I Haven't Done a Car Post in Forever!

I have been looking for a car, as I have a car that is dying (but hanging on: do not go gently into that night), and my options (read:budget) is limited, but in a search for VWs here locally, an Audi TT Convertible showed up in SearchTempest and I went "oh, I like that."

I mean, who wouldn't? (This isn't the one that caught my eye, but it's for sale in Miami for cheap $3700) (posting expired)

This was maybe 2 months ago. Like 3 days later, a co-worker pulled up to unload some stuff for a baby shower in this:

A 2005 Audi TT Convertible. Well, I drove it the other day, and I have to say, it's a fun car.

He's been driving it a lot lately, now that he's got the wheels he wanted on it, and has blacked out the badges and lenses. All the reports on the car are that:

1. It's an Audi, so when the timing belt and water pump need to get fixed, it'll cost you.
2. Everyone who has one loves it.

Well, that's a wrinkle. I've been saying for like 8 cars that my next car would be a convertible. I've been on the Thing bandwagon for years, but I need a car that I can drive daily. This could be that. BUT the cars that I can afford are not much newer than my 98 Camry, so that's not cool. Also, these are 2 seaters, which is fine most days, but some days I need to transport more than one other person. Argh.

One of the other cars that caught my eye when looking locally on Craigslist for "convertibles" was a cute little Fiat, but it's gone now. The reviews (my wife's boss had one) were "meh" but at least it has a back seat! 

Ok, I'm not posting pictures of each of these, and they will get sold and the links will die, but here's a roundup of some Audis as a pricing baseline:  **all the links are dead, sorry I didn't post pictures, but that takes forever****

2003 asking $3900

2003 asking $4900

2008 asking $6900

2003 asking $5995 (gone)

2005 asking $5190 (I like the dark green!) ($5090) ($4900!!)

2002 asking $5400 in yellow ($4600!!!!!!)

2006 asking $6888 which is a weird price.

2002 for $4000 (have you noticed a lot of silver cars?)

This is a little expensive locally, and this is on my radar as one I want to buy.  This is scary cheap, but again, it's a 2001 (the rear window has duct tape). That place has a Mini Cooper I'd rock for $4900. (posting expired)

Ok, now for the real car I want. Best of the lot, in my view, is this one for $7000.

I'd hate to bring it up here in the snow and road salt.

Cheapest of the lot is $2000. You can see why. (posting expired)

"For the most part the car is complete

Has dents dings and some rust. Overall the car is solid! Floor pan is rusted where the battery sits. Has engine and tranny. It is not running."

As I've said, I need a car I can drive back and forth to work, and a 73 or 74 Thing isn't a good choice for that. Nevertheless, here's what's on The Samba.

Here are the rest of the links:

$3500 needs help (expired)

$5220 with rust and a scary doll

$8000 and not enough photos to prove their claim of niceness. (deleted)

Interesting with winch for $6950 (expired)

Of course, if you want, you can spend a lot more. I've seen them for sale at prices like this (all over ebay), but never seen confirmation of ones actually selling for that price... LOL


Lastly, nearby in Indy, here's an actual good deal on a VW camper: $5000. (deleted, so likely sold)

May is Bus Month?

I usually post about the venerable VW Thing, my current dream car (ok, I've been pining for quite a while)...

Today, I used my go-to searchtempest to see what's for sale on craigslist and found some good ones. If you are looking for a VW Bus, let me say that as a former owner and longtime lurker on The Samba.com and elsewhere, these are very reasonable deals!

First, a local bus for $7000 that's slightly overpriced with the clear holes in the driver's floor, but generally appears to be worth it:

Another Ohio candidate for comparison in a little better shape inside asking $9500, about where the market is right now (especially with a complete interior).

On the lower end of things is a very affordable but rougher than I would want (even though it's running) 71 bus for $3000 down south. If I was 20, I'd buy this today.

For comparison, $3000 can get you this.


In the $2000 range, you get a mystery wrapped in an enigma:

Yuck.

Now, this is nice and at $6400 it's a great deal. If you are looking for a bus, buy this one, even though it's brown! LOL.

This doesn't show the interior, but if it's there at all, this $6300 running van is the best deal on a camper you're likely to see:

Other than maybe this deal on thesamba for $5900. If I had the cash, I'd already be headed to Virginia.

Another contender at $6500 is this blue bus in New Jersey, but the lack of interior photos or closeups scares me a little.

Lastly, this is so cool. $24,000, and that's reasonable for a single cab in this condition!

Thursday Things (of the VW type)

Hello, it's me....I know it's been a while. As previously noted, new job, new city, travelling back and forth to home, blah blah blah....

Trolling thesamba.com today (kinda slow day at work, everyone else has either headed to the airport (consultants like me) or are on-site and this new For Sale item caught my eye. The seller is asking $3400, which these days (after some ridiculous sales in the big auctions like Barrett-Jackson) is quite the bargain. ***Update*** looks like someone already made an offer! Took less than 12 hours!

Don't believe me? Here's another thing on that site asking about the same price ($3500):

I don't think the Mrs. would go for it, though.

At the same time, I am watching a few cameras on Ebay, some Fujifilm X-M1s, that I don't feel the need to clear with the wifey, assuming I can get the bargain I am hoping for!


Just for fun, here are some craigslist links, sorry I'm too lazy to post the photos...

A white 73 Covered in bird poop asking $7500

A yellow baja'd version also asking $7500... 

$4500 for a yellow one with sideways photos

One in camo for a reasonable $4950 (also on thesamba with more photos)

Welcome to Houston. Bored. Every. Night.

Argh, it's been forever since I've had much to say really. New job in a new city, but travelling back and forth home every week. That sucks, but the $$$ is good.

However, it's not my life's work, you know? I mean, as anyone that has been around me knows, I have no idea what my life's work is, but I know this (like so many other prior vocations) isn't it.

I am excited by the prospect of two purchases that the higher rate of pay may make possible, finally.

A Thing.

A DSLR? I've been thinking, after reading and following some photographers on instagram and tumblr and stuff that a mirrorless camera like the Fujifilm X series would be just right with the type of shooting I do with my iPhone. And then, one that I like in particular if for no other reason that he shoots the kind of stuff I like to shoot (only he's better at it), Robert-Paul Jansen, (instagram, tumblr, his site) writes this post where he has switched to a Nikon. Well, crap. (however, I see that he recently replied to a comment on that post that the Nikon and lens hurts his previously injured shoulder and he's switching back!)

Now, the X series can get pretty expensive, and I am not a pro (although I did sell a photo on Twenty20 once), the camera Jansen shoots with is the X-T1, about $1300, but I think something like the X-E2 or A2 is reasonable.

However, Chris Burkhard, who shoots nature the way I wish I could, is a Sony A7 guy. (instagram, tumblr, website) which is in the thousand dollar range.

Oh, and among those I follow on instagram is Ned Bunnell, former President of Ricoh Pentax Imaging Americas, who shoots mostly with his phone and a trusty Ricoh. Argh! Choices! Decisions! Great photographers! He's been comparing the Fujifilm X70 with his Ricoh lately on instagram, pretty interesting.

So, I clearly have some research to do, but I think I'm going mirrorless rather than full DSLR, especially after all the reading I just did to find all those links!

If, however, I go DLSR, it'll likely be a Canon, just because we've been shooting Canons for years. I still have my AE-1! (image not my actual camera)

I've said before, if I ever won the lottery, I'd just walk around taking pictures. I do anyway....

Oh, yeah, check me on

instagram

tumblr

flickr

twenty20

VW THING THURSDAY!! I'ts Been A While....

So, I just found this Thing on Craigslist, which looks awfully familiar...

Asking $9000???????????

Seems like yesterday he was asking a LOT less..... $3800 or $3600 depending upon the post. Wow.

"This one has been hanging around on CL for a while, with several different links, and photos and prices.....

1974 VW THING
Needs body work
runs
White with Green Fenders
BLACK SEATS
No top
Collectible
$3.600.00
FIX UP BIG $$$ RETURN
NO E-MAILS OR TEX ONLY PHONE CALLS
JOE (239) 249-0128

I've posted it before, too."

Cars, Cars, Cars! I need a new hobby.

This is turning into a Friday thing with me!

An MG locally asking $1500 and it runs? Yup.

$2500 but reverse is acting up

Two in Dayton for $2500

To the south in Lexington for $1500, a rusty blue MG

A Thing in the Poconos for a reasonable $4000

A crusty Thing in South Carolina for $2195 (now $1275.00 obo)

Wednesday Can Be a Thing Day?

Too lazy right now to post pictures, but searchtempest revealed a bunch of new Things priced all over the place!

Here are links to several under $6000

$3000 in Missoula (i have posted this one, but old link went dead)

$3200 in St. Louis

$4800 in San Luis Obispo

$5500 in New Braunfels (dead link, must have sold)

$5800 in Fayetteville AR (dead link, must have sold)

$5800 in Vassalboro ME

Enjoy!

Friday: Things (VW), Wanderlust, Tumblr, the usual.

Let's see, I've been back "at work" for a day and a half, and I have to tell you, coming home from a vacation on a Wednesday sucks. Gotta remember that.

I've spent a ridiculous amount of time on Tumblr (be careful, though, there's a lot of nsfw there! it's still the interwebby, after all), and the usual time on the Samba and searchtempest looking, wishing, wanting. Not, clearly, working.

After the cruise, I am reminded of this quote used in EPCOT's Impressions de France film (during the hot air balloon scene) from Baudelaire:

Mais les vrais voyageurs sont ceux-là seuls qui partent
Pour partir; coeurs légers, semblables aux ballons,
De leur fatalité jamais ils ne s'écartent,
Et, sans savoir pourquoi, disent toujours: Allons!

I like the movie narrator's translation of the last lines best: "they leave for the sake of leaving, and without knowing why, they always say, 'we must go'"

Even though, I just got home, I am ready to go. I want to travel more, but reality (3 kids, a mortgage, etc.) makes it difficult. Check my Pinterest page for the bucket list. A few other things make me want to travel more, by the way. Like, for example certain cars. The Land Rover Defender will cease production in 2 years. That sucks.

Then, when looking on Tumblr for any peeps in Cincy that have tumblrs, I find this one filled with images that make me want to just go. Anywhere.

So, lets go somewhere and buy a Thing. Oh wait, I don't have any money. Oh well. $1500? Please. Dangit! This guy has no idea what it's worth and I am broke, as usual.

Here's another one that I think is underpriced at $5000. Dude, spend $100 to get it going and ask $7000.

That being said, here is what I would call a fairly priced Thing, just up in northern Ohio, $4700.

I thought I'd posted this one before, it's in Texas and is down to $2500 OBO, and if it runs, it's definitely a steal. I like to toggle between the first 2 pics and make the doors open and shut. :)

of course, if this showed up on my doorstep, I'd be fine.... talk about going anywhere, this (or this) would do that:

Time to plan some trips and sell some stuff to make some money, maybe, eh?

Drive a VW Thing!

Thing Friday!

I should be working, but there are Things to examine on the internet!

Let's start with this beater. $1750? I don't think so, unless it runs great (which is doubtful given the condition). Mid-state New York. (see other post, the dude crushed it out of spite)

Next contestant is this lovely item. Reduced!! Should be about the above price!! Not $3000!! Kansas. (down to $2500)

This isn't a bad deal, for $5200 actually, if they accept a little less with cash in hand. Illinois.

Feeling handy? The car is free, you pay for the parts that need to be attached.....$3900 in New Hampshire.

This Florida thing is actually very reasonably priced at $6000 even with the blurry pictures. I agree, who needs a top!

C'mon, dude, no picture? (he added photos!) Seriously, with just 5,600 miles and asking $4900, we need visuals! Austin, TX.

Close to home, just over in Indy, is this $4000 flat tire Thing. Kid, you got potential! A little much for a non-runner, if you ask me.

How about another fixer-upper? $3800 obo (now just $3500)

$2300 or less could get you this Thing in Florida: The Samba.com is your best resource for all kinds of Things and info, but as you can see, there are plenty out there on craigslist.

This no-photo-ridiculously-low-priced Thing is on craigslist now, the link on the other post has gone dead. The description does not match the price. Period.

It's Been A While Since Things

I wasted some valuable work time looking at Things via searchtempest on cragislist from around the nation (**update** all but the one I call the "pick of the litter" are no longer available! Other people like these, too, you know). First, some with no photos:

Here's one that says $1100, and there's no way that's right, if you read the description. (new link) Seriously, “…like new. The interior is black and exterior is pastel white all original new top, tires, brakes, bearings, generator, seats, tune up, new carburator, shocks, wiper motor,master cylinder, alignment parts, front tow hitch, headlamps, tail lamps and horn, The original windows are in the its original packages that go in the front compartment” is not $1100, it's $11000.... 

and there's this one:

73 Thing - Very good engine, starts &runs good. Has gas heater that looks like new. Need new conv. top & floorpans (new pans w/car). Orange , 85 k orig . mi. $3000  (my edit, he's now asking $2600 $2400!!!!) This is a fair deal, it seems.

Now, for $5000:

Or is it $5300? same phone number....

Here's a runner in Tampa, for a decent price if you like rusty Things. This and a parts Thing for $4250, not bad at all:

My pick of the litter, actually. No top is fine with me, a deal and a half at $3500. Cape Cod is a long way away.

"I quess my starting price of $4000 was over the top,I will reduce the asking price and listen to reasonable offers. My wife is bugging to sell this. Young girls are not included in the sale. 1973 orange Thing 55,000 miles,starts ,idles and runs smoothly,new motor parts,solid muffler and some brake lines replaced. Good clutch and trans,shifts easily. Some typical rust. Newer tires,have jack and tire removal accessories,side windows and top frame also. Good winter project. Parts are plentiful for restoration." 

******It's on Ebay now, January of 2014. I wish I had money!********

Last is a parts/needs a lot of restoration Thing for $850.   Sorry, the link is dead for this one, too. 

"73 rusty thing with lots of good original parts, I have no paperwork, the engine is locked up from sitting. This can be towed with a tow dolly. I am not parting it out! The engine is original thing case with gravel guard. One seat is missing ,the other is shot, rockers are shot. No title."