What car would you choose from 1980’s

[bricol]

I thought that the Lancia Stratos was only manufactured between 1973 and 1978.

As lovely as they are, they ain't an 80s car.

Now if you had said Lancia Delta integrale ...

(for all their appalling build quality !
- my late mate Charlie had his try to kill him as he drove it home from the Dealership for the first time.
It eventually had its handbrake fail while parked and it died under a Stirling Council Bin Truck.)

Appalling indeed . . . had my second one nearly 20 yrs
The first one, and 89 16v let me down late one night at work - dodgy earth connection to the shell so it simply "clicked" when I turned the ignition key. And a front indicator bulb failed just before an MOT . . . that was about it in 8 yrs.
Second one let me down a few years ago - oil pump failed on the M65 - it had done 200000 hard miles though.

Got the precautionary 2 yr cam belt change to look forward to next year - didn't seem so bad doing them every year with the mileage I used to do when used as an everyday car and commuting to work in Germany - now it's non-winter car (annoying the best time to use one on the right tyres), it's only doing a few thousand a year.

 

[Parm]

That’s a tough question, quite a few I’d like to own from that era. I think in order of my own desires,
Audi UR Quattro
Lotus Carlton
Sierra RS500 Cosworth
Lancia Delta Integralé
Rover SD1 Twin Plenum
Peugeot 205 GTI
Jaguar XJ, series 3

Overall the cars from back then had much more individuality and character. IMO of course.

You were doing so well till you mentioned the SD1

 

[fizzy]

You were doing so well till you mentioned the SD1

Have you ever owned one?
I had 2. Very reliable and never rusted. The Vitesse was labelled as the poor man's Aston. Did very well in touring car.

 

[RichardM]

I thought that the Lancia Stratos was only manufactured between 1973 and 1978.

It's just a little technicality which I would happily overlook if I had a spare 1/2 million.

 

[Parm]

Have you ever owned one?
I had 2. Very reliable and never rusted. The Vitesse was labelled as the poor man's Aston. Did very well in touring car.

I haven’t, but dad and grandad both had one each, they quickly went back to Jag’s

 

[drjim]

Actually I'd rather like another go in the Volvo 265 estate my parents owned for a while, I was 17/18 it was a V6 could powerslide round a corner at will, nice leather interior, and would be a lot of use now - it's a massive Volvo estate you can fit loads of stuff in.

 

[redlig]

I'd choose any of the 20 or so cars I "had" in the 80's just so long as they came with the same deal i.e. free car ,insurance ,road tax and unlimited free petrol.
It came as a bit of a shock to find that I was expected to actually pay for those things after redundancy. Best Co. car was an NSX in early 90's but only for a short time.

 

[Parm]

I had the 3L GSi Opel Omega on hire. Drove it across Spain. Reached some very silly speeds. Deserted motorways and no speed cameras. Did Gib to Bilbao in 8 hours - that is an average of 82mph Could never do it in the UK.

Tej n I have tested the Autobahns in the mid nineties. My M5 was the hands down champion drive

 

[roblane65]

That’s a tough question, quite a few I’d like to own from that era. I think in order of my own desires,
Audi UR Quattro
Lotus Carlton
Sierra RS500 Cosworth
Lancia Delta Integralé
Rover SD1 Twin Plenum
Peugeot 205 GTI
Jaguar XJ, series 3

Overall the cars from back then had much more individuality and character. IMO of course.

Nice list there although I'd scratch the 205 gti sorry but never did a thing for me .

You were doing so well till you mentioned the SD1

Being a bit harsh there Parm iirc the Vitesse held the record for the fastest production saloon for a short while till they brought out the lotus charlton not a 100% on that info but pretty sure

 

[Farside]

A Classic?
View attachment 426189

The asswhole has just spoiled that with his street-banger chavvy wheel angles.

 

[roblane65]

The asswhole has just spoiled that with his street-banger chavvy wheel angles.

The resto mod looks good imo but I must agree about the wheels , very muricanish !

 

[fizzy]

I haven’t, but dad and grandad both had one each, they quickly went back to Jag’s

I love jags as well.
My father in law had an M5. Around 1988 I think. Dog leg 1st gear getrag box if I remember right. Didn't like the steering. Felt rather wooly. I was horrified to learn it was the recirculating ball type. Took BMW years to adopt rack and pinion !

 

[Parm]

I love jags as well.
My father in law had an M5. Around 1988 I think. Dog leg 1st gear getrag box if I remember right. Didn't like the steering. Felt rather wooly. I was horrified to learn it was the recirculating ball type. Took BMW years to adopt rack and pinion !

Mine was the E39, awesome machine. My series III XJ6 4.2 was for me the best daily driver. It was like a magic carpet

Only did 11 mpg!!

 

[fizzy]

Mine was the E39, awesome machine. My series III XJ6 4.2 was for me the best daily driver. It was like a magic carpet

Only did 11 mpg!!

I loved those old XJ6 models. Lovely engine and as you say best ride ever.
Didn't they have twin tanks with a change over switch?

 

[roblane65]

OH and how could I forget about the Opel Ascona 2.0 SR ( coupe ) I actually owned a 4 door for a while .

 

[Parm]

I loved those old XJ6 models. Lovely engine and as you say best ride ever.
Didn't they have twin tanks with a change over switch?

Yep

 

[Jack_K]

I don't think parts would be available for a lot of 80s vehicles.

I would be interested to find some "boring" but reliable fuel injected vehicle from then and use it as my main car. At least if I do end up with something like that I have the largest and likely most expensive engine analysers from the 80s. My analysers can do lots of ECU related stuff but I don't even work on any vehicles new enough to have ECUs

 

[Farside]

I don't think parts would be available for a lot of 80s vehicles.

I would be interested to find some "boring" but reliable fuel injected vehicle from then and use it as my main car. At least if I do end up with something like that I have the largest and likely most expensive engine analysers from the 80s. My analysers can do lots of ECU related stuff but I don't even work on any vehicles new enough to have ECUs

2.8 Cologne Granada, then.
Here, wait a minute, you're in Oz, and have a variety of interesting bigger engined heaps to choose from, surely.

 

[Jack_K]

2.8 Cologne Granada, then.
Here, wait a minute, you're in Oz, and have a variety of interesting bigger engined heaps to choose from, surely.

Anything with a large engine is probably too popular/expensive for what I want. I daily drive my 1986 mini but I would like to wear something out that I don't care so much about. I don't think I will actually buy any more cars for at least a few years (need to buy somewhere to put the stuff I want) but I do have the idea.

 

[JohnH]

Have you ever owned one?
I had 2. Very reliable and never rusted. The Vitesse was labelled as the poor man's Aston. Did very well in touring car.

SD1 V8-S. The one with the GOLD wheels.

1980 model, that I bought in '83. Fantastic car, looking a bit rusty round the edges here. The A/C only worked for the 1st day I owned it.