Good morning! Today, I’m setting a challenge for you all. I can literally hear the groans of disappointment from the photos, but just sit tight; we’re going to play a little game. But before I explain what we’re doing, let’s look at yesterday’s foregone conclusion:
Now, I want to point something out about those results, and it kind of leads into today’s pairing. The idea here is not, as some of you seem to think, to feature practical, desirable, or even reasonable cars. The idea is to get you to click, and read, and discuss, and vote. And by that measure, that Seville was wildly successful. I knew it was going to lose by a landslide, but how often do you see one for sale? How could I not write about it? Cars you love to hate are cars you love to talk about, and I’m going to take advantage of that whenever I can.
Today, I have two cars that I know are unpopular around here. Both are from the same seller, part of a property cleanup effort. Both are dirt-cheap. Both, ostensibly, run, at least enough to move onto a trailer. And both are cars I legitimately, unapologetically, unironically like. In fact, I have model kits of both of them in my stash:
But I don’t want you to just hate on them. That’s easy; anybody can do that. It takes a true love of automobiles to find something positive to say about some cars. So here’s what I challenge you all to do today: Find one thing you genuinely like about one of these cars. Find a reason, however insignificant, to vote for one of them. This is purely a thought experiment; no money is on the line, and you don’t have to drive one of these to work tomorrow. All I want is a positive comment, something that you think is cool about one or the other of these cars. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Let’s take a look at them.
1983 Plymouth Turismo 2.2 – $800
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Ridgefield, WA
Odometer reading: 135,000 miles
Runs/drives? Allegedly will run if you put a battery in it
The two-door variant of the Chrysler L-body was a neat little car. Sure, it wasn’t very powerful (at least until Carroll Shelby got his hands on it), and it wasn’t cool (even when Alejandro DeTomaso got dragged into it), but there’s something appealing about it, especially the early ones. They’re just cheerful little cars.
Starting in 1982, the Dodge Omni 024 and Plymouth Horizon TC3 became the Charger and Turismo, respectively, and gained some much-needed horsepower courtesy of the K-car: the ubiquitous 2.2 liter four, fitted with a two-barrel Holley carburetor. Chrysler chose to advertise this fourteen-horsepower bump with a borderline-obnoxious graphics package, a spoiler, and a bulge in the hood. Hey, it was not a great time for performance cars; you got your jollies where you could.
This Turismo 2.2 funnels the K-car power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission, which is a good thing. With a manual, the L-body is a tossable little plaything; with an automatic, it becomes almost a punishment. The seller says this one will run if you put a battery in it, but I get the feeling that information is out of date by a good few years.
But with its wedgey ’80s styling, happy face, and flashy orange stripes, it just calls to me. It looks like it has a bit of rust here and there, and the paint isn’t in great shape, but the inside looks all right, and the original seats are included if you want it all to match.
1989 Dodge Daytona Turbo – $800
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.2 liter overhead cam inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Ridgefield, WA
Odometer reading: unknown (digital, no battery in car)
Runs/drives? Will run with a battery, engine knocks
The K-car rescued Chrysler, and then the minivan gave it some stability, but no one was ever going to call a Reliant or a Caravan “fun.” The Charger and Turismo were sporty, but they weren’t a match for the Mustang or Camaro. Chrysler needed a pony car. Enter the Daytona. Based on the K platform, but rocking a turbocharger and flashy fastback styling, it still wasn’t a match for the Mustang or Camaro, let’s face it. But it was good enough for Dee Dee McCall.
This Daytona’s turbocharged 2.2 is stuck in front of an A413 Torqueflite automatic transmission. It’s not a bad automatic as automatics go, but a car like this deserves a third pedal. I used to own a Chrysler Laser, this car’s twin, with the same drivetrain, and I can tell you from experience it does take a lot of the fun out of it. This one is said to run, but it has a knock.
The interior of this one looks pretty good, if a little dirty. Red interiors seem to be a love-it-or-hate-it thing; personally I love them, but your mileage, as always, may vary. This car’s mileage is listed as unknown; I think that’s because it has a digital instrument panel and no battery.
Outside, it’s rougher than the Turismo, with some surface rust where the paint has been baked off. And it has the later front end, with pop-up lights, instead of the original quad rectangular lights, which personally I don’t like as well. But Daytonas of any age are getting hard to find, and this one looks save-able, and for practically pocket change.
I fully expect a few “Those both suck, and I’m not playing” comments. But I also hope that there’s something here you can find to admire. Dig deep – there’s a lot here to like, if you look closely. Find one thing about one of them, and cast your vote. Tomorrow’s cars will be more likeable, I promise.
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
I actually want them both.
I had a ’90 dark blue Daytona and it was one of my all-time favorite cars. The styling is woefully underappreciated, subjectively speaking.
Awesome Showdown. I have to say, I very much dig your style and positive approach, Mark! It’s very refreshing.
If anyone knows of any of either of these cars for sale near Wilmington NC, please let me know.
The 2.2 Turismo is the last car my parents had before they had to succumb to family vehicles. They still speak fondly of it. So lets go Turismo.
Ask people to say something nice = epic 4+ pages of comments.
Snark doesn’t sell as well as kindness!
There’s a lot to like here.
* they both have that badass 1980s look
* the red interior positively fucks
* retro factory decals
So I unironically like these.
That being said, I’d rather walk 100 miles barefoot through a field of shredded legos and bhut jolokias than drive a 1980s Mopar after what mine did to my stress levels and bank account.
Positive comment about the Turismo, as requested….It’s not nearly as ugly as the Omni it is based on.
Oh, wait. Looking again, it has a five speed, and three pedals. That and two (three) doors, and cool 80s tape stripes. If the cassette deck works, I’m in!
Stick shift versus bordello red interior…tough choice.
Loving how the C-pillar of the Turismo perfectly plants the rear wheel in side-view.
Delete the D-pillar and it makes a great wedged 3-box.
One thing: The (unintentionally?) ironic go fast Turismo stripes are very much my jam.
It won my vote too, because stripes, clutch, and hatch make it cool, fun, and useful. If I didn’t prefer the Turismo so much, it wouldn’t break my spirit to pick the Daytona against something else. Back when these were new I knew a lady who had one with the red velour and hers was an automatic and … while it was slow there’s a lot of good memories from then.
As others have said, the Turismo is actually a pretty good looking car, particularly by the unbelievably low standards of the early 80s. Relatively clean lines, decent proportions and cool graphics (again, by the standards of the era). Plus an M5 and a not-completely gross interior… if I were in the market for an $800 hooptie, I’d be a buyer.
I actually like the lines of the Turismo, and the graphics are rocking a cool 80’s vibe. Plus, manual and a hatchback!
I’ll take the Turismo as I like the go cart look. I thought they looked good new and I still do. Also, it’s not a turbo. Turbos were terribly unreliable then. I bought a new 1984 Daytona Turbo Z against the advice of everyone in the free world. That car rewarded my independent thinking by laughing in my face and kicking me in the nads. I come by my white hot hatred honestly and I will not be denied.
COTD, right there; I bought a new 1984 Daytona Turbo Z against the advice of everyone in the free world. That car rewarded my independent thinking by laughing in my face and kicking me in the nads. I come by my white hot hatred honestly and I will not be denied.
Okay:
The Plymouth has racing strips which are always cool and give it at least five extra HP!
The Dodge has pop up headlights… need I say more!
Also they cars… sort of.
I would gladly drive either as a winter beater. The 1st car i ever sold as a car salesman was a Daytona and i liked them. This looks really bad and auto and clunk so i would buy the tourismo.
“So what will it take to have you drive this Daytona home today?”
“A battery, maybe”
Turismo FTW, it’s a stick and I find them more attractive than the larger Daytona. The Daytona is slush box and rattler. Bonus points being PNW cars and less rusty than Midwest cars.
I’m sorry, I can’t take the Plymouth Turismo seriously. “Gran Turismo” means “grand touring” in Italian, but plain “Turismo” translates to…”tourism.” Go home, Iacocca, you’re drunk.
Bought an ’84 Turismo 2.2 new. It was an absolute piece of shit from the start.
Positive things to say?
The Daytona is easily recyclable.
The Turismo, if it runs, beats walking.
These are not the kinds of car we got in Europe very much, so on looks alone, they represent something a bit different. So that’s my “something positive”. I’m sure someone more mechanically minded than I could make something fun out of these, but with the amount of parts needed and this being the wrong side of the Atlantic, it wouldn’t really be practical beyond a Binky-esque rehash.
Believe me, when it comes to 1980s Mopar, you’re absolutely on the right side of the ocean. Your blood pressure and bank account will be grateful.
That’s not so bad. I tend to prefer Mopars from previous decades anyway.
Turismo, hands down, manual + n.a., and then there’s experience friend had one almost identical in was so much fun compared to the charger 2.2 with the automatic !
Daytona, no way, 1989 electronics, and a knock, + sis had one, at best it was meh!
Both are from the same seller as well, and they don’t seem knowledgeable, but good luck, looks like the old man tried to save them all
Easy choice for me, I’ll take the Plymouth. I like the looks, and I can’t remember the last time I saw a Plymouth ANYTHING on the road, unless maybe an old Voyager being used as a work truck.
I saw a yellow Prowler twice this week. It was the same car, sitting in the same spot. It looked clean, but I don’t think it’s moved in a while.
But I don’t want you to just hate on them. That’s easy; anybody can do that.
I find that the most annoying comment type here; “Neither” “They are both over priced”. Wow what insight, amazing how you were able to distill so many varied ideas concepts, and automotive analysis into one simple stupid comment. Yeah I said stupid, this column isn’t required reading, comments aren’t required either. If I don’t have a preference, or a comment I just don’t vote, or don’t comment. Way easier to keep your boring, inane, negative comments to yourself and save the server space.
I had an 80’s Laser Stop laughing!! It was one of the most comfortable cars I owned and I have a lot of fond memories cruising in it. It would happily do triple digits, fit 4 people, if you had to, and the big rear hatch made for a great stereo set up. So I’m all in on the Daytona, even if I have to install some other drivetrain.
eww, neither is the correct response, they would have to pay me to haul those off to be crushed. I do kind of dig the stripes though, if I had to keep one and did not have to be the one to make it go again.
I like both of them! I’ll take the Turismo since it’s manual and may have a better shot at getting back on the road.
“This Turismo 2.2 funnels the K-car power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual”
No… the Turismo is not a K-car. It’s an L-car.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_L_platform
And my vote goes to the Turismo for the manual. I was leaning to the Daytona, but the slushbox and ‘knocking engine’ (meaning it might need an engine rebuild) swayed me.
Yes, and I referred to it as an L-body elsewhere. The K was in reference to the source of the engine.