1986 Dodge Diplomat Salon Police Package 5.2 Liter

Summary:

Tremendous

Faults:

Electrical malfunctions now and again, brakes got soft quickly.

General Comments:

Best cop car built! Will eat-up a 9C1 Caprice. Breakneck acceleration, intimidating presence on the road.

I bought this car from a friend my senior year of high school for $100 (yes, a complete running car for a bill). I put some money into it to make it roadworthy, and fell in love with it soon after. It was assigned to a police investigator and never saw active police duty (i.e, constant idling and high-speed pursuits).

The factory 318ci had been bored out to 360. This car could leave rubber for 50 yards. Everywhere I drove, other drivers got the hell out my way thinking I was a cop. The front-end styling of this car demands respect and no one ever pulled-out in front of me in traffic, which is priceless.

The brakes did get mushy pretty quickly due to the massive weight of the car.

Other than the cost of gas and brakes, I spent basically no $ on this. I was forced to get rid of it after it failed inspection (hole in frame). I still keep my eyes peeled for these, but I doubt I will ever find one again; especially not for 100 bucks. My advice: buy one. Mean machine...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th January, 2009

15th Jan 2009, 14:29

Ever since I got a Diplomat Salon cop car, I have seen at least ten. When I bought my car from a friend, also for a dollar, all I thought about was fixing it up all the time. It sure has been awesome.

20th Nov 2014, 13:48

You really believed anyone thought a 15+ year old Diplomat was a cop car?

Must have been all that "massive weight": 3588 lbs.

In reply to 20th Nov 2014, 13:48

20th Nov 2014, 20:39

Diplomats aren't 15 years old, they're closer to 30 nowadays.

In reply to 20th Nov 2014, 20:39

15th Dec 2014, 17:12

The car was 15 years old when the reviewer got it.

And if anyone "got the hell out of the way" when they saw it, it was not because they thought it was a "cop car". Rather, they saw a car being driven aggressively; it could have been a Chevette or Tercel for all that it mattered!

In reply to 15th Dec 2014, 17:12

17th Dec 2014, 03:17

My dad bought a couple of detective interceptor unmarks with thirsty 440s in them. Paid around a grand each in the 70s. One he sold to a guy to tow his boat. To me these were more interesting. They had hasty repaints of poor quality. I recall it had a certified speedometer. I opened them up on a back road. These were real police cars before Chrysler sedans were downsized in performance with Diplomats. There's nothing like the sound of a 440 opened up on the road. In my state today we have had interesting police cars since. Including Mustangs and even SUVs.

1986 Dodge Diplomat S.E. 318 cu.in.

Summary:

It's a very classy looking vehicle that gets a lot of looks

Faults:

Sluggush on morning start up.

Needed rear shocks.

Needed some exhaust work.

General Comments:

The interior is mint.

Once the engine is warmed up, it is very quick.

Handles very well.

Wish it had a trunk light.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 14th August, 2004

16th Aug 2004, 09:04

Looks by who? People mistaking it for a taxicab?

19th Sep 2004, 23:53

These "looks" peolpe are giving your Diplomat are likely looks of confusion mixed with disgust. Simply put, they are probably aware of the less than winning track record of these cars. I must admit to also being fooled into buying one these sad autos.

You see. I was starting my own auto parts delivery business here in town. I needed a cheap, but "reliable" vehicle to deliver the auto parts. Little did I know, I would lose my profits just trying to keep this excuse for a car running.

For some unknown reason, a lot of people become attached to these low-end Dodges. I can't be mad at them if they know no different. After all, one mans Pinto is another mans Rolls Royce. One mans Edsel is another mans Lexus. However, save your hard earned money and buy a vehicle with a better track record for reliability such as a Chevy Caprice or Ford Crown Vic.

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1986 Dodge Diplomat SE 318

Summary:

VERY reliable cheap transportation

Faults:

Headlight went out.

Battery died.

Starter works intermittently, hasn't stranded me yet.

General Comments:

I am very impressed all told with the Dip. Decent gas economy for a larger car, 15-20MPG around town, and absolutely nothing in the way of major items has broken in the year I have had the car. Most interesting is that being an SE it has most all the neat luxury features, like power door locks, power seats, power antenna, and tilt wheel. I am a bit baffled that this, the most expensive Dodge you could get then, doesn't have a power trunk lid release or telescoping wheel. The 318 runs great, doesn't leak or burn ANY oil. It is just gutless. All in all, though, this has been a VERY reliable car and I would definitely recommend one in this shape for a teenager's first car. It's reliable as they get, and it's not fast enough for a 16-17 year old to get badly injured in. Only reason I am looking at something newer is they are talking about smog inspections here, and you can't find smog parts for cars that old. Everything's there, but that's no guarantee that it all works.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th March, 2004

18th Jun 2004, 21:47

Update: Finally replaced the starter, VERY easy to get to if you can raise the car. Sits too low if you don't have a jack. Put a 2.94 gear in and that helped the performance a bit. Went to Atlanta last weekend and got 23 MPG on the way back and 20 on the way down.

27th Jul 2006, 20:37

The Chrysler Fifth Avenue was luxury one of the bunch. I know, I had one that was nearly fully optioned... aside from the sunroof (one of 4 options missing in my 'Fifth) being a more common option. Today a new luxury car has nothing.