A person can’t get much for $3,800 anymore, especially as far as nice, drivable luxury cars go. Or even iffy, somewhat beater vehicles go, really. We all remember when $3,800 would buy a lot more than it does now, but we probably made a lot less back then, so there’s that. The seller has this nice 1987 Chrysler Fifth Avenue posted here on craigslist in Oxnard, California and they’re asking, yes, $3,800. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for the tip!
You can see some of the faded paint, or clearcoat issues in the photo above and some other photos really show the sun damage. Just think what human skin looks like after 38 years of being in the sun. Chrysler made the Fifth Avenue from 1983 through 1993, spanning old-school rear-wheel drive platforms to front-drive platforms. The ones I know and love, from test-driving a new one in 1984, is this series based on the M-body made from 1982 (for 1983) until 1989.
The faded paint is pretty evident in this photo, but otherwise, it doesn’t like there is any rust and I don’t see a door ding or any other damage. Oxnard is basically right on the Pacific Ocean (well, not on it, but you know what I mean) so there could be salt in the air and other issues, but this looks like a really nice car from the photos. I’ve always wondered what a two-door Fifth Avenue might have looked like…
Speaking of really nice, the interior looks almost like new. Kudos to the seller for providing a photo of the driver’s seat, that’s often left out as they typically show a lot of wear and tear. Not so here, all of the seating surfaces and other surfaces look perfect. The trunk looks nice and I wish they had provided an underside photo.
The leather engine… er.. hey, wait a minute. This is where I usually put an engine photo, but the seller didn’t provide one, unfortunately. It should be Chrysler 318-cu.in. OHV V8 with 150 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque when new. It’s backed by – what else? – a three-speed TorqueFlite sending power to the rear wheels. This one runs well, has ice-cold AC, and a ton of new parts. I can’t imagine finding a nicer car for $3,800 even with faded paint. Any thoughts on this one?
This interior is absolutely beautiful. I’m not a hige fan of leather…… However…… Chrysler Fifth Ave leather interiors, at least in my opinion, were some of the most comfortable seats I ever sat on in a car. Their leather was very soft, and was just outright comfortable. A great place to be while soaking up the miles on a highway trip. The 318s in these always felt like they had enough Oomph to move these around comfortably. I mean, lets face it, you’re most like NOT going to be drag racing a Corvette for pink slips in this thing, but it has enough power to get you out of trouble. I’d personally paint this one, I think it would be worth it. This was a very popular color on these back then. Nice find Scotty!!!
I agree about those seats! This is when they still made luxury cars that were comfortable. Some time in the 1990s, the definition of luxury car changed from comfortable to sporty, to compete with foreign cars. As if we drive through slaloms every day.
Driveinstile covers it. These are a bang for the buck champ. Plus..If the mood strikes, throw some HD cop parts from the Diplomat on this luxurious sedan.
Thanks, guys! I spaced out adding a quick Photoshop version of a two-door Fifth Avenue, I just put it in there, sorry about that.
Thats good photoshop work Scotty!!! They could have made it off the 2 door Diplomat. It probably would not have cost Chrysler too much to design it off an existing car.
Wowsers! I d forgotten Dodge made a TWO door Diplomat, remembering only the 4 door models with the red and blue Christmas lights in my rear view mirror too often..
Yeah, Nevada, those lights were a factory option along with special graphics that looked like badges!!!
I only remembered because a girl I knew in the 80s had a brown 2 door Diplomat with a Slant 6 for her first car. You didnt see many of them even then.
What a great value. Just paint the damaged top surfaces with a single stage urethane and drive to the bank while enjoying the look and feel of fine Corinthian leather!
With clear coat failure being so common for many eighties cars, I’ve always wondered why one couldn’t give it a good fine grit sanding and re-spray the clear? Has anybody on here tried that or heard of anyone doing so?
I have an 2005 2500 RAM and tried that with bad results. Now I’m looking for a total paint job. $6,000 seems to be the going price these days, without any body work.
What a value. Front engine, rear wheel drive and seats that have the look and feel of fine Corinthian leather! I would paint the top surfaces with a matching single stage paint and drive it to the bank!
Price seems fair to me.
I just looked up Corinthian Leather and it was a marketing term that started in 1974.
I think Mike from “Breaking Bad” had one of these
I had one just like this and every time I see one for sale I look to see if it’s possibly my old car. Mine had a velour interior so this one is not my old car. I think these are better cars than Consumer Reports and mags like that gave them credit for being. I hope the buyer of this one will treat it as good as I did mine and enjoy it. The 318 engine in this car has a roller cam so the engine is very smooth if it’s in good condition but it does require premium fuel for best performance and to prevent spark knock. That wasn’t a problem for me when I had miine because it got reasonably good gas mileage. I had an 81 Diplomat two door before I got my 5th Avenue. It was red and white like one of the promotional brochures that dealers had.
I think the the seller is just trying sell the car for what he paid in repairs. It is a very nice looking car that has been kept up very well. Some one is going to get very nice car for very little money. If I lived on the west coast and needed a car I would put this one on the top of my list.
I agree with Driveinstyle, repaint the car, at least the flat surfaces down to the paint stripe. A good painter should be able to blend it there.
Or maybe an interested buyer can find one at Maaco. Lots of times it’s not the name of the shop but the people doing the work. I’ve personally seen a couple of cars over the years that had a great paint job at Maaco.
Hi 👋 Jon. Once again great minds….I owned 83 and 85 Fifth Avenues. Easily held their own with other upscale vehicles I have owned, including Cadillacs and Lincolns. IMO one of the best revisions ever made for an existing platform. Mine both had plush velvet tufted seats. Formal roof and overall styling 👍. Virtually everything was standard equipment. Indestructible 318 gave plenty of power. A bargain when new, this Fifth Avenue looks to be a true Bon Marche! It likely is already gone.
THIS is MY sort of CAR! I only wish it were not all the way out in California — because, simply GETTING it across country to the Northeast would probably kill the bargain in the price! But I’ll WORK on how to DO it: any SUGGESTIONS??
A dispatcher helped me get a car from California to Pennsylvania He adevrtised it online and got a hit for 8 hundred dollars if I okd it right away and I did A convoy was leaving the next day and had one empty spot on his rig and going to New York as I am close to the line. The truck driver said it helped to pay for fuel was why he accepted it And left California with a full load
How many MILES on this one??
Seller claims 131K miles.
Thanks, PRA4SNW! It still has a lot more daily driver use left in it! Travel in STYLE…
If it wasn’t on the wrong coast, I would buy it right now. I can still hear Ricardo Montauban selling the rich Corinthian leather.
These cars always make me think of Mike Ehrmantraut from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
How come so many nice old cars have to be out on the Left Coast? Oh well…
Dry climate and lack of road salt. “California car” has been a thing since forever.
California is the biggest car market state wise. It’s a big state and there are long distances between its natural features of coast, forests, valleys mountains grasslands, deserts. The major cities are far apart. Every activity requires driving. Californians are car savvy and car crazy. They buy cars in quantity and many people own more than one car. Californians like variety and novelty. If a vehicle has been built in the world chances are you will find at least one of everything ever made in California. And because they don’t rot away there is a vast number of discarded old vehicles waiting around to be repurposed.
Had one, nice riding car. 86′
Those seats!!! 😍
Doesn’t get much better Wademo. 💺 These were basically luxury cop cars.
Sold these brand new. They all came to us fully loaded, the only variation was velour or leather upholstery. I don’t know if that was our own specification or just Chrysler making that determination for us. These sold in the $15- $16000 range if I remember correctly. This blue color was the most popular for good reason. They were also available in Silver with gray interior, Garnet Red with red interior, Gold with a beige interior, White with a choice of gray or red interior, Black with gray, blue or beige interior and least popular, Cream with a beige interior. If there were any other colors, at the time, I do not recall.
Several Two Tone combinations were available. Usually dark color on body sides vinyl top and rear with a lighter color applied to the hood, window frames and non padded roof.
Paolo, mine was $23,000, must like the one in the photo. I would not take the car off the lot without a real spare tire, as they only came with a donut. 16 years and never needed it. LOL
Several Two Tone combinations were available. Usually dark color on body sides vinyl top and rear with a lighter color applied to the hood, window frames and non padded roof.
Nice clean Chrysler and the price is right. I do not see many of these any more in this shape!!
Forgot about the two-tones. Rarely saw them and folks didn’t seem to have much interest in that option.
A competing Chrysler dealer across the bay in Oakland had a dealer option package they would install. It consisted of replacing the original Goodyear whitewalls with a set of Vogue Gold striped whitewalls and hanging a cheesy Continental Kit off the rear bumper. Made it look like a Pimp Mobile. I learned of these one day when I went there to make a dealer trade, one of our 5th avenues in the wrong color exchanged for one of their 5th Avenues in the color our customer wanted. Oops, their 5th Ave had the Pimp Options which we refused to accept. I wonder if any those have survived. Good cars.
Two of the most hideous things I’ve ever seen on a car were those fake ’80s continental kits and also the fabric mock convertible tops, some with the landau bars. EWWW! Those tops had to be hard to clean after a couple of years. And those fake spare tires look like the Guiness record for largest Lifesaver.
Thousands of dollars to make your car ugly. Just key it and save the money! 🤬
Jon R, Once again our paths cross on the road to The BARN. How’s your SNOW shoveling going? Yesterday I shoveled SNOW twice and just finished again. Agree on faux convertible tops and MOST Continental kits. But Lincolns sculptured into the rear deck lid and Chryslers 60s so called toilet seat were IMO great. Guess we’re both good at shoveling snow, as well as other things! 🤣 Has this Fifth sold?
To Rick, snowblowing done in about an hour yesterday. Then we went to probably the game of the year in high school hockey. Wow!
You were shoveling snow? I thought you were in Fla.
After this week, have a salty Equinox which I may sneak into the self-serve car wash this pm before we have a few cold days ahead and the roads will be dry except for the salt dust.
Yeah. I don’t mind the Chrysler and Mark 4-7 continental ones either. It’s the 80s ASC kits on the rear bumpers and, by the way, I don’t like those Rolls grills on some cars such as the red ’78 Eldo featured lately.
Don’t know if the car has sold.
No, Jon, I’m in Windyana. For all of my almost 78 years. Wanted to move to SFO years ago, but family obligations prevented it. Not big on Florida 😉. At this point, I shouldn’t be shoveling anything but 🤔 you can guess! Pretty much hibernate in bad weather. The Town Car stays in the garage to preserve it. Clear Coated, with 75,000miles, it still looks almost like when it rolled off the line in 2007. Well that’s my sob (definitely NOT Saab) story! And I’m taking the Fifth! 📖
No, Jon, I’m in Windyana. For all of my almost 78 years. Wanted to move to SFO years ago, but family obligations prevented it. Not big on Florida 😉. At this point, I shouldn’t be shoveling anything but 🤔 you can guess! Pretty much hibernate in bad weather. The Town Car stays in the garage to preserve it. Clear Coated, with 75,000miles, it still looks almost like when it rolled off the line in 2007. Well that’s my sob (definitely NOT Saab) story! And I’m taking the Fifth! 📖
To Barn Finds….Sorry for double post. I’ve noticed that on other sites.