As its name implies, today’s Nice Price or No Dice Encore was the follow-up to another car, the Renault Alliance. Let’s see if its price tag has us all shouting, “Bravo!”
Ford’s F150 has been the most popular vehicle sold in America for over four decades and the best-selling truck for even longer. That’s not to say that owners of older versions of Ford’s workhorse can ride on the company’s coattails. The 1991 Ford F150 ‘Nite’ we looked at yesterday appeared to be in decent condition, and with a V8, five-speed, and 4WD, it certainly had the goods. Still, it’s an old truck, and the $19,000 asked for it would buy any number of more contemporary trucks with greater comfort and features. That wasn’t lost on you all, who said a not-so-good nite to the Ford with a 78 percent No Dice loss.
Whether it be a concert or movie sequel, people love encores. That tantalizing opportunity to have one more song or revisit a beloved character is something I think most of us all enjoy.
When Renault bought the American Motors Corporation in 1979, one of the major issues the combo faced was the lack of an entrant into North America’s burgeoning small, fuel-efficient car market. The answer arrived four years later in the form of the Renault Alliance, a small two or four-door sedan manufactured and sold by AMC. While new to our shores, this wasn’t a brand-new car; it was a version of the existing Renault 9, introduced in Europe two years earlier. We looked at a convertible version of that not all that long ago.
The Alliance name was a not-so-subtle reference to the Renault/AMC merger, and when its sales proved successful enough, the Alliance was joined by a hatchback model, which, in another not-so-subtle move, was called the Encore.
Unlike the last song at a Prince concert or Steve Jobs’ famous “One More Thing” debuts, the Renault/AMC Encore is probably not engrained into anyone’s remembrances. Thankfully, we have this 1985 Encore Spring Edition to juice our collective memory.
Renault introduced the Encore in 1984 but boosted its appeal a year later by offering an optional 1.7-liter SOHC four in all models. That’s what this car has, so be prepared for 77 horsepower performance from the small three-door. A five-speed manual adds to the fun, as does a two-tone color scheme carried both outside and in.
As noted, these cars just tend not to exist on the road anymore, making this one a bit unicorn. It’s apparently been hiding out up in Canada, where it was first sold, so it has the additional quirks (for U.S. buyers, at least) of a metric speedo and odometer. Don’t worry, though; the Speedo has mph markings, so it’s not totally foreign. Per the ad, that odometer reads 154,735 kilometers, which translates to about 95,000 miles.
Overall, the Encore looks to be in surprisingly good condition. The paint still pops, and there appears to be minimal wear and tear either outside or in. Fans of the contemporary Jeep Cherokee will recognize the Renault’s front seats as they were shared between the brands and feature a unique mounting base that allows for added footroom underneath. These also have black vinyl upholstery that is accented by red piping, which is pretty cool looking.
The ad notes that the car is rust-free and has always been garage-kept. It comes with a clean title, collector plates, and a CDN$4,550 price tag.
In Freedom Bucks, that works out to around $3,258 at current exchange rates. Of course, for those of you lucky enough to already be Canadian residents, that’s a moot point. Regardless of where you call home, we now need to decide if this Encore is a worthy second act at that CDN$4,550. What do you say? Would that get some Renault-fan to crack open their wallet? Or does that price make this an Encore no one asked for?
You decide!
Vancouver, BC, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Rock On! for the hookup!
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