Welcome back! Today we’re paying a visit to General Motors in the 1990s, and looking at some less-commonly-seen options from their back catalogue. After yesterday’s nightmares, you’ll be happy to hear that both of these run and drive fine, and are actually in quite good shape.
Speaking of yesterday, let’s see how the voting went. To no one’s surprise, the poorly-conceived LS swap into a high-tech Mitsubishi sports car went over like a lead balloon, clearing the way for an easy win for the Maserati. Several of you thought that it had $1700 worth of decorative value alone, and I can’t disagree. But I think you could get that car going again, barring any unseen catastrophic mechanical damage. And worst case scenario, as pointed out, you could probably recoup the cost by selling parts.
As for the title, if I remember correctly, the tough part about a lien sale in California is getting the lien in the first place. Once the towing yard or mechanic or whoever has applied for and received the proper paperwork, I think it’s just like any other transaction for the next buyer. I don’t think they even brand the title when a new one is issued.
Now then: I don’t think there is such a thing as a “rare” General Motors car, outside of some specialty high-performance models. The company has factories all over the world, and cranks out an incredible number of cars every day. But some of them you just don’t see very often, or maybe not very often any more. These two in particular jumped out at me as being uncommon, and uncommonly nice for their age. Let’s check them out.
1994 Pontiac Trans Sport SE – $2,200
Engine/drivetrain: 3.8 liter overhead valve V6, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Seattle, WA
Odometer reading: 187,000 miles
Runs/drives? Yep
GM’s “Dustbuster” vans are rare enough these days, but when was the last time you saw a Pontiac Trans Sport? This is a post-facelift model, when Pontiac revised the front end from looking a little like the Grand Prix to looking a lot like the Bonneville. It uses Bonneville headlights, in fact, I just learned. It’s the fancy SE model, powered by the mighty 3800 Series II V6, buried deep within that long nose. You thought servicing this engine in a LeSabre was hard? Check this out. It’s in there somewhere, I promise.
Paired with this cast-iron legend is, of course, a 4T60-E four-speed automatic transmission. In Europe, this van was available with the far more satisfying combination of a 2.3 liter Quad 4 four-cylinder and a five-speed manual, but GM never saw fit to offer that combo here in Pontiac’s homeland. “We Build Excitement, But Only For Others,” apparently. But the 3800/Turbo-Hydramatic combo is sturdy, and in this case, runs well. However, one thing worth pointing out is that the catalytic converter has been deleted; the seller tries to pass this off as a positive – “it’ll never be stolen!” – but it also means it can’t be smogged in places that require it.
Otherwise, it’s in decent shape for the mileage. The interior is doing all right, and the exterior looks fine except for a few scuffs and some peeling clearcoat. I do wonder what the stacks of various carpets over the floormats is all about. Extra protection? Extra padding? Who knows?
One detail I always found funny about these, and I feel honor-bound to point out, since our usual pointer-outer-of-taillights is out of commission at the moment, is that the center-mounted “high” stop light is actually well below the height of the regular brake lights. It had to be there by law, but why they didn’t put it above the rear window I can’t understand.
1999 Cadillac Catera Sport – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 3.0 liter dual overhead cam V6, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Portland, OR
Odometer reading: 140,000 miles
Runs/drives? Indeed
How many times has Cadillac tried to reinvent itself now? I’ve lost count. In 1996, reeling from Northstar V8 teething problems and finally over the Allante fiasco, GM’s luxury division attempted to take on European makes by importing a European Opel Omega and slapping a Cadillac crest on the nose. Playing up the car’s handling, Cadillac sold the Catera under the tagline “The Caddy That Zigs.” Cindy Crawford and a cartoon bird were also involved, for some reason.
This Catera is the “Sport” model, with stiffer suspension and bigger wheels than the standard one, but powered by the same 3.0 liter four-cam V6 and four-speed automatic. At least it powers the rear wheels, unlike the rest of Cadillac’s lineup at the time. I never got to drive one of these any further than in and out of a service bay, but I’m told they do handle pretty well. This one runs and drives great, according to the seller, and has had a lot of recent work done to keep it that way.
It’s in good condition cosmetically, with a nice clean interior and shiny black paint. It certainly doesn’t look like any other Cadillacs from the era, and that’s a good thing. It’s much closer to a European sports sedan than a Seville. It may also be why this car didn’t sell that well; Cadillac buyers didn’t understand it, and BMW buyers wouldn’t set foot in a Cadillac dealership.
These days, Cadillac has finally gained some respect for its sports sedans, the CT4 and CT5, but too often the Catera gets lumped in with the Cimarron among its mis-steps. As a legitimate fan of the Cimarron, I feel a solidarity with the Catera crowd; the Cimarron might not have been a very good Cadillac, but it was a hell of a nice Cavalier. And the Catera wasn’t quite a Cadillac either, but it brought a pretty nice Opel to America.
General Motors is such a juggernaut that it almost doesn’t matter what you think of its products; you can’t avoid them. They’re everywhere. They’re so ubiquitous that most of them just blend into the background of the American automotive landscape. Because of that, when you see the uncommon ones like these, it’s kind of a treat. It’s even better when they’re both for sale for reasonable prices and in viable condition. So what’ll it be: the dead-brand minivan, or the dead-end Cadillac sports sedan?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
Back when the Transport came out, I almost rear-ended one on a dark rainy evening on a suburban-strip-mall-laden road because I didn’t see the taillights that are so high they blended in with all of the lighted signage along the roadway. The taillights are in the wrong place.
I’m voting for the Lisa Catera.
Recall my dad complaining about these lights at the time they were new. He hated seeing them on the road.
Went Catera based on condition but could be argued into the Trans Sport for a hauler, although the rear plugs look like a nightmare. Had a 1988 Regal coupe in college, W body with the 60 degree 2.8 V6. Changing rear plugs involved undoing the upper motor mount knuckle and rotating the engine forward with a large pry bar, then locking in place. Still tight access but manageable with u-points and by removing the sheet metal covers for the wring harness.
Caddy wins for me. I really wanted one of these in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, I had a used Honda budget at the time, and I gradually forgot about them. I haven’t thought about the Catera in a while, but if I saw one for sale like this locally, I would at least have a look at it. Also, while I am a fan of the Catera, this particular car looks like it is legitimately a nice car for the price range.
I don’t understand comparing the Catera to the Cimarron. The Catera was the first attempt at a sport-luxury Cadillac. It does not seem out of place in an era where Cadillac sells the CT4/CT5 or V-series cars. It only seemed out of place when Cadillac was still billing itself as a purveyor of isolation luxury land yachts for the elderly. The Catera was ahead of its time for a Cadillac product, but only by a few years.
I don’t dislike the Cimarron (I agree it was a nice Cavalier), but I don’t think it was a legitimate attempt to build a premium compact car. Cadillac put little effort into differentiating it from the Cavalier. It looked nicer, but it wasn’t any better to drive. The Cimarron feels like a cynical attempt to extract money from buyers who can’t look beyond some fancy upholstery and a premium badge.
I was leaning van, but A. I need the CC and am not interested in messing up the whole exhaust to put in something that should’ve been there all along, and B. I just thought, “what if I can get a grille from the Opel? I’d feel a lot less silly in an obscure import than in a marshmallow-shaped Caddy, and I bet it does, indeed, handle nicely while cruising beautifully.
I’d have to rock the Trans Sport. Not only would it be easy to convert it to a road trip camping monster, you’d have endless fun discussions at the campground, regarding contemporary lewd connotations of the moniker. Kinda like those old Dodge Dart Swingers back in the 70’s. “How you want your marshmellow roasted, little fella?”
Caddy all the way here. While I’m a fan of vans these never look great to me. If I’m going to drive that’ll crumple in a crash I figure it should be something I at least like the look of. The only person I know who had a Catera was my step-sisters father. I don’t remember her ever saying anything good or bad about it so I’ll take it as an OK vehicle.
CATERA!!!!! Oh my gosh, I’ve wanted a Catera for ages, and that’s a solid deal on a pretty nice one. Usually I see really scuzzy examples trying to fetch that much, and no. I want a Gambler Catera and my budget is no.
Also, I want to give it nobbly tires and a home-repaint job to look like either the hero car from “Manta, Manta” or the Kissling Nuerburgring 24H car, so clearly, this one is WAY too nice for me. Or is it? DO I NEED A NICE CATERA TO PLAY WITH?!
As a 411 owner, I love weird sedans that never quite got much love when they were new. I have to vote Catera. You should vote Catera. Also, you know what to get me for Christmas now. Buy me the Catera.
Never a dustbuster fan.it always seemed to me with long front nose you couldn’t see the front end and you lost cargo space with the front seats almost at midpoint of the van.
I enjoy a good manual transmission in a vehicle that is suited for one, but I cannot imagine a mediocre 4 cylinder + manual in a minivan being far more satisfying than the excellent 3800 + 4T60E combo.
Not every manual is better than every automatic.
The Quad 4/Getrag 5 speed combo was really good, though. Not just “good for a FWD GM,” like actually good. It should have at least been an option here, if they went to all the trouble of setting it up for Europe.
That is not my memory of the powertrain from friends’ Grand Ams and the like (and I expect it would have been worse in the far heavier minivan), but I respect your opinion of it. If nothing else, at least the spark plugs would have been accessible.
As someone who generally enjoys minivans and someone who generally enjoys manual transmissions, I’ve never felt the need or even desire to combine the two. Offering it here seems like it would have been a novelty, not a serious attempt for additional sales.
having owned a HO quad 4 with a getrag Grand AM, I disagree. it was really fun to drive, even after i blew a head gasket lol
I do wonder why they went through the trouble of engineering it at all, given it was a bit of a gamble to sell overseas and IIRC GM wasn’t doing a lot of Euro-specific variants of home-market cars.
Guessing it was a series of down to the wire decisions in development, since you could buy I4/MT vans from in most minivans at the time here but were about to be picked off in the early 90s. Maybe a 2.3/auto combo was even considered before it was realized that would have had little benefit over the still sluggish 3.1/3AT in every way and that would at least let them promote a “standard V6!”
The 3300 seems like it would have been a smart thing to offer at the start, since they had that available a year before Chrysler rolled out the 3.3 in 1990 and would go on to make it standard in the Grands
No.
EDIT: Lord that Opel is ugly, but I’d take it for the weirdness level. Still not something I would invest time/money into.
I already own a black turn-of-the-century entry-luxury sedan, so even though I like Cateras (Caterae?), we’ll take the Dustbuster in The Good Color, and register it at my mom’s house in Michigan.
However, I’d have endorsed a “¿Porque no los dos?” option here as well.
Also, I am obliged to point out that David E Kelley wrote a character named “Lisa Catera” into later seasons of “Chicago Hope,” which was an excellent gag.
The Trans Sport with a 4 cylinder would be absolutely miserable. Especially once you added anything or anyone other than the driver. With the 3800 that’s in there, it’s totally competent, and I get the appeal of the utility it offers. Kind of dull in all ways but appearance, though.
The Catera, on the other hand, is an Opel Omega in disguise. I’ve owned both of its main precursor cars; an Opel Rekord and an Opel Senator. I would be glad to buy a Catera like this if there were any in such nice condition and priced so well near me.
The Catera looks to be in nice condition. I’m choosing it, even though no one will see it as a Caddy. They’ll just say someone badge the car as a Caddy for fun.
Oh, I would absolutely lean into that and call it a Nopel.
Trans Sport all day every day. It’s just such a unique vehicle. The Catera was also just so “meh.” Yeah, the engine might be tough to work on, but it’s a 3800; what are you even going to have to do to it? This is the engine that be exemplifies the “a GM will run bad longer than most other cars will run at all” mantra
The Catera was a bit underrated when new, I think. The Americans really didn’t change all that much of the Omega, which was a pretty decent Autobahn cruiser. The only downside I can see is parts availability (dealer: “Gasket set for a WHAT?”), but the rest is just fine, especially at the price.
The later Saturn Opel wasn’t so bad either. Like the Catera, it retained enough of its European character to stand above the rest of the GM sedans.
I went in expecting an easy Dustbuster win, but it’s a bit closer than I thought. The Cadillac is very clean and a good list of recent repair work including some of the key concerns (cooling system being a major thing for that motor IIRC), although it seems like a lot to have spent for how much it’s listed for. It isn’t even underpriced, it seems in line with ones with half the mileage from used car dealers. Maybe it was a mechanic’s special and it’s what the cost would be for the average person?
For the Trans Sports, I’m a bit more partial to the pre-facelift, not just for the nose, I like the earlier cladding better (the ribbing is an “innie” on the original, an “outie” after that. The Pontiac listing is a bit odd with pics not of the actual van sprinkled throughout like they’re trying a hard sell, but still going that way. A thorough scrubbing of the wheels and interior seems like it should make it more presentable even if the rest of the paintwork isn’t worth putting in much effort to recover.
I saw a parked Catera once that had lost most of its badging. I was stumped at first as to what it was. I was getting vague Corsica vibes, but I knew that wasn’t right. Finally I found a Caddy crest. No Caddy should make you work that hard to distinguish it from a disposable Chevy, but I would still take it over the Trans Sport. It’s a toss-up between these two; just depends what you need.
Poncho has a 3800, which I didn’t even know was available in the U-bodies. But it’s got a lot of miles, and the lack of feline equipment means I couldn’t plate it where I live.
The Caddy is in great shape, but has a very unusual and unique engine. And how easy is it to get other parts?
Condition wins here, I’ll take the Caddy. Rock Auto’s “’99 Catera” section looks pretty complete, actually.
By the way, working on a 3800 in a LeSabre is duck soup. The H-body can also accommodate a NorthStar, which is a monster of an engine, but the 3800 is physically tiny. There’s a ton of room to work compared to other transverse V6s.
the spark plugs on the rear bank of that trans-sport are fucking impossible to get to
*obligatory video of the Trans Sport folding like a lawn chair in crash testing*
More than that, I just find the Caddy more interesting. It wasn’t the right type of car for them at the time. The only people walking into a Cadillac dealership in the late 90’s were well-to-do geezers who wanted an old school luxury boat and young ballers/musicians who just signed their first big contract and wanted an Escalade. This Catera looks like it would make for a solid cheap daily, which is not an easy thing to find in this market.
Was that on the dustbusters too? I thought that was only on 2nd gen Venture/TransSport/Montana/Silhouette models, at least the viral video of it.
You are correct, that was actually the following generation. IIHS may not have been doing the overlap crash during the Dustbuster era.
I mean, I’m sure it’s not actually any safer, I was just confused because I’d never seen it on the dustbusters
I know they did the Astro/Safari though, because I remember being terrified of that result whenever I used to drive my old job’s shuttle. Luckily, I killed the fuel pump before an offset collision killed me.
Catera for me, but really either/both is an option at these prices.
I want both. Van is great for a weekend camper, and the Caddy looks good enough to drive as a daily for a couple years. BOTH option for me, specially at these prices.
This was kinda tough for me. I have a weird affinity for Pontiacs of that era, but the condition and RWD of the Catera won me over. Parts availability is probably non-existent in the US, but that car isn’t really collectible or anything. Drive it until something expensive breaks, then send it on down the road.
I was ready to vote for the dustbuster, but that Caddy looks too nice to pass up for the low bucks.
RWD comfort, please. I don’t need to haul plywood or kids around. Got a truck for the former and none of the latter.