My brother and I joked it was the Chevrolet of Cadillacs.😂😂 BTW, I really dig your content. Your love for the classics is unmatched. The enthusiasm you have for these non-muscle cars really strikes a chord in me. Keep up the great work.
The Cimarron was a classic ? Yep classic piece of Crap !!! Much worse than the classic piece of junk Cavalier since it costs so much more and was supposedly a Cadillac ! You summed it up at 2:45 - Sub Optimal !!! After you said Cimarron was the best Cadillac of its era when it was the WORST, one of the biggest failures in auto history !
@ITILII : Like it or not, it's a classic car nowadays. Personally, I've always thought the bathtub Nash's from the 50's were hideous, but I still respect them as a classic car for what they are and even though they're not my favorite I still check them out when making the rounds at the car shows. I shudder when I think about it, but even the first Toyota Prius's are now technically classic cars as the 1997 models are 26 years old now. I know, it sucks!
My Mom had a Cimarron and if you drove one you'd think differently. It was very comfortable riding and hung on to the road. Tight driving. And extremely fast if you had the 6 cylinder!!! Embarrassed quite a few that thought their cars were fast lol!! It was the red like the one on the face of this video it was beautiful.
While the Lincoln Versailles suffered from comparisons to the Grenada and Monarch - if parked side by side in the same garage with a Cimarron - the Versilles would seem more like a baby Rolls Royce when compared to the Cadillac.
I often saw otherwise mint Versailles in pick-a-part missing the disc front brakes and spindles and disc rear axle only. Bolt on upgrade to early Mustangs. Never saw anything actively gleaned off any Cimarron.
Your correct about eventual improvements. I bought my wife a new one in 86' off the showroom floor. White with silver side cladding and an oxblood leather interior. Optioned out including suspension upgrades 15" wheels (large for the time on a compact) mounted on Eagle GT rubber. I took a ribbing from a few friends about my purchase, but it's what she wanted, and to be honest, after riding in it aside from its size they were all impressed with the "baby" Cadillac.
Can’t wait to see it Adam! I too have a soft spot for 80s era GM cars. I basically spent my childhood being driven around in Celebrity Eurosport wagons, as my uncle was a Chevrolet sales manager and it was his favorite demo (aside from an occasional T-Top Monte Carlo SS in the summer). I can still hear the exhaust note on the 2.8 MPI V6 to this day.
Wow - I never thought you'd get one of these. But I think this was the one to get - especially with the 2.8 V6 - which should be fuel injected, not carbureted. In 86 you could get the 2.8 either way depending on the carline it came in. Usually FI was either an option, or it was offered in California but not a 49 state car for emissions reasons. But I am pretty sure on a Cimarron you got the fuel injected version as standard. I agree the cloth interior is more desirable. 9500 miles is incredible. You're the right person to save this car. It's amazing to me these cars were sold for 7 model years.
I had one yrs ago and I bought it as a cheap used car but I totally fell in love with it, mine was silver with red leather and the v6...I don't care what anyone says about it what a sweet little car!
Old GM tech here. I was around 30 years old when this car came out. Think about cramming all of the electronics from a bigger caddie into that small dash. Working inside that dash was a nightmare. Everything was so tight.
We were a GMC , Chevy , Caddilac and Pontiac dealership.The "Cadillac Cavalier" was a electrical TURD. In '81, with New OBD 1 and a bunch of relays,and POWER OPTIONS Not on a Cavalier, It showed up with Problems... and came back with more.
The Cimarron wasn't so bad, it did look good with it's unique front end and taillights, and other little tweaks to make it a bit more attuned for Cadillac. And can't wait to see you in possession of that car soon.
I bought an ‘87 Cimarron V6 back in 1994, mainly because I couldn’t afford a ‘87 Cavalier Z24. The Cimarron was a great car. The V6 was very quick and it road much better than the Z24. It was also very reliable. I’d love to pick up a clean one if I could find it.
Thanks for the history. My moms best friend had a Cimmaron in the 80s, and I always thought it was a really nice car and never understood why people hated them so much. But I guess it was one of the later models as it had the flushed headlights.
Looking forward to you experience. One of the features that stood out is the luggage rack on the trunk, like the one on my ‘89 Z24. This era of J car was great.
My aunt had a 77 Seville for several years & loved it. She traded it in for a 86 Cimarron & wasn't happy with it & traded it in for a 88 Mitsubishi Starion!!! I can't wait to see your video on your latest Cadillac!!! 👍👍🙂
My mother inherited her mother's 77 Sedan DeVille and my dad hated it so much he hated it every time she even said something good about it. When he'd say something negative to her praise, she's always come back with how a Cadillac rode and he reluctantly went silent. When the Cimarron came out it was finally his weapon against that, too. 🤣
Amazing that any still exist. It def will be a fun addition to your collection! Back in the day I always called it a Cavalier with power windows. The 1st Seville was a hit for Cadillac and it was really just a trimmed out Nova…the love for that car just wasn’t shared with the Cimmaron even tho it followed the same genesis
I had a Chevy Cavalier Z24 (1989) after I graduated college - V6/automatic like your incoming Cimarron. That powertrain transforms the J platform into a sporty, fun car that is easy and fun to drive either in the city or on the highway. Have fun with it!
Congrats on the find, Adam! I am looking forward to learning more about it in detail. One thing I really, really liked about the Cimarron was the seats. I loved those leather seats! I have never driven one or even ridden in one, but the later models were definitely nicer than the earlier ones. In that era I wasn't in the new car market at all, with starting a family and buying a home.
I liked the armrest. So much, I found one at a salvage yard, modified it some, had it dyed to match the interior color of my cavalier wagon, and installed it. It made such a difference in comfort, especially for long drives.
Very good find! I like the J line, with the Cimarron having a worthy place in that fleet. I had at least one in the shop some years ago; IIRC, it got rocker cover gaskets and a few other odds and ends. The owner loved the car and took very good care of it, including the exterior finish. It had about 190k on the clock. Keep up the excellent work!
YAYYYYY I truly cant wait for an HONEST take on the car I've always liked the later models and I'm a HUGE fan of the 2.8mpi V6 as I've owned 2 cars with the engine (awesome exhaust notes). I feel like almost everyone's review on the Lil Caddy is always the same and it seems like most are to afraid to give it any praise, cause everyone hates on the Ole girl. Adam is just the person I'd want to walk me around one! So Congratulations Adam...looking forward to its arrival!!
It is too bad it did not have the 3.1 V-6 that was bored out from the 2.8 that came later. The 3.1 was a real sleeper that really moved the Cavalier like a beast.
By the end of the production run, these were actually very capable and comfortable cars for the time....they had very comfortable interiors, a V6 near the end was strong and buttery smooth...
When I was a kid I was in love with the 88 Cadillac cimarron. The revised front was exactly what it needed all along. But it was too little too late by that point.
Just imagine what the scene will be like (one day in the far future) when Adam's collection goes across the auction block at Barrett-Jackson. Each car will have a great story including this amazing low-mileage Cimarron. I'm looking forward to the detailed review.
I very much doubt there will ever be any collector interest in these cars. They're not cool, they aren't stylish, and GM for some reason never figured out how to make a plastic interior that doesn't disintegrate. And I say this as a guy born in 1969 who would be the target demo for this period of cars as a collector, as the Boomers are for the classic 60's muscle cars. Nobody wanted these when they were new, and nobody wants them now. The 70's and 80's cars were the worst.
Now you got my attention, sir. The J body was sold in Brazil during the 80s as the Chevrolet Monza, so we actually had two Chevrolets J-body cars being produced at the same time. I proudly own a 1989 Chevrolet Monza SL/E with around 90k miles and I love it.
In 1948 GM advertised the Oldsmobile with the flathead straight-8 as "the car of the future", even though it was going to replace the flathead engine with its overhead-valve V8 in 1949. The rest is history!
I had a fraternity brother who had one of these when we were undergrads in college in the mid '80's. Actually he was my pledge brother. He used to call it his 'cavalier Cadillac.'
We had a 86 silver with red leather interior, sharp & fun to drive in 80’s , digital dash was cool in 80’s trunk was huge. I remember most people thought it was a cool car then.
Idk imo it was a string of BAD engines that did that I dont think long time Cadillac buyers let the Cimarron weigh in on their opinion of the brand as a whole. Again it was Diesel, 4.1L & V8/ 6/ 4 gas engines that did damage to how Cadillac was perceived.
Can't wait to see a detailed overview of this car. I remember seeing them around back in the day. Your collection is getting big, I have some storage available if ya want to share...😁 I'm the guy who sent you the link to 1980 4-speed Phoenix last week...😎
@@RareClassicCars well, it was on BAT last week but auction has ended. Didn't check to see if relisted. It was the XJ sport model with snowflake wheels. Thought that would be cool car for you.
Perhaps it's a too personal question, but how do you store your collection? You don't seem to be lacking storage space, which is usually an issue? A behind the scenes "this is how it works handling a car collection" would be interesting coming from you.
He went over it in a video back in the fall. Hdd we has some underground parking garage he keeps them in at least over the winter although he might keep them there year round
Congrats Adam! 🎉 I know how you love to get these up to perfect running condition. And yes, I do remember seeing a lot of these back in the day. I was 20 years old when they came out. I remember making fun of it as you say it was a Chevy Cavalier and I was awe struck that they didn’t do much to make it even resemble a Caddie. But like you said Adam it would be fun to see again. I was always one that held a soft spot in my heart for the Strange and different looking cars that were poked fun at.
Looking forward to hearing about this one. And yes, the 2nd generation of this one did indeed look more like a "real" Cadillac than the first one. Not at all bad looking, but certainly no BMW 3 series.
For us Germans this is an Opel Ascona, a cheap mid class saloon with FWD. I don't get it why GM thought, this could compete with a BMW or a Benz. Astonishing, that they sold such a large number.
I still remember the tv ads. Whereas all other Cadillac ads said “best of all, it’s a Cadillac”, the Cimarron ad song lyrics were “best of all, it’s BY Cadillac”.
Congratulations on the Cimarron Adam, can't wait to see more of it. There would've been bonus points for three pedals, so that just means you have to keep your eyes peeled for another one!
In the early '80s, a base model Mercedes 240D with a slow diesel engine, manual transmission, roll-down windows, and vinyl seats cost over $20,000... but people were willing to pay that premium because of the brand's reputation for exceptional engineering, build quality, and reliability. And that's something a warmed-over Cavalier simply was never going to enjoy, no matter how good the car actually was.
Part of the reason for those $20k 1980's Mercedes prices was due to hefty import tarrifs on import cars. They probably only cost a little more than half that amount in Europe.
I can never hear the Cimarron mentioned without thinking about how my friend got a dynamite used car for a song and having a chuckle at the story behind it. There was this older couple, rather well off, who always drove Cadillacs and the wife always wanted her own. Had to be a 2 door and usually some hideous pastel color like pink or yellow or the like. Well, one day, she announces to her husband that she's tired of trying to park these big behemoths and would like a smaller one. She had a Seville in mind but he didn't know that so home he arrives one day, all proud as punch, with a shiny new Cimarron... and damned near wound up divorced over it. She refused to even sit in it and didn't even want it on the property lest the neighbors see it and ordered him to get rid of it this instant. Well, he didn't know what to do with it so he kept it at work and drove it occasionally himself for about a year then loaned it to his daughter for two years and then finally gave up and sold it to my friend for 3 grand. And my friend got 12 years out of it! Best used car deal he ever had!
I had no idea of the cloth option. I loved the Cimarron when it came out. I also liked the Mustang II and anything with wood on the sides. Congrats, Adam, I"m sure you'll have it up and cruising in no time.
Good looking new acquisition! I never felt hatred for the Cimarron for what it was... I recognized it as a rebadge... and a better rebadge than some others from the era... (Lincoln Versailles) My biggest gripe was that it was 4-door only... I didn't care for the Sevilles for the same reason... but I felt it would have been SOOOO easy to make a coupe out of the Cavalier coupe. And at my height/width, a sedan in a J-car is a no-go, entry-wise.
@buckykattnj The Lincoln Versailles was a lot better rebadge than the Cimmarron...you have to recall that the J car platform was not very good in the first place
I met a guy at a body shop who wanted to make a 2 door version of the Cimmaron, in a convertible. He thought it would be interesting, to have the only one. Don't know if he ever did it, but it would have been neat to see it, especially with the front clip, and the ground effects package.
Our family owned 1986 Oldsmobile Firenza and really was a hidden gem compared to most Japanese vehicles in that era. GM was ahead of the competition in the 80s and what happened after late 90s. Greed?
My aunt (mom's sister) had a 1986 Cimarron. She traded a 1982 Cutlass for it. She had it for about a month or so and it was totaled in an accident. It was t-bone by an early 70's Chrysler Newport.
The quintessential WA8238 light blue, I think… you find the cars Adam. You definitely always find them. The last one I’d chase but one so many talk about. Nice find for your purpose.
Really looking forward to your full Cimarron review, once the car arrives. The Cimarron, I have always felt, was unfairly maligned, as it was not much worse than most of the automotive offerings of the period (those of us who lived through the dark days of the early 1980s automotive world well remember the overall mediocre quality and lacklustre performance of most vehicles, coming from most manufacturers, whether European, Japanese and North American). Drive an early 1980s VW Golf diesel, or a CB Mazda 626, or a Dodge K car, just examples, if you need a reminder of how bad things were back then. It would be cool if you could invite John back, and have him examine your Cimarron with you. I really enjoyed your discussions with him and would like to see him return. Oh, and just a suggestion for a future episode: one car I would be thrilled if you would review would be the Chrysler Imperial 6th gen 1981-83, a car I've always found highly interesting, as its kind of the zenith of the personal luxury car, and has that curious connection to Frank Sinatra. It would be great if you could find and purchase one of those cars.
When the ‘83 first came out I actually thought they could do something cool with it. The early ones have a great looking 3 spoke steering wheel with aluminum spokes, a manual transmission, and large analogue tach and speedometer. If it had about 50 more horsepower and was a whole bunch more smooth, came with high performance 4 wheel disc brakes and independent rear suspension, and just a little more styling differentiation from the other J-bodies (side panel sheet metal or rear door curves by the rear window) I think it would have been a hit.
Well, it is a piece of automotive history, and it is nice you are going to save one for posterity... I have a few popular cars in my small collection, but the one that gets people talking the most now is my wife's old Tercel. Once everywhere, now gone, proves nostalgia is a great thing and is the reason why cars like this, including Cimarrons, need to be saved...
I rode in one on a fairly long drive in 1987. Seats were very comfortable and the leather was soft. Now if it performed like the Z24 Cavalier I rode in Summer 1989 for a few days .... well that is actually appealing. Fix it up to 100% and show us how pleasant it might be.
I am so excited about this ….. I can’t wait to see the finished product. I always liked the Cimarron as a young kid and I also have a soft spot for the J-platform. 👍👍
I like the big windows on the side and lots of glass all around. And blindspots kept to an absolute minimum on the pillars. I bet the view out is fantastic. 👍🏻
This should be interesting for you, Adam.. I remember when Cimarron was new. I preferred the 1977 - 1981 DeVille and Fleetwood, especially coupes that era. But those are fun to drive, I had one for a demo once upon a time.
Another great video! Thanks Adam. Looking forward to the video of the car. Your approach is always especially engaging when it comes to cars that folks love to hate on car channels. As a car guy, I love learning about the many dimensions you explore in your videos of loved as well as less loved cars.
I remember riding my bike to Nelson Balmer Cadillac in Brooklyn when the Cimmaron first came out. I couldn't wait to see one after reading all about them in the popular car magazines. The new car lot was full of them. I checked them all out and was shocked to see a few with 5 speed transmissions and roll up crank windows!! I was like "wow". I thought it was so strange to pay all that money for a car that had a stick and cranks! I did think they were attractive, and I tried my best to determine what exactly made them cost so much more than a Cavalier.
I'm extremely eager to see videos on your new Cimarron. I too like the Cimarron, faults and all. I grew up in a J car so they hold a special place in my heart.
Its side view strongly reminds me of an Opel Ascona C (esp. little Hofmeister kink and upper belt line front and rear) produced in the exact same time period 😀
Adam, I forgot to mention this in my other comment. You have your hands full in finding any of those bumper end caps. In the many years I was looking, nearly every one needed at least one if not all 4. In that same time I was always searching for any replacements to buy with zero luck. Since acquiring my 1988 (which thankfully has all 4 caps in tact and in good condition), I've been in contact with numerous Cimarron owners. Each of them needs new caps and can't find them either. So I wish you well on this.
I can't wait till you do a video on this Cadillac gem. I did especially liked the front end on the 1986 model. The V6 should have been put in that car from day one even if it would have been carbureted the first year.
I had one of these. I liked my J-car. The Cimarron was one I coveted. I had it 6 months. It was not a pleasurable experience. Always felt more claustrophobic than my other J. It went like stink and cornered like a slot car. But everything tactically felt delicate if not “fragile” and I had the experiences to back up my reserved and gentle interaction with switches, handles, levers etc. HOWEVER.. replacing my halogen bulb headlight was way easier than on my E-body Eldorado; which I had immediately following. I lost skin every time on that Eldorados headlights.
My brother and I joked it was the Chevrolet of Cadillacs.😂😂
BTW, I really dig your content. Your love for the classics is unmatched. The enthusiasm you have for these non-muscle cars really strikes a chord in me.
Keep up the great work.
The Cimarron was a classic ? Yep classic piece of Crap !!! Much worse than the classic piece of junk Cavalier since it costs so much more and was supposedly a Cadillac ! You summed it up at 2:45 - Sub Optimal !!! After you said Cimarron was the best Cadillac of its era when it was the WORST, one of the biggest failures in auto history !
@ITILII : Like it or not, it's a classic car nowadays. Personally, I've always thought the bathtub Nash's from the 50's were hideous, but I still respect them as a classic car for what they are and even though they're not my favorite I still check them out when making the rounds at the car shows. I shudder when I think about it, but even the first Toyota Prius's are now technically classic cars as the 1997 models are 26 years old now. I know, it sucks!
My Mom had a Cimarron and if you drove one you'd think differently. It was very comfortable riding and hung on to the road. Tight driving. And extremely fast if you had the 6 cylinder!!! Embarrassed quite a few that thought their cars were fast lol!! It was the red like the one on the face of this video it was beautiful.
@@ITILII if you drove one in good shape you would think differently
There were also a lot of other Cadillac models in the 1980's and 1990's that were equipped with 350 V-8 engines that were manufactured by Chevrolet.
The Lincoln Versailles suffered the same. Blatant badge engineering apparent to all.
While the Lincoln Versailles suffered from comparisons to the Grenada and Monarch - if parked side by side in the same garage with a Cimarron - the Versilles would seem more like a baby Rolls Royce when compared to the Cadillac.
Lincoln Granada.
I often saw otherwise mint Versailles in pick-a-part missing the disc front brakes and spindles and disc rear axle only. Bolt on upgrade to early Mustangs.
Never saw anything actively gleaned off any Cimarron.
Get one of those too. I believe some even came equipped with the 351W engine. These are oddball cars the serious collector should buy.
The mkz for the first a 5 or 6 years was a bage car too, but once the new one came out it looked much better
Your correct about eventual improvements. I bought my wife a new one in 86' off the showroom floor. White with silver side cladding and an oxblood leather interior. Optioned out including suspension upgrades 15" wheels (large for the time on a compact) mounted on Eagle GT rubber. I took a ribbing from a few friends about my purchase, but it's what she wanted, and to be honest, after riding in it aside from its size they were all impressed with the "baby" Cadillac.
Exactly what it was designed for, women and they loved it
Can’t wait to see it Adam! I too have a soft spot for 80s era GM cars. I basically spent my childhood being driven around in Celebrity Eurosport wagons, as my uncle was a Chevrolet sales manager and it was his favorite demo (aside from an occasional T-Top Monte Carlo SS in the summer). I can still hear the exhaust note on the 2.8 MPI V6 to this day.
80s GM destroyed GM.
Badge engineered Cimarron would have been a failure on either platform
My dad, who worked for GM, brought one home for a few days in the first year production. What a dog! It could NOT get out of it's own way!!
Wow - I never thought you'd get one of these. But I think this was the one to get - especially with the 2.8 V6 - which should be fuel injected, not carbureted. In 86 you could get the 2.8 either way depending on the carline it came in. Usually FI was either an option, or it was offered in California but not a 49 state car for emissions reasons. But I am pretty sure on a Cimarron you got the fuel injected version as standard. I agree the cloth interior is more desirable. 9500 miles is incredible. You're the right person to save this car. It's amazing to me these cars were sold for 7 model years.
I had one yrs ago and I bought it as a cheap used car but I totally fell in love with it, mine was silver with red leather and the v6...I don't care what anyone says about it what a sweet little car!
My mom had an 86 Cimarron and it was a nice FAST car!! Very tight car hung on to the road. The Cimarron also had much beefier suspension.
Cadillac Cimarron is beautiful and confortable car
Old GM tech here. I was around 30 years old when this car came out. Think about cramming all of the electronics from a bigger caddie into that small dash. Working inside that dash was a nightmare. Everything was so tight.
We were a GMC , Chevy , Caddilac and Pontiac dealership.The "Cadillac Cavalier" was a electrical TURD. In '81, with New OBD 1 and a bunch of relays,and POWER OPTIONS Not on a Cavalier, It showed up with Problems... and came back with more.
The Cimarron wasn't so bad, it did look good with it's unique front end and taillights, and other little tweaks to make it a bit more attuned for Cadillac. And can't wait to see you in possession of that car soon.
I bought an ‘87 Cimarron V6 back in 1994, mainly because I couldn’t afford a ‘87 Cavalier Z24. The Cimarron was a great car. The V6 was very quick and it road much better than the Z24. It was also very reliable. I’d love to pick up a clean one if I could find it.
Thanks for the history. My moms best friend had a Cimmaron in the 80s, and I always thought it was a really nice car and never understood why people hated them so much. But I guess it was one of the later models as it had the flushed headlights.
Looking forward to you experience. One of the features that stood out is the luggage rack on the trunk, like the one on my ‘89 Z24. This era of J car was great.
My aunt had a 77 Seville for several years & loved it. She traded it in for a 86 Cimarron & wasn't happy with it & traded it in for a 88 Mitsubishi Starion!!! I can't wait to see your video on your latest Cadillac!!! 👍👍🙂
My mother inherited her mother's 77 Sedan DeVille and my dad hated it so much he hated it every time she even said something good about it. When he'd say something negative to her praise, she's always come back with how a Cadillac rode and he reluctantly went silent.
When the Cimarron came out it was finally his weapon against that, too. 🤣
@ChrisKraft
BTW the Starion was supposed to be labeled the Stallion...but somewhere somehow something got lost in translation.
That Cimarron has a beautiful interior!
Had a 1986 V6. Great little car.
Amazing that any still exist. It def will be a fun addition to your collection! Back in the day I always called it a Cavalier with power windows. The 1st Seville was a hit for Cadillac and it was really just a trimmed out Nova…the love for that car just wasn’t shared with the Cimmaron even tho it followed the same genesis
I had a Chevy Cavalier Z24 (1989) after I graduated college - V6/automatic like your incoming Cimarron. That powertrain transforms the J platform into a sporty, fun car that is easy and fun to drive either in the city or on the highway. Have fun with it!
I like the Cimarron and wouldn't mind getting one someday.
Congrats on the find, Adam! I am looking forward to learning more about it in detail. One thing I really, really liked about the Cimarron was the seats. I loved those leather seats! I have never driven one or even ridden in one, but the later models were definitely nicer than the earlier ones. In that era I wasn't in the new car market at all, with starting a family and buying a home.
I liked the armrest. So much, I found one at a salvage yard, modified it some, had it dyed to match the interior color of my cavalier wagon, and installed it. It made such a difference in comfort, especially for long drives.
I remember those back in the day.
Very good find! I like the J line, with the Cimarron having a worthy place in that fleet. I had at least one in the shop some years ago; IIRC, it got rocker cover gaskets and a few other odds and ends. The owner loved the car and took very good care of it, including the exterior finish. It had about 190k on the clock. Keep up the excellent work!
YAYYYYY
I truly cant wait for an HONEST take on the car I've always liked the later models and I'm a HUGE fan of the 2.8mpi V6 as I've owned 2 cars with the engine (awesome exhaust notes). I feel like almost everyone's review on the Lil Caddy is always the same and it seems like most are to afraid to give it any praise, cause everyone hates on the Ole girl. Adam is just the person I'd want to walk me around one! So Congratulations Adam...looking forward to its arrival!!
It is too bad it did not have the 3.1 V-6 that was bored out from the 2.8 that came later. The 3.1 was a real sleeper that really moved the Cavalier like a beast.
I owned several with the v6 they were great no complaints
If I said I wasn't quite envious of your new purchase I'd be lying. Good for you kind sir!
I remember the 1st time I saw one of theses as a child. I literally thought some guy had just glued on Cadillac badges to a cavalier😂
By the end of the production run, these were actually very capable and comfortable cars for the time....they had very comfortable interiors, a V6 near the end was strong and buttery smooth...
When I was a kid I was in love with the 88 Cadillac cimarron. The revised front was exactly what it needed all along. But it was too little too late by that point.
So glad you found a nice one Adam. I love mine!
Can't wait to see more videos about the car! My first car was a 1989 Chevy Cavalier, so I also have a nostalgia for GM cars if that era.
still remember that car back in the 80 s Still think with a 1987 , or 1988 cimarron optioned with V6 was pretty good looking car
Just imagine what the scene will be like (one day in the far future) when Adam's collection goes across the auction block at Barrett-Jackson. Each car will have a great story including this amazing low-mileage Cimarron. I'm looking forward to the detailed review.
I very much doubt there will ever be any collector interest in these cars. They're not cool, they aren't stylish, and GM for some reason never figured out how to make a plastic interior that doesn't disintegrate. And I say this as a guy born in 1969 who would be the target demo for this period of cars as a collector, as the Boomers are for the classic 60's muscle cars. Nobody wanted these when they were new, and nobody wants them now. The 70's and 80's cars were the worst.
I remember. I even became an adult in the 1980s. Cool video.
Now you got my attention, sir. The J body was sold in Brazil during the 80s as the Chevrolet Monza, so we actually had two Chevrolets J-body cars being produced at the same time. I proudly own a 1989 Chevrolet Monza SL/E with around 90k miles and I love it.
In 1948 GM advertised the Oldsmobile with the flathead straight-8 as "the car of the future", even though it was going to replace the flathead engine with its overhead-valve V8 in 1949. The rest is history!
This was the best Cadillac you could get in 1982 since all the other Cadillac models had an Olds diesel or HT4100 engine.
I had a fraternity brother who had one of these when we were undergrads in college in the mid '80's. Actually he was my pledge brother. He used to call it his 'cavalier Cadillac.'
Eager to see it and hear your analysis of it. As a card carrying car nerd, I’m always interested in the cars you collect.
We had a 86 silver with red leather interior, sharp & fun to drive in 80’s , digital dash was cool in 80’s trunk was huge. I remember most people thought it was a cool car then.
This car did so much damage to Cadillac brand. A perfect car for grandma to drive to the hairdresser to get her gray hair blued.
@Dennis Wilson The GMCs look better too.
@@hq21 because now, Cadillac is an imitator, not innovator..
Idk imo it was a string of BAD engines that did that I dont think long time Cadillac buyers let the Cimarron weigh in on their opinion of the brand as a whole. Again it was Diesel, 4.1L &
V8/ 6/ 4 gas engines that did damage to how Cadillac was perceived.
I would blame the 4100 as well however this came out at the same time too.
@Dennis Wilson the ct4, ct5, ct6 are SUVs? The Blackwings are amazing given Holden Commodores aren't produced.
Can't wait to see a detailed overview of this car. I remember seeing them around back in the day. Your collection is getting big, I have some storage available if ya want to share...😁 I'm the guy who sent you the link to 1980 4-speed Phoenix last week...😎
Sure. Shoot me another email.
@@RareClassicCars well, it was on BAT last week but auction has ended. Didn't check to see if relisted. It was the XJ sport model with snowflake wheels. Thought that would be cool car for you.
Perhaps it's a too personal question, but how do you store your collection? You don't seem to be lacking storage space, which is usually an issue? A behind the scenes "this is how it works handling a car collection" would be interesting coming from you.
He went over it in a video back in the fall. Hdd we has some underground parking garage he keeps them in at least over the winter although he might keep them there year round
I'd love to own one of those later Cimarrons.
Congrats Adam! 🎉 I know how you love to get these up to perfect running condition. And yes, I do remember seeing a lot of these back in the day. I was 20 years old when they came out. I remember making fun of it as you say it was a Chevy Cavalier and I was awe struck that they didn’t do much to make it even resemble a Caddie. But like you said Adam it would be fun to see again. I was always one that held a soft spot in my heart for the Strange and different looking cars that were poked fun at.
The Chevrolet Citation will give you chills.
Looking forward to hearing about this one. And yes, the 2nd generation of this one did indeed look more like a "real" Cadillac than the first one. Not at all bad looking, but certainly no BMW 3 series.
For us Germans this is an Opel Ascona, a cheap mid class saloon with FWD. I don't get it why GM thought, this could compete with a BMW or a Benz. Astonishing, that they sold such a large number.
I still remember the tv ads. Whereas all other Cadillac ads said “best of all, it’s a Cadillac”, the Cimarron ad song lyrics were “best of all, it’s BY Cadillac”.
Congratulations on the Cimarron Adam, can't wait to see more of it. There would've been bonus points for three pedals, so that just means you have to keep your eyes peeled for another one!
Just got my '83! Getting paint job now.
In the early '80s, a base model Mercedes 240D with a slow diesel engine, manual transmission, roll-down windows, and vinyl seats cost over $20,000... but people were willing to pay that premium because of the brand's reputation for exceptional engineering, build quality, and reliability. And that's something a warmed-over Cavalier simply was never going to enjoy, no matter how good the car actually was.
Part of the reason for those $20k 1980's Mercedes prices was due to hefty import tarrifs on import cars. They probably only cost a little more than half that amount in Europe.
I can never hear the Cimarron mentioned without thinking about how my friend got a dynamite used car for a song and having a chuckle at the story behind it.
There was this older couple, rather well off, who always drove Cadillacs and the wife always wanted her own. Had to be a 2 door and usually some hideous pastel color like pink or yellow or the like. Well, one day, she announces to her husband that she's tired of trying to park these big behemoths and would like a smaller one.
She had a Seville in mind but he didn't know that so home he arrives one day, all proud as punch, with a shiny new Cimarron... and damned near wound up divorced over it. She refused to even sit in it and didn't even want it on the property lest the neighbors see it and ordered him to get rid of it this instant.
Well, he didn't know what to do with it so he kept it at work and drove it occasionally himself for about a year then loaned it to his daughter for two years and then finally gave up and sold it to my friend for 3 grand. And my friend got 12 years out of it! Best used car deal he ever had!
That the picture car is in the wrecking yard is somehow poetic 4:51 !
I had no idea of the cloth option. I loved the Cimarron when it came out. I also liked the Mustang II and anything with wood on the sides. Congrats, Adam, I"m sure you'll have it up and cruising in no time.
Good looking new acquisition!
I never felt hatred for the Cimarron for what it was... I recognized it as a rebadge... and a better rebadge than some others from the era... (Lincoln Versailles) My biggest gripe was that it was 4-door only... I didn't care for the Sevilles for the same reason... but I felt it would have been SOOOO easy to make a coupe out of the Cavalier coupe. And at my height/width, a sedan in a J-car is a no-go, entry-wise.
@buckykattnj
The Lincoln Versailles was a lot better rebadge than the Cimmarron...you have to recall that the J car platform was not very good in the first place
I met a guy at a body shop who wanted to make a 2 door version of the Cimmaron, in a convertible. He thought it would be interesting, to have the only one. Don't know if he ever did it, but it would have been neat to see it, especially with the front clip, and the ground effects package.
Great move, Adam. Can’t wait to see the next chapter.
Our family owned 1986 Oldsmobile Firenza and really was a hidden gem compared to most Japanese vehicles in that era. GM was ahead of the competition in the 80s and what happened after late 90s. Greed?
I had an 87' in high school, my dad used to call it a Cavalier with a digital dash lol
My aunt (mom's sister) had a 1986 Cimarron. She traded a 1982 Cutlass for it. She had it for about a month or so and it was totaled in an accident. It was t-bone by an early 70's Chrysler Newport.
Adam- looking forward to your new arrival!!
Congrats!! Can’t wait for the full review
The quintessential WA8238 light blue, I think… you find the cars Adam. You definitely always find them. The last one I’d chase but one so many talk about. Nice find for your purpose.
Great buy, I'm excited 😄 I loved the history too
I saw the video on your blue one! What a score! You missed the phoenix. But made up for that big time! Can’t wait to see your handy work! Congrats!
What a great story! Keep up the excellent work!!!
Dude thats awsome you scooped up that 86 Cimarron! Good for you Adam!
Very interesting thank you
Really looking forward to your full Cimarron review, once the car arrives. The Cimarron, I have always felt, was unfairly maligned, as it was not much worse than most of the automotive offerings of the period (those of us who lived through the dark days of the early 1980s automotive world well remember the overall mediocre quality and lacklustre performance of most vehicles, coming from most manufacturers, whether European, Japanese and North American). Drive an early 1980s VW Golf diesel, or a CB Mazda 626, or a Dodge K car, just examples, if you need a reminder of how bad things were back then. It would be cool if you could invite John back, and have him examine your Cimarron with you. I really enjoyed your discussions with him and would like to see him return. Oh, and just a suggestion for a future episode: one car I would be thrilled if you would review would be the Chrysler Imperial 6th gen 1981-83, a car I've always found highly interesting, as its kind of the zenith of the personal luxury car, and has that curious connection to Frank Sinatra. It would be great if you could find and purchase one of those cars.
Congrats on scoring a low mileage Cimarron. I look forward to future videos on it.
Nice to drive in the spring and fall when the weather is good for walking home. 😂
When the ‘83 first came out I actually thought they could do something cool with it. The early ones have a great looking 3 spoke steering wheel with aluminum spokes, a manual transmission, and large analogue tach and speedometer. If it had about 50 more horsepower and was a whole bunch more smooth, came with high performance 4 wheel disc brakes and independent rear suspension, and just a little more styling differentiation from the other J-bodies (side panel sheet metal or rear door curves by the rear window) I think it would have been a hit.
John Mannoggian Approved that was a great video. You should have him on when you get the Cimmaron..😂
Adam…Congrats on the new purchase!
Well, it is a piece of automotive history, and it is nice you are going to save one for posterity... I have a few popular cars in my small collection, but the one that gets people talking the most now is my wife's old Tercel. Once everywhere, now gone, proves nostalgia is a great thing and is the reason why cars like this, including Cimarrons, need to be saved...
Can’t wait to see more once you have it in hand! This is your most exciting new acquisition since the AMC ambassador! Yes, I prefer the quirky ones.
I rode in one on a fairly long drive in 1987. Seats were very comfortable and the leather was soft. Now if it performed like the Z24 Cavalier I rode in Summer 1989 for a few days .... well that is actually appealing. Fix it up to 100% and show us how pleasant it might be.
I remember working at a Cadillac dealer in the late 1980s and seeing the last of these on the lot.
And as I recall by 1988 the cloth upholstery was costed out for cheaper material that looked like the headliner.
I have read that there was work done on suspension tuning and sound insulation as well.
I am so excited about this ….. I can’t wait to see the finished product. I always liked the Cimarron as a young kid and I also have a soft spot for the J-platform. 👍👍
I like the big windows on the side and lots of glass all around. And blindspots kept to an absolute minimum on the pillars. I bet the view out is fantastic. 👍🏻
I absolutely love your videos and boy what a joke that car was I was selling Cadillacs at the time the Cimarron was out we could not give them away
And the rear deck lid luggage rack!
This should be interesting for you, Adam.. I remember when Cimarron was new. I preferred the 1977 - 1981 DeVille and Fleetwood, especially coupes that era. But those are fun to drive, I had one for a demo once upon a time.
Another great video! Thanks Adam. Looking forward to the video of the car. Your approach is always especially engaging when it comes to cars that folks love to hate on car channels. As a car guy, I love learning about the many dimensions you explore in your videos of loved as well as less loved cars.
I grew up in Boca in the late 1980s. A lot of people around the cothose had these.
Congratulations!!!!
Great video, didn’t know about the uneasiness of GM engineering to put this out!
I remember riding my bike to Nelson Balmer Cadillac in Brooklyn when the Cimmaron first came out. I couldn't wait to see one after reading all about them in the popular car magazines.
The new car lot was full of them. I checked them all out and was shocked to see a few with 5 speed transmissions and roll up crank windows!! I was like "wow". I thought it was so strange to pay all that money for a car that had a stick and cranks!
I did think they were attractive, and I tried my best to determine what exactly made them cost so much more than a Cavalier.
My aunt had one. I guess she liked it.
I'm extremely eager to see videos on your new Cimarron. I too like the Cimarron, faults and all. I grew up in a J car so they hold a special place in my heart.
Like that Chevy commercial from the 90s, now your wife can say you're out back in the cavalier
Its side view strongly reminds me of an Opel Ascona C (esp. little Hofmeister kink and upper belt line front and rear) produced in the exact same time period 😀
Glad you like it.
If the Terminator was at that bar and that's all there was to drive there, he would have walked.
It does resemble a high end Cavalier, but I always liked them. Like the 1980 Thunderbird which I appreciate more now.
Always an informative vid. I wonder if a Cadillac Catera vid is in the hopper.
Adam, I forgot to mention this in my other comment. You have your hands full in finding any of those bumper end caps. In the many years I was looking, nearly every one needed at least one if not all 4. In that same time I was always searching for any replacements to buy with zero luck. Since acquiring my 1988 (which thankfully has all 4 caps in tact and in good condition), I've been in contact with numerous Cimarron owners. Each of them needs new caps and can't find them either. So I wish you well on this.
I can't wait till you do a video on this Cadillac gem. I did especially liked the front end on the 1986 model. The V6 should have been put in that car from day one even if it would have been carbureted the first year.
Great Buy , hope you like it !!
I had one of these. I liked my J-car. The Cimarron was one I coveted. I had it 6 months. It was not a pleasurable experience. Always felt more claustrophobic than my other J. It went like stink and cornered like a slot car. But everything tactically felt delicate if not “fragile” and I had the experiences to back up my reserved and gentle interaction with switches, handles, levers etc.
HOWEVER.. replacing my halogen bulb headlight was way easier than on my E-body Eldorado; which I had immediately following. I lost skin every time on that Eldorados headlights.
"Best of all, it's a very good Cavalier"
🤣