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Author: Carter

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Double Take: Dueling Volkswagen B4 TDi Passats

Published April 19, 2014 by Carter

As enthusiasts cars go, the words “TDi” and “Passat” don’t generally generate a tremendous amount of enthusiasm. Of course, that belies the entire subculture of Volkswagen enthusiasts that are diesel obsessed; but even amongst them the Passat TDi is rarely the first car they’d choose. Perhaps the exception to that is the wagon version of the B4, which offered smart looks and unbelievable fuel mileage. However, we looked at one on our Facebook fanpage, and people baulked as the price approached $15,000 on a high mile, 20 year old Passat diesel. So what’s here today then? Well, if you need a smart commuter, want to get 50 miles a gallon with a bit of sleeper style, the Passat sedan offers arguably better build quality than the Mk.2 and Mk.3 Jetta diesels did and can be had for a more reasonable budget. Today, there are two nearly identical mileage B4 TDis available on Ebay – let’s start with the older one:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1996 Volkswagen Passat TDi on eBay

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20K Friday – Super Sedan Edition: E28 M5 v. W124 500E – Which Would You Choose?

Published April 18, 2014 by Carter

What’s going on here? Tax returns are still heading out and we’re feeling rich? Well, not so much but it is nice to dream. While normally on Friday we look for the best deals, this duo was too good to pass up. You could argue about who started the super-sedan trend, but there’s no doubt that the Germans perfected it. Two of the most memorable of these are the E28 M5 and W124 500E; blunt instruments that achieve their goals of luxurious speed in very different ways. We’ve covered many M5s recently of different generations, but as I mentioned in the M5 Roundup, while it’s tempting to buy the cheapest M5 you can get your hands on that’s often a poor decision; in many ways, the same could be said about the 500E. So, here are two quite nice examples to choose from – which would be your dream? Let’s start with the M5:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1988 BMW M5 on eBay

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1995.5 Audi S6 Avant

Published April 18, 2014 by Carter

If you’re a big fan of the Audi S6 Avant, and you see a good one, buy it. These rare wagons were used and used well by their owners, and today few remain in top shape. Many more appear in the condition of today’s car; worn, a bit tired, but underneath the patina they are still one of the best sleeper performance packages out there. Unlike the last example, a clean and super rare Casablanca White example, today’s is shown in the much more common Emerald Green Metallic with black leather – apparently, the prototype of the Goodwood Green example I wrote up earlier this week:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995.5 Audi S6 Avant on Craigslist

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1989 Porsche 944 Turbo

Published April 18, 2014 by Carter

While yesterday I hinted that the E46 M3 might be the next 944 Turbo, let’s not forget that the original 944 Turbo is still alive and kicking. While generally speaking the 1988 Silver Rose Turbo S cars seem to be the most valuable of the street cars, the 1989 Turbos came in “S” specification, complete with the M030 suspension, more power and those special wheels. I’m lucky enough to have spent a fair amount of time in one of these; my father bought a 1989 just like this, but with white sport seats. It’s an amazing car, capable of effortless acceleration, swallowing huge trips in a single gulp, and yet gets good mileage and is comfortable. It’s one of those strange “fish story” cars; it just shouldn’t be as good as it is, and yet it is still largely overlooked as a performance value. While clean examples of the performance bargains in the 1980s and 1990s have steadily been on the rise, the 944 Turbo remains attainable. Today’s 1989 example is one of the better ones:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo on eBay

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2005 BMW M3 Competition Package

Published April 17, 2014 by Carter

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 8 months since we looked at a E46 M3 Competition Package, but we spend so much time playing catch-up on popular models that sometimes we don’t look at the models that will be classics of tomorrow. Amongst those potential future classics, few shine quite as bright as the E46 M3. As a car that’s affordable and still fairly new, the E46 M3 offers performance levels few sports cars reach. It’s also one of the last BMWs mere mortals can work on, the last offering of the S54 motor before the M division switched to twin-turbocharged inline-6s and V8s. To some, the E46 was a mass-produced marketing tool; but to me, the E46 M3 corrected many of the perceived faults of the E36 M3. Of course, the motor was a large part, but outside the M3 was now really set off by flares, quad exhausts, bulges, gaping intakes and vents that really made it look as special as it was. Denied the CSL, for U.S. customers the most special of the breed were the late run ZCP “Competition Package” cars like today’s Interlagos Blue example:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2005 BMW M3 Competition Package on eBay

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