We are aware of the login problems affecting the forums, and appreciate your patience as we work on a fix.
Did you recently purchase a new Tesla, Rivian or Lucid vehicle directly from the manufacturer and willing to share how your experience compared to previous vehicle purchases made through a traditional dealer? A reporter would like to speak with you; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 2/19 for details.

I spotted an (insert obscure car name here) classic car today!

13468911

Comments

  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,170
    I really enjoy PHAD. Ivan is a great problem solver. I am jealous because I did a lot of that in my career but don't come close to his logical mind.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    edited January 6
    A good friend of mine, 74 years old, has had a '93 Allante probably three or four years. He grew up on Cadillacs although has also owned a Lincoln and a couple Lexuses since I've known him. He claims to be well-read on Northstars and is not worried or intimidated about owning and maintaining a Northstar. I don't think I'd be so brave. He also owns an XLR. Likes the personalities of those cars for what he paid. He belongs to both Allante and XLR clubs.

    I don't love the look of the Allante, and really don't care for the XLR at all, other than it is distinctive from other cars. But I think the Allante styling has aged well because it is simple. Nothing Lexus was making at the time does a single thing for me.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 52,316

    Styling is good. The issues with the one in the video really weren’t north star stuff like head bolts. It was electronics, gadgets, and ancillary systems so some allante specific and some just old car that has been screwed with items.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,997

    Cadillac has been swinging for the technology fences the last few decades…and striking out.

  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    edited January 6
    Speaking of first-gen Auroras recently, I was reminded of that same-era Riviera. I sort-of like them; modern but retro too; a large coupe with supposedly a decent back seat. I liked, as I've gotten older, that it could be had with a bench front seat. I like not resting my leg against a console; being able to slide out the right door if I want/need to; and being able to use the center position as a (torturous, probably) seat if need be. Too lazy to check, but I think these could be had with cloth seating too. I wish there was some plastichrome inside.
    27k-Mile 1995 Buick Riviera Supercharged
    This one sold for $15K on BaT last summer. I loathe the color, but nice car. (First new '71 full-size Chevy I saw behind our hometown dealer was an extremely-similar color, and I didn't like it then either LOL.)

    One thing about these cars that I just can't get past, is that tapered rear-end. I've often wondered if just having a smallish section of taillight in the rear on each end, that wrapped around the side of the car, would've helped, but then that would've cluttered the side styling.

    No Northstar or 'Shortstar' to deal with on these cars.
    27k-Mile 1995 Buick Riviera Superchargedhttps://bringatrailer.com/listing/1995-buick-riviera-9
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    On the day I bought my 2000 Intrepid, I was planning on going out to look at a black supercharged '95 Riviera that was for sale at a nearby dealership. But instead, that morning, I gave my uncle a ride to the local Chevy/Dodge/Isuzu dealer to pick up his truck from servicing, and while we were there, he suggested we look around at the stuff for sale. And, before I knew it, I was signing on the dotted line for that Intrepid, so I never got around to seeing the Riviera.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    edited January 6
    I wasn't paying a lot of attention to cars in the '90's--that's malaise to me, LOL--but I did notice the Aurora and Riv.

    I did think the original Intrepid looked sporty for a sedan, and was roomy inside. Original styling, which gets points from me. I also liked that dark green that a lot of them seemed to be.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    Anybody notice on various FB car sites, how the model year will be misidentified, which results in 50 people commenting. It seems as though the sites do it to get comments.

    But what's worse, IMHO, is the site "Classic Cars" which will have a narrative about a particular car, then show an AI-generated image that's bogus, without any comment about it. Here's one from today from that site, talking about the '76 Monte Carlo:


    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,997
    edited January 6
    I've seen that on 'top cars' "news" articles, a series of AI generated four-wheel oddballs! And the text also reeks of AI.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    I've also seen, "New '25 Chevelle SS!" or similar BS, that shows an AI-generated car on FB. Ugh.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    edited January 6
    It's...interesting, the interpretation that AI comes up with sometimes. I asked Google Gemini to draw a 1995 Buick Riviera, and I have to say, I kind of like its interpretation:
    The overall proportions make me think of a '92 or so Cadillac Seville, with Buick styling reminiscent of a '91-96 Park Ave, just turned into a coupe.

    But then, I asked it to draw a 1957 DeSoto Firedome, and it gave me something that looks kind of like what a '57 Buick might have looked like, if it had been done by Virgil Exner, and allowed to have quad headlights:

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,545
    Both of those AI products are pretty good. I suspect I wouldn't like the rear view of the Riviera, though, with the slit taillights implied by the part shown.

    Got a rear view?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    I'm guessing from the rear, the taillights might look sort of like what the early/mid-90s Regal sedan used. I'm also getting sort of an Infiniti J30 vibe. I just asked Google Gemini to draw it from the rear 3/4 angle, and this is what it came up with:
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,997
    edited January 6
    Uh-oh, I kinda like it better...resistance is futile...
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 257,714
    Personally, I wouldn't be caught dead driving a Google Gemini.. :o

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,545
    andre1969 said:

    I'm guessing from the rear, the taillights might look sort of like what the early/mid-90s Regal sedan used. I'm also getting sort of an Infiniti J30 vibe. I just asked Google Gemini to draw it from the rear 3/4 angle, and this is what it came up with:

    It's better than I thought it would be! Surprised.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,990
    andre1969 said:

    I'm guessing from the rear, the taillights might look sort of like what the early/mid-90s Regal sedan used. I'm also getting sort of an Infiniti J30 vibe. I just asked Google Gemini to draw it from the rear 3/4 angle, and this is what it came up with:

    I see some LeSabre in it, especially the C-pillar. Not bad looking, AI is getting scary, it'd probably fool the normies now, only us weirdos will be able to tell a fake.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,990

    I wasn't paying a lot of attention to cars in the '90's--that's malaise to me, LOL--but I did notice the Aurora and Riv.

    I did think the original Intrepid looked sporty for a sedan, and was roomy inside. Original styling, which gets points from me. I also liked that dark green that a lot of them seemed to be.

    Speaking of that Riv, I clearly remember in 1995 looking at one with my mom. Her car had been in a fender bender, and she was getting a rental while it was repaired. Small town, the only rental agency was located in the local multi-line GM dealer. They had a Riviera in the showroom, and she thought it was very attractive. However, the ~38K sticker brought back reality.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,979
    One of those Lifebuoy Rivieras was my FIL's last car. Everything about it seemed to be built to a price; the audio system was awful and the switchgear felt flimsy. My wife's 1984 Skylark T Type felt much more solid.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
    Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
    Son's: 2018 330i xDrive

  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    The rear quarter in profile makes me think a little of the '92-93 Riviera, of which I was not a fan.

    Weird that there was no '94 Riviera IIRC.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    The '95 Riviera had an early release. I remember sitting in one at a dealership in the summer of '94, and it seemed like they'd already been out for a bit. Reading up on it, looks like they were launched in the spring of '94. However, I didn't realize that the '93 Rivs were all built out by the end of calendar year 1992. I guess that explains why they only made about 4500 '93s, vs about 12,500 1992s. The '95 sold pretty well at first, about 41,000 for that extra long introductory year.

    It dropped to around 17K for '96, rose slightly to around 18K for '97. For both 1998 and 1999, my old car book lists the same figure: 10,613. So that's either a typo, or an odd coincidence.

    Thinking back on the one I sat in that summer, I do remember not liking the interior at all. It just seemed too stark, almost like it had an unfinished look about it.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    edited January 7
    I liked the instrument panel of the RIv, in that it had almost zero fake wood. At the time, I remember telling a friend of mine that the instruments reminded me a bit of the first Avantis in that there was the color of the interior around each of the round instruments, instead of them being placed in a wood applique or whatever.

    But I've always hated flat-black-plastic shift lever and turn signal lever, which everybody was doing by then so it became default. I think if those levers, if not the ends, at least, were plastichrome, and the door straps had plastichrome at the ends, and the A/C vents were plastichromed, I'd have liked the overall look more. I like the looks of the seats, and that it was a large coupe, which was slipping away about then.

    Buick's introduction info on that Riv said that it was the most-rigid body construction of any Buick up to that time. I just saw that online yesterday, but of course now I can't find it.

    There's a humorous review from the time, in the Deseret News, where the tester humorously remarked on visual remarks he got from other drivers while he was driving it, LOL.

    His car stickered at the bottom at $31,433, which included the supercharged engine and leather inside.

    https://www.deseret.com/1994/11/25/19144480/95-riviera-bringing-some-mixed-reviews/
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    edited January 8
    Curbside Classic talks about short-deck Cadillacs here. Interesting. They do look odd as they were so rare that our eyes aren't accustomed to them, LOL. I think the '63 looks best as the fins were smallest. Similarly, I think the '61 looks worst as the fins were the biggest. On the 'regular' Cadillacs, I like the '62's best of those years.

    I'd be surprised if I'd seen ten of these in my 66.5 years.
    https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-capsule/cc-history-1961-1963-cadillac-town-sedan-and-park-avenue-cadillacs-bob-tailed-nags/
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 52,316

    I guess it’s all relative but it amuses me calling those short anything!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    You'd think that giving a car a 7-inch assectomy would be more noticeable, but I swear that, from some angles, these short-deck Cadillacs don't look that different from the regular ones.

    It's probably one of those things where, if you saw the two side-by-side, the short model would look awkward. But on its own, it doesn't seem so weird. I've seen a '62 show up at the Fall Hershey show a few times, and from what I remember, it only looked awkward from certain angles.

    In a similar vein, I think a '67 Bonneville is about 7-8" longer than my Catalina. In this case though, 3" of it is a wheelbase stretch, with the extra 4-5" being tacked on in back of the rear axle. My Catalina feels "normal" for the most part, but there's been a few times that I'd be parked next to a '67 Bonneville at the GM show, and I swear it makes my car look downright stubby!
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    With regards to buyers giving some pushback to Cadillacs getting too big, I think in '58 and earlier, the 4-doors were considerably shorter than the coupes. I think a '57 Sedan Deville is around 216 long, while a Coupe DeVille is something like 222-223?" But then in '59-60, I believe both coupes and sedans were the same length, around 225". Coupe buyers probably didn't notice the difference much, but I imagine the sedan buyers did.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    I was mentioning this story to my friend who grew up on Cadillacs. His mother was under five feet tall and drove their many Cadillacs over the years. Her favorite was the '60, with almost no blind spots (four-window four-door hardtop).

    Had his Dad not already bought a '60, I could see them potentially being interested in one of these short-decks for her, although my friend said they had already had their garage extended to get the '60 in there. (Their next new Caddy was a '65.)

    Surprisingly, to me anyway, his Mom lobbied his Dad to buy a full-size '76 Cadillac, knowing they were shrinking, but the Dad (born 1914) bought a new Seville saying to his wife, "Steph, this is the wave of the future". He also bought a new '78 Seville.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    I'm surprised they'd have to lengthen a garage, as I always thought garages were bigger back in the day. But, I might be thinking of current garages, compared to, say, the 60's and early 70's. But I guess some really old garages, that were built, say, in the 20s and 30s, might be smaller.

    My old house had a garage behind it that was originally about 10x16 feet, but at some point, a ~4-foot extension was added on to the end. It had shelving above, but below that was enough room to squeeze the hood, or rear deck, of a car. I don't know how old the garage was, but it had some old license plates nailed up on the wall that dated back to the late 20s.

    My homeowner's insurance company made me tear it down in 2017. It probably hadn't had a car in it since the 40's, maybe the early 50's at best. The roof was starting to sag a bit on one side, and I had simply used some lumber poles to shore it up. Realistically, it probably would have stood for years, judging from how much effort it took to tear it down. But, it was becoming an eyesore, and I imagine the insurance company was more worried about some stray kid snagging himself on a loose nail or something.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    My daughter and husband live in what I'd call a Ryan home from the '70's, split-level. Two car garage with individual doors. I think pulling any '70's full-size into either slot would be an absolute impossibility, width-wise.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    BTW, my friend's mom did back their '60 Caddy into a pole at church. They were all worried what their dad would say, as my friend said "he didn't even like fingerprints on the car". He said his dad was not very mad at the mom. Perhaps at least, not in front of the kids, LOL.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    Anybody here near LA and those fires? I'm thinking not, but...man, that's horrible.

    I'm whining about snow here, but realize it could be much worse.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 52,316
    yeah, as much as I complain about it being cold for a while and some snow up here, every time one of these terrible weather related events happens elsewhere that we don't have to worry about, I can appreciate it a bit more.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 255,911
    stickguy said:

    yeah, as much as I complain about it being cold for a while and some snow up here, every time one of these terrible weather related events happens elsewhere that we don't have to worry about, I can appreciate it a bit more.

    Saw some video that was posted from the PCH in Malibu. A lot of the old restaurants are charred rubble.

    The Will Rogers homestead has burned to the ground, as well.

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and let us know! Post a pic of your new purchase or lease!


    MODERATOR

    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,863
    I have a FB friend who grew up in a home in Pacific Palisades where her father (before he passed) and her mom (now 84) lived their entire married life. A nice mostly original house, not a mansion, but with a pool and worth a few mil. It, and everything else there, is gone. The evacuation happened so quickly that none of their papers, records and artifacts were saved. It is just incredible devastation. Remarkable that the loss of life was not huge. Once it started in those tinder-dry hills and combined with incredibly strong winds, there was no hope of stopping it. Things burned all the way down to the PCH.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 257,714
    We were just up that way in May. Very sad.

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 5,073
    My brother, now in Santa Monica and "safe", owned two homes in the Palisades (one a few doors down from Billy Crystal). The entire, lovely, neighborhood is gone. After his divorce, he moved to an apartment complex off Sunset, overlooking the PCH and Pacific. That is now gone too.
    Devastating; hard to imagine losing everything (but hopefully/thankfully keeping your health and of those around you).
    I'm 3000 mile away but of course have offered safe haven to him and his family should it become a possibility.
    Yes, New England/Northeast gets cold and snow. But that's expected and generally not disastrous. I'll take it.

    '21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 52,316

    That is shocking to see an area like that go. A lot of famous people must have lost everything. Including a whole bunch of classic cars

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,990
    Real tragedy there, glad the casualty numbers are not worse. I work adjacent to the industry, and wonder what insurance companies are going to do (or try to get away with) in this. Seeing entire blocks in Pacific Palisades leveled is something when one realizes each lot had a house probably averaging 3-5MM, and the losses in the Altadena area were likely seven figures apiece too, not to mention other places.

    I saw an image somewhere yesterday of someone fleeing in a 1994-95 E320 cabrio, top down, with a large painting in the back.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,863
    I’m not at all a fan of Adam Corolla, but on his podcast today he outlined how the fires affected him. As of the recording time he didn’t know for certain whether his condo had survived or not, after getting conflicting reports. He gave off the cuff estimates of the values of the properties destroyed by area: those on the ocean side of the PCH, 8 figures; Palisades, $6 mil; Altadena (which he described as “working class”, ironically) $1.5 mil. He was currently ensconced in a Burbank hotel to do the pod. Said Jimmy Kimmel offered for him to stay at his place if he wanted. He was wondering if the newly opened Equinox on PCH and Sunset had survived since he just joined. Mentioned that his 80-something father had just moved and had sold his house in Altadena. The deal was scheduled to close today, ugh. Wasn’t sure it was still intact.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • thebeanthebean Member Posts: 1,243
    Very sad. What a helpless feeling that must be to see everything you own destroyed in less than an hour. 😥

    2015 Honda Accord EX, 2019 Honda HR-V EX
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    We have family in San Diego, which is not LA of course, but I'd even be leery about the fires living there I think. My daughter lived from 2019-2021 in San Luis Obispo, which is central coast.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    RE.: Short-deck Cadillacs:

    andre, someone posted in the Comments section of that particular 'Curbside Classics' article, that they should've offered that feature on coupes as well. I agree, that would be more interesting.

    RE.: Catalinas vs. longer-wheelbase Pontiacs--by '65 and later, I didn't mind the looks of the longer wheelbase Pontiacs like I did before that. I actually prefer the shorter-wheelbase ones pre-'65.

    Pontiac was terrific, maybe the best of all the divisions, for giving model choice and option choice, in the full-size cars in the '60's, and in the mid-size cars in the '70's. I'm still surprised--well, not really--that the interior of an Executive and Ventura option on the Catalina are IDENTICAL. Exterior trim is 99% the same too. Same with Catalina Brougham and Bonneville in '71 and '72. The only real difference is the length of wheelbase.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    From the "Low Miles/No Miles" FB page. I always liked these Eighty-Eight and LeSabre coupes that came out for '86. I don't believe anyone else was making a roomy FWD coupe of this type at the time. This car has 26.8K miles.

    A few years later, there was a vivid light turquoise metallic offered on these cars, but sure never saw many. Heck, never saw many of these coupes, period.

    Aluminum wheels, and crank windows. Doesn't bother me a bit.




    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 52,316

    Love the interior. They should bring those back.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,997
    Love the visibility that must have - all those big windows!
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    edited January 10
    I'm surprised to see an FWD 88 that still has a solid bench front seat! I always liked these, too. Back in the early 90's, I worked with a woman who had a Cutlass Supreme coupe. I forget the trim level, but I believe it was one of those quad 4 models that had the "6 headlight" look. Her husband had a black 1986 88 coupe. One day, we went to her house for something-or-other, and I remember seeing it sitting there in the driveway, with a flat tire, and looking a bit worse for wear. There was something wrong with it; forget what now, but I do remember they weren't too pleased with it, and were planning on getting rid of it soon.

    It was a sharp looking car, though. I thought the '86 LeSabre coupe looked especially nice with the regular quad headlights. It had a more raked-back front-end, so the headlights seemed like they were more recessed, giving it a more aggressive look.

    And yeah, as far as I know, nobody else ever offered a large-ish FWD coupe. Chrysler really didn't get into this type of car until the 1993 LH cars, and they were all sedan-only. And as far as Ford goes, I think their only real venture into this type of car was that upright 500/Taurus they offered for a few years, the one that looked a bit like a big VW Passat. Although, I'd imagine the 1995+ Continental sedans were pretty roomy inside as well; might qualify as full-sized. But as far as coupes go, Ford just had the T-bird/Cougar and Mark VIII, which were kind of roomy as I recall, but still RWD.

    I'm surprised they kept those FWD coupes around as long as they did. By 1991, they only sold 234 of the base Royale, and 458 of the Royale Brougham. The Ninety Eight coupe was actually dropped after '87, with only 4207 built. But I guess, since they already had the tooling, maybe it didn't cost that much to keep building them, even with such a small volume?

    One little detail I don't like, about the interior, is how there's no place to grab on the armrest to pull the door closed, so you have to use that strap. I'd just worry about the strap pulling loose...but maybe that's because I'm used to the Mopar R-body! Perhaps GM did them a bit sturdier, although I do remember they pulled loose in my Granddad's old '85 C10 Silverado.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    edited January 11
    I like the four headlights of the '86 better than the later composite headlamps, too (not sure what year those started). I have heard that the four-speed transaxle in those early FWD's was not reliable but improved later. I didn't really like the yellow taillight lense portion of the Olds, although can't remember if they were all like that or not.

    I like the first taillights on the Buick--surrounded with bright trim. The later ones had somewhat goofy taillights I think.

    You'd like to think that by now, early cars with transaxle problems would be sorted out, but who knows.

    Those super-low '91 Eighty-Eight coupe production numbers--my guess is that they were built-out at the front end of the model year and discontinued. I only say that because not long ago, after we discussed here how few '96 Caprice Classic wagons were built, on a FB page I participated in a chat about that and one guy said he went in early calendar '96 to order a Caprice wagon and dealer told him they were done building them already--they were all built at the front end of the model year. Those super-low numbers make me think that sounds plausible.

    Not using door straps to close doors--I avoided that in my '81 and '82 Monte Carlos for the same reason you mention, LOL.

    RE.: Those last T-Birds and Cougars--I remember they were large and had roomy rear seat, but I'm pretty sure no T-Bird built after the '82 model year had anything but bucket seats and a large console, even if they had column shift.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,990
    Those 88s went to composite lights for 1987. It makes determining the date of early ones easy - 85 has no CHMSL, 86 has CHMSL and four lights, then from 87 not as easy.

    Yes, I believe all 83+ Birds had a bucket and console, I think there was a sporty pretense with the aero design even if many or most were pretty run of the mill 3.8 cars.

    I like the four headlights of the '86 better than the later composite headlamps, too (not sure what year those started). I have heard that the four-speed transaxle in those early FWD's was not reliable but improved later. I didn't really like the yellow taillight lense portion of the Olds, although can't remember if they were all like that or not.

    I like the first taillights on the Buick--surrounded with bright trim. The later ones had somewhat goofy taillights I think.

    You'd like to think that by now, early cars with transaxle problems would be sorted out, but who knows.

    Those super-low '91 Eighty-Eight coupe production numbers--my guess is that they were built-out at the front end of the model year and discontinued. I only say that because not long ago, after we discussed here how few '96 Caprice Classic wagons were built, on a FB page I participated in a chat about that and one guy said he went in early calendar '96 to order a Caprice wagon and dealer told him they were done building them already--they were all built at the front end of the model year. Those super-low numbers make me think that sounds plausible.

    Not using door straps to close doors--I avoided that in my '81 and '82 Monte Carlos for the same reason you mention, LOL.

    RE.: Those last T-Birds and Cougars--I remember they were large and had roomy rear seat, but I'm pretty sure no T-Bird built after the '82 model year had anything but bucket seats and a large console, even if they had column shift.

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,920
    I'm wondering if even in '80-82, if the bench seat was becoming pretty rare? Those fox-bodied cars had a pretty big transmission/driveshaft hump, so the center spot wasn't all that useful, anyway. I think a lot of them had a setup that at a quick glance looked like a 50/50 split bench, with each side getting an armrest, but then under the armrest was a small recessed area for coins/storage/etc.

    Even with more mainstream cars, like the '81-82 Granada/Cougar, I think that setup was popular. And IIRC, once the '83-86 LTD/Marquis came out, you couldn't get a full bench up front at all. I think they all had that setup with the little storage area in the middle.

    I do remember my grandparents' '81 Granada 2-door having a full bench up front, because I can remember by that time, us grandkids were getting big enough that if there were too many of us in the car, Grandmom would ride in the middle up front instead one of the grandkids.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,565
    edited January 11
    Thanks for the model-year confirmation on the composite lights.

    Who knows why, but I like the Ninety-Eight sedan better than the Buick and Caddy versions, but in the LeSabre/Eighty-Eight coupes, I like the LeSabre better.

    I detest the Electra coupes of that era, and I think the Ninety-Eight is only marginally better as I'm about certain those came with the vinyl top.

    I knew a guy at work who had a Park Avenue "coupe", '86 I think, and I use the word "coupe" lightly. Probably added to headroom, but most people then were OK I think with giving up some practicality for the styling, and that Park Avenue entirely missed the boat on that IMHO.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Sign In or Register to comment.