Buying a 10+ year old car what could go wrong?

[Dantheman]

Unobtanium light. One of these days I'm gonna get organizized & buy one.

http://bringatrailer.com/listing/2001-audi-s4-avant-5/

Man, I bet that thing is a riot to drive. No way it wouldn't murder you on maintenance, though.

[4matic]

Why is it so cheap?

Opening bid? Xenon headlamps are clear and that's worth a lot.

Used benzes have limited audience I think. Look at this place. Lots of car enthusiasts and very few talk benz. It's all BMW, Audi, Porsche, Sub, and Volvo? I think that perception of high cost>high maintenance is carried over from when Benz was truly a premium brand with premium price.

The W211 E500 is a good car. Fast. Powerful.

[Jong Lafitte]

Opening bid? Xenon headlamps are clear and that's worth a lot.

Used benzes have limited audience I think. Look at this place. Lots of car enthusiasts and very few talk benz. It's all BMW, Audi, Porsche, Sub, and Volvo? I think that perception of high cost>high maintenance is carried over from when Benz was truly a premium brand with premium price.

The W211 E500 is a good car. Fast. Powerful.

Surely, the models that see heavy taxi service must be pretty good on the cost of ownership, I mean, they are used extensively as taxis. I know not all of the parts are the same as the Euro/Asia specs but are they really that different? another one of those you can't have that in the 'States deals?

As with anything, I reckon the "fancy" ones have "fancy" shit that's gonna cost a lot more to replace/repair. For starters, they don't make as many, say radiator hoses, for the McLaren then they do for the E class and the 'OEM replacemnt' is gonna be harder to find.

My dad had this '79 diesel he sold 20 years ago that we still see driving around (the exact car). Pretty darn tough and reliable. Had 240k miles on it when he sold it. Did have to replace the tranny once. Weeks after the tranny was replaced, he backed out of the drive and saw a mystery puddle (ended up being battery acid, actually). Drove it straight to the dealer and traded it in.

[BmillsSkier]

^^^
You read the story on Jalopnik about the guy who found one and completely brought it back to stock? Sweet ride!

ETA: just noticed it's a Fairlady? Didn't know those existed.

[basinbeater]

I do like those, but never driven one. I do like less weight in my sporty cars though.
Saw this when I was doing a little bat time, and while I am not a huge red car fan, damn this thing looks good. Makes me want to paint my gray 540i in red.
http://bringatrailer.com/2013/10/04/...-540i-m-sport/

[BmillsSkier]

Missed the jalopnik article but have seen a few around town. The G35 wheels look good.

Is that what those are? They look perfect. Like stock but new.

[Mazderati]

Revolutionary car when it debuted. Made Car and Driver's top ten list every year it was sold. Easy to make power. ~3,300 lbs isn't light but it also isn't completely out line; especially compared to newer cars. Maintenance=busted knuckles. I like the look of the longer 2+2 length but not as much as I like the turbos.

[mcski]

Ya I totally disrespected one of those a buddy had. Took it out for a test drive, punched it making a turn and promptly lacerated my arm correcting the fishtail I put it into across two lanes of traffic. Scared the shit out of me

[Bobby Stainless]

Chopped carbon.

^^^
You read the story on Jalopnik about the guy who found one and completely brought it back to stock? Sweet ride!

ETA: just noticed it's a Fairlady? Didn't know those existed.

In Japan they were called Fairlady.

Those wheels make that car.

[AK47bp]

The son of a lady I work with had one, someone flew over from Japan to buy it and had it shipped back.

[4matic]

It looks cheapest to buy a 10-year-old car, keep it for 5 years, then repeat

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the...art-2017-06-26

[Timberridge]

Useless but interesting little fact. Diablo used the headlights from the 300ZX, and say Nissan on the top rim, so Lamborghini put a faux crapon fiber trim piece over the top of the light to obscure it.

[BmillsSkier]

Useless but interesting little fact. Diablo used the headlights from the 300ZX, and say Nissan on the top rim, so Lamborghini put a faux crapon fiber trim piece over the top of the light to obscure it.

That is a fun fact!

So at the very least, we know that the headlights worked on Diablos.

[stfu&gbtw]

That is a fun fact!

So at the very least, we know that the headlights worked on Diablos.

"Worked" in what sense exactly...? Did Nissan make the wiring and interior controls?

[ghosthop]

I've been saying I need to get a gasser beater for short jaunts near town.
What says ye Bmills?

https://bozeman.craigslist.org/cto/6204886064.html

[basinbeater]

How does he know it is going to need a water pump eventually would be my first question.

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[Conundrum]

My brother just did a river trip in southern Idaho, and the road in to the take out apparently was GNARLY, and both of the arranged shuttle vehicles are built 80 series cruisers with 33s and lockers, and sliders.

Wouldn't happen to be these two 'cause he's off on the tire size?

[Flexon Phil]

The depreciation on MBs is insane. True for many luxury cars but MB seem hit especially hard.

Look at Boxsters, Z3 and Z4's, same thing. There is a huge amount in that are down in the Miata price range...then look at S2000's and MR2 Turbos, they are appreciating..you cannot touch a nice one for under 10K. $5-10K buys you a nice NA, NB or NC Miata... depending what you want. Speaking of NA's they are going up at a stupid pace. Look at BaT there has been a glut of 91SE's all drawing mid teen's in money, my 92 Sunburst just drew over $11K and next year if the new owner wanted to sell it with a few more miles will probably bring $12-13K. I would have kept it but I have no place to keep what has become a garage queen..I want a driver.

[BmillsSkier]

I've been saying I need to get a gasser beater for short jaunts near town.
What says ye Bmills?

https://bozeman.craigslist.org/cto/6204886064.html

The last of the Mohicans right there boys. Buy it. Love it. Live it.

When it dies push it off a cliff. It's the only respectable thing to do to.

[basinbeater]

Look at Boxsters, Z3 and Z4's, same thing. There is a huge amount in that are down in the Miata price range...then look at S2000's and MR2 Turbos, they are appreciating..you cannot touch a nice one for under 10K. $5-10K buys you a nice NA, NB or NC Miata... depending what you want. Speaking of NA's they are going up at a stupid pace. Look at BaT there has been a glut of 91SE's all drawing mid teen's in money, my 92 Sunburst just drew over $11K and next year if the new owner wanted to sell it with a few more miles will probably bring $12-13K. I would have kept it but I have no place to keep what has become a garage queen..I want a driver.

If I was looking at the z3 and z4, I'd be looking for an m z3 (m roadster) and waiting for a good deal to come along. However, I'm sure a 3liter z4 with a manual would be a very nice car to drive on a daily basis.
As far as boxters go, nice chassis, but the old 2.5 ones are kind of slow. Look for at least an S that has had the ims issue addressed (documented, or be prepared to tackle yourself). But my 944 turbo eats pretty much any year boxter, cayman, S or not, for lunch all day long.

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[Flexon Phil]

If I was looking at the z3 and z4, I'd be looking for an m z3 (m roadster) and waiting for a good deal to come along. However, I'm sure a 3liter z4 with a manual would be a very nice car to drive on a daily basis.
As far as boxters go, nice chassis, but the old 2.5 ones are kind of slow. Look for at least an S that has had the ims issue addressed (documented, or be prepared to tackle yourself). But my 944 turbo eats pretty much any year boxter, cayman, S or not, for lunch all day long.

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A Boxster is not really on my radar, a lot of people suggested it but don't want to go down that road, we want a roadster not a mid engine sportscar. We did want something nicer, more refined. Speed is not a concern...I am coming from a 1.6L Miata. We drove the Z4 and it felt big, not so much refined but more disonnected, too isolated. We then thought the Z3 would be a good balance of Miata and Z4 then after driving a 2.8, we felt it was the worst of the Miata, and Z4. We are looking for for a canyon cruiser not a canyon carver. I think we will be back into another Miata, number 9 for me. A NB or NC that I will do some suspension work on that I can drive hard and put away wet if I choose.

[Timberridge]

I owned a '01 M Roadster for a year, and a '90 Miata for 10 yrs. I really wanted to like the M, and it seems fun on paper, but it was not as fun as the 10 yr older Miata. And I was really a BMW fan back then, having owned and tracked a couple M3's.

Faster yes, but the M's jarring ride, and an engine that seemed like it didn't want to be in that chassis made it tiring to drive. Sorry, but BMW missed the mark on the M Roadster.

[Flexon Phil]

I owned a '01 M Roadster for a year, and a '90 Miata for 10 yrs. I really wanted to like the M, and it seems fun on paper, but it was not as fun as the 10 yr older Miata. And I was really a BMW fan back then, having owned and tracked a couple M3's.

Faster yes, but the M's jarring ride, and an engine that seemed like it didn't want to be in that chassis made it tiring to drive. Sorry, but BMW missed the mark on the M Roadster.

That was kinda my feeling. On paper...but that was about it. Now, if Honda made an S1600, no power top, cloth interior, shave a couple if hunnerd pounds...that could have been the ellusive Miata killer.

[stfu&gbtw]

That was kinda my feeling. On paper...but that was about it. Now, if Honda made an S1600, no power top, cloth interior, shave a couple if hunnerd pounds...that could have been the ellusive Miata killer.

If only...

[Flexon Phil]

If only...

FWD..FTL