Renault Dauphine, Ford Econoline Pickup, Citroën DS Break: The Dopest Cars I Found For Sale Online
Some cute French cars, a wonderful cabover pickup, imports and more!
Another week means another entry into our series featuring the sweet cars I found for sale online. This time we have a gorgeous French wagon, a very yellow Subaru and an off-roader with a kick of power.
Based on reader feedback I'm making a change to this series. I'm now searching for interesting vehicles anywhere and everywhere on the internet, not just Facebook and Craigslist.
These vehicles may be hilariously unreliable, remarkably unusual, questionably tuned or just something that stops me in my tracks. We all know the used car market is all kinds of broken right now, but I try to find deals where they exist.
2003 Subaru Impreza WRX - $11,000
Let's start this off with something fast and yellow. According to Subaru owner forums, Sonic Yellow is somewhat rare, being applied to around 1,500 cars. It's certainly an attractive car in the endless sea of monotone colors on the road today.
The rest of the car is your standard WRX wagon, being powered by a 2.0-liter flat four making 227 HP down to all wheels through a manual transmission. I tried finding one without mods for an affordable price, but that proved difficult.
This one is said to run and drive fine, and has a list of what was done to it is included in pictures. It's $11,000 on Facebook Marketplace in Spokane Valley, Washington with 165,000 miles.
2014 Chevrolet Caprice - $6,950
The Chevy Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle is a Holden Statesman from Australia. It shares a platform with the Holden Commodore, known as the Chevrolet SS here in the States. Many of these are now coming out of public service and into private hands. It's a rear-wheel drive full-size sedan with a 6-liter V8 making 355 horses.
This 2014 is $6,950 on Facebook Marketplace in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with 196,000 miles.
1962 Ford Econoline Pickup - $8,200
The Ford Econoline was a van that supported workers, churches, schools and large families for decades. But for a short time Ford offered the van with most of the roof chopped off. The result was a stubby pickup with a seven-foot bed. Like David's Jeep FC, these have a counterweight to keep things shiny-side up.
Ford expected the Econoline pickup to outsell the van it's based on, but buyers overwhelmingly chose the van, sealing its fate.
This Econoline pickup is said to have its original straight-six engine and a three-on-the-tree. It's $8,200 on Facebook Marketplace in Rome, New York.
1973 Citroën DS Break - $18,950
The Citroën DS is known for its out-of-this-world styling and its hydraulic system that offers incredible refinement. We're talking about a soft and supple ride for everyone. But the suspension doesn't just give the car a magic carpet ride feel, it can even be adjusted to aid in tire changes or to clear obstacles. Jason found the DS Break to be plenty weird in his classic review.
This 1973 DS Break is said to be in original condition. It's $18,950 on Autotrader in Los Angeles, California.
2003 Aprilia SL1000 Falco R - $3,200
This Aprilia is an Italian sportbike with a 998cc 60-degree Rotax V-twin that puts 88 horses down stock, or 110 HP with an easy mod. This one is apparently chipped to make 125 HP.
Motorcyclist magazine found so little wrong with these that its reviewer was almost comforted to find that the rear shock was a tad too soft. So, what you get is a bike that looks great that rides great.
This one is $3,200 on Facebook Marketplace in Silver Creek, Washington with 24,000 miles.
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass S - $10,500
The Oldsmobile Cutlass S was the sporty version of the base Cutlass. The S got you the cosmetic stuff like more trim, louvered hood grilles and other small bits. Under the hood is a 350 cubic-inch V8 spitting horsepower through a three-speed manual transmission.
This one is said to run and drive well with a bunch of new parts. It's a little rough around the edges, but it's said to be free from major rust. It's $10,500 on Facebook Marketplace in Granite Falls, North Carolina.
1960 Renault Dauphine - $6,000
This week's enthusiast car is for those weird French car lovers. The Renault Dauphine joins a long line of European cars that gave families mobility. It was designed to replace Renault's 4CV as cheap transportation that better aligned with the growing standards of living in post-war Europe.
Renault got styling help from Ghia and the little rear engine car launched into a smashing success. Two million of them sold. According to Planete Renault, 410,000 of them crossed the Atlantic and Americans got to experience them for the price of $1,600 or $15,335 today.
In the back is an inline-four making about 30 HP. Don't expect to get anywhere fast, but you will get there in style. It's $6,000 on Facebook Marketplace in South Paris, Maine.
2002 Isuzu Rodeo Sport LS Swap - $12,000
The Isuzu Rodeo Sport is a cute little off-roader that offers a sweet open-air experience for off-roading under the sun. I've seen these tackle everything from mud to tight trails with ease. But if you feel nearly 205 HP with the stock V6 isn't enough, this listing might be for you.
Under the hood is a 4.8-liter Vortec V8 mated to a 4L60-E automatic. Depending on where this engine came from, it was good for 285 HP before mods. The ad details small changes like a high-flow fuel pump and an aluminum radiator. It also has a limited-slip differential.
It's $12,000 on Facebook Marketplace in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
1995 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear - $13,000
You're looking at a right-hand drive van that has a turbo diesel engine, four-wheel drive, low range gearing and tons of ground clearance. I mean, what's not to love about that? Well, Maine, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and New York doesn't love them.
But if you're not in those states, this egg-shaped van is begging to be taken on an off-road adventure. It's $13,000 on Facebook Marketplace in Salt Lake City, Utah with 88,000 miles.
That's it for this week! Have you purchased a car from one of these posts? If so, I want to know.
If you know of a weird car for sale on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, drop it down in the comments or send it along in an email! If the car's still for sale, we may feature it in a future post.