Datsun 280ZX, Volvo Toterhome, Mazda Bongo Friendee: The Dopest Vehicles I Found For Sale Online

Another week means another entry in the sweet cars found online that I wish I could drive. I like finding cheap used cars that can either be daily driven right away or daily driven after minor work. Over the past couple of years, I've turned it into a bit of a skill.

I search as much of Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist as I can for interesting vehicles that don't cost a lot. They may be hilariously unreliable, unique, tuned or maybe something that stops me in my tracks. While I am based in the Midwest, I also see what I can find across the country. Sadly, prices for a few models are trending higher so it's getting really hard to find absurdly cheap cars, but I'm trying anyway.

Here's a slick convertible just in time for spring. This is a car that oozes style, even 39 years later. The seller says that it needs some work, like an exhaust, to be a daily driver, but it runs and drives as it sits. The pictures provided show it to be pretty clean.

It's $4,200 on Facebook Marketplace in Middletown, Ohio.

If you want a weird van, here's one that ticks a lot of boxes. This is a 1996 Mazda Bongo Friendee equipped with the Auto Free Top. It's four-wheel-drive, diesel and features a tent-top roof that raises with the push of a button. The van is said to run and drive, with its only drawback being a power steering leak. Unfortunately, it's not perfect. There's some surface rust and other exterior imperfections, but they shouldn't be too hard to fix.

This Japanese Domestic Market import also comes with the documents to register it. The van's $9,999 on Facebook Marketplace in Plymouth, North Carolina.

This is a motorcycle that I almost purchased over the weekend, only backing out because I want something with a little more power. The Yamaha CS5 features a 200cc two-stroke engine pumping out about 22 horsepower. What it lacks in speed it makes up for in looks. This one is said to be in original shape and runs. I adore its paint scheme.

Pick it up in Portage, Indiana, from Facebook Marketplace for $2,000.

Do you love the Toyota Tundra but wish it had more seats? The Sequoia may be right for you. These have almost everything you'll ever need in an SUV. They off-road well, have a 6,500-pound tow rating and are amazingly spacious inside. Plus, you get a nice V8 soundtrack.

One thing to be careful about is frame rust. When looking at a Sequoia in the Midwest, you definitely want to make sure it's all there.

Otherwise, this one is a cheap $2,500 in Carmel, Indiana, from Facebook Marketplace.

A toterhome is an RV built on a heavy-duty chassis with a focus on towing in mind. These are great for dragging around a trailer full of racecars or a big boat. Or, in the case of this toterhome built on the chassis of a 1986 Volvo cabover, you can have a cute and stubby camper.

It's almost entirely complete, including a shower and a toilet. This little thing even has an awning and is set up to tow gooseneck trailers, bumper-pull trailers and pintle hitch trailers. It even has a manual transmission.

Get it for $8,500 on Facebook Marketplace out of Williamsfield, Ohio.

Ultimate Motorcycling says that the Triumph Rocket III was the largest, most powerful cruiser in the world. Indeed, its 2.3-liter three-cylinder engine made 140 horsepower, blasted up to a top speed of 135 mph and weighed in at 704 pounds. It made other cruisers look tiny.

Such a bike still has pretty good specs today, and the cool thing is that you don't have to pay a lot for this one. It's $5,400 on Facebook Marketplace out of Dearborn Heights, Michigan.

With all of the attention on the upcoming Nissan 400Z, I thought I'd find another popular Z-car for this week's enthusiast car. The Datsun 280ZX is a sleek sportscar aimed at personal luxury. These get really expensive in good condition and finding one under $10,000 that wasn't a rustbucket was quite a task. This examples is not entirely stock, having a body kit and mismatched wheels.

It one comes finished in a pretty blue and it has a manual transmission. Get it for $8,500 on Craigslist from Kissimmee, Florida.

Here's a classic fastback that needs some work to get back to 100 percent, but looks stunning as-is. This AMC Marlin sports an AMC 327-cubic-inch V8 and an automatic transmission. It needs its interior finished, and the body isn't perfect, but it is said to fire up.

It's $6,900 on Facebook Marketplace out of New Kensington, Pennsylvania.

The last car on this list can be a bit polarizing. Some felt the Honda CR-Z to be a worthy spiritual successor to the famed Honda CRX; others felt that it fell short. With an EPA combined fuel economy rating of 36 mpg, it also wasn't much better on gas than other non-hybrid small cars of the day. But fans of the car absolutely adore it. Besides, there aren't many hybrids out there that are hatchbacks with manual transmissions!

This one has 185,000 miles, but comes in at an affordable $4,500 in Hazelwood, Missouri, from Facebook Marketplace.

That's it for this week! Have you purchased a car based from one of these posts? If so, I want to know.

Since this series began, I've watched how the pandemic has been changing nationwide car prices. Vehicles that were an easy $1,000 before are becoming $2,000 or even $3,000 cars.

It's becoming harder to find what I'd say are insane deals without getting behind the wheel of something that's one harsh pothole away from the scrapyard. Some gems are still out there, but they end up selling before I can even finish writing these.

Know of a weird car for sale on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist? Drop it down in the comments or in my email! If the car's still for sale, I may feature it on a future post.