K is for Krap: 1985 Dodge Aries K-Car
K is, regrettably, for K-car. The K-word. Konstantly konfounding kar kooks with krappy kuality and kausing konsiderable kursing from knormally kind Kentuckians. The K-car is an easy target for journalists and pundits alike – but beware! The little K has a rabid fan base and if you compare driving the K to the limitless horrors of purgatory, someone identifying himself as the president of the Chrysler K-Car Club (say that three times fast) might chime in the comments. Of course, DT fielded a thoroughly transcendent rebuttal by none other than DT’s own logo guru Kaibeezy…but that is ancient history, let’s get on to today’s K-car. Find this 1985 Dodge Aries K-Car
currently bidding for $1,500 reserve-not-met in Los Angeles, CA via ebay.
The K-car was available as a Dodge, Plymouth or Chrysler and while the basic K was the Aries/400, LeBaron and Reliant, there were a number of K platform derivatives including minivans, and even a stretched limousine/executive car…but…the Dodge Aries is what everyone imagines when the K-bashing starts.
There was a version of the Aries available with a 2.6 Hemi badge on the back so you could tell your friends “its got a Hemi!” — but it was actually the well designed and capable Mitsubishi Astron 4G54. Regrettably this K-car is not powered by the Astron and instead gets its forward momentum from a combination of gravity when available and the supremely underpowered 2.2 liter Chrysler K 4-banger. Power in 1985 was up to 96 horsepower thanks to the addition of fuel injection, but no one will accuse this engine of being peppy or fun, especially when mated to the 3-speed slushbox.
See a better example of a car with one wheel in the junkyard and another on a banana peel? tips@dailyturismo.com
This post is part of Daily Turismo’s 2nd Birthday Celebration — DT’s ABCs.
Previous: J is for Jaunty: 1970 AMC Javelin SST (Mark Donohu…
I'll just leave this here again. youtube.com/watch?v=twkIdxgS0lo
Best Aries ad ever
That video about sums up all the fine virtues of the K-Car. I remember back to the 80's when just about every lady over the age of 70 was driving one, and many still have them to this day unless they upgraded to a PT Cruiser.
Cool video! I drive a Plymouth Reliant sedan. Not the fastest car in the world, not the most shapely or luxurious but it gets me around economically. Standard horsepower is 95 (fuel injected), not 22. All you need to keep up with freeway traffic is around 50hp. There are a lot of worse cars on the road than the Aries/Reliant twins. At least it's not ANOTHER Altima 2.5s. New Chalenger/Charger/Ram drivers? Your Mopar muscle car/truck company wouldn't exist were it not for Lee Iacocca's bailout and his Aries/Reliant.