Good morning! Today we’re sticking in the decade of my formative years, the 1980s. I guess I’m just in that sort of mood; it may be that the soundtrack to my commute for the past few days has been the brilliant ’80s throwback band The Night Flight Orchestra. Seriously, just listen to these guys, and tell me that wasn’t recorded during the Reagan administration. (It wasn’t – 2018.) But we’re not here to talk about music, though I could do that all day too; we’re here to talk about cars.
Yesterday we were talking a little bit about movies, but mostly cars, as we looked at two of the cars featured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. To my great surprise, despite the wild price disparity, the voting ended up in a virtual tie – just two votes separated the Chrysler Town & Country from the Pontiac Fiero. I imagine if the prices had been closer, the Fiero would have run away with it.
And no, this matchup wasn’t just a clever ploy to get you all to vote for a K-car. That was just a happy coincidence. Personally, I’d love to have either of these, but yeah, I’m not paying eleven grand for a four-cylinder Fiero either.
So let’s take one last look at the ’80s for this week. We’ve got a shabby muscle-ish car and a rather nice yuppie-mobile. They were miles apart in price and demographic back then, but thanks to the magic of depreciation, they’re almost the same price, so we’re going to cross-shop them.
1988 Chevrolet Camaro – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.8 liter overhead valve V6, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Austin, TX
Odometer reading: 86,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
Here once again is that whipping-boy of 1980s sports coupes: the third-generation Camaro. Dismissed and derided by “serious enthusiasts,” mercilessly thrashed by more than one generation of owners, the “third gen” nevertheless provided style, fun, and surprisingly good handling for a decade. The available power ran the gamut from “does this thing even have an engine?” to “you don’t know what I got.” This 1988 base model is no tire-shredder, with a 135 horsepower V6, but at least it has a stick.
Some engine bays are so tight you can’t reach anything without taking a bunch of stuff apart. This is not one of them. With a 60-degree V6 in a spot designed to hold a 90-degree V8, there’s room on all sides of the engine to get to stuff. The only downside is that it’s a long and wide engine bay, so getting to anything is a long reach. And while the photos in the ad don’t show it, I guarantee that the hood is held open by a length of broomstick, because they all are. The gas cylinders provided to hold up that long heavy hood last about a week.
It runs and drives great, according to the seller, and has only 86,000 miles on it. This is probably the reason that the interior is far less trashed than most third-gens. It is missing some trim, though it looks like some of it is in the trunk, and I think I see a crack in the windshield. I’ve never understood the steering wheel in these Camaros; it’s just so weird-looking. Maybe that’s why so many of them get replaced by aftermarket wheels.
Outside, it’s got some bumps and bruises, but it doesn’t look terrible. I do prefer the earliest iterations of this style Camaro, with no lower body cladding or spoilers, mostly because the cladding is always banged-up on lower-priced examples. You may have noticed that I didn’t include a photo of the rear of the car; that’s because this car wears a bumper sticker that, well, makes a statement. Whether it’s a statement you agree with, or want on the back of your car, I leave up to you to decide.
1987 BMW L7 – $3,650
Engine/drivetrain: 3.4 liter overhead cam inline 6, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: San Marcos, CA
Odometer reading: 188,000 miles
Operational status: “Gets up and goes”
The 1980s was a good decade for BMW. Its cars were “in,” and they were excellent. The classic M30 six-cylinder engine was king – smooth, powerful, and not insanely complicated like BMW engines of today. The styling was all ship’s prows, Hofmeister kinks, and quad round headlights. And the important decisions were still made by the engineers, not the accountants or the marketing department. They were too good for the yuppie bankers and lawyers that bought them as status symbols.
If you don’t remember, or have never heard of, the L7 model, I understand. It was a US-only luxury version of the flagship 7-series, based on the 735i, with the same 3.4 liter engine, though only available with an automatic. This one is in fine mechanical shape, according to the seller, and all the electrical gadgets work.
You could almost say the “L” in L7 stands for “leather.” The entire interior is swathed in it, including the door panels and dash. For some reason, someone decided to cover up this one’s leather dash with one of those dumb carpet covers, hopefully just to keep it out of the San Diego sun. The rest of the interior is in good condition, but could use a good cleaning.
Outside, it’s decent, but not great. The clearcoat is flaking off, and it suffered a minor fender-bender on the left front corner. The fender has been replaced, but it’s still in black primer. A paint job would be in order to really make this car look its best, but for a classic BMW that costs less than four grand, it looks pretty good.
So, they’re both six-cylinders, they’re both rear-wheel-drive, and they both run fine. Basically, it comes down to style. Are you more the hair-metal type, or the wannabe-yuppie type?
(Before I go: I’m going to leave you with just one more song by The Night Flight Orchestra. This one is the second-best music video ever to feature a square-body Ford Panther-chassis car. I’m sure some of you know what the best one is; feel free to enlighten others in the comments.)
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
The 6-cyl/5-spd is a decent combo for that car. I remember someone having one in high school and it had proper torque to get moving a little bit. Still picked the L7, b/c look at it.
Easy vote for me. I never liked the 3rd gen Camaros. The styling doesn’t do anything for me and the people I knew who drove them back in the day kinda slanted me in a negative direction on them. On the other hand, I love BMWs of that era and I don’t think it would be too hard to keep that one going.
That bumper sticker needs to stay on the Chevy, though, because it is SO 3rd gen Camaro.
Get your Mr. Mister cassette tapes, we’re taking the Camaro tonight!
This feels more like a Def Leppard-mobile
Do you want someone to pour some sugar on you?
Can anyone yell BUS PASS! BOIIII. BUT since gotta vote BMW. That Trans-AM-PM bag boy toy is a no go. Leaves under the hood in February? No maintenance, tacky bumper stickers worn out.
People love to shit on turd gens (sometimes rightly so), but when they first came out, Motor Trend did a big test and they were ranked the best handling car in the US at the time. We forget how revolutionary they were as compared to the 2nd gen,
That said, that one is just sad looking. It’s not ready for the crusher, but for my money I’ll go with the Beamer. I’ll look a little quirky, maybe even a little cool driving the Beamer, vs looking like I’m about to go commit a hate crime in the Camaro.
I love both of these cars, but the 6 cyl thing seems more appropriate to the BMW. I think if (when???) I get a 3rd gen camaro it’ll have to be with a V8.
If you’re not looking to get into motor swapping, definitely find yourself a L98 (TPI 350) 3rd gen. I had a 88GTA with the L98, then went to a ’00 Formula LS1. Foot to the floor, the bone stock LS1 car was over a second quicker in the 1/4 mile (I had taken both to the track), but the L98 felt more powerful, they don’t make much HP (225-245 depending on the year) and run out of breath by 4,5–rpm or so, but they make 330-ish ft lbs pretty much right off idle.
Honestly, the first time I dove a LS1 car I was disappointed, it wasn’t until I matted it and the revs climbed past 4k that I got the difference. An LS powered GTA would be PERFECT.
L98 had tons of torque way down low making them feel like stop light warriors, but they ran out of steam around 4,000 RPM. it was the TPI runner lengths and design. at any rate those l98’s were really nice in an OBS truck at the time.
Considering TBI 305’s were optional in these lower tier camaro’s it is almost amazing to me to see the 6 at all, at least until the later years when they at least went to a 3.8 Buick heart. still wish they had offered the RS with a Turbo 3.8 option back then.
The mileage and decent interior on the boring Camaro are enticing, but overall, even with much higher mileage, I like the BMW. It’s a car I would drive now, while the Camaro needs… something: engine swap, paint job, dunno. Anyway, that’s going to push the total cost higher than a more desirable project V8 Camaro.
The camaro’s clutch pedal and worn carpet suggests much higher mileage than is being claimed….unless that’s just normal for these?
Wanted to vote Camaro. But being a Texas car, with a Texas style bumper sticker gives me reason to pause. Hard. And to pause gives me time to wonder if Texas Man has beaten this car to shit. I don’t trust Texan Man anymore than Florida Man…
Especially when bumper stickers are involved.
So BMW. YMMV.
I know that’s a mechanically simpler BMW, but my eye still twitches at 188k miles.
I went with the Camaro bc I think it would be more fun to drive, but now I’m thinking I would need to test drive each. That’s not exactly a sporty Beemer, but it might actually be a bit more fun than the Camaro, stick and all.
Bimmer! Ditch the dash toupee, clean the interior and save up for some paint and the obvious deferred maintenance items.
Voted Camaro because I loved the 3rd gen to an embarrassing degree in HS. And the 2.8 (wasn’t that the one with bearing issues?) is the 2nd best prompt to ‘just LS it’. It looks pretty good aside from that sticker out back
My dad had a ’87 2.8L Celebrity (A white Eurosport!!) wagon that was still kicking around in the early ’00s with 160-somethingk on it. The joke I heard a lot at the time was that the 2.8 came standard with a rod sticking out of the block, but his was pretty solid. It wasn’t fast, but it had a nice snarl when you floored it. My brother and I both learned to drive on that car. It still ran fine when it was ultimately scrapped due to corrosion issues. Once the fuel tank started falling out of it they decided enough was enough, haha.
Thing is, I should remember: bought an 87 S10 Tahoe super cheap at 4 years old & 170k miles with the 2.8 & a spun bearing on my mechanic buddy’s advice. Rebuilt it and it was solid till sold in divorce
The BMW needs a bit of love, but is easy to love it.
Camaro. That engine bay is begging for a 2.3 Ford Ecoboost engine!
To piss ’em all. I like you.
The BMW. Easy. Not too hard to get it in a nicer condition and then drive it or flip it.
That Camaro has the V6. That’s bad enough. Mismatched wheels, missing trim. Silver paint. It radiates sadness and yeah it’s probably been hooned. It’s only overpriced by 3499. And how many animals have been scraped off that air dam? And to top it all off, the engine compartment reminds me that I have to rake the leaves. What a mess.
Very Interesting I never knew there was a E32 L7 and the US received it (always assumed there was only the E38 which the US never got).
If the Camaro was a V8 I’d take it. But because I have a soft spot for old BMW’s. I’d take the L7 in a heartbeat (Interestingly this one has a M30 V6 according to the Craigslist listing)
Despite the fact that I know that BMW will have an uptime ratio of about 5%, I still want it more. I cut off my mullet a long time ago. There’s no going back.
Camaro. I came this close to purchasing 1982 Berlinetta when I was a newly commissioned butter bar headed for flight training. Didn’t pull the trigger on the impulse buy and it was a good decision, but have always like this generation. I do prefer the Camaro unclad, but I can tolerate the skirt.
I’ve got to go with the Camaro on this one. Some time ago I saw a Camaro of this body style in my neighborhood that appeared to be track prepped. It had an aggressive wheel and tire fitment, a roll hoop, some racing seats, and it appeared to be lowered a bit. It looked great, since then I’ve had the irrational desire for a pro touring build on on of these. This car is an ls swap and a set of wheels+tires away from being the coolest car in the trailer park.
Hadn’t noticed the lack of a rear image on the Camaro, then I felt compelled to go to the ad to see it. Yep, anyone douchey enough to put that on the back of a car is not someone I want to buy a car from, so I went with the BMW even though all things being equal I would rather have the Camaro I think.
Agreed. I do agree with what it says, but don’t feel the need to put it on a bumper sticker.
I let my screen name talk for me, much more subtle, right?
Oh hell yeah, that Camaro definitely has a Dokken take stuck in the head unit! Dunno if I could ride around making that statement myself though.
Also, kudos on the Pretend We’re Dead reference, now I’m gonna go listen to some L7.
“Hungry for Stink” would be a nice one to play while rolling.
The Camaro looks like it has one of those geoduck clams under the hood. Neither is much fun the way it sits, but I’d rather build a Camaro than a BMW. I have never liked the understood the appeal of this era BMW design. Camaro takes it.
While I like the BMW, going with the Camaro.
This era of BMW might be more reliable but parts I imagine are far pricier and harder to find.
The Camaro could have an easy and cheap engine swap to gain power and pretty much every part to keep it running is availble at any auto store at prices that seem to border on scrap value.
Another Camaro with no T-tops 🙁
I voted for the L7
I’m telling y’all, it’s sabotage.
(Voted Camaro, and I’ll razor blade that sticker off the bumper in the street while the previous owner watches me do it)
I bet he likes razor blades based on the sticker
Nostalgia got the Camaro vote for me.