Manual transmissions aren’t even an option on most cars these days, but once upon a time, you could choose from more than one. Spend more money, get more gears. Three was the standard number of forward gears for decades, but by the time today’s competitors were built, the three-speeds were gone, and even four-speeds were on the way out. But that’s what these two have to offer.
On Friday, we looked at two old Fords more than four decades apart. The old ’51 took home an easy win, as I suspected it might, but the little purple Escort had its fans too. But I think the rarity of the old Custom worked in its favor, as did the rumble of its flathead V8.
Back in 1999, when I was shopping for a car, I test-drove two Ford Escorts. One was almost exactly like Friday’s entrant, except it was fuchsia instead of purple. The other was a bright blue four-door with an automatic. I was young and insecure and couldn’t bring myself to buy a “pink” car, so I got the blue automatic. Now, older and wiser, and not giving a shit what anyone thinks, I’d happily take this little purple hatchback. The old ’51 is interesting, but not something I’d actually want to own.
When I was a kid, if your car had a five-speed manual transmission, everyone knew it. A little chrome badge on the back of the car let them know. Our cars never had that badge; my dad always bought manuals, but never spent extra to get that overdrive gear. His first five-speed was an ’85 VW Golf – because the five-speed came standard. He would have appreciated these two, as basic and no-frills as they are. Let’s check them out.
1984 Dodge Rampage – $3,800
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed manual, FWD
Location: Hagerstown, MD
Odometer reading: 96,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives, but needs brake work
Small pickups were all the rage in the early 1980s, but I would like to have been a fly on the wall when someone at Chrysler proposed turning the L-body Omni 024 into a ute. Ford’s Ranchero was gone, Chevy’s El Camino was barely limping along, and all eyes were on the traditional body-on-frame small trucks from Japan. But for just three years, Dodge offered this little ute, with the front half of an 024/Charger and a just-barely-half-ton truck bed. It’s possible, now that I think about it, that they were just copying VW’s homework again; the Rabbit pickup had appeared just a couple of years earlier.
The only engine available in the Rampage was Chrysler’s 2.2-liter K-car engine, equipped with a two-barrel carburetor. Since it was a truck, it was spared the indignity of the 1.7-liter VW and 1.6-liter Simca engines that base-model Omnis and Horizons were stuck with. I once had a K-car with the 2.2 and a four-speed manual; if this is the same setup as that, which I suspect it is, then fourth gear is really tall, possibly a bit of an overdrive. This one runs well and is drivable, but the front brake calipers are sticking, so you don’t want to go too far before taking care of that.
Inside, it’s a little grubby, and it could use a few items from the Dorman “Help!” section of an auto parts store. It could also use a junkyard steering wheel that’s in better shape. Almost anything should fit; Chrysler seemingly mixed and matched steering wheels in the ’80s based on whim, or what they had on hand. If those vinyl bucket seats won’t clean up, I guess you could just throw some covers over them – unless you got lucky and found a wrecked Daytona from which you could steal the Recaros and the aluminum-spoke steering wheel.
I don’t know if the outside has been repainted or is just really well taken care of, but it’s nice and shiny. Rampages tended to get used as trucks, and most of them were beaten to death before Bush Sr left office. There weren’t many of them to begin with, and there are very few left now. This looks like about the nicest example you’re likely to find.
1990 Honda Civic – $4,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.5-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed manual, FWD
Location: San Jacinto, CA
Odometer reading: 117,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
“We Make It Simple” was Honda’s slogan in the ’80s, and when it came to the most basic model of the Civic, they really took it to heart. This isn’t even a Civic DX; it’s a step below that. It has no rear wiper, no power anything (except brakes), vinyl seats, and plain steel wheels. It has a right-hand outside mirror, but if memory serves, that was an option on this car.
Power comes from a 1.5-liter four making all of 70 horsepower, and a four-speed manual transmission. The good news is that it’s fuel-injected; Honda ditched carbs after the previous generation of the Civic. It’s shocking how empty the engine bay of this car looks; fourth-generation Civic engine components are usually packed in like sardines. But without an air conditioner, or power steering, there’s plenty of room to work. Not that this one needs any work at the moment; the seller says it runs and drives great.
This thing is so plain-Jane on the inside that it doesn’t even have a center console; it’s literally a “four on the floor.” The instrument panel is nothing but a speedometer, a fuel gauge, a temperature gauge, and a bank of idiot lights. The seats are, as previously mentioned, cheap vinyl, and they’re not holding up all that well. Probably sticky as hell in the summer, too. You can, and should, find some better seats for this thing, at least.
Since this is a California car, it has avoided the most serious old Honda problem with its exterior: rust. It is missing a piece of trim on the passenger’s side, but otherwise it doesn’t look beat-up at all. The bumpers, once black, are faded to that streaky gray that those of us of a certain age remember well. It’s rare to see a Civic hatchback of this generation still completely stock; far too many of them are slammed to the ground, with gaudy aftermarket wheels and obnoxiously large tailpipes.
I think a little bit of my dad’s frugality rubbed off on me, because I have always appreciated base-model cars like these. Strip a vehicle down to its essentials, get rid of the bullshit, and just give me what I need. And technically speaking, you don’t need a fifth gear. Or power steering. Or cloth seats. What are you, a Rockefeller? Let’s just keep it simple. Which one of these are you going for?
“Rampage” is a hilarious name for such a weak little runt. Only Dodge…
I’d personally name it the “Squabble”
Honda for me, without a second thought. I don’t like the color or split vinyl, but a pair of those multi-tone brown wooden bead seat covers from the 80s would liven it up.
9 days out of 10, of course I’d go with the Honda. The 90s were peak Honda (peak car some might say, if you had to pick a single decade) but that Dodge is so odd and rare, and potentially practical too that I couldn’t resist. Not a fan of red on it, but I’d deal.
Today is a Rampage kind of day. But sometimes we need a “Both” button or how about an “Either” button. Today would be an “Either” day if that Civic was priced more reasonably. I think our family went through 5 Civics from 1981 to 1992. They were all great an super easy to work on. But I think around the early 90’s when my folks were doing better financially , my mom wanted something a little nicer so it was Acuras after that.
Honda for me. I have a soft spot for Hondas of this generation.
Now having said that, I think both of these are overpriced.
I definitely thought the Civic is priced at least $1K too high. A place I worked at had a small fleet of Dodge Omnis and Horizons. They all had the VW engine. I think the K-Car’s 2.2 would liven it up a bit. I’ve had a couple of Hondas. They’ve both been great. I’d hate to tarnish my fondness for the brand with today’s offering.
The Honda is an objectively better built and driving car that has many more miles left in it.
But I can’t resist the Rampage. The brakes should be an easy fix.
I’ll take the ‘Murikan Ute since I’m not getting A/C or airbags either way. If it were a previous generation Civic I might vote differently though.
There’s normally no way I’ll pick a Dodge over a Honda in any sort of head-to-head like this, but that Rampage is so rare and that Honda is so plain that I’m going with the ute. It’ll be far more of a pain in the ass to keep running and I hope the owner doesn’t mind me fixing the caliper in their driveway, but I’ll be much happier driving it around when it’s running.
I had an Omni 024, and it was total trash. The Civic all the way. When I was younger, I really wanted the Si of that generation. Circa 1990.
I had a white 1990 civic just like this one about 20 years ago and loved it. I bolted on a set of 80’s prelude wheels and drove it for about a year before I sold it to buy an AW11 mr2. Should have just engine swapped the civic in hindsight.
That exact spec Civic was my first new car. $7,100 out the door. Traded to a CRX three years later.
Almost the same here; had a ’91 (but with A/C)-sold it 2 years later and bought a del Sol
The Cali Civic almost got my click, and logically should be my choice but logic be damned, I could do something fun with the dodge and Rampaging is always more fun
Crap. That Rampage isn’t unreasonably far from me and I have cash on hand. Must resist…
Resistance is futile.
My decision is based on the following quote from the noted philosopher Sterling Mallory Archer: “RRRAAAAAMPAAAAGE!!!!”.
I was hoping that reference was in here somewhere.
I have to go Rampage here – at least it wouldn’t be embarrassing to have parked in my driveway when it’s broken. It will always be broken. And in theory you could swap a turbocharged motor and 5spd into it if you can find one that still works. I suspect ancient Dodge parts are lots cheaper than ancient Honda parts.
That poverty spec Honda is just dire. The better models this car were seriously fun, but they left it all out of this one. And this was still the “Voluntary Import Quota” era, so that it was relatively expensive new. I just can’t imagine buying such a hairshirt.
Hater’s Garage on Youtube is swapping an RX-8 Rotary into a Challenger that’s based on roughly the same chassis.
Now that would be fun until it blows up! Keeping it FWD or making it RWD? Far more interesting than the ubiquitous and boring LS-swap.
He’s still in the planning phase because his house burned down and then he got a POS AE86 beater to build, but it sounds like he’s going to cut out the rotted floorpan and build his own with RWD mounts.
Two very appealing options. Having driven both, I have to go with the Civic. The Rampage’s light rear end jumps around over the slightest bump, the shifter linkage feels like it’s made from coat hangers, and all the materials are garbage. The Civic is built right and will carry almost anything the Rampage will, plus it’s infinitely upgradable.
as someone that has owned 3 different stripper hondas (currently a 310k mile 1987 accord DX), that Civic is capable of some intergalactic miles if not abused. also, very little to break. the rampage, while rare and “interesting” is going to be disappointment after disappointment.
Two in a row where I want both!
I voted for the Rampage, because it’s hard to resist a ute. In reality I’d take whichever one was more comfortable.
Both day
I kind of like both of them.
I’m sure even the indicated 85mph top speed on the Rampage’s odo is… optimistic.
The Honda is the winner by default.
When the main photo of the car is on jack stands, it’s sus. Too bad the Rampage wasn’t a rebadged Mitsubishi.
Rampage? More like “Standage”, amirite?
This has been your DialMforMiata bad dad joke for February 23,2026.
Honda! (I still like both though)
Both great, but gotta be the rampage for me. Always wanted to swap a later 2.2 turbo into those and have a hot little ute. At least now we have the Maverick lobo, but for a while this was your only option besides a swapped VW rabbit, brat or El Camino.
Girlfriend had that exact CIvic. Hated it because my 89 Civic wagon (or 4 door hatch, I don’t wanna start any arguments) had a 5 speed and AC. Such a better setup. Something cool about that red Rampage, I want it!
Heart says Rampage, head says Civic. It will last longer and be cheaper to maintain.