There are vehicles in our orbit that we used to see practically everywhere and are now very much extinct. The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera is a terrific example of such a car that was quite popular back in the day, littering parking lots of every kind and seen on the roadways daily. Sadly, like a lot of GM cars, they became beaters, used by the first-time drivers and then eventually discarded due to a mechanical issue, rust, or both, so when you see one as nice as this 1991 Cutlass Ciera wagon here on craigslist, it’s hard to ignore. The Olds is well-equipped and has just 52,000 miles on the clock.
While GM cars from the early 90s catch some flack or being somewhat low rent in terms of build quality and materials, there’s no denying they were at least hearty. Sure, they may burn oil and leak transmission fluid, but that doesn’t mean it won’t continue to work. The A-body lineup was seemingly quite popular when new, with legions of sedans and station wagons used by families and commuters en masse. The drivetrains included the 3.3L V6 seen here, which kicked out a very respectable 160 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque. The seller’s car is spotless under the hood, just like the rest of the exterior and cabin.
Interesting, this Cutlass Ciera comes with a “Sport package,” which I would never have expected on a vehicle like this. I say that because it was hardly a sporting cars in any way, shape, or form, but according to the seller, the FE3 Sport package got you bucket seats, alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, additional gauges/instrumentation, and a slightly firmer suspension. I’d love to know who was buying a Cutlass Ciera wagon in 1991 and decided they needed the sport package to round out the options list. Another sign that the first owner wanted to own a “sporty” GM wagon? They opted to delete the wood trim going down the sides of the car.
This wagon also has a third-row, rear-facing seat and full power/convenience features. The seller notes that he avoids driving it in inclement weather and that he purchased it from the original family owners. The garnet red paint is in very good shape and it seems likely this Olds was garaged since new. While it’s not likely to become any sort of blue chip investment, there’s far more joy that comes from knowing you own the last of a breed that has more or less gone extinct – and car enthusiasts everywhere will tip their hat to you for keeping such a vehicle on the road. Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find.
Another winner from Dr Olds 👏
Sport pkg wagon. Just like the one Griswold ordered, but never got lol.
Wow. This is just so clean and well preserved. These were actually good cars mechanically. I like the buckets and console in a wagon too. I hope it gets taken care of in the future there really arent many of these left.
This is fantastic, what a sharp wagon. It looks very Euro with the wood trim delete, the bucket seats, floor shifter, full gauges, and those wheels.
Rallye-Fun Pack equipped…
That 3.3 L V6 is a good engine. Buick block…was a little ‘nervous’ at idle, as no balance shaft. But it was eager to please. Family had a ’93 Century with the 3.3L. Gold inside and out, factory luggage rack on trunk and aluminum wheels with whitewalls. Factory gauges and power everything. Power seat control on front of seat as the door panels had giant map holders…for maps.
Perfect for the parents who recently retired.
Yep, a equally-impressive variant of the 3800. I had one in a ’92 Ciera and it was a great driving car with low maintenance cost and decent gas mileage.
💯 BigFun
I don’t remember ever seeing one of these little beauties. Smooth looking. Congrats to the soon to be new owner.
Maybe I missed it, but price? Location?
$ 7,900 i didn’t see a location though.
I still don’t see the price in the ad or the location. I could have very well gone totally crazy. I’m afraid the location listed would add another $15800 to the price for me.
Ad says:
Freeland, Mi
Who wanted a sport wagon? Me. In 1968 I had a future wife who owned two horses, and who competed jumping over fences. She owned a two horse trailer, she had been using her father’s ’61 Olds wagon, but the logistics were difficult. I was friendly with the only car dealer in town, a Chevy dealer, I was driving a ’56 Chevy and the service manager was a good friend. I needed to buy a new car and had cash, still being single. Service manager and I worked out what to get: Chevy Malibu wagon, (the mid-size car in the lineup at the time) the more powerful 327 (4 barrell), 4 speed manual transmission, economy real axel, heavy duty everything, battery, radiator, suspension, alternator, all the heavy duty options, trailer package. A promise to buy radial tires as soon as the original equipment wore out – bias ply tires lasted about 22,000 miles in those days.
Result was a sport wagon, fast, handled superbly for a wagon, used 1st to start off with the horses, otherwise ignored it, great gas milage not towing horses which was most of the time, got it up to 110 mph where it got really light, just to see what it would do, engine was no where near redline. Stood taller than a conventional Malibu, dealer wanted a big deposit since, as the writer here noted, who else would want a car like this? Took 6 weeks to show at dealer, and one day in service bay for “dealer prep”, where they put it up on lift and tightened bolts, and nuts, and screws, and did the same under the hood and in the passeger compartment, checked and fixed wheel allignment, and pronounced it fit for duty. 30 day warranty in the “good old days” was all you got.
Who else would want a car like that? Me, me, me.
Is this the Olds version of the Celerity Eurosport wagon?
Wow, someone optioned this one right. The condition looks like it’s saying “drive me”. This little red wagon would be great in my carport.
Nah, still prefer the eagle cause of ground clearance and AWD
YOLO