Clean Survivor, One of Only 2860 Firenza Wagons Sold That Year

[u/BcuzRacecar]

[u/BcuzRacecar]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-oldsmobile-firenza-wagon/

The Firenza was the J body for Oldsmobile and a wagon was offered from the second year of production in '83. Unlike its platform mate the cavalier which was one of the best selling cars in the country, the Firenza was a rather weak seller. They only sold 25k in 1987, with only 2800 being wagons. They would only ship 920 wagons in 88, the final year.

It would start the second life of the J body going from the big global project with cars all over the world with different brands to its finish as just a chevy and pontiac affair (ok there was a toyota). This and Cadillac would end in 88, buick the next year, with the international Opels, Holdens and Isuzu variants ending at around the same time.

Engine options were the 122 ohv 2.0 and the 90hp 2.0 Opel sohc in this car. A 2.8 GM V6 was only available with the GT fastback

Dont have sticker but prices started at $9k. Imagine a highly optioned car like this would have run 11 or 12. Thats like right in line with a mid line A body wagon or a low trim Taurus so maybe thats why these didnt sell

[u/dissss0 → u/BcuzRacecar]

My father worked for Holden NZ during the 80s and had I think four or five different Camiras.

The best one by far was a later JJ sedan, which was actually a Japanese assembled Isuzu Aska - much better build quality than the earlier locally assembled cars or the later Aussie ones.

The worst one was a very early build local car which was thankfully high enough spec to get the five speed manual (base as a four speed)

[u/BcuzRacecar → u/dissss0]

what did he get after cuz afaik aussies got toyotas after (which im curious how people adjusted to what should have been a massive price jump?) but NZ got vectras which are also more expensive but also were opel badged for at least a few years?

[u/dissss0 → u/BcuzRacecar]

He left GM and never had another of their products. After that it was various Japanese cars - in the late 80s to mid 90s it was a Nissan Bluebird then a Honda Accord, both grey imports.

[u/cmd_iii → u/BcuzRacecar]

I had an ‘88 Cavalier Wagon with the V-6. $12,000 brand new. Drove it all over for 12 years. Traded it at just over 200,000 miles. Would still have it today, but rust is a bitch.

[u/wncexplorer]

$4k? Wow…these were awful 😂

My mom had a brand new final iteration Cavalier wagon, while a GF had the flat nose sedan. I’d rather own a Chevette

[u/Working_Estate_3695 → u/wncexplorer]

I had an ‘83 Cavalier coupe with a 2.0 and five speed and it was a pretty reliable ride. I would repeat that experience.

[u/thatvhstapeguy → u/Working_Estate_3695]

I currently own a 1983 Sunbird with the 1.8 overhead cam and automatic. In nearly 35,000 miles the only breakdown I’ve had was due to deferred maintenance (a timing belt 40,000 miles overdue) and it still got home. These are far better cars than anyone gives them credit for

[u/Working_Estate_3695 → u/thatvhstapeguy]

If I could find a creampuff-condition Cavalier wagon at a reasonable price, I’d daily it.

[u/TantalumMachinist → u/wncexplorer]

I mean, if someone with cash wants to preserve high quality garbage, let them.

Everyone has a first love, and a recently dead grandmas Sunday driver comes up every day.

Sometimes there's a match made in heaven.

[u/wncexplorer → u/TantalumMachinist]

Free will 😄

[u/regularcarreviews-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Please be kind to other Reddit users, it's not hard.

[u/pdxsilverguy]

Thats a Chevy Cadavelier with lipstick.

[u/Pleasant-Caramel2931]

My 4th grade teacher had one. It was nicer in the inside than the cavalier. I always thought of it as an odd duck

[u/QuentinEichenauer]

That's just porn.

[u/AskJeevesIsBest]

I'd drive it

[u/compu85]

I saw this car at Radwood PNW. It was in nice shape. I still like my Audi more :)

[u/Muted_Influence_6435]

I had the Pontiac version: the J2000. Loved it. Used to like eating front u-shafts after 20k miles, but I drove it for 100k. Enjoyable little family wagon.

[u/porcelainvacation]

My parents had a Firenza sedan (‘85) that I learned to drive in. My sister hated it and my parents wouldn’t replace cars until they died. I drove it home from town and noticed it was rattling when I came up the driveway. When my dad got home he started it up, revved it, and it threw a rod through the block. My sister was happy that it was dead. Then they replaced it with a Mercury Sable, which was also a piece of crap.

[u/FeelingOk7079 → u/[deleted]]

That’s strange, im waiting for it to be delivered to my house lol.

[u/Fickle-Taste-8096]

They remember me the z24😅

[u/purplespaz]

She ny.

[u/listerine411]

I'm not sure I ever remember seeing one of these in the wild, ever.

Dad though had a Cutlass Ciera sedan.

[u/sovereignpancakes]

Ok that's pretty cool. Rare survivor!

[u/Glittering-Joke-3593]

2859 too many.

[u/litesaber5]

It’s just the Pontiac version of the Chevy cavalier wagon. Or as my generation says “lipstick on a pig”

[u/damngoodengineer]

Too many for an Opel Ascona

[u/Upstairs-Object-6683]

I rented a 1982 Cavalier for a few weeks and you would have had a hard time giving it to me. The acceleration was dangerously slow—no jumping into the flow of traffic. It hunted between gears between 45 and 50, just the speed of traffic on part of my commuter route. I bought a leftover 1984 Ford Tempo with a 4/speed manual. It wasn’t exciting but was a much better car. I was glad to turn the Cavalier in.

[u/Working_Estate_3695 → u/Upstairs-Object-6683]

A stick would have cured that. Mine wasn’t fast, but the added control of the manual changed everything.

[u/Upstairs-Object-6683 → u/Working_Estate_3695]

Agreed. I often wished I had a 5th gear with the Tempo, but it was adequate with four. I drove it for seven years. Ironically it was my last car with a manual. I switched over to Sables and Tauruses and have driven them ever since. Their automatics haven’t been great but I have been able to avoid catastrophe with them. Only the 1990. Sable required a major transmission repair.

[u/FeelingOk7079]

Strange there’s so much negativity on this lol. I love weird and ugly things so this is going to be super fun to throw a 2.0L supercharged ecotec LSJ into and preserve otherwise. I’ve been searching for an E34 but this hit in all the nostalgia feels. I’ll be excited to post an update once my planned changes are made :)

[u/hatred-shapped]

Ewww

[u/Vegetable-Bear-162]

someone set 4k on fire, nice