Well, by now, most of you
have probably forgotten about this blog, and given that I haven’t published
anything since May 1st, that probably explains why. But there’s a good
reason for my absence. You see, since 2014, I have followed pretty much the
same formula – find something interesting, notate, draft, post, repeat. But I
think that while that model was a good starting point, it’s time to make some
changes that I feel will truly optimize your reading experience and really take
the QuickLap name to new levels. Let’s get into just what those changes will
be:
Porsches hold a special place in my heart. They're a mark of timeless success and a benchmark in modern sports car design. It's easy to mistake a C Class Mercedes for an E Class, but it's hard to mistake a Porsche for anything else on the road when one goes by, and Porsche's commitment to the basic design lines that have come to define the Porsche look over the years have ensured that the 911 remains at the forefront of performance combined with function and reliability. It's the best of everything in the automotive world, really. Speaking of the best of everything, let's check on how the Volvo Camper featured last week held up to the vote.
Seeing a vehicle with dependable Swedish design topped by a camper that emulates German build quality could easily be interpreted as the perfect automotive combination for the perfect car. That is, until they see the specifics behind that combination, which is why the '97 Volvo wagon camper fell in a LEAVE it loss. Guess it's best if we leave those Germans alone to work with the Italians from now on (Lamborghini, I'm talking about you guys). Speaking of German builds, let's get back to this week's Take it or Leave it feature.
What you see here is a 1983 Porsche 911 SC that is being sold as a project car with what the seller advertises as "lots of extra parts" for a grand total price of $23,500. I know that price seems a bit steep for an example that doesn't run, but considering that you can fetch a restored, working example for prices that start about $10k above that price, and even selling for over $50k, maybe this project is somewhat worth looking into.
In the ad, the seller notes that he bought the car about 3-4 years prior, and that it did not have an engine or tranny. But, since then, the seller notes that he's since purchased a used 3.2 liter engine, and even found a 915 transmission to mate it to. However, he points out that while the engine and trans are installed, they are not hooked up, and thus, you'll need a trailer to take this car home. But, you just might be in luck when it comes to the daunting task of haunting down spare parts, as the seller notes he's including bins of parts he's accumulated over the years along with the car itself. He also notes that some parts are very valuable and can be used "...to help pay for this hobby...". The seller also mentions that while the Odometer reads 50k miles, he does not have any actual documentation of milage, which leaves the past behind this particular 911 in a bit of a haze. He does, however have a clean Colorado Title of the Porsche, so that eliminates the need of having to re-register the car once you've finished restoration. But the crowning jewel of this car, in my opinion, is the in-car Panasonic phone, which was a factory-ordered option on the 1983 911 SC when it first came out. Also mentioned is the rims, which are Japanese aftermarket and tires that need replacing. If I were a prospective buyer, I'd immediately get rid of the entire setup upon purchase in favor of some original 911 SC rims.
And speaking of a prospective buyer, the ad also states that the car can be purchased without the engine / trans if needed, and that there are also other engine options to be considered for someone who makes a serious offer, including a Subaru H-6, a V6, or even a V8. I'd imagine that this 911 might be significantly cheaper should the buyer wish to only take the body. On the flip side, a V8 powered Porsche sounds like something that hasn't yet been done and could really give this 911 a unique sound!
The Porsche SC came along at a time when people thought the 911 was getting too old and too tired to continue to be produced, and it re-inspired sports car enthusiasts as the SC, along with its popular SC convertible sibling, was the first 911 that combined performance with reliability, a move that reignited the fire behind the 911 name and spurred it into a new market of sports cars that were as reliable as they were fun to drive. It could be argued then that the SC was sort of the 911's saving grace. At a time when the 911 name was losing its luster, the SC brought back its shine.
No, you aren't just high. The title you just read is indeed accurate, because for the amazingly low price of just $14,000, you could have this Volvo station wagon house camper. But first, before we get into it, we should take a moment to congratulate last week's Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II for earning a TAKE it win.
Supple leather and classy looks are worth it if you have to come home to a cardboard-flavored pizza, I suppose. I know I'd buy it and be unaffected the next time I saw a negative balance in my bank account because, well, what stranger is to know when you're cruising around in a classic Rolls, right? There are some things from the 70s that are worth keeping around, and this Rolls, along with the history of the origins of "420" are two such things.
Now, back to the Volvo camper wagon. Specifically, it's a 1997 Volvo 850 Wagon with a camper installed in 2016. Now, I've seen many weird and interesting homemade camper conversions in my past, but this one by far takes the cake for me. I mean, look at it:
The Volvo 850 is the very essence of automotive Swedish simplicity. It's easy to use, reliable, and well-styled - the trifecta of Swedish Engineering. It's easy to drive and easy to maintain. All of this is good news for prospective buyers. But then we get to the camper, which, while the seller doesn't mention it in the ad, looks as if the inspiration came from a German Renaissance era pub. From the stained glass windows to the Cedar wood clad siding, this camper screams German. It even looks like a lot of extra weight for the Volvo 850's 5-cylinder engine to haul. So, it's a late 90's Volvo with a giant German growth on its back for 14 grand. It's unique, sure, but you can't lie. You know you're interested.
The ad breaks down the details of this car into two parts - one for the Volvo and the other for the camper itself. To start things off, the seller notes that the 5-cylinder, 165k mile Volvo 850 has just had an extensive overhaul done to it aside from the camper, including important things like new brakes and rotors, a new radiator, timing belt, water pump, battery and new tires. He also notes that the car has features like power windows, mirrors, and locks, as well as that it's never been smoked in, and a mind dashboard assembly.
For the camper, the construction is from light weight aluminum and cedar wood, which is good for keeping fuel efficiency up. It also comes with a single-piece vinyl roof, as well as a working sky light. The construction also features a "marine-grade" finish, which probably indicates that the structure isn't going to bend or flex, or fall off any time soon.
Inside, the ad notes the accommodating space and storage capabilities, mentioning that there is room for 2 9' surf boards or 2 road bikes. There are also two beds, one which is 7' long, and another that is 6' long - one of which features some groovy white shag sheets! With 6'1" of head space, there's ample room for non-Shaquille O'Neal sized people to comfortably stand straight up. There are also many creature comforts that really make this a true camper, such as a sink, stove, ice box, and even a toilet. The entire camper, while big enough on the inside, is also small enough to fit into a garage and can go under bridges without worry.
All of this can be yours for $14,000. What's your call? VOTE below!
Buying a car brand new is a great experience. You get a shiny new car that's the latest and greatest in tech and style in its segment. The interior is untouched, and the cabin is filled with that fresh never-sat-in leather smell. All those hard to reach cracks and crevasses are free of any sort of debris, and you have no doubts about the vehicle history since it's spent most of its early life on a car carrier and in a climate controlled garage waiting for someone to come by and fall in love with it enough to sign the dotted line. You leave the dealer confident and happy with the fact that you're the one that gets to put its first miles on the odometer and not have to worry about maintenance issues or costly repairs right off the bat, provided there are no massive recalls or anything like that. It's a great feeling, and it's one that really sells the position of "buying new". But, see, that's the thing. Buying a car new when you're budget conscious is something of a debate.
Sure, you can pick up a brand New 2017 Honda Accord for right around $26k, which, for a new Accord, is a great deal. But you could also have a used one from that same generation for a few grand less if you're on the secondhand market. If you're smart when looking for a brand new car, you'll look for dealerships that are over-stocked and just itching to clear their lots of last year's models to make way for next year's lot. In that case, you can get away with saving over $12k off the market price of a brand new Corvette without even having to haggle, if you're thorough in your research. That's amazing for a Vette, especially in the 'new' car category. You'll see alot of this in the traditional car market for cars like Hondas or Kias. But the real hilarity here lies in the luxury second-hand market --cars like Mercedes, BMW, and even Chevrolet's Corvette, for example. In fact, all it takes is a simple search on a modern car shopping search engine which shows that you can pick up a modern second-hand luxury vehicle with low miles and even a remaining warranty for less than HALF of what they cost brand newjust a few short years back.
Take a look at the Mercedes S Class, for example. Right now, a brand new S-Class S550 4matic, such as The one below will run you right around the $120,000 dollar mark to drive off the lot.
Now, you're probably thinking "Christ that's insane!" And I'd agree with you, especially when you look on the secondhand market, and find that you can have this exact same car, albeit a couple of years old, for less than half of that. As per the example below.
No, you aren't mis-reading that price. You can actually have this less-than-three-year-old S-CLASS S550 4matic for less than HALF of what it would have cost brand new. No, that price you see wasn't photo-shopped on there, and no, this car has no accident history. The same thing can be said for the Range Rover.
As you can see in the image above, a brand new Range Rover with the Supercharged 5 Liter V8 is not cheap. At just shy of $135k, it's a car that is destined for some rich guy's car house in the hills. But, if we go onto the used car market, we can find the same car from the same generation, again, the difference only being milage, and a couple years in age, for about HALF of what it would cost brand new.
So, you probably have a few questions at this point. One being: why are rich people so stupid with their money? and the more important over-all question: what gives? How does such a high-class luxo-barge like an S Class or Range Rover seem to lose so much value in such a short time? And why do those who are able to afford such cars decide that they don't want to save $40k on the car that they want to buy?
Well, there are a few answers here, but I think the best way to answer both of these questions, is that, well, simply put, these cars cater to a certain market niche. The clientele in that market are usually known for wanting "The best, and nothing less" which means if you were a car salesman and brought up the 'used' option, that would prompt the prospective S-Class buyer to deliver a very deserved slap to the face, followed by a snooty "How dare you".
You see, unlike budget-conscious car buyers, the person who wants an S Class or a Range Rover is not known for enjoying "secondhand" things. That means that when they drop $120k on a brand new S Class or a Range Rover, it's because they don't want some other grimy peasant's arse to have occupied the driver's seat where they will be sitting. They don't want "yesterday's" tech, even if it's just a couple of years old and has remained unchanged in that time frame, and they don't want their car driven by anyone else except them or their chauffeur. In simplest terms, if it's not new, then it's not an option.
So there you have it. If you ever find yourself looking for a great car at a bargain price, you might want to consider offerings from higher end brands, because you never know what kind of deal you might find. And in the end, it's not like anyone will be able to tell the difference unless you go with a previous generation model.
It's never a pretty picture. In fact it's something of a nightmare. You can only look on with an acute sense of hopelessness as you feel your heart gain 1000 pounds and sink into your lower abdomen. That's just what happened a couple weeks back when I came out to the car only to find that someone decided to leave a large paint scuff mark on the front bumper. The once clean and less than one-year-old paint finish was now scarred with the smear of neglectful driving just below my headlight. Or so I thought.
Upon closer inspection it had appeared that the unidentified driver in question also just scraped the headlight. That meant that if Acura couldn't get the scratch off the light, that this repair was going to become much more expensive. Luckily, the damage was minor, and most of the paint came off with a good rag wiping, leaving shallow scratches and marks in their place.
I took it to the dealership for them to have a closer look. Insurance card in hand, I prepared for the worst; but the news I got instead from the tech was something of a relief. A mere $240 was the price, labor and all, that it would take to fix the gash on the bumper. I should add that to some luck, this was just below my deductible for my insurance, which meant I wouldn't have to deal with rising rates.
2 weeks later, I was able to drop off the car for repairs. For that, there were a couple bonuses that I could look forward to. One, Acura told me that the car would be ready for pick up by the end of the day, and two, Acura gave me a 2017 Acura MDX as a loaner. And, as I do have a certain pre-disposition to crossovers, I decided to give them a chance. I wanted to see if there was one mall-crawler out there that would persuade me to think that they weren't all just a bunch of lumbery soccer barges with no concept of "fun".
On looks alone, the MDX definitely makes the impression that, rather than the Ford Edges, Honda CRVs and the Chevy Traverses of the crossover scale, that you'd more likely find the MDXs with the Mercedes GLs, Range Rover Evoques and Audi Q7s of the spectrum. The chrome was tastefully appointed and the grille, while it didn't initially win me over, provided a better impression in person. But it wasn't just the looks of the MDX that really made me smile; putting my foot down behind the wheel was enough to generate some positive response as well.
Normally, in a crossover, you don't expect the acceleration to be aggressive or in any way enough to make you let off slightly out of surprise. However, with Acura's V6 power plant and their Super-Handling AWD system, that was the case when I drove the MDX. Despite being a larger crossover, it was surprisingly nimble, and the acceleration made it feel much smaller than it actually was.
The interior was pretty well sorted as well. It's similar to the TLX, so I didn't have too much trouble integrating my phone or navigating the infotainment system. The seats were plushy and there was enough storage space in the front alone to fit at least two soccer balls. In fact, if there was one thing I didn't really like about the MDX, it was the transmission system.
The transmission itself performs well, but it's just the selector that I think looks a little out of sorts. Acura's intention with this layout was to make the driving selections more "intuitive" by sort of letting the driver push the buttons in the various directions of travel. For example, you push forward on the "D" to put it into drive, the button for the Reverse gear is mounted so that you push it backward, and the parking button is straight up and down. This is the standard system you're given in any Acura equipped with a V6, and, I can't say personally that I was a fan, partly because it wasn't the prettiest layout in the world and partly because, having a proper gear shifter in my TLX, I found myself reaching for a gear selector that wasn't actually there. All in all, though, I was rather impressed with the MDX as a crossover, and that's not something you'll frequently, if ever hear me say.
Upon returning the MDX to pick up the TLX, I was expecting to have a clean bumper and a scuffed headlight, but what I got was better than I expected. Acura had somehow managed to get the scratch off of my headlight, leaving it with the same shine it had when it was new. In fact, the entire thing looked brand new. They'd gotten the marks off completely, and left no trace of the scuff. To add to that, Acura also performed a standard service (oil change, tire rotation) as well at no expense thanks to my lease terms. With the TLX back in my hands now scratch free, I was able to even get the first hand-car-wash of the season in today! Now it sits in the drive way with a mirror-shine, prepared for summer driving!
Summary:
Bodywork and paint: $240
Acura Service: $0
Milage: 10,543
Total parts and service: $240
Classics. We all love them. No matter how old you are or how young you might be, no matter whether you know how a record player works, or you can navigate an iphone with an understanding likened to that of Neil Degrasse Tyson and science, when you see a classic car coming up the road, you always find yourself staring longer than you thought you would. They're a timeless reminder of a not so distant past, and all that classic metal always seem to fill us with excitement. And that excitement seems just so with last week's 1964 VW Beetle, which earned a strong TAKE IT win. Now, go hit the surf, peasant, while I introduce something that appeals to the more refined car enthusiast's palette.
Quick! What's your favorite car under $13,000? A Corolla? Maybe a nice Kia Forte? How about a cool Mini? Maybe if the eco-box mantra doesn't suit you, you might shoot for something like an Escalade or even a Bimmer. Sure, those are all great choices if you're ready for some secondhand shopping, but if you're prepared to really dig, the gold that you can find in the depths of car classifieds can be astounding. Take this 1978 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II as my latest example of such an endeavor.
That's right, I said ROLLS ROYCE. This week, we give to you a mint 1978 Silver Shadow II for the taking. It's rich two-tone brown aesthetic and mahogany scented interior says "Move over, poor person" - even if you have just enough money to get that $2 bacon cheeseburger at the McDonald's you're on your way to - because it's listed for an asking price of just $13,000. See, back when this car left the Rolls-Royce factory in 1978, the individual responsible for buying it had to write a check for $65,000. That might not seem like much in today's money, but if we do some math (bare with me), you'll find that in today's dollars, that would equate to an eye-watering $252,000 in 2017. Now though, after 52 years of use, and after racking up an indicated 86k on the odometer, this wonderful piece of automotive history can be yours for less than 1/10 of that. That means you're getting Royal levels of luxury for Trailer park change. So you know that as you sit in that drive through awaiting your $2 bacon cheese, you can relax in sultry leather and inhale the smoked-wood mahogany scent that seems to permeate every classic Rolls. What a life it would be, right? But I digress.
This particular example comes to us from Sacramento California, and upon first impressions, this Silver Shadow looks ready for a red-carpet appearance at the Mayoral ball. At the surface, things look to be in order. The paint is glossy, there are no scratches or dings, and all the parts are there. Upon initail examination of the interior, it looks as though the genuine leather seats could be touched up a bit, and the carpets might benefit from a thorough vacuuming. The seller notes that the engine runs well, and that it was previously owned by an 87 year-old man, which suggests that while there are 86k miles on the clock, that they've been fairly gentle miles. The seller goes on to mention that the A/C works perfectly and that the original manual and tool kit are also included in the sale - which, if you do know about how a late 70's Rolls Royce works, that tool kit will certainly come in handy on more than one occasion. And that brings me to some things you might want to consider before diverting your attention from that super reliable Corolla you've had your eye on.
Here's the thing that should really be considered before investing in the Silver Shadow II. First, it's important to note that the words "sporty" and "handling" are not words that would ever be used to describe any vintage Rolls Royce, and I say that from experience. Back in high school, I had a job at my Dad's Limousine company as a car washer and detailer, and among our fleet, we had a 1978 Silver Shadow II, of which I had the opportunity to ride in on multiple occasions. On the road it was ungainly and slow. The car didn't corner so much as it rolled through turns. And it didn't go over bumps in the road so much as it just ironed them out with its immense weight. It didn't "accelerate" so much as it "began" from red lights. In fact, if it hadn't looked so pretty, its slowness and lumbery character would have been subjected to the honking and profanity-laced insults from surrounding drivers. Luckily, it also had dark tinted windows, so even if someone was upset with us, its not like they could see who it was they were insulting. And with such a clean and unique look, people mostly just admired the car more than anything. And that brings me to my next point. A Silver Shadow, or in fact a Rolls Royce of any kind are deserving of your special treatment as an owner.
During the day, I'd take the cars in our fleet into our garage bay between runs for quick wash-downs to make sure they were ready for their next run. Usually, I could maintain a speed of about 30 minutes per wash, which was pretty spot on considering how busy we were on a day-to-day basis. But things were different for the Silver Shadow. Rather than a 30 minute rinse, washing and detailing the Rolls was an all-day affair. It was the one task that I would return to once the main garage bay had been cleared of all the other cars we had. It was the one that required a keen eye and special washing chemicals to ensure that the paint was not damaged, the chrome was free of any sort of blemish that would hinder its shine, and that the genuine cow-hide leather seats, as well as the rest of the interior was properly shampoo'd and ventilated to keep that signature smoked mahogany wood scent from leaving the cabin. But after it'd been cleaned and washed, the Silver Shadow would sit idle most of the time in the shadows of the garage bay, simply because, well, it was a hand-built British car from the 70s - which is a trifecta for maintenance nightmares if you are not prepared to keep up with it once you buy it.
Now, before you run off, it's important to note that the engines in these cars, for the most part, were brutally simple affairs, and that simple things like fluid checks and general maintenance could be performed by the owner if he or she were savvy enough on mechanical upkeep. However, the real gremlins lay within the hydraulic suspension systems that allowed these cars to have such a fluffy and cushy ride. If one of those suspension components fails, you better be prepared to write a check that, in most cases, will cost more than the $13,000 you paid for this car. Now, it's not to say that they regularly failed, but on the pot-hole laden roads of America, you might want to take it easy on those bumps!
So, there you have it. For peasant money, you can have a car fit for a king in your driveway. You can go around town and parade your Rolls Royce with a smug look on your face, and no one would be any the wiser of the fact that you've only got $5.71 in your bank account, which might come in handy just down the road, considering that the massive V8 in the Shadow is not necessarily known for fuel economy. But who are you kidding? Would you rather be totally incognito and vanilla in that Corolla, or should you add a splash of brown 1970's flair to your life? VOTE below and decide!
Hello, and welcome to this week's TAKE IT or LEAVE IT segment! Every week, we bring you the best car classifieds from around the web and feature them right here and let you be the judge. This week, we've found a West-Coast '64 VW Beetle that is up for grabs! The seller didn't provide very much information on it in the ad, but maybe its sweet blue paint and clean appearance might just be enough in it of itself to win you over. Speaking of the 60s, let's see how our Ford Fairlane fared in the TAKE it or LEAVE it shark tank.
Last week, we presented a well-kept and professionally restored Ford Fairlane 500XL convertible. This car, in many ways, was a hallmark of its generation, due to its highly diverse array of configurations and options - traits that made the Fairlane a top seller for Ford throughout the 60s and early 70s. Today, that styling still seems to resonate with many of you, as did the "fair" price, earning it a TAKE it win. Good on you! This week, we continue our visit to the 60s with this 1964 Custom VW Beetle.
As I mentioned, the seller didn't really offer up too much information on the specs behind this unique little blue bug, but it just looked so cool that we had to see what you all would think of it. What little info the seller does provide is that above all else, it has an "electric ignition" - which, for those of us who aren't familiar, is essentially the type of ignition system you'd most likely find on most modern race cars. Now, that may not seem very appealing at first, but if you've ever done a startup procedure for a car equipped with such a system, the appeal becomes much more intriguing, since it involves more than just turning a key. Essentially, you press a series of buttons, sending an electric spark to the engine, which ignites the fuel and air mixture and turns the engine over to get it running. It's kind of an event, really, which makes driving it just that much more exciting. If you're still confused, this video might help explain things more clearly.
In addition to the racey-go-faster ignition system, the seller notes, per the short description, that the car "runs good", which is a claim that is up for speculation, it has disc brakes and that the motor is good for 90mph. I can't say much in the way of whether or not any mods were made to that motor, which means that presumably, it's still rocking the stock VW 1.2 liter N/A power plant, and is mated to the stock 4-speed transmission, which back when new, was good for a staggering 40 horsepower and 65 lb-ft of torque. In the pictures, that engine looks to be in decent shape, though it's probably worth closer inspection if you plan to look at this car in person. There also doesn't appear to be any rust on the body, which tells us that it was well taken care of; a definite plus in a secondhand car market, especially for a car of this vintage.
The seller also notes that this Beetle comes with aftermarket adjustable beam headlights and even shows a close-up picture of them, revealing a halo-like architecture, which means you shouldn't have too much trouble navigating your way to your local beach during the pre-dawn morning hours to catch some midnight swells bro. Working back from there, the entire car is very "California" if you will. The blue dashboard features some interesting surf-bro artwork and aftermarket speedo with an Odometer that I suspect doesn't show the correct milage. Mounted in front of that is an aftermarket steering wheel, and on the passenger side, there is an aftermarket radio head unit mounted just below the dash board. The seats and doors look to be minimally worn, and are upholstered in a nice shade of white, though it does appear as if it could use a clean. In the back, behind the white cloth bench seat sit 3 rather large speakers, which, I assume are incredibly loud, given that in the trunk sit two 600 watt amplifiers, which look ready to play your latest Sublime album while you cruise the PCH. The entire car is also lowered and sits on some fairly nice looking chrome shoes. Nice bro!
All of this can be yours for a mere $6,000. What's your vote? Take it or Leave it? Decide below! Link to orignal Craigslist Ad
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