Just About As Basic As You Can Get: 1989 VW Fox vs 1991 Mitsubishi Mighty Max

Good morning! Today we’re going to look at a couple of strippers. Now, before you get too excited, I’m talking about automotive strippers, you know, really basic cars with no options on them. I mean, one of them is in Las Vegas, but still.

I figured yesterday’s showdown was a foregone conclusion, and I was right. Those Mazda MX-3s come up for sale so rarely, and they’re such interesting little cars, that almost nothing was going to beat it. But I am happy to see that the Z24 had its supporters. I have some very fond memories of a Cavalier Z24 that have nothing to do with the car itself, but I still smile when I see one.

For my money, between these two, I think it would come down to intended purpose. For a car to actually drive around, it has to be the Mazda. It’s going to be a lot nicer car to drive, and Mazdas from that era are utterly bulletproof when it comes to reliability. But if I wanted something to tinker with, maybe modify a bit, and keep as a toy, I think I’d go with the Cavalier. It’s easier to work on and find parts for.

If you want a good chuckle, take a look at an economy car brochure from thirty or forty years ago, and read the list of standard and optional equipment. It’s shocking what used to cost extra. And I’m not even talking about power windows or keyless entry or any of that; I mean a day/night rearview mirror. Or a rear defroster. Or any form of radio, even. Hell, some cars didn’t even come with carpet unless you ordered it as an option.

And if you didn’t want a small car, you had another option when it came to cheap basic vehicles: small trucks. Plain-Jane standard cab short-bed trucks were once a great alternative if you just couldn’t bring yourself to be seen in a Tercel or an Escort. But here again, basic meant basic. We’re going to look at a couple of these stripper models today, one car and one truck, and you can decide which one is better basic transportation.

1989 Volkswagen Fox – $3,500

Engine/drivetrain: 1.8-liter overhead cam inline 4, four-speed manual, FWD

Location: San Bernardino, CA

Odometer reading: 154,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives “perfectly”

My dad used to pinch pennies when it came to cars. It’s how he ended up with a ’67 Plymouth Barracuda with a Slant Six and a three-speed manual, and a Fiat 128 with literally no options at all (except dealer-installed pinstripes, which he refused to pay for), and possibly the only non-turbo Dodge 600 ES ever made. He loved a la carte options, and if he didn’t want it, he didn’t get it. In 1985, he bought a new VW Golf, with no options except air conditioning (my mother insisted) and “Radio Prep,” which meant it had speakers and wiring, but no actual stereo. But even that wasn’t basic enough for Volkswagen, apparently, because two years later, it introduced the Brazilian-made Fox, which made our Golf look positively luxurious.

The Fox was so basic that two things buyers take for granted these days – power steering and an automatic transmission – weren’t even available. Its longitudinally-mounted 1.8 liter four cylinder drives the front wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox, in which if I recall correctly, fourth gear is actually a slight overdrive. This one runs and drives great, but that’s all the information we’re given – and in Spanish. I guess if you want to know more, catch up on your Duolingo lessons and go look at it in person.

It looks mighty good in photos, with only a little wear and tear inside to show for its 154,000 miles. And outside, it looks practically new, though sadly it’s industrial gray. I know air conditioning was available on these, but I don’t think this one has it. Fortunately, it has a feature that no new car has – flip-out rear quarter windows.

It’s also a two-door sedan, a bodystyle that I really miss. Not a coupe, just a three-box sedan with only two doors. It’s an economy thing; why pay extra for extra doors you aren’t going to use?

1991 Mitsubishi Mighty Max – $3,000

Engine/drivetrain: 2.4 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD

Location: North Las Vegas, NV

Odometer reading: 175,000 miles

Operational status: “Ready for work”

Right now, there is only one inexpensive entry-level compact pickup truck for sale in the US: the Ford Maverick. And even it’s a crew cab, with a list of standard features as long as its bed. But in 1991, you had your choice of, if I’m counting correctly, nine: Chevy, GMC, Ford, Dodge, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi.

Leave every box on the option sheet unchecked, and you got something like this: bench seat, four-cylinder engine, plain steel wheels, manual transmission, unassisted steering, and “2-60” air conditioning (ask an older friend if you don’t know). And if you want music, you’d better know how to sing. Trucks even took the Spartan aesthetic one step further, by making a rear bumper an option – which this truck does not have. Maybe if it had a bumper, it could have been spared that big dent in the tailgate.

It runs great, according to the seller, and has new tires. And since it’s a later model Mighty Max, it enjoys a standard feature that earlier ones really could have used: electronic fuel injection. I mean, power steering by Armstrong is one thing, but there’s no reason for anyone to put up with a feedback carburetor.

It always amuses me how empty the engine compartments of base-model cars and trucks look. There’s so much empty space, and so many unused brackets and mounting holes. And look at that “accessory” drive belt; it’s a triangle, with only three pulleys: crankshaft, water pump/fan, and alternator. Everything you need, and that’s it.

I know that super-plain cars like these aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I just love them. There’s something about having only what you need, without any extra bullshit getting in the way, that really appeals to me. Which one of these appeals to you?

(As a final note: I have a policy about not featuring cars that have sold since I found them. I have done it a couple of times, and once or twice a car has sold between me putting this column to bed and the post going up in the morning. But generally, if something sells, and I notice it, I find a substitute. That Fox was one such substitute; the car I was going to feature was a first-generation Hyundai Freaking Excel. When was the last time you saw one of those, for sale or otherwise? Actually, you know what?  Screw it; I’m going to throw it in the poll anyway, as a little bonus. Vote for it if you want.)

(Image credits: Facebook Marketplace sellers)