It's 1982, which subcompact would you choose? (MotorWeek Retro Review content inside)

rickhamilton620

has a fetish for terrible cars
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It's 1982, and sadly for you, a Ferrari 308 GTS is juuuusssstt outside your meager budget.


Pick. Your. Poison.
 
I guess I'll do what my parents did and take teh bunneh... Preferably in GTI form.
 
I find it funny how they said one of the features of the Colt was the paint was free of runs or drips. How far we've come in quality. :D

If I had to choose? I'd go with the Nissan. My aunt had a slightly later model that could not be killed.
 
None of the above.

Maybe the answer is Cimarron? :tease:
 
I would just work a little harder and buy a real car?

The US in 1982? Detroit was making still sorta big, square, floating crap, but at least it was crap people fitted into without bending themselves in half.
 
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It's 1982, and sadly for you, a Ferrari 308 GTS is juuuusssstt outside your meager budget.


Pick. Your. Poison.

Rick, you need help to deal with your Motorweek addiction. I'm assuming this is USDM restricted due to the MW thing.

Something that bears mentioning is that the selection is artificially restricted because cars in this class were still available in RWD. None of the cars in this comparo were any good - the Rabbit was made in PA by idiot union workers so it was a shadow of its rest-of-world self - also the GTI version was a year away in 1982 so the powertrains were garbage. The Colt was garbage, the LeCar was completely and classically French, the Sentra had problems that wouldn't be corrected until the following year with a complete line engine replacement (though it outsold the rest of the cars in this comparo.)

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No, I really didn't need that car.

Better choices included the Toyota Tercel/Starlet and Corolla - both still RWD in 1982! - though the Corolla wouldn't get the defining A-series engine for another year. For a couple bucks more you could get a small RWD sporty coupe or hatch (it was available as both) in the form of the Nissan/Datsun 200SX.
1981_nissan_200sx-pic-7745399585897619338-640x480.jpeg


So, having been alive in 1982 and if I were stuck at my current age back then knowing what I know now and being restricted to a sub-Supra/280ZX budget, what would I buy?

I'd buy a Celica ST - among many other reasons because it was cheaper than an up-optioned Rabbit. $7159 vs $7275 for a Rabbit LS and that's before you bought the diesel version. The stripper Rabbits started out over $5K and were absolutely miserable places to spend time.
outside.jpg


And yes, it was technically a subcompact.
 
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Surprise, surprise, I would pick that Nissan. I guess that everyone's jaws just dropped?

 
1982 Honda Prelude.

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Of the cars in that comparison I'll take the Colt then Sentra or VW. Of any car in 1982 that wasn't a Mustang/Camaro/Trans-Am I would take the 200SX in a second. Possibly one of the best looking cars in that decade. Even in brown.

Also, the Celica in that era was brilliant as well.
 
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Screw you guys I'm having a Shovit.

Astra_03.jpg
 
Oh right, the chevette was around, but the restyle didn't come until 1983 so that's out.

From the cars in there, it'd be the Sentra. Else it'd be a Starlet with the 5-speed.
 
I'll take a lightly used 1978 Dodge Lil Red Express thank you very much.
 
Corvette collectors edition. Last year of the C3, and my favorite.
 
Corvette collectors edition. Last year of the C3, and my favorite.

1. EPA classed as a 'two seater,' not a subcompact. Has to be a subcompact to qualify.
2. Original price for the Corvette was $22,537 for the collectors edition. Way, way over the price limit.

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I didn't see falling down 10 flights of stairs as an option...

I'd buy someone's '70 Challenger R/T 426 4 speed for $1000. But out of the sub-compacts, the correct answer is a Toyota Hilux or Datsun/Nissan Pick Up.
Neither of those is a subcompact - though the Celica of that year is basically a Hilux with a car body on it.

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I'll take a lightly used 1978 Dodge Lil Red Express thank you very much.

Not a subcompact.
 
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