This 1990 Chrysler TC by Maserati is an instantly recognizable 90s classic car. The reasons for it being somewhat infamous are well known, but is it time to start appreciating it for what it is? An affordable, stylish convertible that should prove relatively cheap to maintain? Or should it be relegated to the back pages of car history, a fancy LeBaron? Well, that’s up for debate, but this example listed here on eBay appears to be in excellent condition with the standard-issue Mitsubishi 3.0L V6 and an automatic transmission, and up for grabs in a no reserve auction.

One of my more enjoyable debates with car friends is whether you’d choose this or a similarly ill-fated Cadillac Allante. Both cars were intended to be game changers for the domestic auto industry, and both cars took chances that the Big 3 rarely took. Overseas styling houses and partners were involved, and the base price ballooned significantly to levels that made the models practically stillborn, no chance of being profitable unless it was the sales success of the decade. Obviously, neither car set any records, and I’m sure more than a few middle managers had some fired-up accountants breathing down their necks at the end of the quarter. Still, it’s a fair question – which would you choose?

When it comes to yours truly making a choice, I would go with the Chrysler – but with a slight deviation from what we see here. The automatic transmission and the Mitsubishi-sourced engine is the most commonly seen variant, but there was a slightly hotter-ticket offering that makes the TC a bit more compelling. You could get one with a 5-speed manual and a turbocharged engine assembled by Maserati, but that’s a hard specification to come by. Still, they rarely sell for more than $10,000 in mint condition, so there’s an argument to be made that the value proposition is strong – if you can find one.

This example seems like many others – even without the turbocharged engine – nicely preserved condition, almost certainly cherished by an owner who thought it was destined to be a collectible. That was the case with the TC by Maserati, similar to pace cars and other short-lived models, that it was guaranteed to be a future museum exhibit. The seller doesn’t provide us with many details here but the clean carpets, such as in the trunk, and the low mileage shown of just 56,000, all seem to point to this being a Chrysler that was looked after. For the money, it’s hard to find anything this clean, let alone a car that could be seen as a quasi-collectible.