This week, we’ve been looking at cars with one obscure connection between them, and we’ve ended up with four finalists with very little in common. Rather than coming up with some silly scenario or giving you criteria on which to judge them, I’m just going to keep it simple and ask you to choose your favorite.
I confess, you all surprised me yesterday. I assumed that the Blazer was going to be way too expensive, and that the Mustang would win by default. I mean, it’s a V8 with a stick, for four grand less than its competitor. Seems like a lock, right? Apparently not.
I really dig that Blazer, but I don’t know what I’d do with it. We already have a larger, more capable SUV, and the Blazer is too nice to use hard anyway. But a slightly ratty Mustang sounds like my kind of fun. As (nearly) always, though, my vote doesn’t count, so the Blazer is the winner.
Well, now that we have our four finalists for the week, let’s take a second look at them.
2013 Fiat 500 Turbo – $4,500
The case for it: It’s an economical car that’s actually fun to drive, unlike so many of them. It looks sharp, too. Black cars aren’t everyone’s favorite, because they’re notoriously hard to keep clean, but when they are clean, they look terrific.
The case against it: Not much, really, except for some hit-or-miss build quality, and some possible early-model reliability concerns. But this one has enough miles on it that any bugs should have been worked out.
1994 Chrysler New Yorker – $1,800
The case for it: It’s dirt-cheap, comfortable, and it should be pretty reliable. It’s also not a car you see very often, so there’s a novelty factor, if that matters to you.
The case against it: It’s a soft, mushy, old-person’s car. It probably rides and handles like you’re sitting on a Barcalounger on the deck of a fishing boat. And because of its location, there’s a chance it’s rusty underneath.
1963 Plymouth Valiant V200 Wagon – $3,850
The case for it: Wagons of this era are rare these days, so there’s an automatic cool factor. And speaking of cool automatics, this car’s Torqueflite transmission is push-button operated. And it’s the sort of old car that looks great as-is, so you don’t have to worry about restoring it.
The case against it: Nothing, if you’re not in a hurry. Slant-six Valiants are not performance cars (with a few exceptions). And I suppose you could complain about the complete absence of safety features, if you really wanted to get all fun-police about it.
1984 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer Tahoe – $8,500
The case for it: It looks like a brand-new forty-year-old car. And while the price is high, it’s not nearly as bad as some other ’80s survivors I’ve seen in recent history. It actually feels like a decent deal. And it would be a huge hit at ’80s nostalgia gatherings like RADWood.
The case against it: What the hell are you supposed to do with it, besides drive it to shows? It’s too nice to use as a sport-utility vehicle; you’d use it up in a hurry. And I’m not sure it’s an interesting enough vehicle to be a long-term collectible.
So that’s our show for this week. Tune in next week when we’ll be taking a look at, well, something. I have no idea what yet. But it’ll be great. In the meantime, take a look at these four and decide which one is for you.
I am a big softy for the old softy New Yorker. I have always thought the cab-forward designs of that period were nice and the sort of still hold up…
Still the Fiat. Granted, the Valiant is slow, but it will be slow forever, which is why it was my second choice. It’s just not as much fun as the Fiat.
Chrysler was a hard pass, because it ‘s a Chrysler and because when I drove one, it was both unimpressive and too bulky for what it offered. On the salty winter roads here, the Blazer would lose its luster quickly, and turn brown like too many cars do. I couldn’t do that to what looks to be a pretty presentable vehicle.
This was tougher than I thought. New Yorker, just no. I think the Valiant sounds sketchier than it looks (sitting outside for the past 20 years and he just bought it from the original dealer?) The Fiat would actually be fun to hoon around town – until it breaks. So Blazer it is, for the nostalgia value. It’s the doppelgänger of the first vehicle I bought new, an ’84 GMC S-15 Jimmy with the 5-speed and 2.8 V6. It’s a time capsule from the 1980s and it’s just over the hill in Grass Valley, I could go get it today (hypothetically speaking…)!
Blazer, NYer, Fiat, Valiiant for me. But I wouldn’t complain with a single one of them honestly.
I really couldn’t say how 30 years of time has aged the suspension on that New Yorker but when new they didn’t drive like boats. All the LH cars were pretty nimble for how huge they were.
Agreed! I had an LHS version and it was surprisingly adept at some mild twisties attacking, supremely comfortable, delivered mid-20s mpg around town and low-30s highway, and very reliable. It also performed the ultimate sacrifice when my wife t-boned a telephone pole with it, escaping only with a broken collarbone even though the engine ended up in the front part of the center console. I will forever respect that car!
I have a 500 Abarth which has the same engine, and it has been shockingly reliable. In 12 years I have done plugs and coil packs, and those were only required for a tune. It’s so much fun, everyone needs to drive one once
I got bomb around Rome in one, and it was absolutely the right tool for that job!
Don’t dislike any of them, but my rank is Valiant, Blazer, NYer, Fiat for me.
Fiat then Valiant. Valiant is interesting. I don’t care about the New Yorker as anything interesting and the Blazer is too much coin for a nice looking but not nearly capable enough off roader. So Fiat today for some buzzy fun.
Valiant, Fiat, New Yorker. In my mind I can make a case for 3 out of 4 today. Appreciate the condition of the Blazer, but not for me. (Now if it was a Bronco II….)
I swear I saw that exact same color Blazer in my neighborhood this week. ????
But living in MI, I assume it was no where near as clean as this one.
The Valiant had safety features. You could order them with lap belts and that strip across the top of the dashboard is padded. What, you want to live forever?
I’ve driven many slant-six cars, they have a surprising amount of torque and it comes on where you’d want it for passing. If that’s not enough, maybe you can find an old Hyper-Pak someone’s got lying around, but make sure it includes the new cam.
Best deal would be to simply enjoy a collector car that is unique and easy to fix, along with cheap, easy to find parts and a reliable drivetrain. Easy choice for me, I’d use it for short grocery runs, etc., as well as car shows.
I’m giving myself away as a child of the 80’s, and picking the Blazer. Quite honestly, it’s the only one of these four that I would want anyways, and I absolutely love it. If only it had the 4.3 instead of the 2.8, it would be perfect. I’d daily it from April-October, and keep it parked in the winter.
I love old wagons, but the styling of that one is ugly. The tiny Fiat is of no interest to me. I don’t agree that it has enough miles to be sorted, instead I think it’s completely used up. And the Chrysler is hideous and will probably lunch its transmission soon.
Looks like I’m the contrarian today. Give me the big floaty Chrysler, which thanks to LH architecture might actually handle pretty well.
I’m close on the Fiat. If it was a GTI with everything else being equal I’d probably go for that.
The Blazer and Valiant are antiques and shouldn’t be driven daily.
I genuinely like all of these cars in a different way. Kudos to pulling that off.
I’m Fiat – NYer – Blazer – Valiant. The Valiant is a little beyond my comfort zone, the Blazer is cool, but expensive. The NYer is a perfect balance of cheap, semi-interesting, and usable. But the Fiat brings something to the table that I don’t have, fun. It’s just fun. I wish it were a real color, but the price is right.
Valiant. Despite the 500 fitting my life better and having 8-spokes, the Chrysler being weird and cheap, and the Blazer being preservationist, “It belongs in a MUSEUM!” grade, I think Tom Magliozzi is being a bad influence on my brain from beyond the grave. So the humble, ’63 “compact” Mopar with the slant-6 gets the nod today.
Just have to remember not to drive like my brotha.
No, don’t drive like MY brotha!
And don’t drive like our sister!
Tough call–the Valiant is the one I really like, but its rattiness would eat at me and I’d start doing things to it, and then where the hell do you stop… next thing you know $30K is gone and now it’s too nice to stop short of perfection, so out comes the credit card again, and about the time you’re ready to call it done, somebody T-bones you at a stoplight and you spend 8 months recovering from injuries you wouldn’t have suffered in a modern car, and insurance is only giving you $5K for the car. The Blazer is sort of cool but wouldn’t be very enjoyable to drive. The Chrysler is a screaming deal but so ugly it’s just embarrassing. So the fun little Fiat gets my vote and I look both ways at stoplights.
Wow, really painting a picture with your words there. Well put.
Fiat, then the New Yorker. I’m a glutton for punishment.
That was a tough call between the Blazer and the Valiant, but I went with the old wagon. I have neither the money or the garage space for either, but in reality I’d like both.
That Valiant would look perfect sitting next to my post-war bungalow house. Neither are fancy, but they have stood the test of time.
If resale value is a concern the Blazer is a layup. It will hold its value as long as people keep waxing nostalgic for the old square body American trucks. It may even appreciate as trucks like it become harder to find in that kind of condition.
Easy choice for me, the Fiat. I miss my Abarth and that looks like fun. None of the others do anything for me either.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!?!
Do you not SEE the glorious wrap around rear windows of the Valiant?!? Plus, Slant Six!! Wagon!!!
It’s like I don’t even know y’all…
For me it’s the kind of car I want my buddy to own; It’s so cool, but better in third person. I have no idea what I would do with it.
You drive them, cars are meant to be driven. 🙂
Thanks Cal 😉
That’s actually my exact point though; I’d have to make myself take that car out for some exercise. There’s nothing I use cars for right now that the Valiant is much good at and I don’t think it’ll feel special to drive. It would be something closer to a chore. Hence find a buddy who wants to cruise around and take it to shows.
What do you think it costs to replace that glass. Is it even possible?
While the Blazer is at a premium price due to its remarkably clean condition, $8K is not a put-it-in-a-plastic-bubble-in-a-climate-controlled-garage price. $8K is reasonable money for a trucky SUV that you can still do trucky SUV things with and not worry about depreciation.
The Blazer is the best choice, but no surprise it’s easily the most expensive.
With my own money it would be the Fiat out of these 4, as it fits my needs best with a digestible price.
Depends on what I wanted. Just a cheap car – the New Yorker is the one.
However the Fiat has a more realistic place in my driveway as a fun 3rd car that doesn’t take up much space.
Easy vote. Blazer. I want to get shit done.
I feel like that particular Blazer is a bit too nice to treat it as a true, dirty, utility vehicle.
Give me a weekend and a load of lumber. I’ll fix that.
Hey if that’s your prerogative, by all means. I’d feel guilty.
I’d probably try to find a crappier one, but I’d imagine there’s a wide gulf between this one, and the next best Blazer.