Good morning! We’re ending the week, and starting the month, with a pair of Japanese sedans that I haven’t seen for sale in a very long time. And I can’t even recall the last time I saw either of them in person. They’re both in great shape, too, so you can’t complain about me offering you junk today.
We looked at a couple of wagons yesterday, one battered French survivor and one squeaky-clean Accord. It sounds like quite a few of you really wanted to like the Peugeot, but its condition, especially next to that Honda, put you off. The Accord wagon took an easy win, but I think the Peugeot voters were more passionate about their decision.
For me, the decision comes down to one simple fact: Hondas with automatics are boring to drive. For me, with no commute and a non-boring automatic already in the garage, the Accord is utterly useless. The Peugeot is a manual, rear-wheel-drive, and is known for surviving in some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Plus, it’s got character, and I admire that in a car. If the Accord were a manual, then it would absolutely be the better choice. But it isn’t.
Living in Portland, Oregon for sixteen years made me forget that certain cars go extinct in other parts of the country. Look around hard enough in the Pacific Northwest, and you’re bound to find an example of almost any car you can think of. Since I moved away, I’ve missed seeing all those old survivors casually street-parked all over town. Maybe that’s why I feature so many of them here. But I haven’t seen either one of these cars on the road, even in Portland, in ages. They’re nothing special, except that there are hardly any of them left, especially in this condition. Let’s check them out.
1986 Mazda 323 DX – $3,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6 liter OHC inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Brentwood, CA
Odometer reading: 140,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Before there was the Mazda 3, before there was the Protege, there was the 323. And before that, there were two generations of what Mazda called the GLC, for “Great Little Car.” The 323 is sort of the forgotten middle child of the line, except for a couple of special versions, but it doesn’t deserve to be. These truly are great little cars. This humble little DX sedan isn’t the GT or GTX that we all know, but it shares the same basic bones.
The engine is a 1.6 liter four cylinder with electronic fuel injection, a welcome update from the GLC’s carburetor. It’s not powerful, but it is very reliable. Unfortunately, what power this one has is delivered to the front wheels through an automatic transmission, and worse still, it’s an old three-speed non-overdrive unit. It’ll probably run until the end of time, but it won’t be a particularly fun ride. Mazda’s small cars are generally more fun to drive than, say, Toyota’s, but that gearbox is a real buzz-kill.
The seller calls this car a “bit of a beater,” which makes me think they’ve never actually seen a beater. This interior photo could almost have come from a Mazda brochure. There aren’t many photos in the ad, but the ones that are there show a really clean car. It’s a pretty simple car, with crank windows and no air conditioning, but that’s just less stuff to go wrong.
It’s really clean outside, too. The black plastic bumpers are faded, of course, and some chrome has come off the badges, but honestly that appears to be the worst of it. Even the headlights aren’t clouded up. Someone took good care of this car, and kept it in a garage.
1989 Mitsubishi Galant LS – $5,499
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0 liter DOHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Austin, TX
Odometer reading: 104,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
This is another somewhat forgotten car, but it was a big part of Mitsubishi’s boom in the US in the late ’80s and early ’90s. The previous generation Galant was a pretty frumpy car, but this one became the darling of reviewers when it came out. The Galant was available with all kinds of high-tech features: all-wheel-drive, a turbocharged engine, and electronically controlled suspension, but this LS model keeps things fairly simple.
This Galant is a one-owner car, with just over 100,000 miles on its 2.0 liter engine. It has an electronically-controlled automatic transmission with “power” and “economy” modes, terms taken from Mitsubishi’s old twin-stick “Super Shift” manual. I’ve never messed around with one of these, so I don’t know how much difference there is in performance between the two modes. The dealership selling it says it runs and drives well, but don’t expect any history or service records.
The interior is in beautiful shape, and it looks really comfy. This one is a little better equipped than the Mazda, with power windows and locks, and air conditioning. The seller claims the stereo has Bluetooth, but it looks like the stock stereo from 1989 to me. There must be some add-on doohickey in there.
Outside, it’s clean, shiny, and rust-free. What more could you want? You don’t realize until you look closely just how much chrome there used to be on cars. There are little bits of brightwork all over this car. It’s a nice change of pace from all the black plastic cladding on cars today.
Yeah, I know that both of these cars were offered in turbocharged all-wheel-drive versions that were a lot more fun. But those command silly prices these days, if you can even find them. These both seem like reasonable deals, especially considering their condition. Which one interests you more?
Galant because A/C in Texas is a must
I picked the Galant because of the luxury accoutrements (compared to the 323), and because I drove a champagne-colored ’88 323 that I shared with my mom for about 2 years in the mid-90’s. That one had manual windows and locks, vinyl seats, but thankfully air-conditioning and the required Benzi-box aftermarket single-din radio. It treated us well if I recall, but exciting and fast it was not.
My vote is for the Mitsubishi Galant/Dodge 2000GTX/Eagle 2000GTX
I always liked the style of these. Plus it will be nicer to drive with the 4 speed auto and the engine is more powerful than what that 323 had.
Prices on nearly 40 year old basic boxes on wheels have gotten crazy.
Mitzu, it is bigger and just more all around and a better choice than the Mazda with an automatic with the structural strength of empty soda can.
Galant – I’ll pay more for that whole extra gear!
These are both great cars that I like, but gotta go Galant since it’s not an econobox, looks like a blast to drive, plus it has that neat stereo…would be nice w/ a stick though. I would buy it right now if I could. Wow, these are both in fantastic condition
Never thought I’d pick a Mitsu over Mazda but it’s definitely the better car. Still not worth the money, though.
That Mazda from Brentwood is a classic ‘housekeeper’s car’ that’s perfect for Trader Joe’s horrible parking lots. It’s only flaw is that it’s too clean.
I generally try not to complain about inflation, but neither of these cars is nice or special enough to warrant these prices. Voted for the Mazda, but I’d search for a scruffier, more interesting car for $2k.
I like them both, but chose the Mitsubishi, surprising even myself.
The Mazda is a great “oh shit I need a car this weekend” car. Last time that happened to me, I ended up with a sad $3000 BMW e36 4-cylinder auto. This car would’ve been tempting.
These were running neck and neck as the Mazda was cheaper but the Galant was nicer. But then I go to The Dealership selling… and I went Mazda
Today is a rare “either” day for me. I wouldn’t say no to either, and I don’t really have a preference.
When I first saw the banner image, I thought the black one was an old Buick Lesabre or Park Avenue (cars my mom would refer to as an OPB, or Old Person’s Buick, which supposedly is a slang term used by law enforcement – can someone confirm?)
I guess I’d go with it, if for no other reason than the extra gear in the slush box.
One of my ones that got away was an ’86 323 sedan in a much nicer spec than this one – LX 4 speed with sunroof. I’m 5’9″ and couldn’t fit behind the wheel. Of course at the time, sometime in the mid ’90s, I didn’t think to check for a driver’s seat height adjustment.
I had a new-to-me 91 galant in 2001, same sohc 4g63, same econo/power buttons so probably same AT
Here is everything that broke in the next 4 years (when the car was 25 years less old)
– ecu fried
– head gasket blown
– thermostat
– top coolant hose leaked
– radiator fan switch
– heater core clogged
Upside: relatively easy to work on, thermostat, coolant hose and fan switch were done by me (plus brakes and oil changes etc)
The car rode and handled well, but was low on power and got worse in the time I owned it
Interesting – I had a ’93 Talon ES with the DOHC non-turbo 4G63 with a five speed. I dailied that car from 1995-2005, and had almost nothing but wear items give me trouble:
All of those were 15-minute-or-less jobs to replace. I did have to replace the timing belt and the clutch, which weren’t exactly pleasant tasks.
That engine was reliable and silky smooth right up to the 7000 rpm redline. Not a powerhouse, but perfectly adequate for the time.
I wanted to vote Mazda but the transmission was a deal killer–it puts the slush in the term slushbox.
Wow – that Mitsubishi has not one but TWO mechanical trip odometers (A and B). That alone takes it for me.
I like them both. I know I’ll enjoy having one with overdrive and air conditioning more, so I’d really prefer that one, but I can’t see paying that much more for it, so 323 it is.
A/C is a plus for the Mitsubishi, as is the extra gear, but the black paint, dodgy quality of that era and high price cancel those out. Kudos for the instrument cluster, and extra points for low mileage.
The Mazda is a clean, basic, competent, useful economy car from an past era. The 3-speed and lack of AC are definite downers, but it’s an excellent example of a simpler era whose cars are almost non-existent now.
You can reasonably expect years of undramatic service from it, and at $2,500 less than the Galant, it comes out the winner.
I learned to drive a manual on an 82 Mazda GLC, which the 323 replaced model wise. In college I had a 91 Galant (manual!!). The Galant takes it today but really wish one or both were a manual.,
The Galant is relatively low miles for the age, doesn’t have much rust, paint looks good and the interior seems well-kept. Gimme some of that triple diamond love.
They’re both in great shape, too, so you can’t complain about me offering you junk today.
You don’t get to tell me when I can or can’t complain! I reserve the right to complain when I want to and in a manner I see fit.
I am not going to complain about these cars, though. They both qualify as preserved ordinary cars rather than cheap transportation or collector cars. I can’t say I am interested in either, but I would at least have a glance at both at a car show. In the last 20 years I can safely say I have seen wayyy more mint ’64 Mustangs than 323s or Galants. I won’t comment on asking price because these are such niche vehicles that “normal car” prices aren’t applicable, and these aren’t really collector cars.
As for voting, I went with the 323 because, at least based on pictures alone, it appears in slightly minter condition than the Mitsubishi.
That Galant’s interior is everything I love about cars from this era, but for almost half the price the Mazda is hits enough of the same notes. I’ll take the “beater.”
Galant. If you’re absolutely strapped, save the $2500 and get the mint Mazda, but if you can spare the change the Galant is a much nicer car.
Go ahead and look at the condition of those supple herringbone cloth seats and tell me that you can’t scrape together the price difference. Splurge! Live a little!