The search for an occasion that meets the wishes and the budget is a bit easier nowadays than it was 30 years ago. After all, you can already search through the range on the internet, in 1991 you were even more surprised by what was available at the local dealers on the site. At the time, we visited a number of companies to see what could be achieved.
Armed with his Datsun Stanza (who remembers it?) with 140,000 kilometers on the clock, former Techzle editor Luc Vranken went looking for a used car. It had to be a car that had about the same characteristics, but a little newer. A not too large sedan, therefore, preferably a bit more economical than the Stanza and also preferably with a five-speed gearbox.
At the first two addresses, that last wish was already crossed out, because first a Renault 9 1.4 came on his path and then a Volkswagen Jetta 1.3, both with a four-speed gearbox. The price difference was considerable, the Renault with an asking price of 13,400 guilders was a good 4,000 guilders cheaper than the Volkswagen and moreover, the Renault dealer offered more for the Stanza. 3,400 guilders against 3,000 guilders. However, the Renault had run a little more (60,000 km to 33,000 km), but that was something to look over. The 9 immediately lingered in my mind, the Jetta less so. Both had the four-speed gearbox as the biggest drawback.
The search continued at a Toyota dealer in Goes, where a three-year-old Corolla 1.3 beckoned. With 48,000 km on the clock, not too long on the road and, moreover, the Corolla was already known as a very safe choice. The price was therefore not a lie; The Corolla had to cost fl. 17,750 and a good trade-in price for the also Japanese Stanza could have made up for that. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case, with a trade-in price of 2,750 guilders, it was all in all quite an expensive story. So off to the Ford dealer, to see an Orion with LPG installation and five-speed gearbox. It was only a year older than the Corolla, but already had 88,000 km on the clock. The asking price was slightly lower at fl. 15,500. Still hoping for a good offer for the Stanza, but unfortunately, the dealer discovered some rust holes in the Datsun and could not go higher than 1,500 guilders. The Orion was not convincing enough for 14,000 guilders.
We had more luck at the Citroën and Opel dealer. The first looked at a BX 1.4 of three years old with 76,000 km behind it. Again a five-speed gearbox, an engine that was almost as powerful as that of the Stanza and, moreover, the dealer made a good offer for the Datsun: 4,500 guilders. Of the 16,750 guilders that had to be tapped for the BX, a total of 12,250 should still come out of the wallet. At the Opel dealer we looked at a Kadett Sedan 1.3, again three years old and with a slightly lower mileage: 61,000 km. A convincing car, again with a five-speed gearbox and in good condition, although the Stanza with NLG 3,000 was offered a little less than at the Citroën dealer. Yet it would not be a crazy deal for 13,950 guilders.
Finally, a Subaru dealer and a Nissan dealer were visited. In the first we found a Subaru L-series (the predecessor of the Legacy) that is again three years old, but by far with the highest asking price of all cars. The Subaru had to fetch no less than 22,000 guilders. With its mileage of 65,000 km, it was fine and there was also a 1.6 in the nose, but that was still very much. Fortunately, the seller made a very generous offer for the Stanza across the bridge, fl. 6,000, but then at the bottom of the line still 16,000 guilders had to be debited. That it could be even more expensive, was finally shown at the Nissan dealer, where a two-year-old Sunny 1.3 stood with only 45,000 on the counter. Okay, the youngest car, the top version and also the second lowest mileage of all cars viewed, but with just under 20,000 guilders also almost the most expensive. Moreover, the trade-in would only remove 3,000 guilders from the cost, so there was still almost 17,000 peak left to close.
So it’s been a long journey and plenty of food for thought. Now, 30 years later, it’s a little easier to judge which of these cars would have been the best choice at the time. Which occasion would you have gone for if you were on this quest?