better today than when new?

[Davidinhartford]

Lately I've noticed some older Cads on the road.   No, not vintage by any means.    I'm talking about the downsized Cads from 1985 on up.

These cars are just about the right size today.    A college aged guy was next to me at the gas station in a 1988 Eldorado the other day.   The car looked great.     I asked him how he liked it.   He said it was great.   Roomy, powerful and not that bad on gas he said.    Plus he loved the red interior.    You don't see that anymore he remarked.

It struck me then that there are alot of cars that didn't sell well when new that might be better today.     The 86-91 Eldorados may have been too small then, but fit well today.      And not just Cadillacs.   A woman passed me in a 1992 Buick Riviera last week.    That car looked good too.   Modern and stylish in a good size.       With todays new cars all looking like rounded bars of soap, some of the duds from the past don't look so bad now.

[Johnny F #662]

Lately I've noticed some older Cads on the road.   No, not vintage by any means.    I'm talking about the downsized Cads from 1985 on up.

These cars are just about the right size today.    A college aged guy was next to me at the gas station in a 1988 Eldorado the other day.   The car looked great.     I asked him how he liked it.   He said it was great.   Roomy, powerful and not that bad on gas he said.    Plus he loved the red interior.    You don't see that anymore he remarked.

It struck me then that there are alot of cars that didn't sell well when new that might be better today.     The 86-91 Eldorados may have been too small then, but fit well today.      And not just Cadillacs.   A woman passed me in a 1992 Buick Riviera last week.    That car looked good too.   Modern and stylish in a good size.       With todays new cars all looking like rounded bars of soap, some of the duds from the past don't look so bad now.

I guess it all depends on the age of the observer.  There are those of us (older) that when we think of a Cadillac, we don't think of them as being small (downsized).

[TJ Hopland]

The first car I bought on my own was a 11 year old Cadillac.  My first car was mom's and the second was a family friends.

[Rich S]

My Mom had a 1989 Eldorado Biarritz in White Diamond with an Antelope Leather Interior, Bronze tinted Astroroof, Vogue Wide-Track Touring WSW Tyres and the factory Lace Aluminum Wheels--it was a sensational automobile! It drove magnificently, and it was a perfect size--with the Biarritz-style tufted leather bucket seats, Burled Maplewood Interior trim, the extra plush Mouton carpeting and even chimes for the turn signals! Everybody complimented that car. Unfortunately, a driver in a stolen car ran a red light and smashed into it in 2001--but thankfully the passengers were fine. After that, and the subsequent repair, she never felt the same about it, and soon replaced it with a new Cadillac, and it had only 42,000 miles. Those cars you have noticed have been, in my opinion, underrated. The Eldorados, in particular, had very nice proportions for today's driving (especially the 1988 through 1991 models, when Cadillac enhanced the styling). I sure hope future Cadillac coupes incorporate some of the traditional styling elements of the previous models, just as those cars did. 

[Johnny F #662]

My Mom had a 1989 Eldorado Biarritz in White Diamond with an Antelope Leather Interior, Bronze tinted Astroroof, Vogue Wide-Track Touring WSW Tyres and the factory Lace Aluminum Wheels--it was a sensational automobile! It drove magnificently, and it was a perfect size--with the Biarritz-style tufted leather bucket seats, Burled Maplewood Interior trim, the extra plush Mouton carpeting and even chimes for the turn signals! Everybody complimented that car. Unfortunately, a driver in a stolen car ran a red light and smashed into it in 2001--but thankfully the passengers were fine. After that, and the subsequent repair, she never felt the same about it, and soon replaced it with a new Cadillac, and it had only 42,000 miles. Those cars you have noticed have been, in my opinion, underrated. The Eldorados, in particular, had very nice proportions for today's driving (especially the 1988 through 1991 models, when Cadillac enhanced the styling). I sure hope future Cadillac coupes incorporate some of the traditional styling elements of the previous models, just as those cars did. 

While Eldorado's of that era 1988-1991 were still luxury models, for those of us able to remember Eldorado's from years gone by, especially in 1967, when they were completely different then the rest of the line, the Eldo's of the late 80's were a big disappointment, and I believe the sales numbers will bear this out.  It wasn't until the introduction of the totally new Eldo's of 1992 that the Eldo started to regain some of its past desirability.  With the popularity of trucks, and success of the Escalade, the Eldorado name was to disappear, and hopefully with a change in the public's taste, it will be soon resurrected.

[Davidinhartford]

Yes, Cadillacs to us are the the big, glamorous boats we all love and remember.  But the point I was making is that the smaller downsized cars we were disappointed in then are now the right sized cars for today.     

Not that they are the best in styling, but they do have more styling than just about anything on the road today.     I personally don't see a single Lexus that is "Stylish and attractive".      Cadillacs were always distinguishable as Cadillacs.     Peel all the emblems off a Lexus and you be in trouble finding it in a mall parking lot.

Yesterday I was on the highway behind a newer Honda Accord and a Hyundai Sonata.  They rear end tailights and shape were identical!      I had to look twice at the trunk logos to tell them apart.    What good is that?

To me the best modern looking Cadillacs were the 79-85 Eldorados.     But if you were to park a triple yellow 1986 Eldorado Biarritz curbside anywhere, people would look approvingly today.

   

[Johnny F #662]

Yes, Cadillacs to us are the the big, glamorous boats we all love and remember.  But the point I was making is that the smaller downsized cars we were disappointed in then are now the right sized cars for today.     

Not that they are the best in styling, but they do have more styling than just about anything on the road today.     I personally don't see a single Lexus that is "Stylish and attractive".      Cadillacs were always distinguishable as Cadillacs.     Peel all the emblems off a Lexus and you be in trouble finding it in a mall parking lot.

Yesterday I was on the highway behind a newer Honda Accord and a Hyundai Sonata.  They rear end tail lights and shape were identical!      I had to look twice at the trunk logos to tell them apart.    What good is that?

To me the best modern looking Cadillacs were the 79-85 Eldorados.     But if you were to park a triple yellow 1986 Eldorado Biarritz curbside anywhere, people would look approvingly today.

   

Being the original owner of a 85 Eldo, you won't get any argument from me about their looks.  As for the 1986 Eldorado, it all depends on who is looking at it.  Speaking only for myself, its a nasty reminder of when Cadillac started to lose it panache.  On the plus side, I am high impressed with the looks and styling of the 2008 CTS, and would seriously consider buying one.

[Davidinhartford]

On the plus side, I am high impressed with the looks and styling of the 2008 CTS, and would seriously consider buying one.

Agreed.  The 2008 CTS is a real looker.    Cadillac bucks the soap bar trend and hits one right out of the park!   

[pompste]

Lately I've noticed some older Cads on the road.   No, not vintage by any means.    I'm talking about the downsized Cads from 1985 on up.

These cars are just about the right size today.    A college aged guy was next to me at the gas station in a 1988 Eldorado the other day.   The car looked great.     I asked him how he liked it.   He said it was great.   Roomy, powerful and not that bad on gas he said.    Plus he loved the red interior.    You don't see that anymore he remarked.

It struck me then that there are alot of cars that didn't sell well when new that might be better today.     The 86-91 Eldorados may have been too small then, but fit well today.      And not just Cadillacs.   A woman passed me in a 1992 Buick Riviera last week.    That car looked good too.   Modern and stylish in a good size.       With todays new cars all looking like rounded bars of soap, some of the duds from the past don't look so bad now.


You`re right ,many of the downsized Caddy`s from 1985 up do look good on the road today.Luckily,the Deville`s from 1994-1999 still had some respectable length--about 210 inches,and the 1994-1996 Fleetwoods were about 225 inches long.Even these,in comparison were short compared to the Cadillac`s massive average length of 231 inches or so in the mid 1970's.
I really miss seeing those massive Cadillac behemoths from the mid 1970's as a "common" site on the roads today.Every now and then i see one of the really big Caddy`s from days gone by and it`s good to see.

I own a mint conditon 1995 Sedan Deville,and it looks like a land yacht compared to the new vehicles being offered today.