Good morning, and welcome to another edition of Shitbox Showdown! Today we’re looking at two two-door coupes, both with V6 engines and front-wheel-drive. Which one makes a better personal luxury ride on a budget? That’s what we’re here to find out.
We ended last week with a battle of so-called daily drivers, which to most people would be anything but. It was a Minor victory for the British, as the Morris took home the win, largely because of its more familiar control layout. But the good old Model T had plenty of supporters, too.
As for me, I have to take the Minor. Why? Because my wife wants one. She’s had a thing for them ever since I took her to her first All-British Field Meet back in Portland, and she got to know all the various cars. As such, it’s another car on my list of potential restorations someday, though I think I’d seek out a Traveler or a pickup.
Now then: Personal luxury coupes have fallen out of favor in the market these days, but once upon a time, they were huge. And I don’t just mean the aircraft-carrier-like dimensions of a Lincoln Mark IV or boat-tail Buick Riviera. Almost every manufacturer wanted a piece of the action at one time or another, from the Mercedes 500 SEC all the way down to the Plymouth Sapporo. They may be gone from showrooms, but non-sporty two-door coupes still dot the used-car landscape. Let’s check out a couple of them.
1988 Acura Legend L – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: 2.7-liter overhead cam V6, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Sacramento, CA
Odometer reading: 98,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
When Honda launched its upscale Acura brand back in 1986, it started with two models: a small sporty car called the Integra, and a luxurious sedan called the Legend. A year later, the Legend was offered in two-door coupe form as well. Ironically, Honda got the names backward; the Integra became a legend, and the Legend became the RL, and is barely remembered these days.
The first-generation Legend is powered by a V6 engine, a first for Honda, displacing 2.7 liters. I remember how big of a deal it was in the auto magazines back then that Honda was making a V6. It was available with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic; this one is an automatic. It runs great, according to the seller, and it has only 98,000 miles on the odometer. Sadly, it does have a salvage title, for an undisclosed reason. It’s probably worth asking, though.
The Legend was also an early adopter of airbags; the coupe had one in 1987. This means the Legend was spared the indignity of the automated seatbelts foisted upon the Integra a few years later. It’s got nice leather upholstery, and the rest of the interior looks good as well.
It looks nice and clean outside too, making the salvage title even more mysterious. California will ding the title for a theft recovery, so it might not have ever been wrecked. I suppose it doesn’t matter much on a thirty-six-year-old car, but some insurance agents won’t cover salvaged cars. Probably best to find out before you buy.
1994 Pontiac Grand Prix SE – $3,795
Engine/drivetrain: 3.1-liter overhead valve V6, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Yaphank, NY
Odometer reading: 79,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
GM’s W-body Grand Prix was sort of the opposite of the Legend. It came only as a coupe to begin with, then added a four-door sedan a couple years later. It seemed weird at the time since the Grand Prix nameplate had only been used on coupes before that. It’s also the first time the Grand Prix was driven by its front wheels, which I think upset traditionalists more than the additional doors.
Lots of engines were available in the W-bodies, especially early on, but the majority of them came with GM’s 60-degree pushrod V6 and an automatic. For 1994, that meant a displacement of 3.1 liters, and a 4T60 overdrive automatic. It’s not an exciting combination, but it gets the job done. This ad is frustratingly short on information; it just says “everything works.” I suppose with fewer than 80,000 miles on the clock, it ought to.
Inside, it’s classic mid-1990s GM: kinda cheesy, with lots of buttons, hard gray plastic, and fuzzy upholstery. At least you know what you’re getting. It’s not all bad, though; GM seats are mighty comfy, and its air conditioning will freeze you right out of the car. This one is in good condition, but that tree air freshener does worry me a bit. Those things are never covering up anything good.
Outside, the seller calls it “pristine,” which is maybe not quite the word I would use; the rear bumper looks more faded than the rest of it, and it looks like it might need front tires. But for the price, it’s not bad at all.
Coupes fell out of fashion because they’re a hard sell to anyone who wants to use the back seat; if you’ve ever had to crawl in and out of the back of these things, you understand exactly why calling “shotgun” was a big deal. But there’s no denying that they look better than their four-door relatives, and they’ll certainly stand out in today’s crowd of same-old four-door crossovers. Which one would you pick?
(Image credits: sellers)
I voted Legend. Nice to see a Sacramento car represent on Shitbox Showdown. The ad doesn’t say if the AC works, which means it doesn’t, so buyer beware for the Sacramento weather, which today, Oct. 7th, was 102 degrees.
I’ll take the Legend but I still really like the Pontiac
Grand Prix.
Yes I am biased.
Grand Prix.
The Acura is the better car… so it gets my conditional vote on the condition that the reason behind the salvage title doesn’t make me run away.
For what it’s worth just about every other old used car in California has a salvage title. Any old car that basically gets bumped gets totalled out – body work is expensive and old used cars are effectively worthless.
Tough call. The Legend has a sunroof, and was probably the better car, when new, but not sure what skeletons that salvage title is hiding. Was it flooded? Is there a reason the mileage is so low (i.e. it runs intermittently and will never be the same?) Most of these would have 200k plus miles on them, and with that stick on spoiler, and grungy leather on the driver seat, it does not look like it was a pampered garage queen.
On to the Pontiac…at that age, the GM clear coat does not appear to be flaking off in sheets, as most of this vintage. It’s quite possible that this one DID live a garaged life, and maybe didn’t see too much of those New York winter streets. The engine and drivetrain are likely solid, parts will be a lot cheaper, and that rockin’ GM air conditioner might still work. I’m gonna gamble on the Pontiac, and spend the extra 200 imaginary dollars on some E-bay wheel centers, and a couple tanks of gas.
I like the Legend more than the Grand Prix, but I’ve owned several Salvage Title vehicles and I can say it’s not worth it at that price. The fact the owner is hiding the plate number so I can’t pull a CARFAX to know what’s the reason for the Salvage Title beforehand is a red flag for me.
Reluctantly voting Grand Prix this time
That’s where I’m at, plus I know the W body Monte Carlo (another coupe on the platform) is very comfy and very reliable. I know the Legend is reliable, but… I’m not sure I want to deal with any issues of insuring a salvage title.
Both are great choices for basic transportation, but I’m definitely going for the Honda based on location. It’s much less likely to be corroded, inside and out.
A Sacramento car doesn’t experience snow and road salt, and compared to a New York car, it rarely even sees rain.
I doubt you’d need a single can of PB Blaster to fully disassemble that Honda. If the Pontiac is like other old New York cars, you’d better stock up.
The Legend, all day long.
Because the Grand Prix is no prize.
I will not buy a vehicle that a salvage title because I have a short attention span when it comes to cars , and so it becomes a hassle for me to sell them when they have a salvage title.
Pontiac for me!
a vehicle that has a salvage
I’ve always hated the W bodies and have no interest whatsoever. Prefer a manual or a 2nd gen Legend, but a coupe is a coupe and I can’t even remember the last time I saw one, never mind one that wasn’t rotted out. Some inspection to see what the salvage is about, call around about insurance, and done.
My uncle had an Acura Legend called “the slut” because everyone had ridden that thing. Well over 200k miles before it gave up the ghost.
This selection falls into the “daily” category for me. There’s nothing wrong with the GP apart from it going up against a car I always liked the looks of. Since we’re talking daily the extra options in the Legend would go a long way. My guess is that most (if not all) of them still work.
That and a decent leather interior were my thoughts exactly.
Even though I’m an “If it ain’t Jap, it’s crap!” guy these days, I’ve had a car with the GM 3100, and honestly, it was pretty good. It had adequate (barely) power, made pleasant sounds, and actually achieved phenomenal fuel economy. The Pontiac is far more attractive, powered by an engine I like and know well, and isn’t a boring color, so between these two? Pontiac all day.
Legend is amazing but as a Pontiac guy I gotta vote Grand Prix. Though I think that begs for a 3800 swap if it’s not too complicated.
Oh man, these are both really nice. The Legend is the better car, but the Grand Prix is the better looking car. The salvage title pushed me towards the Pontiac, but you’re not going wrong either way today.
Legend by a mile. Those were the days when Honda had thin pillars and excellent visibility.
This is one of those that needed a both option – I went for the Acura but that Grand Prix looked nice as well
I went for the Acura. The Pontiac is pretty good, but it’s a little high, even at the low mileage. The Acura would be worth putting a little money into and sorting out the title.