Uncommonly Comfy ’80s Sedans: 1987 Nissan Maxima vs 1988 Sterling 825

Good morning! On today’s menu, we have two V6-powered sedans with Japanese roots that aren’t your everyday choices. In fact, one of them I haven’t seen for sale this nice in many years. I’m pretty excited to feature it, actually.

But we’ll get to that in a minute. First let’s check the results from yesterday. The Corvair – which is in fact a base model, thank you to those who clarified that – seems like the wiser choice, with less visible rust, and a stronger support network. But it’s the Buick Special that won the day. Hard to argue with a V8 and a manual, even a tiny V8 and a three-on-the-tree.

I’m inclined to agree. Corvairs are cool, but I’d rather hold out for a manual version, even if it were a four-door. And the later models with less-murderous rear suspensions seem like a good idea as well. Besides, the Buick makes me think of my grandpa, who was such a fan of the Special/Apollo/Skylark that he bought a new one every time GM changed the bodystyle. I don’t think he ever had a convertible, though.

I have a sort of unofficial list of cars I keep an eye out for, that I’d like to feature here, and today, we’re scratching one off that list. I have finally found a Sterling in decent condition for sale! Of course, the trouble with finding a car like that is that I always have to feature two cars, so I had to find something to put up against it. Let’s see… what’s a good comtemporary model that you don’t see too often? Aha – a Nissan Maxima. That’ll do nicely. Let’s check them out.

1987 Nissan Maxima GXE – $4,000

Engine/drivetrain: 3.0-liter overhead cam V6, four-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Roanoke, VA

Odometer reading: 84,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

During the 1980s, a huge number of cars switched from rear- to front-wheel-drive. The typical reason was for packaging: It’s easier to fit a large passenger compartment in a smaller (and therefore lighter and more efficient) car if you cram all the drivetrain components into the front. In 1985, it was the Nissan Maxima’s turn to make the switch.

The previous RWD Maxima used an inline six from the earlier Z-cars, but obviously that wasn’t going to fit transversely in a FWD application. Fortunately, Nissan had just replaced the inline engine in the Z with a new V6, which fit just fine. It’s not an easy engine bay to work in, but it is a good car to drive. This one has only 84,000 miles on it, and runs well. It is an automatic, which takes away some of the fun, but it seems like most low-mileage survivors of this sort are automatics; the manuals get “funned” to death.

It’s a lower-tier GXE model, so it makes do with analog gauges and cloth seats, but it still has plenty of power toys, and I seem to remember those seats being mighty comfy. The seller says the heat and air conditioning both work just fine, too. Unfortunately, in 1987, Nissan saw fit to install motorized seat belts in the Maxima, adding an unnecessary annoyance to an otherwise nice car.

It’s rust-free, and most of its paint is still shiny; it must have been garaged most of the time. I could do without those aftermarket rain awnings on the windows, but I imagine they come off easily enough. I have to confess it hurts a little to see “Antique Vehicle” plates on a car that was new when I was a freshman in high school, but I suppose neither this car nor I are as young as we once were.

1988 Sterling 825 SL – $5,000

Engine/drivetrain: 2.5-liter overhead cam V6, four-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Hampton, GA

Odometer reading: 130,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

British Leyland car sales in America fizzled out in the early 1980s. MG ceased production of the MGB and Midget in 1980, and Triumph axed the Spitfire the same year, leaving only Triumph’s TR7 and TR8 to carry the sports car flag. Rover, which had last sold cars in the US in 1971, attempted to come back in 1980 with the disastrous SD-1. You had no idea that car was ever sold here, did you? Yeah. Exactly. In 1987, they tried again, with the Honda-based Rover 800 series, badged here as the Sterling 825.

The 825 shares its basic mechanical design with the Acura Legend, including its transverse V6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission. However, this car was built in England, not Japan, by the Rover Group, which was basically the wreckage of old British Leyland. It uses Lucas electrical components, and its build quality leaves something to be desired. Needless to say, this car did not gain a sterling reputation here in America (see what I did there?). This one, however, has been carefully maintained, and runs and drives well, despite having reached British car old age at 130,000 miles.

It’s the SL model, the fancy one, with lots of leather and wood inside. The driver’s seat is a little rough, but otherwise it looks pretty good inside. The seller claims that “everything works,” a bold claim for a car like this. I want to believe it’s true. This is a nice car, when everything is working properly, much more luxurious than its Acura cousin. I really want it to be as good as they say it is.

It looks nice and clean outside. The styling isn’t much to write home about on these; it looks a lot like an Acura Legend, or an Eagle Premier, or any number of other sedans from its era, but it’s handsome with its two-tone paint and basket-weave wheels. I see a few blemishes, but nothing too serious, and this is firmly in “oh yeah? Find another one for sale” territory, so you kind of have to take it or leave it.

These were both mainstream four-door sedans in their day, but now, due to age and rarity, they’re both specialty vehicles, probably not suitable for daily use, unless you’re both brave and handy. Are they classics yet? I guess that depends on your perspective. They’re both definitely a more interesting alternative to a Camry or a Cutlass Ciera. Which one would you take home?

(Image credits: sellers)