This 'Fix A Car, Get A Car' Craigslist Deal Is Legit Car Enthusiast Economics

If "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" crescendos in your head and your pulse picks up a little while you read this Craigslist ad, offering a Toyota MR2 in trade for labor on a Porsche 914, welcome to Jalopnik, you have found your people.

Apparently the owner of a green 1974 Porsche 914 has gotten behind on the restoration of said car, and doesn't have much money, but does have... more cars. Preach.

The Craigslist ad is like a poem. Poignant, and highly relatable:

Ive been ill and can't finish the car myself

And want to finish this Porsche

As Payment based on the value of the work/ parts you do to the Porsche

I am offering a Toyota Mr2 as payment

Everything g in writing in advance

This is real not a scam I own all the cars

You can run a car fax on any of my cars

Who among us hasn't been so buried under a heap of semi-functional vehicles that parting with one to get another fully operational makes perfect sense? I'd say I wish I'd thought of this myself, but, of course I have considered this plan. I'm just far too attached to all my jalopies to part with any of them.

But it does look like the ad writer here has two MR2s, so maybe it won't be too painful to part with one. Especially after they gets that sweet 914 running.

The 914, of course, was the butt of "Poor man's Porsche" jokes for years and years. I remember my Fiat Spider owning dad making fun of them when I was a kid, even. But anybody who owns any air cooled Porsche in 2018 is the one laughing now, as even these modestly motivated mid-engined P-cars are fetching sizable chunks of change in good shape.

Not for nothing, I have to admit I'm coming around to appreciating the design myself. And did you know that Ice T almost died when he fell asleep driving one in the '80s? That's the kind of star power money can't buy, baby.

Anyway, I hope the author of this Craigslist ad gets theirs up and running. Maybe I'll show David Tracy this ad when he lands today and he can make another wrenchman's road trip car fixing adventure.

Hat tip to Ben and the Craigslist Throwdown League!