We took our 1971 Mercedes 250C out for a drive yesterday. It was overcast with a little rain, but not terrible. Our destination was Backwoods Brewing Company, an independent brew pub in Carson, WA. It’s about 50 miles away in the Columbia Gorge, not far from the site of the […]
Latest news
Rising Sun, Falling Prices
1998 Toyota Century S/N GZG50003437. 161,100 kilometers (100,100 miles). “5.0-liter V12 1GZ-FE, 4-speed automatic transmission, Dual Electro Multi-Vision Package, 16-inch wheels, soft-close trunk, leather upholstery, digital instrument panel, heated front and rear seats, front passenger’s seatback pass-through, massaging and reclining rear seats, automatic climate control, power-operated rear curtain, rear air […]
The Last Affordable Manual BMW
If you’ve recently been looking for a cheap modern BMW with a manual transmission, you may have noticed that they are no longer so easy to find. Just a few years ago, if you had $5k–$10k to spend, you could have your pick of numerous models, 3 and 5 Series […]
My Path to Pebble
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been in love with the automobile. I find the sights, sounds, smells and sensations intoxicating. Long before I had the financial wherewithal to begin collecting cars, I was an enthusiast. I was born in 1960, and my earliest automotive “education” came from […]
Best Man for the Job
“Legal Files” has written twice about the legal battle involving Porsche Carrera RSR prototype chassis number 9113600686, commonly known as “R7” (September and November 2023). We last reported that the litigation was settled with the Kenny Schachter car being declared the real R7. The car was then on the docket […]
Gone in 60 Minutes
After five years and just 2,000 kilometers, our 1971 Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato is gone. In a happy moment for all, it went back to SCMer and longtime Alfa enthusiast Gordy Hyde. I bought it from him five years ago for $60,000. I spent these years and over $20,000 attempting […]
Keith’s Blog: The German Mercedes is Staying in Germany
My son Bradley and I are looking for a classic four-door manual as a run-around car for him. I mentioned this to SCMer Brad Miller, and from his vacation home in Paris he started sending me links of possible choices. One that caught our immediate attention was a 1990 Mercedes […]
Keith’s Blog: Ro Ro or Container from Germany?
I’ve found a car in Germany that interests me — a 1990s Mercedes. It is a nice driver, but not a concours example. It’s been decades since I bought a car from Europe, and I would like your advice. Millions of cars come to the U.S. each year ro-ro (roll-on, […]
Keith’s Blog: A Tale of Two Slushboxes
At a certain point during my recovery from my stroke, I decided to look for classic cars with automatic transmissions. While universally loathed by enthusiasts — including me — I hoped that maybe I was just overlooking what might be a decent motoring experience. I bought two automatics. The first […]
Keith’s Blog: My Favorite Things
Last week I asked you to pick four cars for a $500,000 collection. Your many and diverse answers can be seen below this blog. This week I’ll tell you what my three-car collection would be, and why. I’m not setting a price boundary for myself, as market value has nothing […]