Oppo, please help me find a car!

"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
08/18/2016 at 08:22 • Filed to: None

In a few weeks I’ll carpool to Munich (Germany) and a week later I return home. By train. By train? I could buy a car and drive back! It’ll have to be something interesting, old and drivable though. Not a daily driver. Will you help my find the perfect car Oppo?

There are a few limitations:

Location. In Munich or within roughly half an hour. If you need a plz, use 82131.

Preferably >25 years old but not from the 1970s or before. Certainly >20 years old.

Max budget: €3k

Instantly drivable for 600 miles/900 km. And with a valid inspection.

The car can have issues, but these issues should be fixable by a novice who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty (and who has access to a lift) and these issues shouldn’t interfere with the car’s ability to take me the 600 miles/900 km back home reliably and safely before I address the issues. Significant rust/paint issues are not acceptable.

No Mercedes

So, any suggestions?

I found !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and I started to pat myself on the back. Until I read the description. Roof needs replacing (okay, it’s a convertible and parts aren’t too expensive and the car is worth 3 times the asking price in great condition) and coolant issue with the engine (no way I’m doing 600 miles in that).

Website suggestions from my end:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

http://www.mobile.de/?lang=en

https://www.autoscout24.com/

http://www.ebay.de/sch/Automobile…

DISCUSSION (21)

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 08:45

Rusty Suzuki Samurai , because drifting through muddy fields is fun, and you don’t need something good looking for that. You’ll probably be deaf after those 900 km of Autobahn, so you won’t be able to hear the farmer complain.

Toyota Paseo , just look at that interior!

Matt Nichelson > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 08:45

Sounds like that episode of Top Gear. Is that where the idea came from?

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 09:14

You’ll probably hate my suggestions but I find them halfway solid:

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=229295576

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=229700726

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=229295576

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=222874032

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=231084553

There are plenty of options in and around Munich, that’s for sure.

duurtlang > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
08/18/2016 at 09:17

I probably should’ve clarified: I’m not looking for a daily driver. I’ve got that covered with my 406 coupe and company appliance Focus. I’m looking for something fun and old; a (semi-) classic that I might have to wrench a bit on.

Cé hé sin > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 09:25

This one obviously.

It’s not that far from Munich. It’s a four stroke though.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 09:25

Damn me. There’s a 205 Roland Garros in questionable condition as well as the 205 cti which seems interesting. Are you looking for something more common like a BMW or Golf, or rather something unusual?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Cé hé sin
08/18/2016 at 09:36

Would this be one of the ones with a VW engine? The paintjob looks ex-police?

duurtlang > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
08/18/2016 at 09:38

I wouldn’t say no to an E30 Touring. I found a nice one on Rügen, but that’s a bit out of my way. Klaus Schmoll lives there and has actually looked at an E30 Touring for me (and indirectly DeMuro) once back in 2014, but I’ll keep that in the back of my mind for now.

I still own my first car; a mk2 Golf. I should get that out of storage some time and fix that. Meh, rational thoughts are boring and more cars = better.

duurtlang > Cé hé sin
08/18/2016 at 09:40

Oh, does that have the same engine as my mk2 Golf? If so, how boring as it’s unbreakable and doesn’t smoke.

On a more serious note, unless it’s a Lada 2101 or something with an aircooled V8 I don’t like the commie cars that much.

Cé hé sin > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 09:48

Sadly, the chances of finding a Tatra for less than €3,000 that is more than a pile of rust are exactly nil!

I was surprised at the price of that Wartburg - you can pay several thousand for a two stroke with a valid test.

Oh, and exporting a used car from Germany is a long and complicated process involving money.

Cé hé sin > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
08/18/2016 at 09:50

It’s definitely a four stroke as the two stroke engine was smaller. The paint job is certainly like a police one.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 09:52

I’m sure there are plenty of interesting cars in Munich.

This piqued my interest, although it’s no E30 Touring:

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=231246257

The Mk2 Golf will probably run forever with basic maintenence and care. Didn’t you export an E30 Touring to the States or something, maybe I saw it somewhere else though.

duurtlang > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
08/18/2016 at 10:34

I did. Then I bought another one sight unseen on German Ebay (slightly east of Hamburg), drove it to the Netherlands, fixed it, auctioned it and sold it to a Belgian.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 10:42

I can get behind that. E30 Tourings have a special appeal to me, even though they’re not all that practical. I haven’t seen a mint condition exemplar in years but there’s an okay condition E30 Touring in Boston green metallic in my neighborhood with original DIN license plates. Maybe one day I’ll convince the owner to sell it.

duurtlang > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
08/18/2016 at 10:47

They’re appreciating. Hard. If you’ve got a really nice but not pristine yet utterly original 325i you’re approaching €10k. I’ve seen them priced as high as €19k, although I think that’s absurd.

Similar thing with my 205 GTi (and CTi) by the way. Appreciating, and quickly.

duurtlang > Cé hé sin
08/18/2016 at 10:48

I bought cars in Germany before. Registering it in the Netherlands will cost maybe €130 or so, that’s it, assuming it’s >25 years old. If it’s got a valid German inspection it will stay valid, so that’s an added bonus. At import they’ll only test if the car corresponds with its paperwork and isn’t stolen.

Cars younger than 25 years old will be taxed as well, with the tax as relevant when it was new with a certain % deduction based on age. Above 17 or so years of age that’s a percentage of 100% (so €0 tax).

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > duurtlang
08/18/2016 at 10:51

Early chrome bumper convertibles seem to catch the most money these days. I had to pass on a basic, low mileage 316i E30 four door this year. Nothing special but clean E30s get rare and like you said expensive.