For the most part, the best affordable cars seem to spring up on Facebook Marketplace, but for whatever reason CL is holding out in Montana. It has one of the most implausibly amazing set of listings I’ve ever seen.
I noticed a few years ago that Montana’s Craigslist seemed to be consistently filled with oddball cars, but I’d kind of forgotten about it. I’m not often in Montana, let alone am I often in Montana looking to buy an old car.
But the thought wandered back into my head the other day, so I went to go see if the local listings are as good as I remembered them being.
Yes.
Very yes.
To illustrate my point, I’m just going to pick vehicles for sale right on the first page of the most recent for sale by owner listings. This is just montana.craigslist.org/cto. I’m not even going to go into Billings or anything. This is what you first see when you go looking for used cars in Montana, sticking out from all the other cars, 90 percent of which appear to be Bush Era pickup trucks.
This V8-swapped Jeep van is, again, on the very first set of new results on Montana’s cars-for sale by owner listings.
Your first scroll will also give you this 1926 Buick hot rod with Jaguar V12 running gear.
If you are looking for America’s most handsome pickup ever put into production in absolutely perfect condition (at least as far as I see it), look no further than Montana Craigslist.
There’s even a Renault Caravelle! This is insane. You’d expect old pickups and hot rods, sure, but not a rare, short-lived rear-engined French car from the ‘60s. Amazingly, this is a Montana car, per the listing:
Sold new in Billings in ‘66. Went to Lewistown and remained there until I got it. Been in storage entire life. I had a local pro shop go completely thru her front to back. Right now all it needs is some flat tires repaired. They are new but leaking due to wheels. Runs and drives great but is currently buried in storage, so must be serious as it is being sold as is. Have all documents for work done and even the orig title. Having just 41k orig miles she is in extremely good cond. Been bumped in the nose and repaired, but very minor. Jard top has never been off car soft top is good. $5000.00 FIRM.
Five grand! This is one of the most interesting cars for sale in the whole country and because it’s on Montana Craigslist (as opposed to, I don’t know, Gooding & Co.), the seller has to say that its five grand asking price is firm. Anyone else would be asking so much more for this car.
I’m skipping over most of the really well restored old cars because they’re expensive but I will not miss this VW van.
And I can’t skip over a pink Willys, even if the owner wants 50 grand for it.
You can also get this ex-military truck to put your neighbor’s Hummer in its place. The seller says a farmer should buy it to haul hay. I want to make it into a bus for some killer Uber fares.
And you can get this Bradley GT, an original VW kit car, so your buddy will finally shut up about how “unique” and “special” his Porsche 911 is.
I will also highlight this wonderful Cadillac limo advertised as a “23 MPG money maker” that’s “perfect for Uber.” This is not wrong.
And I will give some room for this 2006 Chevrolet 1 ton truck with a ‘69 body on it. The style isn’t perfect, but there’s little that a paint job wouldn’t fix. Think of how much happier this truck would be in a nice sky blue and some factory-look bright bumpers.
This is a ton of listings already, so I don’t have space to go over all the other affordable Chevy C/K pickups that are running without problems for a couple grand, and all the 1940s pickups that aren’t running for about a thousand bucks.
I encourage you to go look at al the listings yourself. Maybe move to Montana. I don’t know.
Something’s gotta be in the water, man. This Craigslist is too good.