For $7,500, Go On A Rampage insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com

insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com ® For $7,500, Go On A Rampage

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There has never been a more contradictorily named vehicle than the Dodge Rampage. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe pickup is a little more rampageous owing to its turbo 2.2, but will its price prove riot worthy?

There is no arguing the coolness factor of Ford's classic Escort rally homage model. And, due to the fact that it was likely one of the only ones to make the trip across the Atlantic, yesterday's 1971 Mexico 1600GT was also likely the coolest in America. How cool you might ask? Well, apparently not twenty-three five cool as a solid 59% of you escorted the little Ford down to Crack Town.

Do you remember Monday's two-headed Horizon? Of course you do. That odd bodkin most likely left you with a taste for some L-body goodness, but perhaps something a little more practical, and a ton less WTF?. If that's the case then this turbo'd 1983 Dodge Rampage may just be your pre-Thanksgiving appetizer.

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The Rampage is a car-based mini-pickup derived from the Omni coupe, itself a derivative of the Simca-engineered L-platform 5-door econobox. The Rampage shared everything forward of the mirrors with its three-door sibling, but out back it gained a half-ton double wall bed riding on leaf springs and sea leg shocks and a wheelbase extended to 104.5 inches.

The Rampages, and their short-lived Plymouth Scamp siblings, were never about performance, and didn't get any edition of Chrysler's de facto '80s performance engine - the turbo four, but this one does.

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The 2.2 turbo did appear in the Shelby Chargers, and in fact this intercooled mill is claimed to be a 'CSX Carroll Shelby experimental turbo intercooled motor.' Huh? It also has 5-lug snowflakes which indicates that the suspension has been upgraded as well, additionally evidenced by a strut tower brace in the engine room.

Other than that it looks to be pure uncut '80s Rampage 2.2. That means lots of fake scoops and side stripes, while on the inside it has those puffy seats that Chrysler seemed to love back in the day. The steering wheel also looks to be out of something other than a Rampage, maybe a Daytona Turbo Z perhaps?

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The ad claims 22K on the motor, and probably the gearbox behind it. It also notes that the car (truck? car-truck? cruck?) is being sold for the Bilbow Family of Lyndwood Welding and drag racing fame, coming from their private collection. That provenance obviously isn't like saying it's out of the Ralph Lauren collection but at least it impresses that the car was likely not built by some backwoods hack.

The Rampage was never very popular, racking up fewer than 18,000 sales its best year on the market. Still, it's an interesting bit of Mopar history, and considering that the Turbo 2.2 is good for anywhere from 140 to 180-bhp, this one at about 2,300 pounds should be pretty entertaining to drive.

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But is that entertainment worth the $7,500 ticket being asked for the show? Yeah the car looks pretty nice, and yes it's a unique offering what with the turbo'd mill and all, but still that's an old L-body and aside from the actual Shelby cars, those generally suck.

What do you think about this odd Rampage and its $7,500 price? Is that a deal for a little ass hauler? Or, is this a truck priced not to give a… well, you know.

You decide!

eBay out of PA, or go here if the ad disappears.

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For $7,500, Go On A Rampage

For $7,000, This Jetta’s A Synchro, Yo! insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com

insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com ® For $7,000, This Jetta’s A Synchro, Yo!

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While Jetta Synchro may sound like the name of a video game hero, it’s actually that of today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe custom Vee Dub. The question is, will it price have you using some less pleasant names for its seller?

Here in America we like us some trunks. Not the elephant kind mind you, but those on the back ends of cars to make us feel all important and stuff. That affinity for three-box cars over hatchbacks is what led Volkswagen’s second-generation (A2) Jetta to become America’s best-selling European car back in the day, as well as outselling its trunkless twin, the Golf, by more than two to one.

That mk 2 Jetta is also noteworthy for both being the longest produced of any Jetta model, and for being the first VW built in China, where in 1991 the cars were assembled from complete knockdown kits just like so much Ikea furniture- Jê-tā.

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But today we’re not so much interested in all the things the A2 Jetta was as we are in what it wasn’t, at least here in the U.S.. Let’s look at the list, m’kay? The mk2 wasn’t available with a VR6 engine. Nor could you buy it with Volkswagen’s Sychro AWD system. And, you most certainly, absolutely, definitely, unequivocally could not buy one with a Corrado dashboard, even though you know that’s what the Jetta buying public craved.

Well, now you can.

This 1988 VW Jetta GLI sedan has apparently been the personal project of its present owner since 2000. From the tail end, it looks pretty Jettariffic, but move around to the front and you will note a set of headlamps and accompanying grille from the homologation Rallye Golf. That’s all kinds of cool looking and brings home the point that many VWs - like twin sisters - have the ability to share forms and functions like nobody’s business.

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Under the hood is where that fact becomes evident as the GLI’s four has been replaced by a 2.8 VR6 out of a 1993 Passat. BTW - I’ve always loved the name of that slightly larger VW, just so I could say passat gas. Yes, I’m weird.

Here, the narrow-angle dangle of a six is backed up by a 5-speed stick, which if my experience is anything to go by, will be clunky to operate. No surprises there. What you will find surprising however is the Synchro drivetrain, also late of a Passat, just this time a ’91.

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The we are fam-il-y doesn’t stop there either because popping a door reveals that the mk 2’s rectilinear dashboard has been given the heave-ho in favor of a rounder one from a later Corrado. Aside from some hinkey under-dash wiring it looks like a pretty decent fit, and the rest of the GLI interior pieces seem to have either held up well or have been replaced since new.

On the outside a set of real deal BBS baskets add some bling to the somber black bodywork, and while the Rallye Golf’s flared fevers didn’t join the grille and lights in Jetta joining, the clean lines of the stock car still look good today. The paint seems reasonable, and the ad notes only minor dings and dents, which are to be expected.

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Unexpected may be the price, which is a requested $7,000.Seeing the mods that Jetta owners usually make to these cars, the fact that this one is claimed to be made from VW OEM parts is noteworthy and laudable. The question is do they add up to the car being worth that seven grand?

What do you think, is this cool AWD VR6 mk 2 worth that kind of scratch? Or, for that kind of dough, would you rather just go buy an old Audi?

You decide!

Phoenix Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Grant Scott for the hookup!

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For $7,000, This Jetta’s A Synchro, Yo!

For $7,500, Is This A Sick Six? insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com

insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com ® For $7,500, Is This A Sick Six?

There have been almost as many permutations of the TV show CSI as there have been of BMW coupes carrying that suffix. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe 635 is one of the most highly rated - of the cars, not the shows - but will its price warrant watching?

BMW's original six series is an interesting car. Introduced in 1976 as the E24 the car replaced the earlier E9, offering similar styling in a much more modern presentation. What's odd about the 6-series however is that while its outward appearance changed little over the course of its run, it switched platforms mid-way through, moving from sharing components with the E12 5-series to that of the revamped E28 in '82/'83.

If you are a real Bimmer-head you can tell the differences from yards away - a tip is that the wheel arch on the E12-based cars rolls into the fender well below the accent line while that of the later cars almost touches it. Along with the suspension upgrades, the E28-based cars enjoyed a slew of other practical updates, and in fact while looking almost the same, there are a ton of parts that can't be shared between the series.'

Today's 1988 635CSi comes from the second to last year of the E24's production run, and is claimed by its present owner to be one of only 185 cars to come to the U.S. that year rocking a 5-speed stick. Meting out the ponies through that Getrag box is a 3,430-cc SOHC straight six - the M30B35 - that the factory said put down 208-bhp.

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The ad says that the engine runs great and drips not. It also notes that like the most desirable of hotel rooms and match.com participants, it's a non-smoker. There's also a litany of new maintenance and replacement parts (dipstick?) that have been put into not just the engine but the rest of the drivetrain as well.

One of the cool deals with this car is that while it presently has a number of aftermarket pieces bolted to it, the seller has kept the originals and is including them in the sale. That's a straight up stand-up guy way to sell a car, and that means that you not only get a nice set of BBS alloys presently under the car, but the original TRX wheels as well, because those might be making a comeback.

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Visually, the car looks tits in the pics. I mean, this is one of BMW's great achievements so it has a good start, but the Alpine white paint and clean trim here do accent that canvas well. The seller says that the car has had a pair of resprays, and that there has been a replaced fender over the years, so keep that in mind, and points to him for honesty and attention to detail.

Is it all puppy snuggles and beer-flavored ice-cream? No, there are a few niggling issues including a crack in the dash, a broken seat ratchet cover on the passenger side, and a couple of tears in the leather upholstery. Plus, where'd all the trunk tools go? You can see all of that in the car's Flickr set to determine how serious each might be. Also, it should be noted that the 6-series back seats are among the most comfortable that I have ever had the pleasure to plant my ass in, so there's that.

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Considering the care that seems to have gone into this car's stewardship over the course of at least the present owner's time, this seems to be a pretty well sorted Six. And as it's a quarter of a century old and has seen more than 200,000 miles, you'd expect it to require some replacement and rebuilding. You might not however expect it to look as good as it does seeing as it's claimed to be a daily driver and not some sort of trailer queen.

With that all in mind it's now time to give thought to this 635CSi's $7,500 price tag. Do you think that's pretty attractive for a car of such caliber? Or, does that price make this BMW DOA?

You decide!

Bimmerforums classifieds, or go here if the ad disappears

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For $7,500, Is This A Sick Six?

For $7,500, Be Galant Not Goofus insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com

insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com ® For $7,500, Be Galant Not Goofus

Being gallant means to be chivalrous and heroic. Being Galant means being a Mitsubishi and usually being all clapped out. Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe ’91 VR4 however still looks pretty good, but will its price be your hero?

Perhaps you don’t need a hero. Maybe, all you require is a friend. Well, for eight grand it wasn’t going to be yesterday’s LT1-powered Isuzu Amigo, at least for the 64% of you who gave it the cold shoulder.

Isuzu is no longer selling cars in the U.S. having packed up shop and gone home despite having one or two really desirable models over the years. Similarly, Mitsubishi has seemed on the brink of retreat for the past decade as its sales dwindled.

The company did have a pretty good run in August, reporting a 24.3% increase year over year, but that increase only meant 5,281 cars and trucks left the dealers’ lots, not a buttload by any means. aNot only that but nearly half of those were the Outlander Sport CUV, which no offense if you own one but Zzzzzzz.

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Mitsu used to have a slew of fun cars from which to choose. The still offer the tons of fun EVO, but back in the day they also had the Eclipse, the tower of power 3000GT and the subject of today’s consideration - and EVO predecessor- the Galant VR4.

This particular VR4 is a 1991 and comes in black over black over white alloys, and looks to be in pretty good shape for its 22 years and 157,000 little old lady miles. The paint still holds a shine and none of the unique trim - front valance, rear spoiler, etc - exhibits any significant damage.

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There is a sizable dent right above the fuel filler door that may be a pain the ass to pop out, owing to its location, but that seems to be the only major body booger on the car. The interior as well seems to be in serviceable shape, the leather on the seats appearing typically crazed and wearing a little thin on the offside bolster, but it's not too bad. The Sparco wheel looks like it’d be fun to ten and two, and that might make up for the car’s period-correct annoyance- mouse belts.

The Galant was a nice enough car in its day, perhaps a little smaller than the competition, and with styling that was neither out there nor sleep inducing. Where it stood out however was in the drivetrain department, and this one takes that DOHC, AWD, FWS base and bare backs it six ways to Sunday.

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Bred of rallying, the VR4 offered a level of engagement unique in its class. A special ed, this one also has a loooong list of updates and upgrades to both the (originally) 197-bhp four, and the rest of the drivetrain and suspension. I’m not going to regurgitate here because, honestly, there’s nobody around to hold my hair and keep it from falling in the bowl. I am going to point out a couple of things that stands out.

The most concerning of the detailed updates and changes is the notation that all emissions have been removed. Now, later the ad notes that a 3-inch aftermarket cat has been installed, but I wonder what other pieces have been banished from the bay that might make an emissions test visual inspection go south fast.

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The other issue is the stereo. Now I know that an auto's sound system decibel rating is for many as important as its performance figures, but damn pilgrim, that sub takes up a lot of space in the boot.

Aside from those shenanigans, the upgrades and maintenance pieces seems impressive, and there is a previous owner posting on the VR-4 board - where this car once went for an $8,500 asking - vouching for both the car and its seller.

Now, here on Craigslist, the asking price is $7,500 and it’s presently time to say if you feel that’s a good price for so gallant a Galant. What do you think, should this VR-4 go for $7,500? Or, does that price make this a Gal-ain’t?

You decide!

Beantown Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Civardi for the hookup.

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For $8,000, Make A Friend

In the 1935 film The Bride of Frankenstein, the monster laments that alone is bad, and friend is good. Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe Isuzu might… Read…

For $7,500, Be Galant Not Goofus

For $7,400, Go 4 A Run insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com

insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com ® For $7,400, Go 4 A Run

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With its two-doors and removable cap today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe 4Runner brings the old school SUV style. You’ll still need to decide if this low mileage four by four’s price will send it to the head of the class.

If you want class you’ll find it in Tijuana. Hell, if there’s anything you happen to be looking for - from a tattoo for your taint to trouble with a capital T, the Baja border town is your place to go. It’s like Disneyland with tequila and a constant chance of being beheaded. And, it’s also where might be found yesterday’s 1991 VW Corrado.

Despite all the questionable aspects of the car - the veracity of its being a VR6 is seriously called into question - its less than two grand asking price managed to bring the red Vee-dub a respectable 62% Nice Price win. For that little, even if the car was total crap you could still have a good time in town and not feel like the trip was a bust. I mean geez, it’s Tijuana.

That Mexican metropolis is located at the northern end of the Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California, a slender spit of a peninsula that is comprised of Mexico’s 29^th and 31^st states. The peninsula has also been the location of a legendary off-road racing series, the SCORE Baja 1000.

Should you wish to enter that annual November event, you might want to do so in something whose reputation for durability might engender confidence in withstanding a grueling off-road race. Perhaps something like today’s 1987 Toyota 4Runner.

Back at the beginning of the SUV craze most manufacturers made them the old fashioned way- with two doors and a removable bed cap. A first generation edition, that’s just how this 4Runner rolls.

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The ad notes that not only does the rear lid come off, but that this one is a pop-top virgin, having never done the deed itself. It’s also described as low mileage, and at 106,000 that’s remarkably so considering the provenance. You see, this is an ‘80s Toyota truck and the only thing that you could have that might last longer than one of these is herpes, or maybe that taint tat.

This initial generation of the 4Runner is also the lightest and most rudimentary of the breed. Live axles underpin both ends and for power delivery there’s the tried and true 22RE and a sturdy 5-speed stick. That means 116-bhp and 192 lb-ft of torque if you’re counting. Here that stout EFI four looks as dirty as an ol' bastard, so points shaved for cleanliness.

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On the plus side, this one happens to be the fancy pants SR5 edition, which upgrades the interior accouterments and adds some zing to the exterior in the form of fender decals. That will of course ensure prime valet positioning at all fine dining establishments.

The rest of the body looks good, although there’s a ding just below the driver’s side tail light that’ll need attention before the rust settles in. These trucks are rarely offered in this kind of shape these days, usually evidencing some sort of road rot on the fenders or underbelly, but still going strong nonetheless.

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On the inside there appears to be a pair of sheep that have taken up residence. It’s hard to say what the seats look like under those yellowing shearlings, but if they’re anything like the rest of the truck, they should be okay.

The ad claims that the truck runs and drive’s excellent, including the 4x4 gear. These are not your grandkids’ 4Runners, with their heated seats and double door weatherstripping for quietness. These are instead rough-hewn trucks that are but a single onion skin away from the Toyota pickup that the neighborhood gardener has counted on for the past couple of decades.

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Because of its reputation for durability, and its present condition, the seller of this 4Runner is asking an appreciably high $7,400. There are a lot of these on the market right now for lots less, but few that are as low mileage or in as apparent good shape. That’s why this one begs the question of its value.

What do you think about this 4Runner and its $7,400 price? Is that a deal that would have you 4Running for your checkbook? Or, is this an SUV whose price s-u-x?

You decide!

Denver Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

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For $7,400, Go 4 A Run

For $7,500, Are 2JZ Better Than One? insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com

insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com ® For $7,500, Are 2JZ Better Than One?

BMW and Toyota are usually on polar opposites of the excitement scale. Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe candidate however is so wild a mix of those two makes that its hood can’t even contain it. Will your excitement over its price be equally unbridled?

Also a menagerie of two, yesterday’s Pinto-powered Baja Bug may have been taxonomically confused, but there was no mistaking its 67% Nice Price win. Sure it was rough, but at two grand, it was also pretty ready.

Keeping on the theme of whose engine is it anyway? today’s 1993 BMW 325 comes with yet another surprise mill, not just under its hood, but popping through it as well. In ’93 the E36 could be had with any one of a panoply of great BMW engines, from the M42 four of the 318 all the way up to the stormin’ norman S50B30 of the mighty M3. But for some, that’s obviously not enough choice.

Imagine if you worked at 31 Flavors and someone came in only to dismissively remark, is that all you’ve got? That’s the kind of dissatisfaction with the societal status quo that drives people to do something zany like drop a Toyota mill in a BMW coupe, as was done with this 1993 former 325 which is now an E36 32JZ.

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Actually, the ad notes that only the lower half of the engine is 2JZ, the head having come from a 1JZ, making this a giggle-worthy 1.5JZ according to the light hearted seller.

Bolted to the aft end of the DOHC Toyota six is what’s claimed to be an R154 5-speed, also from the house of Kiichero Toyoda. That box is common in the Japanese company’s big guns so it should be able to acquit itself pretty well here in the Bimmer.

Part of where this JZ gets its poop is from a biggus maximus turbo, specifically a Precision unit and one whose placement just atop the exhaust manifold likely offers a pretty rapid spool-up. It also makes for a hole in the E36’s hood. But hey, that’s some pretty good advertising.

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Hopefully the seller hasn’t been running it the way it appears in the pics with the turbo inlet unprotected by even the simplest K&N cone. That may look tough, and is a good way to snap bikini tops off of unsuspecting girls - fun tip! - but it’s not good for the longevity of either turbo or engine.

Despite all the work that has gone into this hybrid, and the list of upgraded parts to help get it to run, there’s still a bunch of work needing to be done, and some choices that you might make in a different fashion.

First off the ad says that the ECU - which is from a Supra - is running the stock maps, despite the car having massive injectors and a bunch of other switcheroos. Next up, the power steering is presently by armstrong, and finally on the inside, the shift boot looks like a pair of the seller’s girlfriend’s old panties. Ewww.

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Come to think of it, you might take issue with the litany of minor missing parts - passenger side mirror glass, side molding, etc - as that may make the car look a little too hillbilly. Likewise the black primered fenders and curb-rashed M Double Spokes' say park it on the lawn, ain’t nobody gonna’ mind.

But there’s a lot to like here too, and this is neither the first BMW we’ve seen with a JZ behind its twin kidneys, nor is it the first NPOCP with holes in its hood. It may be the first one with all those attributes and a $7,500 price tag and it’s now up to you to say where that’s a deal or not.

What do you think, is this JZ-powered E36 worth $7,500? Or, does that price make this Japanese/German alliance as bad as the last one?

You decide!

Minneapolis Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to TDiDriver for the hookup!

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For $2,000, Bajallelujah

Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe VW is nicknamed the Thunderbug. That’s due to its turbo T-bird motor, and not because of any sort of bowel reaction… Read…

For $7,500, Are 2JZ Better Than One?

For $7,000, This Is A Pickup You Could Pocket insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com

insuranceinstantonline.blogspot.com ® For $7,000, This Is A Pickup You Could Pocket

Originally, the Japanese term Samurai described those in the service of either nobility or wealth. Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe Suzuki pickup is ready to serve, but will it have you saying - in true Dr. Seuss fashion - I do not like a price so high, Samurai?

Suzuki’s SJ30 (and later 40) represented the second generation of the small 4x4 colloquially known as the Jimmy and was the brand’s first 4-wheeled offering in the lucrative U.S. market. Here it was called the Samurai, which like bonsai, haiku and karaoke was a Japanese word made common to western ears. By the way, did you know that the word for a fancy pants rich guys - tycoon - has its origins in the Japanese Taikun (大君) which means great lord or supreme commander? The more you know...

The Samurai name was given to those who perhaps served these Taikun, eventually distilling to mean the warriors who acted as their protectorate. It’s a little funny then that Suzuki would apply so esteemed a title to a car of so limited capabilities, but hey, go big or go home, right? Of course establishing a beachhead in the ultra competitive U.S. Market was pretty ambitious, so perhaps the name was fitting.

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When the Samurai did arrive here as a 1986 model, it came with the choice of closed three-door or basket handle open-top models. What we didn’t get was the cool little pickup truck version, of which today’s contender is a 1982 edition.

The SJ410K, having never officially been sold in America is obviously not an official Samurai, but still, from the doors forward it looks the same so it’s just easier to identify it as a Samurai pickup. Plus, how cool is that?

The seller notes that this is one of about 15 of the trucklets currently in the States, and while I couldn’t tell you how accurate a number that is, I’d guess that he might know what he's talking about as he appears to own two of them. He’s also pretty active on Zuharrie so you get the idea that the seller is really into, and hence knows, his Samurais.

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This being an ’82 and a non-Federalized model, means that it rocks the 970-cc 45-bhp four, and drum brakes all the way around. Top speed with this engine is a scintillating 68 mph so those drums shouldn't too overly taxed. The tiny truck also has a 4-speed stick-it-to-me, as well as leaf sprung live axles on both ends under a sturdy ladder frame. Hemorrhoid suffers thus likely need not apply.

This one is in black over white steel wheels of the sort Suzuki preferred for the Samurai, and which are also the rim of choice for a lot of trailer makers. The bed sits atop the frame with very short sidewalls making capacity somewhat limited, but with a box unencumbered by wheel well intrusion. Also, it’s about as cute a utility as you could imagine.

On the downside, the seller notes that this SJ has been sitting for a while and comes with a litany of issues that probably need to be addressed before attempting to turn it into a reliable daily driver. There are brake issues as well as electrical gremlins that need to be taken care of, and then there's the engine which he says runs but needs its carb to be smacked around a little to ensure it gets with the program. The scariest issue however is the noted need of new floorboards welded in, to repalce their rusted predecessors. That is, unless your name is Fred Flintstone.

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This Samurai pickup has been for sale for a while now, and the current Craigslist ad has it going for $7,000 or a ’69 Camaro - and kudos to the seller for being from Virginia and spelling Camaro correctly, you’re alright dude.

What do you think about he chances of moving this SJ for his $7,000 asking price? Does that make this a pickup that somebody will be quick to snap up? Or, is that a price that makes you say no-way SJ?

You decide!

Norfolk Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

A spin of the rev counter to Marshall for the tip!

Help me out with NPOCP. Click here to send a me a fixed-price tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.

For $7,000, This Is A Pickup You Could Pocket