Really dislike all the cars for this reason or that. The 626 got better, power wise, then split to the 2 door MX-6 and Ford Probe. In order... 626 Celebrity Accord Camry Stanza Tempo off a cliff
I would buy the Chevrolet Caprice Classic , Ford LTD Crown Victoria , Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme , Delta 88 and Chrysler 5th Avenue , umm gas was still fairly cheap back than .Stay Safe ..
Again you talk about midsize cars You didn't mention the Pontiac 6000 Chrysler K car Plymouth Reliant Dodge Aries Buick Regal Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais
I would definitely pick the Toyota Camry! As the parent of a Camry I know that there's no better value then a car that not only out lives it's payments but one that will most definitely outlive the decade in which it was built. Mine has 426 K miles on her and still drives as smoothly and reliably is when I first adopted her back in October 99
I'm inclined to agree here. My first car back in '16 was an '84 Camry that I got for 500 bucks with 400,000 miles on it, and she only started having torque converter issues around 834,000. I'm still upset I had to get rid of her because I couldn't get the trans repaired.
My first car was a 1985 Toyota Camry. LOVED that car. The car I used when I had my learners permit was a 1985 Plymouth Voyager. My girlfriend had a 84 Topaz and we were still taking it to the club in DC in 1999! No one wanted to steal that car from the parking lot at the club. Great content keep it coming!
Of this group, I'd take the Camry liftback. My family test drove one in '86 and I was blown away by the in-dash tech. For me sophistication and refinement put the Camry above the rest.
@@HelloRoad The Eagle was a true crossover. Modern crossovers are crossovers in appearance only, and they fail at that, too. It's silly to suggest that since the Eagle is the best at being a crossover, it isn't a crossover.
I got to drive my dad's friend's 85 Camry le 5 speed to work one day since he had borrowed my dad's truck for hauling, back in 1990. It had nice velour interior and a power sunroof. It was enjoyable to drive, loved reviving that car!! I'd still go with the Mazda though. My grandfather bought a brand new 86 Celebrity, he used to burn rubber in it! Gotta love the 80s cars. So much potential with some models, but still some automakers still made some boring cars. My dad's 86 Cavalier RS, was ok, since he couldn't afford the Z24 model. It was red 2 Dr with a factory pop-up sunroof. But my mom's 87 Toyota FX 16 was a blast to drive! Both were 5 speed's that's how me and my sister learned to drive. I miss it.
Awesome content! I never thought I would find anyone else who was fascinated with 80's cars like me, most of my friends like newer cars or really old classics from the 70's and below... So many cool cars from the 80's and early 90's. I was surprised you knew what a Subaru XT Turbo was as well! It's also one of my dream cars :) The oldest thing I own currently is a 1989 Honda Accord LX-i, my dad wont let me buy anything older :/
Get whatever car you like! Well maybe save a little bit and then get one. Every car has its issues so may as well get a car you like and enjoy so that when having to do repairs or upgrades it will mean more to you and make you smile. By the way, I have several 80's cars that put down 300 to 500 hp and are street driven. I also have a 98 hp 80's car that I keep because I just plain like it. Each of them have pluses and minuses. Some are really fast and one probably annoys other drivers because it is slower than almost every new car. If you are willing to work on them or spend money to repair them, get what you like.
One of my mate's first car was a 1986 Mazda 626 Coupe in dark blue purchased around 1992. It came with full digital dash, double din stereo with equalizer, adjustable electronic suspension, full electrics, cruise control I think from memory, 2 litre EFI engine, 15" alloy wheels etc. etc. We all thought it was a pretty cool thing back in the day and definitely would have been quite high tech back in the mid 80's!
My parents had an 80's ford tempo when I was little, and got a 91 ford tempo when the other was totaled. The 91 ford tempo turned into my first car in high school. Peeling blue paint, stripped gearing in the automatic seatbelt, and several other issues. Still managed to have lots of good memories and fun in it.
My mother bought an 84 Camry hatch, gave it to my brother in 91, and bought another camry. Mom is gone but her 91 Camry DX is still on my driveway. The 91 is an awesome car , but i would have preferred the 84. My brother trashed the 84 along time ago.
you're killing it with this retro series! my second-ever car was an '85 camry liftback & i loved that thing! i remember it had a manual crank sunroof - ha! hard to believe how much cars have changed in under 40 years. my current car is a 2018 prius prime. feels like a space ship compared to my '85 camry. wonder where cars will be 40 years from now? thanks for the great vids!
A couple of things, first of all, I love these videos man!! The production is top notch, well researched and just awesome dude! Keep it up, I’m super happy I found this channel! Okay, as for the cars. I had an 1988 626 but that was the year they redesigned them. My friends parents, however, had a 1986 626, and it was the same generation you featured here. The difference is they had the turbo version, which bumped up hp ratings to 145. My friends dad would take us to a parking lot and do doughnuts in the car haha I was like 9, and thought it was so cool, as my parents would never do that. Pretty dangerous now that I think back, but I can tell you that the 626 was miles ahead of things like the tempo, as far as “sporty” was concerned. Thanks for the memories!
I had an 87 626GT (same generation, tho updated from the 84 model he showed- flush headlights, revised interior, etc). It was indeed rated at 120 HP, but it clearly produced more than that. Dig up any old automotive magazine review, and they’ll mention this. The ‘88-92 GTs did make 145 HP, but again, widely regarded as having significantly more than Mazda claimed.
89-92 are fantastic unfortunately Toyota pushed Lexus and many people perceived the es250 and es300 as a better car than the Cressida which they aren't.
I so badly wanted a Cressida back in 1990. Unfortunately it was just a bit out of reach so I wound up getting an Accord EX 5-speed. That super sweet 7M inline 6 though... I search cargurus every weekend searching for an '89 or '90 since they offered the slide-out manual override controls for the HVAC
I don't recall ever really seeing the Mazdas at all, but the Honda and Toyota were pretty common. Lots of Tempo's and Celebrities running around too. The Celebrity really was the family car for middle aged people.
Thanks! Bought a '91 626 LX 4 door with 106,000 miles in 1995 for $6,600...Kept it's value and went till 201,000 miles. Loved the oscillating center vents and the ability to fold the front passenger seat down (w/o) the headrest to create a lounge seat from behind...thx again!
My dad bought an '84 Camry DX. I took my driver's test in it. SOLIDLY built cars, but they were not in any way fast. Rear seats were gargantuan compared to interior size. I agree the Mazda was very much the prettiest.
I have a 86 camry, its scary to drive during traffic here in Arizona because no one goes the speed limit. I usually just get honked at when I'm taking off but its still a fun outside of that
Great idea and well-executed, Ethan! Highly enjoyable. Please do more of these throwback battles. One little thing that bothered me, though: shouldn't you have placed the Maxima in this group, instead of the Stanza?
Thank you! I definitely considered the Maxima. However I wanted to keep this all front wheel drive, 4 cylinder cars. In '84 the Maxima was still RWD. In terms of size though, the Maxima was in the same ballpark. :)
Forgot the Chrysler K cars. I have a 1986 Dodge Aries, Have owned it for 12 years. I would have gotten the Mazda 626 though, seems like it would make for a fun daily driver.
@@HelloRoad Jetta in '84 was still a MkI, priced like a midsize but very much a subcompact. Tredia... Mitsu dealers were thin on the ground, only one in New England and I'm not going all the way to Boston to kick tires. Chrysler K-Car would've been on everyone's shopping list unless they'd just had a bad experience with Mopar. Granted, that was plenty of people.
@@nlpnt And Chrysler Motor Corp beat that platform to death - want a convertible, coupe, econobox, sport's car, wagon, sportback, or a minivan - have we got a platform for you! But, I too would love to see a serious delve into the platform that saved Chrysler Motor Corp from bankruptcy and "muscled" its way back into the Big Three.
I loved the 1990 Ford Tempo. I drove for my prom night. I loved the Tempo and I liked the Chevy Celebrity. Thanks for you Time Machine to the past please do more of these videos.. I loved it.. :)
We had an '84 Tempo sedan with the 4 cyl & 5sp manual back in the day. Was a really good little car that suited our very young family. We lived in Central Oregon and the front wheel drive was awesome in the snow. Wasn't anything fancy - crank windows, regular door locks, no cruise control and no AC. But it got the job done and was reliable.
My mother had an 84 stanza 4 door hatchback- it stayed in my family until about 1991. I remember it as slow but reliable and large for its class. It became my sister's car in 1989.
As much of a Japanese car fan as I am, I am partial to the Celebrity here because my first car was a 1986 Celeb! In fact, I'm working on sorta-kinda-maybe picking up a Celebrity as a project car to re-live some of those memories. Nice vid!
The Camry was my first car. My dad worked at a Toyota dealership and wrangled it out of a customer as the transmission was going out on it. Got the transmission fixed and proceeded to wreck it months later in the snow. Teenage driver! But I’m nostalgic for the body style- just don’t see them anymore.
I'm absolutely loving this channel. Wish I would have found it sooner. You're easily the least pretentious car guy on TH-cam and I love your appreciation of Radwoods.
For me the 626 is the clear winner. When Mazda went FWD, they made sure they did it right, from a dynamic perspective. Something else-once the Stanza got fuel injection, it was the most powerful base motor. If it were my money, I would be buying a Jetta or 626, and I’m a Honda-lover. At the other end of the spectrum, a Celebrity with the V6 would be extremely satisfying.
I love this channel! My favorite all-time car was my 1984 Mitsubishi Tredia Turbo. It would have blown all these cars out of the water with 116 HP room for 5 (sort of) and so quirky. It is my biggest regret not keeping it. I too love the 626 especially the 1986 GT. Keep it up and by the way I would buy your Nova Twin Cam if you ever want to sell it. I remember those cars so well!
You probably know about this, but the Motor Week TH-cam channel has 'retro reviews' posted of their reviews of cars going back into the 80's. It's fun to see the cars through the contemporary lens, and hear John Davis complaining about the lack of gauges. Also the hair and clothes.
I grew up with these cars and remembere every single one of them! The Mazda and the Honda were my favorites! My 1st car was an 83 Accord hatchback. Please keep making videos like this!
I had an '86 Camry, you couldn't kill that car and yes, started all the time even in the cold! Mine was fuel injected automatic, a true classic. It was also the same color as in the pictures.
I remember talking my dad into an 84 Accord 2 door hatchback.. Always loved the way it looked and felt even back then.. The sound of a Honda starting, the smell of the plastics they used on the interiors, the sound of the chime when u left the lights on! My choice now would be the 626..looks modern even today! Thanks for the awesome video :)
I had a 95 accord lx and now have a 92 accord ex. I too love the way those hondas sound when they start up!! I also like the way they sound when going from 1st gear to 2nd gear (auto trans- of course)
In 1984, I was the father of a 4-year old, and we lived in the Boston metro area. The year before, when daughter was 3, we went shopping for a family car. Having owned a Honda, we could've shopped the Accord. Same with the Camry. But with only the one child and a smaller budget, we were looking "one size down" and ultimately bought a new Renault Alliance (mostly to benefit from the French genius for compliant suspensions that could deal with Beantown's horrific roads...for which the Alliance delivered). Despite the reputation the car earned, we didn't have any problems with it for the 5 years we owned it.
I remember they likened the Tempo/Topaz to a melted bar of soap. Took my driver’s test in a Celebrity. Now on my fifth Accord. The Mick told Honda “We need greasy, fast , SPEED !”😁
I remember Nissan flogging Stanzas in their advertising when Altimas were already on their way to dealerships. I thought that was so disingenuous, to put it mildly.
I'd love to check out the Mazda for sure. I worked at a local junkyard and we received a mid 2000s Mazda 6 with a manual and 350k miles that was destined for the crusher... it had been a fleet vehicle somewhere. I took it around the neighborhood and it STILL had life in it, it pulled like a beast, it responded immediately to all driver-input, I was amazed. Mazda is like that kid in the back of the class who draws in their notebook all the time and constantly aces tests and quizzes, but nobody seems to talk to them :P I drive an 89 Buick Century, which was the mid-generation refresh of the FWD A-body platform GM used on the Celebrity, Cutlass Ciera, and 6000. It has the 3.3, and when I replaced all the suspension with new components (not performance, just new), that car blew my mind. Yes it's not meant to be luxury OR performance, but it drives so well. I'd love to have experienced its original release and put it through the wringer :D
Our FAMILY bought that first year Red Tan Camry...trust me everyone asked what this car is named and LOVED IT. Our Camry had golden tint. shaded windows and cassette with equalizer!
Don't forget Mazda eventually released a GT versión of the 626, with a 2.0 Turbo that if I remember correctly was good for 120hp and around 150lb ft of torque, which for the era was quite impressive.
I graduated from high school in 1981 and remember all these cars and that era well. I did not have a family at that time so none of these cars were on my list to purchase. However, I did know several people who owned all these makes and models. The standard bearer was definitely the Accord. Next was the Mazda. The Tempo, Stanza, and Celebrity were staples of the rental car fleets and the Camry was an unknown. Thanks for taking me back to my youth Ethan.
I had one of those accord 2dr hatchbacks..i would zip through the city of Philadelphia with ease..suprisingly peppy 5 spd manuel..i couldnt believe how smooth and quiet the car was when i bought it in 95..ahhh the memories of trouble free driving
You forgot to mention Culture Club were one of the biggest bands in the world in 1984. Love the Datsun B210 tee shirt and am still watching your video of it. We've had our Mazda for 46 years and we have another we've had for 31.I'd have the 626 any day. In 1984 the hatch in particular was something to behold. Beautiful and stylish.
I would MUCH rather have a car with a fuel-injected engine (guessing those came around in the late 80s early 90s). But from this list, It'd be a toss-up between the Accord (I currently have a green 92 Accord EX ) or the 626 My 1st car was an 89 light blue tempo. It was a hand-me-down from a family member. It had this issue where it would stall when the rpms got below a certain level. Other than that, it was a decent car back in late 2006 to mid 2007. It literally only made it to my HS graduation day. After that, the tie-rods were so bad that I couldn't drive the car anymore. So I had it towed away the summer of 2007. Great video!! Even if it was created after tipping back a few too many!! lol
The Stanza became fuel injected in 84. I had one, an 86. It was a good car, more like the Accord than the Camry. I prefer the sportiness of the Accord, 626, and Stanza. I currently own an 86 Civic sedan and 80 Corolla Tercel.
I would have picked GM's other A-body: the Pontiac 6000 STE. If I remember correctly both Motor Trend and Car and Driver gushed over it calling it an American Audi 5000. Of the five mentioned, however, I probably would've gone with the Camry. I liked Toyotas back then and its angular styling and two-tone paint appealed to me.
Love these 80s cars....not these specific ones lmao they were some real heaps but still better than any of today's "designs" my list ....1 Honda 2 celebrity 3 Mazda 4 (tie) Nissan nd Toyota
I agree with you completely. The 626 Touring 5-speed is my favorite. I had one in college and i loved it. It looked exactly likely this 13:06 The Camry hatch 5-speed would be my second favorite. Two-tone, of course.
Also, your videos are always some of the best produced videos on youtube. You can tell you take a lot of time to edit and create a professional looking video.
My Dad is still all Ford to this day so Mom got a gray '84 Tempo. Then '86 added a light blue Taurus Wagon for Dad. The old cars got handed down to us kids. Me the '72 Ford LTD Country Squire😒. I hated that boat as it got only 8 mpg. Middle brother got Dad's '72 blue Maverick Grabber w/silver racing stripes and hood scoops. Youngest brother got purchased for him a used cheap Pumpkin Orange Pinto w/black racing stripes. Ahh being a teen in the 80s where you get the hand me downs of the 70s.
A lot of guys who were the age in the mid-80s that we are now ("we" meaning nostalgic gen-Xers) were brand loyal like that. There were a couple Ford men in my family, way more Chevy/GM men. I don't remember any Mopar men.
my mom had a ford tempo when they first came out, and it sucked so bad she completely stopped buying american cars and switched to honda. it is also why she refers to fords as "Found On Road Dead" f.o.r.d.
Loved this. For me? Accord any day of the week. Currently on my 4th. On another note, I remember when the Altimas first came out, they had a small "Stanza" badge in stuck in the center crease of the trunk.
Nicely done! The Celebrity was bigger and not the same category as the others. The Cavalier was the direct competition in this class. The Tempo was crap and most of them were crushed long before Cash For Clunkers. I had an 85 Accord Hatchback. Great car.
For whatever reason I dig the Topaz of this era, especially with those quirky OEM spokeless rims, & could see it making for an awesome slammed cruiser, like what others do to Jettas & Golfs
Well, in my case i would have chosen to drive the honda accord, the mazda 626 and the toyota camry... Thanks for the video man! it was a nice trip down memory lane!
Found your channel thanks to GM insider news. I would take the Camry. My parents bought one new in 1985. Base car with roll up windows, 5spd manual, and port installed A/C. Car was about a year old when they went to Europe for two weeks. Just before their arrival back home I gave it a bath and waxed it for them. I also did a photo shoot with the freshly clean Camry at the "golden hour" and didn't even realize it at the time. Pictures came out really well. Sadly it was totaled in 1988.
Celebrity deserves another practical point or two since it's the only 6-seater here, the others only seat 5. If you got the wagon it had room for eight.
Great video! As for the cars, I'm a domestic car fan, and Ford enthusiast in particular, but I'm in 100% agreement with you. The 626 is the class of this field, hands down. The Tempo/Topaz could have been much better cars, but were really let down by their 2.3HSC engines. The choice to spend development money creating an "all new" 2.3 liter four-cylinder derived from an ancient pushrod six, when Ford already had a more sophisticated SOHC four-cylinder in that same displacement must have made sense at the time, but seems pretty questionable in hindsight. The results, as you note, were acceptable by 1984 standards, but the shortcomings became increasingly apparent with each passing year. Despite strong initial sales, it was only deep discounts and fleet purchases that was moving these cars by the end of their run.
It really smacks of a decision made based on production capacity. Another problem is Ford's persistent thinking that a 10-year production run is acceptable for a compact car. Nope, segment's too competitive for that, you're going to be slapping massive cash on the hood by year 7 or 8.
I had a 1981 accord hatchback 5 speed in 2008. It got much better milage than they say on here. I got 27 mpg in the city and 43 on the highway (@55 mph). It was a great car and never left me stranded, even kicked ass in the snow! Throttle was more responsive than newer fuel injected cars... I really miss it and of I had the money I would but it again
My mother had an '85 Camry 5-speed manual, and I have had 3 Camrys myself, a '93, a '13 , and currently I have a '19 V6. I will always own a Toyota. "Oh what a feeling... Toyota!!!!"
Amazing channel.Seriously. It's too hot out,I'm watching a bunch of these vids with a gallon of sweet tx tea.My wife had that...Tempo.So funny to see it catch air.Bet it blew up shortly after. Nothing beats the boxy look on these cars,and the dash designs on the Japanese models are just the best.Wish I had my old hatchback Nova/Toyota 😔..
I had the 1984 camry 1.8 It was carburetted. 2.0 was injected. Great car, bulletproof otherwise, but gearbox had to be swapped, it failed at 100k. Fuel consumption at 100mph was only 30mpg. Now that was pretty awesome.
My mom and dad used to have the Camry and the MR2 back in 1985. They were stupid reliable. Would love to see some K car love though... I've owned hundreds of them and still have a few to this day... My 1981 Reliant wagon still runs well even though it's 40 years old now!
![4 Forgotten Cars From the 80s/90s. [ Should You Buy? ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kowW9_VJvac/mqdefault.jpg)
Correction! The 2.0L in the Camry was fuel injected, not carbureted. I blame too much beer before filming.
Really dislike all the cars for this reason or that. The 626 got better, power wise, then split to the 2 door MX-6 and Ford Probe. In order...
626
Celebrity
Accord
Camry
Stanza
Tempo off a cliff
I would buy the Chevrolet Caprice Classic , Ford LTD Crown Victoria , Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme , Delta 88 and Chrysler 5th Avenue , umm gas was still fairly cheap back than .Stay Safe ..
The dodge dynasty from that era was one comfy ride! :)
I like all full size cars like
The Caprice Oldsmobile Regency and Delta 88 Ford LTD and Mercury Grand Marquis Pontiac Parisienne Buick LeSabre
Again you talk about midsize cars
You didn't mention the Pontiac 6000
Chrysler K car Plymouth Reliant Dodge Aries Buick Regal Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais
I sure hope you continue this series with other segments!
Very enjoyable reviews ,do more.
Same here....This is great
Mrchevy Baja - Well hello, bajabusta! 👋🏻 Still miss your channel, man. Glad you're keeping TDJ going though!
Great review. Reminds me of my childhood.
I would definitely pick the Toyota Camry! As the parent of a Camry I know that there's no better value then a car that not only out lives it's payments but one that will most definitely outlive the decade in which it was built. Mine has 426 K miles on her and still drives as smoothly and reliably is when I first adopted her back in October 99
Have I got you right? That's about 700,000 kilometres. Any major repairs in it's life? What year is it? Manual? Auto?
I'm inclined to agree here.
My first car back in '16 was an '84 Camry that I got for 500 bucks with 400,000 miles on it, and she only started having torque converter issues around 834,000.
I'm still upset I had to get rid of her because I couldn't get the trans repaired.
My first car was a 1985 Toyota Camry. LOVED that car. The car I used when I had my learners permit was a 1985 Plymouth Voyager. My girlfriend had a 84 Topaz and we were still taking it to the club in DC in 1999! No one wanted to steal that car from the parking lot at the club. Great content keep it coming!
Of this group, I'd take the Camry liftback. My family test drove one in '86 and I was blown away by the in-dash tech. For me sophistication and refinement put the Camry above the rest.
I feel like you arent remembering the AMC eagle when you say crossovers werent a concept yet
To me they're not that similar in spirit or execution! Most crossovers today would fail miserably off road, the AMC Eagle would slay!
For the record, '83 was the last year for the 2wd AMC Concord that competed directly in this segment.
@@HelloRoad The Eagle was a true crossover. Modern crossovers are crossovers in appearance only, and they fail at that, too. It's silly to suggest that since the Eagle is the best at being a crossover, it isn't a crossover.
@@truckertriesfarming9792 We're saying the same thing, just disagreeing about what it should be called :)
Back then give me an 84 Chevy Celebrity w/2.8 V6 engine.The Celebrity replaced the Impala.
I had a Celebrity and I loved it! Loved the styling, it was comfortable and fun.
I got to drive my dad's friend's 85 Camry le 5 speed to work one day since he had borrowed my dad's truck for hauling, back in 1990. It had nice velour interior and a power sunroof. It was enjoyable to drive, loved reviving that car!! I'd still go with the Mazda though. My grandfather bought a brand new 86 Celebrity, he used to burn rubber in it! Gotta love the 80s cars. So much potential with some models, but still some automakers still made some boring cars. My dad's 86 Cavalier RS, was ok, since he couldn't afford the Z24 model. It was red 2 Dr with a factory pop-up sunroof. But my mom's 87 Toyota FX 16 was a blast to drive! Both were 5 speed's that's how me and my sister learned to drive. I miss it.
Awesome content! I never thought I would find anyone else who was fascinated with 80's cars like me, most of my friends like newer cars or really old classics from the 70's and below... So many cool cars from the 80's and early 90's. I was surprised you knew what a Subaru XT Turbo was as well! It's also one of my dream cars :) The oldest thing I own currently is a 1989 Honda Accord LX-i, my dad wont let me buy anything older :/
The XT to is a quirky but shitty car. My RB20E Skyline had quicker acceleration and better cornering.
Get whatever car you like! Well maybe save a little bit and then get one. Every car has its issues so may as well get a car you like and enjoy so that when having to do repairs or upgrades it will mean more to you and make you smile. By the way, I have several 80's cars that put down 300 to 500 hp and are street driven. I also have a 98 hp 80's car that I keep because I just plain like it. Each of them have pluses and minuses. Some are really fast and one probably annoys other drivers because it is slower than almost every new car. If you are willing to work on them or spend money to repair them, get what you like.
We bought a 1985 Honda Accord (when I was 12) and it was a great car at the time. We owned it until around ‘91.
One of my mate's first car was a 1986 Mazda 626 Coupe in dark blue purchased around 1992. It came with full digital dash, double din stereo with equalizer, adjustable electronic suspension, full electrics, cruise control I think from memory, 2 litre EFI engine, 15" alloy wheels etc. etc. We all thought it was a pretty cool thing back in the day and definitely would have been quite high tech back in the mid 80's!
My parents had an 80's ford tempo when I was little, and got a 91 ford tempo when the other was totaled. The 91 ford tempo turned into my first car in high school. Peeling blue paint, stripped gearing in the automatic seatbelt, and several other issues. Still managed to have lots of good memories and fun in it.
My mother bought an 84 Camry hatch, gave it to my brother in 91, and bought another camry. Mom is gone but her 91 Camry DX is still on my driveway. The 91 is an awesome car , but i would have preferred the 84. My brother trashed the 84 along time ago.
you're killing it with this retro series! my second-ever car was an '85 camry liftback & i loved that thing! i remember it had a manual crank sunroof - ha! hard to believe how much cars have changed in under 40 years. my current car is a 2018 prius prime. feels like a space ship compared to my '85 camry. wonder where cars will be 40 years from now? thanks for the great vids!
Cool 😋 I was 10 in 1984, and remember these car's .
Even back in ‘84 the Camry was still a really good car. Accord too. You wouldn’t want any others.
Toyota and Honda were in their prime in the 80s and 90s. Such great cars!
A couple of things, first of all, I love these videos man!! The production is top notch, well researched and just awesome dude! Keep it up, I’m super happy I found this channel! Okay, as for the cars. I had an 1988 626 but that was the year they redesigned them. My friends parents, however, had a 1986 626, and it was the same generation you featured here. The difference is they had the turbo version, which bumped up hp ratings to 145. My friends dad would take us to a parking lot and do doughnuts in the car haha I was like 9, and thought it was so cool, as my parents would never do that. Pretty dangerous now that I think back, but I can tell you that the 626 was miles ahead of things like the tempo, as far as “sporty” was concerned. Thanks for the memories!
I had an 87 626GT (same generation, tho updated from the 84 model he showed- flush headlights, revised interior, etc). It was indeed rated at 120 HP, but it clearly produced more than that. Dig up any old automotive magazine review, and they’ll mention this. The ‘88-92 GTs did make 145 HP, but again, widely regarded as having significantly more than Mazda claimed.
I love the 80s styling of the Tempo over the 90s one. Maybe because it looks more old school.
the 83 thunderbird and tempo were among the first of the "aero" cars...I liked how they looked, too
There’s a Ford Tempo Group on Facebook with owners that have the 80s models. A lot of them are in incredibly good condition.
I want a toyota cressida in my driveway!
89-92 are fantastic unfortunately Toyota pushed Lexus and many people perceived the es250 and es300 as a better car than the Cressida which they aren't.
have one . best car i have owned
I have a rust-free '85 in my garage. My time capsule.
I so badly wanted a Cressida back in 1990. Unfortunately it was just a bit out of reach so I wound up getting an Accord EX 5-speed. That super sweet 7M inline 6 though... I search cargurus every weekend searching for an '89 or '90 since they offered the slide-out manual override controls for the HVAC
I don't recall ever really seeing the Mazdas at all, but the Honda and Toyota were pretty common. Lots of Tempo's and Celebrities running around too. The Celebrity really was the family car for middle aged people.
Ohio was flooded by Honda
The Celebrity screams about as much excitement as going to Sears.
They did make that rare Celebrity in like 88-90 the Eurosport VR..cool bodykit and better engine.
Mom bought a brand new 1984 Chevy Cavalier manual. Learned how to drive on that car. Good old days.
Thanks! Bought a '91 626 LX 4 door with 106,000 miles in 1995 for $6,600...Kept it's value and went till 201,000 miles. Loved the oscillating center vents and the ability to fold the front passenger seat down (w/o) the headrest to create a lounge seat from behind...thx again!
Thanks for watching! Love those oscillating vents on the 626!!!
Me to..
My dad bought an '84 Camry DX. I took my driver's test in it. SOLIDLY built cars, but they were not in any way fast. Rear seats were gargantuan compared to interior size. I agree the Mazda was very much the prettiest.
I have a 86 camry, its scary to drive during traffic here in Arizona because no one goes the speed limit. I usually just get honked at when I'm taking off but its still a fun outside of that
Great idea and well-executed, Ethan! Highly enjoyable. Please do more of these throwback battles. One little thing that bothered me, though: shouldn't you have placed the Maxima in this group, instead of the Stanza?
Thank you! I definitely considered the Maxima. However I wanted to keep this all front wheel drive, 4 cylinder cars. In '84 the Maxima was still RWD. In terms of size though, the Maxima was in the same ballpark. :)
This is an awesome series man, 80s car ads are super charming! Absolutely loving watching this and the production is top notch. Stay well!
Forgot the Chrysler K cars. I have a 1986 Dodge Aries, Have owned it for 12 years. I would have gotten the Mazda 626 though, seems like it would make for a fun daily driver.
I'm thinking about doing a follow up with some of the others that didn't make the cut here. Aries, Jetta, Tredia...
@@HelloRoad Jetta in '84 was still a MkI, priced like a midsize but very much a subcompact. Tredia... Mitsu dealers were thin on the ground, only one in New England and I'm not going all the way to Boston to kick tires. Chrysler K-Car would've been on everyone's shopping list unless they'd just had a bad experience with Mopar. Granted, that was plenty of people.
@@nlpnt And Chrysler Motor Corp beat that platform to death - want a convertible, coupe, econobox, sport's car, wagon, sportback, or a minivan - have we got a platform for you! But, I too would love to see a serious delve into the platform that saved Chrysler Motor Corp from bankruptcy and "muscled" its way back into the Big Three.
**W123 300D cries in “too expensive to be considered a family car”**
I loved the 1990 Ford Tempo. I drove for my prom night. I loved the Tempo and I liked the Chevy Celebrity. Thanks for you Time Machine to the past please do more of these videos.. I loved it.. :)
We had an '84 Tempo sedan with the 4 cyl & 5sp manual back in the day. Was a really good little car that suited our very young family. We lived in Central Oregon and the front wheel drive was awesome in the snow. Wasn't anything fancy - crank windows, regular door locks, no cruise control and no AC. But it got the job done and was reliable.
My mother had an 84 stanza 4 door hatchback- it stayed in my family until about 1991. I remember it as slow but reliable and large for its class. It became my sister's car in 1989.
Also, the Celebrity Eurosport with v6 and alloy wheels looked pretty cool. Great video. Thanks for marking it
Yes and they were GM,s best-selling FWD car back in the day .
Great review. I owned a 1985 Mazda 626 4-door back in the days. It was a great car indeed.
As much of a Japanese car fan as I am, I am partial to the Celebrity here because my first car was a 1986 Celeb! In fact, I'm working on sorta-kinda-maybe picking up a Celebrity as a project car to re-live some of those memories. Nice vid!
The Camry was my first car. My dad worked at a Toyota dealership and wrangled it out of a customer as the transmission was going out on it. Got the transmission fixed and proceeded to wreck it months later in the snow. Teenage driver! But I’m nostalgic for the body style- just don’t see them anymore.
My first car was 84 Mazda 626 liftback. I missed her, really awesome car.
Mazda for me! My Dad had an '88 626 when I was a kid---zero trouble. Great video, love the retro reviews.
Dude you are killing it with these videos and the production quality. Came to the channel for 4AGE Nova's and stayed for the retro awesome.
Thanks for the nostalgic video, the Mike Tyson theme song made me smile! :)
I'm absolutely loving this channel. Wish I would have found it sooner. You're easily the least pretentious car guy on TH-cam and I love your appreciation of Radwoods.
You need more subscribers bro
Your videos are amazing
For me the 626 is the clear winner. When Mazda went FWD, they made sure they did it right, from a dynamic perspective. Something else-once the Stanza got fuel injection, it was the most powerful base motor. If it were my money, I would be buying a Jetta or 626, and I’m a Honda-lover. At the other end of the spectrum, a Celebrity with the V6 would be extremely satisfying.
I love this channel! My favorite all-time car was my 1984 Mitsubishi Tredia Turbo. It would have blown all these cars out of the water with 116 HP room for 5 (sort of) and so quirky. It is my biggest regret not keeping it. I too love the 626 especially the 1986 GT. Keep it up and by the way I would buy your Nova Twin Cam if you ever want to sell it. I remember those cars so well!
Please make more of these!
I will! :)
You probably know about this, but the Motor Week TH-cam channel has 'retro reviews' posted of their reviews of cars going back into the 80's. It's fun to see the cars through the contemporary lens, and hear John Davis complaining about the lack of gauges. Also the hair and clothes.
I grew up with these cars and remembere every single one of them! The Mazda and the Honda were my favorites! My 1st car was an 83 Accord hatchback. Please keep making videos like this!
I had an '86 Camry, you couldn't kill that car and yes, started all the time even in the cold! Mine was fuel injected automatic, a true classic. It was also the same color as in the pictures.
Honda Accord by a long shot. These things have never failed me in my daily driving.
Back in the day, I'd say this was a tough argument, but today? My grandpa still uses his 2nd gen Toyota Camry to run errands.
Fantastic video.....keep them coming!!
I remember talking my dad into an 84 Accord 2 door hatchback.. Always loved the way it looked and felt even back then.. The sound of a Honda starting, the smell of the plastics they used on the interiors, the sound of the chime when u left the lights on! My choice now would be the 626..looks modern even today! Thanks for the awesome video :)
I had a 95 accord lx and now have a 92 accord ex. I too love the way those hondas sound when they start up!! I also like the way they sound when going from 1st gear to 2nd gear (auto trans- of course)
In 1984, I was the father of a 4-year old, and we lived in the Boston metro area. The year before, when daughter was 3, we went shopping for a family car. Having owned a Honda, we could've shopped the Accord. Same with the Camry. But with only the one child and a smaller budget, we were looking "one size down" and ultimately bought a new Renault Alliance (mostly to benefit from the French genius for compliant suspensions that could deal with Beantown's horrific roads...for which the Alliance delivered). Despite the reputation the car earned, we didn't have any problems with it for the 5 years we owned it.
I love these retrospective reviews on the cars I remember from my childhood. Thank you.
I remember they likened the Tempo/Topaz to a melted bar of soap. Took my driver’s test in a Celebrity. Now on my fifth Accord. The Mick told Honda “We need greasy, fast , SPEED !”😁
First-gen Altimas had a tiny Stanza badge on them. I can only imagine the temper tantrum in whatever Nissan design studio that brought that on.
I remember Nissan flogging Stanzas in their advertising when Altimas were already on their way to dealerships. I thought that was so disingenuous, to put it mildly.
I'd love to check out the Mazda for sure. I worked at a local junkyard and we received a mid 2000s Mazda 6 with a manual and 350k miles that was destined for the crusher... it had been a fleet vehicle somewhere. I took it around the neighborhood and it STILL had life in it, it pulled like a beast, it responded immediately to all driver-input, I was amazed. Mazda is like that kid in the back of the class who draws in their notebook all the time and constantly aces tests and quizzes, but nobody seems to talk to them :P
I drive an 89 Buick Century, which was the mid-generation refresh of the FWD A-body platform GM used on the Celebrity, Cutlass Ciera, and 6000. It has the 3.3, and when I replaced all the suspension with new components (not performance, just new), that car blew my mind. Yes it's not meant to be luxury OR performance, but it drives so well. I'd love to have experienced its original release and put it through the wringer :D
Our FAMILY bought that first year Red Tan Camry...trust me everyone asked what this car is named and LOVED IT. Our Camry had golden tint. shaded windows and cassette with equalizer!
Looking back---I like the look of those boxy square cars back in the day..
Don't forget Mazda eventually released a GT versión of the 626, with a 2.0 Turbo that if I remember correctly was good for 120hp and around 150lb ft of torque, which for the era was quite impressive.
Your channel rocks, bro! Back in 84 I was driving a 63 Ford Falcon. Lol
Recently stumbled across your channel and absolutely love the content! Subscribed!
I graduated from high school in 1981 and remember all these cars and that era well. I did not have a family at that time so none of these cars were on my list to purchase. However, I did know several people who owned all these makes and models. The standard bearer was definitely the Accord. Next was the Mazda. The Tempo, Stanza, and Celebrity were staples of the rental car fleets and the Camry was an unknown. Thanks for taking me back to my youth Ethan.
I knew a guy that had a tempo forever! (10 years?) As I recall, he didn't have many problems with it. The heater in that car was amazing!
Paul Anger The AC in them was as well. I remember mine freezing me out of the car.
Wow, great video! Loved the flashback. Can we get a Mini Truck comparo next?
I had one of those accord 2dr hatchbacks..i would zip through the city of Philadelphia with ease..suprisingly peppy 5 spd manuel..i couldnt believe how smooth and quiet the car was when i bought it in 95..ahhh the memories of trouble free driving
You forgot to mention Culture Club were one of the biggest bands in the world in 1984. Love the Datsun B210 tee shirt and am still watching your video of it. We've had our Mazda for 46 years and we have another we've had for 31.I'd have the 626 any day. In 1984 the hatch in particular was something to behold. Beautiful and stylish.
1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham. 4 door. Beige with brown top.
I would MUCH rather have a car with a fuel-injected engine (guessing those came around in the late 80s early 90s). But from this list, It'd be a toss-up between the Accord (I currently have a green 92 Accord EX ) or the 626
My 1st car was an 89 light blue tempo. It was a hand-me-down from a family member. It had this issue where it would stall when the rpms got below a certain level. Other than that, it was a decent car back in late 2006 to mid 2007. It literally only made it to my HS graduation day. After that, the tie-rods were so bad that I couldn't drive the car anymore. So I had it towed away the summer of 2007.
Great video!! Even if it was created after tipping back a few too many!! lol
The Mazda coupe for sure . Honda Accord was my all time favorite but I did like the looks of the Toyota Camry ( it was different looking )
The Stanza became fuel injected in 84. I had one, an 86. It was a good car, more like the Accord than the Camry. I prefer the sportiness of the Accord, 626, and Stanza. I currently own an 86 Civic sedan and 80 Corolla Tercel.
I would have picked GM's other A-body: the Pontiac 6000 STE. If I remember correctly both Motor Trend and Car and Driver gushed over it calling it an American Audi 5000. Of the five mentioned, however, I probably would've gone with the Camry. I liked Toyotas back then and its angular styling and two-tone paint appealed to me.
My first car was my parent's 1984 626 hand-me-down that I got in 1989. I LOVED that car.
As always, amazing videos. Keep the content coming!!! Thank you.
Love these 80s cars....not these specific ones lmao they were some real heaps but still better than any of today's "designs" my list ....1 Honda 2 celebrity 3 Mazda 4 (tie) Nissan nd Toyota
Camry is the only one that had fuel injection so it’s the clear winner
I agree with you completely. The 626 Touring 5-speed is my favorite. I had one in college and i loved it. It looked exactly likely this 13:06 The Camry hatch 5-speed would be my second favorite. Two-tone, of course.
Also, your videos are always some of the best produced videos on youtube. You can tell you take a lot of time to edit and create a professional looking video.
My Dad is still all Ford to this day so Mom got a gray '84 Tempo. Then '86 added a light blue Taurus Wagon for Dad. The old cars got handed down to us kids. Me the '72 Ford LTD Country Squire😒. I hated that boat as it got only 8 mpg. Middle brother got Dad's '72 blue Maverick Grabber w/silver racing stripes and hood scoops. Youngest brother got purchased for him a used cheap Pumpkin Orange Pinto w/black racing stripes. Ahh being a teen in the 80s where you get the hand me downs of the 70s.
A lot of guys who were the age in the mid-80s that we are now ("we" meaning nostalgic gen-Xers) were brand loyal like that. There were a couple Ford men in my family, way more Chevy/GM men. I don't remember any Mopar men.
my mom had a ford tempo when they first came out, and it sucked so bad she completely stopped buying american cars and switched to honda. it is also why she refers to fords as "Found On Road Dead" f.o.r.d.
My friends parents had a Tempo and a Dodge Caravan. That Tempo was a piece of shit!! My parents always had Oldsmobile cutlass or Chevys.
An '84 tempo was my first car. It was about 15 years old when I got it
Loved this. For me? Accord any day of the week. Currently on my 4th. On another note, I remember when the Altimas first came out, they had a small "Stanza" badge in stuck in the center crease of the trunk.
Nicely done! The Celebrity was bigger and not the same category as the others. The Cavalier was the direct competition in this class. The Tempo was crap and most of them were crushed long before Cash For Clunkers. I had an 85 Accord Hatchback. Great car.
For whatever reason I dig the Topaz of this era, especially with those quirky OEM spokeless rims, & could see it making for an awesome slammed cruiser, like what others do to Jettas & Golfs
Well, in my case i would have chosen to drive the honda accord, the mazda 626 and the toyota camry... Thanks for the video man! it was a nice trip down memory lane!
This is totally rad. I seriously want to find a pristine 1984 Mercury Topaz.
Tempo with a 5speed tied with the celebrity for me. I love that iron duke motor but i am a ford guy.
Best video on TH-cam! The 80s were such an amazing time! Very well done
Wow, thank you, and thanks for watching!
@@HelloRoad sure thing man! Videos like yours deserve all the views not videos of people buying used iPhones lol
Lots of people bought Chrysler K cars their were quite a running around my home town back then.
Found your channel thanks to GM insider news. I would take the Camry. My parents bought one new in 1985. Base car with roll up windows, 5spd manual, and port installed A/C. Car was about a year old when they went to Europe for two weeks. Just before their arrival back home I gave it a bath and waxed it for them. I also did a photo shoot with the freshly clean Camry at the "golden hour" and didn't even realize it at the time. Pictures came out really well. Sadly it was totaled in 1988.
The celebrity wagon was dope
Celebrity deserves another practical point or two since it's the only 6-seater here, the others only seat 5. If you got the wagon it had room for eight.
Great video! As for the cars, I'm a domestic car fan, and Ford enthusiast in particular, but I'm in 100% agreement with you. The 626 is the class of this field, hands down. The Tempo/Topaz could have been much better cars, but were really let down by their 2.3HSC engines. The choice to spend development money creating an "all new" 2.3 liter four-cylinder derived from an ancient pushrod six, when Ford already had a more sophisticated SOHC four-cylinder in that same displacement must have made sense at the time, but seems pretty questionable in hindsight. The results, as you note, were acceptable by 1984 standards, but the shortcomings became increasingly apparent with each passing year. Despite strong initial sales, it was only deep discounts and fleet purchases that was moving these cars by the end of their run.
It really smacks of a decision made based on production capacity. Another problem is Ford's persistent thinking that a 10-year production run is acceptable for a compact car. Nope, segment's too competitive for that, you're going to be slapping massive cash on the hood by year 7 or 8.
I had a 1981 accord hatchback 5 speed in 2008. It got much better milage than they say on here. I got 27 mpg in the city and 43 on the highway (@55 mph). It was a great car and never left me stranded, even kicked ass in the snow! Throttle was more responsive than newer fuel injected cars... I really miss it and of I had the money I would but it again
I learned how to drive a manual in a 626, loads of fun.
My mother had an '85 Camry 5-speed manual, and I have had 3 Camrys myself, a '93, a '13 , and currently I have a '19 V6. I will always own a Toyota. "Oh what a feeling... Toyota!!!!"
What if someone started a car brand that only made 1980s styled cars but with modern technology and reilablety today only if only if
It would sell well for one design cycle. The problem with retro design is "where do we go from here?"
Amazing channel.Seriously.
It's too hot out,I'm watching a bunch of these vids with a gallon of sweet tx tea.My wife had that...Tempo.So funny to see it catch air.Bet it blew up shortly after.
Nothing beats the boxy look on these cars,and the dash designs on the Japanese models are just the best.Wish I had my old hatchback Nova/Toyota 😔..
Thanks so much for watching, glad you're enjoying the videos!! :) :) :)
Tempo was the favorite rental cars
Accord by far, the Camry would be 2nd. Tempo's were everywhere, but were not very good, especially the independent rear suspension with camber issues.
I had the 1984 camry 1.8 It was carburetted. 2.0 was injected. Great car, bulletproof otherwise, but gearbox had to be swapped, it failed at 100k. Fuel consumption at 100mph was only 30mpg. Now that was pretty awesome.
I mean I think we can dump the Tempo and Celebrity right away.
My mom and dad used to have the Camry and the MR2 back in 1985. They were stupid reliable. Would love to see some K car love though... I've owned hundreds of them and still have a few to this day... My 1981 Reliant wagon still runs well even though it's 40 years old now!