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Loved the 1979 Coupe Deville. I really miss how wild Cadillac did some of their interiors, the plaid cloths, the broccade upholstery that looked like a victorian couch, some of the nylon weave cloth they used in the 60's/70's was pretty crazy. Then there was the D'Elgance option which got you extra padding on the seats. Depending on the year, they did a wild button tufted sort of thing . . .
^That interior is similar to what he had in his 1983 Fleetwood Brougham except in Burgundy.
From what I remember, the pic below is exactly what the interior of his 79 Coupe Deville D'Elegance looked like... Yeah those were some plush interiors
1988 Mazda 929 3.0 V6 SOHC 18 Valves with 0-60 MPH in 10.5 secs, and much torquier than today's multivalve engines, which seem to be losing bottom end torque for top end power, eg Lexus 4GS350.
Very rare breed.
[Overseas model shown]
Ours had color coded front and rear bumpers...
Our neighbor had one of those 929's I think it was a 1987 he loved it, he replaced it with a 1993 929 which was a different body style...He then bought a 97 Mazda Millenia, but kept the 929. At the time my parents had never owned a Japanese car, but my father was so impressed with the Millenia that he bought my mom a 1998 Millenia S and was very happy with that car. When that car came off lease in 2001 he bought another, that one was a 2002. He would have probably bought a third but I think Mazda pulled the plug on it in 2003.
We should have bought the 1991-95 929.
Beautiful looking car, but pity the low interior, and in particular the fuel tank behind the rear seats rather than under the trunk, resulting in a half length trunk.
The 3.0 V6 Quad Cam 24 Valver was torquier and smoother than the equivalent Lexus 2ES300 V6.
The long wheelbase and rear drive layout had ride and handling that the short wheelbase Lexus 2ES300 could not match.
Pity we were a bit tight, and bought the wide body Camry and wide body Accord combo instead.
The 1992-03 Millenia 2.3L V6 Supercharged FWD was okay.
It wasn't as pretty outside or inside.
Didn't have as much rear leg room as the 929, but had a full length trunk.
The ride and handling in the Millenia was firm and sporty.
Boy, late 1990's and Mazda really lost it with their final generation of 323's, 626's and 1995-99 929's.
It was really a rehash of the same platform, on terribly boring new skin, albeit with more vertical height.
We haven't been back to Mazda since.
By this point in time, Lexus really inflicted major damage on all three Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti and Mazda/Eunos/Amati - sort of like the comeback that Mercedes is inflicting on both BMW and Audi right now...
Our neighbor had one of those 929's I think it was a 1987 he loved it, he replaced it with a 1993 929 which was a different body style...He then bought a 97 Mazda Millenia, but kept the 929. At the time my parents had never owned a Japanese car, but my father was so impressed with the Millenia that he bought my mom a 1998 Millenia S and was very happy with that car. When that car came off lease in 2001 he bought another, that one was a 2002. He would have probably bought a third but I think Mazda pulled the plug on it in 2003.
The Millennia, unlike the 929, was never designed to be sold under the Mazda nameplate. At the time, Mazda was planning an Amati upscale luxury division to compete with Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti. But Ford owned Mazda at the time, and pulled the plug on the Amati division for financial reasons (always seems to be money, doesn't it?) The Millennia, as a result, was sold a few more years as a Mazda flagship, then quietly disappeared. I test-drove a Millennia S, and wasn't terribly impressed with it. While it was not a bad car by any means, it seemed to lack some of the driving refinement and no-rattle build-solidness of some of its competitors.
The Millennia, unlike the 929, was never designed to be sold under the Mazda nameplate. At the time, Mazda was planning an Amati upscale luxury division to compete with Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti. But Ford owned Mazda at the time, and pulled the plug on the Amati division for financial reasons (always seems to be money, doesn't it?) The Millennia, as a result, was sold a few more years as a Mazda flagship, then quietly disappeared. I test-drove a Millennia S, and wasn't terribly impressed with it. While it was not a bad car by any means, it seemed to lack some of the driving refinement and no-rattle build-solidness of some of its competitors.
Very interesting info, I didn't realize this..
I can understand the Millennia not having Lexus like refinement, not many cars do. But like I said my father really liked the Millennia S so much that he purchased two back to back. And in those 6 years of driving them he never complained about them at all, he really liked those cars. And believe me, if there were any rattles or problems everyone would have known about it. My father, who is now 74 is a extremely particular when it comes to his cars (I guess I get it from him ) and doesn't hold back from expressing himself if not happy LOL..
Back in the 1990's, the Mazda Millenia that we test drove was silky smooth and quiet in the engine with the same metal-resin-metal sandwich firewall as used in Lexus vehiles, and the Millenia had no creaks or rattles, however the tires were low in profile [Series 60, as opposed to Series 65], and the springing and damping was quite firm & sporty like the current Lexus 4GS - and in time, like all firmly suspended cars on low profile tires, I wouldn't be surprised if the Millenia developed more rattles than other cars.
1988 Mazda 929 3.0 V6 SOHC 18 Valves with 0-60 MPH in 10.5 secs, and much torquier than today's multivalve engines, which seem to be losing bottom end torque for top end power, eg Lexus 4GS350.
Very rare breed.
[Overseas model shown]
Ours had color coded front and rear bumpers...
That 929 is so reminiscent of my friends 1989 Camry V6. I remember driving his car in high school and literally could not feel shifts at any point. That thing was so darn smooth riding on 15s!
Another memory is of my Uncle's Olds Cutless Supreme. It was a 2-door and I remembered how roomy it was for a kid all of 8-years-old. The front bench seating was also pretty cool and I remember the doors being so heavy and difficult to pull up on the door handles to unlock the door.
Our 1991 Honda Accord LX will always hold a special place in memory. It was handed down to me by my parents. My Dad had negotiated a killer $15.5K (about $250 over invoice, I think) at the time. At first, Carmichael Honda didn't go for it so my Dad walked. Hours later they called back to see if my parents still wanted to deal. Not sure how the conversation went but the next day I came he from school and a brand new maroon Accord was in the driveway and the sales guy was just leaving our home. He drove the car over so my parents could do a final inspection and close the deal! At first, I hated the new-car smell and it would make me nauseous. As I got older I became more immune to the off-gassing of materials and the new-car scent grew on me.
I recall driving in the Accord with my Dad and wondering what would happen if I pulled on the door handle. Well, the door opens, that's what happens!...while the car was moving. I panicked and pulled on the handle with both hands to keep the flashlight from illuminating. I guess my Dad hasn't noticed the dash light initially and I held the door closed with all my might until we pulled into the driveway five minutes later.
Oh, I also recall how cool the automatic seat belts were in the Accord and wondering why all cars didn't have them. Then I learned why when I tried to exit the car too quickly one time and the seat belt moved backwards and choked me against the A-pillar. After that I didn't think those seat belts were so great anymore.
The Accord also taught me the dangers of brake fade when I was delivering Chinese food. I was rushing from address to address. The rotors were heating up and the roads were slick. I could feel the brakes starting to fade then I realized I couldn't stop anymore! I slid right into the intersection. Luckily there was no cross traffic. I gathered my senses and drove extra slowly back to work and learned to appreciate why it is bad when your brake fluid boils.
This is like the Rambler Station Wagon we had in Alaska, in 1969 we moved to St. Louis & drove the whole way down the new AL/Can hwy which was half gravel & half blacktop to Montana. This was in August without A/C so the windows were halfway down most of the time.
grew up in a dodge grand caravan and a nissan pathfinder...
needless to say I'm the first generation of car enthusiasts in my family lol
Hey.....nothing wrong with minivans. A true car enthusiast will know that they are indeed some of the best vehicles on the market for a lot of families.
That '68 full-size Chevy Wagon, BTW, looks like the old Brookwood (the up-level Caprice Classic wagon had the imitation wood-panelling on the sides). Did your folks trade it for that '74 Plymouth Satellite wagon? Or were those your cars?
(That Satellite, BTW, by the standards of the time, was considered mid-size...the Brookwood, full-size).
When the oil embargo hit in 74 dad got the Datsun B210 to commute to work.
I remember it well....one of my early-co-workers got one, brand new. Well-assembled for the standards of the time, economical, and reliable, but the sheet metal was paper-thin, it was cramped for American-sized adults, and the ride would let you feel a cigarette butt in the road if you drove over it LOL.
On the big wagons, did your folks trade the '68 for the '74?....see my earlier question above.
10-03-16, 07:00 AM
The Millennia, as a result, was sold a few more years as a Mazda flagship, then quietly disappeared. I test-drove a Millennia S, and wasn't terribly impressed with it. While it was not a bad car by any means, it seemed to lack some of the driving refinement and no-rattle build-solidness of some of its competitors.
) and doesn't hold back from expressing himself if not happy LOL..
