Craigslist is a hell of a time-waster for car people. For everybody really, but especially car people. Looking for interesting trades in your area? Craig’s got them. What about a specific model year of a Chevy S10 pickup? No problem. Winter beaters at less than $1,000? Bring a trailer, but sure. However, with a max price of $10,000, a reasonable sum for a used car, there are some interesting choices. We skipped the Chrysler 200s, Chevy Malibus and Cruzes for some actual cool cars at that price point.
Oh, and don’t complain about the pictures. Sellers are incredibly haphazard with a camera.
1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
This is the Detroit special. Anecdotally, there are more G-body platforms still on the road in the Motor City than anywhere else on the planet. We see them -- Monte Carlo, Buick Regal, Olds Cutlass -- literally every day. There goes one now.
This 1987 Monte is the Luxury Sport edition (LS as opposed to SS) featuring the 305-cubic-inch V8 and an automatic transmission. Output was up from the previous model to 165 hp. I can’t find that purple color in old Chevy paint codes, so I’m guessing it’s custom. According to the seller, the vehicle has 66,000 miles on the clock and a new partial fabric top. He also doesn’t need help selling it and will take $8,000 or best offer.
1980 Lincoln Mark VI Estate
This Mark VI is the first model year of the fifth-generation Lincoln coupe. It was downsized compared with previous models, as was commonplace at the time, but adopted a lot of styling from those past cars, including oval opera windows, radiator-like grille and spare tire trunk. This one looks to have the 302 V8 as opposed to the bigger 351.
This example only has 46,127 miles on it, according to the seller, and it has only had two owners. It was stored indoors and last month had a tuneup, some brake work, a new compressor for the AC, oil change, transmission oil and filter, battery, new belts and a coolant flush. That’s a lot to do to a car before selling it, which could be a plus or minus. Some of us, myself included, enjoy those first few weeks of general maintenance. If you don’t, and you like big ol’ coupes, this could be the one for you at $8,550.
2001 Porsche Boxster
The first-gen Boxster showed up at the 1993 Detroit auto show to high acclaim from both journalists and the public, though series production, after a few hiccups, began in 1996. It uses a midmounted flat-six engine that was revamped in 1999 after some teething problems. The Boxster got a minor facelift in 2002, making this the last of the early first-gens.
This particular car has a five-speed manual transmission and just over 80,000 miles on the clock. Output was rated at 217 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, and these cars are still loved by enthusiasts looking for a two-seat drop-top. This one is on sale, just under our $10,000 cap, at $9,875.
2007 Mercedes-Benz R350 4Matic
This is not the R63 AMG Mercedes minivan that delivered 503 hp, unfortunately. It’s the smaller-engine version featuring a 3.5-liter V6, hence the name, making a respectable 268 hp and divvying that up to all four wheels. Top speed was 143 mph, and the sprint to 60 mph took 8.3 seconds. The official production version was shown in New York in 2005.
This Alabama-built Mercedes shows 101,000 miles on the odometer and has a black interior to go along with its silver paint. It’s also fully loaded, according to the seller, featuring a double moonroof, glossy wood trim, leather seats and the company’s then-new infotainment screen, which looks positively ancient compared to what you’d find in, say, a Ford Fusion today. Still, an all-wheel-drive Mercedes minivan to haul Road Test Editor Jr. and Jr. Jr. in is a tantalizing proposition for $8,995.
2009 BMW 550i
In 2009 the fifth-gen BMW 5-Series was winding to a close (it ended in 2010). The E60 added new features not previously in the 5-Series, including iDrive, a head-up display, active cruise control and more. It also came with lane departure warning, a feature that was on the cutting edge at the time.
This one is the M Sport featuring the M5 wheels and a 4.8-liter V8 with paddle shifters, delivering a robust 360 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque. Both the paint and interior look to be in great condition -- the seller calls it immaculate -- and the vehicle was recently detailed. It does have the Bangle rear end, love it or hate it. It’s going hot for $8,999.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments below.
Jake Lingeman
Jake Lingeman has been with Autoweek since 2006 and career highlights include driving the Silverstone Circuit in England, taking the Corvette ZR1 around Road Atlanta and going to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. When he’s not writing about, driving, working on or thinking about cars, he’s reading liberal books and playing video games. In his opinion, the best new car in the world is the Ferrari 488 Pista. The Ford Shelby GT350, the Nissan GT-R and the Porsche 911 GT3 are favorites too. He owns a 1963 Pontiac Star Chief, a 2014 Ford Mustang GT and 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL.
