After profits topped 2 billion dollars in 1978, Ford decided to fire Lee Iacocca after a 32-year career which eventually saw him becoming President of the company. But it was probably for the best, as Chrysler viewed him as an innovator and perhaps the one person who could best help save their failing business, so he stepped in and quickly realized the need for a low-cost common chassis that could be used for a lot of different applications, and the K-Platform was born. Some of the more popular cars that utilized this platform in the eighties were the Chrysler LeBaron and Plymouth Reliant, but one of the short-lived variants was the Chrysler Laser, and that’s a shame because it was a really cool offering. A fine 1985 example can be found here on eBay, located in Abington, Massachusetts, and can be yours for $8,900.
Introduced in 1984, the Laser shared its styling with the Dodge Daytona, which soldiered on until 1993, but production of the Laser ceased after the 1986 model run. Of the two, the Chrysler was more luxurious, and rather sporty as well. The seller doesn’t specify how long he’s had the Laser but does mention that the car has had only a few long-term owners over the years and has always been well cared for. A recent caretaker is said to have done an exterior refreshment, which included a new Radiant Silver paint job, NOS trim, and replacement decals. Both the body and finish present nicely.
Inside, an upscale Mark Cross leather interior can be found, which the seller claims is in terrific condition, with soft and supple materials inside. To have passed the stated 100k mile mark, things look really good in there, with one notable exception being the headliner, which the seller mentions is becoming loose around the edges. Probably an easy repair, and other than that I’m not seeing too much else to find fault with in the cockpit.
This one’s got the right stuff under the hood too, as it features a 2.2-liter Turbo engine plus a 5-Speed manual transmission, and I’m guessing it’s quite the fun driver. Recent maintenance includes a new timing belt and water pump, plus a tune-up and fresh oil, with the seller claiming nothing else is needed at the moment. There is one discrepancy in the Experian Auto Check, an odometer issue, but there have been no accidents or damage reported. The seller is also accepting offers, so you may even be able to purchase this one for less than the asking price. What are your thoughts on this 1985 Chrysler Laser?
Synthetic oil, regular timing belt changes and this will be a fun, quick, decent handling, reliable car to drive.
I bought a new ’84 Daytona Turbo Z with the 5 speed manual. It was a great road car and a blast to drive.
Ditto our ’86 Dodge Z.
Looks like a cd/cass stereo. I dont think that was an option in 85. Maybe from a newer car? I rented one in 86 for a month. Fun little car.
Richard . This was the top sound system Chrysler offered.(CD-CASSETTE) I worked at a Chrysler dealership and that sound system crank out!! I was lucky enough to drive many of them back then. And the Laser was fast when the Turbo kicked in..🐻
This may have been the top sound system at some point, but I doubt it was offered as early as this model year 1985. The rounded button style suggests a transplant from a later model, whereas this model would have had radio buttons matching the beveled-rectangle style seen on the HVAC controls.
Did this model have those “mechanical mouse’ seat belts?? This one’s a beauty! :-)
I owned a fully-loaded ’86 Turbo Z…the stereo in this Laser is from a newer Chrysler vehicle…in fact, this is the Exact model my Mother had in her new 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Notice in the photos the cover for the digital readout is broken as well.
This radio is absolutely from a later model Chrysler and NOT a stock or even model year correct upgrade. As others have said, the radio buttons would have matched the climate control as this radio did when it was new.
My friend had a red one with the automatic. It was a really great car that I only got to ride around in. It had that stupid telematic voice that said ‘A door is ajar’ everytime you opened a door. He had it a couple of years with no problems until he wrapped it around a freeway bulkhead.
The K-cars (Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant, Chrysler LeBaron, Dodge 400, and, in Mexico, Dodge Dart)
Don’t think this is a K-car.
Daytona and Laser are G bodies.
Sweet looking car for $8900 obo
The underside looks fantastic, plenty of life left in this, even if you had to do some engine work down the line.
Add some mud flaps to protect the lower body and this would be a fun summertime daily driver.
The G-Body, or so I thought, was really just a slightly extended K-Body. But I guess technically G doesn’t = K, and thanks for the clarification here!
“K” designate is the front sub frame
I wish they made cars like this again… Not extremely fast, not setting records… But s fun little sports car to tool around in on the weekends and you could even drive it during the week because I bet the gas mileage in a 2.2 liter Turbo isn’t all that bad! And please don’t mention the Toyota or Subaru… I want an American car like this again!
Mitsubishi!!!!!! Japanenese,loved those cars!
This was an American-made car, not a rebadged Mitsubishi nor built in Japan. Maybe you’re confusing it with the Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth Conquest, which was a rebadged Mitsubishi Starion?
With Mopar computer brought boost up to 10 psi was a fun car to drive
I had the 86 Charger GLH and in that 2.2 turbo iteration the stock ecu allowed 11psi for something like 10 seconds and then tapered it down to 9 psi after 10 seconds. The Mopar performance ecu offered closer to 15 psi of boost full time.
I had the ’86 in Black with Louvers Mark Cross Leather Seats, I was reminded of what the interior looked like back in the pics. It also had the turbo kick.
Fun cars but that engine is known for blown head gaskets. Had one the blew every 50,000 miles.
84 Daytona Turbo here. Loved it. Everything (I mean EVERYTHING) fell to pieces EXCEPT the motor/turbo.
Had an 87 Conquest heck of alot of fun to drive.
I think this was also the Omni era which had the lill rampage trucklet off shoot. Put the hot motor (beef the rest too) & 5 speed in for a lill better driver? (Scamp wuz the plymouth).
I drove alota K-car wagons ina fleet of a neighbor’s (aspen/volarie, etc). Owned their grandpaw the slant six waggys.
Not a K.
It was a “K Car variant” as were almost all of Chrysler’s front wheel drive offerings in the 1980s, save for the Omni and Horizon twins and their progeny.
Just like in days of old, easy to get to the AC…
Had several 80’s Chrysler Turbo cars. 85 Daytona T1 5 speed, 86 Turbo Z, 2 87 Shelby Chargers, 88 CSX-T #0671,90 Spirit ES and this car puts all of them to shame in terms of originality and cleanliness !! This thing is absolutely gorgeous and the silver paint is a color I haven’t seen on a turbo car as a solid color, most of the time anything silver was 2 toned with red or black. Way out of my price range but it’s definitely worth it IMO !!! Good luck with the sale/auction it’s a looker !!!
It’s a Chrysler, not a Plymouth.
Yeah, think they got it mixed up with a different car called the Plymouth Laser, which was their version of the Diamond-Star Motors sport coupe also sold as the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eagle Talon.
It’s a Chrysler Laser. The Plymouth Laser came later.
The fuel pump has an irritating habit of spilling raw gasoline into the crankcase, thereby thinning out the lubricating oil and destroying the engine.