Legacy of Stupidity: Cadillac Cimarron

[rbattelle]

I saw one of these today: a Cadillac Cimarron.



I don't think I'd ever seen one before. And I thought, "well, that's why GM is in so much trouble". My goodness, they have really made a lot of junk over the years. In a way, it's surprising they're still around.



I know, they made some good stuff too.



Ryan

 

[MN Cummins Lvr]

I kind of forgot about these cars... a glorified Cavalier. Kind of like the Lincoln Zephyr which was a glorified Ford Granada.



So you want a Cimmaron for Xmas Ryan?? :-laf:-laf:-laf

 

[PatrickHansen]

Examples of bad(ge) engineering. They should have spent their money developing improved products instead of trying to saturate the market. Why did they think every corporate division needed to sell the same car?

 

[rbattelle]

Why did they think every corporate division needed to sell the same car?

You're writing as though it's in the past. They still think every division needs the same car.



Cobalt/G5 (formerly Cavalier/Sunfire)

Trailblazer/Saab 9-7X/Enclave



Not to mention they are making some truly hideous models these days. The Uplander/Terraza/Relay comes to mind.



It's as though they think we're too stupid to know it's the same crap with a different name.



Ryan

 

[Gene Arnold]

Can you say, Corvair, or Vega, or 5. 7 V8 diesel pickups and automobiles, or Cadillac 4-6-8, or early Northstars in the Sevilles, etc, etc??



The present lineup probably has some new entries in the hall of shame. I'm just not familiar with their offerings.



Gene

 

[AMink]

My folks had a '66 Corvair and an early 70's Vega. Not any Vega, mind you, but a Vega WAGON!Oo.

 

[C. Harlan]

Ahh, the good ol' Cimarron... Also known by me as a "Cava-llac". . An entry level car for the brothers in the 'hood who wanted the brougham emblem without the brougham price. . A real winner in my book...



-Chris-

 

[DennyDay]

Ahhhhh- -- Geesh! I'd forgotten about the Cimarron - - - Another powerful moment of automotive history from General Mess of Crap - - - It was one Robert Smith's finest hours, just before he put a Chevy S1500 independent front suspension under a 3/4 ton Diesel Suburban 4X4 "Because it rides like a Cadlliac" - - And I thought Chrysler hit a new low with their current managment team.



Denny

 

[Jim Smith]

the other guys and products

I wonder what the other guys are making?? Any badge manipulations,Hmmm? In some cases test marketing reflected what the folks asked for and they got it.

Probably most anything bought follows a similar pattern. Entry level then upgraded to different level with many of the same internal components and a new badge.



Don't forget there is lot of nice stuff out there as well.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Cadillac had the Cimarron then, but while Cadillac may not have the most tasteful styling in the world they are finally making some very respectable cars that can compete well on the world stage.

The Corvette is another shining star at GM, it's hard to fault the latest model. Awesome performer, and gets great fuel economy too.

Yes Detroit has really produced some losers, how about the Buick Reatta, the Oldsmobile Trofeo, the humpback Cadillac SeVilles. . .

Vaughn

 

[Gene Arnold]

I have no problem with building different cars on the same platform. A lot of car designers have done a good job with "re-badging". I think if you look deep enough there are a lot of upgraded brands built on a common platform.



I'm not sure it qualifies as a "re-badged" car, but I'm driving a '95 Lincoln Continental i've owned since 2001. I think it is pretty much a glorified Taurus, but in MHO Ford did it very well. I've owned about fifty cars in my fifty-seven years of owning cars, and this Continental is far and away the best car I've ever had. I love just about everything about it except the air suspension (no problems with it, I just don't like it very much). I'm a big guy and the seats fit me perfect. My daughter has a 2000 Taurus that I've driven on the road and there is a world of difference in the cars even though the platform is similar.



Gene

 

[bighammer]

Don't forget all the mid-size GM cars with front wheels falling off.

I think I see one nearly every month-- A Grand Am, Bonneville, or a Buick, or Chevy of some form with a very similar situation. The car is blocking traffic, often in an intersection. It looks like right as they were completing their turn, BOOM their front wheel came off and wedged itself in the wheel opening, pointing the opposite direction of the other front wheel. Maybe they have a problem of bad ball joints that's a bit more serious than ours.

 

[C. Harlan]

What about an Escalade?? All it is, is a souped up Tahoe. . What a waste of money!!! Oooooh!! Don't forget the Caddy trucks!! AKA a Chevy Avalanche, with a big @ss brake light over the back window!! It's a d**che bag status magnet! Sorry, had to rant a little... But anyone with common sense, would know not to buy a truck made of 2/3 plastic (Avalanche)...



-Chris-

 

[fox]

Many of us see it!!!

I had one of the olds diesels in a 80 chevy pick-up. Well, it was in and out 3 times in 55,000 miles. I often said GM can do better, why don't they?

Well, we know why now. They don't want to. They went on to the 6. 2 , then the 6. 5 to the 6. 6. Only because they were forced to by the competition. CUMMINS.

Back in the late 60's their trucks rusted real bad. By 72 they pretty much had it solved until they redesigned the truck. Guess what, 6 months and a 73 or 74 model and body rust through.

I've had enough.

 

[DennyDay]

What about an Escalade?? All it is, is a souped up Tahoe. . What a waste of money!!! -Chris-

You're not paying any attention to the brothers in the hood - - -What else could you put 24" spinner wheels on and go out selling crack and pimping?







Denny

 

[crobertson1]

I'm a big Cadillac fan having been a service writer for a Caddy dealer back in the late eighties-early nineties. I love the new Escalades. They have made some big mistakes for sure though. Allante, Cimarron, V8-6-4, the HT4100, HT4500 aluminum V8s in the 80s that were absolute JUNK. The Northstar engines have been good as far as I know.



The new cars from Cadillac are in my opinion, excellent cars. Have you seen the CTS-V, & SLR-V? Awesome!

 

[C. Harlan]

You're not paying any attention to the brothers in the hood - - -What else could you put 24" spinner wheels on and go out selling crack and pimping?







Denny

That's the mutation from the Escalade, "dubbed" (pun intended) the Mescalade!:-laf:-laf:-laf

 

[Heavyweight]

i had a friend whos parents bougth one of these POS's. Freaking cavalier,,, ftw.

 

[Boomer II]

My folks had a '66 Corvair and an early 70's Vega. Not any Vega, mind you, but a Vega WAGON!Oo.

Mine too. I liked the Corvair though.

 

[AHarris]

I'm a big Cadillac fan having been a service writer for a Caddy dealer back in the late eighties-early nineties. I love the new Escalades. They have made some big mistakes for sure though. Allante, Cimarron, V8-6-4, the HT4100, HT4500 aluminum V8s in the 80s that were absolute JUNK. The Northstar engines have been good as far as I know.



The new cars from Cadillac are in my opinion, excellent cars. Have you seen the CTS-V, & SLR-V? Awesome!

The new Caddies are nice. As for the Escalade (as well as the Lincoln Navigator), they are nice rides but if I want one of those I'll get basically the same thing for much less money with a Chevy Tahoe/GMC Denali or a Ford Eddie Bauer Expedition.



Dodge made a huge mistake by not keeping the Ramcharger. Now that was a good SUV. My dad had one and got 480,000 miles out of it. The Durango never impressed me. Since the Ramcharger was discontinued, GM and Ford had the best bets in full size SUVs.