7th Nov 2003, 20:23

Like I said, the engine was the best part of it and it was well cared for. Unfortunately, it was wrapped in 1980's Chrysler garbage chassis and component design!

4th Apr 2006, 19:27

I own a 1986 dodge daytona turbo, and I have never had a single problem with it, except the fact that the front motor mount is broken. my mother also owned a 86 laser, and she never had a single problem either. you are just the exception, man.

31st May 2006, 12:23

I just bought a new turbo z, well an 86. I love the car. have put 1400 dollars into work. new head, all new gaskets. sway bar. rotors brakes. how long will the turbo generally last??? it stalls any suggestions??

24th Jan 2008, 14:33

Had a 1986 Daytona TurboZ (red) t-tops, and black leather back in 1988-1990 loved it. Never had any problem with it. Would have kept it, but the insurance was killing me. Wish I would have kept it now. Oh yeah always washed it myself no car washes and changed the oil every 3000 miles. I bought the car with 25,000 miles on it.

28th Jan 2008, 00:03

My first car was an 86 Daytona Turbo C/S. Bought it in 93 and I loved that car more than I'll ever love a non-living thing, and I think it loved me too. It was a great car. I sold it in 2000 when I got married and started my family.

Now here I am looking online for these things... that's gotta say something.

Good car.

17th Feb 2009, 20:14

The original poster must not have had much of a clue regarding these cars. I've had an '86 since 1985. It has nearly 300,000 miles on it. The interior is still in place, the engine is still running, the clutch was replaced by me at 168,000 miles, and everything works great. So much so that I switch off with my '01 Sebring Convertible as my daily driver. My Daytona gives me in excess of 31 mpg at highway speeds (70 mph) This exceeds the EPA estimate when the speed limit was 55. At 55 I get in excess of 40 mpg.

2nd Apr 2009, 22:14

The Original poster is an engineer who's owned and worked on many cars. The Daytona I had was the worse one they ever made and it came to me with carpeted interior panels falling apart and full of squeaks and rattles, a bad clutch etc.

Buy 6 months I was counting the days to the break even point and dumped it at whatever dealer would take it. It was well maintained by me or the dealer - It was just the worst piece of crap that ever rolled off the line at St. Louis.

6th Apr 2009, 20:52

HAH, this is making me laugh. The Dodge Daytona Turbo Z c/s is a damn good car, I own one. For a 23 year old car that has probably been beaten to crap and braved central New York winters its whole life, this car will not die. I pound on this car every single day and it comes back for more.

Now running 14lbs of boost, it is pretty damn quick. This thing has no rust being a CNY car, which is amazing, my mom's 2004 Pontiac GTO has more rust than my Daytona. It still gives me 30mpg too. The transmissions in these 80's turbo Dodges have been known to handle over 400 wheel horsepower.

My interior looks nicer than more than half these new cars nowadays. It has actual materials and not just a bunch of plastic everywhere. The seats are more comfortable than my brother's 03 BMW M3.

25th Feb 2010, 18:00

I own an '86 Turbo Z, and the only reason I have problems with it is because I put a 2.5 TII engine into it, and the wiring is messed up. These little cars will go on forever, longer than any Honda. They will drive and drive until they can't anymore.

And my clutch was 20 years old, and it still worked.

A friend of mine drove his 2.2L on 2 cylinders for about 2 hours, it got him home. So, are these cars still crap to you?

My Daytona DOES NOT belch smoke, thank you very much. And if your car fell apart on you that easily, then I think it says something HUGE about how it has been taken care of.

Mine still has its trim, it still has the spoiler, the brakes are fine, the steering rack is going but it always goes in Daytonas, EVERY Daytona, even the Shelby's. The Dodge Daytona is an unsung hero.

15th May 2010, 12:57

I have 86 Daytona Z S/C. The left side turn signal don't work, right side works but really slow. Any ideas?? I have tried a new flasher.

4th Jul 2010, 20:48

So I'm getting a '86 Daytona (V4) and I have 1990 Daytona with a horrible body but a brand new V6 engine. I want to know if these engines are compatible to switch?