We've talked about the 'checkerboard' wheels available on '81-88 Montes, and I always liked, although I rarely saw them on a real car, mostly in pics.
I could like an '86-88 "Luxury Sport" Monte Carlo (very lame name), with those wheels.
Although I grew up on Chevys and about lived at our hometown dealer, I've never owned a Chevy as a vintage car and won't. I just don't like them enough to drop the cash, LOL. Anyway, I'm done with old cars. I do like remembering them and if I see a close-to-bone-stock older Chevy that's not a Camaro, Chevelle SS, or Corvette, I'll walk to take a closer look.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
I remember around 1997 or so, someone at the apartment building where I lived had a pristine black 86-88 LS on those wheels, which my Monte-driving friend called "80s wheels". I want to say the LS was also a t-top car, pretty cool for what it was.
Another friend and I would joke that the "CL" on that Monte stood for "CeLebrity". I think I drove both of his Montes once. I have a memory of the CL having brakes that were not quite as responsive as I was used to with MBs, and the SS had good throttle response (and aftermarket exhaust) and was fun with the t-tops off.
Heck, we are at a point now where Cavaliers and Luminas are considered vintage cars to young ones
Kinda wild that the Rally wheels were only $56 extra. I could've sworn my Mom said her '86 Monte Carlo was around $14,000, but I can't think of anything in it that would've made it THAT much more than your parents' '84, Uplander. According to my auto encyclopedia, the '86 V8 sport coupe started at $10,631. So, I guess that's about $1700 of it right there. But otherwise, it was nothing fancy. Crank windows, manual locks. Now it did have a nice stereo with a tape player and equalizer, so that might've been part of it. It also had a power antenna, and two tone paint...gray over silver. For some reason, I'm thinking it had 205-series tires as well, but I could be wrong on that. Or perhaps, it had 195 standard, but by the time Mom gave it to me, in 1998 with 179,000 miles on it, some 205's were put on. Oh, one other detail. Mom's had the 4-speed automatic, which I think was required with the 305 by '86. In '84, they gave you the option of the 3-speed or 4-speed.
That Monte was a nice car, although by the time I got it the paint was faded and the power antenna was broken. Thankfully, in the up position. And the knight hood ornament had broken off and was in the glovebox. I'm sure if it hadn't gotten T-boned, it would be long gone by now, though. I was delivering pizzas back then, and between that and my other running around, I put 13,000 miles on it in just three months.
Searched in my hometown newspaper for 1971, "Turbo Hydra-matic" and this ad came right up--in our paper on June 7, 1971, mentioning in the ad at the bottom, "Now have a great summer". The ad states "Turbo Hydra-matic is now standard".
So that Buick must have been one of the dead-last manual-shift full-size GM V8's, built third week of May.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
I remember I had the window sticker for my 1989 MB 300SE - 53K and change. That's 138K in 2025 devalued inflationbucks per the simple CPI calculator - and that was for the smallest engine SWB S-class with no special options. They were lovely cars with massive build and material quality, which at the time was the reason for the price:
MSRP on a 560SEL that year was 72K, or 187K today. Base S580 MSRP today is 128K, and I doubt anyone pays MSRP.
@roadburner said:
The window sticker for the Club Sport- $51,765 in 2025 dollars...
I remember considering the 3 series including the Club Sport. The Club Sport and 325 were German built and 318 built in SC if I recall correctly. I ended up buying a new 95 black, with black leather, 5sp. Jetta GLX VR-6.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
I assume it is a classic, but definitely obscured. parked outside of a local restaurant row (front of a mall redo), just out in a couple of spots, was a real weinermobile. Weird to see one in person.
Comments
I could like an '86-88 "Luxury Sport" Monte Carlo (very lame name), with those wheels.
Although I grew up on Chevys and about lived at our hometown dealer, I've never owned a Chevy as a vintage car and won't. I just don't like them enough to drop the cash, LOL. Anyway, I'm done with old cars. I do like remembering them and if I see a close-to-bone-stock older Chevy that's not a Camaro, Chevelle SS, or Corvette, I'll walk to take a closer look.
Another friend and I would joke that the "CL" on that Monte stood for "CeLebrity". I think I drove both of his Montes once. I have a memory of the CL having brakes that were not quite as responsive as I was used to with MBs, and the SS had good throttle response (and aftermarket exhaust) and was fun with the t-tops off.
Heck, we are at a point now where Cavaliers and Luminas are considered vintage cars to young ones
I could've sworn my Mom said her '86 Monte Carlo was around $14,000, but I can't think of anything in it that would've made it THAT much more than your parents' '84, Uplander. According to my auto encyclopedia, the '86 V8 sport coupe started at $10,631. So, I guess that's about $1700 of it right there. But otherwise, it was nothing fancy. Crank windows, manual locks. Now it did have a nice stereo with a tape player and equalizer, so that might've been part of it. It also had a power antenna, and two tone paint...gray over silver. For some reason, I'm thinking it had 205-series tires as well, but I could be wrong on that. Or perhaps, it had 195 standard, but by the time Mom gave it to me, in 1998 with 179,000 miles on it, some 205's were put on. Oh, one other detail. Mom's had the 4-speed automatic, which I think was required with the 305 by '86. In '84, they gave you the option of the 3-speed or 4-speed.
That Monte was a nice car, although by the time I got it the paint was faded and the power antenna was broken. Thankfully, in the up position. And the knight hood ornament had broken off and was in the glovebox. I'm sure if it hadn't gotten T-boned, it would be long gone by now, though. I was delivering pizzas back then, and between that and my other running around, I put 13,000 miles on it in just three months.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Searched in my hometown newspaper for 1971, "Turbo Hydra-matic" and this ad came right up--in our paper on June 7, 1971, mentioning in the ad at the bottom, "Now have a great summer". The ad states "Turbo Hydra-matic is now standard".
So that Buick must have been one of the dead-last manual-shift full-size GM V8's, built third week of May.
MSRP on a 560SEL that year was 72K, or 187K today. Base S580 MSRP today is 128K, and I doubt anyone pays MSRP.
The color on your S reminds me of my 2003 Avalon but a few shades lighter.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
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I remember considering the 3 series including the Club Sport. The Club Sport and 325 were German built and 318 built in SC if I recall correctly. I ended up buying a new 95 black, with black leather, 5sp. Jetta GLX VR-6.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The color drew me to that car, "Diamond Blue", looked good beside the fintail. I sold it at approaching 200K miles.