The west coast’s Craigslist is absolute madness. The cars are pricier than elsewhere, sure, but they’re not (cost of similar vehicle in midwest)+(rust repair) pricey; in fact, their solid bodies make them an absolute bargain. I am currently struggling not to buy more cars, and I bet you, dear Autopian Member, are also struggling. So let’s all show one another the apples of our eyes — call it a support group, if you like.
After selling the full doors and hard top, my Jeep Wrangler YJ, with new tires, a brand new soft top, new soft top hardware, and a new (to me) rear bench seat will only have cost me $6,600:
This is an absolute steal for a vehicle with recently-redone paint, the good engine, the good transmission, and a dent-free body. It’s such a lovely machine that I just can’t stop driving it, no matter how good my BMW i3 is.
Here’s the thing, though: As great of a deal as I think I got on that Jeep, the reality is that this is just how things are in California. I just Craigslisted “1991 Jeep Wrangler,” and check it out: Another rust-free, nice-paint-having Jeep YJ with the good motor and transmission for $7,100 or best offer:
It’s not CHEAP CHEAP, but remember, I’m a Michigander. I spent a decade seeing vehicles in this condition command an enormous premium. That’s why I’m drooling over this rock-solid Postal Jeep for sale for $4,000:
As someone who’s poured over $3,000 of pre-pandameic-inflation money into a Postal Jeep that, let’s be honest, was still a bit of a rustbucket (but mechanically solid), this seems like a bargain. But not as big of a bargain as this:
That’s an early Jeep CJ-5, equipped with the mighty F-Head overhead valve inline-four — a derivative of the “L-head” Go-Devil engine that powered allied forces through World War II. The Jeep is only going for $3,500; as someone who dropped $4,200 of pre-pandemic-inflation-money on a CJ-2A that, in the end, still had hockey pucks between its body and frame, I’m drooling right now.
I’m also drooling over this nice truck for sale in New York but from “out west”:
It costs $7,500, so it’s pretty clear that it’s had the rust-belt premium placed on it. Here’s how much a similar rust-free truck costs in California:
Look at this $2,500 in Stanwood, Washington, where I revived that hopeless FC-170 back in 2021:
Anyway, that’s what I have my eyes on right now. What’s been tempting you lately?
Oy. Craigslist in LA. It’s almost all I’ve been doing for the past couple of weeks…
I’m still looking for a deal on an early 2014-16 BMW i3 w/some life still left in the batteries (like David has, but preferably w/o the gas range extender) but I usually just skim the net once a week and don’t check LA Craigslist (which is probably foolish on my part, but on-brand for me lately). There are some around for just under $10K, but either the batteries seem worn or no one at the dealership will actually reply to my email asking for a Bat Kapa Max figure, which can give a general estimate of overall current battery health. The BKM can only be obtained from a hidden/locked screen or via diagnostics, which only BMW dealers have. Technically, the batteries in these early i3 cars are still under warranty in CA, but there’s zero guarantee that a dealership will honor it/cover any particular i3, so there’s an element of risk: I could buy a $10K i3 w/only 40-50 miles of range showing on a full charge, and it would still be possible that BMW won’t replace the tired battery pack, so I’d be left w/a 40-50 mile car and a $10K hole in my bank account. 🙁
The 2017-18 i3 came with a bigger 94Ah battery pack (vs 60 Ah in the earlier i3) but those tend to sell for at least $14-15K these days. To spend that much on an early EV with significantly-less-than-new batteries seems iffy for me right now. My risk tolerance seems to be decreasing with age I think.
After selling my ’00 Golf TDI that I owned for 22 years to a couple of nice Hungarian fellows via LA Craigslist last week, I was about to drive 8 hours north to buy a 1980 diesel Mercedes 300 (a SD) but a snafu the night before using my credit card to secure a one-way rental to get up there put the kibosh on that plan. I’d taken the cash out of the bank, printed out directions (I’m one of those no-cell-phone weirdos) and everything. Afterwards, I didn’t feel as bad about the “missed opportunity” as expected, which I assume is my subconscious telling me that avoiding the malfunctioning vacuum and HVAC systems on a 43-year-old Benz was probably a good idea.
And finally, a couple days ago I sent a lowball offer of $3K to a CL seller w/a ’93 Toyota short cab/long bed pickup with 173Kmiles and a busted snoot. One of the front corners is pretty well smushed, so at a minimum it’d need a fender, bumper, headlight, and maybe the hood is salvageable. Body and paint only… it didn’t seem like it’d be structural. Despite the miles, the truck looks straight, modest, clean, and it’s a charming shade of medium blue. He wants “4,800. firm” so I didn’t expect a reply, but gave it a try anyway.
It’s not like I actually need another car: I’ve got a NA Miata and my daily is big, old first-gen Volvo XC90. But I do want an affordable small EV and/or a little truck, so I keep my eyes open.