Der Lemon

I bought the Rabbit from a former coworker in 1992 for $500, mostly 'cause I felt sorry for her. (She'd been laid off, and had to relocate to Redmond to become a minion of the Evil Empire.)

She was the original owner and the car had just basically been run to death. It took five or six tries to get it smog-certified... I finally found the leak in the intake manifold. The sunroof leaked, and one winter I found that there was an inch of water and ice on the floorpan: A cordless drill and 1/4-inch bit solved that problem!

I puttered with the thing and kept it mostly running for a couple of years, then sold it to an old roommate for $300 with the understanding that he wouldn't let his wife drive it. (I was afraid it would break down on her.) He sold it a year or two later for $500. I guess it held its value.