Good morning! We’ve got a short week this week, so we’re already a day behind. I’ll keep this quick. We’re going to do three pairings, and then play “track, daily, burn” again on Friday. Sound like fun? Good; here we go.
Friday’s runoff elicited a rousing “meh” from a lot of you. Others welcomed the opportunity to vote on some decent cars for once. I figure if some of you are disappointed, but some of you are happy, it’s a wash, and I’m doing all right. The Volvo 850 won, but it doesn’t sound like anyone was super-enthusiastic about it.
Me, I’d take the Ford Escort, and check with junkyards in Canada for a set of non-motorized seat belts and corresponding interior trim for it. I really like those cars, except for those dumb passive restraints.
Lots of cool things came out in 1983: The Police’s Synchronicity, Return Of The Jedi, and the Tamiya Frog, to name a few. But it wasn’t a great year for cars. The bleak time of poor build quality and emissions-choked engines known as the “malaise era” was winding down, but not over yet. American automakers were playing catch-up with a group of modern front-wheel-drive imports that were taking over the streets, with mixed results. Today, we’re going to look at one of those imports, and one of the domestic challengers. Here they are.
1983 Honda Accord LX – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.8-liter OHC inline-4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Portland, OR
Odometer reading: 500,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The farthest-traveled man-made object is the Voyager 1 space probe, which has covered about sixteen billion miles since 1977. No other object is likely to beat that mileage, especially not a car, but if one were going to, my money would be on a Mercedes-Benz W123, a Lexus LS 400, or a Honda Accord. This second-generation Accord has already been to the moon and back, and it’s still going strong.
The engine propelling this car to such heroic mileage is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder, which drives the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. It’s a one-owner car with a salvage title, and I imagine whatever happened to ding the title happened when it was fairly new. At this age, for this price, it hardly matters if there’s a brand on the title. It runs and drives well, and the seller says everything works as it should. Here’s a fun fact: I believe these engines have a timing belt change interval of 60,000 miles. If it has been changed regularly as it should have been, it should be on its ninth timing belt. Not many cars can say that.
Nothing lasts forever, though, and this car’s interior definitely shows its age. The driver’s seat is not original; I imagine it was replaced because the original seat simply wore out. Even this one is looking a little threadbare. But overall, considering its age and mileage, it’s remarkably well-preserved.
The Accord’s greatest natural enemy is rust, but this one seems to have escaped it. It’s in excellent shape outside, and there’s no sign of whatever damage caused the branded title. Someone really took care of this car, and I love to see it. I only hope the next owner keeps it up just as well.
1983 Mercury Lynx L – $6,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.6-liter OHC inline-4, three-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Odometer reading: 58,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
You know how sometimes when someone says that something is seven years old, and then they follow it up with “that’s like 49 in dog years?” I think there’s a similar thing going on here. At first glance, this early Mercury Lynx hatchback seems like it’s low-mileage, but in, say, Honda years, its 58,000 miles is a lot more. Maybe not half a million, but a lot. Let’s just say early ’80s Ford products age a whole lot faster than early ’80s Hondas.
The Lynx was Mercury’s version of the Ford Escort, which in the early days was powered (barely) by a carbureted 1.6-liter version of our buzzy little friend, the Ford CVH four-cylinder. The transmission in this one is Ford’s ATX three-speed automatic, giving this car a 0-60 time longer than the average Neil Peart drum solo. The seller claims this one was only driven to church by an elderly woman, so depending on how far away that church was, it might not have even gone 60 very often. It runs and drives fine, and has had a lot of recent service work.
The Lynx was always a little fancier than the Escort, and this one actually looks pretty inviting inside. The seats are in great shape, and the only wear and tear I see is a few iffy spots in the carpet. It has air conditioning and cruise control, fancy stuff for an economy car in 1983. I have no idea whether the cruise control works, but the seller says the air conditioning is getting serviced next week.
Outside, it’s in better condition than any Escort or Lynx I’ve seen in years. I’m sure it was garage-kept. I’m pretty sure the wheels have been repainted, but they do look good. The seller says the tires are getting replaced next week too, which would make it a good time to paint the wheels. I’d check for rust underneath, just because of where it is, but I wouldn’t expect to find much. I get the feeling Granny didn’t drive in the snow.
As much of a champion as I am of US domestic vehicles, I freely acknowledge that there’s a reason the imports were beating the pants off them in the early ’80s. Still, it’s a rare treat to see a car like that Lynx in such good shape. I have a feeling I know the answer, but which one of them do you like better?
This is one the best looking generation of Accords they ever made, especially in hatchback form. Easy vote here.
Second only to the generation that immediately followed, IMO. One of the finest designs in all of automotive history. The 3rd-gen Accord (especially the hatch) was the best-looking car Honda build up until the ’92 Prelude, and possibly the most practical until the 1st-gen CR-V.
I had an Escort of this vintage and it wins the “worst car I ever owned” prize because the engine blew up on it in the very first week which means that I’d definitely give it to the Accord.
If the Lynx was a 4-speed manual, I might have been tempted since I spent much of my formative years in either a 2-door hatchback or a 5-door wagon, both with the 4 speeds.
That being said, $6500 is close to what the MSRP for the Lynx was in 1983 in the first place.
Honda for me today.
The least ruined one, so the Ford.
Also has a bit more 80s shape (on the outside!),
where the Honda says more 1979 with the roundness and grille angle.
Honda probably a better car… but I feel brave today 🙂
I know I’m going to end up on the losing side here, but I went with the Lynx based purely on nostalgia. I’m sure I’ll hate myself in the morning. But still…
My dad had an ’83 Escort. It even had the autotragic transmission. Only other option was A/C. AM radio, no power steering. It was light blue with a blue interior, including that nifty seat fabric, so it must have been standard across the line. I took my driver’s test in it.
Around 1989, I picked up a ‘85.5 4-door Escort with a carbureted 1.9 and 4-speed manual. No A/C or PS, or much of anything, really. It was white with a red interior like this Lynx.
I can tell you from experience that Escorts/Lynxes from this era also had a 60,000 mile timing belt interval, so whoever picks this one up should just go ahead and do it right away.
My buddy’s first car when we were in high school was a white ’88 Escort Pony with a red interior, 1.9L TBI and a four-speed stick. To this I think it’s the slowest vehicle I’ve ever driven.
The Accord was the right choice when these were new and is still the right choice today, someone needs to take it to 7 digits.
Maybe see if the driver’s seat can be recovered to match, or if there’s a decent set of seat covers out there to do all of them
Honda for the win today. I’d really like to own this car. Seats and interior are not an issue to me, easy to fix.
Can anyone see/tell if it has A/C?
The Ford product is way over priced, and I know Grandma was a good soul, but this is still a $1,500 buck pos to me.
The showdown feels like a choice between a JFK silver dollar vs a piece of shit fake gold Trump coin…YMMV of course.
Honda, lets see if someone can get it to a cool mil. Also the interior of that Lynx partially blinded me.
That Lynx is a decent specimen, but it’s just too much for an undesirable car. The Honda is tired, but it’s up to the task and will keep on trucking.
The Honda is the better car. I voted for the Accord 🙂
So someone is asking $6500 for an 83 Lynx with a 3 spd auto in white. Bwahahahahaha!
Seriously, a clean Accord, even with the miles, vs that abomination? I don’t care if the Lynx is clean. It was garbage off the showroom floor and is garbage now.
I kept waiting for the catch. Like the Accord is possessed and goes full “Christine” at night or something. But nope. Even then, it would have been a tough call.
A haunted, sentient car that’s completely indestructible and self repairing, and has a dog like loyalty to its owner would be hugely desirable. You just have to set some firm ground rules on who it can and cannot kill
I suppose there would be a lot of positives. But in the end , didn’t that thing just end up killing everybody? And I don’t want to spend my morning hours disposing of corpses.
Mostly just people who threatened it, and witnesses, and the guy at the beginning either because he dropped cigar ash inside or because he was Black, it was 1957, so either would be believable
I feel like a sentient ’80s Accord would have a personality closer to Herbie than Christine though.
I’m picturing Buddy Hackett driving an Accord now
Except being Japanese I would expect Honderbie to be more polite than the rather mischevious Herbie was…although the original didn’t act very German, did he? Had no respect for rules at all.
Hatchback, Honda, Manual?
And doesn’t look like I’ll get a disease or need a tetanus shot? Sold.
This matchup needs the rare “I’ll take both” option.
Accord for me. That gen of Escort/Lynx sucked… especially with the slushbox.
Plus it’s cheaper. That asking price on the Lynx is Crack Pipe.
Accord all day long. That thing has always been one of my favorite vehicles.
Ain’t nobody paying $6500 for an 80’s Escort, no matter what the mileage or condition.
Accord!!!
If the prices were swapped, the Accord would still be the right answer. That Lynx is worse than last week’s Escort in literally every way and they’re asking more than three times as much.
$6500 for a Lynx? With an automatic. Those were slugs when new, and no fun at all to drive.
At a guess I’d say they are both approximately equal on the used-up scale.
With air conditioning on, the Lynx’s 0-60 is no longer timed with a watch. You’ll want an hourglass at least; a calendar in a headwind.
I like them both and would happily daily either one but considering the price on the Lynx is just silly, I’m leaning toward the Accord. I’m halfway suspicious that the Accord may not even be on its second driver’s seat, but its third. And due for the fourth.
In case anyone isn’t sure, it’s pronounced PEERT, like to peer over a wall, and not PERT. RIP Neil, you were the best.
I’d only call about the Lynx to go over and talk about the Greenbriar Firemist Cadillac in the garage….
But of the two – it’s the Accord.
I had no idea the Lynx had a gated shifter.
It’s not gated, that’s just 1980’s Ford build quality.
Bu…but quality is job 1!
Because when North America needs a better idea, Ford puts it on wheels
I voted for the Accord. It is a reupholstered driver’s seat away from being an interesting (though not necessarily cool) survivor.
I could have some fun with that Lynx, though.
I don’t know about any of y’all, but I’m not sure I was ever consciously aware a vehicle called the Mercury Lynx existed. I probably saw one at various times and assumed it was an Escort. That gives me ideas.
If I bought this car, I would try to convince people that the Ford Escort is just a Mandela Effect collective hallucination and we were actually seeing the Mercury Lynx. The Lynx is, in fact, the Berenstein Bears of the automotive kingdom. We were wrong this whole time.
Alternatively, I would try to convince people that my car came from a close parallel dimension where Mercury was the dominant Ford product. Yeah, Ford might be dominant in our where, but there are other worlds than these. Sometimes, when we all have our backs turned, these worlds blend together in ways nearly imperceptible… But I see it. I see the truth… and Mercury Lynx is truth.
I’m not sure what story I would go with, but I would use this car to convince people spooky shit was going on with reality. Some people would gullible enough to believe it. Is it worth $6500 to try to convince people that the bedrock of their very sanity is in question? Probably no. But $4500? With that upholstery? Maybe…
You get a gold star just for spelling Berenstein Bears correctly.
And the Lynx’s interior could easily be mistaken for the most messed-up stereotypical brothel. That is a LOT of red velvet…
Those horizontal stripes make the seats look wider.
Dwight Schrute would like to hear more about this Lynx.
I do love an 83 Ford, but not this one! It does belong in a museum, though. No one is paying $6500 for a 40 year old (nearly) virgin Lynx to actually drive it. The Accord gets my vote today. I’d like to see it end up in a museum, too. But it’s got a ways to go, a quick google says that there is an Accord out there with over a million on it.
So, two acquisitions for the Museum of Average Everyday Cars.
I’m not sure anyone would pay $6500 for a 40 year-old Mercury Lynx for any purpose.
You are damn right Mark,I vote for the Accord. I am sure I can find seats for it somewhere.