As of January 25, there are exactly 294 "car wanted" ads on Kijiji Halifax. Almost all specify the make, model or year of the car the poster is searching for — save one.

It's titled "Wanted: An Old Car Looking For A New Beginning," and although it was uploaded just this past week, it's already been viewed more than 280 times.

"This isn't a regular ad," it opens. "It's not to be read by people who are critical and closed minded, but instead by people who believe in keeping stories alive, understand the passion of driving and who aren’t afraid to give something up only to keep it alive."

"What I am looking for is someone who is willing to pass a part of their life on in order to keep that part of their life alive. I am looking for a classic car with a past that I can keep alive, and continue to keep alive through future generations."

The ad was written by a 19-year-old car enthusiast named Spencer M., currently at school in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As the ad explains, he's looking for his first car, and wants to make it a classic.

"I am not looking for any particular make or model, but rather a car with more stories to it than miles," Spencer writes. "I could go out and buy a $5,000 used 1969 MGB, but it wouldn’t be the same; it needs to mean something more."

Spencer got the idea for the ad after hearing about another East-Coaster whose Kijiji resume-slash-essay earned him a flood of job offers, and after a long and unsuccessful high school hunt for a storied classic.

It's frustrating, he says, especially the close calls: in 2010, he stumbled upon a woman in the Toronto area willing to give him her red 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL. "She was a teacher in her 40s who was traveling to New Zealand for a few years and she wanted to give 'her baby' to someone who was going to take care of it," Spencer explains.

Stuck in Halifax and unable to see the car firsthand, Spencer turned down the offer — his father warned him it was a scam, "too good to be true." By the time he found out her story was legit, she'd already given it to a colleague.  

Spencer posted the ad January 22, just after watching The Graduate for the first time (that gorgeous 1969 red Alfa Romeo Spider 1600 did more for him than Miss Robinson, he says).

He didn't expect it to even eclipse 100 views, so closing in on 300 after three days was a shock.

"In the ad I specifically said if you are going to criticize me for writing this ad, don't even bother reading it," he says of some of the responses he's got. "Needless to say, some people just don't understand plain English and feel they need to rip my dreams apart."

Spencer has got positive feedback, though, too, but no offers yet. His favourite message is from a guy who figures Spence is a car-collector shark looking for a way to make a quick buck.

"I'll still read that comment daily just to get a laugh—it’s a great idea, but not what I'm in it for," he says. "I don't care if the car is a collector or even worth anything at all, as long as it has a great background I can share with its passengers and future owners."

"If I did get a car this way, I'd keep it until it was time to pass it on to the next young car enthusiast. I wouldn't charge a cent, as long as he'd promise he'd do the same for a kid when he got older. Just keep the tradition going."

Some call his ad "a pathetic plea with an attempt to be soulful," but Spencer still has hope. "I know there are some people out there who understand where I am coming from and wouldn't hesitate to help a kid out if it's going to be better for the car anyway."

"But I know if I had a car that meant a lot to me, it would be extremely hard to part with it, and I'd make damn sure the next owner was the right one."

Is Spencer's ad inspiring? Or is it just unrealistic? Do you think someone will "pay it forward" and make him an offer?

(Kijiji)