Nine Cars Sold On Bring A Trailer For Less Than $10,000 Yesterday, And They’re All Fantastic

You know that fancy internet car auction site, Bring A Trailer? While it doesn’t happen often, nine cars sold on the site yesterday for under $10,000, and there’s a surprisingly good selection among them, whether you want something sporty, pragmatic, Asian, European, American, really old, or surprisingly recent. Talk about deals in unexpected places.

In fact, deals are starting to return to the market in general. My contacts in the wholesale world report that prices on the backend are coming down, and that seems to be bleeding into Bring A Trailer. When was the last time you saw nine cars sell on that site for four-figure prices within 24 hours? It feels like it’s been ages.

So, if you don’t have Grade A money to spend on a fun car, let’s take a look at what Bring A Trailer can bring on a good day, running through all nine sales in chronological order, from the beginning of the day to the end. Let’s get cracking. Oh, and feel free to click on the subheadings to view any of the listings, should you want a better glimpse at these cars.

1985 Porsche 928S Project — $9,500

This day of bargains started out with what can be described as a little bit of a basketcase. Not only is this Porsche 928 a non-running hideously complex aged German grand tourer, it also reportedly needs an entire wiring harness. However, before you write this off as some overpriced fantasy, there are one or two things you might want to know.

For starters, it’s a five-speed car, which isn’t just rarer than an automatic car, it’s more engaging once you get it running. Then there’s the interior, which is unusual for an old 928 because it’s in excellent shape. These cars often suffer from decades of neglect, and one common result is upholstery that looks like a Tumblr user’s jeans. In any case, this isn’t a machine for the timid, but for those willing to get stuck into 928, we’re looking at a promising start.

1993 Mitsubishi Minicab Pickup 4WD — $8,000

It goes without saying that we adore kei trucks, and while this Mitsubishi Minicab is expensive at $8,000, it’s freaking nice. We’re talking just 17,000 km displayed on the odometer, fetching red-and-gold two-tone paint, four-wheel-drive, and a manual gearbox. This, my friends, might just be the crown jewel of kei trucks, and it sold for sensible used car money.

Okay, so it’s been repainted when it was in Japan, but it’s rocking a Maryland title, the interior looks legit, and it’s overall just a happy little thing. It’s no surprise that bidding was fierce on this one, but you could do so much worse for $8,000, which makes this an endearing pick.

1951 Packard 300 — $5,100

It feels like mainstream American cars of the ’50s have failed to find appeal among younger audiences, but that just means some of them are great deals. Take this 1951 Packard 300, for example. Not only did it remain in the same family from the day it rolled off the dealer lot until 2020, it’s rocking a straight-eight engine with 150 gross horsepower, mated to an optional two-speed automatic transmission. How rare is a straight-eight by today’s standards?

Packard was a luxury marque, and the 300 held roughly the same role as the E-Class holds in today’s Mercedes-Benz lineup. That meant it got all the luxuries of the time, from a defroster to a channel-seeking AM radio to soundproofing. Sure, those aren’t impressive features today, but in 1951, this was where it was at. Sure, this particular example might not be pristine, but it’s a solid driver that should offer a lot of fun for $5,100.

2002 Infiniti I35 — $7,200

While some might dismiss the I35 as another regular-ass used car, the fact of the matter is that older normal cars like these are rapidly disappearing from our roads. Be it uneconomical collisions repairs, mechanical attrition, or the hand of rust, these once-common sights are vanishing before we can even realize what’s happening. So, for someone to keep an Infiniti I35 nice, well that’s a wonderful thing.

With just 56,000 miles on the clock, this rebadged Nissan Cefiro isn’t going to set anyone’s hair on fire with its front-wheel-drive layout, four-speed automatic transmission, and surprisingly cromulent 3.5-liter V6, but it’s a neat little nostalgia trip that’s just waiting in the wings for whatever comes after Radwood.

1995 Lexus SC400 — $9,695

I could be wrong, but I have a strong feeling that values on these cars are going to the moon in the next few years. I mean, it’s a wonderful grand tourer that shares bones with the Mark IV Toyota Supra, and this one ticks all the boxes. Dripped out in oh-so-’90s teal? Check. Borla exhaust to let you hear that four-liter 1UZ-FE V8? Check. A mere 63,000 miles on the clock? Absolutely. The SC400 whips the llama’s ass, and even with this one’s aftermarket wheels, it’s still a catch.

Okay, so it also has aftermarket BC coilovers, adjustable toe arms, and some fresh brake components, but it hasn’t been messed with too much. The stock CD player and tape deck is still here, everything I can see is reversible, and this thing would be just right with a set of stock or period-correct wheels. Overall, I’m calling this one a big ol’ W for the buyer.

1988 Honda Acty — $8,050

Another kei truck? You bet, although this one’s murdered-out instead of resplendent in two-tone. Yes, this 1988 Honda Acty can almost get none more black, thanks to a respray, 13-inch steel wheels that look massive on it, a chunky set of bolt-on overfenders, and a surprisingly sweet set of clear-lens taillights.

Sure, it might not have a four-wheel drive like the Mitsubishi we saw earlier, but it’s still JDM AF, yo, and it looks suitably modified to slot among any number of golden-era tuner car garages. Plus, with just 40,000 kilometers on the clock, this isn’t some banger that somebody fixed up, but instead, a low-mileage example tricked out to taste. While it definitely isn’t for everyone, this Honda Acty looks like it’s going to make its new owner very happy indeed.

1987 Volvo 240 DL — $4,300

Sometimes, you just need a brick. The Volvo 240 is the archetypal East Coast hipster ride, and for good reason — not only was it a reasonably hand-me-down for rebellious children of academia back in the day, it’s a brick shithouse on wheels, with bumpers meant for bumping, rugged simplicity, and a look that’s anti-fashion enough to make a statement. Even with 152,000 miles on the clock, this thing still looks the business.

Granted, this Volvo 240 isn’t perfect. There’s a minor hit on its Carfax, the spare tire is missing, the exterior isn’t totally original, and there’s some hail damage going on. However, the underbody looks remarkably clean and if you want to pretend you’re a New York City hipster circa 2005, this seems like as solid of a starting point as any. For $4,300, I’m saying hell yeah.

2003 Ford Focus SVT — $5,800

These days, it seems like the phrase “nice Focus SVT” is an oxymoron, what with how frequently these picante hatchbacks were hooned to death. However, here before us lies what appears to be a nice Focus SVT, and what a sight for sore eyes it is. Sure, 170 horsepower isn’t a massive figure by today’s standards, but it was good enough to dash from zero-to-60 mph in a shade under 7.4 seconds in Motor Trend instrumented testing, and it got all of the hot hatch inputs right. This is a little three-door with proper fizz.

Sure, this example may have 107,000 miles on the clock and a hit on its Carfax, but its seats are in decent shape, the underbody is relatively clean, and even the headlights don’t look too oxidized. Sure, this one reportedly makes a transaxle noise when the fluid is warm, but considering how few clean SVT Focuses are left on the roads, a Bring A Trailer sale price of $5,800 makes this one feel worth rolling the dice on.

2002 BMW 745Li  — $5,200

Is it just me, or is the story beginning to turn for the E65 7 Series? Thanks to the current M3, the infamous Bangle butt 7 Series is no longer the most controversial BMW of all time, and perhaps due to the kindness of time, people are starting to look at these things as what they are — immaculately appointed long-distance cruisers that felt leagues fresher than a contemporary S-Class. From available satin veneers to optional massaging front seats, these things meant business, and they’re better than you’d expect today.

Of course, finding a nice 745Li these days is more difficult than plucking a bouquet of four-leaf clovers, but this one seems to have the right ingredients. Not only has the same family owned it since new, but it’s a California car that’s claimed to be garage-kept, and the seller swears that everything save for a front parking sensor works. Slap a fresh set of tires on it, hope that the N62 valve stem seal gods are feeling generous, and this thing’s good to go.

Take Your Pick

It doesn’t happen often, but once in a while, Bring A Trailer turns up some bargains. Out of these nine cars, which would you most want to take home? While my wandering eye views the Lexus SC400 with admiration, my “I could fix it” ambition draws me magnetically toward that 928. I know it’s bad news, but temptation is one hell of a drug. Are you similarly crazy? Let me know in the comments below.

(Photo credits: Bring A Trailer)

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