Recently departed- sold in 2021

Sold May 2021

I didn't have this one very long. After sorting it out a bit and making it as close to perfect as I could, I took a long hard look at the cars in the barn, including some new additions and decided I should choose between the two e30's I had. I opted to keep the convertible. This was purchased by a classic car dealer in South Dakota. ___________________________

If you are a BMW fanboy or girl, you know this as an E30. This was the 2nd generation of the BMW 3 series- built from 1982 to 1994. There is also a later 91' convertible in the collection. These cars really strengthened BMW's presence in the American market as the "Ultimate Driving Machine", and became synonymous with the 80's Yuppi culture. I tried to culture that look in the 80's- complete with Girbaud jeans with my Genera sweaters... and I may have put highlights in my hair- but it just wasn't complete without this car.  The E30 has held up much better than my 80's look, and are also far more desirable today. As with most cars of the 80's- the horse power numbers are bested by economy cars today, however their small size and low weight make them a blast to drive. This model- the eta, was a larger engine with lower power output designed for fuel efficiency. The inline 6 in these cars are some of the best to ever leave Bavarian Motor Werks for the US. This is one of the more recent additions, acquired in January 2021.

SOLD April 2021

As much as I would like to hold on to all of these cars- because there was something that made me want to own it in the 1st place, I can't. I didn't build a large enough building. I wanted a BMW when I was a teen something- but I couldnt pull it off. This car went to a 17 year old from southern MN... very sharp and polite, and excited to get it. It really made it fun to sell, knowing how excited the new owner was and thinking about how 17 year old me would have felt driving it home.
* He put it up for sale 3 months later for more money. _____________________
The successor to the e30, the 3rd generation BMW 3 series e36 was built from 1990 to 2000. This 97' had the more powerful inline 6, a manual transmission, and some sporty bits that gets as close as I could to the vaunted M3... on a budget. This is not a particularly collectible car (yet), nor is there anything really super special about it- but it was a fun way to have a stick shift convertible I could take with my 3 kids. I know- that's a bit nuanced, like choosing between shoes that look pretty much the same. I guess that happens when you have a large collection of anything- you start to focus on the small differences. 

SOLD March 2021

Sometimes I just need to make room for something new. This was my daily driver sports car- simple, reliable, and worry free. This was never intended to be an investment. However, after two years and 6,000 miles- Carvana paid me thousands (plural) more than I paid. It may be because, as I said in my story below- they would be missed. The 370z went out of production with the 2020 model year and their prices are now on the rise. Who knew. 

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This is an old car that you can still buy new. It was introduced in 2008 as a 09' model- and really has not changed since. Nissan seems to do that as a matter of course- if it ain't broken, sell it as long as you can. The 370z is a rear wheel drive, manual transmission, naturally aspirated, hydraulic steering, with all analog instrumentation- not a single color LCD screen in sight. All of which will never return in a single car. Great you say- who wants old tech, right? For those who prioritize cushy transportation, this isn't for you- and there are some days it's not for me either and I drive something else. However- as a drivers car that connects you to the machine and the road through most of your senses- its great, and when cars like this are gone they will be missed. One of the nicer aspects of this car is its reliability and that I never worry about the check engine light coming on, like I do every time I start some of the others in my collection. I also trust it to withstand teaching my younger son and soon to be driving daughter how to drive a manual transmission. 

Sold May 2021

I knowingly purchased this car as an investment. I loved having it in the collection and admiring it, however low mileage, pristine, and valuable collectable cars are part of the formula that pays for the barn and everything inside it. This one sold at auction and has shipped off to the new owner in Los Angeles.

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So- really the Honda NSX. It was only Acura in the United States. The New Sports-car eXperimental was revealed in 1989 (go back to the 89' Caprice Wagon to see the then status quo) as a Japanese competitor to the Ferrari 328. This 30 year old car could easily pass for something new on the show-floor from the last few years- that's how advanced it was. All aluminum, mid-engine, and one of the best manual transmission cars... ever. I 'm pretty sure my neck snapped a few times in the '90s when one of these passed by. These were handmade- with about 9000 total produced over its original 15 year run. And- they are also taking off in the collector market. I was lucky to get this one as part of a handful I purchased from a local dealer liquidating their collection. It's also about as new as they come- with just over 13,000 miles on it. The downside to owning a 30-year-old car that is rising sharply in value with low miles like this one... is you want to keep it low miles, so I usually pick something else to drive. I do enjoy walking past it- like another painting in the gallery. 

SOLD August 2021
After 5 years, Thor has a job and it is time to get a brand new car- he's currently thinking a Toyota Tundra. The Mercedes went to a local family, so maybe we'll still get to see it around town.

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Now I bet you think I'm just including pictures of our neighbor's cars for fun. Among the fleet, there are a few that are just used for transportation. Imagine that. This one happens to be my oldest son's 1st car. We purchased this in June of 2016 for his journey to Mankato State. The main criteria's were safety and all-wheel drive. One of the salespeople who has taken care of our family for years kept an eye out, and we landed on this. Mark is in the picture with Thor. Admittedly, this was not the sexiest choice for a 1st car for Thor...but having a safest car we would find in his price range won out.

Sold August 2021

This one was really hard to let go- more so than any other car I can remember selling. Not because it was particularly special- lots of families have them, but because it was our family car though most of our kids schools activities and cross country trips, and because it was Cherri's car. But- it sat unused for years, save one final trip to Delaware this summer. As you can read below- I was holding on to it... just in case. However, the car market in 2021 is crazy, and it became worth many thousands more than it was worth years go. So- a new family has it now with several young kids, and I hope it takes care of them too.

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This was the family car. Lots of kid after school activities, several cross country trips, and all the stuff a family car does. It has been parked for the better part of two years. But- I might need it, so I better not sell it.  I know, that is crazy. Since you made it this far looking through the cars in the barn- I'm sure you already think I am.  What is crazy and actually has kept me from selling it is that I priced out the equivalent 21' model and it was $83,000!! Granted, this one was not cheap, but $83k or more for a truck?! That got me wondering how we arrived at supersized price-tags for trucks- including $100k Escalades and Navigators. Looking back- a 2000 Honda Accord LX had an MSRP of $18,540. The same year Suburban was $25, 711- or about 37% more than the Honda. For 2021, the similar Honda MSRP is $24,970, but a basic Suburban is now $58,795- 137% more than the Honda. That price disparity seems to be true for many cars vs trucks over the same period of time.  So in 2042 when my daughter is 36 years old and needs a Suburban- it will cost $134,000 give or take. That is crazy. I should just give her this one instead.

Sold October 2021

Assuming this website lasts far beyond 2021...2021 was a crazy year for the car market. Covid and resulting supply chain issues drove new and even used car priced over MSRP. Sometimes way over. I purchased these cars for the reasons listed below- and we did get some miles on them. Callie's 1st time driving a car was on a stick shift (I'm so proud). However- the opportunity arose to sell these and come out ahead right before I'd have been putting them away for winter. I hope to pick up one next spring.

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THE WORST CAR EVER!!! So proclaim the automotive pundits. I ran out and bought three brand new ones! Remember when you could buy a new car that didn't cost what you make in a year (or a big chunk of it)? Simple, efficient, reliable? The VW Bug or Rabbit, Dodge Colt, or recently the Fiesta, Cruise, etc. Yes- everything else is bigger and more powerful than a Mirage, but consider this- 10 year warranty, airbags everywhere, Stability/ABS, Auto braking collision mitigation, auto climate control, touchscreen Infotainment with CarPlay/Android, Camera, Cruise, etc, etc, on a NEW car that cost about $12 thousand dollars OUT THE DOOR (including tax and fees). It also gets the best MPG of any car that is not a hybrid- I regularly average 47MPG. That is an amazing value. Reviewers blast the 78hp engine, however engines with less power did just fine for decades. 78hp is just the right fit for a car that probably weighs at least a 3rd less than yours, and it does not sacrifice fuel economy. If it was bigger or cushier- well then you would have Civic... a great car that would cost more than twice as much. Why three you ask? I have kids that I want to be competent with a manual transmission, great cars for school, a low key daily driver for me (sometimes I just need the right tool for the right job) and ultimately when I sell- I bet I get 2/3 of what I paid for them or better. 

Transferred 2021

Another fallout from the crazy Covid car prices of 2021 is that it is just a bad time to buy a car. Thor is moving out on his own and needed to replace his college wheels. As I have a new 2022 truck on order (because you can't just go buy one anymore) - he is taking the F150.  This truck got the whole family safely to and from the Lake House for the better part of 13 years, and he drove it a bit in high school. I'm really happy this is staying in the family, and I know it will take care of him.

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This is my truck. There are many others like it, but this one is mine. That's plagiarized from a movie- but it works here. Nothing special- this is basically the shuttle between our home and the lake.  It does have the distinction of being absolutely the least reliable vehicle I've ever owned- almost $18k in repairs over 100k miles. Fortunately, I purchased the extended warranty... and extended it again, so I didn't pay for those repairs. I'll use this space for my opinion on those warranties. All cars break. When you buy a warranty- the bet is that you will sell or trade your car before you ever use it. If, like me, you keep some cars until the earth reclaims them- the math is on your side. Make sure you only look at an exclusionary warranty- the kind that has a short list of what it does NOT cover and is much like a "bumper to bumper" warranty. Try to buy from the manufacturer, not Auto-Vantage-Super-Excellent-Coverage and the like. Price shop. You can can often buy a manufacturer warranty online from dealers that sell at much closer to their cost to earn your business, and see if your dealer can match that or come close. Buy the longest term you can- the odds are really on your side on a 6 or 7 year warranty... unless you trade it in on a shiny new car in 4 years- then you threw your money away. Finally, don't make your decision based on trade in value. Extended warranties typically add ZERO dollars when you trade because the dealer can't transfer them... and they would rather sell their own anyway.

Sold October 2021

Another car that was really really hard to part with. One of my favorite cars, and certainly my wife's favorite. However, it was a summer only vehicle, and with everything else in the Barn, it simply did not get driven. I try to maintain a collection of appreciating assets, or at the very least holding their value. Unfortunately this was not in either category- and the Covid car market allowed me to get more than the car had been worth in years. 

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This is the flagship of Lexus, even to this day- save the super limited LFA @ $400,000, and you had to lease those. This was also the 1st time that a hybrid powertrain was utilized to gain performance, comfort and quite, over efficiency. During its production run it was ranked as the quietest car in the world. Specifically, the LS600HL mission was to best the 12 Cylinder competitors with the reliability of a Lexus. There were a lot of other technological firsts, including the ability to park itself (you had to keep your foot lightly on the brake), auto leveling and tracking LED headlights, and CVT transmission for Toyota. Unfortunately, not enough people were willing to spend $40,000 or more on top of the price of a LS460- the car was based off of. The current successor- the  LS500, while nice, doesn't really reach the level of this car. From a technology and performance standpoint- this car was so far ahead of its time that it still stands up today. This used to be my wife's car. The truth is that we really don't drive it enough to warrant keeping it, but some things are hard to part with. 

Specifications

- 438HP Combined

- 5.0L V8 / AC Motor

- Curb Weight 5,470 lbs

- 0-60 6 Seconds

- Top Speed of 155 MPH

Want to know more?

Another Doug DeMuro video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3AuT-wxvmg

Sold November 2021

I usually do a pretty good job of picking the right cars. Here and there one doesn't work out. With the 2021 car market, I had the unusual opportunity to walk away without getting hurt a few months after purchasing this. 

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When I was 32 I bought a brand new Corvette- two weeks after my 2nd child was born. Oh my goodness- that is top of the list of things not to do. My wife assumed I was having a midlife crisis. Actually- it was because cars were not selling well after 9/11 and Corvettes were on sale with 0% interest for the 1st time ever. But, I never considered it a midlife thing. Enter the 2021 Honda Type R. This is absolutely a Hot Hatch aimed at a completely different demographic. Remember- I own a station wagon. It is arguably obnoxiously over-styled- with a massive wing and aero effects, super skinny tires, racing seats, and the list goes on. It is also the fastest around a track production front wheel drive car... ever. You have to get in line to buy one, and a super deal is you get to pay full sticker price- as most people have payed a-lot more. I don't even think it will go up in value- because it will likely be eclipsed in the race to the best. So... why? Well, I think it is super cool. I also think (desperately hope) people will think I'm 32 years old when I go zipping by. Ergo- mid life crisis car. I do plan to park it next the 72' Honda N600 in the barn.

Specifications

- 306 HP 

- 2.0L Inline 4 Turbo

- Curb Weight 3,121 lbs

- 0-60 5.2 Seconds

- Top Speed of 169 MPH

Want to know more?

Sarah-n-tuned review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFjE3DgHxAA

Sold February 2022

I am doing my best to downsize out the regular cars- and the daily drivers that I have to be on the more basic side.

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This car definitely blends in with most every other car in the Costco parking lot. It is our daily driver. So, instead of elaborating on the car itself- I'll share my thoughts on buying a regular use car.   Cars are almost always a terrible investment. Yes, I said that.  A good way to mitigate loss is to buy a 2-3 year old car coming off of a lease, and buying that car from the manufacturers dealer as Certified Pre Owned (CPO) vehicle. You save up to 50% off of MSRP, you get a warranty, and some assurance you are not buying someone else's problem.  Another tip-  often the store will buy several to dozens of a popular model car from the manufacturer lease auctions. Even though the MSRP and options packages may vary wildly- they usually end up on the lot priced very closely. Take some time to do research on their website- look for the highest MSRP cars and their options, and look for the lowest milage cars. Often a car with, for example, 31k miles may only be priced a few hundred more than one with 46k miles. That is a year's worth of wear and tear on every part of the vehicle. It's not worth saving $500 over. This X3 had almost $10,000 in additional options, including the bigger engine and all the advanced safety systems, plus 10,000 fewer miles- and I paid about $1,000 more for all of that over the 30 to 40 other CPO X3's for sale at the time. There are exceptions- Jeep Wranglers, Toyota trucks, and a few others depreciate very slowly- and if you are within 15% to 25% of MSRP for a 2-3 years old car, and you plan to hold on to it- then probably better to buy new with a new car interest rate and the full term of the warranty.  My advice on the subject, however I have not always taken my own advice either... hence this website.

Sold March 2022

Same as the BMW X3, the COVID car shortage allows me to sell off cars that I might have normally held on to for longer. I will be replacing this with Callie's 1st car.

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This car squarely falls into the category of daily driver. No investment potential, it will age and may follow one of the kids to college someday. The C300 was really the bread and butter car for Mercedes- as such many are leased and while all are nice, most have only limited options to keep the price down. I searched for months to find one as well equipped as this one. As I've mentioned with other cars- buying a 2 year old, low mileage Certified Pre Owned from the manufacturer is the way to go. This was the last C300 made in Stuttgart Germany, before production moved to the United States. 

Sold March 2022

I might own too many cars. I put about 100 miles on this over two years. I didn't even use the up the two year old gas in the tank. I have made the decision to reduce the fleet  to something where I can at least drive them a full week, and this is the 1st one of that effort to be sold.

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Isn't this just a car? like... collecting a washing machine? This Honda was the top selling car in USA in 1991. Japanese cars ruled the late 80's and into the 90's- with the Accord at the top spot from 89' to 91' followed by a few years of the Taurus, and then came the Toyota Camry. Honda's just didn't break, unless the timing belt did, then they really broke. Honda uses an Interference Engine: if you lose your timing belt, the valves will be crushed by the pistons. Honda owners- replace your timing belt when prescribed. So- nothing really special about this EX, other than cars like this were used like appliances, and discarded. There are not many left, and very very few with under 50,000 miles like this one. And that is what makes it collectible. Adult collectors want the car their family had, or they learned to drive on, or had in high school- and for a generation, this was likely it. This was part of a collection I acquired from a local dealer in 2019- and was to be displayed in a Honda dealership. Plans changed, and it ended up at the Car Barn. Best retro feature- those short-lived automatic seatbelts before airbags became the standard. I love watching Millennials see those in action... or looking for the switch when the car has roll down windows...

Sold April 2022

I love the OBS F150's. In a short period of time I ended up owning 3 of them- a 150, 250, and 350. That, even for me, was too much- and took up a lot of room at the barn. This one found a happy owner in April of 2022.

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Behold an old Ford Truck?  The OBS (Original Body Style) is heating up in collector market. Built from 1980 to 1996 (1997 for the F250), this truck represents the last of the era when a truck was just that... for hauling and towing stuff. Simple design, those small pivoting windows to let air in, and bench seats- I think people miss that. Someone missed a 1980 F150 so much that one gem just sold for about $100,000 at auction. I used to own a 1996, similar to this one. I traded that in on a nicer one, then a nicer one, then a super nice one... and then missed those flip out windows, and kind of crappy FM radio. I think I also missed my 20's- and everywhere we went in that truck. The trick today is to find a nice one- as I don't think anyone would have expected these to become collectible. This came out of Wisconsin- and while not quite my style, is complete with hand painted frilly pin striping, running boards, a house sized truck topper, and a "Moon Visor". However- as a time capsule, those items make it perfect. The radio only tunes in country music stations...curious. 

- 205 HP  - 5.0L V8 Same engine as the 5.0 Mustang - Curb Weight 4,300 lbs - 0-60 9.2 Seconds - Top Speed of 90 MPH

Sold May 2022

Oh, this was hard to say goodbye too. In fact there was some family argument and strife over letting it go.  The collection briefly tipped over 40 cars in 2021- and I had gas that was three years old in some cars. The decision was made to substantially reduce the fleet, including a couple of the "super" cars. 

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Godzilla- That is really the name associated with this car. The Nissan GTR has been for years a benchmark for other wannabe cars- like Lamborghini, Ferrari, and McLaren to beat... sort of. Those companies make exceptional cars, but you should expect that when you are north of $300,000.  The GTR is one of the fastest and best performance cars in the world- beating out competitors that cost 2-3 times the price. It has a massively powerful V6- hand built by a single craftsman (of a team of 4) in Yokohama. While the GTR has been for sale for decades in the Japanese market- they only came to the US in 2009. Every year the car has been improved- taking input from racing programs and owners. While I have only done it a couple times- it will launch you from 0-60 in a neck snapping 2.9 seconds. It is exhilarating, but it is also borderline violent and I hesitate to do it too often. While cars like this are often featured in video games- the graphics used in the instrument display were created by the company with one of the most popular racing games. It is reasonably comfortable to drive as a regular car, however there are instructions included with the owners manual stating that clattering eminating from the engine and transmission are normal for a race car- and not to call your dealer to complain. 

- 545 HP  - 3.8L V6 Twin Turbo - Curb Weight 3,915 lbs - 0-60 2.9 Seconds - Top Speed of 192 MPH

https://usa.nissannews.com/en-US/releases/nissan-s-legendary-takumi-four-master-craftsmen-who-hand-build-every-nissan-gt-r-engine

Sold May 2022

And another favorite car off to a happy new owner- part of the great fleet reduction of 2022. This one went to good home-  the buyer owns a couple cars I would love to have myself, including a Volvo 1800.

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This is a true British grand tourer, in the right color. The XK cars were launched in 1996 (as a 97' model) and shared the same platform as the Aston Martin DB7. Beyond that... there's nothing super special. They are, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful modern cars that Jaguar has produced. It is powerful, competent, and comfortable to drive. Pressing the Sport button actually makes a huge difference and wakes the car up- unlike most other cars where I'm pretty sure it's just connected to the blinker fluid reservoir. This one came out of Iowa- a very low milage for its age that was owned by the Jaguar dealer's owner. Low milage cars often look good, but are also likely have problems are not sorted out yet. Higher milage cars are cheaper, and maybe have had the common issues addressed- but everything has been shaking, bumping, going through hot/cold cycles that many more times. Cars from cold climates have corrosion (unless always stored in winter), cars from hot climates bake under the sun- withering plastics and paint. Fortunately, this one was very well attended to over its ownership and is just as good as it looks.

- 290 HP  - 4.0L V8 - Curb Weight 3,876 lbs - Top Speed of 155 MPH

I just like listening to this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpqhCVN2rfU