One’s tastes are subject to the impressions they leave on others and are heavily tied to the time they are displayed. Take for example, this 1985 Cadillac Seville for sale on Craigslist in Freehold, New Jersey. While a bit offensive to our eyes today, this bustle-backed Caddy is a low-mileage example of the dealer-installed excess we regularly saw in the eighties. Not only is this car festooned with some of the more questionable styling “enhancements” of the era, but it is also in spectacular shape for its age. It sports a near-perfect white paint job, a well-preserved white leather interior, and an eye-catching set of white mudflaps. How much should one pay for this impressive ride? Does $14,000 sound about right for this Radwood-ready Cadillac? Thanks to Mitchell G. for this time capsule tip!
When you go to Elvis’s slightly palatial final home, Graceland, your eyes are bombarded with floor coverings, furnishings, and appliances that look very out of place to our 2025 eyes. Some might even dare to sacrilegiously say that the whole home is “tacky.” However, the house is frozen in time to reflect what it looked like when the King went home on August 16, 1977. What you see is the height of seventies interior design by a guy who could afford whatever he wanted. He was, after all, the King.
The 1985 Cadillac Seville you see here is also a great reflection of what was fashionable to many luxury car buyers in the mid-1980s but is somewhat gaudy by today’s standards. It seems that there was a large segment of the elderly eighties population still in love with such styling features as continental spare tire assemblies, fake Rolls-Royce grilles, faincy wire wheels, Vogue tires, and convertible tops. Despite having the convertible look, these were fiberglass caps that fit over the roofline and were covered in canvas to give a convertible-like appearance. All of these features were dealer-installed options at the time and probably drew the ire of Cadillac executives. It was right about here that Cadillac figured out that younger buyers were avoiding their showrooms due to the senior citizen image that the brand had earned.
Despite the damage that the AARP-approved modifications did to the brand’s long-term success, dealers were only too happy to slather new Cadillacs (other brands were just as guilty) with these very lucrative add-ons. This 72,458-mile example must have left the dealership with just about every option that the dealer could install. It also came from the factory loaded with the usual power accessories and a very nice white leather interior. The seller does tell us that it will need minor but unspecified cosmetic repairs. Recent repairs and additions include the front and rear bumper fillers and an exhaust manifold. The tires have only 1,000 miles on them, and it is said to look and drive excellent for its age.
While it is hard for us to understand today, this setup is just what a large segment of the luxury car market wanted at that time. Imagine this treatment on a modern Cadillac. The good news is that eighties’ cars in great condition are appreciating. Nostalgia and such events as Radwood have awakened interest in such cars. Has that appreciation made this a bargain at $14,000, or is the seller a bit too optimistic?
Do you think the price of this Cadillac Seville is spot-on or a bit too much? Did you ever own a car equipped like this, or have a family member that did? If so, please share the story in the comments.
Too much – looks like somebody went crazy with a
JCWhitney catalog.
The stunning Seville busselback model. In some way, the epitome of 80s elegance and luxury.
Appallingly grotesque.
At some point, Cadillac lost the status they shared with Mercedes and BMW for luxury (any semblance to Rolls Royce had been gone since before WW2).
I’m not sure when they lost that status, but by the time this car rolled around, it had happened. The Cimarron confirmed it.
Grandpa had an 84 New Yorker. While not a Mercedes, it was closer to that than this Cadillac (IMO).
Thanks Jeff, that’s a thoughtful write-up and asks good questions. Looking at this car today with the cheesy dress-up items to me it looks ghastly, but tastes were different possibly in the 1985. Also, though it doesn’t appeal to me, Cadillac dealers were in business to sell cars and make money so presumably this is what (some, many?) buyers wanted at the time.
They say “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” so with all respect to Stan’s opinion above, I find the bustle-back styling of this car to be a big fail. Trying to pin a styling feature from much more stately Rolls and Daimlers from an earlier era onto a down-sized mass-produced eighties design, it doesn’t work for me.
CCF… did you prefer the other bustleback offerings ? The Lincoln Continental, or the very slick Imperial 2door from Chrysler..
Which had a Frank Sinatra 🎙 🍸 special edition.
I was around in the 1980’s, and I can tell you that the fake convertible and rear spare were tacky then as well.
I always like the “bustle back” Seville. It was very different in an era where everything looked the same.
Although it is highly optioned, it is still missing the optional digital dash, leather wrapped steering wheel (which was standard on Elegantes) and BOSE sound system.
A CB radio was also optional.
I was the fleet manager at Fanning Cadillac-Buick in Chicago at this time, and ordered hundreds of these.
A factory simulated convertible top was optional, but only available in vinyl in 3 colors.
The cloth ones were aftermarket, and available in more colors.
LOVE the bustleback!! But that continental kit? And the mud flaps makes it look like a ghetto motorcar.
That boot would have to be completely removed/replaced with another one. Even thought the colour would be off a bit, it’s certain to be smarter looking than that ghetto look it has now. Other than that, it’s truly a BEAUTIFUL motorcar.
Never liked them, never will. Hideous. Too each their own!
Way to much money, about 30 thousand miles left until engine failure. Another sign of drop in Cadillac quality. A real shame
I see it sports Vogue tires which are absolute junk.
@Archie
Why is that? How are they absolute junk?
Well, hello Angel, haven’t seen you on for a bit. Hope you’re doing well. I don’t know much about Vogues other than they look great on luxury cars.
Do they look great and poorly constructed or just a low mileage performance tire to start with?
They’re kind of spendy, too, aren’t they?
Maybe Jughead had a set, back in Riverdale.
Maybe Jughead had a set, back in Riverdale.
Never understood the fake looking top and the ugly trunk on these cars had me wondering what the heck the people at Cadillac were thinking when they said YES absolutely build that thing.
They were probably thinking “How the heck can we make our version look different than the Riviera or Toronado that are just down the street”?
Taking that into context, I think they did a pretty good job of making something that looked different / unique.
Get rid of the faux continental, mud flaps and faux rag-top and a stunning car emerges from the cocoon. Granted, the razor-edge styling evokes memories of Britain’s finest, and I find that a very good choice. I always wanted one of these, and for the life of me I cannot understand collectors’ preferences for first-generation Sevilles that looked just like any other GM sedan of the 70s and 80s.
Never bought one, despite a few temptations. ‘Couldn’t abide any of the engine options offered on these Sevilles. Perhaps that was the one advantage of the first-gen ones – the plain old bulletproof 350 SBC.
Agree with you 110% on the 3 options? that set the buyer back $6-7,000. Why don’t you just key the car on both sides for free?
The bumper mounted continental kits are even worse. The only approval would come from Lifesavers candy for achieving the Guiness world record for largest one!
A couple of times I’ve pulled alongside one of these mocktops and asked them why they don’t have the top down on a sunny day! Lol!
I will disagree on the first generation Seville. I like them better because of the stately look. But to each their own.
They say the King was on the toilet when he died. It seems Cadillac was in the toilet when they styled this generation of Seville. I don’t know of another car that can look good from some angles yet hideous from others. At least it sold enough that Cadillac built them for several years.
Agree with you 110% on the 3 options? that set the buyer back $6-7,000. Why don’t you just key the car on both sides for free?
The bumper mounted continental kits are even worse. The only approval would come from Lifesavers candy for achieving the Guiness world record for largest one!
A couple of times I’ve pulled alongside one of these mocktops and asked them why they don’t have the top down on a sunny day! Lol!
I will disagree on the first generation Seville. I like them better because of the stately look. But to each their own.
About a month ago, there was an all white Seville on here actually twice listed, with 38,000 miles. Much nicer look.
Hi Jon!
Glad you joined the conversation. The 80s Seville was very controversial but being an oddity myself I kinda like them. I don’t care for the two tone paint schemes or the faux convertible tops. (My ’92 Eldorado had one) but the bustleback was an interesting throwback but I think the real reason it didn’t sell because it’s predecessor was so classic and so “Cadillac” people really didn’t take to the larger design.
Whatever the reasons, as I stated I like these, just not all gussied up.
Mr. Quasimodo, you car is ready.
Ghetto Prince is my name.
Regarding the first generation Sevilles… I had one – it said “Oldsmobile Delta 88” on it. It was a good car – like so many of the old used cars I’ve owned and used. But BORING! GM BORING!!! It could have been a Chevy Impala, a Buick LeSabre, whatever. They all look and drive the same. They’re all comfortable. They’re all boring. At least the 80s LeSabres bored you with a dashboard perhaps a litttle reminiscent of those big ‘40s Buicks.. The excitement ends there. Does the first-gen Seville distinguish itself from this crowd? I think not.
Smaller-platorm luxury cars can be built and they exude luxury, along with inspiring handling and incredible speed. Mercedes Benz, Audi, BMW, etc.
You wanna put the first-gen Sevilles in that crowd? Do they look like luxury cars? Cadillacs? No! No way! I think they were designed not to offend anybody. I thought they were the most average-looking GM car ever produced. At least these 2nd generation Sevilles were controversial, distinctive, unique, obviously luxurious. They were Cadillacs.
You guys are a tough bunch. I was not driving yet when these came out but they nice looking cars. My grandma bought a brand new white coupe DeVille.
Beautiful car. The 4.1 was not the best but they are classy cars and ride much better than the current car you guys drive.
Article is about a SEVILLE not a DEVILLE. I personally liked the DEVILLES.
This car is made for one who lives in a retirement community in Florida, golfs, wears plaid pants with white shoes, watches Matlock reruns and enjoys a lovely dinner out at 4:00pm….
You forgot the matching white patent leather belt! LOL
And putting your teeth in a glass of water at 8pm! LMAO!
“festooned”, eh?
LOL…….
Clearly remember when these showed up at dealerships. Were always offensive to my eyes.
I’m really surprised with the negativity from people about the looks of this motorcar! Without the HORRBIBLE faux continental look on the bonnet, the lines & sweeps of this shape is quite elegant/sophisticated. It’s very much like the sweeps/lines reminiscent of motorcars of the 40’s-50’s.
We’ve been a Rolls Royce family for generations. We have kept two 1965 Silver Cloud IIIs. (Both were my great Grandparents) The lines on this Seville tries to emulate that very elegant European appearance. And it succeeds. I actually think this design was/is too sophisticated for American tastes.
Bravo @KeithWCEB! I totally agree with you. I chuckled earlier at the numerous references to the guy in plaid trousers, white shoes and white belt who travels daily to the golf course in one of these. No-no! That guy drives a FIRST-generation Seville! Lacking the ability to discern exceptional design, he confuses beauty with averageness. He wouldn’t be caught dead in a 1937 Talbot Lago, but he’ll drive his 1st-gen Seville for the same reason he wears the plaid trousers. He does it because “everybody else” in his club does it – and “everybody else” does it for the same reason. – Fallacy of composition: perfect example.
Now the guy who drives THIS Seville (without the continental, vinyl top & mud flaps) is well centered and comfortable in his own skin. He knows what he likes and cares not about what others think. ‘Bet his other car is an AMC Pacer. And he’s restoring a ’60 Valiant – with an appropriate “continental”.
Now maybe I’m confusing beauty with novelty. I’ll take that risk…