Rare in the US: 1998 Mercedes-Benz A160

In the late 90s Mercedes-Benz started moving far away from the angular and no-nonsense look and feel of their cars of the 70s and 80s with some unusual additions to their lineup: the retractable hardtop convertible SLK (1996), the sport utility vehicle M-Class (1997), and the supermini A-Class (1997). Bruno Sacco's touch was no longer on every design. Quality was also starting to be a concern.

The W168 A-Class was unique for Mercedes in a lot of ways. It featured front-wheel drive, shocking for a company whose core tenet was the balance and refinement that rear-wheel drive provides. The compact but versatile body squeezed in four doors and a rear hatchback.

Some aspects of the A-Class were typically Mercedes, however. It featured an innovative "sandwich" system where the engine and transmission slide underneath the pedals instead of into the cockpit in the event of a major front impact.

Styling is credited to a Steve Mattin. While a departure for the brand, it still bears resemblance to other models at the time, with the ribbed taillights and integrated front-grille.

The seller lists the car as being located in Washington state, saying it came from Japan and they can transport it anywhere in the continental US if the buy-it-now is selected. They also say it has an Ohio title, but doesn't meed some federal regulation, so registering this thing in your state and planning on using it as an attention-getting commuter may not work. They also say the miles are low. The exterior and interior seem immaculate and the color combo is perfect.

This type of micro family cars was disappointingly absent from the US market until just a couple years ago when Honda debuted their Fit and cars like that. If the A-class was rear-wheel or even all-wheel drive or diesel powered it would still be unique, but it's not anymore, besides being an economical Mercedes-Benz, and for being rare. But rare doesn't cut it, at least not to the average car buyer.

Available here on ebay for $8,500.

Little Gem: 1981 Toyota Starlet

The Starlet was a rear-wheel drive subcompact car offered by Toyota from 1978-1984. The KP61 Starlet was the only Starlet ever offered in the U.S.

These would be Ford Fiesta terriotory were it not for power being directed to the rear wheels, which is pretty cool. This was before the global auto industry colluded to make the majority of their cars with inferior (and cheaper) front-wheel drive.

Styling is classic early 80s Rising Sun. No space is wasted. The shape uses as little metal as possible to lower production costs and weight and heighten fuel efficiency. The aftermarket matte black flared fenders and black center alloys are very cool and tasteful.

Speaking of efficiency, the seller says they purchased it in 2007 from a Japanese businessman living in the U.S. who used it as his daily driver. I love frugal Japanese businessmen.

The seller says they have since used it as a daily driver themselves, but have added a whole host of practical upgrades.

A bunch of flaws are also listed. This car is far from perfect. It wears a peeling low-grade re-spray, and has rust.

That said, they seem to imply the car is running and driving. It also has the stock Starlet engine, a plus or a minus depending on your need for speed.

I think the car really deserves a thorough restoration.

Find it here on ebay in Long Beach, California.

From Mazda, With Love: 1990 Ford Festiva L

The Ford Festiva was created by Mazda but sold as a Ford in North America under the nameplate Festiva. It was a subcompact economy car.

This is a first-generation Festiva, which lasted from 1986-1993. The '90 model year cars benefited from a facelift and fuel injection. All Festiva cars had front-wheel drive and 4-cylinder engines. This one had a 1.3-litre 4-cylinder engine and 5-speed manual transmission.

I've never been a huge fan of microcars, but I know a lot of people are. I do understand the appeal though, as they provide no-frills basic day-to-day transporatation, which, for many, is enough.

But if I could have more than one car, I'd definitely consider having one little car like this just for errands.

The seller states this car has new tires, brakes, calipers drums and suspension.

Styling-wise we have a typical micro hatchback, simple, basic, and honest. Red isn't a bad color, it's fun to have small cars in bright colors, and the paint looks shiny and clean on this. The interior shows some wear on the seats, but does feature Ford's automated seat belts.

Aftermarket Infiniti G20 wheels are an odd touch but look good from a distance. They are better than the eye-sore steel wheels these are usually seen with nowadays.

The most interesting thing about these cars is that there is nothing like them on the market today. Who will fill the entry-level, bottom-barrel car void? In the '80s and '90s, Kia sold ultra-economy cars here because once-inexpensive Japanese automakers like Honda and Toyota were moving upmarket each model year. Coincidentally, Kia also sold a version of the Festiva. Today, even the most basic cars are equipped with enough electronics to make one dizzy. Automakers are forgetting the thrill in basic transportation. Note to entrepreneurial car enthusiasts: the market is hungry for it.

The seller says this Festiva is easy and cheap to fix, on top of getting good gas mileage.

Find it here on ebay in Williams Bay, Wisconsin.