We tend to live a bit in the past here at CC, so the question today is which car from 1985 would you pick to drive for the next thirty years? Given how late it is in the year, either 1985 or 1986 model years are available at your disposal. And since I didn’t want to prejudice your pick, I’m not showing you any cars from 1985. You know them well enough….now you get to re-write history, pick your favorite, and have to drive it daily for thirty years. Rust magically doesn’t exist, but you do have to maintain it.
I think that the 85 or 86 Dodge Shelby Charger would get my vote. Least expensive, fastest and best handling car of the era.
I was working as a car salesman in 1985, and had a Dodge Shelby Turbo Charger as a demonstrator unit..after having had previous experience “underside” as manager of a rust prevention business.
I do not have such a rosy memory of this car.
First,…while the power train provided bags of power and made the chassis a handling dream compared to most American cars of the time, doing the off-ramp and on-ramp athletics that I frequently did with the car over 5000 kms of use, demonstrated the level of grip and abiliy to accelerate, the structural strength was something else.
When I ran the business, I had a customer arrive for his appointment directly from the local dealership with the equivalent chassis, in the form of an Omni 4 door sedan.
Once up on the hoist, it revealed a glaring lack of attention all along the line. The structural longerons that ran from the middle front floor past the lower control arm mounts, all the way to the front crossbar, were NOT WELDED to the floor as they shoud have been!!!
The stamping was literally hanging down from the floor with the flanges that should have been spot welded, NOT touched in any way by production process. I sent the customer back to the dealer with suggestion that he reject that car completely. e specially since they should have seen that in their PDI…and perhaps call the corporate office to complain about their quality control. I never saw that customer again, and never had a referral from that dealer again…but I’d have done the same thing over and over again if it had seemed that the quality was that bad all along.
Secondly, with the demonstrator, I used it hard like the image portrayed it should be used. Yet I found it getting noisier and noisier over such a short time period as I used it….only three months. By noisy I mean there was this strange vibration at the back end that disturbed me…sort of like some piece was loose when it should not be loose. Eventually it got to feeling ‘loose’ in the corners, and rattling when it should not have rattled.
When I returned the car and was due for a replacement at 5000kms, it was revealed that there were spot welds missing, in the suspension mount areas. Parts that were under stress were moving about on their own, whenever there was a load under cornering. The car was, essentially, dying an early death from unsecured structural metal fatigue
After the first demonstration of quality control I discovered at the rust prevention business, followed by this revelation..plus a few examples of ethics consistent with that result…such as PDI checks that discovered computer errors which resulted in abysmal fuel economy in both a Ram Pickup truck and a LeBaron GTI Turbo sedan being returned by the same owner repeatedly until it nearly became a legal test case against the corporation itself, (I sold the two vehicles to a guy who was a service manager of and aftermarket service outlet with a large customer base)…I got fed up with the entire automotive business and quit. I returned to school for a completely different career.
When they were new and still running well, the Omni GLH and Turbo Charger were a lot of fun. I had big block fans walking away in amazement whenever I’d let them drive my demo unit. But the quality control was awful.
I had one of those ’86 Shelby Chargers and absolutely loved it. Was loads of fun. Small, light, nimble yet powerful. Should have kept it. Had no issues at all while I owned it.
Ford Mustang SVO.
This. The 85 1/2 SVO with 205 hp. I had an 84 SVO and absolutely loved that car.
I would drive what I actually did choose in 1985. An AMC Jeep Cj-7.
My first new vehicle!
Very good, Sir!
I can think of only one car I would have liked to have kept all these years. A 1986 Audi 5000 CS Quattro Avant in pearl red and a manual transmission.
W124 300D.
Make mine a 1985 W123 300D, the last year sold in the US.
I agree on the W123, but I’ll take the 300 TD wagon, please.
‘Tho an ’85 Peugeot 505 Turbo Wagon would still be a thrill every time you hit the gas. Long term maintenance would have been a challenge over the 30 years to push me back to the more sedate TD.
How come I didn’t even think at first of a Volvo 740 wagon, first year of Turbo was in 1985? ‘Cause I only switched to them after all the W123s in Chicago were too rusty to continue with.
Chevrolet Caprice or Pontiac Parisienne.
I’m with you, as long as it has the SBC. Make my Caprice loaded, minus any vinyl roofs.
I would take a Caprice also, but not loaded. V8, auto, PS, PB, Air and HD suspension. Kind of an upgraded police package.
Just now found this ’86 Oldsmobile SW with 77K miles on PDX Craigslist. I am tempted to buy it. I must resist the temptation
https://www.redfin.com/WA/Vancouver/916-SE-98th-Ave-98664/home/14589881
Sorry, wrong link. Here is the right one,
https://www.redfin.com/WA/Vancouver/916-SE-98th-Ave-98664/home/14589881
I don’t know what is happening but here is hopefully the right link. Having cut and paste problems with my browser lately. I apologize to all the readers. It finally came out right.
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/5317757551.html
Caprice wagon.
Late 85 Peugeot 405 or Citroen BX TD best handling cars of the era bar nothing, engines still in production untill very recently so parts still available, if only I’d been smart enough and rich enough to buy one
Citroen BX …oh, ah I am actually. Should have kept my CX too
Any station wagon, since we can’t get them anymore.
Towncar
+1
Wonderful question.
Giving it a quick mental thought, I am torn but will choose a single candidate. It would be a 1986 Crown Vic and I would choose it over the 1985 due to it having a superior fuel induction system. It’s a car that would be comfortable for a thirty year older me, fuel mileage isn’t ridiculously bad, and it’s as durable as an anvil. The only demerit for the Ford is the dual drain oil pan and the hard to access spark plugs, since I’m maintaining it.
Sneaking in a pickup, I would go with either a Ford F-150 with a 302 (or 351) or a Dodge Ram 150 with a 318. It would need to a four-wheel drive with an 8′ bed.
Good choices. I’d take the Grand Marquis over the Crown Vic so I could feel a little more high-class.
I’ve driven my ’89 F-150 with 302 & 5-speed for over 26 years, and think I picked the right truck.
Good point, the Merc (which is short for Mercury, not Mercedes) tends to have better seats.
why not just go for a Townie?
I originally said the CV due to my parents having owned an ’85 way back when. However, I could be tempted with a Town Car.
Also the Mercury looked much nicer, especially before the “aero” facelift of the mid-80s.
My parents bought a new Grand Marquis in 1984. My Mother drove it till she quit driving a few years before she passed on. My brother still has the car and it still works but is not used much.
My grandparents bought a year-old ’86 GM from Granny’s brother-in-law who was head mech at Merc dealer in Auburn AL. I often borrowed it as a date night car while living with Granny after college (Grandpa had passed by then), and it was our wedding car once I found “the one.” I never thought it that nice to drive, and never cared for the velour seats, but it was definitely more upscale than my Vega!
Granny stopped driving in her early 90s and asked me to sell the car for her (this would have been around 1999-2000 or so). The car had less than 40K on it.
Toyota Corolla GT-S hatchback coupe. Great engine, sporty RWD handling, not so much “easy to keep running” as “near impossible to kill”.
I would pick the Celica GT or GTS, for the same reasons you cited. I had an 83 Celica hatchback… it was a great car. I miss it.
I’m 99% sure the Celica was FWD by ’85.
It switched for MY1986.
No, 1988. I’m 58 and I was there. And I watched them closely. The 2-door coupe and hatchback Corollas went to FWD in 1988. Look it up.
George, me and Ate Up are correcting you(Look at your previous posts) that the Celica was STILL RWD in 1985… It switched to FWD in 1986.
Now, you’re arguing that the COROLLA is what you mean now? You don’t even know which model you’re arguing about.
Your right, the Corolla coupe went FWD in 1988, but in the US, there was NO Corolla hatchback no longer offered. None.
The RWD Corolla hatchback and FWD Corolla 5 door hatchback were both gone by 1988.
The 1987 models were the last hatchback Corollas sold in the US market.
Ate Up With Motor, you are absolutely correct. My mom bought an 86 Celica when they came out. The styling was completely changed, and they were FWD for the first time.
Wrong.
The last year for the RWD Celica was 1985. I’ve owned an 82 GT coupe and an 85 GTS coupe.
I sold my 1985 Celica GTS notchback coupe, back in 2011.
I wish I never sold it. 🙁
* Similar to mine.
Yes, it was FWD in 4-door form, introduced in 1984. But they kept the RWD SR-5 style around until 1987 to facilitate the Twin-Cam 16-valve engine. I had one, and it was RWD. Was my last RWD car, and I will swear by FWD now, but that little missile really was a RWD blast! I’m glad I am not the only one here to have mentioned it or owned one after all! It was a once in a lifetime experience.
Say what?
You must be thinking of the Corolla… The Celica was NEVER a FWD 4 door in 1984, the Corolla was.
Check your info, again.
The only 4 door Celica, ever made, was the Celica Camry in Japan, and that wasn’t really a Celica… Only in name, and that was RWD.
I’ll go ahead and say a Mercedes 500 SEC. Those car have never gone out of style and the coupe is ever more beautiful and rare. And obviously, if I could’ve afforded that car new, the gas and maintenance for it would be no problem.
+1
I’m with you on the Mercedes-Benz, though I’d go with the 500 SEL. Best sedan in the world at that time, sumptuous front and rear.
Heather Locklear.
COTD
Buick Estate Wagon
For me, the ultimate luxury car that was sold during that period. The Mercedes Benz 560SEL.
Honda CRX Si. I was in college at the time and that was the car I coveted.
86 Omni GLH Turbo.
+1
Mercedes 300D or 300SD come to mind immediately….they could easily run for 30 years at 15,000 miles or more a year with routine maintenance, and look good doing it.The other fiddly bits (HVAC, window regulators, vacuum locking system) would be problematic for sure but there’s not many 30 year old cars that you can pull up to valet parking in…..
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe.
I’d go with the 30th Anniversary ‘Bird with the 5.0… I had both an ’88 5.0 LX an ’88 Turbo Coupe and got much better longevity out of the V8 T-Bird. There was something about that unique color on that special edition ’85 T-Bird I really liked.
On my short list as well. I’m torn between that, a Mercury Capri, a Regal GN or an Olds Cutlass V8 with T-tops.
1986 Honda Accord. I had one and got it to almost 200k before the Vermont rust monster got to it. It was comfortable, reliable and was of the era in Honda’s history when they were paying a lot of attention to handling. One of my all time favorite cars.
I’m a year offset, but I did own my ’86 VW GTi for 15 years (about the same for my ’00 Golf)…almost the same vehicle but two different physical cars…I’m sure I’ll still be driving the ’00 next year, so in a way you could say I drove much the same car for 30 years (have owned VWs only since 81, so 34 years spread among 3 models). I’m a hatchback fan, and haven’t found many cars I’ve wanted to trade what I already have for (I’m big into daily drivers, don’t need to sample different cars)
Still, in my family my mother holds the ownership duration record of 21 years (she had a ’88 Ford Tempo up to 2009 that she only gave up due to the state version of “cash for clunkers” mostly because the AC gave out and my sister refused to drive it without AC). My other sister has owned her ’98 Nissan 240SX since new, so she’s sneaking up on my Mother’s duration. I had an Uncle who had a ’69 Ford LTD for a long time, but I’m not sure when it disappeared (we don’t live near him) so he may actually hold the family record, and I’m just not aware of it…have to ask him next time I talk to him.
Without question, a 1985 Volvo 245 Turbo with M46 4+o/d manual.
Me too
Volvo 245T wagon style, if it’s posible 🙂
If this car has to be kept for 30 years and used for “all duties reasonably required”, then Id go for a Mercedes-Benz 300TE. This may not be the most exciting car, but is likely to be more dependable than Rover 3500 SD1 Vitesse or a late Jaguar XJ12 Series III.
But the Jag is tempting me……
‘Likely’ as in ‘it us likely Monday not Saturday will come after Sunday’
I would take a 1986 Porsche 3.2 Carrera, coupe body style, no spoilers.
The 1985 Chrysler Laser that I still own and drive daily.
Wow! You did not have to mull over this question at all!
Nice ride! I love the pre 87 G body.
Damn that’s a nice-looking Laser, Hemi. White is not usually a flattering colour but it works on those. I love these early Gs.
D’oh! You almost beat me to the punch…
I might add, it has an intercooled turbo 2.5L with a Getrag 5 speed and 4 wheel disc brakes.
In 1985 I was thirty years old and had just moved back to the Bay Area. I was newly married and we had just bought a new 1984 Mercury Cougar. A pretty nice car but not my dream, which was a Cadillac El Dorado. We had toyed with the idea of buying a used one but decided to buy the new Cougar instead. I would be happy driving a clean Eldo now. I’m not the kind of person who would keep any car for thirty years. I just did buy that Jaguar XJS, a 1989 but still basically still the same car in 1985. I’ve still got some issues to address before I start driving it, hopefully soon
Assuming “you have to maintain it” means “you have to pay someone to maintain it”, Citroen CX Turbo diesel.
Or if I’m on a somewhat tighter budget, a Mini. It still bugs me that I didn’t buy one when 10 year old ones cost tuppence ha’penny.
A Ford Scorpio. I think the design has aged well and it still doesn’t look as old as it is, in my opinion. I don’t know how the mechanicals on these cars hold up over time, though. If worse come to worse, I’ll just swap out the entire engine or transmission.
1985 Pontiac Parisienne Base, 305 4-BBL. I’ve had an 86 for years and love it.
Exactly
Chevrolet C10 Suburban Silverado, 4X4 with barn doors, red paint and a 350. I consider the third gen pickups the last of the really nice looking Chevys. There’s just something un-truck like about plastic dash boards, so 88 is my cutoff date for Chevy trucks.
I had an 85 C10 pickup with the 6.2 litre diesel. Was a great truck until my kid sister burned it to the ground. Always wanted a Suburban.
Of all the cars mentioned I think the Suburban would be the easiest and least expensive to keep maintained. And it would be very useful and comfortable still. Around Houston having an old well maintained Suburban is envied. However, buying the gasoline required would be a challenge.
I would choose an 85 Chrysler Fifth Avenue.
Me too…good call…!
Second on the CRX Si. I owned an ’84 CRX 1.5 for ten years and loved it.
Wasn’t the Si introduced for he 1986 model year? But I suppose an early unit would be “from 1985”.
Nope, the U.S.-market Si was introduced mid-1985. The JDM CR-X Si was added at the beginning of the model year and would be the one to have, if you could pick anything — it had the twin-cam ZC engine used in the first U.S.-market Integra, plus bigger tires and better brakes.
The rules of this QOTD specify either 1985 or 1986 model years. At any rate, Ate Up With Motor is right – the Si was a mid-year intro and was also the first CRX offered in black.
Me? I’d drive either a 1985 Ford Mustang GT with the 5.0 HO, or the Saleen version.
~Ben
+1, nothing else to say about 1985 cars.
86 Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R turbo 5spd wide body.
1986 Audi Quattro Turbo (it would be one of the two total sold in the US that model year) or the 1986 Mercedes-Benz W124 300E.
I did own a 1986 Buick Electra T-type. It was a nice car although GM did have some issues with these in the first couple of years. The engine/transaxle seemed not well tied down to me as there was a bit of commotion during shifts.
I had a 1988 Electra T-Type for 16 years – despite its problems (bad paint, weak brakes), it had 221K miles on the original drivetrain (even original axles and CV boots, original exhaust right back to the tailpipe) when I sold it and it was still going strong. It was one of the best cars that I have ever owned, foreign or domestic.
If I had to pick from something in 1985, it would be a Buick Electra Park Avenue sedan (or similarly-equipped Electra, or fully loaded Lesabre, you get the idea), white exterior, with the dark blue crushed velour interior (with a mildly-darkened aftermarket window tint). I still remember showroom-shopping those cars with my dad back then. Complete with whitewalls and the wire wheel covers.
For that time period, Buick really had high build quality. I seriously would drive that car today if I could find one in good enough condition.
Lincoln Mark VII for me, thanks.
1986 Honda Accord LXI 3 door. Honda at it’s styling peak and just new enough to have the modern enough FI 3 valve engine. Built before the hoodlines rose and they started getting oversized. The durability and economy of operation should counteract the increased maintenance requirements of Hondas.
I did also own a 1986 Corvette. This car was perhaps one of GM’s best cars in this time frame. I once had it up to 200 almost.
Easy: either a G- class with diesel or a Toyota Land Cruiser.
Toyota Celica Supra. Back when Toyota made exciting cars, instead of toasters.
Ok one more +1, loved me some Toyo’s in the 80s………what happened?
The ’90s, basically.
1986 Grand National with T-Tops.
I was 12 and so desperately wanted one back then (and still do). Its one of the few cars from the 80s that’s actually a desireable collector car. 3.8Ts and TH200-4Rs are easy enough to maintain and service so I would have no problem keeping it on the road and theres still strong aftermarket support for them 30 years later. I would still be cranking Rush and Van Halen tapes from it too.
Chrysler 5th Avenue.
Easy question: the 1985 Mazda GLC LX that I had, for 12 years. Only parted with it due to rust and a few minor issues. According to CarFax, someone else had it on the road until 2006. Anvil like reliability, which put my 98 Civic (driven for 15 years) to shame. The Mazda, being the top trim option, had features that were unavailable on a Civic hatch by 98: tach, remote hatch release, light in cargo area, light in ignition keyhole, light in door keyhole. It also had better sightlines than the Civic and a more accurate shifter, which never, ever missed a gear, unlike the Civic.
Pix of mine are on my other computer, so here’s a scan from the brochure. Mine was “Tornado Silver” which was a very dark metallic clearcoat grey, with a black and dark grey interior. Fabulous car. I don’t think Mazda has matched it since.
I owned the successor: ’86 Mazda 323 DX. It had a Bosch fuel injection system and it too was super reliable. I miss that car but it did not pop up in my mind for today’s question. Since rust does not matter here, I think you chose well.
’86 Mazda 323 DX. It had a Bosch fuel injection system
My 85 had an electronic feedback carb, iirc a Hitachi, and a brilliantly simple exhaust air injection system. Feedback carbs tend to have a bad reputation, but I found it I used good quality gas, and gave it a snootfull of carb cleaner once or twice a year, it ran better than any car I ever had up to that point, with the possible exception of my Renault R5, which had a manual choke Weber. The GLC also had the most sensitive manual steering I ever had. I could feel the texture of the pavement in my fingertips, and I knew immediately if I was on ice or snow, or starting to hydroplane, because I would lose the feel of the pavement texture.
The Canadian-market-only Mercury Marquis LTS.
It was the twin to the LTD LX – 5.0 V8 , sport suspension and blackout trim. It’s super rare and I WANT one.
Here:
I have one 🙂 !
1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE. 13B rotary, 5 speed, fuel injection. Last year of the original body style.
This one made my short list as well.
Give me an AMC Eagle, or the Jeep Cherokee.
I own a 1986 Dodge D250, and could see owning it for 30 years as a work truck, but I couldn’t foot the gas bill to have it as a daily driver.
I was thinking Wagoneer or Cherokee too. Both would still be fashionable in 2015 and easy to maintain provided you aren’t anywhere the tinworm is too strong. Plenty of first-gen Cherokees are still going strong everywhere.
The Eagle is definitely the more interesting option and is probably what I would choose, if only for weirdness’ sake.
Maxima
Tough to choose. At the top of the list:
Toyota Cressida wagon
Volvo 740 or 240 wagon
Nissan Maxima wagon
Honda Civic wagon
Acura Legend coupe
VW Vanagon GL Westfalia
Toyota Van
Manual transmission, of course.
Well I actually have a 1985 car that I would have choosen to drive for 30 years. It is a 1985 Cutlsaa Surpreme sedan. I bought it back in 2011. It has been a good car.
However driving it for 30 years is one question, whould I make it my daily driver for 30 years is another. The answer on the latter question is a big no. There have been too many advances in safety and technology to drive the thing as my main car. Things like fuel injecton, abs and radio’s with USB and bluetooth tech. (the latter can be added aftermarket wise but does not look right in a lot of cars)
BMW 735i
A 560SEL.
1985? Hmmmm…I remember walking through the showroom at Overvold’s Oldsmobile-Cadillac, Fargo, N.D. in the winter of ’85 (January or February, I’m thinking) and seeing a gold Delta 88 Royale Brougham LS on prominent display. If a time machine were at my disposal right now, I’d go back to Overvold’s in 1985 and make a down payment on that Royale Brougham and drive it for thirty years…and beyond!
Did you run into Jerry Lundegaard when you were there? 😉
I believe Jerry was working for his father-in-law Wade Gustafson down in the Cities at that time…
How can it be anything other than what I called the “The Best Car Of The Past Thirty Years”? https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-european/curbside-classic-mercedes-w124-the-best-car-of-the-past-thirty-years/
But this time I’d take the wagon version of what I did pick up in 1985. And maybe with the 5 speed stick this time. I wasn’t fond of the automatic starting in 2nd unless prodded down with the throttle or the shifter. Plus the 5 speed had an overdrive gear.
Can I have my VW Golf Mark 2 1.3 back please? (Preferably after a respray from beige to red)
Audi Coupe Quattro. I had an ’81 Audi 4000 5 + 5 and it remains my favorite amongst all the cars I’ve ever owned, so one step up would do fine.
This too made my short list.
Mmmmm, great QOTD Paul. Like Roger Carr, an SD1 Rover Vitesse or an SIII Jaaaaaag XJ12 would be high on my list…actually, make that an XJ6 so I could afford to run it. Yoshi’s Ford Granada suggestion is left-field, and I’d be delighted with one of those in burgundy+grey 2.8 Ghia form. An ’86 XF Ford Fairmont Ghia would be right up there too! But seeing as my beloved CC is my 1989 Ford Sierra, I’d need to go with an older Sierra, so an ’86 Cosworth (or XR4i) would be the go, as long as it had working a/c.
Those are interesting cars Scott, I really doubt any of them would be capable of doing the 30 years though. I can’t recall seeing a Rover for, well it’s so long I can’t remember. The XF just might make the 30 years if you looked after it.
KJ in Oz
The Rover would be nice though I looked at one several years back in Sydney V8 5 speed gold metallic alloys it looked the business it had some minor roadworthyness issues required for rego so having a BIL as a parts manager for Rover city I asked about prices and availability and staff discount, the info I recieved made me promptly forget all about Rover SD1s then and since, nice cars but………
Oh I wouldn’t attempt to drive an SD1 for another 30 years unless I had a paddock full of parts cars…! The engines are generally reliable but the electrics, oh the electrics… 😉
First choice might have been the Mark VII GTC Jack Roush edition, with all the toys. Had this been for 1987, the turbo Thunderbird might have bumped the Lincoln. Second choice would be the Town Car. The ’88 we had growing up was unbelievable. It still is, but so I’d the price my grandmother is asking for it…
I was a few months old in 1985.
I’m tempted to say Jeep Cherokee, but if I have to keep it all this time I’ll go with a Volvo 240 wagon with a 5-speed.
That would have handled any situation of my life during those thirty years.
That being said 1985 doesn’t feel like thirty years ago…..
The 1985 – 1986 Jeep Cherokee is a great vehicle to keep and drive for 30 years as it is one of the few cars and trucks to have both longevity(made till 2001) and a big fan following. This translates into the fact most parts are still available for these trucks.
Agreed. It was on my list, and I think a nice choice. It’s one of the few 30 year old vehicles that I still see in decent numbers out there.
Pretty, modern, and comfortable, like a supercharged couch.
I have to pay for maintenance and repairs on a car for 30 years . . . h’mmmm, what’s practical, comfortable, and as reliable as it gets? . . . a Toyota Camry since rust is not an issue for my selected 1985 model.
No really, that’s my choice. If I was going to buy a car today for the next 30 years, it would be a Camry. For all the smack talked about the Camry, 30 years from now, this site will be looking back fondly on them just like we do the A,B, & C body GM’s and Panther/Fox body Fords today and for the same reasons. They were affordable, comfortable, and good enough cars that would last for a long time with a modicum of good maintenance practices. Honest good value carries a lot of weight with a lot of folks.
Really, a 1985 Camry is just a decent car. It’s probably a better choice than a Celebrity, a Fox-based LTD, or a Dodge 600, but nothing special.
A 1986 Taurus would be a noticeable upgrade.
If I were doing this today, I’d have an Accord over the Camry. I’d have either that or a Ford Flex. Ford seems to be making a good product, and imagine how the Flex would look in thirty years. I’m thinking it would look a lot like my AMC Eagle suggestion above looks today.
There’s an old Dodge 600 still roaming our town, but I have forgotten all about them.
I drive my personal car 18k to 20k per year. The first generation Taurus was a lovely, but not particularly reliable or durable car. I’d hate to pay the repair bills for 540k to 600k.
Here in SC I have seen one first generation Taurus in the last year or two. It was driven by a nice old lady who actually parked in the boondocks at the grocery store presumably avoid door and cart dings. I wanted to approach and ask about the car, but people are pretty paranoid around here and you would be surprised how many carry so I declined to approach her and ask about the car. I see more Mavericks in “curbside classic” service than gen 1 Tauri. If I had to go domestic, I’d go with Jason Shafer’s suggestion and get the Crown Vic.
+1. Camry: In my book, reliable, low cost of ownership and appropriately equipped.
Well considering I ordered this one in September 1985, and it came in two days before Thanksgiving, and I still own it to this day, I’d have to pick an 86 El Camino.
That is a SHARP Elky! Love the black over silver.
I think I would go with a Toyota Cressida sedan. It seems like it would be a well rounded choice.
Very nice choice.
Mercedes-Benz W123 230TE
1985 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird. (or Firebird Trans Am…
I never could find out which was the base model!)
Toyota Landcruiser HJ60 or a Cressida wagon.
I forgot about the Cressida, might have to change my E-Class choice in cars to that, cheaper to own and more reliable. I’d go with the I6 and 5 Speed.
That car represented the peak of Toyota, in my opinion.
1985 Jeep CJ7
Well, I drive a ’94 940 Turbo, which was technically the same car that was available in 1985, bar some sheet metal changes. Does this count?
All kidding aside, I’ve always been a sucker for Foxes, so perhaps a T-Bird Turbo Coupe, or even something as pedestrian as an LTD with the interior decor group.
But if I had to choose one car that not only defined the era, but also changed it, I think it would have to be an Audi 5000.
Can I wait a couple of years and get a 1988 Mustang GT? I actually owned one of these for 7 years or so and still regret having gotten rid of it. Barring that I will take an ’86 Mustang; like the ’88 it would be reasonably quick and fun to drive. Parts are easily available for these and don’t require you to give up a kidney to purchase them.
Actually I couldn’t envision keeping and driving any car for 30 years. Like most of us I tend to get tired of them long before that and start searching for reasons to move on. Obviously you can keep any car on the road if you’re willing to foot the repair bills but relying on a 30 year old car as my daily driver is not something I’m willing to embrace.
I’m torn between a Celica GT-S hatch or an Isuzu Impulse Turbo, I think. They’re the top two of a near never ending list.
Celica GT-S was sweet, but the new for 1985 Corolla GT-S was light years ahead of it. Nice choice, though. There was one in the showroom, very slightly used, when I leased my Corolla GT-S, and it was very nice in brown, which I liked, but I still opted for the Corolla and was very satisfied.
Ok. I have to drive it daily and I have to keep it up, but no worries about rust. On the other hand it does not need to fulfill all transportation needs because Paul does not stipulate it being the only car. Obviously, the do it all vehicle would be the Chrysler minivan. But my choice is:
BMW 635 CSI.
This car is still eye candy to me. It would be not too difficult to keep it in good shape.
85 Bronco with a 300 and a 4-speed.
Excellent engine choice!
Welp, I found mine. And since this was 1985 and you could still order any combination of options you wanted if you were ornery enough, I would have the new-for-that-year Eddie Bauer edition. Yes, that’s right, a top-of-the-line truck with a Six and 4-speed. In this exact color:
That’s easy – any W124 Mercedes.
KJ in Oz
’85 Subaru GL10 4wd wagon (non-turbo). It’s tough to kill these cars.
Mazda 626, naturally. A previous year C/D 10 best winner.
I’d go with a Ford Laser (that’s the Aussie Mazda 323 derivative). They were everywhere back in the day, and you still see some now and then. Any mechanic can fix one. I wanted one then, and had an ’87 model from ’03-’09. Apart from one ignition module failure (easily diagnosed) it was utterly reliable. Comfortable, lovely gearshift and clutch, great size, good handling, easy to park, and holds heaps of luggage with the seats down.
Don’t get me wrong, there were better cars, true. But for a low-cost long-term ownership experience, it’d get my vote.
I believe both were 1986 model year North America introductions but could have been purchased in calendar year 1985 and therefore I have two choices.
For most satisfaction – Lincoln LSC. But I don’t know if it could last 30 years.
If it had to be durable enough to last 30 years then clearly, with nothing close, MB W124.
The LSC could go 30 years easily. The 302 is a simple beast and will do many, many miles if well-maintained. The air suspension will go out on you, probably multiple components, but if you can do the repairs yourself parts aren’t that pricey from Arnott. Or convert it to coils, though you lose the magic-carpet ride if you do that. Just avoid the digital dash and make peace with the fact that the primitive trip computer will fail, and you’re good to go.
If rust doesn’t exist, I’d choose this!
And If I had to choose a passenger car, I’d also try to get something all black but I’d wait in September of that year to get an intercooler!
Having both would be better.
I’ve answered similar questions like this before; a 30 year stretch is probably the majority of most people’s productive lives. While I think that in reality, one could possibly find a satisfactory car for a 30 year span, the odds are against a car in daily use living that long.
Regardless, when faced with this question previously, I chose the 1986 AMC Eagle 4×4 station wagon. With the wagon body, the luggage rack on top, an almost agrarian (but well sorted and reliable) driveline and decent room and fuel economy, I still think this car would serve a person’s needs for a very long time.
But I reconsidered this thought, the circa 1970 AMC Hornet body is somewhat cramped and even with the snows we get in this part of the US midwest, I’ve never really been stuck in a FWD with good tires. So, I thought that a minivan would be an acceptable replacement for the compact wagon, which is what happened in the mid-1980’s. I would choose a 1986 (IIRC that was the first year of EFI in the atmo motor) 2.2L / 5 speed Dodge Caravan which would have all of the benefits of the wagon body style but with better fuel economy and ergonomics.
Also, I’m something of a driving enthusiast. And this is where the rubber actually met the road for me (in 1988, actually). Again, I would like to retain the utility that the wagon body offers, but would like to have a sedan or hatchback body for lower center of gravity and styling. Based on this, I would choose a 1986 Dodge Lancer ES Turbo with the 2.2L turbo, automatic, Level 3 suspension and maybe a sunroof. The hatchback body with the fold down rear seats was incredibly useful and could really fit a lot of stuff that a regular sedan would never get home. The car got decent fuel mileage for the time and the size was great for a small and growing family.
There were a number of other midsized hatchbacks on the market back then. Chevy had the Corsica, Mazda the 6, Toyota the Camry and of course Saabs. Most of these were eliminated due to price or other considerations. When I bought my leftover 1987 Lancer in 1988, I had been driving a friend’s 1987 Dodge Shadow ES Turbo and was impressed with the power of the 2.2L motor. There were a number of things I liked about the Shadow, but the little bit extra room the Lancer provided came in handy as children arrived and other life events occurred. I had the car for 10.5 years and 160K miles. I traded it for a 1995 Dodge Dakota. About six months of life with the Dak and I wished I had the Lancer back. The Lancer fit me like no other car, at least until the Advent of the Sunfire GT.
The TL:DR moment: 1986 Dodge Lancer ES Turbo.
Mine was similar to this, but had the “Sawtooth” wheels. And black paint.
three choices. Fleetwood Brougham, Caprice coupe, Buick Estate Wagon. Should still be built today, with equivalent to Panther V8 engine and transmission technology.
85 f body camaro v6 not v8 with t tops lots of room to work on easy transmission every thing can be done with hand tools and some blocks
You need that room because they have to be worked on A LOT. Very bad and puzzling choice.
Well a 1986 Honda Accord Hatchback does have those sweet pop up headlights, but a 1986 Pontiac with a 350 V8 is more comfortable especially for long hauls I assume and probably takes more abuse easily than the Accord. My aunt tells me stories of 1980s Japanese vehicles having mediocre air conditioning systems that could not keep you cool against the heat of Nevada and California without overheating or not working well unless you were parked. Think those were rental cars?
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/11/curbside-classic-capsule-1988-pontiac-safari/
I can come up with a few. HDT Commodore Group A, the Brock homologation car known as the “Blue Meanie”, 260 hp in a light Commodore was a good package. They were not cheap new and are much less so now, one sold for AUD$92k at auction last year.
Other nominations: Peugeot 504 wagon or 205 GTi, Mercedes 300TE, Toyota HJ75 pickup or troop carrier, Honda Prelude or CRX, Porsche 944.
I think I’d also take a Mercedes w124, maybe a 250 TD. If I would have had some realistic budget restrictions (let’s say an equivalent to my actual situation , i.e. Not a MB driver), I would take a Toyota Hilux (4×4 crew cab) or Isuzu Trooper.
Well, My ’86 Jetta was built September, 1985. But not quite 30 years driven by me, only 24 years (bought from original owner in ’91) and counting. Did drive my ’70 C10 that I bought in ’76 until I sold it in ’06 for 30 years. I do plan to still be driving the car for 30 years and beyond. It’s still able to keep up with modern traffic, though it’s slower then just about any new 4 cylinder car built today. But it’s comfortable riding, decent handling, and has AC, power steering and stereo, complete with cassette player. And 30+ MPG. I do tend to keep it more as an local driver these days, and use my ’04 Titan for longer road trips, but still would not be afraid to take the Jetta on a long trip, even with it’s original 305k miles engine and 5 speed transmission. Rust free, original paint and interior still in great condition, body dent free. Easy to repair and parts are still easy to get and inexpensive, since car was built from ’83 to 2013 if you include China built cars. As long as I can do the repair work myself, I can keep it running for little money. And it still only uses 1/2 quart of oil in 3k miles. Best and most trouble free car (or truck) I’ve owned. Works for me!
My picks would be
Citation II with 2.5 4cyl
Ford Crown Victoria/Mercury Grand Marquis 2 door
Olds 98/Buick Park Avenue 2 door with the 4.3 Diesel
Chevy Caprice/Impala 2 door w/4.3 v6
Buick Century 2 Door w/ 2.5 4cyl or 4.3 Diesel
Buick Somerset
Plymouth Voyager w/ stick shift
Chevy Astro Van w/ 2.5 4cyl & 5 speed manual
Chrysler New Yorker
Pontiac T1000
Any of these would be fine…
Wait… You would sign up to drive a rebadged Chevette… For 30 years? Have you spent any seat time in one?
Each to their own. But Robert, your list also contains Iron Duke and GM Diesel powered vehicles! This fascinates me.
+1
William, but the Citation II and Somerset, scare me.
Do those come with a free AAA card? 😉
Just kidding, Robert… I admire your choice of ordinary models.
The diesel in the Olds 98 two door is quite the unique choice. You get the best GM diesel in the new smaller package that still managed to be quite roomy so 35-40mpg highway in a quiet American cruiser. You also got the discreteness of an Olds, the rebellion that was a 2 door sedan by 85 and once inside, the sumptuousness of loose pillow velour for those so inclined. So think at first glance a blend in car from the famous Town Car commercial of 85, then you notice the two door, gee I forgot about those, then the diesel emblems, from bland to bizarre in 2 seconds flat. What fun.
Yes I would. I’ve spent a lot of time in Chevettes, in my opinion they’re decent economical little cars when properly maintained. I also belong to a Chevette club in the Midwest. As far as the Iron Duke and the diesel go, the Iron Duke was a good durable engine, definitely not fast but that’s not necessary, reliability of the diesel may be questionable but I included it to add some quirkiness. John C. has the right idea!
Well, I’m not trying to mock your choice, I just found it a head-scratcher based on my personal experiences with various Chevettes! But, like the man said, to each their own! ?
Toyota Supra (sport) – or if I were richer, a 911SC
I owned a 1985 Honda Prelude and I would own another one in a minute. I only wish it was a 1986 Prelude SI with Fuel Injection.
The 86 Pontiac Trans Am I bought in 1990 and still have today. Cherry Red Metallic with 305 TPI. Fun car. Though it is not a daily driver it has really not given me much trouble over the last 26 years.
Olds 88 or Buick Lesabre. The new FWD version, probably a 2 door.
2nd place would be a RWD 5th avenue.
If I was to vote with my head I would choose a Suburban, RWD with the 6.2L diesel. If I was to vote with my heart, it would be a Dodge Ramcharger, or a Monte Carlo SS.
Parisienne Brougham. Best car, period. Been driving it since 1985 and will continue to do so.
A 1985 or model year 86 mercury marquis brougham. ( sorry Mr Niedermeyer). In dark blue with matching interior. 3.8 v6 with the three speed automatic.
It was my first car in 98. Loved it. And I want another one
Or as a second choice. My next car. Introduced in 85 as an 86. A Ford Taurus LX. The Vulcan 3.0 v6
Since I own, 8 cars… 7 from the 80’s, 1 from the early 90’s, styled in the 80’s…
I do have two, from around 1985, my G body 85 Buick Regal and my 86 Chevy Monte Carlo SS… I love em, but…
I wouldn’t mind owning this, for collectability and sheer badassiness.
1985 Lamborghini Countach
Countach, if I never look behind me, my troubles will be few.
https://youtu.be/fDaONrHK1f8?t=3s
For 30 years… Volvo 240.
Yes. If I were going to drive something for 30 years, it would be a Volvo 240.
Buick Skyhawk T-Type with the supercharged 2 cylinder…….just for the wtf is that comments?
WTF?
Ok. I googled this. Wikipedia doesn’t have a 2 cylinder listed. Please explain. Is this a joke or???????
WTF??ROTFLOL!!
🙂 🙂 🙂
WTF ?!
WTF?
Supercharged 2 cylinder??
Would that make it as powerful as a normally aspirated 4 cylinder? lol
Skyhawk…yes
Imaginary engine…no
sorry guys…I meant 2 liter 4 cylinder lol….the wtf refers to how obscure they are
It’s 1985, and Miami Vice is in full swing…
So this would be my more practical commuter.
1985 Mercedes W126 AMG
Gorgeous, the epitome of mid 80’s cool. Repair costs over 30 years would frighten me, but it would definitely be fun!
My friend’s boss had one brand new in 1985 and I was drooling over it then just like I would drool over it now.
The 1985 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz:
I’m doing it, my 86 vanagon syncro.
You knew That was coming Paul.
sick
A Saab 900. I’m assuming, of course, that I don’t have a crystal ball and don’t foresee Saab’s sad fate.
I actually owned a ’85 Jeep Scrambler (258 and T-176 4spd) back in college. To this day, it was probably the most versatile, head turning, capable and indestructible rig Ive ever owned. Id happily take one with that same drivetrain, soft halftop and full steel doors. Make it a dark blue!
My other mention is a ’86 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z. Last year of the ‘4 eye’ front clip and it never looked better. Make mine an electric blue turbo II 5spd with black leather interior, and T-tops.
I would have to say my 1985 BMW 745i (E23) which I have owned for 15 years.
I also wouldn’t mind an ’86 Buick Grand National since I had one for a number of years but sold it to pay off some bills. Others I would gladly have are ta Porsche 930 and a Suburban 2500.
1985 Buick Park Avenue or Olds Ninety Eight – the FWD C-Body. Really spacious inside, low beltline with lots of visibility (unlike today’s gunslit window sedans).
The first thing that comes to mind is an A2 VW GTI, followed by an Audi 4000 Quattro
AFAIK, I can’t have a 300CE or a 300TE, so that narrows it down to the 300E.
On the sporty side, I’d go with a 911 or a Supra.
What would I have bought in 85, that is easy an HO 5.0 ‘Stang.
What would I have bought had I known that I would have to keep it as my only car for 30 years? A Family Truckster, I mean Crown Victoria Station Wagon.
I would have to go for either the Chevy Caprice or Monte Carlo. A Monte Carlo SS, in white, without the T-top would be great, though the standard version with a landau roof would also nice. If I needed a family car it would be either the Caprice sedan or the wagon in the the woodgrain version. These are great RWD American cars with available V8 engines and proven reliability.
Proven LACK of reliability, that is. That was standard at GM.
If I had been old enough to drive in 1985, I probably would have picked some kind of expensive Italian exotic and ended up regretting it. If a time travel accident landed me in 1985, maybe a Honda Prelude Si. If the E30 BMW 325i had been available at that point, I might take that instead, although I think in the States in ’85 a six-cylinder E30 still meant the 325e. (Which is not without its merits, but the 325i would likely be more fun.)
One of my lifelong dream cars, an 85 (or 86) Mercury Capri with 5.0 V8, stick shift and T-tops. Something along these lines would do nicely.
I had a 1985 RS and a 1986 Sport Coupe 5.0L. I loved them both at the time. But, the 1985 disintegrated about year two. The 1986 ran flawlessly for three years. I traded the 85 for the aforementioned Dodge Lancer ES turbo and sold the 1986 to a broker when my first daughter came along.
Hmmm, decisions decisions. Mine, by type.
Truck: Toyota pickup
Family hauler: Mopar minivan or Caprice wagon
Wagon/sedan: Taurus (kinda surprised I haven’t seen this on here very much as they were causing quite the stir this time in ’85)
Coupe: Supra or Grand National (very different I know, but both are appealing to me)
I owned a 1985 300ZX Turbo and it was in many ways a very fine car – but 30 years, no. A good friend bought his first Mercedes in 1985 – a new 190E. We loved that little car and were it not for the great improvements in auto safety, I could see myself driving one even today. There a quite a few on the roads here in SoCal. Sufficient if not great power, right sized, classic styling and interior, big car feel and solidity. Long term maintenance would be a challenge but you’d still have a car that would make you proud.
Purely from an economic point of view, one should choose a 1985 Ferrari Testarossa, and then watch it go up in value. However, the rules are that you must drive it daily. It is not specified how much you must drive it each day. What if I drive it from my garage to the end of my driveway and back? Or tow it with a rope around the block once per day?
If I must use it as my primary means of transportation to and from work etc, then the Testarossa is out.
Now 3 vehicles come to mind:
1. Jeep cherokee 2door 2WD stickshift
2. Dodge Ramcharger 2WD stickshift
and the third is a little bit cheating:
3. an unsold 1984 VAM American DL wagon (with the VAM 282 six, 2WD, stickshift) still sitting on the dealer lot in Mexico in 1985
If the question is what is the ONE AND ONLY car you can have for 30 years beginning in late 1985, there are only two options for me – a full size van or a Suburban. I don’t think I’d want the van, so that leaves the ‘Burb. Over the next thirty years I’ll have to haul a large family, support two businesses, and tow a number of large items.
Given the weak chested nature of large cars in 1985, I’m surprised I’m may be only the second one to pick a Suburban after over 150 comments. The U.S. jag for Suburbans was well under way by that year.
If I can pick a 1985 car that gets to hang around for 30 years, alongside a variety of garage companions, I’d have to decide between a Mustang convertible or Buick Riviera convertible.
The Mustang would likely be easier to maintain, but the Riv remains a rare beauty thirty years later. I guess I’d really rather have the Buick.
You are actually more like the 4th or 5th person to answer Suburban. Since you also mentioned a fullsize van, I will say I have experience with that. In my family, we have owned a 1984 fullsize GM van and a 1988 Suburban, both RWD with the 6.2L diesel and 700R4 automatic. The van was my DD for a little over 3 years after my dad replaced it with the Suburban. The van was a full-windowed passenger van with 3 rows of seats. I chose the Suburban in my answer, but they were both good vehicles and similar in many respects. Both were equally competent at towing, and both had good traction in the snow with just all-season tires too.
The van was slightly easier to maneuver than the Suburban because of the short nose and better visibility. It also had more interior room because it was taller and because longer items could be stored under the seats on the long, flat floor. Downside to larger interior volume was it took a long time for the heat or A/C to have any effect. I think I would have preferred barn doors on the side instead of the slider. Cruise control mandatory for long trips, because your right leg would start to hurt from leaning against the doghouse for a long time. Sometimes frustrating working on the engine in the van due to lack of room with it tucked up under the firewall. However, there’s something to be said for removing the doghouse and changing the air filter, fuel filter or a burned out glowplug out of the weather, in relative comfort sitting in one of the front seat captain’s chairs.
Although I’m a sedan guy, I think over a 30 year haul I’d want something that could do pretty much anything…cruise, tow, haul, etc. so I would never have to look elsewhere for a resource when I needed it. Thus, depending on how I felt about height the day I went to the dealership:
Ford Country Squire with towing package or C10 Suburban.
My Vanagon is an ’84. I’ve never owned a newer vehicle. It keeps going! Doesn’t quite qualify tho.
I’d get the same car the Maddie and David drove in the TV show Moonlighting (which debuted in 1985), which, coincidentally, catalyzed my affair with the BMW 635CSi.
I waited 23 years for the car to depreciate to “affordable” (read: ‘cheap’ as a collector car, but expensive for many of us) and own one today.
Below is Cybill Shepherd (or, more likely a double) behind the wheel.
Excellent choice sir! I LOVED that show, and Maddie’s car.
1985 BMW 635CSi 5 speed manual
1985 Jaguar XJ-12 Series 3 sedan
1985 BMW 745 turbo
1985 Mercedes Benz 500SEL
1985 Toyota Supra Turbo
1985 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
1985 Porsche 911 Targa
1985 Cadillac Cimarron 2.8L ‘D’Oro(just joking !!!!)
Toyota MR2. I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned this one yet.
Or the hachiroku
Mine was the 1985 Corolla GT-S, the MR2’s predecessor, described in detail below…you are not alone.
The Corolla GTS was NOT the MR2’s predecessor… The aren’t even in the same lineage.
How can one be a predecessor if they were both introduced for 1985?
The only thing they share, is the twin cam 4AgE engine.
The AE85/86 chassis were introduced in 1984, in carbureted SR5 trim… The fuel injected GTS form, in 1985.
For 30 years is the catch. There are several I like but almost none of them would go 30 years without major work everywhere. So I would limit myself to a 5 speed RWD Toyota Celica Liftback or the Mazda 626. Engines and transmissions are bullet proof.
Those 2nd gen 1983-87 Mazda 626s are great cars…. Manual 5spds are bulletproof, automatics from 1986-87, not so much.
The 83-85 automatics are great… Owned an 84 and two 85 auto 626LXs, with no auto tranny issues.
The 1986 auto tranny is a ONE year only transmission, so try finding parts for that odd duck. Good luck.
The 1987 Mazda auto tranny was somewhat problematic, some were used from 1987-94, and have had complaints.
I love the Mazda 626, owned two 1st gen RWD coupes… 1979 and 1982. I’ve owned six 2nd gen FWD 626s, among them a rare 1986 626GT Turbo… Would love to find and own another, very FAST car.
A sleeper with plenty of electronic gadgets and luxury, without the ricer exterior add-ons. 🙂
My bro had an ’86 626GT coupe, charcoal grey with gorgeous red velour interior, sweet turbo engine that was quite powerful for its day. Terrific interior loaded with distinctive features. The manual reclining seat had both a latch to quickly drop or raise it to the general position you want and a fine-tuning lever to get the angle just right. The center dash vents could be set to oscillate back and forth. Both the exterior and interior keyholes lit up to make finding them easier in the era before remote key fobs.
But the turbo (or even fuel injection) wasn’t available yet in ’85 at least in the US. On the other hand, I prefer the interior on the ’83-’85 models whose dash and center console were much more handsome and distinctive, especially on 2- and 5-door models which had a somewhat different dash setup. I’d have a real hard time deciding on which of the three body styles to buy on this car – each has something big to recommend it, and something to make me prefer the others.
The real oddball rarity was the ’84-only diesel, which IIRC was available only on the LX 4-door. I think I saw one on a dealer lot once but never saw one again.
Ford Capri 2.8 i Super Injection
If I can include foriegn market models, I would ditto the Capri III. Make mine LHD, built in Germany and in that popular orange color.
If it had to be box-stock, no modifications…1986 Ford Taurus wagon, V6. But they were only available for a few days in 1985, due to production delays. I actually had one and drove it daily until 1998 or so, trading it, even though it was still running just fine, for what was a newer version of the same thing so I could have power windows and door locks!
But if modifications are allowed…a Chrysler Fifth Avenue. Swap in a 360 and the beefed-up TorqueFlite that came in the police package Dodge Diplomat; and the police car suspension and power steering box.
928
560 SEL or a Ford Laser.
I was going to say NONE, but then I read the suggestions…
Mercedes 560SEL or W124 300E
Caprice, sans fluff. On 30 years of ownership it would already have an 89 front clip, a transplanted LS 5.3 or 4.8 and some other goodies.
Corvette. After 30 yrs, we can also ditch the TPI for some LS love
K5 Blazer or long box C10 pickup
3rd Gen Camaro Iroc Z or TransAm
Fiat Uno Turbo
Fiat Panda
Renault Fuego 2000GTX
Ford Sierra XR4i, double wing… we can swap the Cologne V6 with some Ecoboost
Ferrari Testarrosa
Range Rover
Citröen CX
What, no love for the 1985 Donkervoort S7/S8?
I’d probably snap up one of the last V8 UPP Toronados or Rivieras, or conversely maybe one of the first FWD Park Avenues, maybe a coupe to be interesting, carefully optioned of course. I also like the Mazda 626 and Nissan Maxima from this year.
The Toro would have been my choice
It depends whether I lived in the US or Europe… If it were the US, a US-made vehicle with the capacity to be regularly updated / modified like a Chevy Caprice or Ford Granada wagon (it would need to multitask if that were the car I’d drive for such a long time). By now of course it would be highly modified (hp, fuel consumption, handling, braking etc.). If in Europe, it would be the Audi 200 Avant Quatro. Again, by now it would have a 20V motor and a 6sp box, Porsche 911 brakes etc. etc.
Here are a few from 1985-86 (30 years ago) that I like:
Nissan Maxima. The Maxima went to front wheel drive and a V6 (same engine as the 300ZX) in 1985.
Toyota Pickups from that same time frame had the indestructible 22R engine. I’d take mine with fuel injection.
The 1986 Mazda pickup was introduced during the 1985 model year. I still see some on the road even today.
BMW E30 325e. I read that the E30 was one of the most reliable BMWs ever.
Any Camaro, Firebird or Mustang with a 5 liter V8.
That Mazda Pick up! Nice size, but it’s hare-brained carburetor and vacuum lines! Oy, you can’t keep them up and running once the rubber hoses and servos start degrading!
Jeep XJ (Probably a Wagoneer with the choice leather seats they made back then).
Mercedes E-Class would be my second choice (Gas I6).
I had two XJ Cherokees, a 1987 1/2 Limited and a 1989 Laredo which I really liked, but I’d stay away from the pre-1987 models which were mostly powered by Chevy 2.8V6 engines! I had too many bad experiences with 2.8 engines! A friend had a 1986 Wagoneer and another had a 1984 Cherokee and neither lasted very long (my friend who had the Cherokee had it’s 2.8 engine replaced by the engine from a Camaro V6). Apparently, some 2.8 engines lasted but not those in cars I have driven! The 4 litre I6 models from 1987 and later were better and also got a better Aisin Warner AW4 automatic transmission instead of the 3 speed Torque Flite of the earlier models.
Considering that today it would have over 400,000 miles, AND that I’d have to be able to afford the initial purchase price and insurance as a junior at LSU, working part-time as a bank teller, here goes:
1. Toyota Corolla or Chevrolet Nova five-door hatchback (not sure a wagon was available that year)
2. Jeep Cherokee (probably could only afford a 2wd stripped one, which was okay in Baton Rouge)
3. Volvo 240 (probably a stretch for me to buy, and the only local dealer – Prevost Volvo-Volkswagen – was awful, pretentious, and soon to go bankrupt)
4. Nissan Maxima wagon with the voice commands disabled (definitely a stretch, given the demand for the new FWD model with the 300ZX’s engine; we had two in my family, and my brother drove his for 12 years)
Of the above, the NUMMI-built Corolla or Nova would probably have worked best for my wallet and how I live and drive, and would have accommodated my eventual move to a place that gets snow and ice a few times per year. It’s also likely the one that would have cost the least to own, although that might be offset by the fact that the Cherokee would be worth more today.
I had a Japan-built 1984 FWD Corolla and a friend had a Nummi-built 1986 Nova and both were really good cars, I gave my 84 Corolla to friends and the car lasted until 2010 (it was built in Sept 1983).
As I just said in the post above, I’d stay away from pre-1987 Cherokees but I really liked the two newer ones I got. The ’89 (a Laredo 4×4) was a $75 purchase which I enjoyed driving for a few years and that I sold for $1000!
Tough choice here, it’s hard to decide.
-Caprice/Parisienne, LTD Crown Vic/Grand Marquis or some “Dippy” 5th Avenue/Diplomat/Gran Fury/Canadian Caravelle.
-Shelby Charger/Omni GLH
-Camaro/Firebird, Mustang/Capri
-2 door GM G-body Monte Carlo/Cutlass/Regal/Grand Prix or 4-door Cutlass Supreme.
-Pontiac 6000 STE
-pre 1986 GM E-body Eldorado/Riviera/Toronado
-aero Thunderbird/Cougar
-“small” Fox-body Ford LTD LX with the 5.0
-Toyota Corolla GTS/pre-86 Celica
-Nissan 300ZX or its little sibling 200SX
-Honda Prelude
If I was in Brazil, a Chevrolet Opala or in Argentina, a Ford Falcon still made in 1985 with the 1960s body.
Oh… If it were Israel, Subaru Legacy wagon (4X2!) with the 1800cc engine and 5sp. For no other reason other than that it’s indestructible and parts were and are available.
K-Car, perhaps, but I wouldn’t want to drive the same anything for 30 years if I had a choice!
Unless you live in a state where cars don’t rust, I doubt if you can drive anything from the 1980’s as a daily driver for that long – imagine what it would look like – unless you don’t care about your dignity!
Zackman, as per Paul’s article criteria… Rust isn’t a problem, so no worries there.
Anybody, remember THIS guy from the later 70’s to mid 80’s?
Welcome back, Rusty Jones. Lol
Ok, since the question said ’85, I think we should be limited to ’85 model year cars so all the folks who picked Tauruses and intercooled Grand Nationals . . . NO CAR FOR YOU.
Can I pick two? I will take an ’85 Turbo Riviera Convertible (The Grand National Engine was available, pre intercooling, in the Riviera.) 49 Turbo Riviera Convertibles were built for 85. And I would also love an Olds Custom Cruiser/Buick Estate Wagon, Dark blue, wood grain, with the fiber optic turn signal repeaters please. I also love the Cutlass/Regals.
Other intriguing choices are the Lancer mentioned before and the Turbo Skyhawk, although I would pick the much shapelier hatch. Dunno would the Skyhawk make it 30 years though.
Mustangs/Panthers/Foxes are probably good second choices in terms of desirability and longevity.
I, personally, feel like trying to own anything German for 30 years would result in sums of expenditure equivalent to a mortgage.
If you read what Paul actually wrote, he specifically said that 1986 models are fair game too. 😛
Upon a closer read, . . . I was too excited about the possibility of buying a new ’85 model to read beyond the headline.
30 years ago this fall was the beginning of 1986 model year. Time to adjust the clocks; Jan ’16 is less than 2 months away.
85 Prelude or 85 1/2 Prelude Si (pictured). Fun, relatively fast, fairly inexpensive, and dead reliable. Had an 87 Prelude and LOVED it. Best car I ever had. Kept it seven years, then got a 94 Prelude Si. Loved that car too, until it got totaled by a Ford Expedition turning left on red as I was going thru an intersection.
Well, I am letting myself be influenced by others here, and I’ll first limit myself to cars I actually drove in ’85 or ’86, that left lasting impressions:
– 5.0 Mustang LX. But would prefer to wait a year for the 1987 power bump.
– 5.0 LTD LX
– Honda Civic or CRX Si
– 2.9 V6 Ford Ranger. I owned an ’86 for nearly ten years, from new, and I think it would still be a fine and useful vehicle.
A car I’ve never driven, but always liked is the Porsche 944.
Two cars I drove in ’86 that I don’t think have stood the test of time so well were two more Fords, the Escort GT and Taurus.
I think the winner would be a CRX Si. Modern enough, and there’s really nothing like it available new now.
Well, I probably would have been a successful rock/metal guitarist in 1985 so that opens up a broad spectrum of more exotic cars for my choosing, and I think for the long term the Porsche 928 would be the one I’d hang on to. I like their earlier iterations better, like the opart seats and phone dial wheels the late 70s ones had, but I could always retrofit that stuff to it later, especially as my career dwindled with the coming grunge movement, plenty of free time after that to tinker with it. lol
A Lincoln Mark VII LSC, loaded sans cellphone and the delete option cloth seats; red on red. Definitely an 86′, too, I believe that was the first year the LSC got SEFI and the HO engine.
Not many cars from back then I’d have kept all these years but a 911 would have been one of them. After reading the article about the Kia Rondo I got to thinking of the tall wagons available in the mid 80’s–The Civic Wagovan and the Nissan Multi (Stanza Wagon in the USA)
Give me a diamond blue Thunderbird with the 302 and the pepper pot style wheels. I almost bought one in ’84 and regret not taking the plunge.
Crown Victoria – Buick Riviera – Century T-Type (American)
Honda Accord – Honda Prelude – Toyota Cressida (Japanese)
Mercedes 190 – BMW 3 series – Volkswagen Golf (German)
A part of me misses the 1982 Toyota SR5 pickup I had for 14 years. Reliable as all but rusted out from underneath me. I can’t see why a 1985 would be any less a vehicle in a rust-free fantasy land. I just passed 15 years on my 2001 Nissan Frontier and can’t see why I won’t drive it another 15 years, so long as I own a house. But I’m opting for practical over flashy (most anything on Miami Vice?). Another would be a Cadillac Fleetwood, when a big Cadillac still looked like a real Cadillac.
I’d say a navy blue metallic Colony Park, loaded with red leather. Lots of room, nice interior, decent mileage. And, as was pointed out here, durable as an anvil.
The car I wish I’d bought in 1985 to begin with:
+1. A classic beauty.
I had a 1986 6000-STE, I’d drive the 85 version. It was reasonably quick and had a good speed, but I’d get one with the 5 speed manual instead of the 3 speed automatic. Roomy thing too, and super quiet at triple digit speeds. GM got the A-bodies reasonably right.
All these goofy American car choices from the lackluster at best quality of the big 3?! You must be kidding! I guess you all like to tinker with your cars all the time. The reason for my choice is because I got really tired of knowing all the people at the GM dealership and the Firestone service center by first name and considering them almost close friends…I traded my worst ever car, a new (when bought) 1982 Trans Am, on a new, first one in my city, very early production, bright red Toyota Corolla GT-S Twin-Cam 16 hatchback. I have never looked back, to an American POS that is. I loved it then for its 92,000 hellish miles I roughly put on it, with it always coming back for more revving close to or at its 7500-rpm redline and never needing anything but routine maintenance. I would kill to have that bulletproof little guided missile in my hands right now with its leather steering wheel and leather 5-speed shifter with a leather boot to boot, and its ‘better than’ Recaro fabric seats with the driver’s seat having adjustable side bolsters, rotating knob operated cushion height and rake, and air-bulb operated lumbar support, and of course reclining backs. IN A COROLLA. This while having better acceleration and handling than the FAKE, FEEBLE ‘muscle car’ I got rid of to have it. That was an amazing little car, and it singlehandedly ushered in the pocket rocket era, while it took even Honda and Nissan at least three years to catch up! It was the first Twin-Cam 16-valve engine to come to these shores, and it took the big three by storm and they NEVER caught up, and still haven’t. And never will, especially with the bankruptcy and the onslaught of Fiat ruining Chrysler, who never had a faint hope of survival. I made a lot, and I mean a lot of Camaros and Firebirds eat my dust, and I could see the wide open mouths and eyes of their drivers, showing their disbelief, just getting smaller in my rear-view mirror! You asked, and this is the car I would most like to have.
I had one of those Corolla GT-S, an 86… It was a pretty quick car, it took a few Mustang GTs and Irocs off the line.
I am an old school RWD Toyota and Datsun fan… But my 86 Mazda 626GT would EAT the Corolla GTS, in every way.
A lot more advanced in a tuned suspension and better driver ergonomics, where as the GTS’s were primitive.
Other than preferring the AE86’s RWD, the 626GT would leave it in the rear view mirror.
Your looking at the Toyota through rose colored glasses.
Probably either the 86 Grand Prix L E or 2 + 2 Parked in my storage shed
Since the article stipulates that I’m paying for the maintenance myself, I think the winner would be the Buick Grand National. Runner-up would be Lincoln Mark VII LSC. I’d go for the ’86 model in both cases, as both got a power boost for that year (a significant one in the VII’s case).
If I had a “rich uncle” paying for maintenance, the choice would be between the BMW M635CSi and the Mercedes 560SEC. But if I was paying for my own maintenance…both would eat you alive as a DD for 30+ years!
1985 Cadillac Brougham with the 307. If not, a Chevrolet Caprice.
Why, an ’85 Mercury Marquis LTS, of course 😉 !
Simple… AW11 MR2 – 5 speed manual, no sunroof ?. Shame you didn’t choose 1986 as the cutoff as then I could have had made it an SC. Of course, either way the kids will have to walk…
I’ll fade you two more years and go with my 1983 Rabbit (American) GTi. Drove the piss out of it and it never complained. After my first daughter was born we got tired of two doors and got a four door Jetta. I later purchased a nearly identical ’83 although the later models no longer had the 85mph speedometer or the protruding front bumpers.
Also, my then wife had a 1983 Mazda RX-7. Not very practical, especially on snow, but fun.
mine would be a jaguar xj series 85 or early 86 built at end of 85.
mine would be a jaguar xj series 85 or early 86 built at end of 85. very nice car with less 80s than the year of manufacture suggests.
Easy, the 1985 Ford Mustang GT Convertible I had, until stolen last week by some worthless piece of crap! ( I’d hang the bastard since they are a horse thief! )