At $9,500, Could This 1987 Nissan Be-1 Be The One For You?

Today's Nice Price or No Dice Be-1 is one of a clutch of boutique cars Nissan built at its specialty Pike factory. Looking cute as a bug and now old enough to bring that cuteness to the U.S., we'll have to decide what such a cutie-pie should rightfully cost.

With the holidays coming up and Canadian Thanksgiving only this week, a familiar refrain will echo in households across the land: "Save room for dessert!" Pacing oneself and not getting caught with no room to spare when a big meal's final act arrives is an important skill for any gastronome. A similar discipline applies to buyers of certain cars, who know not to blow their entire wad on the purchase, but to negotiate a sale price that leaves enough behind for any unexpected maintenance and repair bills. 

That was the general consensus regarding the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG we considered on Tuesday. Offered at $23,900, the car appeared to be in excellent condition. The mileage and the model's history of engines eating themselves alive made that amount feel like too high an initial outlay for many of you, leaving little buffer for when something expensive might decide to let its freak flag fly. In the end, the judgment was 'No Dice' in a 66% loss.

Back in the 1970s, Nissan, then going by the assumed name "Datsun" here in the U.S., sold a stripped-down version of its B-210 compact as a price leader, calling the model the Honey Bee. As the cheapest of the cheap, few have survived to the present day. This 1987 Nissan Be-1 is also extremely rare, especially since Nissan built only 10,000, and getting one in the U.S. means privately importing it from its home market of Japan.

The Be-1 was Nissan's first Pike Factory specialty car. It was followed by the Figaro, Pao, and S-Cargo van. All of these specialty retro-style cars were based on Nissan's sub-compact March platform featuring FWD and fairly mundane mechanicals under the hood. According to its Nissan Heritage Collection page, the Be-1's name comes from "Plan B-1," but it doesn't explain what that means.

The car's styling pulls from several classic European mini cars, but arguably the most obvious influence is Italy's Autobianchi A110, echoed in the Be-1's greenhouse and gently curving sides. Nissan says the Be-1's factory name—Pike—means "edgy," but I think we can all agree "adorable" is a better descriptor for this particular model.

In every way, this is a very small car, though not Kei-car small, so it's a bit less terrifying to drive in a land of giant pickups and SUVs. The wheelbase is a relatively generous 90 inches, while the car overall stretches to just over eleven and a half feet long. Inside, there's room for four close friends, although it's tight enough that hopefully they've all recently showered. Extra room is afforded by appreciably thin doors and a basic, scooped-out dashboard.

Under the forward-opening hood lies the March's MA 10S inline four. That SOHC engine makes 51 horsepower, which on this car is routed through a simple three-speed automatic to the front wheels. And before you poo-poo that paltry output and dearth of gearbox cogs, remember the Be-1 tips the scales at a mere 1,500 pounds, so there's not much metal to move around. There's also no frippery like A/C or power steering to rob the engine of what little it has to give.

According to the seller, this Be-1 has a clean Washington State title, and its import paperwork has already been handled. It also has had recent maintenance, including a new timing belt and water pump. Other notable aspects include a suspension shift to coil-overs, which has lowered the car—but not too much—and a handsome set of Michelotti-designed wheels off of another Pike car, the Figaro.

Everything about the car looks to be in great condition. The "Resale Red" paint shines nicely and is accented by black trim and bumpers that don't seem to have gotten chalky with age. In the cabin, the seller touts a new Pioneer double-DIN stereo with Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth capability. It's mounted low ahead of the shifter, but at least it's usable in the U.S. 

Craigslist

Naturally, since this was originally intended as a Japanese home-market car, it's RHD and has gauges that read in metric rather than miles. That means the 87,359 on the odometer is in kilometers, which converts to around 54,000 American miles. The only noteworthy issue in the cabin is some peeling plastic on the dashboard behind the retro instrument cluster. That seems to be the only issue on the car overall, so while easily dismissed, it's a frustrating blemish considering it's right in the driver's line of sight.

So, this is an appreciably rare and arguably cute car that will stand out at any car meet, or just while driving down the street. It has another notable aspect: at $9,500, it's likely the cheapest of the small handful of Be-1s imported to the U.S. and currently for sale. Based on a quick look around, there seem to be only about three others on the market right now, and none of those are under ten grand.

Ah, but does that automatically make this one a bargain? Perhaps they're all just overvalued. I think it's time for you all to weigh in on that question. 

What's your take on this Be-1 and that $9,500 price tag? Does that feel fair given the car's exclusivity, clean, clear import paperwork and title, and the fact that it's so cheerful-looking you just want to hug it? Or for that much, is this not the be-all and end-all of bargains?

You decide!

Portland, Oregon, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

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