The Worst Car(s) Ever Offered As Prizes on Game Shows

[Briguy]

To look at, it (the Cadillac Cimarron) really is hard to distinguish from any of the everyday cars they offer on the show.

Which was a big part of the criticism many had about the Cadillac Cimarron ... it was indistinguishable from its J-car bretheren – the Chevrolet Cavalier, Pontiac J2000 (later Sunbird), Oldsmobile Omega and Buick Skyhawk, all of which were offered at one time or another on TPiR during the next six years. The Cimarron shared its drivetrain and body shell with its lesser siblings and, except for a luxury interior and a few more luxury options, you could get the same thing in a Cavalier for several thousand dollars less.

A four-cylinder engine and manual transmission even came standard at first on the Cimarron!!!! (First stick-shift Cadillac since the early 1950s, BTW.) A V-6 later came standard and was a little more befitting of the car, but an automatic transmission remained optional its entire life (through 1988), and all its handling options – limited at that – didn't make the car any better than a Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 of the same era.

In and of itself, the Cimarron wasn't a bad car. It's just that, as sold, it didn't really fit as a Cadillac.

Brian

[Teddy]

Which was a big part of the criticism many had about the Cadillac Cimarron ... it was indistinguishable from its J-car bretheren – the Chevrolet Cavalier, Pontiac J2000 (later Sunbird), Oldsmobile Omega and Buick Skyhawk, all of which were offered at one time or another on TPiR during the next six years. The Cimarron shared its drivetrain and body shell with its lesser siblings and, except for a luxury interior and a few more luxury options, you could get the same thing in a Cavalier for several thousand dollars less.

You probably meant to say Firenza; the Omega was the equivalent to a Citation.

[JayC]

Weren't Kias offered at least as Showcase prizes too? I remember the Geos and Metros some, also in Showcases.

I don't recall Kias being offered on Price until after Drew started hosting.

[CaseyBuck]

Are there any TPiR eps online that had a Catera or Cimmaron offered? I'd love to see those.

Wish granted!



$14,100 for a J car. Ouch!

(from today's batch of Pluto TPiR eps; screenshot courtesy of vhs on the Discord)

[goldroadfanatic]

How about the Yugo? It was won at least twice on Classic Concentration. Here was a car that was sold on its low price ($3,990 when it first came out), but came with a lot of shortcomings in performance, quality, and comfort. For the same money, one could buy a good used car that would be roomier, more reliable, faster, and better built.

[jlgarfield]

Wish granted!



$14,100 for a J car. Ouch!

(from today's batch of Pluto TPiR eps; screenshot courtesy of vhs on the Discord)

Hopefully, the late 1990s eps will be shown down the road, and we can see the Catera. XD (Of course, if any turn up on YouTube from home recordings, that's good, too.)

[Alfonzo]

How about the Yugo? It was won at least twice on Classic Concentration. Here was a car that was sold on its low price ($3,990 when it first came out), but came with a lot of shortcomings in performance, quality, and comfort. For the same money, one could buy a good used car that would be roomier, more reliable, faster, and better built.

I thought of it, but I wasn't sure that even a game show would be tacky enough to give away a Yugo. 😃

Of course, we can't forget that some 1950s game shows gave away Edsels!

[styleguy]

Ford Festivas and Aspires.

As far as Renault Alliances and Encores.  Hollywood Squares in the 80s gave away these.

Hyundai Excel and its platform mate the Mitsubishi Precis.  Most common on Classic Concentration.

Sterlings were given away on Sale of the Century.  Honda and Rover's association on a car unfortunately with British electronics.

[Chief-O]

As far as Renault Alliances and Encores.  Hollywood Squares in the 80s gave away these.

Either or the other also made it onto "Card Sharks" as well.

I can't help but have mild fondness for the Alliance and Encore; they were built "down the road from me" in Kenosha, just before Chrysler took over American Motors.

[LFAT since diapers]

Has to be the Dale, TPIR in 1975.

[Spmahn]

I can’t for the life of me remember what show it was, but I know I remember some 70’s era show giving away a Bricklin as a prize, may have been Let’s Make a Deal

[name456]

Did any Eastern Europe game shows give away Trabants? That would have to be in the running if they did.

[Chief-O]

I can’t for the life of me remember what show it was, but I know I remember some 70’s era show giving away a Bricklin as a prize, may have been Let’s Make a Deal

It *was* LMAD:

[blozier2006]

Did any shows ever give away the Dodge Omni (or its cousin, the Plymouth Horizon)? My mother owned one of those in the late 90s, and it was a complete POS from the word "go".

[Casey]

Did any shows ever give away the Dodge Omni (or its cousin, the Plymouth Horizon)? My mother owned one of those in the late 90s, and it was a complete POS from the word "go".

My first car was a 1989 Plymouth Horizon, that I bought from my mother when I was in college.  Aside from broken air conditioning, that car was fantastic.  I sold it when it had 153,000 miles on it and it was still running fine.  I'd gladly take one