Well, here we go again, Another 1980's, General Motors' "G-body" coupe. This time it's a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Will I ever learn?
If you graduated high school between, say 1980 and 1988, or thereabouts, chances are a GM "G-body" coupe, before 1982 they were "A-bodes", was on your short list of cars you wanted. That meant either a Buick Regal, a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix or, in my opinion, the best looking of the bunch, an Oldsmobile Cutlass like this. Cadillac, oddly enough, never got a "G" or "B" or whatever.
My problem was. back then, not only were these expensive to buy but they cost a small fortune to insure. Since they were so popular, they were always near the top of the "most stolen" list; chop shops wanting them for parts. Especially since so many of their parts were interchangeable. That drove up insurance premiums up and out of my universe.
And people wonder why I kept my janky, 1975 Chrysler Cordoba as long as I did. The insurance on anything nice like a newer or less old Olds Cutlass would have left me with no beer money. Priorities.
Our "Cutty" here is part of GM's 1978 downsized A-body intermediates. A 1981 styling update transformed the coupes into something remotely presentable; the wretched sedans remained the same. The wagons remained unchanged; for some bizarre reason I have less disdain for them.
The problem with these cars, then and more so now, was, he says sheepishly, head down looking at the ground, they weren't very good cars. Handling was better than on what they replaced, that wasn't saying much, but in fairness, it was just ok even by the loosey-goosey standards of the day. Even ones with sport tuned suspensions were hardly sports cars. They were built on the cheap, they broke frequently, interior ergonomics were a joke, space efficiency was atrocious, especially in the back seat.
Yet every time I see one, I swoon like a sophomore for Suzie Cream Cheese What's Her Name, the senior cheerleading captain. Then I drive one and I'm like, the hell was I drinking? Well, what didn't I drink back then but much like dating Suzie, these cars are all fluff, no stuff. Oh, look! Another one.
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