My first car was a '91 Banzai Blue Dodge Daytona! Started working at 15 so I could buy it when I was 16. I loved that car! And I still think they are a nice looking design.
That's determination, JEdmund. A high school buddy, decades ago, worked after school to save money to buy a two year-old '69 440 Charger. After he had acquired the car he really worked it over into something special. When he got his driver's license in '72 everything was ready to go. We could hear his Charger when he was still two or three miles from school. My friend's determination made the rest of us look like we were sleepwalking through life.
@@JEdmund81 That it did. It assisted me in tempering my expectations along the path of life and helped to underscore the importance of hard work and patience. It's still a work-in-progress. Best wishes JEdmund.
@@chriscornelius2518 I wish like hell the 2 door turbo hatchback era would make a comeback . I have a '16 Focus ST and my only complaint is that they were only made in 4 door version
Wouldn’t it be cool if somebody who loves these Retro Reviews from Motorweek did a “can you name that tune” segment video from the radio segments of these reviews? I think so. Music and car lovers like myself most certainly would.
mlr06121974 alot of people dont hang on to their cars that long so I respect that and i like seeing cars from the 80s and early 90s on the road today brings back good memories of being a kid
I watch that show right now on Hulu. She had burgundy red with grey/silver side stripes but later she switched to completely red one in season 3 I think.
My dad bought a cheap as hell Dynasty from his company's fleet cars when he was worried he might have to look for new work (got transferred instead of fired, so all good). It had the same three liter engine as the Daytona in this article and in truth that was a very nice plant. Smooth and with enough torque to get out of its own way, all in a surprisingly comfortable car that didn't make any attempts to be any more than a basic sedan. That engine would have been more fun in a smaller manual equipped car like the Daytona.
When i was a young kid growing up in a small town there was a bunch of daytonas running around from all the highschool kids who had them. It was also the time of lowrider trucks and huge speaker systems, bodyglove, Oakleys and Reebok pumps, .It was just a cool time to be a kid.
My dad bought an 85 Daytona Turbo 5 speed new. By 90-91 he was looking for a blk on grey V6 5 speed to replace it but couldn't find 1! All the dealers had were 4 speed auto slush boxes. The 85 was not a good car by any means. In late 91, a savvy salesman talked dad into special ordering a 92 Daytona Shelby Iroc 2.5 turbo 5 speed, which as optioned was nearly 17k. My mother threw a fit! But I'll tell ya, that car was near trouble free! The radio went out. That was his only repair outside of normal maintenance. And that car ran like a top. It was quick, torquey, and delivered 24 city, 42 highway at 70 w the cruise on and a/c off. The Shelby brakes were great even w/o ABS, and its handling was tight, surprising. You really had to get silly with it to get in trouble. He sold it in 2002 for a steal to a guy who knew that Shelby cars were collectables. He bought a Durango SLT 5.9 4x4 as was the trend.. nearly 40k.. You should've seen the heart attack my mom had then! lol
My dad got the same flak from my stepmother over his boat hobby. He finally silenced the complaints by remarking - "look dear, it's either boats or naked ladies at the strip club..." No complaints since.
Wow! A Spirit R/T. That is a rare car. I learned to drive on a basic 4cyl. '92 Plymouth Acclaim, but always wondered what it felt like to drive a Spirit R/T in comparison with its bucket seats, 5-spd manual, and that potent little 2.2L turbo. Probably had a very different personality.
Wow nice. A friend of mine from high school bought a CSX two door with the turbo motor and that little sucker was very quick for what it was. I read those and the R/T models bring higher and higher money these days which is the way things are going for those types of 90’s cars
I thought hard about buying an R/T a few years ago. It needed some work and mandatory improvements under the hood(Common Issues with that car), and i couldnt find info on a LSD for that car. 3000$ was probably a fair price at that time, but seemed a bit more than i wanted to spend.
I'll take the aesthetics of this over any new car on the road today. Far from the best performing car out there but man they look so cool. I miss the hell out of mine.
They performed quite well back then. I had an 88 Shelby Z Daytona and it had about 180hp. It had no issues keeping up with mustangs and Camaros and most Japanese cars of the era. Not what I’d call super reliable really and not as easy to modify as a mustang or Camaro and of course it’s FWD so not quite as cool either but it was cheap fun
I'd love to have 1 of these. Loved the bodies as a little kid and still do as an adult. Pop up headlights, T-tops, 5 speed, cassette deck with a W.A.S.P. and Suicidal Tendencies tapes. Also I'd paint a sweet sun on the hood
By 1990 they had finally gotten it right. Nice interior and exterior styling. I drove one back in the early 90s fun to drive and 30 mpg. In 92 they came out with a 224 hp DOHS V6 that was a 14 sec car , as fast as V8 Camaro or Mustang
Agreed sir. The 90 model year was the height of the design for the Daytona. I have owned 7 of them and only one was a 1990. The interior of the 1990 was miles above and beyond in comfort and style. The wrap around dash that surrounded you and the easy reach buttons on the dash and the overstuffed seats that seemed to swallow you and make you feel safe and cozy. Go back in time just one model year and it is a totally different car on the inside. It seemed sparse and basic even with all the power options. It wasnt a very inviting interior before 1990. The only change i disagreed with on the daytona was the discontinuation of the iconic pop up headlights in favor of the wrap around lights. Call me bias but the pop up headlights were a major component in the attitude and personality of the car. To me turning on the lights and seeing the lights pop up was like the car "waking up" and saying "Move bitch, get out the way!"
@@dougsmith7908 they are becoming harder and harder to find. I saw one on ebay a few months ago an 89 es 4 cylinder 5 speed and it only had a little over 2,000 miles on the odometer! It still had the original oil filter! It belonged to a man that used to own a Dodge dealership and had a few factory cars stored away. It sold for around $15,000. Which is about what the original sticker said on the window. Thats how original it was. It still had the window sticker on it. I guess the value retention is good if it can still bring its original asking price after almost 30 years. They are becomkmg a collector car. I wish i still had all 7 i used to own.
Neighbors had the exact ES car new. I drooled over it as a kid. Car was falling apart after only 1 year the junker was in the shop a lot I remember them complaining about it. They switched to a 2 door Accord after. They still own Honda’s to this day!
A high school friend of mine had a few of these. One was stolen presumably for the stereo because the car wasn't worth much. He loved these things, I could never understand why.
@@LakeHowellDigitalVideo You're comparing two different cars. What's next - a SMART car vs. a Mercedes S-Class? Also, the Pentastar V6 is the worst piece of crap put out by a major auto manufacturer since Cadillac's infamous V8-6-4 engines.
I had an 89 Daytona ES with the turbo 4-cylinder when I was in high school. I really really miss that car. It was the car i learned to drive a manual in.
Fun cars, had an 84, first year. Made just for me. The Daytona did great in road racing too. IMSA Firehawk series, in the GTU division and others. Would love to have one again
ahh man my mom bought a 1990 blue one brand new. Totally just took me back to my childhood. I had forgotten the odd placement of the turn signal and the split back seat. Good memories.
Probe is such a nice looking car…. Quintessential 80s styling…. Though some (including I) would say the same for the Daytona. If I had to pick then I’d pick the probe, but today the Daytona… lots of the probes and especially the GTs are beat to shit and a good first Gen is very hard to find for a reasonable price
My first car I ever financed on my own was a '90 ES with a 2.5 turbo, red exterior and black interior. Loved it and am always looking for a nice one to buy.
I bought one of these brand new off the lot in 1990. It was a good car that lasted 112k miles before I decided to upgrade. I don't have any complaints.
@@markbrinton6790 we are just having fun....let's enjoy this video. Dodge is meant to be a cool marque; the "shank" wording plays off of that coolness.
My neighbor had one of these and a 1985 Pontiac Fiero lucky bastard!. LOL I love these cars and would love to build one the way it should have come from the factory.. Thanks for sharing this blast from the past with us. 🙏🍻
i liked the little Shelby CSX. Owned one for a short time. That engine had serious guts and the suspension was very good for the time. I also have always wanted a GLHS Omni but prices have been rising lately as with every other 80's and 90's car we used to love. I looked at an FD3S with 102,000 miles and a new engine and turbo and the owner was asking $55K. Truth was he was going to get it, just not from me. I am sorry I sold my GNX all those years ago. I could buy a house with the special edition cars I used to take for granted and sold lol
back in the mid 1990s i bought a 1989 shelby daytona 2.5 turbo with a 5 speed as a daily driver and it was a fun little car . It was a very reliable vehicle that was pretty peppy for a 4 cylinder.
I had this car , I bought from a dealer it had lower ground effects Like a stock car . I was 18, and peeled a lot of rubber in it ... and I’m not just talking about the tires.
Note to MW. The Daytona got it's first revision in 1987 to the body style seen here. The original Chrysler Laser/Dodge Daytona was birthed in 1984. Three years is not getting "old" or dated IMHO. Mind you, it was during this time when German automakers were carrying platforms for as long as 10 to 12 years per generation before they succumbed to the madness of the 4-year life cycle for platforms. Most automakers worldwide had no problem going with these cars with minor updates for 6 to 10 years before a generational switch. Even America did at ONE time back in the 1960s and early '70s. Then some genius somewhere in America's marketing industry thought that a good way to make money out of something that primarily is (to borrow from the Japanese) an appliance meant to transport somebody from point A to B quickly and independently could be transformed into a consumable that would keep American's discontent and in debt trying to soothe our restless tendency towards boredom by changing these cars radically every 4 years. The end result worked wonders for automaker's coffers, but only for the next 35 years. Now, so many Americans (and now even the planet) are so in debt, paying not for one car, they're paying for the last two or even three cars due to being "upside-down" in their loans, they can't afford another car. Even if the one they have is begging for retirement now. And this is with all the help we can give them: 0 to 5.9% interest rates over up to 72-month terms. Some even are pushing 84-month loans now. Works to keep payments tolerable, but you pay for it with the drawn out principle payments against your already drawn out past loans (which is why you're upside down in the first place.) What do you think will happen to this car over the 7 years you're paying it off PLUS the last two cars you never paid off that got carried over into this loan? We in this country have got to get a grip on this behavior before it destroys us. Not holding my breath though, considering what I've seen now with I-phone sales over the past 10 years....
A childhood dream!!!!!!!! As a greeter at a local movie theater (I'm not going to say the name, but it is shared with 3 of the first vehicles that MotorWeek ever tested) , I got a REAL kick out of all the Hollywood/movie star references here!!!!!!
I used to see these everywhere when I was a teenager in IL. I thought they looked like good cars and would have been happy to own one. When I moved to CA they disappeared. There was a striking difference in the brand preferences between the midwest and California back then. I prefer RWD, but overall this review sells me on the car. The stuff they complained about is stuff I'd be happy with. I lived in a region of twisty hilly roads for 22 years so having a tactile mechanical feel to driving is all part of the fun. People who don't want that probably wouldn't be buying a car like this in the first place. Never had ABS in my life and the stopping distance looks good to me. I hate the sterile airbag interior though, it looks like a minivan inside. I'd probably like an older model better. I didn't know they had this V6 option. I only knew them to have the 2.2L turbo, an engine my dad had in his LeBaron back then. That was a strong engine when it spooled up but it sure was laggy.
"So many 2-door sport coupes offered from Chrysler during this time period. Which is your favorite?" Chrysler Conquest especially the final 190HP version, followed closely by the 225HP Dodge Daytona IROC R/T that could run through the 1/4 in 14 flat. That was blazing fast back then.
This is a great copy of this review. The video quality seems above average . As far as this car goes, it definitely does look dated compared to its competition, yet this design carried through the 1993 model year with some minor front fascia changes. Funny how they thought the revolutionary styling of the 1990 Celica looked "strange" when it was basically a trend setter for styling throughout the 90's.
If you drive a Mercedes...you are not thinking about a Dodge Daytona ever...I dunno why Motorweek thinks these would compete with a Benz.. These were made for younger buyers or older buyers wanting a sporty coupe. Now 30 years old, this 1990 ES totally looks as good as ANY JDM counterpart. RX7, 300SX, Supra, Celica, Mitsubishi , etc... The pop up headlights, hatchback, long front and winged deck spoiler. In good shape, this would catch some looks at a car meet today!!
I owned a 91 Daytona ES that looked exactly like this one. Had that car for 19 years and had over 250,000 miles on it before I sold it. It’s an every day driver but the wife finally made me get rid of it. Still the best car ive ever owned!
I had that 3.0 in a Voyager van and it moved it pretty good. I'm sure this lighter Daytona was fun back then. Also GM F body cars used the same frame for 10 years, this car didn't look dated at all in 1990. Looks good today.
One of the cars I admired in my youth that I truely miss,, If it was properly set up (ie Shelby Z) it could do 140mph. I am really surprised by how many that was produced and you don't ever see one.
Ohh, that 3.0. I raced many a square body 305 chevy truck and made some owners very upset. Hahaha. It was my dad's acclaim yet. My dad worked at the local Chrysler dealer from the late 70s to about 10 years ago. Being a child of the early 80s I always remember these cars. Shadows, Sundance, Daytona. All the turbo iterations, 3.0 Mitsubishi v6. Dakota sport roofs, eagle talons, stealths. The first viper they got in.
Would be fun to equip this with new rubber today. I liked these Daytonas. The Leaky valve cover gasket 3.0 Mitsu V6 is annoying, but otherwise it is a good mill. The 5 speed sounds about right. A Getrag if memory serves. If it is not totally rusted out, it could be fun run about. The Celica is probably a better buy and the Nissan 240SX that will be more fun too with the same there abouts power from its 4 cylinder, but 30mpg on that V6 is excellent. So an oldie, it might still be kind of fun but know it is going to need everything being this old.
I love watching old car reviews very entertaining older cars were built much better they were made to last not like the crap they make today no CVT Junk!!!!!
My 89 has 4 wheel discs i drove it for 15 yrs i had to do some timing belt changes and radiator. It got an oil leak so i parked it. I plan to restore it soon. Needless to say i like my daytonaIt was a great car for me.
The car was really nice looking in black with the flip up headlights. I liked the 3.0 mitsu V6 in spite of its valve guide & stem seal issues. Smooth quiet power.
@@bobdole870yep, right up to when it mysteriously wouldn't make a peep when you went to turn the key. It took a long long time to finally find out what several mechanics couldn't figure out. Guess what I'm describing?😮
Yeah...odd. Daytona brakes were pretty good. I wonder how much the glazed-donut tires were responsible for the brake performance. FWD Chrysler brakes are quite easy to upgrade, with all parts as close as the nearest junkyard. I saw a turbo Omni with fully-upgraded brakes: big Caravan calipers and rotors in front, Le Baron discs in back, Caravan master cylinder (24mm versus 21mm bore), Mopar Value Line(!) HD pads...on a
I drove(and washed)so many of those it feels like i owned one.I was a lot boy at a Dodge dealership from 88 till 90 in highschool.Went to college in 90 and honestly that was the last fun job I ever had.
That’s a very clean instrument cluster. I hate the new tablet looking radios that you have to wait until the car logos come on to change stations. I like a simple button. Too much tech it’s becoming annoying
30 mpg in a NA V6, manual sport coupe. Those days are gone. What a time to be alive ❤
My first car was a '91 Banzai Blue Dodge Daytona! Started working at 15 so I could buy it when I was 16. I loved that car! And I still think they are a nice looking design.
Yeah, I'd want a little more power but other than that, this is a pretty awesome car.
@@rars0n we all wanted more power under the hood in the 80s and early 90s.
That's determination, JEdmund. A high school buddy, decades ago, worked after school to save money to buy a two year-old '69 440 Charger. After he had acquired the car he really worked it over into something special. When he got his driver's license in '72 everything was ready to go. We could hear his Charger when he was still two or three miles from school. My friend's determination made the rest of us look like we were sleepwalking through life.
@@TralfazConstruction Very cool! And it obviously made an impression on you.
@@JEdmund81 That it did. It assisted me in tempering my expectations along the path of life and helped to underscore the importance of hard work and patience. It's still a work-in-progress. Best wishes JEdmund.
The IROC R/T version with the the 224 hp 4 cylinder engine was really the pinnacle of the Daytona.
I remember a Car & Driver review of those with the headline "a great engine in search of a better car" lol
@@jamesnoble8205 I probably have that issue. As a kid, the IROC was a Camaro to me. I really loved this dodge lineup and I don't know why.
@@chriscornelius2518 I wish like hell the 2 door turbo hatchback era would make a comeback . I have a '16 Focus ST and my only complaint is that they were only made in 4 door version
@@jamesnoble8205 yeah that may be a tough sell. It is hard to get a manual transmission
The Cure plays on the radio......yep, early 90s.
I would love to have listened to that station!
And Cream lmao
Wouldn’t it be cool if somebody who loves these Retro Reviews from Motorweek did a “can you name that tune” segment video from the radio segments of these reviews? I think so. Music and car lovers like myself most certainly would.
Patrick Langan I’d play!
My 86 always jammed to Def Leppard lol
I have a 1989 Daytona ES 2.5 Turbo 5 speed sitting in my garage 80k miles. Mmm my baby since 1994
mlr06121974 alot of people dont hang on to their cars that long so I respect that and i like seeing cars from the 80s and early 90s on the road today brings back good memories of being a kid
Wanna sell it? Lol. Ive been looking for another Daytona for a long time
I'll give u $300 for it
@@bryankerbow7871 still looking?
Damn I miss comfy over-stuffed seats like those.
Tacoma98 I do too.. I had a 86 Buick Regal that had seats like that, they were nice.
My 2006 Lexus ES330 has plushest softest leather seats in any modern car I think
1989 Maserati Spyder. Glove-soft leather. Seats padded like a living-room. Most comfortable car I've ever owned.
I don't know, my two Cadillac CTS's had big seats like that, as well as my BMW 428i. Maybe you should but better cars.
91 Alfa Romeo 164S, factory leather Recaro seats, that hug your butt, like a horny woman at a niteclub. Lol
I remember Stephanie Kramer driving one of these in the TV show Hunter. Hers was red and black rims if I remember correctly.
I watch that show right now on Hulu. She had burgundy red with grey/silver side stripes but later she switched to completely red one in season 3 I think.
Right on! Direct TV has a channel called Hero’s & Icons and they play all the cool cop shows from the 80’s...good memories.
Right on! Direct TV has a channel called Hero’s & Icons and they play all the cool cop shows from the 80’s...good memories.
Man she was smokin’ hot!!!
Yes, I remember that, cool car, cool show :)
My dad bought a cheap as hell Dynasty from his company's fleet cars when he was worried he might have to look for new work (got transferred instead of fired, so all good). It had the same three liter engine as the Daytona in this article and in truth that was a very nice plant. Smooth and with enough torque to get out of its own way, all in a surprisingly comfortable car that didn't make any attempts to be any more than a basic sedan. That engine would have been more fun in a smaller manual equipped car like the Daytona.
I’m in love with 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s coupes. I wish there was a family tree or excel spread sheet to show their lineages and successors
For precursor and successors, use Wikipedia. Right column, usually near the bottom
Look them all up on Wikipedia they show everything including year-to-year changes...
When i was a young kid growing up in a small town there was a bunch of daytonas running around from all the highschool kids who had them. It was also the time of lowrider trucks and huge speaker systems, bodyglove, Oakleys and Reebok pumps, .It was just a cool time to be a kid.
My dad bought an 85 Daytona Turbo 5 speed new. By 90-91 he was looking for a blk on grey V6 5 speed to replace it but couldn't find 1! All the dealers had were 4 speed auto slush boxes. The 85 was not a good car by any means. In late 91, a savvy salesman talked dad into special ordering a 92 Daytona Shelby Iroc 2.5 turbo 5 speed, which as optioned was nearly 17k. My mother threw a fit! But I'll tell ya, that car was near trouble free! The radio went out. That was his only repair outside of normal maintenance. And that car ran like a top. It was quick, torquey, and delivered 24 city, 42 highway at 70 w the cruise on and a/c off. The Shelby brakes were great even w/o ABS, and its handling was tight, surprising. You really had to get silly with it to get in trouble. He sold it in 2002 for a steal to a guy who knew that Shelby cars were collectables. He bought a Durango SLT 5.9 4x4 as was the trend.. nearly 40k.. You should've seen the heart attack my mom had then! lol
Good story broah
My dad got the same flak from my stepmother over his boat hobby. He finally silenced the complaints by remarking - "look dear, it's either boats or naked ladies at the strip club..." No complaints since.
Poor momma bear 😂
I drive a 93 Daytona ES. It's my first car and it's pretty fast even in today's traffic
Wicked! Need more 80-90s Chrysler retro reviews! Also any AMC retro reviews! Also more trucks please!
Thank you to MW for all the retro reviews.
I got a Spirit R/T and now I'm on the hunt for a Daytona!
Wow! A Spirit R/T. That is a rare car. I learned to drive on a basic 4cyl. '92 Plymouth Acclaim, but always wondered what it felt like to drive a Spirit R/T in comparison with its bucket seats, 5-spd manual, and that potent little 2.2L turbo. Probably had a very different personality.
Wow nice. A friend of mine from high school bought a CSX two door with the turbo motor and that little sucker was very quick for what it was. I read those and the R/T models bring higher and higher money these days which is the way things are going for those types of 90’s cars
I thought hard about buying an R/T a few years ago. It needed some work and mandatory improvements under the hood(Common Issues with that car), and i couldnt find info on a LSD for that car. 3000$ was probably a fair price at that time, but seemed a bit more than i wanted to spend.
If I remember it had an aluminum head made by Porsche or Ferrari? They were quick. I worked on one once when I was at Dodge.
@@Thesaltymedic36 Lotus built the head on the TIII
I still love that dash today. Materials were not the best quality, but it was well laid out and functional. Looked very cool as well...
I'll take the aesthetics of this over any new car on the road today. Far from the best performing car out there but man they look so cool. I miss the hell out of mine.
They performed quite well back then. I had an 88 Shelby Z Daytona and it had about 180hp. It had no issues keeping up with mustangs and Camaros and most Japanese cars of the era. Not what I’d call super reliable really and not as easy to modify as a mustang or Camaro and of course it’s FWD so not quite as cool either but it was cheap fun
I remember wanting to buy one because of the looks but unfortunately still drove like a domestic.
So crazy seeing footage from 1990 in 60 fps!
what a wonderful days back then I wish I can go back ❤
There seemed to be a gazillion of these around back in the 80's.
Very few left by end of 90's
Thats 80s dogde for ya'!!
@@emeyer6963 No joke. My paint peeled within 5 years :( Gorgeous lines though
@@tagheuer001 It was a looker back then.Sorry to hear about the paint.
They were piled up by the dozens in junkyards in the mid 90s to early '00s when they all seemed to wear out at the same time
This car is sharp as hell! 👍🏻
@Slimer and you're about as sharp as a bowling ball.
This car is a cornerstone of my teens. My cousin had an old one that took us everywhere, the world was our oyster.
I had a 90 44-cylinder 5spd. It was fun as hell. I owned it 2nd hand but it still had a lot of meat on the bone.
Still have my 87 Shelby Z. Built a fun engine for it, dynoed at 300HP at the front wheels with only 8PSI of boost.
I'd love to have 1 of these. Loved the bodies as a little kid and still do as an adult. Pop up headlights, T-tops, 5 speed, cassette deck with a W.A.S.P. and Suicidal Tendencies tapes.
Also I'd paint a sweet sun on the hood
Very beautifull this Dodge Daytona
Owned an '89 "Black Cherry w/ Silver ground effects" ES and a '92 "Black" IROC R/T.
The IROC RT's were rare and limited production
Loved this car. Thanks to the show Hunter.
Hunter was a great show, unlike the pussyish, fake reality shows of today.
Have you ever heard the song Black Butterfly from Sounds of Blackness?
1987 dodge Daytona. The only car I bought(used) and sold for the same price.
My first car was a 1989 red Dodge Daytona Pacifica. Did 125 in that car but it started to shake. Blew the engine 1 year later. It was fun to drive.
Owned an 88 Shelby Z, 89 Shelby, 92 IROC R/T and Spirit R/T... great cars!
By 1990 they had finally gotten it right. Nice interior and exterior styling. I drove one back in the early 90s fun to drive and 30 mpg. In 92 they came out with a 224 hp DOHS V6 that was a 14 sec car , as fast as V8 Camaro or Mustang
Agreed sir. The 90 model year was the height of the design for the Daytona. I have owned 7 of them and only one was a 1990. The interior of the 1990 was miles above and beyond in comfort and style. The wrap around dash that surrounded you and the easy reach buttons on the dash and the overstuffed seats that seemed to swallow you and make you feel safe and cozy. Go back in time just one model year and it is a totally different car on the inside. It seemed sparse and basic even with all the power options. It wasnt a very inviting interior before 1990. The only change i disagreed with on the daytona was the discontinuation of the iconic pop up headlights in favor of the wrap around lights. Call me bias but the pop up headlights were a major component in the attitude and personality of the car. To me turning on the lights and seeing the lights pop up was like the car "waking up" and saying "Move bitch, get out the way!"
Bryan Kerbow I hear ya ! cool , underrated car I’ll never forget em
@@dougsmith7908 they are becoming harder and harder to find. I saw one on ebay a few months ago an 89 es 4 cylinder 5 speed and it only had a little over 2,000 miles on the odometer! It still had the original oil filter! It belonged to a man that used to own a Dodge dealership and had a few factory cars stored away. It sold for around $15,000. Which is about what the original sticker said on the window. Thats how original it was. It still had the window sticker on it. I guess the value retention is good if it can still bring its original asking price after almost 30 years. They are becomkmg a collector car. I wish i still had all 7 i used to own.
Neighbors had the exact ES car new. I drooled over it as a kid. Car was falling apart after only 1 year the junker was in the shop a lot I remember them complaining about it. They switched to a 2 door Accord after. They still own Honda’s to this day!
A lot of people switched to the Japanese car companies after a few shit boxes from the American's
Matt Pierce I had a 1985 and it was bullet proof . No problems and i drove it hard
No they didn't......
@@emeyer6963 This is a Mitsubishi with a Dodge badge on it.
@@benn454 NO, it's a Dodge trying to be a Mitsubishi. They were built in the US, not Japan. Those Mitsubishi engines in the Dodges were garbage.
Awwwwe! Love this little black beauty! Loved all three of mine. All automatics. My 88,89,and 93 models! Miss them all!
A car ahead of its time
A high school friend of mine had a few of these. One was stolen presumably for the stereo because the car wasn't worth much. He loved these things, I could never understand why.
I wish Chrysler would bring the Daytona back as a rwd roadster with the high output pentastar V6
Might as well. They now have nothing but muscle cars in their lineup.
@Get The Gringo The Pentastar makes 120 horsepower more than a Miata -- in a light weight roadster, it would be plenty strong.
@@LakeHowellDigitalVideo You're comparing two different cars. What's next - a SMART car vs. a Mercedes S-Class? Also, the Pentastar V6 is the worst piece of crap put out by a major auto manufacturer since Cadillac's infamous V8-6-4 engines.
I guess there's not going to be a retro marathon this year on black Friday? That was a lot of fun last year; I wound up glued to it much of the time.
I'll be at work :( They need to release a dvd or bluray of each decade 80s 90s and 00s.
I had an 89 Daytona ES with the turbo 4-cylinder when I was in high school. I really really miss that car. It was the car i learned to drive a manual in.
That is one amazing interior! I love the color combos!
That really is a nice looking interior
Fun cars, had an 84, first year. Made just for me. The Daytona did great in road racing too. IMSA Firehawk series, in the GTU division and others.
Would love to have one again
Pop-up headlights are fun until the motors start shorting out and you have to crank them up by hand (I had a '90 ES)
ahh man my mom bought a 1990 blue one brand new. Totally just took me back to my childhood. I had forgotten the odd placement of the turn signal and the split back seat. Good memories.
Would’ve picked the probe gt back then, but appreciate how nice this car was!! We need this car segment back today
Probe is such a nice looking car…. Quintessential 80s styling…. Though some (including I) would say the same for the Daytona. If I had to pick then I’d pick the probe, but today the Daytona… lots of the probes and especially the GTs are beat to shit and a good first Gen is very hard to find for a reasonable price
My first car I ever financed on my own was a '90 ES with a 2.5 turbo, red exterior and black interior. Loved it and am always looking for a nice one to buy.
The angle of the car during the opening monologue made it seem like the clear coat was already peeling, a taste of things to come I guess.
Dodge paint started to fade/peel/flake off approx 2 minutes after leaving the assembly line
I bought one of these brand new off the lot in 1990. It was a good car that lasted 112k miles before I decided to upgrade. I don't have any complaints.
PLEASE try to find the 1993 R/T Turbo III version road test. I'd shank someone for that review....the one with the Lotus head!
Maybe ask nicely instead of the threat of a shank, you criminal.
@@markbrinton6790 lol
Why, shank you! Shank you berry much!
@@markbrinton6790 CLEARLY I was sarcastic about said shanking
@@markbrinton6790 we are just having fun....let's enjoy this video. Dodge is meant to be a cool marque; the "shank" wording plays off of that coolness.
This is the best quality video from the 90s, it looks like they just shot this and applied a retro filter
My neighbor had one of these and a 1985 Pontiac Fiero lucky bastard!. LOL
I love these cars and would love to build one the way it should have come from the factory.. Thanks for sharing this blast from the past with us. 🙏🍻
I had one of these and just ran forever. Good car to me
Fantastic looking cars, they were ... And handled really good!
Thanks for the post 🙂
i liked the little Shelby CSX. Owned one for a short time. That engine had serious guts and the suspension was very good for the time. I also have always wanted a GLHS Omni but prices have been rising lately as with every other 80's and 90's car we used to love. I looked at an FD3S with 102,000 miles and a new engine and turbo and the owner was asking $55K. Truth was he was going to get it, just not from me. I am sorry I sold my GNX all those years ago. I could buy a house with the special edition cars I used to take for granted and sold lol
back in the mid 1990s i bought a 1989 shelby daytona 2.5 turbo with a 5 speed as a daily driver and it was a fun little car . It was a very reliable vehicle that was pretty peppy for a 4 cylinder.
I can't get enough of these videos.
I had an 86 Turbo Z, I miss that car.
I had this car , I bought from a dealer it had lower ground effects Like a stock car . I was 18, and peeled a lot of rubber in it ... and I’m not just talking about the tires.
so taking it up the pooper is what ur saying
These Dodge sports coupes were always cool, but their Mitsubishi influenced one’s were always the best.
I had an 86 Turbo-Z and then an 88 Shelby-Z … fun cars both of them back in the day
These were pretty nice looking cars for the time. Unfortunately I was too young then. On a plus side, they drove past my middle school while filming.
Note to MW. The Daytona got it's first revision in 1987 to the body style seen here. The original Chrysler Laser/Dodge Daytona was birthed in 1984. Three years is not getting "old" or dated IMHO. Mind you, it was during this time when German automakers were carrying platforms for as long as 10 to 12 years per generation before they succumbed to the madness of the 4-year life cycle for platforms. Most automakers worldwide had no problem going with these cars with minor updates for 6 to 10 years before a generational switch. Even America did at ONE time back in the 1960s and early '70s. Then some genius somewhere in America's marketing industry thought that a good way to make money out of something that primarily is (to borrow from the Japanese) an appliance meant to transport somebody from point A to B quickly and independently could be transformed into a consumable that would keep American's discontent and in debt trying to soothe our restless tendency towards boredom by changing these cars radically every 4 years. The end result worked wonders for automaker's coffers, but only for the next 35 years. Now, so many Americans (and now even the planet) are so in debt, paying not for one car, they're paying for the last two or even three cars due to being "upside-down" in their loans, they can't afford another car. Even if the one they have is begging for retirement now. And this is with all the help we can give them: 0 to 5.9% interest rates over up to 72-month terms. Some even are pushing 84-month loans now. Works to keep payments tolerable, but you pay for it with the drawn out principle payments against your already drawn out past loans (which is why you're upside down in the first place.) What do you think will happen to this car over the 7 years you're paying it off PLUS the last two cars you never paid off that got carried over into this loan? We in this country have got to get a grip on this behavior before it destroys us. Not holding my breath though, considering what I've seen now with I-phone sales over the past 10 years....
My first car, but in blue and silver. Loved it! Not sure what the complaint on the shifting is all about as I had no issues driving it smoothly...
I think an early 80s version of this car appears in The Cannonball Run 2 driven by Frank Sinatra.
That was his very own 1984 model :)
Nice car but I don’t remember ever seeing one in person. I’d drive it in 2018
Chapman Films there are plenty still around . I own a 93
They are rear and now a days very expensive to buy one
Most went to the junkyard, rubbish like most 80s-90s FWD Chrysler products.
@@brianchandler428 Plenty?? What're you living in a time warp in 1995??? Last time I seen a Dodge Daytona was on the back of a wrecker. Stop playing.
Ryo Amora yeah they are around . I do turn a lot of heads with mine but when the weather warms up more comes out . Mine is a daily
A childhood dream!!!!!!!! As a greeter at a local movie theater (I'm not going to say the name, but it is shared with 3 of the first vehicles that MotorWeek ever tested) , I got a REAL kick out of all the Hollywood/movie star references here!!!!!!
I used to see these everywhere when I was a teenager in IL. I thought they looked like good cars and would have been happy to own one.
When I moved to CA they disappeared. There was a striking difference in the brand preferences between the midwest and California back then.
I prefer RWD, but overall this review sells me on the car. The stuff they complained about is stuff I'd be happy with. I lived in a region of twisty hilly roads for 22 years so having a tactile mechanical feel to driving is all part of the fun. People who don't want that probably wouldn't be buying a car like this in the first place.
Never had ABS in my life and the stopping distance looks good to me. I hate the sterile airbag interior though, it looks like a minivan inside. I'd probably like an older model better.
I didn't know they had this V6 option. I only knew them to have the 2.2L turbo, an engine my dad had in his LeBaron back then. That was a strong engine when it spooled up but it sure was laggy.
"So many 2-door sport coupes offered from Chrysler during this time period. Which is your favorite?" Chrysler Conquest especially the final 190HP version, followed closely by the 225HP Dodge Daytona IROC R/T that could run through the 1/4 in 14 flat. That was blazing fast back then.
I had 2 Dodge Daytona's. I couldn't keep them unfortunately. But if I find another I will definitely hang onto it. Great cars.
This would make for a cool car in todays market with some better brakes and better suspension. Always liked this design for some reason.
I had one of these!
Mine was black and the ground effects were silver.
Love this car design !
This is a great copy of this review. The video quality seems above average . As far as this car goes, it definitely does look dated compared to its competition, yet this design carried through the 1993 model year with some minor front fascia changes. Funny how they thought the revolutionary styling of the 1990 Celica looked "strange" when it was basically a trend setter for styling throughout the 90's.
it looked like a turd on wheels.
I love my step mother's red 1988 Dodge Daytona Pacifica with it's computer dashboard, T-tops and turbo. Was a fun head turning riding and driving car.
If you drive a Mercedes...you are not thinking about a Dodge Daytona ever...I dunno why Motorweek thinks these would compete with a Benz..
These were made for younger buyers or older buyers wanting a sporty coupe. Now 30 years old, this 1990 ES totally looks as good as ANY JDM counterpart. RX7, 300SX, Supra, Celica, Mitsubishi , etc... The pop up headlights, hatchback, long front and winged deck spoiler.
In good shape, this would catch some looks at a car meet today!!
I owned a 91 Daytona ES that looked exactly like this one. Had that car for 19 years and had over 250,000 miles on it before I sold it. It’s an every day driver but the wife finally made me get rid of it. Still the best car ive ever owned!
I had that 3.0 in a Voyager van and it moved it pretty good. I'm sure this lighter Daytona was fun back then. Also GM F body cars used the same frame for 10 years, this car didn't look dated at all in 1990. Looks good today.
One of the cars I admired in my youth that I truely miss,, If it was properly set up (ie Shelby Z) it could do 140mph. I am really surprised by how many that was produced and you don't ever see one.
Ohh, that 3.0. I raced many a square body 305 chevy truck and made some owners very upset. Hahaha. It was my dad's acclaim yet.
My dad worked at the local Chrysler dealer from the late 70s to about 10 years ago. Being a child of the early 80s I always remember these cars.
Shadows, Sundance, Daytona. All the turbo iterations, 3.0 Mitsubishi v6. Dakota sport roofs, eagle talons, stealths. The first viper they got in.
Would be fun to equip this with new rubber today. I liked these Daytonas. The Leaky valve cover gasket 3.0 Mitsu V6 is annoying, but otherwise it is a good mill. The 5 speed sounds about right. A Getrag if memory serves. If it is not totally rusted out, it could be fun run about. The Celica is probably a better buy and the Nissan 240SX that will be more fun too with the same there abouts power from its 4 cylinder, but 30mpg on that V6 is excellent. So an oldie, it might still be kind of fun but know it is going to need everything being this old.
when John said the Toyota product had better handling, I was like "sure, Jan"...then I remembered that this was from 1990
Love seeing how the testers dress in each review 😋 we looked quite hilarious back then.
I love watching old car reviews very entertaining older cars were built much better they were made to last not like the crap they make today no CVT Junk!!!!!
I cannot remember the last time I saw a Daytona on the road, with or with out popout headlights.
My 89 has 4 wheel discs i drove it for 15 yrs i had to do some timing belt changes and radiator. It got an oil leak so i parked it. I plan to restore it soon. Needless to say i like my daytonaIt was a great car for me.
1991 Dodge Dayton was my first car!! I miss it!!
I still see this car once in a while, not alot as I use to but once in a while I see them on the street or on the highway.
Headlights go up.....
this was my first car in 2006. loved it... when it decided to start
I miss that car! I wish I could of had one!
The car was really nice looking in black with the flip up headlights. I liked the 3.0 mitsu V6 in spite of its valve guide & stem seal issues. Smooth quiet power.
I’ve had 3 Daytonas, all v6 5-speeds. I’m convinced it was the most reliable engine/transmission combo by far
@@bobdole870yep, right up to when it mysteriously wouldn't make a peep when you went to turn the key. It took a long long time to finally find out what several mechanics couldn't figure out. Guess what I'm describing?😮
Brakes are an oversight. Lol the 90s
Yeah...odd. Daytona brakes were pretty good. I wonder how much the glazed-donut tires were responsible for the brake performance.
FWD Chrysler brakes are quite easy to upgrade, with all parts as close as the nearest junkyard. I saw a turbo Omni with fully-upgraded brakes: big Caravan calipers and rotors in front, Le Baron discs in back, Caravan master cylinder (24mm versus 21mm bore), Mopar Value Line(!) HD pads...on a
These vintage brake tests make me rofl. The nose dive and brake lockup is hilarious.
I drove(and washed)so many of those it feels like i owned one.I was a lot boy at a Dodge dealership from 88 till 90 in highschool.Went to college in 90 and honestly that was the last fun job I ever had.
Clean Daytonas are hard to find but don't cost much. Fiero has become collectible but not many of these left.
The best car that never raced in NASCAR during the 90’s!
I liked the little CSX two door. A friend in high school had one and that little sucker was very quick for what it was.
Engines looked so much better in this era!
About 10 years ago I was driving a 92 with the Mitsubishi 3.0 V6, it wasn't the best car I've owned but it was my favorite. I regret selling it.
I bought the same car new in 90, but the ground effects on mine was gray, I wish I still had it, you don't see these cars around anymore
It did last until 1995 when replaced with avenger
1993 was the final year.
“Flashy boy racer add ons like a expensive Hollywood party dress” lmfao
I had this 1989 Dodge Daytona, I bought this Mopar Computer. The torque steer was so massive... 🤔
That’s a very clean instrument cluster. I hate the new tablet looking radios that you have to wait until the car logos come on to change stations. I like a simple button. Too much tech it’s becoming annoying