High-Tech Japanese, or Stylish Italian? 1987 Mazda 626 GT vs 1987 Alfa Romeo Milano

Today, we’re looking at two different visions of 1987. Japanese automakers were riding their bubble economy to new technological heights, and infusing their cars with all kinds of cool gadgets, while European brands were enjoying their newfound status among yuppies. And I, a car-crazy fourteen-year-old kid, loved them all. Which one is a better deal thirty-nine years later? We’ll see.

Well, I hope the little Honda Civic we looked at yesterday came with a spare tire, because that was a blowout. It didn’t stand a chance against the Nissan Hardbody Desert Runner. No love for the history of Honda tuners, huh? Many of you complained about the price, but I get the feeling there’s more to that car than the photos and description show. The ad says it comes with a lot more stuff that wasn’t pictured; maybe if they had pictured it, it would seem like a better deal.

But really, that Desert Runner is just too cool to pass up. Even the name is cool. The D21 Hardbody pickup is one of the best-looking trucks of all time, in my eyes, and that’s a variant you never see. I’d happily drive it, though I’m not sure I’d be willing to give up my Chevy for it. The little Civic looks like something I really want to build a model of, but as far as the real car goes, like the majority of you, I’ll pass.

I remember reading about both of today’s cars in the magazines back in the day, and at one time I probably could have quoted specs on both, but now I’ll probably have to look them up. I’ve heard people say that you never love anything as much as the stuff you love when you’re a teenager, which means I’m stuck with the cars, and music, and movies, of the mid- to late-’80s. Could be worse, I guess. There were some really cool cars back then, if you dug a little bit beyond the obvious. Let’s take a look at a couple of good ones.

1987 Mazda 626 GT – $6,750

Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.0-liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD

Location: Santa Clarita, CA

Odometer reading: 170,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

In some ways, I feel a bit cheated; we never had any Japanese cars when I was growing up. No one in our town did. We got away with a few European cars here and there, but for the most part all I saw were American cars. This means I missed out on a really great era of cars from Japan, cars that were not only well-made but also packed with cool high-tech features. I only got to experience them through magazine articles. This was one such car, the forerunner to the Mazda MX-6 and Ford Probe, the 626 GT.

The standard GC-chassis 626 was a nice car, but a bit dowdy. The GT version, introduced in 1986, had a much livelier personality, with a turbocharged engine, all kinds of power features, electronically adjustable shocks, and more. This car features a digital instrument panel, but it isn’t original to the car. The seller installed it, hence the incorrect mileage on the odometer. The original analog cluster with the right mileage is also included if you prefer. It runs great, and it comes with full documentation from both of its two owners.

Some heavy wear on the steering wheel rim and the shift knob gives away the actual mileage, but the rest of the interior looks really good. The GT came with better seats than the standard 626, with more adjustments, and man, do they look comfy. The seller says everything works except the power antenna, and the stereo speakers have died of old age and need to be replaced. The air conditioning, however, works fine.

It was repainted somewhere along the way, but the clearcoat is failing again, so there are some dull spots on the hood and roof. But it doesn’t have any rust, it has all four original wheels, and overall it looks really sharp.

1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Gold – $8,500

Engine/drivetrain: 2.5-liter OHC V6, five-speed manual, RWD

Location: Portland, OR

Odometer reading: 127,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

When you think of Alfa Romeo, you typically think of sports cars, not four-door sedans. But in Europe, four-door Alfas are common, and Alfa sold sedans in the US from the ’60s all the way up until it left the US market the first time in 1995. This was the second-to-last Alfa Romeo sedan sold here back then, a car known as the 75 in Europe, but known here as the Milano.

The 75 was offered with a range of four-cylinder engines in Europe, but all the Milanos sold here were V6s. This being a mid-range Gold model, it has a 2.5-liter version of Alfa’s famous “Busso” V6, which is consistently ranked among the best-sounding engines of all time. The rest of its mechanical specification is downright exotic: a rear-mounted transaxle, a DeDion tube rear axle, and inboard-mounted rear disc brakes. I’ve never had the pleasure of driving one, but I’ve heard they handle incredibly well. This one has had a lot of recent work done, including a new clutch, timing belt, and brake work, and the seller says it runs great.

I can’t explain why exactly, but one of my favorite details of this car has always been the basket-handle parking brake lever. It’s a small thing, and it probably makes no difference at all to its operation, but it looks so cool. The rest of the interior screams ’80s, with its blocky dashboard and Recaro-looking (or maybe actually Recaro?) seats. It’s all in good condition, and almost everything works in this one as well, including the air conditioner.

The seller repainted this car in its original color, and it looks good. It wears fifteen-inch Campagnolo wheels with new tires, but the original fourteen-inchers are included too. It’s funny; I remember the Milano’s styling as being much wilder than it looks now. It’s actually pretty sedate. Is it just that I’ve gotten used to it, or is it the four decades of increasingly crazier designs since then?

Honestly, I’d be happy with either one of these. They’re both fun, they’re both in good condition, and they both speak to the ’80s kid in me. If you’re my age, I’m sure you read about these two in magazines back then as well. But which one would you rather have today?