Great review and pictures. Thank you. In addition, these two points stand out:

Its pains me to think you could have had this same car in the late aughts for 60k- to 80k depending on miles and condition. 

Used to own one - and I’ve found myself in the weird position of acknowleding that it was a complete failure, but still defending it. This is partly because I bought mine right after getting out of a dieing, but not uncomfortable relationship (so it’s tied to a good time in my life). My view?

It didn’t really have anything in common with the old GTO, and I think it was a mistake to call it that, but it was/is a fantastic car.

As a former 04 GTO owner, I can see why people found it disappointing from a naming perspective. It didn’t really have anything in common with the old GTO, and I think it was a mistake to call it that, but it was/is a fantastic car.

History? My modern attention span is not up to that task. In recent history? My biggest recent disappointment has been the lackluster, lazy, or non-existent response by auto manufacturers to building competitive affordable EVs, and letting Elon “Why does ur pp look like u just came?” Musk run the table. Especially…

Jaguar. 

I would have liked to see the Dodge Magnum get a second generation. I was bummed when they killed it off.

Not necessarily. Pre-Covid prices on 996s were quite reasonable - high mileage ones that were mechanically sound but cosmetically rough could be had in the teens, and the best examples that weren’t Turbos were in the low to mid $30k range. $25k sounds about right. 

Assuming no lifestyle changes except replacing my cars with $100k worth:

1. The lowest mileage manual Cayenne 2011-2013-ish I can find for daily driving and towing. ~$25k

This is such an NP that I’m suspicious of it. You have not been able to get a running and driving car in *this* kind of shape for 4 grand in years, even before Covid. People have bought and sold worse crap for more money, and with bigger problems than being a car nobody remembers from a brand that’s been dead for over…

I really hate I missed this.

I kept looking for a catch. I know it’s a Saturn, but other than that, low mileage, nice condition, nicely presented. Based on other recent offerings here I double checked to see if there was a an extra “1" at the start of the price. Nope, this is the easiest nice price I think I have ever seen here.

I thank God this is not closer to me otherwise it would haunt my thoughts all day and night. It’s basically a perfect second car to just sort of keep around for when you need to do wagon things or when a family member/friend also needs to do wagon things. 

THANK YOU elgordo47 for mentioning the 300 lol.  I have owned two and I always though it was a handsome looking car.  It’s got a little retro vibe to it, with the long nose and short back.

I can’t argue with that price in this market, parts bin special or not. Look at what you can get in the Accord/Camry market for $4,000 and this also-ran Saturn starts to look pretty damn good.

HOT TAKE: A lot of these are not normal cars. 

I believe it. Intentional or not, VW could not have timed this better. The mid to late nineties were a renaissance age for 60's nostalgia and this just hit so incredibly hard. Woodstock ‘98 combined with the shitty politics of our parents might have crushed any fondness for that era, but the Beetle survived it and…

Hyundai N Vision 74