1985 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z review from North America

Right front strut was frozen when I purchased it with 35,500 original miles.

Alternator died at 35,900 miles - on the way home from picking it up.

Faulty temp gauge (with a false high read) at 36,050 miles made me ship the car the rest of the way home.

Water line to Turbo ruptured in my driveway at 36,250.

Engine management computer stopped computing a week later.

Turbo had a bad bearing and was replaced at 36,875.

Low oil pressure was traced to a faulty oil pump -- replaced at the same time at the turbo.

Fuel Pump stopped pumping recently.

What's next?

Sure, the car has problems, but I love it! The person who sold it to me said it would be a "no disappointment car" because it had only 35,000 miles on it. Try telling that to my wife when the car dies in the middle of Florida!

The frozen strut (which was so obvious the seller should have fixed it), the alternator, computer, oil pump wear, turbo wear, fuel pump, and the rest of the problems were undoubtedly the result of a car sitting for 20 years -- which it did before I bought it.

Other than working out the bugs, it's a great car! My 7 month old son loves all of it's creaks and groans, the vibrations and buzzes put him to sleep!

I wanted a Turbo Z since I was 14 -- in 1983. I always thought they were beautiful, fast cars with outstanding handling. I still do. My Daytona is an amazing car when it's working properly. As a "remembrance car" and a novelty, it does its job well. As a daily driver, I would suggest something else -- or hope for a boss who is understanding when you call in to say, "the Daytona wouldn't start."