Sometimes third-gen Camaros are like the Rodney Dangerfield of cars, they don’t get any respect. But then the ’80s were a time of change and many marques and models found themselves challenged as to how to fit in and move forward. The Camaro had one strong suit though, in spite of the changing automotive landscape, it was a hot seller indeed. And for further review, here is a beautifully maintained 1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS convertible. It is located in Polk City, Florida and available, here on eBay and here on the BF Classifieds for a BIN price of $9,500.

The gen-2 Camaro was pretty long in the tooth when it finally gave way to the gen-3 version in 1982. Excitement abounded at first because the Camaro was returning to its roots, somewhat, by shedding almost 500 lbs. of unneeded and unwanted weight. To go with the reduced weight, there was a reduced engine too in the form of the often panned 2.5 liter, “Iron-Duke” four-cylinder engine, a Camaro first. They got the “iron” part right at least. But as the ’80s progressed so did the power line-up including the abolishment of the Duke and things started to look up for Chevy’s pony car. The year 1987 brought back a convertible version of the Camaro, last seen in 1969, as well as a return to the use of Chevy’s famed 5.7 liter (350 CI) engine. The third-gen Camaro went out on a pretty high note at the end of model year 1992, having enjoyed many improvements and enhancements over its eleven-year run.

This 1989 example is in pretty spectacular condition, inside and out. While it is an RS model, it is considerably more buttoned-down than its two-tone, mid-’70s counterpart. It is almost understated, thanks in part to its subtle, but deep, original, single tone, white finish. One place where the third-gen Camaro got negatively tagged was in the panel fit and alignment department; hardly the case here. With the exception of the rear spoiler, this example looks smart and is free of any evidence of crash damage or general mishap. Speaking of the spoiler, though misaligned, at least it is understated and not the first thing that draws in your attention. The turn away from white lettered tires is a nice change too, though I’ve always been on the fence with body-colored wheels – subjective on my part. This Camaro has clearly been stored well and carefully maintained, it does not appear to have experienced 106K miles of use.

The interior is interesting in that the upholstery is a gray cloth fabric. Gray is not at all surprising but the cloth fabric in a convertible is. Chevrolet was intent for years in using vinyl material in convertibles because it has a tendency to repel water as opposed to absorbing it, especially helpful when getting caught in a sudden downpour, which in Florida is a regular event during summer months. I guess at some point, someone at Chevrolet decided that wet cloth fabric was better than searing your thigh to hot vinyl – been there and done that! Anyway, the interior belies this convertible’s mileage as it is in fine nick. No sign of wear or sun damage. It is equipped with manual windows (which is actually nice, no motor to quit on you when the window is in the down position) and an aftermarket radio/CD player. The gray shade is quite light and does a brilliant job of showing dirt and stains but none is visible in the accompanying images. The seller adds that all of the gauges and the A/C works as intended.

For power, this RS serves up a 305 CI V8 (5.0 liter) engine, that develops 170 net HP. Best of all, it’s connected to a five-speed manual transmission. The seller claims, “Motor runs strong and fast with no issues or leaks, transmission shifts smoothly also with no leaks or issues and the exhaust sounds just right with a nice deep rumble to it.” The seller adds that this Camaro has newer brakes, a newer battery, and newer tires. That’s a lot of newer going on. The fuel set up on this engine is interesting as it is EFI but it is a throttle body design that had been around for a few years. There was also a more powerful Tuned Port Injection (TPI) version of the 305 but that was reserved for the Z28.

Well if third-gen Camaros haven’t always garnered the respect that they deserve, this one should change that up a bit, it is a very nice example. The listing contains many images, but none however with the top raised though the seller states that the top is in very good shape, suffers from no leaks, and operates properly. The seller makes a point of rating this Chevy at a “9” on a scale of “10” and mentions that it has always been adult owned. So think about it, it’s a convertible, one of only 3,200 produced in ’89, with a small-block V8 and a five-speed manual transmission, what’s not to like? The price seems fairly reasonable though the mileage is a bit up there. That said, it seems logical to believe that this Camaro has a lot of life left in it, don’t you think?