Remember when these dinosaurs roamed the Earth? For those of us of a certain age, cars like this Chrysler 5th Avenue, the Dodge Diplomat, and countless other big-body Mopar products used to be everywhere. Not anymore, which is why this white-on-red survivor caught our eye, which has under 90,000 miles on the clock and is said to run and drive well, save for some vacuum line issues. Find it here on eBay with a $5,900 Buy-It-Now.
Look at that interior! The seller’s description is spot on, noting that it mimics the one you’d “….find in your Italian grandmother’s living room (not the one you sit in, the one for company).” The tufted leather is in outstanding condition, and I can’t imagine too many 5th Avenues came in this color scheme – it’s too racy! The lipstick red door panels, carpets, and leather upholstery point to an original owner who had very specific requests when ordering his luxury sedan.
The engine bay is near spotless. While under 90,000 miles is respectable, that’s not necessarily low mileage – so seeing the under-hood area so clean is a testament either to the seller’s detailer or the previous owner’s attention to detail. The listing mentions that the Chrysler “….needs vacuum connections” but he doesn’t elaborate any further. The only other disclosed flaw is that the air conditioning is inoperable.
The bodywork is in good shape and while hailing from New Jersey makes the Italian grandmother comment even more hilarious, there’s a chance this sedan spent some time on salt-covered roads. However, the overall condition suggests it didn’t see a lot of use in inclement weather, and if this was a retiree’s car, it was likely used solely on an as-needed basis. The Buy-It-Now seems fair for a classic American sedan you can use every day.
Thing may not be as sweet as they seem. As per the Experian AutoCheck Report:
Vehicle Prep and Other Pre-Titling Events
Location: NJ
Preparation Date: 02/1996
Event Date Location Odometer Data Source Details
02/07/1996 NJ Motor Vehicle Dept. Junk or Scrapped Brand Removed on a Later Title
Just something to check out. Otherwise it appears to be a great car that I wouldn’t mind having.
I agree with you it needs further investigation however this car pre dates both car fax and auto check and most insurance companies will total loss a car over 6 years old even for minor damage I would be curious to compare a car fax report and see if it has the same results.
I wouldn’t trust Car Fax as far as I could throw them. I bought an older Mercedes, which according to CarFaux had been gone through and everything attended to at the local MB dealership. The car didn’t even make it home without big transmission, overheating, and electrical problems. When I finally made it home I called the MB dealer listed on the CarFax report. They wanted the VIN which I gave them and they came back as never having even been in their service department. When I contacted CarFax they denied everything. Said they were not responsible for what the previous owner put onto the report. They should be run out of business
You called these “big-body Mopar products,” and yet when I purchased one (a LeBaron Medallion/Triple blue w/leather) I was STEPPING DOWN in size from the (truly) full size Chrysler Newport!
I absolutely agree. This generation Mopar (Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler) were perfect in size. While a lot of Mopar cars of the 70s were attractive to look at, a majority of them, with the exception of the Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant, were behemoths, monsters on wheels, that no one *really* needed to drive. Market my ass, no one, not even marketing people, know what drivers want or need.
I didn’t see those ’70s full size cars as “behemoths” or “monsters on wheels”. To this day that’s the type of car I prefer to drive – supreme quiet, comfort, plenty of power, easy to handle. Lots of us wanted those cars – I still have two of them.
I had 83 and 85 Fifth Avenues,as well as numerous other upscale vehicles. The Fifth Avenues easily held their own for formal styling, comfort, and performance. Both of mine had plush velvet interiors and deep pile carpet. At my stage of life, a second car is not practical. If I were seriously in the market, this would definitely be one I would check out.
The term Dinosaur is a little off base with this mid size vehicle that started as a Lebaron . I have a friend who used these as taxi cabs , not much leg room in back . But at 5’3″ inches she thought they were great .
I remember these cars being used either as taxi cabs or as police cars. I’ve never ridden in either, so I have no way of knowing how comfortable or uncomfortable they were. I imagine without that barrier between the officer and a prisoner, the police car would be way more comfortable.
I have a 1983 Fifth Avenue with 72,000 miles on the “Odometer.”
Beautiful looking car. I must be getting old, because I love cars like this, probably more than what’s currently offered.
The title branding is definitely confusing. It’s usually not possible to remove a junk/scrapped brand without getting a reconstructed title, so the “OK” title status listed on the report is odd. Perhaps the brand was added in error? Regardless, based on the car’s condition, I would disregard the title issue. It’s clearly been well cared for, and it’s spotlessly clean, even in the door jambs and under the hood.
Several people in our neighborhood where I grew up had these. One family had one that they drove for years and years (and it hung in there although it was not treated as nicely as it deserved). Another neighbor cared for theirs with kid gloves and traded every year or two, so it was always fun to see what color they came home with next… their last one was a black cherry metallic paint that I’ll never forget. The mistreated one a few doors down didn’t even have a shine left to the paint but the other neighbors was always so clean and shiny someone could fix their makeup in their reflection. Someone I worked with had one and that 318 was an undeniably reliable engine. I love seeing these now as it reminds me of so many great friends and neighbors from my growing up years.
When I first started selling in ’91 these were common. Not as much as a Caprice or Crown Vic but always nice. The old folks cherished them. It’s easy to imagine one may still look like this. Very inviting.
I was in my 20s when these came out. I used to call them patrol cars with leather seats.
For Jim Bryant RE: CAR FAX
It works for late model vehicles only!!
Any vehicle over 10 plus years you are interested in purchasing would get a certified mechanic to go through that Mercedes Benz with a fine tooth comb and chances are he would had told you to pass on the thing!
I was in my teens when this was offered. Too young to drive a car, but not too young to appreciate how a car looks.
These were exciting as paint rollers. I never got the Chrysler styling, back in the K car days.
I remember when the K Car was first intro’d. At the time I wasn’t impressed with anything about the car.
This ain’t no K Car
I know it’s not. That’s what I like about this car, along with the Dodge Diplomat and the Plymouth Gran Fury of this generation.
Still looks like a box on wheels.
It is very odd to me that the seller on ebay only sells adult vitamins and hair growth lotion. No cars at all. Doesnt make any sense to a guy that had a carlot and sold cars online for 12 years. Just my thought.
hollywood c.,
the ad reads “from grandpa’s garage to you”.
i would say he’s personally selling a one off family car.
as for the vacuum issue. a/c controls need vacuum connections.
that style control head is a known leaker when they get old. i’ve fixed or replace lot’s of them in the shop and on my own mopars.
nice nice looking ride. my same class grand fury was a stripper compared to this. someone is going to score a sweet sunday driver.
For Jim Bryant RE: CAR FAX
It works for late model vehicles only!!
Any vehicle over 10 plus years you are interested in purchasing would get a certified mechanic to go through that Mercedes Benz with a fine tooth comb and chances are he would had told you to pass on the thing!
This was a late model vehicle. Well done carfax defender. Your reply is useless.
Extremely comfortable car.
I bought a Bronco II. COME TO LEARN IT ALSO HAD A SALVAGE TITLE WHICH WAS LATER CHANGED. Oops sorry for the caps. It had been submerged in a tidal pool. Even the brain was rusted inside.
In light of previous posterRUN RUN RUN AWAY
They look so much better with the alloys than the wire hubcaps. This one is gorgeous and you can’t beat them seats. Euh is it me or is the rear bumper bent it on the passenger side
Wife’s grandfather had one when we started dating in 1991. Really nice Slate blue color and matching interior with these same rims and the 2″ white walls. That was one classy car. Really comfortable too.
I had 83 and 85 Fifth Avenues,as well as numerous other upscale vehicles. The Fifth Avenues easily held their own for formal styling, comfort, and performance. Both of mine had plush velvet interiors and deep pile carpet. At my stage of life, a second car is not practical. If I were seriously in the market, this would definitely be one I would check out.
My 85 was silver with blue leather. What a great ride!!
I was still in my forties when these cars came out. The Dodge Diplomat seemed the most common, followed by the Plymouth Gran Fury. They were nice-looking cars, but always seemed somewhat “generc” to me — not particularly distinctive — but entirely inoffensive. Of course, with the Dodge and the Plymouth versions utterly ubiquitous as police cruisers, I think that detracted from the appeal of the Chrysler as a luxury ride. None of that matters now: cars such as this bespeak a time when cars looked quietly elegant, yet entirely practical — but then they became rounded, low in front and high in back, and cramped. I have a 1988 Mercury Grand Marquis with 359,000 miles, and it is reliable every day. Back after the “bloated” guzzlers of the 1970s, they hit on a quietly “classic” styling which changed almost not at all, year after year. I miss that era in automobiles.
If you check my original post, you’ll see that I’m a lover of traditional OTT luxury vehicles and really like the squared off boxy look. But my current (and probably last) CAR is a beautiful low mileage 2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited. While I would Iike it to be closer to previous Cars in appearance, I genuinely appreciate it as the last of American luxury sedans. A recent article called them The American ROLLS-ROYCE. Now LUXURY and comfort seem to only be available as glorified trucks.
I’d prefer this car any day than what’s offered today.
AMEN, bro! While I have always loved traditional American luxury vehicles, so sad that what is now considered a luxury vehicle is an overpriced glorified truck!👎.Currently fortunate enough to have beautiful low mileage 2007 Town Car Signature Limited. This (per my instructions) will drive my creaming to my grave! IF I can find an affordable RWD Fifth Avenue MIGHT 🤔 consider it as a second car 🚗!
Don’t get me wrong, there’s some technology that are used on today’s cars. I like having reverse camera to help me see what’s behind me when I reverse, I appreciate having a navigator computer where you can program where you want to go, etc. But that’s about it. I find most of today’s cars super mega-fugly to look at.