1972 AMC Gremlin -X 304C.I.D V8 from North America

Summary:

Best built domestic built car of this era

Faults:

At 2300 miles, the rear end was making some unusual whirring noise. Ring gear was defective. Warranty replacement on the ring gear fixed the problem.

General Comments:

We were a "Nash/Rambler" family from the beginning. Dad with his Nash Ambassador of 1955, Mother, with her Rambler American 440H (which I inherited later on), then trading in the Rambler for the Gremlin in 1972.

I was looking at a sub-compact in this year, and noticed that Chevy's with their Vegas, and Fords with their Pintos, were hundreds more than a base Gremlin, which was a far better built car to come out of a domestic USA plant. True, the Japanese were "invading" us with Toyota's, and Datsun's, but these imports haven't seated themselves as they have now back then. Finally, I took to the liking of a Jolly Green Gremlin-X with the 304 (5.0L) V8 under the hood. What a blast this car was to own. Now, after reading the histories and seeing pictures (including my own) of the Gremlin, now I wished that I still had that car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th March, 2005

29th Apr 2005, 11:38

Regarding the comment above:

I imagine the original author's assertion is quite serious.

Take a minute and think about the Gremlin's contemporary competitors: Vega/Monza, Pinto, Colt, Cricket... The Gremlin was built far better than any of these.

2nd May 2005, 06:58

Uh...the Colt and Cricket were not domestic cars, and while the Cricket was and is a piece of crap, the Colt was actually very well built, certainly much better than the Gremlin!

1972 AMC Gremlin x 5.0 from North America

Summary:

Purple was the best color

Faults:

The clutch went out two times.

One set of u-joints were replaced.

General Comments:

The car was the best American car I have ever owned. I would buy on in a heart beat if they were still made.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th January, 2004

7th Nov 2005, 18:00

Purple WAS the best color! I loved my Gremlin!!! (Wish I'd kept it...)

26th Aug 2007, 01:41

Copper/Tan with gold stripes was the best color, and rare even then. I specially ordered mine/1973 Gremlin X 304 V8 model year. Best paint endurance of any car I have ever owned. You could sit on the hood without an issue, unlike my new Accord that my young son dented by just lightly sitting on one.