There were millions of these GM A-body front wheel drive cars produced from 1982 to 1996 in Chevrolet Celebrity, Pontiac 6000, Buick Century, and Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera forms. The Buick and Oldsmobile versions hung around longer than Chevrolet and Pontiac. These A-bodies were also produced in a station wagon that probably gave the Chrysler minivans a run for their money. Here is a 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser station wagon for sale on here on eBay in The Dalles, Oregon.
The seller says this is an International Series or Edition, but I have to disagree. I thought maybe I was going to learn something new today, but so far I haven’t. I didn’t think Oldsmobile produced an International Series wagon, and my research proved they did not. While they did produce International Series 2 door coupes and 4 door sedans, no wagons were made. So this is actually a regular Cutlass Cruiser wagon. The original paint is faded and has some scratches and dings, but there is no rust. The hood has a crimp on the driver’s side but is not too noticeable with the hood closed. This one has the better looking aluminum-styled wheels rather than the wire wheel covers.
The interior is in fair to good condition and does show some wear. As much as some of us thought the General Motors cloth interiors from the 1980s were awfully bland, they did seem to hold up well. The front center armrest cover appears to be loose. The air conditioning is no longer working, as well as one of the power lock buttons, power antenna, cruise control, and cigarette lighter that needs attention. Power windows, power seat and tilt wheel are working.
The rear can be used as either a cargo area or pull up the third facing seat for passenger room. You might still find some dog hair back there because a previous owner used this station wagon to transport her Corgi show dogs. She went so far as to have a fan installed to keep the dogs cool. The fans are operated by a toggle switch on the dash.
This Cutlass Cruiser has the optional 3.3 6-cylinder engine. The engine runs well without any problems along with the automatic transmission which shifts as it should. The car has traveled 121,354 miles.
While this car does not seem to scream out a classic car, it is still a 30-year-old vehicle. How many of those have you seen on the road lately? It is one that you can drive if you need the cargo room as your daily driver. The Buy it Now price is only $2,100, so for that price, you can drive it like it is without a lot of money invested.
This is just an old used car, and for the person who buys it, $2100 will be everything they’ve saved up. It won’t be a “bargain,” it will be the only car they are able to get their hands on. And they shouldn’t pay more than $1200 or so for it.
Not necessarily, grant. I’d look at this if it was closer to me. I can afford a new car if I wanted one, but would rather spend my money on other things. It’s worth the asking price plus the shipping to someone who wants a medium sized wagon like this. Putting a later 3800 in this would be a nice upgrade, too. The only thing that concerns me is how much towing was done in this before the owner decided they needed a larger tow vehicle.
A 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Cruiser was my first wagon, the first car I ever had with A/C. The comfort and convenience got me hooked on station wagons to the point where I’m now on my 5th wagon, a Dodge Magnum. These Olds wagons were good cars; reliable and comfortable with good options. Great road trip cars with plenty of room for 5 passengers and luggage, plus the option of using the roof rack. Never had any issues with my ’85 with one exception; I had two big German Shepherds and I got tired of vacuuming dog hair out of the headliner; a real pain in the butt.
This ’89 seems like a good deal though getting the air conditioning working, as well as the cruise control might cost more than a few bucks. Still, a fairly cheap daily driver that can haul a load for you and isn’t a minivan has a lot of appeal. I’d be interested except that I’m on the wrong coast.
Wowsa this is so beautiful and powerful .
I am listing my classic mustang now and putting a hula girl on the dash and the dog ornament that bobs the head !
I will also gets some flood pants that pull past my belly button and baggy with the sweater with the patches with the old hat to wear to support the coolness of this artifact .
Lookout Shelby, Mopar, Vettes as grandpa coolness is coming to the car show to take your trophies away.
Wagons Ho!
Psyche!
It’s interesting about the “International” trim not being on a wagon – while I can’t say I have any “proof” of the opposite my father had a ’92 wagon very similar to this one (except dark blue) – and it as well had the international flags under the script on the front fenders – and this was a new car at the time, so they wouldn’t have been an after-sale addition. Weird.
They all had that multi-flag strip under the name. Even my parent’s 84 Ciera 2.5 LS. The flags don’t indicate “International” level trim.
Maybe it was an year/model or even trim thing but growing up we had a total of 5 A-body wagons, 3 of which were Oldsmobile’s. The 92 had the flags but the 93 and 94 didn’t – no idea why.. and if anything out of the lot the ’94 was the most loaded example.
The flags along don’t indicate an International Series. They did make Ciera, Calais, and Cutlass Supreme I.S.s but if they made a wagon version, this isn’t it. They came with upgraded suspensions, special badging and usually blacked out chrome trim and bucket seats.
It’s easy to proclaim these will never have a collector following because we all see them running around town as beaters that no one wants for anything but transportation. However, at one time Ford Falcons and many other cars had the exact same status and now they have a following, so things can easily change. The fact that so many remain as transportation cars translates to them being a pretty solid vehicle.
I never noticed these back in the day but I must admit that it’s a clean looking design! A rust free long roof with an Olds drive train and relatively low miles-what’s not to like? If it handles even halfway decently I just might put on my Haband Sansabelt pants and Henry Fonda fishin’ hat and make a bid myself!
Yes! I was thinking about Haband slacks, they used to advertise them in the Sunday supplements. Perhaps whoever drives this can reduce the nerd factor by wearing his Members Only jacket and putting a bumper sticker on the back stating: “My Other Car Is A Corvette.”
Always wanted to make up a bumper sticker…..”My other car…..isn’t”
Rear fans are a nice touch!
Seems maybe they did offer the International as a cruiser. This is not the “International Series” line that used the Quad 4 engine and FE3 suspension though. I believe only Calais and Supreme models were offered.
My ’93 Cutlass Cruiser has the international flags, too, but the standard engine. I am the second owner, have had it for 15 years. It is an all original survivor with less than 100,000 miles. It may not be a classic yet, there is a local car show I take it to every year where people are awed by its condition and back story. It lives in y garage and I on; drive it on the summer when it is not raining.
The first thing is getting rid of the dog smell if any. Grant’s remark is interesting because in a mass market he’s probably right. But the way old cars are appreciating in general this is not a terribly inflated price. This car will be excellent if you live in a City, it’s a great grocery getter as well as a run to the parts store (put some plywood down in the back so you don’t ruin the carpet).
Fix the A/C and do what else it needs. Timing chain at 120,000 miles. Relax and enjoy.
I like the ’64 – ’77 Vista Cruiser & ’78 – ’96 Cutlass Cruiser as they were both Mid Sized. The big sleds, no (cept for the olds 60s models w/the raised roof, fixed frontal and lateral sky lights). These and the ’83/6 LTD/Marquis were mid sized meaning they might have a V8 oem and more room than the econobx reaction to the Japanese invasion (falcon/valiant/etc).
This “Olds Cutlass Cruiser” (title) and (the write-up) “A-body”, “Ceria” and “International…” just confuse me, but that’s easily done, by many. It’s all good.
AND
just right sized…
(“not too hot, not too cold, not too hard, not too soft…” she said visiting the 3 bears)
I will have to testify that these cars are tough and reliable! My twin boys both had a sedan model for their first cars! One gold and one blue like this one! We live where wind chill can and does get down to -40 to -60 below every winter! That you can count on! Anyway their’s always started and would make it thru reasonable snow! And I am sure those boys put their cars through what teenagers do with their cars!
These are very reliable cars, but not worth all that much, especially with that mileage and things that don’t work. And it’s age. I wouldn’t pay more than $1000, IF it runs and drives good.
To be fair, I never said it was a bad car. Far from it. But there’s nothing special about it, and to the guy who needs a $1500 work beater this one is perfect. Veryclean and should last a while longer.
Love to have one of these, lower it, and drop in the L67 and 4T65E-HD out of my beat-up 99 Riv
The title of this post reminded me of a website I used to visit and loved – https://creditcardclassics.com/.
I used to get emails from the website similar to Barn Finds, so I Googled it and recognized Jeff’s name!
For what is offered these days and what people want for them, this is truly a bargain, but as of yet there are no bids, which is odd.
Remember several years ago Tyson food cutlass cruiser station wagon curb ice lower arms control passenger side