I'm retired from Chrysler Corp. I might be a bit bias, but the Omni & Horizon were one of the best cars you could get during the period they were built. I had a 1987 Horizon, and it had plenty of power, got an easy 35 mpg, had lots of room for a small car, and was a blast to drive. I liked it much better than the boxy K-cars. When Chrysler first introduced them they were using VW 1.7 liter Rabbit motors until they could get enough of Chrysler's own 2.2 liter motors for mass production. The automatic transmissions were produced at the Kokomo Transmission Plant in Department 97 (404 line). With the 5-speed manual, the L-cars got fantastic fuel mileage, but the automatic didn't get as good mileage. I never understood why people bought the Chevy Chevette or the Ford Pinto, when the Omni & Horizon was a hell of a lot better in every way. I know this stuff because I started working for Chrysler in 1964 and I retired in 2001.
John Ayres - I agree, I bought a 79 charger 2.2 black with gold stripes I liked that car so much when the 83 Shelby charger came out I had to have one. I drove that Shelby for 11 years and 185k miles with the original clutch.
I had a 1981 Plymouth Horizon with the Volkswagen motor and a three-speed automatic. I liked that car. It was really nice. You might have helped build it.
I owned a 1978 blue metallic Plymouth Horizon with the VW engine and automatic. Great engine, nice ride, but lousy electrical system after the first two years. Spent a lot of time in the shop, before and after warranty, until I gave up and switched to a 1985 VW Jetta, which lasted a solid 10 years. That Horizon was the last American car I bought.
Many people that hired in thought they would have it made, but many quit because they found out that they were wrong. Good jobs at any auto plant is available only with seniority.
This example actually has air con! You can see the switch in one of the interior shots and the compressor and lines are visible in a couple of the under hood shots.
My friend, Gloria, had a Horizon identical to the one in this video, even the paint. We used to go barhopping in it back in the day. It didn't say "Hor", but some of Gloria's behavior sure did. Ah, youth . . .
Around 1989 a couple of friends and I were out for a night drive. At one point a car came up behind us with a red light flashing on the dash. It was two cops in a unmarked Dodge Omni pulling us over for speeding. We were laughing so hard at them they never got around to writing a ticket. Metro Toronto Police Force.
People who love omni's, love them. I needed to buy some parts for my Daytona and started talking to an omni guy, and got wrapped up in an hour long story about how he ended up with 4 of them
My grandfather owned two Omni's: an 87 and a 90. When I asked him why he bought them, he told me they were the cars that had the highest percentage "made in the USA". And this was before research was done on the internet!
As an owner of a Tesla Model S, I can tell you that my old Horizon's acceleration would shock the hell out of anybody that had the fortune of being in it. Miss that car.
Some of my earliest memories are in this exact car. I was about the age my son is now, I would ride in the front seat on my mom or dads lap. I was born in 85. My sister was asleep in the back. We ended up giving the car to an old lady; my dads friends mom. My parents passed away when I was 13 this video this car means a lot to me.
I have dated women that could squeeze 4 into that space, and, one in the hand. Nice girls all. Would have been nice if they all hadn't died so very young.
Ya? My brand new Toyota Corolla Cross doesn't have that problem. All black inside/ you think you are in a funeral procession to the cemetery! I just ordered some Katzkin seat covers Nice bright colours today for it. Lord what is with these all black satanic ritual vehicles. Our fathers would NEVER buy one, or even bring it home so Mom could look at it. No bloody way!
It did exist and according to Wikipedia is still getting some attention, but good luck finding a US station currently broadcasting in stereo. But... years ago I was driving a mid 80's Jeep Comanche with the factory radio and was listening to a local AM station. They came on with a jingle "AM Stereo 680" and it WAS in stereo, I'd never even heard of such a thing before, kind of blew my mind.
So did my 91 Monaco. Didn't really care for AM stereo. The concept was cool, but it was still AM. Who can tolerate listening to rf whine and static in stereo?
Yes, static in two ears was what AM stereo sometimes affectionately referred to. Since AM stereo was formally approved, the FCC has narrowed bandwidth, so any semblance of fidelity is mostly gone now. Also, in the space where C-QUAM occupied is now where HD-AM radio would be if that station chooses to do the digital HD Radio service on AM. However, HD Radios that do decode a AM stereo signal will get that stereo signal, however with Left and Right channels reversed.
I had an 88 Dodge Omni as my first car. 5 speed manual. I TRIED to kill this car. I tried so hard, and failed. Even though I was able to upgrade after 6 months, I am proud to say this was a tough car.
i had one with the 2.2. and a vw 4 speed with reverse you had to push down and go into 1st gear slot, lol it was crazy but jumping snowbanks and beat it to hell couldnt kill it
Yep! 88 Dodge Omni. First new car and loved it. It was affordable dependable and got the job done. It died at 186,000 miles mostly due to cancer from the salt on Pennsylvania roads in winter. Still ran strong or at least as strong as an 88 Omni ever was.
My dad has so many great Dodge Omni stories, like how he fixed the clutch with a blousing-garter so he could drive back up to Norfolk from Camp Lejeune
Daniel Drylie old Post I know, but, I had an 88 horizon 5 speed. I got it free, with a hole in the gas tank. Cost me 1 cent to repair it. I simply soldered a penny over the hole, n proceeded to run the ball bag off it. That repair held up great
Damn, now I gotta share mine: Downtown Denver, early '90s, driving as a courier. Suddenly, I lost every gear besides 1 & 4. Pulling to a nearby curb - and popping it - I crawled underneath to examine. The polymer heim joints have crazed and shattered from exhaust cat heat. Placing the polymer fragments together - and substituting a shoelace to tie them together - I regain full shifting function. Back to work - and then to the Chrysler dealer to order some new shift rods. p.s. It took me 2 days to get the new rods - but 3 years to actually install them, as I was #$#%^ing lazy and the shoelace linkage worked just fine, TYVM.
Ahhh....memories... My first car was a very used '79 Horizon I got for $300 in '86. Just like the last statement in the video. I didn't care how it drove, it got me and my friends from point A to point B. I remember we crammed 9 people in mine to go the movies and school dance one Friday night. I loved my POS Horizon......
Hey! Waddya know! It looks... exactly like every other Corvette at that show. Overheard at Carlisle: "Hey, look, a Corvette..." Reminds me of when I took my DeLorean to the DeLorean show in Ohio years ago... "Hey, look... a DeLorean..." And wadyaknow... It looks just like the car sitting next to it. ...and the 1600 other ones sitting next to it...
l owned one of those, the same paint scheme too. I loved and miss that car. everything he says, it was roomy and luxurious inside, really quick, great on gas, handled great and as you see, it still looks good even today. .
My dad had a both a Horizon and a Omni GLH Turbo, both manual shift. On the Horizon, one day in the early 1980s we were driving along and I recall my nine year old self seeing a wheel roll down the road, and then over we went. Turns out the entire wheel, brake and axle end came right out. So, we walked home while my dad had the car towed. He must have liked it enough to move up to the GLH Turbo.
I had an 89 Silver Horizon with fuel injection. Drove it to 240,000 miles when the engine finally died quietly. Great car and it was fairly easy to repair for beginners. I also bought a red 1990 Horizon with fuel injection and front airbag and had that car for a few years and sold it with 129,000 miles still running fine.
When I was a kid I was impressed with that version of the Chrysler radio. The 1984 Plymouth Voyager that my mother drove at work in the mid-to-late 1980s had that exact same radio, and I thought it was the greatest car radio I'd ever seen. I liked the clean/simple/uncluttered layout, the feel of the detents in the tuning knob, and the digital tuning and display. It seemed thoroughly modern, futuristic even, in 1984. Even today you couldn't improve on the design for a basic AM/FM stereo head unit.
This Radio Man Agrees. It also was very sensitive and selective, pulling in distant AM stations, and no electrical interference from the car itself. All the Best! DE W8LV BILL
Tell me about it. I really want a new GTI, but it has those awful capacitive controls. Gimme simple so I don't end up in a ditch trying to adjust the HVAC system!
My lebaron has an air pump... only my catalytic converter is plugged so a little rubber hose burst and now it's blowing exhaust out the hood. Also catalytics are expensive also... Heater controls only for D A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A D
Isaak Welch wouldn’t be surprised lol. This guys videos are entertaining but he’s a bit of a knob when it comes to getting the proper facts for the year and model he reviews. It’s like he just googles the name and takes the first information he finds and repeats it lol
Except it had an aluminum head that would warp the 1st time the fan decided not to turn on... Electrical system and these for the fan release was very undependable , everyone I knew that had one at some point with just Directly why are the fans ran all the time or on a toggle switch. I had a sweet black Horizon TC3
"It's that weird in-between technology that I love so much." That's exactly why I love resonator guitars; just before electric guitars became a thing, National and Dobro developed ways to make acoustic guitars louder by turning the guitar body into a speaker cabinet that housed an aluminum bridge and speaker cone for mechanical amplification of the strings' vibrations. The resulting metallic growl of a tone cannot be matched.
I like resonators too. Electric guitars actually first appeared only 2-3 years after the first resonator guitars, but in the1930s some rural areas still didn't have electricity, so the resonator became popular in country and blue grass music.
As as said, that is not an '87-there is no third brake light. That is also the 2.2 engine. I had an '84 with the 2.2 and a 5-speed. The car got 35mpg and ran pretty strong because it only weighed 2k pounds. Fit and finish was pretty bad but the car ran reliably until the head gasket blew at 120k miles. I fixed that and it soldiered on for another 30k miles or so until the engine blew. My '95 Civic in comparison was still going strong at 315k miles when I sold it. The Onmi/Horizon was largely a disposable vehicle. I do not long for those days.
Actually, these were decent cars! I can remember making several 800 mile round trips with my uncle in one! And many times he let me drive it around the hometown ALONE! You can guess how it was driven. Anyway, it never let me or him down.
Ours was never out of the shop long enough to find out how far it could go, the first AND LAST Chrysler product my Dad ever bought, and one of several cars I drove as a cab driver and valet parker that make sure that the Chrysler label will NEVER haunt my own driveway
@@shoknifeman2mikado135 Similar experience. You either hit or miss with reliability on these. I had a Horizon, my Dad had an Omni, both the same MY (1987) and they were both disasters. The engine management system and flaky Holley 2BBL carbs were a nightmare. My cousin had a different MY Horizon, and it was very reliable.
This... this is what RCR was created for (and yeah.. I get that he said virtually the same thing at the start of the video). This is everything I love and respect about this channel.
Mine was an '87 (made in 86) Omni America, 2.2L 5 speed. For the the time it was a runner - strong launch, nicely placed gears, and a very tall top gear had it turning @ 2200 rpm at 70 mph. Not the sportiest handling car, but a nice composed ride, reasonably quiet, and surprising big inside. It is a fond memory.
My mom and uncle each owned manual dodge omnis when I was a baby and a teen respectively. They both always raved that they were incredibly reliable little cars that got amazing fuel economy. My mom mentioned getting over 40mpg at times. And my uncle always said it was great fun to drive too. We used to take his camping often when I was a kid and with the hatchback you could pile in all your gear so easy. My mom always used to mention that it was really good in the snow as well.
Jokes aside, the Plymouth Horizon/Dodge Omni duo flew mile high over the domestic competitors in the economy section. The car still drives reasonably well till today, (if it was cared for), and not like something which was designed by committees a century ago, such as the Pinto, or the Chevette.
They had a Dodge Omni GLH. Which was the non intercooled model with a turbo. The Shelby GLHS came intercooled and had 185hp. Not to mention the Shelby Charger (another l-body/glh equivalent) and the Shelby Charger GLHS. I'm hoping he does the glhs cars. I own a few Shelby Dodges... Love them. Cheap easy and reliable power.
Christ, a Buddy Dwyer reference. I was a not yet in high school when that went down in January '87. Later that summer RoboCop was very apt in predicting that such televised carnage would become commonplace. You're not *that* old, are you Mr. Regular?
No he was guilty, that's why he killed himself before sentencing so that by virtue of still being in office his widow and family would get his state pension
Your car had A/C - and the badly implemented condenser drain tube allowed moisture to leak back into the passenger footwell, where it pooled and corroded the unibody into a brittle mass of iron oxide flakes. Check out junkyard MOPARs from the '60s thru '80s; you'll find all of them have rusty passenger footwells.
The Euro base model of this car is the Talbot Horizon. We did not get the Shelby Omni in Europe. That bad boy had the 2.2L Turbo engine driving the front wheels.
"Corvette. Corvette. Corvette. Corvette. 1987 Plymouth Horizon" *Title screen comes up* "1985 Plymouth Horizon" WHICH IS IT. MY LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN SO CONFLICTED BEFORE.
There was a Turbo option available on the Chrysler Horizon in 1985 called the GLH package. "Goes like Hell." The basic 2.2L engine had only 96hp but the turbo bumped it up to 145hp which was pretty decent for an economy car that only weighed 2000lbs.
Drove my girlfriend's '87 Horizon through many a Colorado blizzard, road trips from Colorado to Moab, up "muffler farm" mountainous access roads to climb high peaks in Colorado, and Ft.Collins to Denver to visit her parents in crazy traffic. It was a tough little nugget. She had researched it and told me how great it was, and you have backed her reasoning up nicely.
That era Horizon/Omni was absolutely brilliant in bad weather. I never realized how dangerous it is to drive in heavy rain and snow until I gave up the Horizon I had.
@@blaneblue1739 might as well be it did use a golf engine in its earlier production and the gold seemed really inspired by the smaller imports at the time almost even wanted one do to its size
Absolutely right. Also, he described the Simca engine, from what I can assume is a quick internet search, and completely missed the keyword "cross-flow". The 2.2 engine has both manifolds on the back, like this car. Oops.
I recall a performance part in the Direct Connection catalog to improve oil flow in the engine, but which defeated the stock Omnirizon's "anti-drainback" feature, which was implemented in the US to prevent hydraulic lifter clatter upon cold startup: perhaps the Talbot didn't bother with that part?
The horizon was the second car ever owned, I remember driving all around the city zipping around here and there not a care in the world, drove home on the highway, pulled into my house and then realized there were no brakes at all! Somethings super natural kept me from dying that day! LOL
Yes shit motor, also known as the Talbot Horizon in the UK. It replaced the Talbot Sunbeam which was RWD, rather than FWD. I believe the Talbot Sunbeam had a Lotus version.
My first car in '96 was a Talbot Horizon. Trim level in the UK was nowhere near as fancy as the US spec, and yes that 1.3 pushrod engine sounded like a knackered sewing machine, but it was very reliable! I loved that car... enough that a few years later I bought another one! Happy days.
Ya. me too ... like you're driving around town with 4 grown men in your car. Do you feel at all nervous about a situation like that, say, if the police stop you? Just saying, but 'I can explain officer' might not cut it dude!
Among small cars, the Omnirizon was the big boy: seating 4 adults in good comfort was only surpassed by its most excellent ride, handling, and climate control - which was especially cool, being located on the far left of the dashboard, where only the driver could control the system.
Woah, hold on there. That's the Chrysler designed 2.2L 4 cylinder under the hood of that guy. The "K-car" engine that was subsequently shoved into the L body to make it more fitting for Americans.
Pretty sure they switched from the VW and Simca engine to the 2.2l in late 1984. So yes that would make that a 2.2l, whether or not its an 85 or an 87 lol.
My family had a 1985 Horizon with a 2.2L engine and automatic from 1985 to 1997. It was a pretty comfortable car if you rode in the front seats. The best part of the Omni-Horizon was ground clearance. It was not only a breeze to do an oil change by yourself, but it could cross deep snow and even open fields like a Jeep. I use to wait for snowstorms, just to drive in new power. Crazy, I know, but the car was perfect for Minneapolis!
When this car first came out I thought it was interesting. Then after a few months one of them scared the crap out of me. The next door neighbor, in a Apartment complex had just bought one of these. I was in my carport doing something to my car. She pulled into her spot next to me and went inside her apartment. A few minutes later I had my hands down by cooling fan and all of a sudden I hear a cooling fan start. I yelled a little bit, jumped back a little bit then realized it was coming from her car. The was my first exposure to a electronically controlled cooling fan. Even when the car was turned off if the engine was hot enough the cooling fan would turn on
my grandfather had a gray horizon with 44.000 mil on it when I got it off him 10 years ago and it still is the car I drive to work now it has 221.000mil and I only change the hatch shock and small things spark plugs ,pads and air filter
I had a 1983 Dodge Omni handed down from my dad. I LOVED that car and to this day I still miss it…no AC, back windows that only rolled down half way and pretty small, but it was my first car and was great. Powder blue with chrome trim. I drove from NY to FL with my parents when I was 16 and I brought my first child home from the hospital in it. My husband and I still speak fondly about it.
I knew lots of people that owned some version of the Omni / Horizon through the years, including their sportier siblings TC3 and the whatever it was called. There were issues of course, but I recall some of these 80s models still rolling around with close to 160,000 miles on them or more into the early 2000s. They fit the driving needs of 1st time teen drivers, suburban commuter dads, retired grandmas and everyone in between. Great video.
You oughta review a GLH. Looks the same, Goes Like Hell. I had an O24, drove like a regular Omni, looked more sporty. Nice 4 speed gave me great mileage.
That one is a lot more luxurious than the '78 that I had. Although mine was quite comfy. Mine had a VW 1.7 L. engine that was a really good match to the car. The car handled deep snow like a snow mobile, and got me to work on time when co-workers that lived half as far as me were calling off.
I was born in 1983 and my dad bought a Horizon that same year, for about $4,000 I think he said, brand new. My childhood memories are flooded with riding in that car (in the front seat), listening to the only two cassettes he had in the car at the time: Dire Straights and The Cars. It finally bit the dust in my early teen years because the block cracked and he had it towed away. We never saw it again. He seemed pretty sad about it, and I know I was. It was the end of an era. Great little car!
It was actually love at first sight for me when I first got into the interior of a used Omni back in the 90s. The feel of the controls, the ride, fit and finish, all convinced me it was a clone of the Mitsubishi Colt's precursor. I would have been wrong, but now with this video, I'm even more convinced I made a worse mistake by not buying it.
I'm pleased at how many comment that these cars were quick. That was my experience when I rented one. It was also comfortable and roomy. Finally, I loved the variable intermittent wipers and wondered why all car brands didn't have that.
My first car was an '87 Horizon. Watching this video brings back many, many memories. I'd forgotten about the chrome window handles, and the interior was prettier than the exterior. Small but broad is a very appropriate observation. I'd get another one, it's a true American gem.
Tool0GT92, because fire. Those plastic fuel filters only have so many hot-cold cycles before the crack or the line going into them perishes. Causing leaks causing fire.
My buddy had a 1980 omni, I had a 1983 cavalier. One night he was pissed at his gf and decided to go shopping cart "bowling" to quell his anger. The omni killed several carts at 30mph and had a few scratches and dings in it. I tried the same thing with my cavalier and was rewarded with two broken headlights, a broken front valence, a bent hood and a sizeable dent in the fender, from ONE shopping cart. What's more, the cart took zero damage. The Omni was a lot stronger than appearances would suggest.
Considering the fact that this car was introduced in 1977, an era before crumple zones, I'd say you are correct about it not being that safe. Still a very cool little car, my personal favorite small car from the 70s and 80s. The Horizon/Omni.
This was the world press car of the year in 1977 I believe (Simca/Talbot Horizon). Very good car, but extremely bad rust protection. Even back in the day it was considered a rust bag. But, it drove very comfortable and the tech was robust. In Europe you could get it with 1100cc, 1300cc or 1500 cc automatic Simca engines ranging from 45 hp to 70 hp. It was developed as a competitor to the very successful VW Golf/Rabbit mk 1.
Talbot Horizon was a terrible, terrible car. Would be great to import a Shelby GLH-S version of the Omni to Europe and but the Talbot emblems on it... :D
I'm retired from Chrysler Corp. I might be a bit bias, but the Omni & Horizon were one of the best cars you could get during the period they were built. I had a 1987 Horizon, and it had plenty of power, got an easy 35 mpg, had lots of room for a small car, and was a blast to drive. I liked it much better than the boxy K-cars. When Chrysler first introduced them they were using VW 1.7 liter Rabbit motors until they could get enough of Chrysler's own 2.2 liter motors for mass production. The automatic transmissions were produced at the Kokomo Transmission Plant in Department 97 (404 line). With the 5-speed manual, the L-cars got fantastic fuel mileage, but the automatic didn't get as good mileage. I never understood why people bought the Chevy Chevette or the Ford Pinto, when the Omni & Horizon was a hell of a lot better in every way. I know this stuff because I started working for Chrysler in 1964 and I retired in 2001.
John Ayres - I agree, I bought a 79 charger 2.2 black with gold stripes I liked that car so much when the 83 Shelby charger came out I had to have one. I drove that Shelby for 11 years and 185k miles with the original clutch.
what was like to work there?
I had a 1981 Plymouth Horizon with the Volkswagen motor and a three-speed automatic. I liked that car. It was really nice. You might have helped build it.
I owned a 1978 blue metallic Plymouth Horizon with the VW engine and automatic. Great engine, nice ride, but lousy electrical system after the first two years. Spent a lot of time in the shop, before and after warranty, until I gave up and switched to a 1985 VW Jetta, which lasted a solid 10 years. That Horizon was the last American car I bought.
Many people that hired in thought they would have it made, but many quit because they found out that they were wrong. Good jobs at any auto plant is available only with seniority.
I can hear my dad driving this car now, “you’re hot?! Roll down the window!”
Thanks for the laugh
This example actually has air con! You can see the switch in one of the interior shots and the compressor and lines are visible in a couple of the under hood shots.
@@AiOinc1 we had the dodge Omni growing up, ours didn’t have AC
I read this in Brian's dad voice.
My dads never had AC 😂
Brother had one, the "izon" part broke off , he just called it the hor.
I had one and the I fell off. We called it the Horzon
@@unreconstructed Well technically it is a Mutang
My friend, Gloria, had a Horizon identical to the one in this video, even the paint. We used to go barhopping in it back in the day. It didn't say "Hor", but some of Gloria's behavior sure did. Ah, youth . . .
For "Horrible Automobile"?
Kid I knew took the dash badge off, re-attached it upside down, and called it the noziroH (No-Zi-Roh)
Around 1989 a couple of friends and I were out for a night drive. At one point a car came up behind us with a red light flashing on the dash. It was two cops in a unmarked Dodge Omni pulling us over for speeding. We were laughing so hard at them they never got around to writing a ticket. Metro Toronto Police Force.
Why does that not surprise me that happened in Canada?
I've seen a Plymouth Reliant police car in central Pennsylvania somewhere in the late 90's..
lol Toronto.
Because Ta-ron-a!
Lol
"Like a knight welded into its own armour"
Exquisite.
I can picture Danny DeVito driving this car. "HEY ASSHOLES" and then making The Penguin noises as he does donuts around ＭＹ ＡＮＵＳ
SuperAWaC it's me your doctor: mantis toboggan
RegularCars I've got the BIG TIME AIDS
SuperAWaC And while shouting "May you all be jealous of my magnum dong!"
Actually Danny DeVito likes mini-vans,
Harry Henderson *the Cadillac of mini-vans
These cars were everywhere, then they weren't. Thank you Mr. Regular and The Roman for bringing back the cars of my teen years.
Lemons usually wind up being junked, rather than rebuilt and kept on the road
RUSTY ... come here, boy. I have another Horizon for you to play with.
Ya Chrysler & rust.
Sadly where one goes, it is soon followed by Mr. Rust.
my grandfather owned 8 Omni's over the years. . I asked him a question about one ,and I got a 3 hour story about the magic of the car.
lol, Same with my grandpa.
Be happy with the stories.
People who love omni's, love them. I needed to buy some parts for my Daytona and started talking to an omni guy, and got wrapped up in an hour long story about how he ended up with 4 of them
My grandfather owned two Omni's: an 87 and a 90. When I asked him why he bought them, he told me they were the cars that had the highest percentage "made in the USA". And this was before research was done on the internet!
I will say the magic of the car is that it is basically a mark 1 VW platform with a BROWN interior
My grandma died recently. She had one of these in the 80s. Came to relive some memories.
Sorry to hear about your loss.
@@NP-rh3dt thank you!
RIP grandma.
As an owner of a Tesla Model S, I can tell you that my old Horizon's acceleration would shock the hell out of anybody that had the fortune of being in it. Miss that car.
Sorry to hear about your downgrade.
You must have gotten paid A LOT to downgrade like that.
They had Volkswagen manuals so I would imagine they are geared crazy short
What a downgrade lol.
@@coreygolphenee9633 4 speeds were VW, 5 speeds were chrysler
Not gonna lie, that interior is sexy af.
The millennial has showed up.
+Syncopia My first car was a 87 Reliant Wagon, some of us really just like that stuff.
WinkelManBearPig Yep 👍
best application of BROWN ive seen so far
yeah those seats look amazing
Some of my earliest memories are in this exact car. I was about the age my son is now, I would ride in the front seat on my mom or dads lap. I was born in 85. My sister was asleep in the back. We ended up giving the car to an old lady; my dads friends mom. My parents passed away when I was 13 this video this car means a lot to me.
When I was younger my dad bought 2 Dodge Omnis. Within a year there was a wind storm and a tree fell on both of them.
N Johnson god wasn't a fan of them I presume?
Unfortunately that was a well known failing of the Omni-Horizon. Trees would fall on them.
Wasn’t there a factory recall for that issue ?
Reminds me of my uncle's 1995 Mazda 626 station wagon, had the same fate, but in a mall parking lot
@@barryervin8536 kinda like the Morris marina's failing with pianos falling on them
2:57 I’ve never seen a car’s steering wheel that looks like it could hold a snickers bar
Dennis Snider I prefer a Milky Way. 😊
Bahaa
I have dated women that could squeeze 4 into that space, and, one in the hand.
Nice girls all.
Would have been nice if they all hadn't died so very young.
I'm glad he mentioned fit/finish. I spent the entire video memorized by how well this thing was put together.
Again, my Dad's car was falling apart, since the day it left the showroom... the door handle broke off when the thing was 6 months old
If the world ends tomorrow, this was a worthy final Regular Car Review.
In the summer of 1979 I was brought home from exiting the birth canal in a powder blue Dodge Omni.
How the hell did the powder blue Dodge end up in a birth canal?
Philip Koen : Jeezus! How do you think? It was driven there .
We were a Pinto family. :-(
Wow it looks really similar to a Mk1 Golf from behind.
damn your right!
That is what I was thinking
more like Yugo
Europe and Japan's 70s design is the US 80s design.
The first year of these were 1978, only 4 years after the Golf, so it's not an 80's design ^^
All small cars of this era look similar anyway.
Something about the beige interior of any 80's to mid 90's Chrysler... I'm overwhelmed with nostalgia and my family didn't even own one.
Ya? My brand new Toyota Corolla Cross doesn't have that problem.
All black inside/ you think you are in a funeral procession to the cemetery!
I just ordered some Katzkin seat covers Nice bright colours today for it.
Lord what is with these all black satanic ritual vehicles.
Our fathers would NEVER buy one, or even bring it home so Mom could look at it. No bloody way!
in Europe it was sold as a Talbot Horizon :)
These were made in Finland too. Talbot Horizon. My father had one.
Well it was Talbot horizon then it was Plymouth horizon
@@benjamincharlin6770 ?
@@xjing800 the plymouth is based on the Talbot/simca
in USSR AZLK-2141 :)))))
Not just an AM/FM radio -- that radio features C-Quam AM *Stereo*!
haven't heard am stereo in decades
am stereo exists? ....can it currently be tuned into?
It did exist and according to Wikipedia is still getting some attention, but good luck finding a US station currently broadcasting in stereo. But... years ago I was driving a mid 80's Jeep Comanche with the factory radio and was listening to a local AM station. They came on with a jingle "AM Stereo 680" and it WAS in stereo, I'd never even heard of such a thing before, kind of blew my mind.
So did my 91 Monaco. Didn't really care for AM stereo. The concept was cool, but it was still AM. Who can tolerate listening to rf whine and static in stereo?
Yes, static in two ears was what AM stereo sometimes affectionately referred to. Since AM stereo was formally approved, the FCC has narrowed bandwidth, so any semblance of fidelity is mostly gone now. Also, in the space where C-QUAM occupied is now where HD-AM radio would be if that station chooses to do the digital HD Radio service on AM. However, HD Radios that do decode a AM stereo signal will get that stereo signal, however with Left and Right channels reversed.
I had an 88 Dodge Omni as my first car. 5 speed manual. I TRIED to kill this car. I tried so hard, and failed. Even though I was able to upgrade after 6 months, I am proud to say this was a tough car.
i had one with the 2.2. and a vw 4 speed with reverse you had to push down and go into 1st gear slot, lol it was crazy but jumping snowbanks and beat it to hell couldnt kill it
My dad has the Omni GLH Turbo with 5 speed. One of my favourite memories was Dad racing an Esprit. Good times.
@@admiralbeez8143 There was also a Shelby version. It was a rocket!
I knew someone who bought an Omni. It was his first car too.
Yep! 88 Dodge Omni. First new car and loved it. It was affordable dependable and got the job done.
It died at 186,000 miles mostly due to cancer from the salt on Pennsylvania roads in winter. Still ran strong or at least as strong as an 88 Omni ever was.
Now I really want one of these. I’ve always loved older cars like these. They’re aggressively practical.
"Sadder than Budd Dwyer"
I absolutely lost it lmao
“it's as if Danny Devito was a car..."
😂😂😂😂😂
My dad has so many great Dodge Omni stories, like how he fixed the clutch with a blousing-garter so he could drive back up to Norfolk from Camp Lejeune
Daniel Drylie old Post I know, but, I had an 88 horizon 5 speed. I got it free, with a hole in the gas tank. Cost me 1 cent to repair it. I simply soldered a penny over the hole, n proceeded to run the ball bag off it. That repair held up great
Damn, now I gotta share mine:
Downtown Denver, early '90s, driving as a courier.
Suddenly, I lost every gear besides 1 & 4.
Pulling to a nearby curb - and popping it - I crawled underneath to examine.
The polymer heim joints have crazed and shattered from exhaust cat heat.
Placing the polymer fragments together - and substituting a shoelace to tie them together - I regain full shifting function.
Back to work - and then to the Chrysler dealer to order some new shift rods.
p.s. It took me 2 days to get the new rods - but 3 years to actually install them, as I was #$#%^ing lazy and the shoelace linkage worked just fine, TYVM.
Budd dweyer joke.. God that's dark
he was innocent
Only Pennsylvanians will get that..lol Strangely I don't remember him doing it because I was only 12.
@@js4187 And A Good Decent Man. Not worthy of a Stupid Joke.
Mindblowing....
Lol I came down here just to say this
Ahhh....memories... My first car was a very used '79 Horizon I got for $300 in '86. Just like the last statement in the video. I didn't care how it drove, it got me and my friends from point A to point B. I remember we crammed 9 people in mine to go the movies and school dance one Friday night.
I loved my POS Horizon......
Are you Larry Storch the comic?
good times
9 people? You and your friends must have been TINY!
Great review. Best explanation of early emission system anti pollution strategies that I've ever heard.
The first new car I owned was an ‘81 TC3 (the 2-door version of the Horizon). That car could go anywhere. Even snow didn’t stop it. Loved that car.
When you already know what an air pump is because you probably own the worlds most inefficient car for 2005.... an RX8.....
zattack906 Pretty much.
zattack906 Heh, I guess you haven't driven an Excursion have you?
True, at least it gets sorta an excuse being a 6L V8 or 6.8L V10 unlike the 1.3L rotary haha.
hi darren
Truuuu...
You said 1987, title says 1985, which is it!
I used to have an '88 Omni and let me tell you - it doesn't even matter. It's neither, it's both.
Josh classic mr regular
Matt Pierce it coulda been an 85 using parts for future 87s or it could have been an 87 using parts left over from 85s😂
All the same 😬👌🏻
its a 1985. no 3rd brake light. after 1986 they got a 3rd brake light mounted on the rear hatch (i think it became federal law for 86 model year cars)
Ah eatmyskids, you sound so pleasant, not bitter at all...
holy shit. this was done at Corvettes at Carlisle. my vette is at 2:35. that's rad!
Jimbo's Channel jimbo! Good to see u here
Jimbo's Channel the red one?
Hey! Waddya know! It looks... exactly like every other Corvette at that show. Overheard at Carlisle: "Hey, look, a Corvette..." Reminds me of when I took my DeLorean to the DeLorean show in Ohio years ago... "Hey, look... a DeLorean..." And wadyaknow... It looks just like the car sitting next to it. ...and the 1600 other ones sitting next to it...
You forgot to mention how wonderfully comfortable those front seats were.
It was the back seat that counted at the drive-in dude.
One of my high school friends drove this to school before he graduated last year and it was my favorite car in the parking lot
How many years did he fail grade 12?
l owned one of those, the same paint scheme too. I loved and miss that car. everything he says, it was roomy and luxurious inside, really quick, great on gas, handled great and as you see, it still looks good even today. .
Yuck!
My dad had a both a Horizon and a Omni GLH Turbo, both manual shift. On the Horizon, one day in the early 1980s we were driving along and I recall my nine year old self seeing a wheel roll down the road, and then over we went. Turns out the entire wheel, brake and axle end came right out. So, we walked home while my dad had the car towed. He must have liked it enough to move up to the GLH Turbo.
My first car was an '85 Omni, with that exact interior. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I still love that little car.
I had an 89 Silver Horizon with fuel injection. Drove it to 240,000 miles when the engine finally died quietly. Great car and it was fairly easy to repair for beginners. I also bought a red 1990 Horizon with fuel injection and front airbag and had that car for a few years and sold it with 129,000 miles still running fine.
When I was a kid I was impressed with that version of the Chrysler radio. The 1984 Plymouth Voyager that my mother drove at work in the mid-to-late 1980s had that exact same radio, and I thought it was the greatest car radio I'd ever seen. I liked the clean/simple/uncluttered layout, the feel of the detents in the tuning knob, and the digital tuning and display. It seemed thoroughly modern, futuristic even, in 1984. Even today you couldn't improve on the design for a basic AM/FM stereo head unit.
This Radio Man Agrees. It also was very sensitive and selective, pulling in distant AM stations, and no electrical interference from the car itself. All the Best! DE W8LV BILL
Tell me about it. I really want a new GTI, but it has those awful capacitive controls. Gimme simple so I don't end up in a ditch trying to adjust the HVAC system!
My lebaron has an air pump... only my catalytic converter is plugged so a little rubber hose burst and now it's blowing exhaust out the hood. Also catalytics are expensive
also... Heater controls only for D A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A D
ok
This is the best review of the Plymouth Horizon ever made.
3:54 Temperature controls? Only for daaaaaaaad
There's something so pleasing about seeing old regular cars in mint condition
the 2.2 chrysler built engine was the engine of choice from 82 up
Yeah, and looking at the valve cover, ac compressor, and the plastic shroud over the distributor, im confident that's a 2.2
Isaak Welch wouldn’t be surprised lol. This guys videos are entertaining but he’s a bit of a knob when it comes to getting the proper facts for the year and model he reviews. It’s like he just googles the name and takes the first information he finds and repeats it lol
Except it had an aluminum head that would warp the 1st time the fan decided not to turn on... Electrical system and these for the fan release was very undependable , everyone I knew that had one at some point with just Directly why are the fans ran all the time or on a toggle switch. I had a sweet black Horizon TC3
@Lukas zzstu Sikorski simca was bought by peugeot before the omni released, but its a simca designed engine.
when RCR uploads during your study period
Adjustable Creep same
When RCR uploads when you're awake
damn it regular, you stood me up. I was waiting for a 3am upload
"It's that weird in-between technology that I love so much."
That's exactly why I love resonator guitars; just before electric guitars became a thing, National and Dobro developed ways to make acoustic guitars louder by turning the guitar body into a speaker cabinet that housed an aluminum bridge and speaker cone for mechanical amplification of the strings' vibrations. The resulting metallic growl of a tone cannot be matched.
So the some reason I love Pontiac.
I like resonators too. Electric guitars actually first appeared only 2-3 years after the first resonator guitars, but in the1930s some rural areas still didn't have electricity, so the resonator became popular in country and blue grass music.
I drove a Dodge Omni that my boss bought as a company car. I have also played resonator guitars. I would much rather have a resonator guitar.
Mark Knopfler Liked them too. (Resonator)
I remember growing up in the 80s and 90s, these things were absolutely everywhere.
You need to find a GLH or GLH-S Omni.
Sunbeam
my brother had the turbo glh, it was a peppy car.
Even as a Ford loyalist, I still think the GLH-S Charger and Omni are the best Shelby cars.
Agree, I had an 85 glh turbo , was a blast back then
Best quote "how does it drive?" "Don't care!"
As as said, that is not an '87-there is no third brake light. That is also the 2.2 engine. I had an '84 with the 2.2 and a 5-speed. The car got 35mpg and ran pretty strong because it only weighed 2k pounds. Fit and finish was pretty bad but the car ran reliably until the head gasket blew at 120k miles. I fixed that and it soldiered on for another 30k miles or so until the engine blew. My '95 Civic in comparison was still going strong at 315k miles when I sold it. The Onmi/Horizon was largely a disposable vehicle. I do not long for those days.
@@dj33036 1986 is when the Center High Mount brake light was made mandatory on all cars in the US.
The intro is amazingly beautiful, woah
Actually, these were decent cars! I can remember making several 800 mile round trips with my uncle in one! And many times he let me drive it around the hometown ALONE! You can guess how it was driven. Anyway, it never let me or him down.
Ours was never out of the shop long enough to find out how far it could go, the first AND LAST Chrysler product my Dad ever bought, and one of several cars I drove as a cab driver and valet parker that make sure that the Chrysler label will NEVER haunt my own driveway
@@shoknifeman2mikado135 Similar experience. You either hit or miss with reliability on these. I had a Horizon, my Dad had an Omni, both the same MY (1987) and they were both disasters. The engine management system and flaky Holley 2BBL carbs were a nightmare.
My cousin had a different MY Horizon, and it was very reliable.
This... this is what RCR was created for (and yeah.. I get that he said virtually the same thing at the start of the video). This is everything I love and respect about this channel.
this looks like something Saul Goodman would drive
Well done, sir! 👏👏👏👏
Saul Goodman would never drive this car, Slippin' Jimmy on the other hand...
That outro was actually really good...I listened to it five times.
It's based off of Amber Run - I Found, if you were wondering
*****
Yeah, I Googled the lyrics that weren't review-related and found it. I think this sounds a little better.
Finally a car I've driven.
Hows it drive?
Two words, Go-Kart.
So.... Way fun‽
I own an Omni, which is exactly the same. Definitely NOT a go kart.
You should drive an Audi S1. It will feel like a tuned go-kart.
Mine was an '87 (made in 86) Omni America, 2.2L 5 speed. For the the time it was a runner - strong launch, nicely placed gears, and a very tall top gear had it turning @ 2200 rpm at 70 mph. Not the sportiest handling car, but a nice composed ride, reasonably quiet, and surprising big inside. It is a fond memory.
My mom and uncle each owned manual dodge omnis when I was a baby and a teen respectively. They both always raved that they were incredibly reliable little cars that got amazing fuel economy. My mom mentioned getting over 40mpg at times. And my uncle always said it was great fun to drive too. We used to take his camping often when I was a kid and with the hatchback you could pile in all your gear so easy. My mom always used to mention that it was really good in the snow as well.
Jokes aside, the Plymouth Horizon/Dodge Omni duo flew mile high over the domestic competitors in the economy section. The car still drives reasonably well till today, (if it was cared for), and not like something which was designed by committees a century ago, such as the Pinto, or the Chevette.
They made a turbo model right?
kinda, of the dodge omni they did.
they made a shelby omni GLH, and a faster turbo GLH-S with 175 hp and lb ft.
They run in the 10s on a 1/4mi drag strip too w/turbo's!
48Boxer you can tweak the crap out of them these days.
They had a Dodge Omni GLH. Which was the non intercooled model with a turbo. The Shelby GLHS came intercooled and had 185hp. Not to mention the Shelby Charger (another l-body/glh equivalent) and the Shelby Charger GLHS. I'm hoping he does the glhs cars. I own a few Shelby Dodges... Love them. Cheap easy and reliable power.
Sam Iam stock the fastest glhs variant ran about 15 seconds quarter mile
Christ, a Buddy Dwyer reference. I was a not yet in high school when that went down in January '87. Later that summer RoboCop was very apt in predicting that such televised carnage would become commonplace. You're not *that* old, are you Mr. Regular?
He made a JG Wentworth theme song joke. I liked it but still, those jokes and the car's colors make me remember the smell of butterscotch.
He is in his mid 30's.
Wasn't Dwyer actually innocent? I've read something about that recently.
Push Back he was found guilty. his suicide was during a press conference to retire his position.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Budd_Dwyer
No he was guilty, that's why he killed himself before sentencing so that by virtue of still being in office his widow and family would get his state pension
I remember my family's omni. 1983 at a stop sign my feet went through the floor onto the pavement . I was 13 .
meet the Flintstones. you could add some braking
Ah, the Mopar emergency brake!
Your car had A/C - and the badly implemented condenser drain tube allowed moisture to leak back into the passenger footwell, where it pooled and corroded the unibody into a brittle mass of iron oxide flakes.
Check out junkyard MOPARs from the '60s thru '80s; you'll find all of them have rusty passenger footwells.
I almost did that in a 1970 Chevrolet Impala, which is a lot more dangerous! Yabba-dabba-dooooo!
You guys in America got this while we got the similar looking Chrysler Sunbeam which had rear wheel drive and a version with a Lotus engine.
The Euro base model of this car is the Talbot Horizon.
We did not get the Shelby Omni in Europe. That bad boy had the 2.2L Turbo engine driving the front wheels.
Joonas6 I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembered the GLHS
2.5t or bust
Joonas6 Yeah but the Talbot Sunbeam was by far the better car.
rockinchimp Yes. no arguments here. it is an awesome rally car
"Corvette. Corvette. Corvette. Corvette. 1987 Plymouth Horizon" *Title screen comes up* "1985 Plymouth Horizon" WHICH IS IT. MY LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN SO CONFLICTED BEFORE.
You've gotta find a late 80's Plymouth Voyager Turbo to review.
UberTech I want him to review my 87 shadow turbo
UberTech email him
There was a Turbo option available on the Chrysler Horizon in 1985 called the GLH package. "Goes like Hell."
The basic 2.2L engine had only 96hp but the turbo bumped it up to 145hp which was pretty decent for an economy car that only weighed 2000lbs.
there was also the GLHS, "goes like hell some more"
Didn't someone fit a Diesel engine of some kind into one of those first generation Caravans or Voyagers?
Drove my girlfriend's '87 Horizon through many a Colorado blizzard, road trips from Colorado to Moab, up "muffler farm" mountainous access roads to climb high peaks in Colorado, and Ft.Collins to Denver to visit her parents in crazy traffic. It was a tough little nugget. She had researched it and told me how great it was, and you have backed her reasoning up nicely.
That era Horizon/Omni was absolutely brilliant in bad weather. I never realized how dangerous it is to drive in heavy rain and snow until I gave up the Horizon I had.
Great video! I had 4 Omni GLHs over 20 years, it will always be one of my favourite cars.
If a 1st gen Voyager and a VW Golf had a bastard baby, this would be it.
pretty close i had one with the vw 4 speed rev was push down and go into 1st
This is Not a K car platform.
More like Mercury Topaz and VW Golf.
@@blaneblue1739 might as well be it did use a golf engine in its earlier production and the gold seemed really inspired by the smaller imports at the time almost even wanted one do to its size
That is NOT a Simca engine. That is a 2.2 liter K car engine, a 1.6 has the carburetor in the front, and is physically smaller than the 2.2.
yep 2.2 spent many weekends with them and the 2.5
Absolutely right. Also, he described the Simca engine, from what I can assume is a quick internet search, and completely missed the keyword "cross-flow". The 2.2 engine has both manifolds on the back, like this car. Oops.
www.allpar.com/photos/chrysler/1982/22-engines.gif
also the 1.6 never came in auto
My mistake I fixed it in an annotation
I remember this as the Talbot Horizon. The sound of valve clatter that could put a period diesel engine to shame comes to mind. Very french.
I recall a performance part in the Direct Connection catalog to improve oil flow in the engine, but which defeated the stock Omnirizon's "anti-drainback" feature, which was implemented in the US to prevent hydraulic lifter clatter upon cold startup: perhaps the Talbot didn't bother with that part?
The horizon was the second car ever owned, I remember driving all around the city zipping around here and there not a care in the world, drove home on the highway, pulled into my house and then realized there were no brakes at all! Somethings super natural kept me from dying that day! LOL
They called it the Chrysler Horizon in the UK....engines sounded like a bag full of spanners in a tumble dryer!!
Yes shit motor, also known as the Talbot Horizon in the UK.
It replaced the Talbot Sunbeam which was RWD, rather than FWD.
I believe the Talbot Sunbeam had a Lotus version.
My first car in '96 was a Talbot Horizon. Trim level in the UK was nowhere near as fancy as the US spec, and yes that 1.3 pushrod engine sounded like a knackered sewing machine, but it was very reliable! I loved that car... enough that a few years later I bought another one! Happy days.
Spanners = wrench , tumble dryer = clothes dryer. And before anyone asks a turny pushy pully is a doorknob.
@@krazytroutcatcherIt didn't replace the Chrysler Sunbeam the Horizon was introduced only 6 months after the Horizon they sold alongside each other
.
“Any car that can comfortably fit 4 grown men is not a compact”
Scion TC: “I’d like a word with you please”
6*
Ya. me too ... like you're driving around town with 4 grown men in your car.
Do you feel at all nervous about a situation like that, say, if the police stop you?
Just saying, but 'I can explain officer' might not cut it dude!
Among small cars, the Omnirizon was the big boy: seating 4 adults in good comfort was only surpassed by its most excellent ride, handling, and climate control - which was especially cool, being located on the far left of the dashboard, where only the driver could control the system.
Climate controls...only for DAD
Woah, hold on there. That's the Chrysler designed 2.2L 4 cylinder under the hood of that guy. The "K-car" engine that was subsequently shoved into the L body to make it more fitting for Americans.
Came here to say this. Definitely a 2.2L Chrysler motor.
I'll third that being a Chrysler 2.2L.
a 1.6 is physically smaller and has the carburetor in the front.
aenoymotors as the owner of three cars with that engine hell yes it's the 2.2
Pretty sure they switched from the VW and Simca engine to the 2.2l in late 1984. So yes that would make that a 2.2l, whether or not its an 85 or an 87 lol.
This video contains the only instance that I can remember of someone actually using the phrase "same difference" correctly. I applaud you, sirs!
My family had a 1985 Horizon with a 2.2L engine and automatic from 1985 to 1997. It was a pretty comfortable car if you rode in the front seats.
The best part of the Omni-Horizon was ground clearance. It was not only a breeze to do an oil change by yourself, but it could cross deep snow and even open fields like a Jeep. I use to wait for snowstorms, just to drive in new power. Crazy, I know, but the car was perfect for Minneapolis!
When this car first came out I thought it was interesting. Then after a few months one of them scared the crap out of me. The next door neighbor, in a Apartment complex had just bought one of these. I was in my carport doing something to my car. She pulled into her spot next to me and went inside her apartment. A few minutes later I had my hands down by cooling fan and all of a sudden I hear a cooling fan start. I yelled a little bit, jumped back a little bit then realized it was coming from her car. The was my first exposure to a electronically controlled cooling fan. Even when the car was turned off if the engine was hot enough the cooling fan would turn on
Welcome to the '80s: dad's Audi 4000 would pull the same stunt - and I never got used to it.
my grandfather had a gray horizon with 44.000 mil on it when I got it off him 10 years ago and it still is the car I drive to work now it has 221.000mil and I only change the hatch shock and small things spark plugs ,pads and air filter
Hopefully oil as well 😂👍🏻
Chris 45acp how's the paint ?
Igniz what paint the clear came off years ago .
Igniz wash D.C. salt and stop and go on 270
Chris 45acp i know man i hade an 88 and i regret so much selling it
In Spain it was sold under the name Talbot Horizon, my sister had one.
I used to drive one for a while. Still miss it sometimes.
My dad also had the Talbot.
My grandfather had a convertible. He had it for years and years. Fun little car.
I had a 1983 Dodge Omni handed down from my dad. I LOVED that car and to this day I still miss it…no AC, back windows that only rolled down half way and pretty small, but it was my first car and was great. Powder blue with chrome trim. I drove from NY to FL with my parents when I was 16 and I brought my first child home from the hospital in it. My husband and I still speak fondly about it.
I knew lots of people that owned some version of the Omni / Horizon through the years, including their sportier siblings TC3 and the whatever it was called. There were issues of course, but I recall some of these 80s models still rolling around with close to 160,000 miles on them or more into the early 2000s. They fit the driving needs of 1st time teen drivers, suburban commuter dads, retired grandmas and everyone in between. Great video.
Loved this car so much, owned 3 in a row back in the day,
I can't hear the term "Wide Stance" without thinking of Larry Craig.
The Pinto was designed with a wide stance, specifically to handle better that a VW Beetle in cross-winds, and it worked.
You oughta review a GLH. Looks the same, Goes Like Hell.
I had an O24, drove like a regular Omni, looked more sporty. Nice 4 speed gave me great mileage.
That one is a lot more luxurious than the '78 that I had. Although mine was quite comfy.
Mine had a VW 1.7 L. engine that was a really good match to the car.
The car handled deep snow like a snow mobile, and got me to work on time when co-workers that lived half as far as me were calling off.
I was born in 1983 and my dad bought a Horizon that same year, for about $4,000 I think he said, brand new. My childhood memories are flooded with riding in that car (in the front seat), listening to the only two cassettes he had in the car at the time: Dire Straights and The Cars. It finally bit the dust in my early teen years because the block cracked and he had it towed away. We never saw it again. He seemed pretty sad about it, and I know I was. It was the end of an era. Great little car!
Can you guys please create a playlist of all your song covers Mr. Regular and Roman?
All I want, is a cover of them playing リサフランク420 / 現代のコンピュー with the small Casio keyboard Mr. Regular has and Roman's guitar. That'd be amazing.
Sebastian Torres Sagredo YES
What song even is the cover here? It's on the tip of my tongue and I can't think of it...
amber run - i found
It was actually love at first sight for me when I first got into the interior of a used Omni back in the 90s. The feel of the controls, the ride, fit and finish, all convinced me it was a clone of the Mitsubishi Colt's precursor. I would have been wrong, but now with this video, I'm even more convinced I made a worse mistake by not buying it.
Lol
Honestly probably shit my biggest shit when I was watching this. Just finished
Ty Miller oh shit I'm doing that right now
Hayden's Productions holy shit so am I
Ty Miller as am I
I'm pleased at how many comment that these cars were quick. That was my experience when I rented one. It was also comfortable and roomy. Finally, I loved the variable intermittent wipers and wondered why all car brands didn't have that.
My first car was an '87 Horizon. Watching this video brings back many, many memories. I'd forgotten about the chrome window handles, and the interior was prettier than the exterior. Small but broad is a very appropriate observation. I'd get another one, it's a true American gem.
Why can't everyone put the fuel filter in the engine bay?
Because mental gymnastics. Hey, at least you don't have your alternator under the intake gallery.
And why can't they all be clear??
Tool0GT92, because fire. Those plastic fuel filters only have so many hot-cold cycles before the crack or the line going into them perishes. Causing leaks causing fire.
Carb systems use much lower fuel pressure than injected systems, so the fuel filter can be flimsier on them.
so make them metal like the 2.5 Subaru engine had until 2007.
I can't imagine that car is very safe. It seems like it'd fold like an accordion in even the smallest fender bender.
They were good cars, and more solid feeling when you slammed a door, hatch or hood in comparison to the Honda or Toyota line of the same era.
I had a '79, and my sister had a 82 Corolla. The Horizon was ten times more solid feeling!
Melissa0774 you can't imagine. You are a cartoon character. Only humans can imagine. Don't think you can take that away from us!
My buddy had a 1980 omni, I had a 1983 cavalier. One night he was pissed at his gf and decided to go shopping cart "bowling" to quell his anger. The omni killed several carts at 30mph and had a few scratches and dings in it.
I tried the same thing with my cavalier and was rewarded with two broken headlights, a broken front valence, a bent hood and a sizeable dent in the fender, from ONE shopping cart. What's more, the cart took zero damage.
The Omni was a lot stronger than appearances would suggest.
Considering the fact that this car was introduced in 1977, an era before crumple zones, I'd say you are correct about it not being that safe. Still a very cool little car, my personal favorite small car from the 70s and 80s. The Horizon/Omni.
Make Horizons great again
Watching these is like seeing my vehicle history on parade, my buddy owned one. I had an '86 Turismo.
This was the world press car of the year in 1977 I believe (Simca/Talbot Horizon). Very good car, but extremely bad rust protection. Even back in the day it was considered a rust bag. But, it drove very comfortable and the tech was robust. In Europe you could get it with 1100cc, 1300cc or 1500 cc automatic Simca engines ranging from 45 hp to 70 hp. It was developed as a competitor to the very successful VW Golf/Rabbit mk 1.
Nice Talbot there.
It does actually look a bit like a Sunbeam , or a Golf to be honest xD
John West It was originally Talbot Horizon here in europe, and as far as I know, it wasn't a very good car. But I guess it was cheap too.
beat me to it :D. Sexy sunbeam
Banter Man
Talbot Horizon was a terrible, terrible car. Would be great to import a Shelby GLH-S version of the Omni to Europe and but the Talbot emblems on it... :D