Another GM mistake of the 80s (salvage, mileage, engines, Chrysler)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Chevy Citation. I bet there is not one still on the road.
There was actually a thread here where people reminisced about that POS -- some of them fondly A couple folks claimed to still see them somewhat frequently -- mostly in the south, because up here they crumbled into a pile of rust flakes at the first sight of road salt.
My family actually had a Citation back in the 80s or so. It was basic, adequately reliable transportation for the 7 or so years we had it... but holy cow the build quality on that thing was just atrocious.
Before 1971 GM was building really good cars. Too bad the naysayers don't know that.
I would say up to 1976 GM made good cars... the BIG 1971-76 GM cars were good cars... they rusted up north though. I have owned several 71-76 FS GM cars... never any issues. Still own a 72 Caprice and 73 Grand Ville. Most reliable I have ever owned.
Quote:
Originally Posted by yachtcare
The Chevy Spectrum I saw referenced earlier in the thread was a rebadged Isuzu "I-Mark". I had the Isuzu version at one time. Aside from the seals not keeping the oil in the engine, it was a pretty solid, economical little car.
I think the carburators gave some issues on those cars... (I dont think these were fuel-injected).
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Continental
GM made some good cars in the 80s
Definitely... the big GM cars of the 80s were reliable and solid cars (rear wheel drive Caprice, Impala (1977-90), LeSabre (1977-85), Electra (1977-84), Delta 88 (1977-85), 98 (1977-84), Parisienne, Bonneville etc) and even the FWD 1986-89 GM big cars were good... LeSabre, Bonneville, Delta 88, 98, Park Avenue, etc. The 3.8 most of them used were good engines. I listed those 1977-up years because some of those switched to front wheel drives in 1984 and 1985, depending on the model.
I think alot of people think of GM as bad in the 80s because it was the smaller cars that left more to be desired... their bigger cars in the 80s were not bad cars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GOPATTA2D
Chevy Citation. I bet there is not one still on the road.
I still see several... I pass by one daily that an old man drives. He bought it new in 1983. I remember when he bought it. I also see several Skylarks and Omegas of that era... not too many of the Pontiac versions though (Phoenix), as they were pretty rare even when new.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drover
A couple folks claimed to still see them somewhat frequently -- mostly in the south, because up here they crumbled into a pile of rust flakes at the first sight of road salt.
That would be me... I pass one daily... still see others, but oddly, I see more Skylarks and Omegas (x-cars) than I do the Citations. Still see alot of Chevettes as well.
Fairly decent car. It was a 1983, so it was not the worst one. I have heard that the 1980-81 models (first two years were the horrid ones), but not sure how much better you could consider the 82-85 models. I would try to get a Celebrity or something, which was a better car IMO. At least this Citation does have the 2.8 V6 and not the lousy 2.5 iron duke I4.
Our 81 Omega had the 2.8... good engines, but had carburator issues. I think by 1984, some of these were fuel injected. I know the 4-cylinder was... not sure about the V6. I will look into that.
Chevy Citation. I bet there is not one still on the road.
Ah but there is, or are....even here in the salt state of Pennsylvania. You'll see several Citations (and their relations) a month running around these parts. Granted most are covered in every shade of primer and have nary a trim piece or headliner scrap left, but, still moving.
But the one that surprised me the most was on a used car lot a few months back. A bare bones '83 coupe with 43k miles with a tag of $895 as-is. Not a mark, not a touch of rust, looked fine. Without doubt this was some granny's garage kept go to bingo on sunny days car that the estate just couldn't find someone they hated enough to give it to. Was gone in a few days and knowing these parts it's probably filled with McDonald's bags and kid's messes by now, if it even survived a week under regular road use.
Probably suffered the same fate that Omni with 16k miles met a couple months back around here. Showroom clean, priced right at $795 and driven into a telephone pole by it's 300 lb drunken welfare bum of an owner, one week after purchase.
paragraph 1 - LOL! Thats like it would be around here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bazzwell
Was gone in a few days and knowing these parts it's probably filled with McDonald's bags and kid's messes by now, if it even survived a week under regular road use.
------------------------------------------
Probably suffered the same fate that Omni with 16k miles met a couple months back around here. Showroom clean, priced right at $795 and driven into a telephone pole by it's 300 lb drunken welfare bum of an owner, one week after purchase.
Seriously considered the Omni for myself. Not from any real fondness for the things but for the price and miles thought it would be fun. Was about a week short of getting the extra funds for it. Almost shed a tear when I saw the pic in the paper.
Yeah the Omni would have been alright as a beater or work car. You could certainly come out ahead after driving it for awhile and then letting it go even for scrap or derby.
Werent the Horizon/Omni (Horomni) basically a VW Rabbit, licensed to the pentastar folks? I remember talk back then that some of the body panels were even interchangeable.....
I know at the very least it was suppose to compete with the Rabbit
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A couple folks claimed to still see them somewhat frequently -- mostly in the south, because up here they crumbled into a pile of rust flakes at the first sight of road salt.
