There are good ideas and there are bad ideas – and then there are those ideas that are so bad they come full circle and become good ideas. The corollary is also true: Really exceptional ideas can turn bad, if pushed beyond the bounds of good sense. Continue reading
We write a lot about sedans here at TTS because we’re that kind of geek. Actually, we’re a lot of different kinds of geek. We certainly like our sports cars, and could be tempted by certain goofy trucks sporting badges like Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz. But there’s something about a fast yet subtle four-door with a manual transmission that speaks to us, both loudly and clearly. Continue reading
I’m pretty sure that there is an unspoken cap of four vehicles on my fleet. Well, we’ve had five before, but only when there was a decisive exit strategy for one of them. Beyond that, my W140 S600 has been at the shop for about four weeks now for a new rear main seal, valve cover gaskets, and to trace a mystery battery drain that only happens when I lock the doors (!), so my automotive cash situation is tentative to say the least. Otherwise, I would have bought this grey market beauty already for the paltry $3,000 that the seller is asking. Show me another car that exudes presence the way that the W126 does, has working windows, sunroof, aircon, and a rebuilt motor and transmission, and rare perfect velour upholstery that has been covered since new. You can’t, can you? Find this one here on BenzWorld in Phoenix, Arizona.
So you might have noticed, my partner and I are all about big, stupid sedans lately. After yesterday’s post, I couldn’t help but wonder how many of you ran out and bought Quattroportes..? Then I wondered how many of those Quattroportes will start when you go to turn the key today. Then I had a better idea: you want angular 1970s styling in a car that won’t break the bank in either the repair shop or at the gas pump? What you need is a Peugeot 604 Turbo Diesel like this one for sale in Sandpoint, Idaho for a paltry $1,500.
Once upon a time the term “sports sedan” referred to a four-door automobile whose driving characteristics engaged the driver in the actual act of driving through steering feedback, a taut suspension, and (gasp!) a manual transmission whereby the driver actually went through the process of selecting the appropriate cog and engaging it through a shifter and a clever foot pedal that released the gears. It is arguable whether BMW invented the concept of the sports sedan, but they worked hard through the late 1960s and te 1970s to hone it. By the time this car made the scene in 1983, BMW was at the top of the sports sedan heap. Find it here on eBay in Salem, New Hampshire with a starting bid of $200.
