Let's talk money

[UlrichWolf]

I got a little bored, and decided I would see how our cars stacked up to other vehicles, in terms of sticker price. I found some amazing things.

 

Every car's listed price is the MSRP price, with no optional equipment. Let's compare, shall we?

 

To start, we have a 1988 Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R - $19,789.

 

How did the Americans stack up?

 

1988 Buick Reatta - $25,000

1988 Cadillac Brougham - $23,846

1988 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z - $13,490

1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS - $14,320

1988 Chrysler Conquest TSi - $18,683

1988 Dodge Daytona Shelby-Z - $12,601

1988 Ford Bronco - $15,905

1988 Ford Mustang GT - $12,745

1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe - $17,146

1988 Lincoln Mark VII LSC - $26,380

1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7 - $16,157

1988 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo - $22,695

1988 Pontiac Sunbird GT Turbo - $10,899

1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA - $18,509

 

Let's see what the foreign models were going for.

 

1988 Acura Integra SE Coupe - $13,810

1988 Alfa Romeo Milano Gold Quadrifolglio - $18,077

1988 Audi 5000 - $22,850

1988 BMW 325IS - $28,950

1988 Honda Prelude Si 4WS - $18,125

1988 Mazda RX-7 Turbo - $22,750

1988 Merkur XR4Ti - $19,142

1988 Nissan 300ZX Turbo - $24,099

1988 Peugeot 505STi - $20,890

1988 Porsche 944 Turbo - $39,765

1988 Saab 900 Turbo - $22,655

1988 Toyota Supra Turbo - $24,210

1988 Volvo 740 Turbo - $24,925

 

Draw your own conclusions and discuss. Personally, I find it interesting that the Starion cost more than a lot of cars on that list, like the Alfa Romeo, and ironically, the Conquest. Even more amazing is how close in price some cars are to the Starion. Who'd have thought a Cadillac Brougham was only 4 thou more?

 

Tim

[BrazilBoy]

our cars were set to compete with the worlds top GT cars of the time...If you think about our option list compared even to todays cars its amazing how modern our cars still are....

 

I like Jeremy Clarksons comment about Starions on TopGear..."this is the sort of car you go to a dealership and would buy today, it has everything"

[ucw458]

If I remember these cars didn't really have options. Not as far as gadgets go. You could get louvers and mudflaps but didn't these cars come fully loaded as a factory base model? I would assume the price listed on most of those cars is the base price not the fully loaded price. In which case those prices would be higher if they were fully loaded like starions were.

[JustPaus_88TSi]

Kind of, we had the following options off the top of my head:

 

SHP package

Leather seats/door panels

Sunroof

Auto tranny

 

My 88 TSI sold for $20,850 or so if I remember right. Auto, sunroof, leather, non-SHP.

 

 

 

I'm curious to see what 1988 dollars would be today though.

[Kreal]

Good lord my 951 turbo was $40k new !

 

'1988 Porsche 944 Turbo - $39,765'

[MikeMeyerhoff]

1988 to 2009 the inflation rate has almost been 100%. Meaning one dollar in 1988 is worth two dollars today.

[Guest]

I don't think comparing the SQ dollar for dollar against the American brands of it's time is a fair comparison, I mean it was so far ahead of it's time. Even by todays standards options like steering wheel radio controls is not very common or heck, good quality leather that will actually survive 20+ years. I've bought "luxury" cars from the mid to late 90's with leather interiors that were trashed already.

[Ryan_V]

Thats a damn bargain right there.

 

1988 Dodge Daytona Shelby-Z - $12,601

 

I guarantee its one of the only cars with forged pistons on that list. It also had MPI, and was capable of over 300hp with a factory turbo kit...which would still have it costing alot less than a Conquest, Supra or 300zx

 

I think this one even had a getrag gearbox..cant quite remember, but it was wrong wheel drive.

Edited November 1, 2009 by Ryan_V

[v8starion]

Whats the differance between ESI & ESI-R? I thought that the R was SHP.

[Burton]

Nope ESIs are flatties, ESIR's are wideys.

[sexygomer]

Thats a damn bargain right there.

 

1988 Dodge Daytona Shelby-Z - $12,601

 

I guarantee its one of the only cars with forged pistons on that list. It also had MPI, and was capable of over 300hp with a factory turbo kit...which would still have it costing alot less than a Conquest, Supra or 300zx

 

I think this one even had a getrag gearbox..cant quite remember, but it was wrong wheel drive.

 

DAMN RIGHT! maybe wrong wheel drive...but still fun as hell. i own a couple iif you couldn't tell

[Shelby]

the vast majority of the cars on Tims list did not come with a/c , cruise. power any thing , lets say a good $ 6k just in options so if you do the math few of those prices reflect real world sales figures ,,also dealer prep, transpertation fee's etc is not include'd nor sales state and federal

[UlrichWolf]

I don't think comparing the SQ dollar for dollar against the American brands of it's time is a fair comparison, I mean it was so far ahead of it's time. Even by todays standards options like steering wheel radio controls is not very common or heck, good quality leather that will actually survive 20+ years. I've bought "luxury" cars from the mid to late 90's with leather interiors that were trashed already.

 

Sure it is. I started comparing different cars for different reasons. See, UCW458 up there said that the Starion was a Grand Touring car, and he is technically correct, however, I think the Starion can be a different car to different people.

 

I compared it to Daytona, the Camaro, and the Mustang for people who wanted a fast car.

I compared it to the Monte Carlo, the Thunderbird, and the Cougar for people who wanted a quicker personal luxury car.

I compared it to cars like the Cadillac, the Buick, and the Oldsmobile, just for the reason of seeing the Starion's price against what they cost. After all, in 1988, those cars were still selling well, and let's face it, the Starion was no econobox.

 

As for the foreign models on that list, I chose a multitude of cars from all over the globe that I would deem either worthy of competing against the Starion head on in terms of capabilities, or in terms of luxury features.

 

 

Nope ESIs are flatties, ESIR's are wideys.

 

You are wrong. There were no flatties produced for the 1988 model year.

 

By 1988 the ESI model had become a stripped down car, supposedly not able to be had with things like the steering wheel controls, and sunroof, and as I recall, it had color restrictions as well. If you ask me, it was more of a suggestion, if you follow my drift.

 

Ultimate Lurker is right on this one. With as tough as it is to find low-option ESI-R's, the likelihood of finding an ESI is very very slim, if not simply impossible.

 

 

the vast majority of the cars on Tims list did not come with a/c , cruise. power any thing , lets say a good $ 6k just in options so if you do the math few of those prices reflect real world sales figures ,,also dealer prep, transpertation fee's etc is not include'd nor sales state and federal

 

Yes, you are right, option load will influence price, but that's a problem more for the American cars, and the lower end ones at that. I do recall, that in 1988, if you were careful about checking the option boxes, you could choose 5 options, and have a nice Mustang GT for under $15,000. But by the same token, since Starions came fuily loaded as well most of the time, you probably would not find one of those for $19,789. I don't have the window sticker handy, but my Starion had it all, and the sticker showed close to $22,000, if I recall.

 

Most of the foreign cars on the list came pretty well loaded out, hell I think even that cheapie Acura came with electric windows and air conditioning.

 

I didn't have any options prices, so I couldn't inflate to how I would buy those cars. So, base prices it is.

 

Tim

 

EDIT - Just for grins.....$19,789 in 1988 would equal $35,570.10 today.

Edited November 1, 2009 by UlrichWolf