While I still see a good enough mix of decent condition '80s cars on the road (particularly the second half of the decade), it's clearly less than it used to be. I'd say it's around 30% now, although I'm in a pretty big, metro area. Maybe there's more older models in the country.

During the '90s, there were still lots of them on the road. Even some old-school police cars and professional vehicles were right there alongside the "modern" rounded ones.  Now, I'm not surprised all the '80s Taxicabs and Police cars have since disappeared ("service" vehicles get alot more use than civillian cars, and need to be in good shape for it, so I can understand why nearly 20-year old cars wouldn't still be out there), but how common are other '80s cars in everyone's area?

In future generations, do you think they'll be "classic" enough to be restored by collectors the way, say Hot Rods or other earlier cars are now?

Well, being that we're not living in the '80s, and newer models of cars are out, I'd say yes...

Well, being that we're not living in the '80s, and newer models of cars are out, I'd say yes...


I know that, lol - but my point is, there were still lots of them during the '90s compared to now. When I moved to San Jose in 1996, I'd say it was half and half between rectangular and "modern" ones. Almost all '70s cars looked like Uncle Buck-mobiles (my personal term for a beater ;D ) by the '90s.

I think '80s cars tended to be more luxurious and expensive (it's also the last period of the "old-styled construction", such as steel bumbers), which is probably why they've tended to be longer-lasting.

BTW, there was a policeman who lived in my townhouse complex back when I first moved here. I remember he had his early '90s Caprice (some cops take their vehicles home with them). Based on street scenes in TV shows, as well as my own experience, I would say 1993 or '94 was the last time any '80s cop cars were out on patrol. I think they sell them in auctions after 4-5 years, which makes sense.

It is becoming less of a thing to see 80's cars...however, I live in a small hicktown, so there are still plenty of them on the roads (most of them being junkers ;D).  I still say that cars back then and earlier were built so much stronger, and they last long!

It is becoming less of a thing to see 80's cars...however, I live in a small hicktown, so there are still plenty of them on the roads (most of them being junkers ;D).  I still say that cars back then and earlier were built so much stronger, and they last long!


Yeah, one thing about the "modern" (1991+) rounded models is the little built-in bumper that's made of flimsy metal. Sure, the older ones were uglier, but it made them stronger constructionwise, and more sturdy in accidents.

I will say, it's kinda sad to see '80s cars being less common now. The ones that are still around, it's like there's something old-school/comforting about that, since I grew up when those were new.

Yeah, one thing about the "modern" (1991+) rounded models is the little built-in bumper that's made of flimsy metal. Sure, the older ones were uglier, but it made them stronger constructionwise, and more sturdy in accidents.

I will say, it's kinda sad to see '80s cars being less common now. The ones that are still around, it's like there's something old-school/comforting about that, since I grew up when those were new.



I remember my first car (which I obtained around the year of 1993 or so)...was a blue Chevy cavalier...it was a late 80's model)...that thing was built very strong...it lasted a good while.

:-X

I guess for any decade, you're going to see a drop off of cars from a certain era after say 20 years...cars of the '70's became rare sights in the '90's, 60's cars started to fade by the '80's and so on.

I think the cars of the 90's and late 80's will hang on longer than we are used to for a few good reasons.
One, no more carburetors, most cars were fuel injected by the mid '80's. Carbs imprecise and very difficult to adjust/calibrate just made the life of an engine difficult. Metered and computer controlled fuel injection is more efferent and thereby the life of most engines and cars are much longer.

Also by the 80’s we had better materials, better plastics, better tires, better paint, much better metals (hardly see rust on cars like you used to).

Lastly better assembly/process, WAY better engineering.

Example: Honda Accords from the '80's (the ones with the "pop-up" headlights). These damn things will not die, they run forever, still see them running around. Still on the used car classified for $800-$1200 and worth the money. Very well engineered cars, extremely well assembled.

I guess for any decade, you're going to see a drop off of cars from a certain era after say 20 years...cars of the '70's became rare sights in the '90's, 60's cars started to fade by the '80's and so on.

I think the cars of the 90's and late 80's will hang on longer than we are used to for a few good reasons.
One, no more carburetors, most cars were fuel injected by the mid '80's. Carbs imprecise and very difficult to adjust/calibrate just made the life of an engine difficult. Metered and computer controlled fuel injection is more efferent and thereby the life of most engines and cars are much longer.

Also by the 80’s we had better materials, better plastics, better tires, better paint, much better metals (hardly see rust on cars like you used to).

Lastly better assembly/process, WAY better engineering.

Example: Honda Accords from the '80's (the ones with the "pop-up" headlights). These damn things will not die, they run forever, still see them running around. Still on the used car classified for $800-$1200 and worth the money. Very well engineered cars, extremely well assembled.

Didn't realise all that, thanks for the info, man. :)

Despite my interest in these types of things, I'm not much of an automotive expert. Although I was thinking along the same lines as you'd pointed out. I see '80s cars with paint jobs wearing off, but none that look like absolute junkyard beaters down to primer, lol. I agree, construction and materials of those cars was very good, lots of them were built to last.

Yeah, I'm surprised actually at how many '90s cars are around and in good shape now. Those are harder to tell apart from new ones, since they're rounded designed too (just not as much), and they don't look old or worn out either.

I know that, lol - but my point is, there were still lots of them during the '90s compared to now. When I moved to San Jose in 1996, I'd say it was half and half between rectangular and "modern" ones. Almost all '70s cars looked like Uncle Buck-mobiles (my personal term for a beater ;D ) by the '90s.

I think '80s cars tended to be more luxurious and expensive (it's also the last period of the "old-styled construction", such as steel bumbers), which is probably why they've tended to be longer-lasting.

BTW, there was a policeman who lived in my townhouse complex back when I first moved here. I remember he had his early '90s Caprice (some cops take their vehicles home with them). Based on street scenes in TV shows, as well as my own experience, I would say 1993 or '94 was the last time any '80s cop cars were out on patrol. I think they sell them in auctions after 4-5 years, which makes sense.


Well, yeah... But as time goes on, the older cars are less and less popular..

Didn't realise all that, thanks for the info, man. :)

Despite my interest in these types of things, I'm not much of an automotive expert. Although I was thinking along the same lines as you'd pointed out. I see '80s cars with paint jobs wearing off, but none that look like absolute junkyard beaters down to primer, lol. I agree, construction and materials of those cars was very good, lots of them were built to last.

Yeah, I'm surprised actually at how many '90s cars are around and in good shape now. Those are harder to tell apart from new ones, since they're rounded designed too (just not as much), and they don't look old or worn out either.

You are right, there were some bad paint jobs on some cars. Fords in particular, I dare you to find a Ford from '85 on that doesn't have that sandblasted faded paint look. Ford had came out with some new types of clearcoat that didn't stand up to the job.

Separate from that, I wonder about the cars you don't see from the '80's, there were some bad ones.

Anyone seen a Fiero, a Chevy Citation, a Ford EXP, any of the original square/boxy "K" cars from Chrysler? No ones crying for these cars, and none (except the last of the Fiero's) will ever be a classic.
Porsche 944's & BMW 320i's were popular, but expensive to repair, gone.
Remember the Renault Fuego? No? Good cause no one else does either, terrible car, ditto the Yugo & Cadillac Cimmaron (Chevy Cavalier dressed up as a Caddy  ::)). The first Hyundai Exels were AWFUL cars too.
So the eighties has had a lot of cars that are gone now, but they were so bad that no one will really miss them...be glad they're gone to rust heap in the sky.

No, I however see the occasional 80's car around. You'll like see some late 80's Honda's or a Toyota Camry( have seen an 87-89 Camry around and saw an 83-86 Camry the other day.) I have seen my share of oldsmobiles from the 80's and some Caddy's as well. Oh, saw one of the early 80's Chrysler K- Cars(The Dodge Aries) in a strip mall parking lot the other day and the paint and interior was still in tip top shape. Saw an 88-91 Pontiac Grand Prix on Wednesday and the paint was faded.

I myself love cars particulary Honda products and Mazda's too but I do know alot about other car companies too.

You are right, there were some bad paint jobs on some cars. Fords in particular, I dare you to find a Ford from '85 on that doesn't have that sandblasted faded paint look. Ford had came out with some new types of clearcoat that didn't stand up to the job.

Separate from that, I wonder about the cars you don't see from the '80's, there were some bad ones.

The first Hyundai Exels were AWFUL cars too.
So the eighties has had a lot of cars that are gone now, but they were so bad that no one will really miss them...be glad they're gone to rust heap in the sky.

The Excels were a rebadged Mitsubishi Precis right? Did the Exceles have the Mitsubishi engine in them or was it the other way around?

    It's funny, but a lot of it depends on what part of the country you live in. I noticed in your profile that you live in California, and I'm assuming that you don't get a lot of snow or ice where you're at (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), and if that's the case then the older car bodies hold up much better there. However, here in the Midwest, when the roads freeze over the state DOTs put salt on the pavement to help melt the ice, and that causes the (older) cars to rust out.
  About 15 years ago I bought an '84 Honda Accord and while the powertrain was pretty much bulletproof, the body started to disintegrate after I had it for about 2 years. The 80's imports were notorious rustbuckets, and you never see any Japanese cars built before 1990 in these parts anymore.
  What's really weird is, a few years back, my brother and I were visiting our brother in Oregon (where they don't salt the roads), and we were both amazed at how many 1970's and 80's imports (and 1970's Chevy pickups, which were also notorious rustbuckets) we saw on the road up there.  I can't remember the last time I saw, say, an '82 Datsun or Toyota down here, but up in Oregon they were everywhere, and without a speck of rust on them.

    It's funny, but a lot of it depends on what part of the country you live in. I noticed in your profile that you live in California, and I'm assuming that you don't get a lot of snow or ice where you're at (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), and if that's the case then the older car bodies hold up much better there. However, here in the Midwest, when the roads freeze over the state DOTs put salt on the pavement to help melt the ice, and that causes the (older) cars to rust out.
   About 15 years ago I bought an '84 Honda Accord and while the powertrain was pretty much bulletproof, the body started to disintegrate after I had it for about 2 years. The 80's imports were notorious rustbuckets, and you never see any Japanese cars built before 1990 in these parts anymore.
   What's really weird is, a few years back, my brother and I were visiting our brother in Oregon (where they don't salt the roads), and we were both amazed at how many 1970's and 80's imports (and 1970's Chevy pickups, which were also notorious rustbuckets) we saw on the road up there.  I can't remember the last time I saw, say, an '82 Datsun or Toyota down here, but up in Oregon they were everywhere, and without a speck of rust on them.
I used to know a guy with a mid 80's Nissan pick-up in 1999 and the the paint was coming off but the truck held up well mechincally due to the fact it was still running.
I still see 1990 or 1991 Honda Accord's but a couple of those 90 or 91 Accords(this is in Jersey) that I saw had where the pain was supposed to be above the tires. I think with the  1994 Accord Honda got the rust issue straightened out on the Accord.
Yeah I think 70's's, 80's, and early 90;s Honda's were notorious for the body having rust issues after a certain amount of time.

The Excels were a rebadged Mitsubishi Precis right? Did the Exceles have the Mitsubishi engine in them or was it the other way around?

Depending on what part of the US you were in, both. They used Mitsu 1.3's and some Hyundai block 1.6's. Some of the motors were actually downsized from old Iron Duke fours by GM, made by Kia (Ford) in Korea, it was all a mis-mash.

You'd have a lot of trouble seeing my very 80s Ford Sierra on the road...

It was rapidly disintegrating into a pile of rust when I got rid of it!

    It's funny, but a lot of it depends on what part of the country you live in. I noticed in your profile that you live in California, and I'm assuming that you don't get a lot of snow or ice where you're at (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), and if that's the case then the older car bodies hold up much better there. However, here in the Midwest, when the roads freeze over the state DOTs put salt on the pavement to help melt the ice, and that causes the (older) cars to rust out.
   About 15 years ago I bought an '84 Honda Accord and while the powertrain was pretty much bulletproof, the body started to disintegrate after I had it for about 2 years. The 80's imports were notorious rustbuckets, and you never see any Japanese cars built before 1990 in these parts anymore.
   What's really weird is, a few years back, my brother and I were visiting our brother in Oregon (where they don't salt the roads), and we were both amazed at how many 1970's and 80's imports (and 1970's Chevy pickups, which were also notorious rustbuckets) we saw on the road up there.  I can't remember the last time I saw, say, an '82 Datsun or Toyota down here, but up in Oregon they were everywhere, and without a speck of rust on them.

It depends on where in the state you are (usually the more Sea Level areas like the Bay Area doesn't get below freezing, despite being kinda cold in the Winter), but yeah that's sounds pretty accurate. I didn't realize how salting could cause rusting, but it makes sense. From what I've seen of Oregon in TV shows and the like, I think I've seen alot of "older models" up there too. That's amazing there's still quite a few '70s cars driving around, though. Whenever I see one around here, it looks ready for the junkyard, lol.

I still see plenty of '80s model Hondas and Toyotas on the road.  Occasionally I see somebody tooling around in one of those GM/Chrysler boats from the early '80s.  They're hard to miss!

I actually saw a Chevette the other day.  It wasn't even restored or souped up.  It was just a Chevette.  I can only conclude it was a dead grandmother car!
;D

I still see plenty of '80s model Hondas and Toyotas on the road.  Occasionally I see somebody tooling around in one of those GM/Chrysler boats from the early '80s.  They're hard to miss!This guy I work with (who's in his early 50's) has this like 1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88, whenever I see him driving it he reminds me of Archie Bunker for some reason.

I actually saw a Chevette the other day.  It wasn't even restored or souped up.  It was just a Chevette.  I can only conclude it was a dead grandmother car!
;D
No way...a Chevette that's still alive? Spotting one of those on the road these days is like spotting a UFO.  :D :D :D

This guy I work with (who's in his early 50's) has this like 1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88, whenever I see him driving it he reminds me of Archie Bunker for some reason.No way...a Chevette that's still alive? Spotting one of those on the road these days is like spotting a UFO.  :D :D :D


Oh man, a Chevette, what utter pieces of crap.
I had a friend who had a rust colored (from the rust, not a paint color) Chevette that broke down so much we called it "Shove it" instead...with all the times we ended up pushing that pices of junk we should've shoved it off a cliff... ::)

I expect its the same in the US as in the Uk regarding car prices.  In real terms cars are so much chepaer now.  There is much less of an incentive trying to keep an old banger going when you can get a new or nearly new car so easily.

As a kid my dad always drove cars that were about 10 years old. And then in the mid 90s he bought a new car and changed it every three years or so after.  He just decided he was getting too old to crawl around under the car fixing it.