Car of the Month, August 2008: Dodge Daytona

by Mike Griffin

Starting with fourth grade, I took the bus to school every day. On the way to school I would pass a house that had this neat looking car sitting in the driveway. I had no idea what it was, but turns out it was a 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z. So for the next few years I saw this car daily and daydreamed about what it would be like to own that car. My family and I started attending a new church with our neighbors who happened to be a good friend of the lady who owned the Daytona. So we got to know her for a few years and then boom, I turned 16, time to look for a first car.

We looked at Nissan 240s, Pontiac Fieros, Nissan 300ZXs, Eclipses, … and the list goes on. One day I got a phone call from my aunt’s neighbor, who told me that the black Daytona was in fact now for sale. I called the lady and she gave me all the stats on the car; 1984 Daytona Turbo Z, sunroof, leather, electronic voice alert, 5 speed. I knew that I wanted it. At first her asking price was a little steep, $3,500, and my grandma was not willing to pay that much for a 20+ year old car. I told the lady my family was going to think about it for a while and she said it was fine. I got a phone call from her two weeks later in which she said the price was now down to $1500 and since she knew us she would lower the price even further. That night my grandmother and I went out to see the car, she absolutely loved it (except for the rather loud exhaust). We didn’t make an offer that day, but promised to call soon.

That night we had the whole family around the table discussing on whether I needed a car or not and how much to offer on this one. Finally the offer was settled at $1,200, but I then got a phone call from the lady who was selling the car. She said there was something she wanted me to know about the car and at that point I thought she was going to say she wasn’t willing to sell it any more. However that was not the case, she told me she was going to give it to me. Yes, give, as in free of charge. Needless to say I was completely speechless. Next day we went to the AAA to get the title transferred and I was then the proud owner of an 1984 Daytona.

ALLPAR CARS OF THE MONTH

October 2009				1954 Desoto Estate Wagon
September 2009				Dodge Aspen R/T with T-tops
August 2009				1941 Dodge WC pickup street rod
July 2009				446,000-mile 1998 Dodge Neon R/T
June 2009				1970 Dodge Challenger 440 Six-Pack
May 2009				1970 Plymouth Superbird
April 2009				1932 Plymouth Phaeton
March 2009				Plymouth GTX
February 2009				1977 AMC Pacer drag car
January 2009				1989 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible
December 2008				1949 Chrysler Highlander
November 2008				Modified Magnum
October 2008				1967 Hemi ’Cuda
September 2008				Slant Sixes
August 2008				1984 Dodge Daytona

Cars of the Month are chosen and profiled by Gene Yetter

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