Welcome back Rob, I hope you enjoyed your week in Mediterranean paradise.

No, literally no, but it is hyperbola. Like if somebody wrote the headline “Poison Detected in McDonald’s Hamburgers”, and the story read “arsenic was discovered in testing of samples of McDonalds hamburger, the samples averaged 3 parts per billion, well under the threshold for safety set by the CDC.

Toyota starter breaks, replaced with rebuilt Auto-zone starter.  Counter reset to 384,000.  What could go wrong??

I agree, maybe I am getting to be a boring old dude, but Everytime I drive into our state’s largest city I see people driving 20-30 miles an hour cutting through traffic like a crazy person. Speed makes driving dangerous, but big speed differentials make it even more dangerous. The ten over is reasonable to allow for…

This is one of the few in this series I can really get behind. Plenty of money for a daily and a fun car. I would try to find the rare Crosstrek with a manual for daily duty, and the $20-25 you have left for a fun car, Miata, BRZ/FR-S, Boxster, Corvette, BMW Z3, Solstice/Skye, MR2 Spyder, lots of choices.  Or, instead…

Chevy’s smaller SUVs. Someone I work with owns one. I can never remember what it is, even though I have ridden in it and helped load it a few times.  I usually remember people’s cars better than people’s names. Looking it up it might be an Equinox, but I am not sure.

Have shopped these quite a bit. The non-R versions seem to go for about tenish for decent drivers (though not as nice as this). Though not a screaming deal, given that is is an “R” and the miles and condition look very good I can give it a nice price.

I agree, the first generation was just a little too worn soap bar 90s rounded to me, waiting for the restyle cars to get as cheap as the early ones.

Have shopped these quite a bit. The non-R versions seem to go for about tenish for decent drivers (though not as nice as this). Though not a screaming deal, given that is is an “R” and the miles and condition look very good I can give it a nice price.

I have a 2002 IS300, I don’t know which car was better new, the 3 series, the C-Class, or the Lexus.  But I know which one is the one to own at 22 years old.  Very reliable, everything works, I get into five year old cars and they feel like they are falling apart compared to the IS.  Still fun to drive too.  About the…

I know it is low miles and seems to be in very good shape. I know the market has moved up a lot for most everything, but this is 90s GM badness, cheap interiors and scratchy clunky switchgear and all that goes with it. Can’t bring myself to nice price this one.

Everytime I read anything here I am always a little stunned by the embiggening standards for cars.  I like the Tourx too, but always thought of it as kind of large, certainly not a "little wagon".

I would go IS500. Fairly simple RWD power train, Lexus reliability, and you could have fun driving that quarter of a million miles.

Well we know it's not plug wires or a tune up, as I think it is required that you list such "just needs..." on your CL ad.

You see so few Vipers around most probably wouldn’t even know it was modified. As these cars are kind of crudely put together and a bit of a hot rod the mods don’t really bother me. It looks kinda black and mean and fun to run around in. Nice Price if the TLC involves a couple weekends of wrenching, but not if it…

These early 5 series were arguably as important in establishing BMW as the maker of sporting sedans in the U.S. market as the 2002 and 3 series. They are what people are referring too when they talk of BMW losing its BMWness. Handsome, functional styling, big enough to get the job done but lt generally a little…

I don't entirely disagree with your point, but I am guessing CR puts resale/trade-in right up there in its scoring criteria.  They also contribute to some extent to the low resale of the Chevy by scoring them low.

I know a 3 series was a compact sedan at one time, but at 3700 pounds plus, a BMW 3 series is considered considered “compact”. Will the embiggening of cars ever end?

Sketchy looking sale, but 2022 with 16,000 miles.  If it checks out with a PPI seems like a screaming good deal.  I have no idea what these go for new, but I am sure it is a lot more that eighteen-five.  Most new stuff with low miles seems like it is priced at about two grand off original sticker these days.

Not available with a manual, but I think you can get an Alfa 4C for about that much.  A true enthusiast car even without the third pedal.  Take care of it and it probably wouldn't depreciate much if at all.