- Seller: John D
- Location: Sheridan, Arkansas
- Mileage: 131,575 Shown
- Chassis #: 2G2AH51W2H923335
- Title Status: Clean
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like receiving something for nothing, which is the opportunity offered by this 1987 Pontiac 6000 STE. The car runs and drives well and needs little to lift its presentation to a higher level. The bonus is that the owner includes a parts car that would serve as an excellent source of spares to keep this classic on the road for many years. The Pontiac would ideally suit someone seeking a first project or a person searching for an affordable and luxurious daily driver. The pair need a new home, so the owner has listed the package with us at Barn Finds Auctions.
Pontiac released the 6000 in 1981 for the 1982 model year, with the car remaining in showrooms until 1991. The company upped the ante in 1984, releasing the 6000 STE (Special Touring Edition) in a bid to recapture a slice of its performance roots. This STE rolled off the line in 1987, with its original owner ordering it in Code 19 Black. It retains its original paint, and while there is light deterioration on a couple of surfaces, it shines well enough to reflect its surroundings. The panels are straight, and there is no evidence of rust. The winning bidder could preserve the car in its current form, but refreshing the areas where the paint has begun to become patchy would be straightforward. That makes it a perfect project candidate for someone with reasonable paint and preparation skills. The trim and glass show no signs of significant problems, and the alloy wheels should sparkle after some work with a high-quality polish.
Lifting this Pontiac’s hood reveals the fuel-injected 2.8-liter V6 that sends 125hp and 160 ft/lbs of torque to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. Pontiac offered a no-cost five-speed manual option, but most buyers preferred the self-shifter. Power steering and anti-lock brakes were standard equipment, reducing driving effort and improving occupant safety. Pontiac targeted brands like BMW with the 6000 STE, and while the strategy wasn’t ultimately as successful as it hoped, the STE was a pleasure to drive in heavy traffic and could cruise effortlessly at freeway speed while topping 25mpg. The news for potential buyers is positive, with this classic running and driving perfectly. It has no mechanical needs and could serve immediately as an economical daily driver.
This STE brings its share of creature comforts and is nicely equipped in a 1987 context. The buyer receives air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, cruise control, a funky digital dash cluster, a Driver’s Information Center, and a leather-wrapped tilt wheel. The stereo was considered state-of-the-art in 1987. It features an AM/FM radio/cassette player with touch controls, a graphic equalizer, and wheel-mounted controls so the driver can make changes without removing their hand from the wheel. That may not seem startling now, but it was big news in 1987. The interior is serviceable in its current form. There are splits on the driver’s seat, and the dash and pad sport a high-quality cover. The remaining upholstered surfaces are damage-free. The gauge cluster works as it should, and there are no reported significant functional issues. The interior isn’t perfect, but a set of slipcovers would make a substantial difference and would be an inexpensive solution to disguise the seat splits from prying eyes.
The 1986 STE parts car is finished in what appears to be Light Sapphire Blue. It is complete, although some parts have been removed and boxed or left loose inside the vehicle. The panels are straight, there is no evidence of rust, and the plastic is remarkably good. There is also a collection of additional components and a factory Service Manual. Keeping the Pontiac on the road for years without spending money on replacement parts is an attractive idea, and it could be a reality courtesy of these inclusions.
Buying a new car to serve as a daily driver can be expensive and bewildering. A new car that comfortably seats five people is rarely cheap, and that is before its owner faces the perils of depreciation. This 1987 Pontiac 6000 STE will cost a fraction of the price of a new car, and falling value won’t be an issue. Lifting its presentation to a higher level would be straightforward, while the parts car represents a goldmine of spares. If an affordable daily driver is on your radar, this Pontiac could be ideal. Can you resist submitting a bid after considering all those factors?
Bid On This Auction
- Air-cooled bid $500.00 2023-10-31 13:50:09
These cars were award winners when new. The best domestic sedans of that time. Perhaps a kind soul will save these 2.
These cross my mind now and then and of course the AWD that complimented the STE. Most people don’t recall that GM had to answer to Taurus/Sable that launched Ford into the “future” like nothing else at the time. Also a response to the Maxima which was nibbling at the middle luxury market. A good car that nobody else will be driving as long as the electrics and mechanicals are up to it.
My mom had the very plain LE version of this. 1987 model also. Dark blue on blue. Iron Duke. It was kind of a slug but it was pleasant enough. I remember being envious of the STE models! They seemed so sophisticated for the times.
I bought one for my Mom, it had a cracked harmonic balancer and needed tires, 300 bucks and it was mine. Cleaned it all up, waxed it, and everything worked. Perfect car for mom, Now this was an Olds, but it had about 80k. She loved it but the day came when she started hitting the house, and the time had come. Now I sold it for 1500.00. My Mom had a fit but it was time. About a week later I saw it, smashed to hell. I was so pissed at the owner, it really was a good car. No matter what I drove, I always took care it. It just pissed me off to see a nice car was ruined for no reason.
With all the litterature i read in the 80’s i never ever saw a 5 speed stick offered on the STE. And first year was 83
Buddy had a silver STE beautiful sedan it was. Required no key to start ..
I borrowed it, and i said hey i need the keys 🔑, he said nope just turn it lol.
Never saw a stick shift, ever in a 6000, Century, Cierra, or Celebrity model.
I saw plenty in captivity. Maybe one in the wild.
Wake me up when it’s a Barn Find G8.
I always thought Pontiac did a credible job with the STE being an upscale version of the 6000. I remember being blown away seeing all those buttons on the steering wheel. Little did we know how this concept would expand.
My parents bought an ’84 6000 STE in 1986. Theirs was white over silver with suede seats and a sunroof. The car was amazing. Pontiac had a knack for taking basic GM parts and building something really special, and the STE was an exceptional example of that skill. It was probably the first American car to truly nail the European ride and handling experience, and the growl from that tuned exhaust was intoxicating. Inside, it was clear it was assembled with care, and there were little details sprinkled around that showed Pontiac went the extra mile with this car. The trunk was fully finished, as was the trunk sill. The taillight bezels extended all the way to the weatherstip, leaving no painted metal visible.
My father was so proud of his STE, and it completely transformed my mother. Her previous car was a glacier blue Grand Prix, and any time she saw another glacier blue car, she’d say “Look! There’s a car just like mine!” even if it was something like an LTD sedan. After some time with the STE, not only could she tell a 6000 apart from its very similar corporate cousins, she could tell an STE from a regular 6000. She even understood the European image: upon seeing an STE with whitewall tires, she said, “that’s tacky.”
It’s a pity Pontiac is gone. They really did know how to turn a family sedan into a respectable driver’s car.
The digital dash is dope and pushes this into Radwood-worthy territory.
That is an awesome dash pad, custom fitted and everything. Is it hiding any cracks? If not, I’d call this car a winner.
These had the most distinctive exhaust note. General Motors put the 2.8 liter V6 in a lot of vehicles in the 1980s but nothing else sounded like a Pontiac 6000 STE accelerating away from you. It quickly got to the point where I didn’t even have to look to know that it was an STE going by. And all of those lights up front gave the vehicle a very distinctive and dashing appearance.
I owned a 1986 STE. Loved that car. Really miss it, but love my CT6 3.0TT Platinum even better.
These had the most distinctive exhaust note. General Motors put the 2.8 liter V6 in a lot of vehicles in the 1980s but nothing else sounded like a Pontiac 6000 STE accelerating away from you. It quickly got to the point where I didn’t even have to look to know that it was an STE going by. And all of those lights up front gave the vehicle a very distinctive and dashing appearance.
My Dad was shopping for a new car and it had to be a four-door sedan for his business. I had been reading all of the car magazines, and the Pontiac 6000 STE had been getting very good reviews, a rarity for American iron at the time, so Dad took my brother and me to go for a test drive at the local Pontiac dealer. As soon as the salesman saw us walk through the door, he charged at us like a junkyard pit bull and almost screamed: “HI. I’M LOUIE! WHAT’S YOUR NAME!” My Dad, somewhat taken aback by this, replied: “I’m not going to tell you my name!” After a few minutes, things calmed down a bit, and we discovered that this dealer was marking the cars up about $3k over list price, with the “Additional Dealer Markup” or “Availability Charge” trick, because they were big sellers at the time. At that point, Dad didn’t even want to test drive one, and headed straight for the Audi dealer, where he bought an Audi 5000 turbo!
But that was the reason to buy a 6000, as someone at GM said; it’s like an Audi 5000, only better!
I owned a 1990 STE, and it had AWD. It had a rear axle using the Corvette design and had disc brakes on the rear.
I hope the STE I test-drove years ago was an anomaly. It was a dog. And I wanted one SO bad.
I had an ’85 Celeb Eurosport with the 2.8 MFI V-6. It wasn’t near as quick as I was expecting. Aside from a nice growl from the engine, it was a pretty sedate sedan experience. Not quick at all. I wouldn’t call it quite a dog, especially for the times, but it was no performance car, that’s for sure. This has the same motor.
I purchased one of these brand new in 1985 and it was such a great car . Every-time I took it in for an oil change , I kept asking my mechanic ….. are you sure it needs no other maintenance. He just laughed and said no your good. I wish I could say this for every purchase I have made . Good on ya Pontiac !
My first new car was a 1983 6000 STE. The ’83 was unique in a few ways. It had the carbureted 135 hp “LH7” 2.8l same as the Citation X-11. It had an analog dash and 3-speed automatic. Agree with previous comments, it had a unique big-bore exhaust with delightful hum. It also had the bigger brakes from the diesel A-body cars. The seats were amazing. I remember the Car And Driver photo of an ’83 STE with all 4 wheels in the air hanging, poster sized, in the Pontiac Engineering garage at the GM proving grounds. They were rightfully proud of it. I really loved that car and if I find another I’ll buy it in a flash! I drove an ’89 5-speed AWD STE wagon once – sad GM could not capitalize on all that wonderfulness.
I remember when the 6000 (not necessarily the STE) and its siblings were everywhere. I never owned one but, did own a 1986 Cutlass Cierra. I guess they’re kinda like many other vehicles that were used as intended and later, used up and scrapped. Who would’ve ever imagined that they’d be collectible one day but, I’m sure that there are those looking for them today. It’s nice seeing one now and then.
My favorite errand run lot car was the 6000 Eurosport.Comfortable, good handling front wheel drive and most importantly the good sounding “blastable stereo.Even liked those fancy looking trick alloy wheels.Basically a dressed up square Celebrity but way nicer Good driver’s for sure, back in the good old used car lot days.
Classic? Uh, no
are these cars worthless now 500 for a running car and a parts car and parts the market must be falling i guess i need to wait before buying a old car.