Okay, I have one of these that I use in my ‘98 Jeep XJ and while the sound isn’t fantastic, I still love it. But that’s not why I’m here. I’m here because I HAD THAT PANASONIC HEAD UNIT IN MY FIRST CAR and I couldn’t have told you what it looked like until I just saw the photo and I’m enveloped in a wave of nostalgia…

It’s close, for the right buyer. Not the best body style, and not the best transmission. It’s a candidate for someone’s weird swap. But with that in mind, let’s say $1500 tops.

Well it sure as hell isn’t the latter, so I’ll take that as a compliment I guess.

David, I am SUPER excited to live vicariously through you on this adventure. While I’m going back to work as a teacher in COVID-filled classrooms this fall, I’ll find hope in my days by imagining the weird diesel-based challenges you’re facing halfway across the world. Godspeed and thanks for the distraction.

Absolutely crack-freakin-price. But I love it and would absolutely enjoy driving and owning it. Super cool. 

Gotta be honest, when I first started reading this article it made me think you were just spoofing “Cars 2".

Yeah....around here (Midwest) anyway, that’s pure gold. With the manual especially. Someone will give it.

This one will be close. I’m going NP barely, because for the right buyer who is ready to sort through everything, this actually is an investment car for barely 5 figures (maybe less). 

Parisienne has a Caprice front clip?

This has to be that car, right? I mean, what are the odds of another one, that color, showing up in Idaho?

Ah yes. It’s all about context.

How does the article not even address the “exciting new holes” mentioned in the headline?

Abso-freakin-lutely. I’m a wagon-or-die kinda guy, and lately the prices on any old longroof have skyrocketed. I guess wagons are all that’s left maybe?

Nah. I know the market fairly well, but I’m saying it’s just slightly too much money given all the little issues I can spot in the ad. It’s a “don’t buy it unless you inspect in person first” ad. Price isn’t terrible.

Prices have sure climbed on this sort of thing in the last few years, yes. But a careful look tells me this is one I’d want to view and drive in person before paying. Maybe the price isn’t too high...but there are enough small indications that I’m not willing to gamble.

Reluctant CP at that price, but in reality I think I could negotiate with the seller and pick it up for less....which would tip it into NP. It’s crazy how cars like this are considered cool now. But I get it. There’s so much modern malaise on the road that anything old is interesting, and the powertrain here really…

I feel like this one’s gonna be about a 50/50 split. The people who say CP just because it’s 25 years old are technically correct, but also this is about right on the market for one of these that’s this clean. I’m going to make the assumption that I can get it for a little under 7k and say NP. 

I am EXTREMELY happy that this is in a state nowhere near me, because that’s the only thing saving me from going to get it. And I fully realize how dumb that would be, given my lack of budget for repairs. Thank god I’m in the Midwest (and I don’t say that very often). 

I mean, I’m not PERSONALLY gonna pay that much for it, but that’s because I’m not a wealthy person at all. If I was a slightly wealthier person, I would. First, I love older base model trucks. There’s just something about them. I would use it, but I’d use it carefully. And that brings me to my second point, which is…

Not at that price, no. But a pretty cool and well-preserved example. This is the car in which I learned to drive (a ‘77 Estate w/faux wood and a 350, but same car). If things are maintained well, it’ll glide down the highway very nicely. My family of 5 did many cross-country trips in that thing and I enjoyed the…