I grew up in Oldsmobiles and then all I would ever buy was an Oldsmobile. Now I’m disabled and looking at a Cadillac XT5… and it will share garage space with my parent’s last car, an ‘87 Oldsmobile Touring Sedan… I never cared for imports, they’re just too cheap looking and too damn small…
I'm driving a 85 Toranado. Fun car, except for all the maintenance it needs from sitting 10 years outside. Like a new gas tank, break lines, and all the rubber hoses. Basically all the stuff any old car would need to stay on the road.
My first car when I turned 16 in 1995 was a 1987 Cutlass Supreme. One day I want to pick one up to restore. It's hard to find the rally wheels though. Most of the examples of this car I still see out there have been turned into wannabe donks.
My aunt had an '85, and I can remember taking it up to 80-85mph one night on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. It felt like the front end was floating - no feedback from the steering at all. On the plus side, it was a fantastic highway cruiser, smooth and quiet.
@Scot Prendergest I don't live up that way anymore, so it's been a while since I was on the BQE. I always seemed to be on it last at night, so it was fine. The Van Wyck to JFK was a nightmare, though...my car (1977 Mustang II at the time) used to overheat like crazy when stuck on that highway :)
My dad had one of these with the v6 0 to 60 time was about a week . The way it rode though , there are no words for how superior the ride in that car really was . It was like driving a couch on a cloud . It didn't have zero gravity seats , it had a zero gravity suspension .
This is sincerely one of my all-time favorite cars for a very special reason. The Cutlass is one of those very special cars, like the Ford Mustang & Volkswagen Golf, that is truly all things to all people. Want a basic run-around-town car that still has some luxury with good gas mileage? Can do. Want a luxury car that doesn't make people think you are about to take them to the cleaners? Sure thing. Want a fire-breathing muscle car that still has room for the family? You bet!!!!!
I have an '85 Cutlass Supreme Brougham I bought in 2008. It was the perfect commuter for many years. Comfortable and reliable while consistently returning 22 mpg all around no matter how I drive it's 231 cubic inch V6. Now I am modifying it into a mild pro touring car with an Oldsmobile 350 V8. So by the time I am done, this one little car would have been all things from one vehicle. Although I am modifying the suspension and brakes I have to admit these cars have surprisingly balanced handling when driven with in their respected limitations. As well as being very capable in the snow, which we've had a lot of this year.
I am an original owner of a 1985 Olds Cutlass Supreme, it has apx 350,000 miles on it. Yes, a couple different motors and transmissions. I'm just looking for help in finding good replacement parts for it, mostly body & interior. I'm running a SBC 350, aluminum heads, Q-jet, 212 degree cam, headers with duals and balance pipe, 4 speed auto, and 3:42 gears. Any suggestions will be very appreciated. Thanks, Billy
It's nice to see these WITHOUT 30" wheels and neon paint. It does remind us as to why American cars get a bad reputation, but I would love to see more examples of clean 80s American RWD goodness driving around without 18" speakers rattling the trunk loose.
There was one that looked mint in the same color as the one on the video that showed up around my house a few months ago. Now it has those stupid little gold wheels and holes cut in the panels for huge subwoofers.
kirbyswarp lol. The "card". It's cool though, lowriding is in our culture. I am not the biggest fan of seeing G-bodies at these meets but to each his/her own.
I grew up in this era. I always thought they were sharp. Comfy as hell the 307 was never a powerhouse. Remember the annual road trip to the beach. Get on I-95 south at Fredericksburg rolling gently 85 mph at idle. ICE cold air and total silence. Damn things were quiet and couch like. why in my mid 30s I bought myself another 86 lol..
+Jason Lesnock Dude, stop. You're making me homesick. I remember rolling up 95 to DC back in the day in my Cutlass. They don't make 'em like they used to.
One of GM's worst mistakes ever was shifting the G bodies over to a front drive platform in '88. In this video Al seems to be looking forward to that eventual shift, but those '88 and later cars were just awful.
Umm... I don't think so. With as much as I loved this body style (and I owned a '84 Monte Carlo SS convertible), by '88 they were starting to look pretty common, as you saw them everywhere. When the new Cutlass and in particular Gran Prix was introduced they looked pretty futurist and awesome at the time - and got rave reviews as well. One of the reasons I think these cars look so awesome is that they really weren't made for very long - so they went out before people got bored of them. But for those '88 and new models the design hasn't aged as well - plus those cars were made for a very long time and thus people got sick of them.
The W body Cutlass Supreme actually sold pretty well and was better built than a G body by far. With the 3.4L DOHC and 5 speed manual they weren't too slow either.
I live in Los Angeles and I had one in 1987 I bought used, I loved the car but I would get HARD LOOKS from the police and gang bangers so I had to sell it 3 months after I bought it because I didn't want to get shot by a gangster by mistake to bad because I loved the car very comfortable almost like a caddy
I had this car new in 1983. I loved the car. Kept till 1988 and traded. It was a V8 will full power. Just a sharp looking car. Miss to this day. (Cutlass Supreme Limited) * mine was a Blue over Blue with Velour pillow seating with a full vinyl roof. 👍
I knew a guy who had two of these Oldsmobiles. One had a perfect body, but the engine was blown and the other had a terrible body and the engine was still running great. So in one weekend he went all out and yanked the engines out of both of them and put the good engine in the car with the good body. The car ran perfectly during the shake down run until he lost control and smashed the car up, bending the frame. So he had to get it towed back to his house where he put the good engine back in the ugly car again. Except now the ugly car was even uglier because he wasn't very careful when he pulled the engine out. Oldsmobile Cutlasses always gave him nightmares after that.
I had an 84 coupe, silver, loved that car but had to sell her. The only few I see now in my area have chrome wagon wheels on them and you need an extension ladder to get in ‘em. What a shame.
Almost got a 12,000 mile dinged, rust spots, '86 Cutlass 'demonstrator', but then discovered I could get a brand new, perfect, loaded, better looking, Monte Carlo LS with a bit more HP for less money !!!
Had a 79 put a 350 in it ! Loads of fun also had a stock 84 they were the best cars I ever owned ! The 84 almost had a million kms on it when I sold it
I had an 81 with a 307 and a 4 barrel. Had nice power. I sold it with well over 200,000 miles on it. Bought it with 100.000. Had to rebuild the transmission and a new exhaust. A good deal as far as I am concerned. I sold it to a friend (cheap) who drove it for a couple years. He had to rebuild the distributor. That was it. Later the motor was taken out and used in another project because the motor was still in great shape. A lot of these cars would last a very long time if given proper maintenance.
I had one with a 307 I bought back in 2000 for $400. It ran great for the year I drove it until I could afford something nicer. Gave it to a friend in need and he drove it for a couple years relatively trouble free. Sure the gas mileage wasn’t the best but they were solid cars.
These were VERY cool back in the day!!! P.S. Can you guys imagine if cars were STYLED like this today, with all the tech enhancements we enjoy now like 4-wheel ABS, direct injection, NAV screen, etc???
Actually, these were the height of uncool back then. When new, these were old people cars. During the 90's, a young guy stuck driving a "gutless Cutlass" was subjected to plenty of teasing by the other dudes. With the 3.8 v6, these cars were slow, old people cars. With the 305, though, the Cutlass was a sleeper. The MotorWeek crew didn't know how to drive if they were getting 0-60 times of 13 seconds. They could run about 9 seconds 0-60, and went over 100 with ease.
Of all the cars I ever owned my 1981 Cutlass Supreme was my favorite. Shure wish they would make these again. It was so smooth, quiet, reliable and a great looking car.
I noticed that lower trim piece immediately. The nameplate falling off is like a corny 80s tv show when the "kid" does something silly and "mom" puts her hands on her hips and says "ooohhh GM"😂😱😳
The 84 Cutlass Supreme was my second car. Mine was white with dark blue top and interior. It was sophisticated and elegant with a youthful sporty edge. The only issue was it would overheat on the highways. Because of this, I had borrowed my mom’s car to make a long drive out of town, and my mom was driving mine, and had a wreck and totaled it. She was fine but distraught over it.
Some things never change, just like GM's 'fit and finish'...still an awesome vehicle. My father still has his from new...1984 model and still running and looking like new.
The Cutlass Supreme/Grand Prix/Monte Carlo/Regal. GM G bodies. Basically the same car but there was one that stood out above all the others in the G family, the Grand National. That was the one to have.
Excellent body style, one of my favorites 1981-1988 with the euro headlamps, Calais, two tone, bucket seats and T-Tops, V-8 power, what a sexy Oldsmobile.
I bought a new one , Salon Coupe, when I was 23. The car was very sharp and sporty for a bigger car. Mine was two tone, buckets and rally package. It was wasn't fast but I remembered it was fast enough for me, and so smooth.
@@ElectoneGuy my diesel van engine makes the same power but what you have to factor in is that V8 is in a very low state of tune & runs very low RPMs, meaning it'll outlast most engines.
I had an 86 and loved it! But what they showed with the brakes was no joke! If you had to jump on them it would lock up the rear and start coming around. Happened to me a couple times. Still, would love to have it back.
I miss the "personal luxury coupe" cars of the late 70s/early 80s like the Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Regal, Magnum, Cordoba. Classic good looks, reasonable back seat good for short-term use, not too big, quiet, and comfortable. The acceleration was pitiful, but then so were all other cars.
Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Regal, they are all gong to be classics very soon..... as some already are. I owned a few of these years ago and they are just flat out cool cars.
I just watched Motor Trend's '83 Toyota Celica Supra Mk2 review. That car did everything better than this despite having an inline 6 with almost half the cubic capacity. It's a shame though. I quite like the 80s American sedans. My father had an 81 Buick Electra Park Avenue when I was little. Best car he ever owned in my opinion.
Oldsmobile cutlass supreme, was a great little car, after 1988 the first front wheel drive cutlass supreme didn't even come close, the front wheel drive was a glorified Chevy lumina and nothing more.
Once in a while I still see this car around and when I do see them some are still original and of course some have been turned into lowriders which still looks cool 😎
5:38 - loved this car! Had an ‘82 in college - everyone I knew had one - Just bought an ‘86 for 16K with 30K miles - owned by an oil guy who bought new and collected - Love it all over again and young fathers with little kids go bonkers over it!
supreme2005 that was with the 4 speed too. most of them only came with the 3 speed auto, which didn't have the overdrive resulting in bad mileage. we used to have one (3 speed V8) and it never got better than low 20s on the highway.
+supreme2005 My '79 Cutlass Supreme did a real-world 26 MPG on the highway. Mine had the Buick 3.8 V6 vs. the little Olds 260 / 4.3l - which was less horsepower but more torque. That engine combination in the video came with a 2:24 axle ratio(!!!!!) for better economy - which explains the 13 second 0-60 time. The V6 had a 0-60 time of 12 seconds. Power option was a Chevy 5 liter.. just something wrong with a Chevy engine in an Olds.
My first car was a used 85 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. Bought it in 1988 when I was 16. It was beautiful with the black paint and red pin stripe, with the factory mags. The interior was plush. However the 5.0 307 4bbl V8 was so slow! I traded it in in 1992 for a 1988 Beretta GT with 16,000 miles. The Beretta with the 2.8 V6 and much less weight felt like a rocket compared to the Cutlass. I wish I still had both of those cars!
Just imagine if GM could have done something with their quality control issues of the 70s & 80s and their badge engineering problem, do you think maybe Oldsmobile and Pontiac may still be being made, sometimes I wonder
Elizabeth Cherry Im a huge fan of Oldsmobile and Pontiac and even I wish GM put a little bit of effort into these divisions as well. When they became too value oriented in the 90s along with other GM divisions consequently quality with their Halo cars like the aurora did take a bit of dip. Still wont stop me from getting a Aurora though :)
True, GM's quality control in the 70's and 80's was a little hit and miss, it went into a tailspin in the 90's when Oldsmobile's reputation for quality was destroyed, leading to declining sales and ultimately the closure of the division as it was left to wither on the vine.
I love catching up on these. I was a kid then (well teenager), and Mom had an '85 with the 5.0L (307), she didn't have the Brougham package, but had the bucket seats with floor console and regular gauges, err speedometer and I remember the landau top. Now that I think about it, our steering wheel didn't have the faux wood trim with horn buttons on it, rather a full rubber cover. Watching this, the funny thing was, ours had that same trim piece on the passenger side bumper cover surrounding the parking light. 😂 It's like the trim piece was a smidge too long and they forced the end in to the bumper cover, causing the trim piece to buckle some. The drivers side was fine IIRC and ours didn't have that issue with the lower trim piece or the "Oldsmobile" falling off the deck lid.
As a kid, our family car was a 1987 (last of them) Cutlass Supreme Coupe, exact same colour and rims (light blue) as the car featured. 307vi v8. I remember as a child it was an upgrade from our old Dodge Diplomat, but was similar as it had a lazy v8, rear wheel drive, and was quiet and isolating. We took it across Canada and back, and it was our family car for years. It was reliable but started burning oil around 220,000 kilometers. It was retired at 250,000 kilometers. The guy who bought it had plans to restore. My dad took great care of that car, the body was still in very good shape and was all original. These were handsome cars, I loved the light blue/dark blue roof/light blue rims.
YellowBeanieBoy I hate 30 inch rims, but I love the 13 inch 100 spoke Dayton's with white wall tires lowered with hydraulics 😍 Yes I too hate when they hop them, lowriders were meant to go low and slow not up and down smh 😒
I loved my 1988 supreme classic. Black with burgundy interior and the factory chrome 442 wheels... I could park next to a Porsche and have a crowd standing around my car with the Porsche getting little more than a glance.
Omaha419 Tyres are a big part of that, along with suspension. Anything can be made to lock up, the development of ABS is the rest. The brakes themselves aren't much different to todays runabouts.
I took driver education in 1981 and the car we used was a new Cutlass like this one. What a 🍋. in the 2 weeks we used the car the drivers mirror fell off, passenger assist strap came off in my hand, the passenger seatback release just quit working, and at just under 3000 miles registered the transmission failed. I am so glad we have improved in quality and engineering in our cars.
Lots of arguments over quality in the comments here... the reality is that the build quality was not great. Those big, heavy doors sagged early on and would make horrible noises when slammed shut. Large panel gaps were typical. Headliners fell down, interior plastics cracked or fell off. The feedback carbs were totally half-assed and difficult to keep running properly. Performance-wise they were soft and lazy compared to European and Japanese cars. On the bright side, they were simple cars that even the shittiest mechanic could work on (aside from the CCC system) and the basic mechanical elements were sturdy. If you wanted to buy a "new" car from the 1970s in the mid-80s, this was the car to have... and plenty of people still wanted that at the time. I love them despite the flaws, although I wish GM had gone down the same path Ford did with the Fox Thunderbird - taking the same basic concept and updating it with modern construction, drivetrain and suspension. Ultimately, both of them were a dead end... people stopped buying "personal luxury coupes" in the '90s.
doctor zaius In the 80's and early 90's several people I knew had cars like this. And yes, lifting the door to close it was considered "normal". Signs that the roof liner was doomed started with a little bubble. Then spread like cancer. Also the plastic gap fillers between the body and bumper had a definite sell by date. After a certain point, they'd (and all of them did) begin rotting faster than old fruit. Either brittle and pieces would chip off, or they'd sag in odd places.
My very first car was the Cutlass 5.0 with a T top that I couldn't use back in 2004. The exterior was a little ratty, but all the electric stuff worked (power mirrors & seats etc) Still the most comfortable car I've ever owned. My stepfather and I are currently working on an 85 Monte Carlo L, and we are swapping out the factory 305 for a 454 with a nice cam and couple of Edelbrock performance RPM heads.
Brandon B It was pretty bad. I remember my dad buying a new 1983 Pontiac 6000 LE and we had the drivers power window motor fail as we left the dealer lot. The paint had totally faded by 1986.
I remember the one my folks had when we were living in Indiana, was gray. They also bought an '85 S-10 Blazer after I was born. When we moved to North Carolina they sold the Cutlass and bought an '87 Plymouth Reliant K for my Mom to use for running errands, but we most of the time took the Blazer.
This car all stock with white walls is so clean. I remember feeling like I was on a smooth boat ride in them. Oh, and if you find one with the ttop, grab it right away!
I had a '84 Monte Carlo SS convertible - yes, you could order it that way as a special order option. Anyways that thing got looks no matter where you went. I mean you had the awesomeness that was a Monte Carlo SS, which always drew eyes on it, then you had it as a convertible, something likely would never see again. Anywho some illegal alien hit me and it must have broke a fuel line because in minutes the car was up in flames.
I had a 5 year old used 2000 Olds Alero GLS and it was one of the most capable cars I've ever owned. It felt more like a sporty import than a typical (at that time) American automobile.
My first car was a 1969 Olds Cutlass Supreme convertible with a Rocket 350, 2 speed Powerglide, Cherry red exterior, black top/interior. What a bomb. Also drove an ‘81 Gutless Supreme Brougham with a useless 4 litre/ 267 ci SB, but what a cruiser.
I had a 84 Cutlass Supreme with the brougham trim. In fact expect for my car being blue, everything in that car shown in the clip, looks the same as mine did. Best car I have ever had. I loved it. I would still have it today if it wasn't stolen, stripped and left on the side of the highway back in 95
These things sold like hotcakes. The olds dealer my dad worked at in the 80's couldn't keep a car more than a day before it was sold. Have no idea why. I really like the 5th gen cutlass supreme tho, especially in convertible form. With the top down the rollbar gave it a sweet look. Within 20 years Olds went from U.S. sales leader to dead. Smh.
Hahaha, I never get tired of watching the MotorWeek guys thrash these '80s land yachts around on the track. Hillarious!!! Yeah, I always liked the G-body cars. A friend of mine had a Cutlass Supreme just like this one, minus the T-tops. Beautiful car!
Those tall axle gears and the good torque gave it 30mph on the highway, despite it being shaped like a brick. Most modern V6 family cars now still get the same, give or take.
Tommy TwoGun My 2011 Honda Accord V6 gets 34 highway per the EPA. It makes 271 hp, a mighty 45 hp per cylinder. It will run 0-60 in 6 seconds. Times have changed. April 20, 2015 10:36 pm
My first car was an 84 Olds CS with a 3.8 and then I bought an 85 with a SB 350, I absolutely regret getting rid of them. I loved everything about them.
I LOVE my Cutty! Mine's an '87 Brougham Canadian coupe with a Chevy 305 (that's what the Canadian edition had that year). Just got the engine rebuilt, and driving this car only gets more and more enjoyable over time!
These cars are still popular today. The Olds 307 was a nightmare to get through emissions, but these older cars aren't even tested now days. The Hurst editions were fun to drive, and had more power. The thing that got me was the brakes.. The best thing 1 can do is upgrade those things 1st!
Most sold GM car line in 1985
Today they don't even exist anymore
We miss you Olds...
I got one in my backyard. It’s my parents. I plan to rebuild it
Yes we do. Amazing what happened in only 10 years
I grew up in Oldsmobiles and then all I would ever buy was an Oldsmobile. Now I’m disabled and looking at a Cadillac XT5… and it will share garage space with my parent’s last car, an ‘87 Oldsmobile Touring Sedan… I never cared for imports, they’re just too cheap looking and too damn small…
I'm driving a 85 Toranado. Fun car, except for all the maintenance it needs from sitting 10 years outside. Like a new gas tank, break lines, and all the rubber hoses. Basically all the stuff any old car would need to stay on the road.
My first car when I turned 16 in 1995 was a 1987 Cutlass Supreme. One day I want to pick one up to restore. It's hard to find the rally wheels though. Most of the examples of this car I still see out there have been turned into wannabe donks.
In 80's GM had excellent quality control. It was bound, gagged, and blindfolded in the basement. Under absolute control and not allowed near any car.
The Japanese ate GM lunch in the 1980’s. Now the Chinese are getting ready to enter the market.
There solid they made them longer there's still a lot
Well said,and damn accurate.
My aunt had an '85, and I can remember taking it up to 80-85mph one night on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. It felt like the front end was floating - no feedback from the steering at all. On the plus side, it was a fantastic highway cruiser, smooth and quiet.
that was every car of that era just about.
@Scot Prendergest I don't live up that way anymore, so it's been a while since I was on the BQE. I always seemed to be on it last at night, so it was fine. The Van Wyck to JFK was a nightmare, though...my car (1977 Mustang II at the time) used to overheat like crazy when stuck on that highway :)
Bought mine new in 1984...still have it. Medium royal metallic blue.
chuckwalla Love that car. I want another one!
Congrats, the prices on these have almost gone full circle at this point - so it's probably worth what you paid for it now!
Dude Congrats and take really good care of it.
how much was it ?
Nick Greek You asking me?
'The Olds Chrome logo on the trunk lid simply got tired of hanging on.'
LOLOLOL
Seemed like almost everyone drove a Cutlass at one time. It was a nice car at the time.
I'd drive one today.
True story. A story of how good the Cutlass was, and how badly GM dropped the ball to lose all these loyal customers they once had.
Sure was. Conformable, fun- my friend from high school got one for graduation In 1985.
Yep. My grandma had one back in the early 90s and my buddy in high school had one.
It was a heavily purchased car by rental fleets.
My dad had one of these with the v6 0 to 60 time was about a week . The way it rode though , there are no words for how superior the ride in that car really was . It was like driving a couch on a cloud . It didn't have zero gravity seats , it had a zero gravity suspension .
This is sincerely one of my all-time favorite cars for a very special reason. The Cutlass is one of those very special cars, like the Ford Mustang & Volkswagen Golf, that is truly all things to all people. Want a basic run-around-town car that still has some luxury with good gas mileage? Can do. Want a luxury car that doesn't make people think you are about to take them to the cleaners? Sure thing. Want a fire-breathing muscle car that still has room for the family? You bet!!!!!
***** Thats what made Oldsmobiles somewhat of a hit in the 80s with their cutlass ciera line
I have an '85 Cutlass Supreme Brougham I bought in 2008. It was the perfect commuter for many years. Comfortable and reliable while consistently returning 22 mpg all around no matter how I drive it's 231 cubic inch V6.
Now I am modifying it into a mild pro touring car with an Oldsmobile 350 V8. So by the time I am done, this one little car would have been all things from one vehicle.
Although I am modifying the suspension and brakes I have to admit these cars have surprisingly balanced handling when driven with in their respected limitations. As well as being very capable in the snow, which we've had a lot of this year.
I am an original owner of a 1985 Olds Cutlass Supreme, it has apx 350,000 miles on it. Yes, a couple different motors and transmissions. I'm just looking for help in finding good replacement parts for it, mostly body & interior.
I'm running a SBC 350, aluminum heads, Q-jet, 212 degree cam, headers with duals and balance pipe, 4 speed auto, and 3:42 gears. Any suggestions will be very appreciated. Thanks, Billy
ACEcolorado1, the Ciera is a FWD shit car...unworthy of the Cutlass nameplate.
@@ryoamora8655 that’s how I felt In 1988 you had 2 be there to experience it kid
I grew up with an ‘82 in the family. We loved that car: comfy, powerful for its day and so stylish!
Powerful lol. Weak
3:02 GM quality at it's finest...
And the people in Detroit wondering why the hell do people buy japanese and germans
Trash. Should cost away less than chinese econoboxes.
I bet you drive a Honda
@@luismanuelvrf Yeah, so they thought it is the design.... from the late 90s they have same quality with KIA design. "Fixed"the wrong thing
It's a tradition at Gee! Emmmmm
I really miss the couches in some 80s cars
It's nice to see these WITHOUT 30" wheels and neon paint. It does remind us as to why American cars get a bad reputation, but I would love to see more examples of clean 80s American RWD goodness driving around without 18" speakers rattling the trunk loose.
man i agree with you all the way.
+David “Derpy Drift” Adams well you didn't buy the car so i'd shut the fuck up
billy heaton I'm guessing you have one of the aforementioned vehicles?
David Adams Nah i don't dumb fuck you're trying to stearotype people like a typical youtube fuck up
billy heaton Careful, Billy. You're gonna send yourself into a panic attack.
When cars were designed to float over bumps not jar the living sh*t out of you!
Love Motorweek! And these retro tests are so cool to watch!
I love these but its a damn shame its getting harder to find a stock one that hasnt been bagged or donked out.
True
There was one that looked mint in the same color as the one on the video that showed up around my house a few months ago.
Now it has those stupid little gold wheels and holes cut in the panels for huge subwoofers.
kirbyswarp I usually see those in lowrider meets.
Suplex Repeat Well the guy is a Mexican. I didn't mention it becasue I know people would be like "RACIST"
kirbyswarp lol. The "card". It's cool though, lowriding is in our culture. I am not the biggest fan of seeing G-bodies at these meets but to each his/her own.
I grew up in this era. I always thought they were sharp. Comfy as hell the 307 was never a powerhouse. Remember the annual road trip to the beach. Get on I-95 south at Fredericksburg rolling gently 85 mph at idle. ICE cold air and total silence. Damn things were quiet and couch like. why in my mid 30s I bought myself another 86 lol..
+Jason Lesnock Dude, stop. You're making me homesick. I remember rolling up 95 to DC back in the day in my Cutlass. They don't make 'em like they used to.
Push Back They make them better now
I'm gettin into my mid 30's now and this is my dream car. hands down..One day i'll have one..It'll be my summer car
Me to lol. I bought an 87 cutlass salon euro . Couldn't stay away from the gbodys could we.
@@krowman8458 I got an 84 hard top all OG not cut shoot an offer 😂
One of GM's worst mistakes ever was shifting the G bodies over to a front drive platform in '88. In this video Al seems to be looking forward to that eventual shift, but those '88 and later cars were just awful.
And even those digital dashboards they had going on didn't help.
Umm... I don't think so. With as much as I loved this body style (and I owned a '84 Monte Carlo SS convertible), by '88 they were starting to look pretty common, as you saw them everywhere. When the new Cutlass and in particular Gran Prix was introduced they looked pretty futurist and awesome at the time - and got rave reviews as well. One of the reasons I think these cars look so awesome is that they really weren't made for very long - so they went out before people got bored of them. But for those '88 and new models the design hasn't aged as well - plus those cars were made for a very long time and thus people got sick of them.
@Jessie Harbin I could have written every single word of this myself.
The W body Cutlass Supreme actually sold pretty well and was better built than a G body by far. With the 3.4L DOHC and 5 speed manual they weren't too slow either.
Rod Munch they made a 84 Monti Carlo SS convertible? Or was it a kit?
That was hilarious when the nameplate fell off.
What a huge pile of shit!
The Cutlass was a great car up until 1972.
Are you kidding me with that fit and finish?!?!?
U A W quality lol , must have been made on a Friday.
@@djkneekap I have a '79 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. Bought it brand new and it's still going great! Nothing has ever fallen off it, btw.
My grandma had one of these in the early 80s to the mid 90s. Very nice car!
I've been watching MotorWeek since the 90s, that was my first time seeing a piece of the car fall off, that was hilariously sad. Ah, GM
I live in Los Angeles and I had one in 1987 I bought used, I loved the car but I would get HARD LOOKS from the police and gang bangers so I had to sell it 3 months after I bought it because I didn't want to get shot by a gangster by mistake to bad because I loved the car very comfortable almost like a caddy
Just purchased a 84 cutlass supreme … love at first sight
I had this car new in 1983. I loved the car. Kept till 1988 and traded. It was a V8 will full power. Just a sharp looking car. Miss to this day. (Cutlass Supreme Limited) * mine was a Blue over Blue with Velour pillow seating with a full vinyl roof. 👍
Hello, I'm E L M E R is the cutlass supreme good on gas?
Jacob McMillan Are you being serious?
I had one too.
Great car.
Would Love to find another one.
Low point of performance!! Not a car I'd. Go to a car show with unless it had a L.S or L.T. lol!!!
A full 140 HP
back when Oldsmobile ran the show!
I knew a guy who had two of these Oldsmobiles. One had a perfect body, but the engine was blown and the other had a terrible body and the engine was still running great. So in one weekend he went all out and yanked the engines out of both of them and put the good engine in the car with the good body. The car ran perfectly during the shake down run until he lost control and smashed the car up, bending the frame. So he had to get it towed back to his house where he put the good engine back in the ugly car again. Except now the ugly car was even uglier because he wasn't very careful when he pulled the engine out. Oldsmobile Cutlasses always gave him nightmares after that.
yea let me act stupied and drive like im crazzy then have nightmares about the car maybe learn to drive like a human lol
It would have been hilarious had during the slalom test the trim pieces and logos went flying every direction since they were barely glued on
U A W quality lol, never buy a car made on a Monday or Friday.
That was talked about in a book called "Wheels".
Well if you want your workers treated like crap GM Ford and Chrysler will be happy to do so and still make crap.
I had an 84 coupe, silver, loved that car but had to sell her. The only few I see now in my area have chrome wagon wheels on them and you need an extension ladder to get in ‘em. What a shame.
The Monte Carlo's "educated" cousin!
Almost got a 12,000 mile dinged, rust spots, '86 Cutlass 'demonstrator', but then discovered I could get a brand new, perfect, loaded, better looking, Monte Carlo LS with a bit more HP for less money !!!
The cutlass was out way before the monte carlo
Proud owner of a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham
Had a 79 put a 350 in it ! Loads of fun also had a stock 84 they were the best cars I ever owned ! The 84 almost had a million kms on it when I sold it
I had an 81 with a 307 and a 4 barrel. Had nice power. I sold it with well over 200,000 miles on it. Bought it with 100.000. Had to rebuild the transmission and a new exhaust. A good deal as far as I am concerned. I sold it to a friend (cheap) who drove it for a couple years. He had to rebuild the distributor. That was it. Later the motor was taken out and used in another project because the motor was still in great shape. A lot of these cars would last a very long time if given proper maintenance.
I had one with a 307 I bought back in 2000 for $400. It ran great for the year I drove it until I could afford something nicer. Gave it to a friend in need and he drove it for a couple years relatively trouble free. Sure the gas mileage wasn’t the best but they were solid cars.
My Great Aunt had a dark navy blue 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass. I used to love riding in that car. Was 5 at the time
These were VERY cool back in the day!!!
P.S. Can you guys imagine if cars were STYLED like this today, with all the tech enhancements we enjoy now like 4-wheel ABS, direct injection, NAV screen, etc???
Actually, these were the height of uncool back then. When new, these were old people cars. During the 90's, a young guy stuck driving a "gutless Cutlass" was subjected to plenty of teasing by the other dudes. With the 3.8 v6, these cars were slow, old people cars. With the 305, though, the Cutlass was a sleeper. The MotorWeek crew didn't know how to drive if they were getting 0-60 times of 13 seconds. They could run about 9 seconds 0-60, and went over 100 with ease.
+Ohiomusical Sawman Again Dude. The U.S. Models got the Olds 307. 0-60 in 13 seconds is dead on for this chic/old lady car.
+dstarks80 Forgot about the 307. Never drove anything with that motor, but always heard it was a dog.
+Ohiomusical Sawman Very much so in the large B body wagons!
+Jason Voorhees pretty fast? ha.. there is a reason why it was nicknamed GUTLESS
Of all the cars I ever owned my 1981 Cutlass Supreme was my favorite. Shure wish they would make these again. It was so smooth, quiet, reliable and a great looking car.
I noticed that lower trim piece immediately. The nameplate falling off is like a corny 80s tv show when the "kid" does something silly and "mom" puts her hands on her hips and says "ooohhh GM"😂😱😳
The 84 Cutlass Supreme was my second car. Mine was white with dark blue top and interior. It was sophisticated and elegant with a youthful sporty edge. The only issue was it would overheat on the highways. Because of this, I had borrowed my mom’s car to make a long drive out of town, and my mom was driving mine, and had a wreck and totaled it. She was fine but distraught over it.
At 3:37 cue the Benny Hill music!
The last beautiful Oldsmobiles. It was disastrous from after that.
Some things never change, just like GM's 'fit and finish'...still an awesome vehicle.
My father still has his from new...1984 model and still running and looking like new.
The Cutlass Supreme/Grand Prix/Monte Carlo/Regal. GM G bodies. Basically the same car but there was one that stood out above all the others in the G family, the Grand National. That was the one to have.
Excellent body style, one of my favorites 1981-1988 with the euro headlamps, Calais, two tone, bucket seats and T-Tops, V-8 power, what a sexy Oldsmobile.
I bought a new one , Salon Coupe, when I was 23. The car was very sharp and sporty for a bigger car. Mine was two tone, buckets and rally package. It was wasn't fast but I remembered it was fast enough for me, and so smooth.
140 horses from a 5 litre V8. LMAO. Still love it though...
3.8l v6
Olds are more torque oriented engines.
My 1.6 litre Hyundai 4-banger almost makes as much...
@@ElectoneGuy my diesel van engine makes the same power but what you have to factor in is that V8 is in a very low state of tune & runs very low RPMs, meaning it'll outlast most engines.
Same power as a Ford Taurus 1986. But the Taurus was 3Liters V6 engine.
I love this Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
I had an 86 and loved it! But what they showed with the brakes was no joke! If you had to jump on them it would lock up the rear and start coming around. Happened to me a couple times. Still, would love to have it back.
I miss the "personal luxury coupe" cars of the late 70s/early 80s like the Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Regal, Magnum, Cordoba. Classic good looks, reasonable back seat good for short-term use, not too big, quiet, and comfortable. The acceleration was pitiful, but then so were all other cars.
Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Regal, they are all gong to be classics very soon..... as some already are. I owned a few of these years ago and they are just flat out cool cars.
I just watched Motor Trend's '83 Toyota Celica Supra Mk2 review. That car did everything better than this despite having an inline 6 with almost half the cubic capacity. It's a shame though. I quite like the 80s American sedans. My father had an 81 Buick Electra Park Avenue when I was little. Best car he ever owned in my opinion.
We were Olds family growing up. I had three Cutlass. All great. Trade in every year.Thanks for sharing.
Ahhh... the cutlass supreme. Makes me think of loud rap music, drug deals and drive-by shootings. Truly an American icon.
YoU must've heard loud rap music coming from a cutlass that shot at u during a drive by while you were making a drug deal.
Ryo Amora it's what social media is doing for society. Gotta love it.
Mighty racist of you. I bet you have a old F-150 with a Confederate flag flying.
Paul Cyr are you talking about the 30 inch rims and neon lights?
How did you know thats why I bought it in GTA 5 Online?
Oldsmobile cutlass supreme, was a great little car, after 1988 the first front wheel drive cutlass supreme didn't even come close, the front wheel drive was a glorified Chevy lumina and nothing more.
Loved my '84 & '86 Cutlass Supremes, but I had the trim problems mentioned here...they looked great, but were not well built!
Don't need speed. Always watching the speed demons racing to a red light. I'll take comfort and style and Made in USA!
A lazy boy on wheels! I love these cars!
Charles Wildman mee too
140 horses from a 5.0 v8. GOD I MISS the 80's!!!😎🤓
Once in a while I still see this car around and when I do see them some are still original and of course some have been turned into lowriders which still looks cool 😎
I worked for Odsmobile 77 to 90 and can say they were JUNK!
Wish they still made them!
5:38 - loved this car! Had an ‘82 in college - everyone I knew had one - Just bought an ‘86 for 16K with 30K miles - owned by an oil guy who bought new and collected - Love it all over again and young fathers with little kids go bonkers over it!
What a great car. T-tops too! 1984 was Olds' best year. They sold over 1 million cars.
30 mpg though? Impossible.
supreme2005 haha good point
supreme2005 30 mpg??? Laugh, nope didn't happen.
supreme2005 that was with the 4 speed too. most of them only came with the 3 speed auto, which didn't have the overdrive resulting in bad mileage. we used to have one (3 speed V8) and it never got better than low 20s on the highway.
+supreme2005 My '79 Cutlass Supreme did a real-world 26 MPG on the highway. Mine had the Buick 3.8 V6 vs. the little Olds 260 / 4.3l - which was less horsepower but more torque. That engine combination in the video came with a 2:24 axle ratio(!!!!!) for better economy - which explains the 13 second 0-60 time. The V6 had a 0-60 time of 12 seconds. Power option was a Chevy 5 liter.. just something wrong with a Chevy engine in an Olds.
Thirty mpg's can easily be accomplished in an '84 Cutlass. Just slide a 2-by-4 under the gas pedal.
My first car was a used 85 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. Bought it in 1988 when I was 16. It was beautiful with the black paint and red pin stripe, with the factory mags. The interior was plush. However the 5.0 307 4bbl V8 was so slow! I traded it in in 1992 for a 1988 Beretta GT with 16,000 miles. The Beretta with the 2.8 V6 and much less weight felt like a rocket compared to the Cutlass. I wish I still had both of those cars!
Always like the body style and they had a smooth ride
The Cutlass supreme died after 1988 , because the W body cars were just more expensive versions of the A body cars.
Just imagine if GM could have done something with their quality control issues of the 70s & 80s and their badge engineering problem, do you think maybe Oldsmobile and Pontiac may still be being made, sometimes I wonder
Elizabeth Cherry Im a huge fan of Oldsmobile and Pontiac and even I wish GM put a little bit of effort into these divisions as well. When they became too value oriented in the 90s along with other GM divisions consequently quality with their Halo cars like the aurora did take a bit of dip. Still wont stop me from getting a Aurora though :)
I have owned 2 Oldsmobiles a 69 & an 80 Delta 88 and I miss them, Oldsmobile is my favorite division
"Badge engineering problem" 3:01 LOL!
True, GM's quality control in the 70's and 80's was a little hit and miss, it went into a tailspin in the 90's when Oldsmobile's reputation for quality was destroyed, leading to declining sales and ultimately the closure of the division as it was left to wither on the vine.
ACEcolorado1
The Aurora's engine might put a stop to your ambitions. Much like the Northstar it's based on it loved to blow head gaskets.
I love catching up on these. I was a kid then (well teenager), and Mom had an '85 with the 5.0L (307), she didn't have the Brougham package, but had the bucket seats with floor console and regular gauges, err speedometer and I remember the landau top. Now that I think about it, our steering wheel didn't have the faux wood trim with horn buttons on it, rather a full rubber cover. Watching this, the funny thing was, ours had that same trim piece on the passenger side bumper cover surrounding the parking light. 😂 It's like the trim piece was a smidge too long and they forced the end in to the bumper cover, causing the trim piece to buckle some. The drivers side was fine IIRC and ours didn't have that issue with the lower trim piece or the "Oldsmobile" falling off the deck lid.
Still a nice looking car.
As a kid, our family car was a 1987 (last of them) Cutlass Supreme Coupe, exact same colour and rims (light blue) as the car featured. 307vi v8. I remember as a child it was an upgrade from our old Dodge Diplomat, but was similar as it had a lazy v8, rear wheel drive, and was quiet and isolating. We took it across Canada and back, and it was our family car for years. It was reliable but started burning oil around 220,000 kilometers. It was retired at 250,000 kilometers. The guy who bought it had plans to restore. My dad took great care of that car, the body was still in very good shape and was all original. These were handsome cars, I loved the light blue/dark blue roof/light blue rims.
gorgeous, just gorgeous car
jj It's beautiful until some "gangsta" donks it, gives it a obnoxious paint job, and puts way more speakers than a man needs in it.
YellowBeanieBoy I hate 30 inch rims, but I love the 13 inch 100 spoke Dayton's with white wall tires lowered with hydraulics 😍
Yes I too hate when they hop them, lowriders were meant to go low and slow not up and down smh 😒
You're kidding, right?
I loved my 1988 supreme classic. Black with burgundy interior and the factory chrome 442 wheels... I could park next to a Porsche and have a crowd standing around my car with the Porsche getting little more than a glance.
Those brakes. Ugh. Cars have come a long way.
I'm sure people in 1984 would say the same of a car built in 1954 too.......
05gtdriver I'm sure people in 1954 would the same of a car built in 1924 too.......
Omaha419 :-)
Makes you wonder what braking performance will be in 30 year's time!
Omaha419
Tyres are a big part of that, along with suspension. Anything can be made to lock up, the development of ABS is the rest. The brakes themselves aren't much different to todays runabouts.
Omaha419 I'd take those brakes any day over the 9", 4 wheel, manual drums that are on my 70 Dodge Dart. Sometimes, they are nothing short of scary.
I took driver education in 1981 and the car we used was a new Cutlass like this one. What a 🍋. in the 2 weeks we used the car the drivers mirror fell off, passenger assist strap came off in my hand, the passenger seatback release just quit working, and at just under 3000 miles registered the transmission failed. I am so glad we have improved in quality and engineering in our cars.
never happen if it did it was from abuse iv owned 7 of these cars they all most never brake even with 150k on them
Lots of arguments over quality in the comments here... the reality is that the build quality was not great. Those big, heavy doors sagged early on and would make horrible noises when slammed shut. Large panel gaps were typical. Headliners fell down, interior plastics cracked or fell off. The feedback carbs were totally half-assed and difficult to keep running properly. Performance-wise they were soft and lazy compared to European and Japanese cars. On the bright side, they were simple cars that even the shittiest mechanic could work on (aside from the CCC system) and the basic mechanical elements were sturdy. If you wanted to buy a "new" car from the 1970s in the mid-80s, this was the car to have... and plenty of people still wanted that at the time. I love them despite the flaws, although I wish GM had gone down the same path Ford did with the Fox Thunderbird - taking the same basic concept and updating it with modern construction, drivetrain and suspension. Ultimately, both of them were a dead end... people stopped buying "personal luxury coupes" in the '90s.
doctor zaius In the 80's and early 90's several people I knew had cars like this. And yes, lifting the door to close it was considered "normal". Signs that the roof liner was doomed started with a little bubble. Then spread like cancer. Also the plastic gap fillers between the body and bumper had a definite sell by date. After a certain point, they'd (and all of them did) begin rotting faster than old fruit. Either brittle and pieces would chip off, or they'd sag in odd places.
My very first car was the Cutlass 5.0 with a T top that I couldn't use back in 2004. The exterior was a little ratty, but all the electric stuff worked (power mirrors & seats etc) Still the most comfortable car I've ever owned. My stepfather and I are currently working on an 85 Monte Carlo L, and we are swapping out the factory 305 for a 454 with a nice cam and couple of Edelbrock performance RPM heads.
I heard a story that Hugh Hefner owned one of these. If it's good enough for Hef, it's good enough for me!
I had an '80 Cutlass with the ever popular 260 V8. Great car, wish i still had it. Yes, it deserved the Gutlass name.
10 miles on the clock, and already falling apart. GM Sure made great cars back then huh?
Build quality on most cars back then could best be described as indifferent.
Brandon B
It was pretty bad. I remember my dad buying a new 1983 Pontiac 6000 LE and we had the drivers power window motor fail as we left the dealer lot. The paint had totally faded by 1986.
ChevyCamaroIsBetter I live in New England. I can't tell you how long its been since I saw a 31 plus year old car used as a daily driver.
Brandon B They make even worse cars now!
Can't stand those Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Dodge Charger and oh don't forget those four wheel coffins know as the SUV.
I remember the one my folks had when we were living in Indiana, was gray. They also bought an '85 S-10 Blazer after I was born. When we moved to North Carolina they sold the Cutlass and bought an '87 Plymouth Reliant K for my Mom to use for running errands, but we most of the time took the Blazer.
Love that overstuffed living room sofa for a front seat.
This car all stock with white walls is so clean. I remember feeling like I was on a smooth boat ride in them. Oh, and if you find one with the ttop, grab it right away!
"To let the sun shine in, and hopefully, the rain drops out." LOL
I had a '84 Monte Carlo SS convertible - yes, you could order it that way as a special order option. Anyways that thing got looks no matter where you went. I mean you had the awesomeness that was a Monte Carlo SS, which always drew eyes on it, then you had it as a convertible, something likely would never see again. Anywho some illegal alien hit me and it must have broke a fuel line because in minutes the car was up in flames.
This review was savage.
I had a 5 year old used 2000 Olds Alero GLS and it was one of the most capable cars I've ever owned. It felt more like a sporty import than a typical (at that time) American automobile.
Gotta love that 1980's "GM quality" around the 3:00 mark. Any wonder GM collapsed?
My first car was a 1969 Olds Cutlass Supreme convertible with a Rocket 350, 2 speed Powerglide, Cherry red exterior, black top/interior. What a bomb. Also drove an ‘81 Gutless Supreme Brougham with a useless 4 litre/ 267 ci SB, but what a cruiser.
This the car that you'll find in any hood
why is that?
I had a 84 Cutlass Supreme with the brougham trim. In fact expect for my car being blue, everything in that car shown in the clip, looks the same as mine did. Best car I have ever had. I loved it. I would still have it today if it wasn't stolen, stripped and left on the side of the highway back in 95
These things sold like hotcakes. The olds dealer my dad worked at in the 80's couldn't keep a car more than a day before it was sold. Have no idea why. I really like the 5th gen cutlass supreme tho, especially in convertible form. With the top down the rollbar gave it a sweet look. Within 20 years Olds went from U.S. sales leader to dead. Smh.
I brought a used 84 Oldsmobile cutlass years ago it was a great car I miss that car
Beautiful car. 30 mpg highway from a V8??? Wow.
Looks like it’s on bicycle tires from head-on, lol.
I would love to have one!
30 mpg from a V8? Absolutely NOT! My V6 got about 12 -15 mpg and used about a quart of oil for each tank of gas.
+John Prutt that 30 MPG was with the base Buick 231 CID 3.8L V-6 longitudnal
@@jamesdennis2058🤣🤣🤣🤣same here!
I don't know why, but I just LOVE the way John pronounces the word coupe. It's like he takes a momentary breath after the C & barely pronounces the P.
Turning Diameter: 3 Zip Codes!!
Unless you put it to the floor when you are turning!
@@sheeznutz2254 lmfao
Braking : a 3 lanes wide interstates
Hahaha, I never get tired of watching the MotorWeek guys thrash these '80s land yachts around on the track. Hillarious!!! Yeah, I always liked the G-body cars. A friend of mine had a Cutlass Supreme just like this one, minus the T-tops. Beautiful car!
5 liter 140hp v8? lol... I miss the 80s.
240 ft-lbs of torque though
Those tall axle gears and the good torque gave it 30mph on the highway, despite it being shaped like a brick. Most modern V6 family cars now still get the same, give or take.
Around 17hp per cylinder, LOL.
Tommy TwoGun My 2011 Honda Accord V6 gets 34 highway per the EPA. It makes 271 hp, a mighty 45 hp per cylinder. It will run 0-60 in 6 seconds. Times have changed.
April 20, 2015 10:36 pm
28 hp per litre lol
My first car was an 84 Olds CS with a 3.8 and then I bought an 85 with a SB 350, I absolutely regret getting rid of them. I loved everything about them.
Everyone bashes their quality, but plenty still exist today. How many 83 Corollas' or 83 Civics are around today?
Yup. all these negative comments. Probably posted by people who never even owned one.
I LOVE my Cutty! Mine's an '87 Brougham Canadian coupe with a Chevy 305 (that's what the Canadian edition had that year). Just got the engine rebuilt, and driving this car only gets more and more enjoyable over time!
3:47 why was that guy frantically running?
Because... 80s
Because cocaine.
aquateen77723 yep
That's how people moved back then. Just look at a movie from the 30's. Same principle. And what Aquateen said.
Nukes Away Either we're getting lazier as we evolve or there just weren't as many restrooms available.
wee wee dance
These cars are still popular today. The Olds 307 was a nightmare to get through emissions, but these older cars aren't even tested now days. The Hurst editions were fun to drive, and had more power. The thing that got me was the brakes.. The best thing 1 can do is upgrade those things 1st!