…that you were in your thirties back in early 1980-85, and had a job that required you to drive about a hundred miles a day, every weekday — let’s go back in time, and imagine that you were what they called back then a “traveling salesman” and had to call on both existing and new customers in a fairly large sales area.
Let’s also stipulate that this job was somewhere that required driving in non-urban traffic (perhaps in the Midwestern states, or maybe the rural Northwest or Northeast), so not in LA, NY, Chicago or any of the other metropolitan cesspits.
Clearly, this would require a car that was reliable, comfortable, could handle hot and cold weather and was large enough to carry samples. So the company accountant took you aside and said, “Here’s $15,000 dollars; go buy yourself a decent car.” (Note that no company accountant was ever going to give you enough for a Merc or the like; you’d probably be stuck with a Murkin car or one of the minor Euro, Japanese or Scandi brands. For reference, a 1984 Olds 98 would run you between $14k and $15k back then.)
So: to which dealer would you be going, and what car would you get for yourself?
Feel free to give reasons (because I know you will).
My choice below the fold.
Volvo 240 DL Saloon or Wagon (depending on the size of the samples I’d be dragging around)
My second choice would be a Saab 90, the non-turbo version of which cost back then about the same as the Volvo 240, although it might just be too small for the job.
And if the accountant had a hissy over me getting an “import”, then very begrudgingly, I’d get a 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS (4.3-liter V8), which would cost about four grand less than the Volvo withal:
(I’m assuming they’d never okay the SS with its 5.0-liter V8).
Of course, the Chevy — like most American cars of the period — would be absolutely shit in any kind of snowy road, but hey, at least I’d die in comfort.
I don’t have to suppose. As district manager of the Denver Office of an Engineering firm I did that scenario. But your way wouldn’t be done. Nobody would just hand over cash. We either bought a company vehicle ( with the firms name on the side ) or would have given them an allowance per month to lease a vehicle.
Our Small Dam inspection team needed a vehicle that could transport a team of two to locations all over the state along with their equipment. The contract with the state allowed us to bill mileage, so we leased a Chevy Blazer for them. Worked out well because the Small Dams that needed to be inspected every 5 years ( 100’s of them ) were always somewhere in the middle of a ranchers fields in eastern Colorado or down a long dirt mining road in the mountains.
When we did Sales presentations, we used our own cars and paid Milage to whoever we needed for the Presentation, often myself and one or two other Engineers because it was usually to some other office building in Denver.
If we had needed a “Travelling Salesman” we would have given him an allowance of X Dollars a month to lease a vehicle, the vehicle he choose would have been up to him.
but to answer your question, If the choice had been mine, I would have leased a Porsche 928 S. ( and paid the difference myself ). It was a good long distance cruiser, and If I was traveling all over the western states by car for some reason I’d need a long distance car. ( We generally flew to out of state presentations )
Have you considered a van? Just after that time period (early 90s) we had a van, a Vauxhall Astravan of some description.
I’d want either KITT from Knight Rider (Firebird Transam) or a Buick Grand National.
Maybe a GMC van like the A Team.
This is back when American vehicles had some level of quality.
1982-83 I was driving 800-900 miles/week to work and school, and found a Pontiac 6000 STE to be quiet, comfortable, with Euro-style handling and plenty of room for passengers or goods. A number of car mags voted it The Car of the Year somewhere along there. IIRC, it was in your required price range at about $13K.
https://www.throttlextreme.com/pontiac-6000-ste-1980s-americas-ultimate-sedan/
Today, our salesmen get Chevy Malibu sedans and they hate them. Of course, that’s through a fleet purchase. Most of them would rather have a small SUV like the Toyota Rav4 or the Honda CR-V. Even a Blazer or Explorer would be better than the Malibu.
My dad was a Chevy dood and I inherited that gene I guess.
6 of the 9 vehicles I have owned were Chevy’s.
For long hauls? Maybe a big assed Impala, or Caprice if they still made them. The big boats just kinda float along. And, that big ol’ couch could instantly be a nap station and a dining table.
Kim,
I graduated college in ’83 so I may be a bit young to play … but here goes. Back in the day my folks had a 1978 Old Cutlass Calais with T-tops and a GM 305 v8 engine. It was a heavy car … on the highway at 75 it maybe got 18 or 19 MPG. In city driving you could almost hear the sucking sound from the gas tank a fuel was consumed. But damned skippy it was COMFORTABLE. Had great a/c, good heat when needed, could cruise all day on the open road at 80 to 90 MPH without event starting to break a sweat. Under the bonnet (yes, the bonnet) there was enough room that most shade-tree DIYer types could do all the basic maintenance with ease. The only weak point was the Turbo Hydromatic “Metric” 200 transmission. Oh, and not to be forgotten, as a college yoot home on break, it had plenty of back seat space for gettin’ on. Shit, I miss that car.
– Brad in IL aka I’ma Jewish Deplorable