What car would you buy in 1985?

"JR1" (type35bugatti) 12/07/2015 at 10:26 • Filed to: What Would You Buy When, WWYBW

2

61

Rules: The car had to be sold brand new in 1985

For me the obvious answer is the Lamborghini Countach 5000 S Quattrovalvo. This is my favorite vintage of the Countach. It was the final Countach to have carbs and the final Contact to be released before the styling got too busy for my taste.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

j250ex > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:31

6

Easy choice. Only because the 80 series land cruiser isn't an option.

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:33

3

Nissan 300ZX Turbo

WHO NEEDS RELIABILITY ANYWAYS?!

djmt1 > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:38

2

Lister XJS. V12. Manual. 600+ HP. Jaaaag.

I would want a hardtop but I can’t find a good pic.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:38

2

Bubbleback Mercury Capri. I’d probably still have it, too - cheap to keep running Fox body with 5.0, T-tops, and a hatch? Can’t think of why other than sheer 80s overload and iffy electrics anybody would get rid of one.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen 12/07/2015 at 10:38

0

That generation had a single turbo

John_Harbinson > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:39

0

1985 M5.Because I’d still be driving it and enjoying it today

Justin Hughes > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:41

1

Best year of the AW11. I’m all over that.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:41

2

FJ60 Land Cruiser

Sportwägen, Driver Of The Red Sportwagen > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 12/07/2015 at 10:41

0

Oh Google, why must you deceive me so?

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:43

1

I’ll go with a Buick Grand National

not for canada - australian in disguise > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:45

2

R30 Skyline.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:46

0

You didn’t specify that it had to be a 1985 model year.

86 Mustang GT

Last of the 4-eyes; first year of multi port fuel injection.

Gray over 2-tone gray cloth with the red piping. 5-speed with t-tops

My citroen won't start > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:46

0

KnowsAboutCars > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:47

1

I too would take a Countach. Although mine would have a rear wing.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:48

3

TheHondaBro > JR1 12/07/2015 at 10:50

2

A Supra Turbo.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 12/07/2015 at 10:55

0

I like the way you think. My uncle had one. My cousin has it now and it’s in his shop for restoration.

It had pink stripes on the ground effects when it was wearing a Kamei body kit. I was a kid.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 12/07/2015 at 11:00

0

I saw you post the Mustang GT and figured from that you were pretty much on the same page regardless. Even if a lot of 5.0 Capris didn’t have the T-tops. I love the minty aqua on that.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:01

0

Mercedes 300SDL

mazda616 > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:03

2

misfitmascots > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:06

1

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:07

0

I’d get to keep up on the stuff that the previous owners didn’t.

JR1 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 12/07/2015 at 11:09

0

Good pick. More unique than a fox and just as fun

JR1 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 12/07/2015 at 11:09

0

Nice pick. I love this design

JR1 > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 12/07/2015 at 11:10

0

Can’t go wrong with a fox body

itschrome > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:10

1

Were there even any other choices?Duh, of course if buy a grand national. Oh wait.. no.. maybe a DOdge omni GLH... shit...

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:11

1

I have a huge soft spot for S coupes of all generations.

JR1 > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 12/07/2015 at 11:11

0

Can’t go wrong with a Corvette!

JR1 > John_Harbinson 12/07/2015 at 11:11

0

Was this the first year for an M5?

JR1 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 12/07/2015 at 11:12

0

Never a bad choice

JR1 > TheHondaBro 12/07/2015 at 11:12

0

How much power did these make?

JR1 > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 12/07/2015 at 11:13

1

So I see you are a wealthy business man that for some reason cares about gas mileage

Aaron M - MasoFiST > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:13

0

Best year to buy an NA Supra.

JR1 > My citroen won't start 12/07/2015 at 11:13

0

I wish the US got these quirky French cars

JR1 > KnowsAboutCars 12/07/2015 at 11:13

0

I wanted one with a wing but I liked this picture the best.

JR1 > misfitmascots 12/07/2015 at 11:14

0

Oh that is a very good pick

JR1 > Aaron M - MasoFiST 12/07/2015 at 11:15

0

I never even considered this car but I do like the looks

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:16

2

That era S-class are really common in diesel for some reason. I guess it has something to do with long trips for business and with not being bothered by needing to fill up frequently.

TheHondaBro > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:20

1

A dizzying 160 horsepower.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:30

2

Nah I’m just a real stingy person that happens to have a sense of style.

El Rivinado > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:52

0

Ferrari Mondial QV. Final body style for this car before it got, um, less nice.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 12/07/2015 at 11:53

0

Not a Mustang guy at all, but I do love me some four-eyed Fox bodies. And ‘86 was the best of them.

j250ex > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 12/07/2015 at 11:55

1

I've never been a huge fan of these but I do like how you could have one with a manual.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > JR1 12/07/2015 at 11:57

0

Cutlass Cruiser duh...

Brickman > TheHondaBro 12/07/2015 at 11:58

1

My exact choice too :D

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > JR1 12/07/2015 at 12:06

0

In 1985... I really liked Mustangs, especially T-top Mustangs, but I also liked SVOs for their handling and style upgrades.

However, if I were to look back on it now... I am not sure I would go with a Mustang, or if I would rather go with alternatives to Mustang that had better suspensions.

1985 was a very good year for MANY cool cars. First year of the FC-3S RX-7, last year of the A60 Supra, before the A70 Supra arrived in mid-’86, First year of the Porsche 951, aka 944 Turbo, previous 944s were not turbocharged. First year of the cool, but obscure Merkur XR4Ti, an effort to sell the euro-market Ford Sierra in the US through Mercury dealers, as Fox Capri bowed out after 1986, and Nissan also had recently been introduced in 1983. Mitsubishi’s Starion and sister Chrysler Conquest were introduced in ‘83, but in mid-85 got a big upgrade with wider boxed fender flares for wider wheels and tires, as well as an intercooler and higher horsepower from the turbocharged engine.

That was a good time to be into sporty RWD coupes. Fuel injection was coming on, and actually adding power and reliability over emissions-strangled carburetors, and tech was at the forefront. All of these imports had four wheel independent suspension, and four wheel disc brakes, which were improvements over solid axles and rear drums.

I’d take any of them then. Or now.

But one last mention... if we are talking no-holds-barred, money-no-object... Behold the perfection of the Ferrari 288 GTO.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > JR1 12/07/2015 at 12:09

0

Lots of good options. Here’s one.

jjhats > JR1 12/07/2015 at 12:12

0

.

John_Harbinson > JR1 12/07/2015 at 13:26

1

In europe, yes, and grey markets hadn’t yet been squelched.

86notchback > JR1 12/07/2015 at 20:13

0

85 saab 900 SPG first yr

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > JR1 12/07/2015 at 20:56

0

The one that I actually did buy. It’s coincidentally the same year as me. And has an 85mph speedometer. And 85k miles.

ranwhenparked > JR1 12/07/2015 at 21:03

1

Buick LeSabre, I think these were actually the best looking of the B-bodies.

JR1 > 86notchback 12/07/2015 at 21:22

0

Beautiful

JR1 > jdrgoat - Ponticrack? 12/07/2015 at 21:23

0

One of the few Fieros that doesn’t look molested

pip bip - choose Corrour > JR1 12/08/2015 at 06:01

0

this!

CocoMonkey > JR1 12/08/2015 at 10:25

0

Come on, guys!

JR1 > CocoMonkey 12/08/2015 at 11:05

0

Nice choice. I didn’t even think about that

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > JR1 12/08/2015 at 17:46

0

And as long as I have any say, the most you’ll be able to tell it’s not factory will be the wheels. (New ones will be coming soon... decent tires that are the right diameter for a 15” wheel are non-existant anymore.)

JR1 > jdrgoat - Ponticrack? 12/08/2015 at 19:07

0

The wheels you posted seem to blend in really well with the design though

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > JR1 12/08/2015 at 21:59

1

I know, and they’re some kind of “period correct”... I don’t know how old they are. It’s just that driving a mid-engined car in 2015 should have appropriate tires, and 15” wheels just don’t work for that anymore. (It’s also frustratingly impossible to find nice gold mesh wheels these days.)

Your boy, BJR > JR1 01/06/2016 at 12:17

0

And I'd still be driving it.