Junkyard Find: 1981 Chevrolet Citation
The well-publicized reliability troubles of the GM X-body family caused General Motors plenty of image damage during the 1980s, but the Chevy version sold well (at first). Now, of course, most are gone, but examples turn up in wrecking yards every once in a while these days. So far in this series, we’ve seen this ’80 Skylark, this ’81 Citation, this frighteningly rusty ’81 Citation, this ’82 Citation, this ’82 Citation, this ’83 Citation, and this ’84 Omega. Now I’ve found another ’81, with a very nice interior and no apparent rust, in a Denver yard.
Originally sold by Mike Perry Chevrolet & Oldsmobile in Wayne, Nebraska, this car still has the original owner’s manual and inspection certificate.
An ignition key in a junkyard car usually means that the yard bought it from an insurance-company auction. The car took a bad hit in the left rear corner, which reduced its value to whatever the per-ton price for shreddable cars was at the moment. Perhaps I’m a little harsh on the X-body, but my criticisms come from personal experience.
It has air-conditioning, but the original buyer didn’t want to splurge on the AM-FM radio.
The optional 2.8-liter V6 was a better choice than the base Iron Duke four.
Chrysler wheel covers!
Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.
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I had 1981 Citation X-11. Not a bad looking car even now, but unfortunately, according to dealer, "it leaks oil from every place it possible could." Still not the worst car I've had. That honor is 1990 Range Rover. http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Chevrolet/1981_Chevrolet/1981_Chevrolet_Citation_Brochure/1981%20Chevrolet%20Citation-08%20amp%2009.html
X-body Lemon grove! I've dealt with a 1981 Skylark - swapped transaxle 5 times until found a supergood '82 one with manual TCC switch. Soft cruiser besides occasionally smoking steering column. 1980 Citation with mostly rear braking and 2-speed AT - sold to a junk peddler. Recently spotted a Citation X-11 coupe for sale cheap, happily didn't even stop to look. Byeee!