Cars from the 1980s still represent an affordable entry point into the classic ownership experience, a point that is perfectly demonstrated by this 1987 Dodge Daytona Pacifica Turbo. It presents well as a one-owner survivor, while its interior is loaded with luxury features designed to pamper its occupants. The price could make it an affordable and practical daily driver, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Tony P for spotting this beauty.
Dodge performed a styling update to its existing Daytona range in 1987, adding a luxurious Pacifica version to tempt potential buyers. The owner ordered our feature car in what I believe is Light Rosewood. The seller is candid about its condition, indicating the vehicle would benefit from detailing to present at its best. That suggests a close inspection may reveal imperfections that aren’t visible in the supplied photos. However, it is a tidy classic that scores extra points courtesy of its rust-free status. The listing reveals it has never suffered significant accident damage, and the plastic shows no evidence of damage or deterioration. The alloy wheels are stain-free, and the glass is crystal clear.
This Pacifica features a 2.2-liter turbocharged four that should produce 146hp and 170 ft/lbs of torque. The company provided a more potent powerplant that placed 174hp and 200 ft/lbs at the driver’s disposal, but that was only available teamed with a heavy-duty five-speed manual transaxle. That brings us to the only aspect of this car that might disappoint some potential buyers because the owner teamed the less potent engine with a three-speed automatic. The ¼-mile ET of 17.2 seconds is respectable, although the more powerful combination would have slashed that figure to 15.4 seconds. However, there is still plenty of good news, because this Daytona is in excellent mechanical health. It runs and drives perfectly, ready to provide the buyer with 1980s driving pleasure.
This Pacifica brings plenty of creature comforts to the table for its new owner. It includes supple leather trim, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power seats, power mirrors, a twelve-button trip computer, and a tilt wheel. There will undoubtedly be a stereo of some description, but there are no photos confirming what type it might be. Given the car’s vintage, an AM/FM radio/cassette player would seem the likely candidate. The interior presents as nicely as the rest of the vehicle, with no evidence of leather wear or other issues. The owner is a non-smoker, so there are no odd smells for the buyer to eliminate. The rear cargo cover is in good order, and there is no evidence of abuse.
The seller listed this 1987 Dodge Daytona Pacifica here on Craigslist in South Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its presentation is above average for its age, and the only sticking point for some might be the owner’s decision to order it with an automatic transmission. That will stifle performance but would make it ideal for use in heavy commuter traffic. The best part of the equation could be the price because you could drive it home once you’ve handed the seller $4,995. That figure is at the top end of the market, but the car’s condition probably justifies it. If you are looking for a daily driver that stands out, would you consider this Daytona?
The small engine, and the automatic, with the cushy interior. Somebody’s wife was a happy girl, back in 1987.
✔️ Big C..and.. Likely a city commuter w the autoloader.
Can’t blame somebody, traffic congestion w manuals absolutely sucks.
Looks to be in very nice condition. And that’s a bargain price, even more so if that is CAD. I never remembered Chrysler using the Pacifica name prior to naming a complete line with that name.
I believe it was a Chrysler Daytona in Canada.
Daytona’s, Dynasty’s and Intrepids were sold under the Chrysler name in Canada
Don’t remember the Pacifica anywhere in Chrysler’s history either but the ’21 Pacifica van we own sure brought the name back to life. Hot rod to van. Do like this car as we bought an ’86 Shelby Daytona Turbo Z that turned out to be a great car.
Strangely enough the only thing I can remember about these cars is Dwayne Lane Dodge dealer had multiple pictures of one in their show room the car had met its demise hitting a bridge estimated speed in excess of 100mph but the driver walked away in large part because of the airbags at that time they were a option not a requirement so the dealership used the pictures as a way to convince people to pay for airbags
Chrysler largely skipped the motorized-mouse seatbelt era and was the first to put in an airbag (driver only) in their whole line in 1990, even the ancient Omni-Horizon in their last model year. Everything but the Mitsubishi captive imports got one. They were standard, but very much marketed as a feature.
GM was doing the same thing at around that time with anti-lock brakes. As a teenager I thought that made more sense, walking away from a crash is overrated – what you really want is to drive away from a near miss!
I hear you on the GM affordable ABS for the masses vs airbags (and motorized seatbelts, lolz, thanks big goobermint). I thought the R&D in ABS was money better spent, but it turns out that airbags probably made a bigger impact (no pun intended) on total safety… something about driver psychology and taking more risks once you feel confident in the ABS.
Or so I read somewhere, it made sense at the time. :shrug:
My oldest daughter had one of these that saved her life in an accident , great little car , this one is a nice one !
I bought a used ‘87 Pacifica to this same spec back in ‘89. I drove it for 4 years with zero trouble and it was a great driver’s car for short or long drives. Excellent fuel mileage if you kept your foot out it, excellent cargo space, and I liked the overall design. What’s working against this one is the import requirement, if you are a US based buyer.
Always liked the look of these cars. That silver-taupe color was unique and still looks good today. Pacifica was Chrysler’s West Coast styling center.
More frequently paired with a maroon velour interior.
This is one step away from being a really desirable car – the auto tranny.
But, that would go hand-in-hand with the luxury Pacifica package, I’m sure.
Still, for the asking price, someone could have a lot of fun in something you don’t see on the road anymore.
If this is in Canadian $$, that would translate to $3,700 U.S.
That’s a lot of car for very little.