25th Apr 2012, 13:05
Apparently, Plymouth DID keep building them like this, which is why it is not around any more...
27th Apr 2012, 06:58
This level of hyperbole is common to some people. My dad, for instance, will brag that whatever his current 15-year-old POS happens to be is the greatest car ever until it pukes after 6 months, and then it's on to the next one. He puts $2,500 into a $200 car, brags about how the headlights are the brightest ever, the heater is the best ever, it's the best, the best, the best as it falls apart before your very eyes. Some folks just love a loser.
27th Apr 2012, 12:15
Having owned an incredible 1990 Dodge Omni non-turbo 2.2, I totally agree with this review's title. I bought my Omni from the original owner, who was my best friend, so I knew the car's history very well. My friend was a HORRIBLE car owner. He'd go 15,000 miles without changing the oil, and never bothered with checking anything. When I bought the car, it had 183,000 miles on it, and in that time it had had one brake job and one timing belt. It had also been in two serious accidents.
The car was awesomely fast. It would leave my Mazda RX-7 (a total piece of crap) in the dust easily. It was smooth, comfortable and surprisingly roomy. A friend of mine who owned a V-6 Grand Prix once "challenged" me. He came charging past me at about 100mph. I downshifted to 4th and blew past him like he was backing up. My speedometer had long since pegged on 100. Later when I asked how fast we were going he replied "Over 120. Mine was pegged too."
I drove the Omni to 240,000 miles. In that time I had done one more brake job, another timing belt replacement and replaced one heater hose. It used not a drop of oil and had never even had freon added to the A/C, which worked perfectly when I sold it. The CV joints had never been replaced (they were clattering big time in our Honda at only 50,000 miles).
The last time I saw my Omni, its new owner had driven it to 310,000 miles and STILL had not replaced the CV joints. I'd jump at the chance to find another Omni in good condition. These cars were some of the best ever made, even though they did look like an ugly box. The $800 I paid for mine was the best money I ever spent on any car.
22nd Apr 2017, 04:21
Even if the Horizon had been a flawless car, it would not have saved Plymouth. Dodge would have just continued to offer the Omni, happy not to have the internal competition any longer.
23rd Apr 2017, 13:02
These cars as well as the Chevette were very reliable, inexpensive transportation. They deserve credit for the era. I had both import and domestic cars bought new through these years. For the money you couldn't beat the value. I had a girlfriend with one she bought new. And she even had a Rabbit. I never particularly liked the plain styling. But have to admit you couldn't kill these cars in the day. I drove a 77 Celica GT and a 82 Datsun 280ZX - very expensive to buy new and also to insure Those were my fun get around cars. Too bad with Chrysler for the time they had some nice little cars that did the job. If you had a Shadow or Acclaim you bought new, they would also offer a nice value. Accords were very desirable then as new cars. But a big price jump for someone wanting very basic, cheap, reliable transportation.
26th Apr 2017, 03:53
I'm not sure how any of that addresses the issue of the Plymouth lineup's complete redundancy next to Dodge.
26th Apr 2017, 07:43
Wow, the Horizon and Omni for example are polar opposites? Or a Duster isn't similar to a Demon. Or a Roadrunner isn't like a GTX. Or a Cuda isn't like a Challenger. Hardly mostly in trim only. Plymouth nameplate dropped, but hardly any difference with Dodge on many models for decades. But I get the manufacturer's philosophy of reduction of too many similar offerings. In 1970, if I could go back again in time, would be 2 hastily written down payment checks for 2 new Plymouth models. One would be for a wing car that had a 5k sticker on the lot. I stood next to it with amazement. The other is also very obvious. It's now your guess. Plymouth was the one that year. My opinion. Redundant not applicable.
28th Apr 2017, 03:56
Dodge and Plymouth were targeted at the same portion of the market, with the differences being trim levels and sheet metal, excluding very few exceptions. There is no reason the Horizon could not have been a trim level of the Omni; it would not have been inconsistent with the Dodge brand. The same could be said for any and all of your favorite Mopar muscle cars.
28th Apr 2017, 07:48
OK, so when it's all said and done, would you not think a resurrected Cuda Hemi would be a modern hit? Coupe and Convertible? I miss Plymouth. My first new car I bought was a Duster. You probably would have bought the Demon with a 340 manual. I like the less busy tail lights. Off topic a bit, but would be nice to see this small block engine updated and made available to transplant in older Mopars. And not just the 360. With a manual, not just an automatic. And I never understood why there were 3 speed on the floor Mopars. Had to be cost. Now I guess back to Omni.
2nd May 2017, 08:27
How about a Hurst Pistol Grip 4 speed Shifter model with a 440 Six Pack? The black Bullitt movie car Charger was likely an automatic, but still looked like a real fun car to drive. I read it ran circles around the Mustang Fastback. But I would rather have had the white Challenger HEMI with the pistol grip 4 speed in the original Vanishing Point movie. Now back to the Horizon and Omni set.
2nd May 2017, 12:12
Correcting your mistake with another mistake?
The Roadrunner was not "like" a Charger beyond the fact that they were both B-body based muscle cars. A more apt comparison would be Roadrunner to Super Bee, and GTX to Charger (at least from 1968-on).
Research! Splitting hairs!
And, also: LOL.
2nd May 2017, 17:13
What's your point busting stones? Either you are an automatic guy or a manual trans guy. If you own a big block classic, kudos to you. The Horizon or Omni guy isn't splitting hairs either way. And I doubt you are shopping one. Time for a rest or stay on topic.
3rd May 2017, 12:27
So what you are now saying is the engines and transmissions were not identical in big block Mopars pre 72. LOL. We are comparing Plymouth and Dodge. And if you didn't feel an automatic is fun to drive, then buy a factory 4 speed. Just be prepared to spend more.
A neat piece of trivia is that in 1970 Superbirds stayed for up to a year on dealers lots. Some were changed into Roadrunners to sell at dealerships. Good luck fitting one in a garage with the wing. My pick that year would be the Cuda. Now let's drive a Horizon.
5th May 2017, 09:17
I would be proud to own any of the Plymouth or Dodge classic muscle car models listed on this post. 6 to 7 figures on some. None I saw were redundant. Make mine an early 70s HEMI Cuda Convertible. Do you own an early Mopar? If you don't you are missing the boat.
5th May 2017, 22:44
"Stay on topic"?
Well, the thread was on topic (Omni/Horizon) until YOU decided to bring up the Duster, Demon, Roadrunner, etc in your 7:43 comment.
Granted, any of those cars is more interesting than a dull little FWD econobox, but that is the topic of this review.
Or at least, it was.
24th Apr 2012, 13:43
The following is a joke, right?
"Very comfortable, I'm willing to say it's comparable to a modern Jaguar or even a Mercedes. I've ridden in a few, and somehow this $900 hatchback is comfier."
And you sold the car after driving it 2,000 miles because the tranny was going (at 89K)? What happened to the 500,000 you were talking about?