If someone told you they were selling a turbocharged 1980s icon that turns more heads than a Testarossa, has just 15,000 miles on the clock and could be yours for less than $11,000, you might be tempted to throw the cash in their hands before even asking what it is.
And even knowing its identity, even seeing it in all its cream paint, fake wood and basket wire hubcap glory, you might still conclude that this 1985 Chrysler Town & Country is a lot of car for not a lot of dough.
Our fascination with the 1980s and the massive success of the RADwood scene means the Chrysler Town & Country is now an in-joke, rather than just a joke. Yes, of course it’s ridiculous and hideous, but it’s also a so bad it’s good.
Plus, let’s face it, there aren’t many old cars in this condition and with so few miles that you could buy for so little money. Can you imagine how much people would be falling over themselves to pay if this was a BMW 3-series or a Toyota Supra of the same vintage with only 15,000 miles on the dial? And neither of those cars would draw a crowd like this will at a weekend show.
Related: Immaculate Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Convertible Will Bring You Back To The ’80s
Powering this baroque wagon is a 2.2-liter turbocharged inline four pumping out 146 hp and 168 lb-ft of torque, which actually wasn’t bad for the day. Magazine road test figures for the LeBaron coupe with the same motor put the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time at 8.8 seconds, so we imagine the woody wagon was into the nines. Top speed? Who knows, but it’s certainly more than the 85 mph (137 km/h) the 1980s-spec speedometer is calibrated to.
There’s some cracking to the leather and the seller notes that the driver’s window doesn’t work, but overall this looks like a perfectly preserved slice of 1980s bad taste that’s guaranteed to make you new friends at every gas stop. If you like the idea of owning a slice of K-car kitsch, this one is located in Fraser, Michigan, and it’s currently for sale on eBay.