Hammer Time: Cheap Tricks
Monday morning at Carmax auctions. I see a 1992 Mazda B2200 truck with only 44,000 original miles. What the . . . ? Yep, checked the Autocheck and the Carfax. It had 44,000 miles. Interior. Immaculate. Not even a stain. Five-speed? A snick-snick work of (old) art that seems ready for action. The selling price? $1900 plus $105 auction fee. Not really that bad. The old Ranger and its Mazda sibling seem to be the unofficial vehicles of North Georgia. If I lived in Deliverance country, I could see even keeping it. Today’s buys were a 1997 Cadillac Deville for $1455 (including auction fee) and a ratty Subaru Loyale that was purely for speculative purposes for $120. The engine turns but doesn’t fire. Based on the history I’m thinking it’s either old gas or a fuel pump.
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Minor data point, the 1992 B2200 is actually the last of the Mazda built trucks. The badge engineered Rangers (to get around the "Chicken Tax") were the 93 and later B2300, B3000, B4000 etc. Also @ Chuck Goolsbee I believe Toyota did a diesel version of their long bed in the 80s and Ford had a diesel Ranger in 80s as well so maybe a long bed as well but good luck finding either.
Two years ago I bought a '92 Seville (4.9) with 58K on the clock for $1,500. Body and interior were as new, mechanicals needed a bit of wrenching. $600 in junkyard parts, and several skinned knuckles, and the car runs and passes inspection. Yes, it was sold to me by a geezer, a WWII vet!
Anyone have anything to say about the Devilles and Sevilles with the old 4.9 liter V8?
@John Williams: The Cadillac 4.9L V8 is actually a really nice motor in my opinion. We had a 1991 Deville bought in 1997 with 20,000 miles. We kept it until 2004 with close to 100,000 miles and sold it to a friend that still has it and loves it and drives it every day. It became a bit of an oil leaker but we had no major problems with the motor or the car for that matter. You probably will need to hit strutmasters.com for some rear shocks that I bet are shot and sagging though. Especially the 1991-1993 Caddies.