If You Can Find a Better Car Than Lee Iacocca’s Personal Chrysler LeBaron, Buy It

Car and Driver ^ | January 15, 2020 | Chris Perkins

[C19fan]

In a 1982 commercial promoting the LeBaron, Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca famously declared, "If you can find a better car, buy it." A big boast, to be sure, but Iacocca had a lot to be proud of. Cars riding on its front-drive K-platform—like the LeBaron—saved Chrysler from death, helped the company pay back a government bailout in short order, and made a celebrity out of Iacocca. Now, keep all of this in mind when you consider this car here.

It's Iacocca's personal 1986 LeBaron Town & Country convertible, and it will be auctioned by Bonhams in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Thursday, January 16. If you can find a better car, buy it.

[BipolarBob]

In about five minutes they called back and were furious and now it was a three way call going down. His “wife’s” number was actually the FBI’s number and the scammer was livid, they are on the line for what you did!

That's genius. That tempts me somehow but I really don't want to get the attention of the FIBs. They don't always play by the rules or have a sense of humor nowadays.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Thanks for posting. But the auction is over by now. Even if not, I don’t have time to get to Scottsdale in time with my 20k starting bid. And I wanted that toile....er car...so badly. </sarcasm>

[SaveFerris]

[ and all the while he is hearing from the FBI line nothing but hysterical laughter. ]

Awesome

[doorgunner69]

Does it come with rich Corinthian Leather?

Or was that some other POS car from back then.

Truly dark days for car lovers.

[TexasGator]

But that one is not.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I always wanted a station wagon with faux wood siding as the family car.

I hear you can still get a deal on a Wagon Queen Family Truckster.

[heshtesh]

Next to the Lada, that was the worst car ever sold.

Funny you should mention the Lada as I was just talking to some people a few days ago about a Lada incident.

Years ago a young lady from the Detroit area came up missing and how they finally found out what happened to her was apparently she decided to visit friends in the Michigan U.P.

Upon watching security film from the Mackinac Bridge authorities watched the car in high winds lifted and thrown off the bridge, it did not work out well for the young lady when the car hit the ice.

If your not aware the Mackinac bridge has expanded metal under what would be the center of your car as you drive across the bridge.

[doorgunner69]

...it was the first one with the voice that said “Your door is ajar!”

I thought Datsun started that idiotic voice thing with their disco cars. Who will ever forget Datsun's execrable silver and purple paint schemes.

[CrazyIvan]

“, I believe I learned later that they built it on a car block.”

What’s worse was it was a cast (not forged) crankshaft. Unheard of for a diesel.

[gr8eman]

there’s a joke in there somewhere...What is a disgusting shade of green, fake wood on the sides, has torn faux-leather seats, and red all over?

[heshtesh]

Yep. They took a standard gas engine and punched it up to 22:1 compression. What could go wrong?

I’m amazed they held back on the turbo...

[gr8eman]

yeah...I get you. When I rode in one of those things it felt like something bad was going to happen. Like it was the devil’s ride. strange

[taildragger]

"A family friend purchased the infamous Oldsmobile Diesel from that era. Nothing but trouble from Day 1"

However, I saw it once, maybe it was a unicorn, a Malibu wagon with that said honking diesel V8 & it got great mileage and went like stink. The owner have have gotten lucky or worked the bugs out.

[FroggyTheGremlim]

I have a 1986 LeBaron Convertible, maroon, white interior, 40,000 miles sitting in my garage.

[SaveFerris]

[Upon watching security film from the Mackinac Bridge authorities watched the car in high winds lifted and thrown off the bridge, it did not work out well for the young lady when the car hit the ice.]

Yikes

[meatloaf]

I really wanted one of the diesel Olds station wagons when they first came out. They were $5,000. I walked into a gun dealer about the same time that had a M60 for $5,000. The M60 was the smart buy. Fortunately I didn’t buy the Olds. I didn’t buy the M60 either.

[SaveFerris]

[ Does it come with rich Corinthian Leather?]

Still, those days were infinitely-preferable to being under the Kenyan Usurper...

[duckman]

1982 I started with Toyota’s and never looked back. Prior to 1982, purchased several American cars (new) with many trips back to the dealer with warranty work.

[Sirius Lee]

Bring a wallet. A LeBaron in driving condition is worth tens of dollars.

[dakine]

There is no end of ‘double-dipping’...