know, it is Fathers Day and I thought it would be fun to take a stab at finding the ultimate “dad car.” Many vehicles crossed my mind, the majority of them were Mercedes, a few BMWs and Audis as well, but there’s just something so grown up and bossy about a Benz that it makes the brand feel paternal. My own father isn’t particularly fond of the three pointed star marquee, so it is not with him in mind that I chose this car. He’s like me, a fan of hatchbacks, sleepers and rally bred machines, not the brash hardware like the SL600. However, I have no doubt he’d enjoy the soundtrack courtesy of the 48 valve V12 because who the heck wouldn’t? There may even be a chance he’d be swayed, as I was, into lusting after this car as it has a Vortech V2 Supercharger stuck on it, pushing the horsepower figure up over 400. My father was the one who taught me horsepower isn’t everything but I’ll be damned if the man doesn’t love it just as much as I do. It’s the torque that’s really impressive with these cars and all 420 lb-ft of it is needed to move the 4,445 lb chassis. Just goes to show that in a big ‘ol silver rocket ship with a removable top is where a motor like this belongs and few do this style of car better than the folks at Mercedes Benz.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 Mercedes Benz SL600 on Cars.com

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1990 BMW 325i Touring

Here we have a BMW 325i Touring imported from Japan to Canada with the intention of doing a full restoration. The seller states other projects have now taken over his time and he has to let the car go. Perhaps this is the case, it very often is but perhaps the seller also decided the juice was not worth the squeeze. The car needs a dash replacement due to it being cracked, the front passenger seat is badly ripped, one dent is mentioned and though I’m sure there are others and as you can see in the picture above there is a rust hole just in front of the drivers door. Now most of these issues are not major ones that’ll drain your wallet but those kinds of things will happen down the road.

The seller notes that the odometer has stopped working and the car has roughly 102,000 miles on it. That’s relatively low compared to most of the E30 Tourings I come across and yet many of those are in better condition. Makes me wonder what kind of life this car lived prior to arriving in Canada. Also the seller doesn’t mention inclusion of extensive service records or any kind of recent work which leads me to believe that that aforementioned bigger issues will indeed be popping up in the not so distant future. And yet, I’m still intrigued by this car because after all, it’s a Japan Spec E30 Touring in Lazurblau Metallic with a grey cloth interior!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 BMW 325i Touring on eBay

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1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 4

So long as I am contributing to GCFSB I will never pass up the chance to do a post on a 964 911, especially a black on with the mono block wheels. This is due partially in part to the fact that as I’ve learned more about classic 911’s I’ve become increasingly fond of the 964 as it is largely the first modern 911. Additionally black 964 911’s remind me of the bad guy’s car in the original Beethoven movie and that was the first time I ever saw a Porsche on the big screen. The movie producers were probably trying to make some kind of statement by having a dog killing scumbag drive a black Porsche but that was lost on me, all I saw was a car that I liked. I’ve gone through phases of swearing that 3.2 Carreras and SCs are the “one’s I’d go for” but at this point it has become clear that given my current living situation and driving habits, the 964 would make the most sense. Unfortunately for me, many other Porsche enthusiasts feel the same way and the popularity of these cars is higher than ever. Still, the occasional deal pops up and I think it’s fair to say that despite not ideal mileage, this example is one of those deals.

Click for details: 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 on eBay

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2012 Audi TT RS

 

If this was my car and I was the kind of person who went in for vanity plates I’d get COPMGNT because that’s what it is. A regular Audi TT isn’t exactly a head turner and the TT S doesn’t demand attention either. Both are fine looking cars but not nearly as fine as the fully hotted up RS version. Yes, I know the differences are subtle but the wider body, 19″ wheels, mesh grille and killer rear valance give the TT body the aggressive look I think it always should have had. Like many of the reviews say, the TT RS is more R8 than TT and I often debate which I’d rather have. I always end up landing on the R8 because gated manual. 

Speaking on manuals, the TT RS we got here in America only came with 3 pedals. Think about that for a second, a modern sports car in America with no automatic option only 3 years ago. If they were smart enough to do it then, why oh why can’t they be smart enough to offer an S3 with a stick now? Sorry to get off topic, sore subject as I’d go in for an S3 with a stick in a heartbeat, but I digress. Audi got a lot of things right with the TT RS, excellent 6spd manual, howling 2.5L inline-5 pushing out 360hp and 343 lb-ft in a 3,312 package. The car was quick, balanced and apparently had minimal understeer for an Audi. I would absolutely love to drive one of these but as they’re actually rather rare, the likelihood of that happening in the near future is slim to none. If you happen to own one of these cars and live in the greater Los Angeles area, please, let me drive your car?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2012 Audi TT RS on eBAY

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1989 BMW 325is

These days, it’s a struggle to find a clean E30 of any kind, let alone a 325is. So many of these cars have been stanced, track prepped or otherwise changed from their original setup that often times I wonder how many unmolested ones there are left. Though it might look it, this example isn’t completely stock but the modifications are the right kind so it’s ok in this case. How could you complain about a Dinan exhaust and engine chip, Koni adjustable shocks and upgraded HID headlights? I know some regular readers won’t particularly love the addition of an Alpine stereo unit or McIntosh amplifier/EQ, but at least they are quality components. Besides, stereo work is easy to undo and return to stock if you wish to do so, personally I’d consider swapping the head unit for a more period correct looking one that was still good enough to make use of the amp/EQ.

On the mechanical front the seller notes that much of the work associated with high mileage E30s has already been done. Clutch and top end engine work were done 27k miles ago, tires, brake pads, rotors, timing belt and more was done recently. Cosmetically, the car appears to be in great shape but I’d need many more pictures to have a truly informed opinion. In fact, if there is one major negative here it’s that the seller only posted five pictures, none of which are particularly good. Quality wise they’re okay, but with a car of this age you really want to see multiple angles both inside and out. The ad says the carpet is the only bit of the interior that shows wear. Well I’d like to see that so show me, don’t tell me!

I still don’t understand how people think they’re going to be able to attract serious buyers with such little visual information. I’ve been burned a couple times recently by sellers who take vague pictures and swear the car is near mint condition. So I take the time to go look at it and it turns out that there’s a wide variety of what constitutes “mint condition“. I don’t think this is one of those sellers who is just trying to get a face to face with you, I just think they were lazy with the picture taking. These cars photograph well even when they’re in shit condition so if you’ve got a nice on on your hands you owe it to the car and yourself to take at least ten to fifteen pictures of the damn thing. Ok, rant over.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 BMW 325is on BMWCCA

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