Welcome back! Today we’re checking out a couple more budget-friendly ’80s classics, and I know a lot of you already have your fingers hovering over the “vote” button for one of them. But condition is everything here, so you might want to read the descriptions and check out the ads before committing.
Yesterday, condition was important too, or at least previous possible damage. The Acura’s salvage title gave a few of you pause, but it still won the vote. It probably is the nicer car, but I’d like to know why it has a salvage title before making the decision. Then again, I’d also like a peek underneath the Grand Prix to check on its rust situation.
Salvage titles are a funny thing; a car was considered junk, but now it’s considered a car again. And I know it’s not even an option to get a salvage title everywhere; my buddy Stephen Walter Gossin has told me that it’s nearly impossible to wrest a car from the grips of the junk man in North Carolina. By contrast, California and Oregon both hand out salvage titles like candy, which is why that Acura doesn’t worry me too much.
Even a clean title is no guarantee of a car’s condition, of course. You can do all sorts of cruel things to a car and still have it run through Carfax as clean as a whistle. But sometimes, a car is cool and interesting enough that questionable condition and a sketchy ad can be overlooked, and sometimes a car is interesting but not terribly cool, but has been cared for well enough to make it a compelling deal. That’s the short version of today’s entries; now let’s look at the details.
1987 Chevrolet Cavalier RS Convertible – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter overhead valve inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Goldsboro, NC
Odometer reading: 68,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
After Chrysler brought back convertibles for the 1982 model year, its competitors in Detroit wasted no time lopping the tops off their own cars. Ford introduced a convertible Mustang in 1983, and GM had ASC create convertible versions of its J-body Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunbird the same year. First-generation Cavaliers are pretty thin on the ground these days anyway, and the convertibles were uncommon to begin with, which makes this car quite the rarity.
It’s an RS model, the fake-sporty version of the Cavalier, with red and black trim, fancy steel wheels, and zero extra horsepower. It’s powered by the standard-issue 2.0-liter pushrod four, which will make the same meager amount of power until the end of time, and a TH-125C automatic, which will happily mush its way through its three gears for just as long. It has only 68,000 miles on it. The seller bought it from an elderly woman not too long ago, and went through it mechanically to get it roadworthy. They also put new tires on it, so it should be ready to rock.
The previous owner had the top replaced and the seats reupholstered, so it’s in fine shape inside as well. I can’t be sure what’s under that dash cover, but considering the rest of the car’s condition, I’m sure it’s fine. There were so many different instrument panel designs on these old Cavaliers that you’re never sure which one you’ll see; I had two 1985 Cavaliers and they both had completely different dash layouts from this one, and each other.
It’s clean and shiny outside, but it’s missing a couple pieces of trim. Glued-on trim from the ’80s doesn’t stay put forever, even on a well-kept car like this. But they’re not asking some crazy amount for this car like so many low-mileage ’80s rides, so we can overlook some trim.
1989 Merkur XR4Ti – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.3-liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: St. Louis, MO
Odometer reading: 175,000 miles
Operational status: I’m going to be charitable and assume it runs and drives
In the first of several red or yellow flags in this car’s ad, the seller has it listed as a Ford Sierra. That’s not entirely inaccurate; the Merkur XR4Ti was, in fact, a US-market version of the Ford Sierra, but it’s not a Euro-market car as the seller seems to be implying. Ford imported the Sierra for its Merkur sub-brand, sold in Lincoln-Mercury dealers, to compete with other European imports, sort of a classier version of the Mustang.
The XR4Ti came with only one engine: a turbocharged Lima 2.3 liter four, similar to the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe and the Mustang SVO, but without the intercooler. This one has a five-speed manual transmission. The ad is really light on details; all it says is “needs some work.” I’m going to go ahead and assume it runs and drives, but that may be a rash assumption.
The condition of the interior is something of a mystery as well. The ad includes seven photos taken inside the car, and not a single one of them shows the driver’s seat at all. And this is the only view we get of the passenger’s seat. I have to assume they’re both trashed and in need of new upholstery or outright replacement.
Outside, it’s got some signs of what could be serious rust. You can see it starting to peek out around the corners of the plastic cladding on the doors and wheel arches. The car wears Pennsylvania license plates, and that’s not a place known to be easy on cars. Even worse, as a 1989 model, this car lacks the XR4Ti’s best exterior feature: the big two-level rear spoiler of the earlier cars.
This is going to be a frustrating one for a lot of you, I know; the Merkur is a lot more desirable on paper than the Cavalier, but it’s also in what could be considerably rougher shape. So I guess that’s what it’s going to come down to: would you rather take the nicer but less fun car, or take a gamble on the sketchy one?
(Image credits: sellers)
That Merkur looks like “Bad Idea, Right?” manifested. I lusted so hard after the two-stage-spoiler version of it as a teen, though, so I still voted for it.
Fun note: you could send in a postcard and Ford would return you a floppy disk for your PC compatible that would allow you to outfit the XR4Ti of your dreams right on your computer!
Who says a convertible is less fun? Look, I came of age in the 80s and I view the XR4Ti with some rose-colored glasses but the Cavalier looks to be in great shape at a great price and would be lots of fun as a local cruiser. Meanwhile even with the proper transmission and reputation as an somewhat exotic car for its time the Merkur has a lot of red flags. And these days I think I might rather work up an LSC in sleeper guise than a Merkur if I’m going for a FoMoCo product from that era.
One of the weirdest cars ever vs. one of the blandest cars ever. How can the bland one be in the lead? Autopians, I’m disappointed!! Just call the rust “Patina”.
It is a weird middleground in NC. I have been driving on a salvage title in my Miata for 5 or so years and never had an issue with registration or insurance. Once they are sold to a scrapyard or such though they are no longer salvage title generally they convert them to a certificate of destruction and essentially destroy the title at that point meaning it can never be resold.
My buddy owns an XR4Ti, I like it and I’d take it any day over a FWD slushbox.
The ad for the Merkur appears to be down. Regardless, it gets my vote 100% because of spite for the hateful Cavalier and its meaningless RS trim. Those cars had neither Rally nor Sport in their DNA.
Depending if it ran and drove and an auto: would have voted Merkur recutantly after seeing the Cavalier.
Now with a five-speed and unknown operational status: very much Merkur.
I’ll take the Ford Merkur Sierra XR4Ti even if I have to import a parts car from the UK. Hell, worst case, I’d get a nice Pinto, Mustang II, Mercury Zephyr, etc. and do a powertrain swap. I’d also swap those gloriously 80’s rectilinear wheels. I’d gladly spend my virtual $2500 on that.
Good luck with the parts car; I’ve seen exactly one Sierra in the last ten years or so. Shame, I like them a lot.
So I just looked at Car and Classic and while there were 65 listings for Ford Sierra, holy shitballs!!! The cheapest coupe was a non-turbo 2.8L for just shy of 10,000 pounds. The RS Cosworths are pretty insane. 43,000 pounds for the cheapest coupe.
So, change of plans. Buy the Merkur, treat the rust, and import it to the UK, and sell it for 4X the price.
You can get all you need really cheap from Argentina and Venezuela.
An engine swap is not a bad idea either.
Yes, I want an Exareforeteeeye. But I don’t want this one.
The Cavalier is perfect for what it is, a compact convertible for sunny weekend jaunts into the hinterland. I’d prefer the stock cloth seats, but the overall condition makes up for it.
If I want more power, a late-00s 3900 should fit (the 2.8 it was based on did) and it makes 240 horse.
I wonder if the LT-4 V-8 out of Monte SS or Poncho GP would fit?
I’d rather work on that Merkur any day than drive that four-banger slushbox Cavalier. No thanks. If it were a stick, or a later Z24 with the V6, then *maybe*, but as it is, it’s a penalty box. The Merkur can be cool, the Cavalier cannot.
My 94 Accord non-VTEC SOHC 2.2L and 4 speed auto is a bad enough penalty box. That pushrod 2.0L and 3 speed auto in the Cav has to be a step below that. I’ll take the Ex-Ratty despite the ratty condition.
I’ll take a boring but functional car over an exciting car that can’t get out of the driveway. Some brand that is about to go bust should go out in a blaze of glory and offer all of their cars as convertibles. I’ll pencil in Dodge for that brand since they are deeply, deeply screwed if people don’t take a liking to the new turbo 6/electric Charger.
I voted with my heart. My brain says Cav. My heart will always have a soft spot for the XR4Ti. I almost bought one several times though my teens and 20’s but always stepped back and bought something more reasonable. A long line of Pontiacs instead lol That said, they are getting far more rare and getting parts is harder unless you look across t he pond. Approaching 50 now, I think it’s worth the investment.
The Merkur has more potential, so I’m leaning that way.
Fun story – when I was growing up, my mom had a black and red Cavalier RS sedan with the 5-speed. It also had the digital instrument cluster WHICH NEVER WORKED. I think it flickered on fewer than 5 times in all the years we had that car. The only working instrument was the tach. We still drove that thing from Denver to Minneapolis every summer, and it was mom’s daily driver for something like 5 years. It was totaled early on in our ownership when a street sweeper sideswiped it and crumpled the driver’s rear quarter. We took the check from the city and didn’t fix the car. It still drove fine! Several years later, mom was rear-ended in it, which finally killed the car, since we couldn’t open the rear doors anymore. We got another insurance payout on that, too. I think Dad bought the car for $800, and we made something like $5K in insurance payouts.
Despite never having a fuel gauge, we also never ran it out of gas, either. Which was kind of a miracle, since we ran dad’s truck out of gas repeatedly, in spite of it having a working set of instruments.
Merkur all the way. Sure, she may only have a few years left on her, but I’d be much happier in my dotage knowing that I once owned a Merkur vs. a Cavalier.
That said, the Cavalier does have an example of one of GM’s best steelie designs of all time. They still look good.
My thoughts exactly, throw a set of seat covers on it and enjoy.
I went with the low mileage convertible this time. The XR4Ti, missing the wings doesn’t look good to me
Merkur. I enjoy the challenge of a sketchy old car, but only when it’s a vehicle that’s worth it. The cavalier does absolutely nothing for me and sound like a penalty box to actually drive. The Merkur would at least be fun, even if it is more work.
I’ll take my chances with the cooler and more interesting Merkur.
J-cars of that era were rattle-prone, and taking off the top can’t possibly help with body rigidity. And that particular dash was one of the worst for small, fiddly, plasticky controls. And more squeaks and rattles. Open-air motoring won’t compensate for the misery of the sluggish drivetrain, rattly structure, and cheap interior.
Ehh- with the top down and my Whitesnake cassette cranked up to 11, this vert will be rattling TO THE BEAT, man. Sign me up!
Wanted to vote Merkur, but no wing, no ka-ching. So, it’s the roofless econo-rod today.
Convertible > everything else.
As the only former Merkur owner on staff (I think) you definitely have to go Merkur. They’re kinda fun to drive.
I was in college when these were new. Back then the choice was easy. in the shape they are in now. frustrating indeed.
I voted for the Cadillac Cimarron Vert even though the Merkur is cooler and has a manual. To many red flags for my Autopian I-bucks.
I voted Merkur. Neither of these is probably gonna be a forever car. The Merkur seems like it would be a lot more fun for it’s time in my garage.
This one is pretty straightforward for me; I’d like to have a manual Merkur more than I’d like to have a Cavalier. The convertible makes it slightly closer than it would be otherwise, but not close enough to make it a tossup. XR4Ti FTW.