I think that speaks more to the fact that you should be a bit more cautious of the type of people you're buying the car from, and about the condition of the car. On cars as old as the 240s we buy are, I don't think Carfax is all that useful. I suspect the 85 may have been in some sort of accident at one point, Carfax didn't turn up anything. I haven't bothered on the wagon.

The more I poke around on the 85, it feels like it hasn't been driven too much, but it's been neglected quite a bit. Lots of rust in weird places (the hood's eaten up a bit, usual floorpan rust, doors are rusting out, rust on the front clip under the hood, etc). The car was garaged often, and it shows in the interior (the reciepts don't hurt either). Bought by a "dealer" who picks up cars at auction that look decent and sells em pretty cheap.

The more I poke around on the 84, it feels like it was really driven and loved. Albeit by a slob at one time. Yes, it's got about 300k miles, but there's precious little rust, doors are rust (but not mold) free, everything feels used but not broken. Bought from an artist type who was getting married and leaving the state.

Both cars have spent their entire lives in the SF Bay Area, and the paint is otherwise immaculate on both (where I haven't damaged it).

- alex

'85 244 Turbo
'84 245 Turbo