A few nights ago, I went to check out an old Honda VF500 Interceptor motorcycle. This was not a serious excursion - more an excuse to get the kids out of the house on a rainy day than anything else - but I've had the idea of buying a cheap 80s sportbike as a catalyst for getting my motorcycle license.
The VF500 was pretty tired. Didn't run (well, it did, but it couldn't run because the carbs leaked.) The cosmetics were rough. Overall, a project bike that wasn't worth much more than $500 and the seller was firm at $1,150. What was more compelling was the Jeep Wrangler Renegade sitting in the driveway that he had recently acquired from a customer.
The Renegade was an appearance package sold in limited quantities. That's rare enough, and the factory body kit was in excellent shape. What truly set this YJ-series Wrangler apart was the cardinal red interior. I have never seen a red interior in a Wrangler, and this one was in astounding condition. So, the first thought that pops into my head is: should I buy it? It's a unicorn I can likely sell for a fair price even after I've shelled out real cash to get it. The second thought is, do I want to go through the steps of reconditioning it so it's ready for sale and can drive that maximum sale price?
Short answer: well, no. Perhaps I'm not enough of a risk taker but I have a hard time getting excited about a flip vehicle when I am not already looking for said vehicle. The reason I bought the Dakota R/T was that I both wanted to experience sport truck ownership and felt like it could drive a good price when it came time to sell. While I love the YJ Wrangler, I don't pine to own one.
Therefore, someone else will have the chance to experience this incredible survivor Renegade first-hand. Don't worry, I told the owner it's only worth $15,000, so it shouldn't cost too much to buy it from him.