zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
At $2,750, Will You Find This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron To Be A Very Special K?
At $2,750, Will You Find This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron To Be A Very Special K?-August 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:34

Image for article titled At $2,750, Will You Find This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron To Be A Very Special K?

Despite the seller’s claim to the contrary, you don’t need to know who Lee Iacocca was to appreciate today’s Chrysler LeBaron. Let’s see if this blast from Mopar’s past is worth knowing at all.

All automotive marques have their fans. Some are more universally praised than others, but there’s not a single one that’s totally bereft of admirers. Sometimes, however, those faithful and the faithless collide. That can result in some spectacular friction.

That was just the case yesterday as we looked at a that was the obvious recipient of some serious love and money. Few of you shared the builder/seller’s affection for either Cadillac as a whole or that car in particular and hence found little favor in its $45,000 asking price. The Caddy’s current owner claimed to be “in no rush to sell” which many of you averred was a perspicuous position considering the car’s 85 percent No Dice loss.

Speaking of being in no rush, what are your thoughts on driving a car that by today’s standards would be considered very slow? Would you shun such a proposition entirely? Or, would mitigating factors like historical significance or a somewhat quirky personality overcome that negative?

Image for article titled At $2,750, Will You Find This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron To Be A Very Special K?

While you’re ruminating over that question for the ages, have a gander at this . With its 142-horsepower 2.2-liter turbo four and dog-simple three-speed automatic, it is a fairly slow car. Soft springs and a simple workaday suspension make the car less than engaging through the corners, too.

That, however, is damning the car with what’s not even faint praise. There’s a lot to like here. First off, there’s the historical significance. This LeBaron is based on Chrysler’s K-car platform. It is, in fact, little more than a gussied-up Dodge Aries wearing a New Yorker nose. In the early 1980s, that K-car saved Chrysler from the ignominious twin fates of bankruptcy and possible closure. Following that, it served to underpin nearly 80 percent of the company’s automotive offerings for the next decade and a half. People bought them in droves. That, right there, is a pretty solid bit of history.

Image for article titled At $2,750, Will You Find This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron To Be A Very Special K?

Then consider the convertible top. Sure, you can buy convertibles today but back when this model was released the body style was considered all but dead in the U.S. market. The K-car convertible was one of the first to bring it back, preceding the return of the Ford Mustang droptop by a full year.

OK, so this is a fancified K-car and you can enjoy the sun and a little bit of wind in your hair while driving it. The question then is whether this particular one is worth grabbing. Let’s take a look.

The ad claims 100,000 miles on this LeBaron’s clock, and the bodywork seems to show that in some unevenly faded paint and the wavy-gravy plastic bumper caps. Wire wheel covers and whitewall tires are a throwback to an ’80s mindset of what luxury should look like. It’s kitschy, but with the Glacier Blue Metallic paint and white convertible top, it actually still looks a little elegant. I mean, squint at it.

Image for article titled At $2,750, Will You Find This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron To Be A Very Special K?

That top is said to “work great” though it’s “a little tight,” whatever that means. The body is rust-free, and it appears to have all its trim and badging intact. The interior is white (leather? vinyl?) over a gray secondary hue. This has all the trappings of ’80s luxury, save for a working a/csystem. That could be a deal-killer for people living in places like Arizona, but shouldn’t prove too much of an issue as we move into fall. Let’s hope it has the voice command warning system. Who doesn’t love talking cars?

The mechanicals are said to be in “great shape” and considering the ubiquity of the 2.2 under the hood, finding parts for maintenance and repairs shouldn’t prove to be too great a hurdle.

Image for article titled At $2,750, Will You Find This 1985 Chrysler LeBaron To Be A Very Special K?

A clean title rounds out the car’s attractions and leads us to its asking price. This is obviously a classic car. Its age and historical significance certainly ensure that. It’s also what we might describe as a budget classic. That owes to the fact that these cars never commanded significant bank when new, and today, despite there not being many left, don’t seem to be on the aggressive side of the supply/demand curve. The result is the seller asking a modest $2,750 for the car. That’s not exactly pocket change, but for a working car (except for that a/c) that might just be a deal.

That’s just what we’re here to find out. What’s your take on this LeBaron and that $2,750 asking? Does that make you feel the Mopar magic? Or does that price have you giving this K-car a clear pass?

You decide!

Boston, MA , or go if the ad disappears.

Help me out with NPOND. Hit me up at and send me a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your Kinja handle.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
Volvo Just Proved Wagons Are Better Than Crossovers
Volvo Just Proved Wagons Are Better Than Crossovers
The Volvo XC60 and V60 are capable vehicles in both their segments, but and comparing their specs, I can't imagine why one would spend more on the crossover than the wagon. Here lies, in my opinion, a strong business case to consider wagons over crossovers. To be clear about one...
Aug 4, 2026
For $9,800, Embrace Your Checker'd Past
For $9,800, Embrace Your Checker'd Past
In the 1975 film of the same name, Dustin Hoffman's character paid dearly - or was it toothily - to be the Marathon Man. Today's Checker Marathon is a lot easier on the teeth, but is its price still too dear? Chrysler's Sebring really gets no respect whatsoever. That's too...
Aug 4, 2026
For $1,300, You’ve Gotta’ Die Sometime
For $1,300, You’ve Gotta’ Die Sometime
Today's jet-powered go kart - yes, that's right, jet-powered go kart - even has a second seat for someone to be goose to your maverick. Is its price however, cleared for takeoff? Have you ever seen that old Simpsons episode where their dog needs expensive surgery? They visit a veterinarian...
Aug 4, 2026
For $2,000, Buy The VW That VW Bought
For $2,000, Buy The VW That VW Bought
While the K70 was officially Volkswagen's first FWD car, today's '73 presently has its engine in the rear. You'll of course need to decide if that makes its price something not worth getting behind. Back in the '80s Joe Isuzu hawked his eponymous car maker's wares by lying. There was...
Aug 4, 2026
2015 Subaru WRX: The Jalopnik Review
2015 Subaru WRX: The Jalopnik Review
You're always told to not judge someone by how they look. They might look anonymous, but they might also be caring, hilarious, or just plain fun when you talk to them. The is Droopy Dog from the outside, but Usain Bolt and Jerry Seinfeld under the skin. This is a...
Aug 4, 2026
For $2,995, Sebring The Noize
For $2,995, Sebring The Noize
Combo meals can make fast food ordering even easier and more economical. Likewise, today's combo Sebring/Blazer means never having to decide between fun in the sun and 4x4 git 'er done. But will its price make this combo worth ordering? I don't know what it is about cars named after...
Aug 4, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved