The Aesthete prowls the backstreets of Trademe

Like Iggy Pop driving through the city's ripped backsides in The Passenger, he explores the dark back passages of the nation's favourite trading site in the hope that someone will post an interesting car and break the current drought. That GTV6 lasted about nine minutes last week so there are others out there looking as well, ready to pounce on a bargain and carry it off into the night. 

In case you were wondering, there is nothing to report on the fleet this week. Ab-sol-ute-ly nothing... 

1981 Fiat 131 Supermirafiori 1600TC. Most of these were absorbed back into the earth within a few years so a two-owner Central Otago example offers an interesting form of time travel back to the Muldoonian epoch when the choice was either a new Mk V Cortina or a Hillman Hunter in tan or mustard yellow only. It took a brave soul to pay the punitive import duty and stick his hand up for the Fiat 131 Supermirafiori 1600TC so bravo, that man. Probably some sort of communist.

For: A rare survivor and quite the ironic hipster idea of a cool car.
Against: It looks like it has been driven into a few solid objects.
Investment potential: 3/10 as you will see few others now.

1951 Pontiac Chieftain Coupe. Why is the Aesthete casting his covetous eye this early 1950s Pontiac, in all measurable ways a pointless sort of car? There is something elegant about the ample rump of this one that helps us to forget it is just a bedizzened Chevrolet and the pale green enamelled engine block is something to behold. I see from the Sunday supplement that jade nail polish is in so ladies, open toed driving shoes please.

For: Mitzi Gaynor rather than Marilyn Monroe.
Against: I am sure we could all think of smarter ways of spending 45K.
Investment potential: 1/10. We are closer to electric cars than we think.

1965 Hillman Imp. Just how much do we imagine we might have to spend in order to obtain a really good Imp and is this the sensible classic choice for the peak oil pundits? Common sense tells us that they cannot frack the whole planet apart in order that people can continue to drive Pontiac Chieftains so if you want to look as if you care about such issues, here is the ideal vehicle.

For: The kids will not want to drive it. Or be seen in it.
Against: Not a lot between you and the accident.
Investment potential: 3/10 and rising.

1968 Mercedes Benz 280 SE Coupe. Patrician and essentially hand built by Aryan supermen, these big Mercedes coupes were the choice of people who had hospital ward blocks and public rose gardens named after them. Given that they were more expensive than an office building on The Terrace, 45K seems quite a reasonable price to pay for one now. Ideal for wafting off to Queenstown to enjoy the new 10K per night roof top suite at Eichardt's.

For: This or a used Lexus. You know what the right answer is.
Against: Be careful that you don't get carried away by the hospitality of the house and hit something. A new front bumper is about 8 hours of suite time.
Investment potential: 3/10. The vendor is right to say that this is reasonable value relative to overseas markets although there is currently one for 9K US on Bring A Trailer.

1970 GBS5000. It would be interesting to know who built this professional looking racer and whether it has any competition history. It appears to be fibreglass around a riveted alloy tub so it was not knocked up in a DB fuelled weekend in the shed. It also does not appear to be kit based. Hie thee then off to Huntly quickly and report back.

For: Could be fun.
Against: Could be awful.
Investment potential: 3/10. It may not have a history now but there is still time.

On some faraway beach...

1967 BMW Glas 3000GT. BMW inherited these big Frua styled coupes in their fire sale takeover of German maker Glas in the mid-1960s. The V8 engine was made by cleverly lashing two of their OHC four cylinders to a common crank but it was smooth and powerful with the 3000 capable of 200KPH. The underpinnings came from the much smaller Glas 1500 saloon in case you are wondering why the rear wheels appear to be in the centre of the car.

For: You will have your work cut out here but we like a challenge. Don't we?
Against: With only a few hundred made, don't think you can pop down to Repco for parts.
Investment potential: -7/10 but that is not why we do it.