Chrysler has done a few things very well in its time as an automobile manufacturer, and building a convertible that blends luxury with dependability at a reasonable price point is a strong suit. To this day, I remain shocked at how many Sebring convertibles are still running around, often in awful condition, and clearly not in a healthy relationship with their owner. The LeBaron was treated in much the same way by its second and third owners when these convertibles were still on the road, so finding one like this 1989 model listed here on eBay that’s still in respectable condition is a rare find.
Of course, in proper LeBaron tradition, it is white on white leather with color-matched wheels. This was peak LeBaron, in my opinion, which was an icon of the 80s in every way. The model soldiered on for close to a decade, eventually losing the hidden headlights like this model has for fixed units, but didn’t change much otherwise. Overall, the LeBaron was just fine. It wasn’t a standout, and certainly didn’t deliver a memorable driving experience. But it’s a convertible, and one that’s easy to live with. Plenty of these cars ended up as the first choice for people vacationing in Florida in the 80s and in need of a rental with a top that went down.
Power came from a naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder, a turbocharged 4, or a Mitsubishi-sourced V6. In addition to it being the K-car era at Chrysler, it was also the height of parts bin sharing and rebadged vehicles from Mitsubishi. Though this was a turn-off for some brand loyalists, it represented an easy way to add V6 power to the lineup in a reliable unit. The turbocharged engine seems like the best option to me, however, as power was respectable (146 b.h.p.) and given its use in vehicles like the Omni GLH and Charger Shelby, it offers a distinct connection to some of Chrysler’s most memorable 80s vehicles.
The white top appears to be in good shape, and the seller claims it works well. But we need some clarification as to whether that means it’s still power-operated or simply raises and lowers easily by hand. The LeBaron was built as a convertible with the proper chassis and structural reinforcements made to account for the roof being cut off, and it came standard with a glass rear window. Overall, it wasn’t going to be a world beater, but like the Sebring that followed, it was perfectly suited to its role as an easy-to-live-with convertible. Bids sit at $1,325 with no reserve, so someone’s taking home a cheap summer ride.
I rented one of these in 93 for my best friends wedding. White outside and red inside. V-6 and Ultradrive. I have to say top marks for the convertible top. When i picked it up at the rental place it wasn’t raining as much as it was a torrential downpour right until the following day. Not a single drop leaked in. The wedding was about a two hour drive away. The V-6 was decent but the car already had about 20000 km’s of rental use ( read was already beaten to death ) so the Ultradrive was uncertain but we made it and back. 33 years later i still wouldn’t mind having one
She’s changing her name from Kitty to Karen
She’s trading her MG for a white Chrysler Le Baron
The turbo only gives 5 more hp- then the 3.0 6cy (which from Mitsubishi was a pretty solid motor –
Broken odometer & head gasket will be next
would make a great prom or wedding rental car. nice seats, nice condition.
Nice find !
Yes, rented this in 89 vacation w/ friends. drove L.A. to San Fran via I-5 Golden State Fwy & back down on Scenic Route 1 Ocean on right. memorable times. this car drove well & is actually pretty fun. this is very near me 15 miles north, just don’t have the garage space NYC.
This is sweet. I didn’t think the V6 was offered in 1989, but I’ve been known to be wrong. The turbo is a good mill and with the 3-speed automatic, pretty solid.
So buy it, already!!!
I have a ’92 Le Baron. Decent power under the hood with the V6, the seals around the doors and windows could use replacing, it has a very decent blower motor (so you have heat in winter even though it’s a ragtop), and it gets decent fuel mileage if you just drive like normal. But a word of warning: Don’t EVER break the driver’s side door glass! I did, once… I called 20 glass companies, nobody makes that glass any more, and only one gave it a shot. They found one left door glass but it had to be shipped from two states away and arrived broken. ABC Glass of Bellevue, Nebraska went WAY out of their way looking for another. There are all kinds of passenger sides to choose from but very few driver’s side glass. They looked for two weeks and found one in Des Moines, IA, a two-hour drive. They drove there themselves and picked it up, drove two hours back, then installed it the very same day. It was an all-day venture for them but they still only charged me a couple hundred bucks. It was nearly 7 pm when they finally finished. Shout out to ABC Glass in Bellevue, NE! They did everything they could for me and I am thankful. BTW, I have a red 1992 Chrysler Le Baron convertible for sale if anyone’s interested… I want to get rid of it before the glass breaks again.