1986 Pontiac Parisienne review from North America

The air conditioning needed to be completely replaced.

The transmission required repair to fix a faulty reverse gear.

Rear drums and shoes required replacement.

I remember driving this car with friends in high school and loving every moment. When the time came to buy a winter car, I managed to find one in a rural community. It was in perfect condition and owned by a former GM factory employee. This car looks like it is brand new and runs especially well considering its age and mileage.

It easily passed a government inspection and emissions test.

After some repairs due to age, the car is back on the road and running well.

It has a lot of room, is extremely durable and very cheap to repair.

Don't use the dealer as any good mechanic can keep it in tip top shape for a very low price.

While most of these cars have the V8, mine is equipped with the base V6. The V6 would not be my first choice as it lacks the power of the big V8s. It's advantage, though, lies in the electronic fuel injection instead of an old carburator.

If you can find one of these cars in good condition, buy it. They are fun to drive, very practical, cheap to run and amazingly durable.

Only major downside is the poor fuel economy.