1989 Classic Cars for Sale
The Miata debuted at Chicago in February, the 300ZX Twin Turbo arrived in showrooms, and Porsche closed out the 930 Turbo after 14 years of terrifying people.
1989 is the year the Mazda MX-5 Miata was announced to the public at the Chicago Auto Show in February, and the automotive press collectively lost its composure. A two-seat, rear-wheel-drive roadster weighing 2,182 pounds with a 1.6-liter twin-cam making 116 horsepower. It should not have worked in 1989. It absolutely worked. Mazda had studied the original Lotus Elan with more discipline than Lotus ever applied to it.
Nissan launched the Z32 300ZX that year, which was a genuine engineering statement. Twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, 300 horsepower, multilink rear suspension, and a body designed in the wind tunnel. It was fast, it was sophisticated, and it was priced at $33,000 at a time when a Corvette started at $31,545. The comparison was intentional.
For buyers now, 1989 is a landmark year and prices reflect that. First-year Miatas with original paint and under 60,000 miles are genuinely difficult to find. The Z32 300ZX market is fragmented between low-mileage survivors and heavily modified examples. The unmodified ones carry significant premiums and they are increasingly rare.
- The Mazda MX-5 Miata was officially revealed at the Chicago Auto Show on February 9, 1989, with US deliveries beginning in May at a base price of $13,800, selling out its initial allocation within weeks.
- Nissan's Z32 300ZX earned Motor Trend Car of the Year for 1990 model year, introduced for sale in late 1989, marking the first Japanese car to win that award since the 280ZX in 1980.
- Porsche ended production of the 930 Turbo in 1989 after approximately 19,000 units produced since 1975, closing the chapter on the original widow-maker that defined turbocharged sports cars for a generation.
Showing 26 listings
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1989 Land Rover Defender
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1989 Land Rover Defender
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1989 Jeep Cherokee
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1989 GMC Sierra
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1989 Ford Bronco
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1989 Ford Bronco
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1989 GMC Sierra
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1989 GMC Sierra
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1989 Chevrolet Silverado
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1989 Chevrolet S10
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1989 Ford Bronco
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1989 GMC Suburban
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1989 Chevrolet Silverado
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1989 Ford F-250
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1989 Chevrolet Blazer
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1989 GMC C1500
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1989 Chevrolet Silverado
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1989 Chevrolet Silverado
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1989 Chevrolet Blazer
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1989 Jeep Wrangler
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1989 Chevrolet C/K Series (GMT400)
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1989 Chevrolet Silverado
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1989 Jeep Wrangler
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1989 Jeep Wrangler
Market: First-year NA Miatas in original unmodified condition with clean titles now trade between $12,000 and $28,000 based on mileage and paint originality. The Z32 300ZX Twin Turbo ranges from $15,000 for project cars to over $45,000 for documented low-mileage examples. Automatic transmissions subtract value on both.
Buyer's note: On a 1989 Miata, verify the frame rails ahead of the rear differential mount with a magnet before trusting any surface appearance, and confirm the soft top frame has not been replaced with an aftermarket unit.