Good morning! Today’s Showdown is brought to you by the letters J and K. Why? Because I can. I don’t imagine I’m going to win over any converts among you – lord knows I’ve tried – but there’s nothing stopping me from subjecting you to them. These both come to us courtesy of the Underappreciated Survivors Facebook group.
We looked at two little egg-shaped economy cars yesterday, and I was afraid that if I made it a Toyota versus anything else, whatever the other car was wouldn’t stand a chance. And it looks like I was right. The little Hyundai Accent didn’t get even half as many votes.
I get it; Toyota looms large over the conversation whenever reliability and durability are brought up. But having owned a few old Toyotas, I can tell you they are not invincible. Neglect and deferred maintenance can do a number on them just like any other car. And this one comes from one of those fly-by-night dealerships along Southeast 82nd Avenue in Portland. I’ve had dealings with those hucksters before, and I’m not in any hurry to do so again. The Accent, on the other hand, has some maintenance records and comes from a private seller, which feels much safer to me.
Now then: The RADwood phenomenon, and 1980s nostalgia in general, is still going strong – to a combination of joy and horror to those of us who lived through that flashy decade. Sure, the music was great, and some of the movies were fun (though personally I prefer John Carpenter to John Hughes), but the fashions were appalling. But it’s the cars we’re here to talk about, and love them or hate them, two platforms were ubiquitous in mall parking lots throughout the ’80s: the General Motors J platform, and the Chrysler K platform. Against all odds, I found two that aren’t obscenely overpriced like so many are these days. Let’s take a look at them now (see what I did there?).
1988 Pontiac Sunbird GT Turbo Convertible – $1,500
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 1.8-liter OHC inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Eau Claire, WI
Odometer reading: 76,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well, but needs a few little things
Throughout most of the 1980s, if you wanted to tell GM cars from different divisions apart, you had to look at the trim. Chevies, Pontiacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, and even Cadillacs all shared sheetmetal, so the differences were in the details. Each division did what it could to distinguish its models, and Pontiac was more successful than some of the others, with its trademark directional five-spoke wheel design (there’s a nickname for these, but I can’t remember what it is) and blacked-out trim. This Sunbird GT had another trick up its sleeve: a turbocharged engine.
The Sunbird’s 1.8-liter turbo engine came from Opel, was built in Brazil, and was shared only with Buick, for its Skyhawk T-Type. It makes 150 horsepower, quite a lot for a small car in the ’80s. This one feeds the front wheels through a TH125C three-speed automatic, which is a bit of a letdown, but it’s suitable for a convertible cruiser like this. As you might expect from a convertible in the upper Midwest, it doesn’t have many miles on it. This isn’t a winter car for Wisconsin. The seller says it runs fine, but it needs “a few little things.”
Like so many convertibles over the years, this Sunbird started out as a two-door coupe, and was beheaded and stiffened by ASC. You lose quite a lot of back seat room if you opt for the convertible, but hey, if you don’t call “shotgun” fast enough, that’s your problem. This one is in good condition outside, but the seller says it needs a new top. Or, I suppose, you could just leave it in the garage if it’s going to rain. The heater core started leaking recently and has been bypassed, but it’s actually very easy to get to on these old J-bodies, so there’s no reason not to replace it.
The upside of not having been driven in the winter is that it’s rust-free, something you can’t say about very many cars in Wisconsin. It’s not perfect; there is some paint flaking off the plastic front bumper, and a little wrinkle in the bottom of the driver’s side door, but it’s a $1,500 convertible that runs well. Ignore the flaws, and just go drive it.
1985 Plymouth Reliant – $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2-liter OHC inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Goshen, NY
Odometer reading: 92,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well, but needs a few little things
If there’s a more generic, stereotypical 1980s car than the Plymouth Reliant, I don’t know what it is. The savior of Chrysler Corporation along with its twin the Dodge Aries, the Reliant is a car nobody loved, but lots of people liked enough to buy. Chrysler sold two million of these things over its nine-year run, and a shocking number of them are still around today. Part of that could be due to their popularity with older drivers who didn’t put many miles on them, but survivor Reliants like this are a lot more common than you’d guess. This one is just a lot more reasonably priced than most.
One year after this car was built the Reliant’s standard 2.2-liter engine would receive throttle-body electronic fuel injection, which gave it a big improvement in drivability and a small horsepower bump, but these old carbureted 2.2s run well enough, certainly better than the optional Mitsubishi-built 2.6 liter. This one has received an elecric fuel pump to give the old mechanical pump a little help. It probably wasn’t necessary; my guess is that the mechanical pump was just worn, but whatever. It has a leaking valve cover gasket, but so does every other 2.2 I have ever seen. It’s easy enough to do; just don’t skimp on the RTV sealant, especially in the corners.
This is a base model K car, which means a one-piece bench seat, a column-mounted shifter, and no center console. The seller has compensated with one of those parts-store consoles with the spikes on the bottom to grip the carpet. Hey, it’s better than no cupholders at all. The interior is in good shape apart from a droopy headliner, but sadly, the air conditioning doesn’t work.
I have long believed that round Hella driving lights can improve the looks of any car, and I was pleased to see that this car advances that theory. I guess you could call this the “Rally Edition” Reliant. Actually, you could lean into that and put some Martini stripes on it. Why not? It’s a K car; have some fun with it.
Most of you scoff whenever I feature cars like these, but this time, they’re not stupidly overpriced. They’re not perfect, either, but what old car doesn’t need some tinkering? So what do you think – is it the drop-top Sunbird that needs a top, or the two-door Reliant with driving lights?
Omg which one will I choose?!
Freedom from choice! I’ll take neither for nothing.
I can’t muster the energy to feign enthusiasm for either car. A floppy-bodied Pontiac ragtop (that needs a top!) or the K-Car with broken AC. At least the K-Car is a two-door. But I voted Pontiac. I dunno why.
It doesn’t take much for me to avoid a k car but the sunbird has it all floors and doors. I don’t really need a roof and they even throw in a fancy forced induction fan and gt badge plus 25% discount.
Normally I’d choose K car, but the Sunbird is turbo, convertible, and $500 cheaper. No brainer.
Much as I hate Sunturds and Crapaliers – that thing is in astonishing condition for the price, age, and where it is from. To the point I don’t entirely believe it’s true, and I am not one for conspiracy theories.
Though if the Sunturd wasn’t a turbo convertible, I would have voted for the “nice Reliant auto-mo-bile”, if I had a million dollars. And any car with a set of Hellas on the bumper is a step up in my book. Hopefully in driving light pattern, not fog light.
As an 80s kid from a Mopar family, I have a bit of experience with and some nostalgia for K cars, so in many situations that would be my choice. But I’ve only ever seen one other Sunbird GT Turbo Convertible ever, this one looks to be in great shape and that’s a killer price. Sunbird for the win today.
The sunbird is cooler, but I think I could make the K-car run until the salt dissolved it. K-car for a beater it is.
This is the easiest choice ever. Of course the turbo car with the drop top wins!
Now is our winter of our discontent…
Getting a sunburn in a Sunbird with turbo noise and equivalent to modern naturally aspirated four cylinder power at least sort of might be worth something.
The K-car? They were disposable transportation, but I never was exposed enough to form any nostalgia for them. It’ll probably last a bit, but that’s not a selling feature as much as it is a burden. Stranger Things is done, so it wouldn’t even work as a set piece in a ’80s show.
I’ll get the sunscreen out, even though winter is coming.
I see a lot of hate for two reasonably priced cars. It shouldn’t be too hard or expensive to get either of these two in very good mechanical shape. They both appear to be in pretty reasonable cosmetic shape as well; it’s not worth getting them to concours condition but they are more than acceptable as a fun accessory car and even backup transportation if the main car is out of service for some reason.
Since there wasn’t a “both” button I chose the convertible as being more fun. I would certainly feel a kinship with and strike up a conversation with the owner of either.
Geez, really? “1988” + “GM” + “Turbo” = “Hard no” in most cases. The craptastic competition does put this one into play, though. The Sunbird is much better looking than the Reliant and it’s a convertible, so it has a couple of things going for it. Problem is that the top is bad and I don’t have a garage to put it in. I’m not sure a Sunbird with a tarp over it would add much class to the neighborhood. I also don’t know if I could stand constantly having to look at that ridiculous dashboard, too – the view from the inside of the Reliant is much better. The lack of A/C is a really bad thing around here, though. So I guess I’m stuck between fixing an A/C system or replacing a convertible top. I guess I’ll go with the Reliant. At least I’ll have a convertible that’s cost me way too much once it’s done.
What lunatic is possibly taking the K car? They are both exceedingly unreliable, but the Sunbird is just so much more interesting.
K-cars were dull as dishwater, but I sure wouldn’t consider them unreliable. They were pretty much cockroaches.
No
Convertible wins the majority of the time for me.
I get bugged by these types of comments every time though, “ This isn’t a winter car for Wisconsin.”
From experience, there is nothing wrong with driving a convertible year round in Chicagoland, central Wisconsin, etc. It’s not ideal, but if I can only have one car, I’d rather have a convertible. I’ve spent plenty of time driving around Chicago and through Wisconsin to the UP (summer and Winter) in various convertibles including a 1992 Chrysler LeBaron.
Drove my Saab convertible top down in the snow several times. Good fun.
I just hated to drive it in SALT, so I drove it in winter very, very sparingly.
For me the option was generally dune in salt or don’t drive. I’ve never had the space or inclination to have a winter only, or summer only car.
I haven’t had fewer than two cars in 30-odd years, including when I lived in a very downtown apartment. Different horses for different courses, and the right number of cars is one more than you will ever need.
My Saab was also a 1992, and it still exists, and is still rust free despite being in Maine the past 20 years. Belongs to a friend of mine now, though it still sleeps winters in my garage in Maine. How’s that Chrysler doing?
I’m not opposed to multiple cars, just have not made it a property. Haven’t seen the Chrysler in about 20 years. It had about 200,000 miles on it when I sold it. I saw it around in pretty rough shape at that point. I’m sure it was crushed shortly after I saw it last. It was also an early 90s Chrysler product with 200,000 miles. It really wasn’t salt and rust that did it in.
Oh great, a Sunbird Convertible with a turbo that’s near me. I’m going to make a bad decision today, aren’t I?
If ever there was a case for an Autopian Go Fund Me account, this is it.
Is it better or worse that you’re owning up to the bad decision in a public forum?
It’s couch cushion money – go for it!
-the little devil on your shoulder
The sunbird is objectively the better car with better options, but I voted Reliant because it’s just so unapologetically basic, so utilitarian, so many things you’d be hard-pressed to find on any new dealer lot these days.
Sunbird. A cheap convertible is still a convertible.
I guess the Sunbird. It’s a convert, cheaper by $500 and isn’t a K car with no AC and a droopy headliner for two grand. I can fix a heater core and I don’t like to drive converts with the top up anyway.
At this price, in this condition, these are both a buy. I’m not a convertible guy, so I let those Hellas sway me towards the K-car. I do like a good bench seat.
J car every day!
loved my ’89 with the refreshed interior, and with a stick surprisingly toss-able!
Well neither one makes the case
There’s nothing left here to remind me
of that 1980’s place
And shelling out all that cash
is against the odds
So that’s what you’ve gotta face
I would buy both.
After that, I would buy two cinder blocks to place on the accelerators, point the cars facing each other 1/4 mile apart, and make them crash head on to see which one wins. Or, I could take them to the Grand Canyon, brick the accelerators, and see which one can jump the farthest. I wouldn’t title these cars in my name, so any resulting catastrophes or environmental damage would be the previous owner’s problem. That sounds like the ideal use case for these shitboxes.
For voting purposes, I went with the Reliant because I hate it slightly less. The blue interior is also a positive.
You really think they woud both track straight enough over a quarter mile to hit head on?
I presume they would need some help. Maybe somehow attach them to railroad tracks? Maybe rig up a remote control system for the steering? It would be worth the effort.
The Sunturd sure wouldn’t. Those things were the definition of “torque steer” with the weezy mill they came with in the base cars. I can only imagine what a wrestling match the turbo gives when the boost kicks in.
Though having driven an assortment of K-cars in my youth, honestly, they were not terrible to drive. IMHO better than the equivalent GM cars or the RWD Fords, not near as good as a Taurus once those debuted. Just unrelentingly boring.
Sunbird for me. Even though it’s in need of more work, it’s a more interesting vehicle than an early carb’d base model K-car.
Looking at the engine bay of the Reliant, are the shock towers and firewall a different color, or are they just filthy?
Edit: The hood hinges appear to be light blue as well.