It’s amazing to me that, much like how the climate changes and the tides change directions, sentiment over vintage vehicles can seemingly transform right before our eyes. I remember when the K-Cars – the Aires and the Reliant – were seemingly the butt of jokes and among the most un-loved cars of the modern era. As nostalgia has taken hold, however, that’s no longer the case, and a two-door 1987 Plymouth Reliant like this one listed here on craigslist is now being called “rare” and listed for $5,000.
Of course, most car enthusiasts know that this inevitably happens with vehicles as they hit a certain age and the people who drove them in high school suddenly pine to recreate memories that feel more and more distant by the day. The Reliant was the car many of us had as our first vehicle, or what we took our driver’s exam in; heck, you may have even bought one as your first “adult” car once you entered those years where features and comfort were very real priorities. Of course, if you didn’t want to completely wash away your younger years, a Reliant two-door may have represented the perfect compromise.
In the picture of the rear of the car, you’ll see quaint details like the AAA sticker and vintage dealer plate frame, two small features that say a lot about how original this car is and the gentle life it has lived. The listing cites mileage of just under 63,000, and the interior certainly looks like it could be that fresh. The carpets and floor mats are in excellent shape, as are the bucket seats. The fake wood trim still presents well and while the crank windows undermine what is otherwise a surprisingly upscale cabin, this may indeed be one of the nicest ones left.
No turbocharging here, as some of these K-cars were equipped with (although you do get a K&N air filter.) To own a car like this is to find enjoyment in driving a vehicle that is semi-iconic at this point, as it was responsible for helping Chrysler dig out of a financial rut at the time. Anyone who writes a book in the future about the history of Chrysler will undoubtedly mention the likes of the Reliant and Aires, so step right up and drive a piece of history for the reasonable sum of $5,000. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Rocco B. for the find.
Funny this would show up. A few weeks ago I told the story of teenage me being the driving force to get my folks into a nicer family car, a 1972 Gran Torino, which they had for over a decade. After I left home and they were back on their own, they reverted to their previous ways, and bought a low trim level, sparsely equipped, brown 1982 Aries. Similar to this example, even a two-door. I didn’t have much connection to it, but I think it did its job fine as “just a car.” At least it did have air conditioning!
It’s scary what our parents will get into when we’re not around, isn’t it?
The same dad that in ‘68 brought us home a ‘66 2dr LTD with a healthy 390 in later years showed up with a ‘79 Granada (I-6??)..😳
My dad rocked it when he went out and bought a Fiat 850 Spider after shipping us off to boarding school. It was exactly like the one further down the postings, white colour with the open headlights. That earned him major creds with the kids on the terrace. Left it in an open air car park one evening; being too drunk to drive it home after some gala dinner. It rained that night and he hadn’t put the soft top up. The poor car filled up with rain water to the window tops and it rusted very quickly after that. Sad; it was the only car he owned that wasn’t a boring biscuit tin on wheels.
The first new – not used or owned by her parents – car my Mom bought all by herself was a brown1982 Plymouth Reliant sedan. She traded her 1974 AMC Hornet Sportabout on it. No a/c – like the AMC, am/fm, tan cloth & vinyl bench seats, with an automatic. Basic, y’all. The car may have had a 2.6, but I’m not sure. The engine didn’t look like pictures I’ve seen of a 2.2, and it seems like “Mitsubishi” was stamped on the valve cover, or somewhere under the hood. We lived in the mountains, and it seemed to climb well enough. The car was pretty trouble free for her, but the dealer service experience really pissed her off – and she was pretty easy going. The Reliant was really s q u a r e – literally and figuratively – in my estimation, so I hard sold Mom a 1987 Honda Accord the summer before I got my driver’s license. At the time, I was relieved to have never been seen driving the Reliant, but I wish I’d have known what I missed – or not.
Worst car we ever owned, the whole frame, shock towers, firewall, floors and undercarriage rusted away so badly it was dangerous to drive
Not to mention the lousy engine that had constant trouble starting and staying running.
Very unreliable
If i found a turbo with manual I’d be all over it. Nostalgia..
To the best of my knowledge, the turbo 4 was never offered in the Aries and Reliant, only in the numerous K platform offshoots (Daytona, Lancer, LeBaron, etc.).
People smirk now about the K cars but they helped save Chrysler.
Any example in good condition is worth holding onto. It is a car of historical significance.
Seriously, 10 years from now you may see one at Mecum selling for $10k…stranger things have happened. And I’m surprised at seeing bucket seats, these usually came with bench seats.
When I was in my 20s in the 1980s I worked for 3M as a printer technician, they had a building in Montreal, we were provided with station wagon K cars.
It had weak acceleration, it did not matter if you were one quarter open throttle or full throttle the car accelerated the same !
the engine sounded like a sewing machine , the car felt like a box on 4 wheels, and sounded like one too.
As a sort of museum piece from a long gone era, I can understand it has a certain value, but I have to be honest, it was not a great car.
I run away from any car that has a K&N filter. More filter air flow = bigger dirt particles getting into the engine = shorter engine life. These filters also cause voided warranties and computer problems with newer cars. I once bought a Dodge Neon that had a K&N filter for cheap because it ran very poorly and had no power. So I went to the pick-n-pull junkyard and bought a stock airbox and filter for $20, and the car ran excellent after that.
Had one as a company car back around 1984. Picked it up at the dealer and it started falling apart almost immediately. Frequent breakdowns.
Of course if this one has survived this long it must be one of the good ones. Maybe the one I had was built on a Friday.
No … more likely “THE” good one. I had one. Total junk.
Not at any price!!!
Nice bucket seats for a project!
One drive in one of these heaps, will knock your nostalgia back to reality.
Looked at these back in ’81. Ordered a Horizon TC3 Miser instead based on the promise of 30 city 50 hwy mpg. Always got about 40. Would end up crashing the car six years later and replace it with an ’83 Aries 4dr 2.2 4spd. Great little car that got 35 mpg and served me well for the next 3 years.
Probably a solid little ride for someone to get around in. I would.
I had an 82 Aries K, drove it until nearly dead with 104k, which was a lot for those cars. did not have much get up and go but with a/c and auto transmission it served me well (it survived the divorce lol)
This is a good looking car for what it is. An economy car.
My brother owned several of similar versions of these cars.
He bought them from a body shop friend of his that rebuild totals.
He drove about 100 miles a day to work and back. He would get ungodly high mileage out of them, then go back and buy another one and wear it out!
I’ll have to say, they were good cars.
This might be a deal of the day!
Just my oponion!
yep, typical hot rodding in your 20s, i “souped” my 82 reliant, (nice reliant auto-mobile a la bare naked ladies song!) , 2.2 litre NA, auto on tree hit the DC catalogue (direct connection) to put in the cam one level down from racing cam, hood scoops from 70 dart facing to cowl, tailfin from trans am… all to “ape” a 83 hurst olds look… then painted corvette white (a VERY bright white, makes other whites look yellow tinted!), including grille a la mercedes mono-chrome paint jobs, 14″ steel rims blacked out (13 was stock), omni centre and nut caps, stainless trim ring, reuphosltered the “recaro” like seats from a 73 capri, cetnre colsole from 70s mustang and something else (cannot recall, had sliding door/centre) , modified rear seat to work with plymouth arrow fold down, took out the 2 braces (dumb) so could sleep in the car….. sway bars front and back, gas shocks, … it could REALLY handle and, for its day, at least give some cars a run…. then well life happened … sold… they CAN be a great car… thought was just the darts they were in the lineage of… pedestrian car that can be modded…. ah the days of pre-computers (or major computers!) back when people did what they wanted and not worry about date codes or mix match from what find in the junkyard! (you know an ashtray from a 70s valiant fit in same location in the rear on both cars!)
k-cars aped mercedes up front, esp the 82 reliant, hence the paint job i did, sorry if posted 2x
I had a 2-door one of these BITD, but it was silver and column shift. Didn’t have the sporty floor shift console like this one. You could not pay me enough money to drive one again.
By 1987 these were pretty good little cars. The 2.5 engine was a huge improvement over the 2.2 engine. Throttle body injection worked really well. I had an 87 Dodge 600 with the 2.5 that I drove until 2013 when the Michigan tin worms got the best of her. I love the red interior. If I lived nearby, I would make an offer at $3000.
5K delusional
The 87’ t-bird was a little longer but rode better and had the turbo or V8 and looked like a good car for the same money I would go with the T-Bird but that’s just me to each their own plus you didn’t have front wheel drive or the sideways motor to work on. Even the slow Monte SS with 305 ride good for a midsized car and more power than this. Easier to work on as well. Maybe someone will want a cheap car with no handling or performance for the price just to from from their apartment to the store and back. Maybe better than the bus but what do I know just speculation
If I Had A Million Dollars…..
I’m confused the add says they have many pages of repairs since new including a new timing belt and water pump I thought these cars were fairly dependable so why would it need so many repairs for such low mileage? Honestly if I was in the market for a summer driver I would consider it.
Idk, 36 years old?
All the comments about the kcars saving Chrysler were only a very small part…the US government is what pulled it from ruin. Ole Lee not only secured a loan (aka bailout) from the govt. but also secured a fleet of those cars to the govt. for employees, Irs, postal trucks, etc. Thats what saved Chrysler.
Lee secured the loan that had a 10 year term. The loan was paid back in 3.5 years with interest. I believe the U S govt collected 100 million dollars in interest. Not a bailout. A loan paid back in full with interest.
Strange that it has a new plate if it has been in CA all its life.
My older brother had an Aries wagon with a 2.2 and a 5 speed. Regular maintenance and 3000 mile oil changes gave him 326,00 miles of service. You read that right, and it ran when he sold it. I know I was inpressed.
Wow! That’s the thing about Quality Control Department, every once in awhile a good one slips through and ruins it for all of the rest. LOL
Mopar Quality Lottery. Wagon with stick was a rare combo but probably the best one.
Junk. $5k? Please.