1988 Pontiac Sunbird

Shockingly clean Sunbird GT Turbo convertible. Loaded with options. Beautiful original condition. 60,975 miles. Nicely maintained by Pontiac collector. Headlights recently rebuilt. How does this thing even exist today?

Remember when these little GM convertibles were everywhere? When was the last time you saw one, never mind a GT variant? This 1988 Pontiac Sunbird GT Turbo is wonderfully well preserved and surprisingly fun to drive. When it was new, the Turbo was very nearly as fast as a V8 Firebird, and still provides an entertaining drive in today s age of 700+ horsepower monsters. And if you want a clean little ragtop to cruise around in the sun, this is sure to make everyone who sees it smile because it s been years since anyone has seen one. The white paint looks great and yes, that s all factory enamel that s in great shape. Never hit or wrecked or rusty, it looks like it did in, say, 1991 when it was just a few years old. The fender flares give it a bit of an aggressive look and the unusual half headlight covers work like they should thanks to a recent rebuild. There s a sporty luggage rack on the trunk and all the rubber and urethane pieces, including both bumpers, are in excellent condition. The only notable issue is a missing PONTIAC emblem on the nose, something for which we searched but came up empty so you might need to get creative if it bothers you. Otherwise, this is a super clean little machine.

Gray cloth is a nice contrast to the white paint and provides a cooler seating surface than vinyl or leather might have. And again, it s in shockingly good condition with minimal wear on the seating surfaces, no cracking or sun damage on the plastic bits, and really nice carpets. The GT got more aggressively bolstered front seats that hold you in place pretty well and are still firm and comfortable for longer drives. The leather-wrapped wheel and big, round gauges cover all the engine s vitals, and they all work save for the oil pressure gauge (don t worry, we checked to be sure the engine has oil pressure and it s within spec). It s loaded with options, too, including power windows and locks, working factory A/C (cool but not ice cold), and a decent-sounding AM/FM/cassette stereo with equalizer (remember those?). And since it s Pontiac, you also get a funky little mileage counter for maintenance on the center console. There s a power convertible top overhead that stows itself easily and seals up reasonably well, and a matching gray vinyl boot to make it look tidy. There s even a decent-sized trunk out back that looks almost factory fresh.

The muscular little turbocharged 2.0-liter SOHC inline-4 delivers more performance than you d expect. Is it fast? No, not by today s standards. But it feels energetic and the Sunbird scoots through traffic with effortless ease. It starts easily, idles properly, and generally works like it should, and GM s reliability in this era was pretty good. And believe it or not, parts are still readily available so maintenance should be a snap. You ll note that it still has lots of bright red details to make it look special under the hood, plus factory hardware, decals, and markings still intact. It has been properly maintained all its life and still works like it should, so go out and have some fun in your new Sunbird. The 3-speed automatic shifts cleanly and is a good partner for the turbocharged engine, letting the torque to most of the work so it never feels busy or overworked. The suspension is capable without feeling harsh, and it rides pretty well for being nearly 40 years old. You ll note that the undercarriage is super clean, although not detailed for show, and even the original exhaust system is still in place, so the car obviously hasn t been out in the salt and slush. Power steering and power front disc brakes make it easy to handle, and it sits on those oh-so-cool 14-inch alloy wheels that are color-matched to the car and carry fat 225/60/14 BFGoodrich radials.

Documentation is quite good, including the original books and manuals plus several decades worth of service receipts.

We all like this cool little Sunbird. It shouldn t exist in this day and age, yet here it is in fantastic condition and ready to enjoy. It would make a fantastic first car for anyone, or an icon of Pontiac s resurging performance in the 80s. Either way, you ll enjoy driving it and you ll especially have fun with all the conversations it starts along the way. Call today!

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