Here Are 9 Used Cars And Bikes For Under $10k That Prove There Are Still Good Enthusiast Deals Out There: Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness

Welcome back to Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness! As you know, I love picking up dirt-cheap cars, motorcycles, and campers, then telling you lovely readers about the dumb things that I do with them. I’m always looking for the next deal, but most of the time, I’m left empty-handed. At the same time, I love building a list of cars, trucks, and motorcycles that I would buy if I had the money.

Mercedes’ Marketplace Madness turns the long lists of vehicles I’d love to buy into something for you all to enjoy. Some of them are cheap and some of them are not. Some of the vehicles I find are purely window shopping for everyone other than a collector like Beau or Myron.

A couple of weeks ago, I challenged myself to find cool vehicles for under $10,000. It was a return to the kinds of stuff I’d find when this series was called Dopest Cars. Well, that was so fun to research and write that I’ve decided to do it again. So, once again, we don’t have a single thing over 100 Benjamins! We’re also playing with the headline a bit.

Here’s what I’m looking at this week.

1962 Mercury Monterey – $7,500

The Mercury Monterey launched in 1952, borrowing its name from Monterey Bay in California. At the time, the Monterey was positioned as a mid-priced Mercury flagship luxury car slotted above Ford but below Lincoln. The name was first used in 1950 as a luxury two-door hardtop variant of the Mercury Eight.

As Hagerty explains, Ford developed a new Mercury-only body for 1957, which sold through 1960. However, Ford couldn’t justify giving Mercury its own bodies given its yearly sales of 150,000 units while Ford itself was moving over 900,000 units a year. Thus, in 1961, the Mercury Monterey was downsized and based on a Ford body. This was the era when Ford burned $400 million on Edsel, so it makes sense that Ford tightened its belt. Mercury’s design was changed enough that the cars had their own identity despite having a counterpart in the Ford Galaxie.

Annoyingly, the seller provides no engine information or interior photos. In 1962, engines ranged from a one year only 223 cubic inch six making 135 HP to a 406 cubic inch V8 making 385 HP. I reached out to the seller about the engine and will update if I hear back. Aside from that, the seller notes a PerTronix ignition system, a tuneup will be needed, and the fuel gauge doesn’t work. It’s $7,500 from the seller in Wenatchee, Washington.

1995 Audi S6 Quattro – $8,000

This one isn’t that quirky, but it is relatively inexpensive and rare German speed.

As Hagerty writes, in the early 1990s, Audi began to revamp its lineup after the fallout of its infamous Audi 5000 unintended acceleration fiasco. Sales fell from 74,061 units in 1985 to just 12,283 units in 1991. One way Audi pulled itself back from the ledge was by trickling racing technology down to the street. The automaker brought the S4 to America in 1992, enticing buyers with its 227 HP 258 lb-ft torque 2.2-liter turbo five power, manual transmission, and Quattro all-wheel-drive. In 1995, Audi’s then-new naming strategy meant that the S4 became the S6.

The “UrS6,” or original S6 as some would call it, was the same under the hood. That engine was good for a 60 mph sprint in 6.1 seconds, which would be respectable today. These cars had front and rear heated seats, wood trim, and a locking rear differential. Bolted to the car is a Torsen-based Quattro system that normally splits power evenly between the axles. In 2017, it was estimated by Audi that there are about 930 of these 1995 UrS6 sedans in America.

This UrS6 is said to be in good mechanical condition with new parts including a clutch, timing belt, water pump, and more. Cosmetically, the paint is fading in a few areas. It’s $8,000 from the seller in Annapolis, Maryland with 279,500 miles.

1981 Mercedes-Benz 300TD Manual Swap – $6,800

We’re all fans of the diesel manual wagon here, so I love when I find one of these for sale.

The W123 is a classic and famous Benz with fans all over the world. Production started in 1976 and by the end in 1986, Mercedes-Benz put 2,696,915 of them on the road. They aren’t just fabled for their vintage looks and solid build quality but for incredible longevity. Back in 2021, I wrote about one of these with 782,000 miles on its diesel engine and the car still looked gorgeous. I owned a W123 240D once and took it on an off-road adventure, and even that total pile of crap couldn’t be stopped.

Sadly, fans of diesel wagons with manual transmissions were left out in the cold as Mercedes wouldn’t sell a 300TD to you with a stick. That means getting stuck with an automatic that, in my experience, sort of dampens the experience. Well, I have great news, because this 300TD wagon sports a four-speed manual transmission. Sadly, there is some rust and 364,000 miles, but you do get sweet rear-facing seats!

Power comes from a 3.0-liter straight five turbodiesel making 125 HP and 181 lb-ft torque. It’s $6,800 from the seller in Hillsboro, Oregon.

1980 Barkas B 1000 Pritschenwagen – $10,000

Here’s a little, yet mighty pickup truck with some quirks.

Barkas was formed in 1958 in East Germany, and nationalized by the German Democratic Republic. B 1000 production began in 1961 and included a van, a minibus, and a truck. This B 1000 is the forward control truck. In most examples, power comes from a one-liter three-cylinder two-stroke making 45 HP. Perhaps surprisingly, the truck is front-wheel-drive but it also has a payload rating of 2,204 pounds. Later units got a 1.3-liter four-stroke of Volkswagen design. The B 1000 was built until April 1991, right before the fall of the Soviet Union. Some 175,740 examples were built by then.

This B 1000 is not in original condition. It has been repainted at some point in its life and the original engine was swapped out for a 1.6-liter Volkswagen engine. The seller doesn’t say where this engine came from, but it looks like the 1.6-liter ABU four that was found in the third-generation Golf. If so, it’s making about 75 HP, a healthy upgrade from the original two-stroke. It’s still driving the front wheels through a manual transmission. Quirks include a “grabby” clutch and a valve cover gasket that needs replacing. The truck comes with two spare transmissions. It’s $10,000 from the seller in Harrison, Michigan with 43,000 miles.

1976 Moto Guzzi T3 California – $3,900

You can sort of tell what vehicles I’m looking to buy based on what I feature on each week’s Marketplace Madness. Clearly, I’m in love with vintage BMW Airheads and Moto Guzzis right now. I just left this area for a press event and I’m glad I didn’t see this listing until I got home. Otherwise, I might be on a ride home right now.

As Hagerty writes, the Moto Guzzi California traces its roots to 1969, when Sergeant Scotty Henderson from the Los Angeles Police Department joined forces with Moto Guzzi to turn the V7 roadster into a police bike. Moto Guzzi increased displacement from 703cc to 757cc, added a fairing, windscreen, side cases, lights, and a siren. Henderson’s collaboration resulted in that windscreen becoming bulletproof Lexan, the shifter getting moved to the left side, and the side stand getting modified so that it could be used with the officer still on the bike. It was a smashing success and LAPD took on the machines, as did the California Highway Patrol and other departments.

The police bike was so well-received that people began asking for a civilian version. The consumer V7 750 California ditched the bulletproof windscreen and had a thick seat and wide bars. Here in America, it was sold as the V7 750 Ambassador. The Moto Guzzi T3 was introduced in 1975 and brought along several improvements. The engine is a bigger 844cc V-twin making 68 HP and the brakes are notable for having three discs and being a linked system. If you press the rear brake, you also get some front braking action, just like many bikes of today.

There was also another police bike-inspired California and that’s what you see here. The seller says it was purchased new in Germany in 1977 and then imported into America sometime in the early 2000s. Everything works and the motorcycle has had some recent maintenance. It’s $3,900 from the seller in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

1962 Cadillac Sedan DeVille – $9,500

Here’s a classic Cadillac Sedan DeVille that looks a little rough around the edges, but is cheaper than you’d find on a site like Bring a Trailer.

The de Ville was a long-running General Motors nameplate. Originally introduced in 1949 as a trim level for the Series 62, the de Ville name ran for 56 years before being killed off after 2005. Over that time, Cadillac positioned the vehicle as stylish, luxurious, and filled with advanced technology. In 1949, Cadillac claimed to create the first pillarless two-door hardtop with the Coupe de Ville, and in 1952, Cadillac’s introduction of power steering to its lineup. A year later came the “autronic eye,” which dimmed the high-beam headlights for oncoming traffic. Dual-zone climate control came in 1954 and self-adjusting brakes in 1960, you get the point.

The Sedan de Ville of the early 1960s rocked space-age styling with its fins and rear-end design. Power comes from a 390 cubic inch V8 making 325 HP, backed by an automatic transmission. This example is far from perfect. It looks pretty good on the outside, but if you pop open the doors you’ll notice that instead of the door panels the car is supposed to have, you get what appears to be stained plywood. It’s also unclear what the seats look like under those covers.

With that said, the seller does say it’s a daily driver. Perhaps it’s one of those projects you can drive as you fix up. It’s $9,500 from the seller in Brea, California with 94,000 miles.

2005 Saab 9-2X Aero – Trade

Here’s a car that, depending on how you look at it, is either an improved Subaru Impreza or a sort of disappointing Saab. I’m in the former camp and think of the Saab 9-2X Aero as a cooler WRX. Thomas wrote about how this car came to be:

Back in 1999, GM bought a 20 percent stake in what was then known as Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru, for the purposes of vehicle collaboration.

This resulted in the Indian market-only Chevy Forester, which is exactly what it sounds like. But that wouldn’t be GM’s and Subaru’s only collaboration. See, GM also owned struggling Saab, and the automaker cooked up something a bit weird by pairing the Swedish brand with none other than Subaru, creating the Saab 9-2X. Thomas continues:

In an attempt to prime the Impreza for Saab duties, the engineers had to implement some extensive changes. Let’s start with the most obvious – the insulation package. The 9-2X brought in heavier floor insulation, fender insulation, insulation under the shift boot, and a new headliner backing with better sound-damping properties. The rear quarter trim insulation and tailgate insulation were re-worked, and a new rear engine mount was done up to damp powertrain vibrations.

In addition to the massive selection of NVH-quelling measures, the Saab 9-2X also got heaps of chassis parts to ensure it drove better than an Impreza. Brand new dampers and springs altered ride quality, while stiffer anti-roll bar bushings, shorter rear bump stops, and aluminum forward rear lateral links were all tiny changes that noticeably affected how the car drove. In addition, the steering ratio was quickened up from 16.5:1 to 15.5:1. Paired with a strategically-reinforced front subframe, it made a huge difference in how the Saabaru steered. Oh, and the toe settings on a 9-2X are slightly different than the toe settings on a standard Impreza.

The Saab 9-2X Aero was that same car plus 227 HP and 217 lb-ft torque by way of a 2.0-liter turbo flat four. Think of it as a swanky WRX, not a Saab. This 2005 model is said to have a stock engine, save for an Invidia muffler. Power reaches all four wheel through a manual transmission. The seller is looking for a specific trade: a Ford Explorer Sport Trac. However, I bet if you gave them an offer high enough to buy a Ford Explorer Sport Trac you’d probably get the Saab. It’s in Galt, California with 164,800 miles.

1975 Fiberfab Sherpa – $9,716

Here’s an import that ticks both the weird and rare boxes. Sadly, while the purchase price is under 10 large, it will cost you extra to get it into America.

Introduced in 1968, the Citroën Méhari was a delightfully weird off-roader. Conceived by a former fighter pilot, the Méhari was inspired by the likes of the Mini Moke and the Jeep. Riding on a Citroën A-Series chassis and powered by a 2CV6’s 602cc flat-twin, it was front-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive. Notably, the body of a Méhari is ABS plastic, offering excellent corrosion resistance and dent resistance.

There was one big issue with the Méhari, and it’s that allegedly, it wasn’t able to be sold in Germany due to the fact that ABS was flammable at 400 Celsius. This is where California-based Fiberfab came in. The company had Fiberfab-Karosserie, its German affiliate. That company created the Fiberfab Sherpa, a kit car utilizing Citroën A-Series parts with style similar to a Méhari, but made out of glass reinforced plastic rather than plastic.

Citroën made roughly 145,000 Méharis. Fiberfab? Just 250 of these little off-roaders. This one is powered by a 597cc two-cylinder making 32 HP and drives the front wheels through a four-speed manual. It’s $9,716 by the selling dealer in the Netherlands with 39,720 miles.

1998 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible – $9,500

I’ve been a fan of the Corvette ever since I was a kid. To this day, I remember being more stoked about the C6 ZR1 than I’ve ever been about any Lamborghini or Ferrari. One time, teenage me stunned a Chevy salesman when I rattled off facts about the Corvette while drooling over one in a showroom. He told me that I was the only young person he ever met to love Corvettes that much. Ouch!

Anyway, I still dream of scoring a C4 convertible with a tan interior and a manual transmission. I also wouldn’t mind a C5 convertible like this one. The Corvette C5 brought the American sports car’s design into the modern day. Gone was rad 1980s wedge, in was the gentle swoops and curves that defined the ‘Vette for much of the 2000s. As Motor Trend reports, GM made some changes in the development of the C5. It decided to do market research to see what buyers wanted. GM found out that Corvette customers wanted something that looked American, but still had good quality and speed.

In the end, the C5 used 1,500 fewer parts than the departed C4, while employing new techniques like hydroformed steel. It was longer, wider, and sleeker than its predecessor.

Power comes from a 5.7-liter LS1 V8 making 345 HP and 350 lb-ft torque. Bonuses here include a manual transmission and a convertible top so you can hear that engine sing. It’s $9,500 in Bartow, Florida with 117,000 miles.

That’s it for this week, thank you for reading!

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