Here’s why the Pontiac 6000 was the best of the GM A-bodies

In this episode I provide the history of the Pontiac 6000, one of 4 models GM offered on its then-new front-wheel-drive mid-size platform for the 1982 model year. Unlike the other A-body cars, the Chevy Celebrity, Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, and Buick Century, the 6000 offered a sportier STE trim which was a favorite of auto enthusiasts of the 80s, even making it on Car and Driver's 10 top list three years in a row. The STE also offered all-wheel-drive, the only A-body to offer it. But by 1990, with the Pontiac Grand Prix now offering a sedan, the 6000 became redundant and was cancelled after 1991. Its square and somewhat boring shape also earned it a parody in the movie Robocop, called the 6000 SUX.

[JosephManley-etqw]

My family's 1983 Pontiac 6000 was the first front-wheel drive car I had driven. An amazing ride and feel, and great in the snow. Later, Dad gave me that car and I owned and maintained it for many years. Very solid and reliable...I loved that car!

[brokenacoustic]

My buddy had one of these back in highschool, we spent a lot of time driving around aimlessly listening to WEEN, smoking stuff and things...good times, from what I remember... lol

[IgoZoom]

I loved the STE. A friend had a '84 and it was a great car. Another friend's dad worked for GM and he bought a '86 STE. I loved that car! It looked great, drove great and felt like something special. It was impressive that GM, which was great at screwing up good opportunities, actually got this one right.

[Butchcub]

Love my 1986 Century T Type. Never had a 6000 but fondly remember them.

[craigjackson]

My friend’s mom had a new 86 black over grey STE and my 15 yr old self was blown away by it. My mom’s IROC felt like a Flintstones car by comparison. They didn’t miss a trick with the details. The digital instruments, steering wheel buttons, and tons of unusual for the time features (assist handles over the doors, rear seat headrests, etc). It was clear that they really thought about the details. When I got my first car in 1992, I was lucky enough to find an 89 STE AWD in the navy blue. I loved that car and it impressed everyone who saw it or rode in it. I actually preferred the original roofline to the later rounded one, but couldn’t find an 88.5 version, which was the intro of the AWD option and had the original body style. But great memories of that car.

[jaygee]

My parents had a 6000SE wagon with a digidash, my dad used to set the cruise control 1 under the 70mph speed limit and chuckle to himself, it would be years before I got the joke.

[chased]

Thanks for making this video I Loved my 1986 6000 STE! Very quirky car, funky display, air suspension with a pump in the trunk. If I went down a steep hill with less than 1/4 tank it would stall out because of the fuel pump location. Drove it till the rust got too bad and the carbon built up in the throttle body so much it would stall at every light. Anyway that car saw me through some very hard times.

[michaelcosgrove]

This video brought back a multitude of great memories from when I was a kid. I have vivid memories of riding in the back seat of my Grandparent's 1986 6000LE that they had up until 1996. It was a great car. I still think about that car to this day

[milfordcivic]

There were way more Cutlass Cieras and Celebrities on the road from what I can remember.

[JKCougar]

My dad was a big Ford guy and was president of a company back in the day. He had a 6000 rental and raved about how good of a car it was. He said he was quiet and rode very smooth. When it was time to order company cars for the company he was working for he wanted to get some 6000s but ended up getting Mercury Sables instead I think the deal Ford had on fleet cars was better than GMs at the time. He still talks about how much he liked the 6000 though.

[SpyralPegacyon]

Good ol' Irv Rybicki styling. "What if every car was a '76 Seville?"

[knerdrider]

This is literally my old car. My first car was a 1982 Pontiac 6000LE with the Iron Duke. Nice to see it again!

[LukeHague]

Thank you for putting one out about this car. My first car was an '86 STE and still holds a place as one of my favorite vehicles.

[minnybiker]

My parents leased a 1987 Pontiac 6000 LE. it was our first new car. We felt pretty fancy.

[NicholasTaylor-yv]

I almost bought one for 400 in 2007. It was Blue/Rusty with grey interior. It was rough, I passed because it was running when I got there and they wouldn't let me test drive it or turn it off.

[ctom]

Mom had a 89 S/E. Was a solid car. Learnd to drive in that car. I dont remember it ever having any problems. She gave it to my brother who went over 200k before he got rid of it. Good cars.

[RomanJockMCO]

When I was a kid growing up in the 80s this was my favorite A-body. I even tried to get my friend's mom to buy one. She decided on a 1985 Nissan Maxima that got me started on 4-door sedans with moonroofs. I loved the digital gauges and the familiar Pontiac styling cues. Being praised by Road & Track and Car & Driver helped, too. By 1990 it was stale and had been surpassed by newer competition. I wound up buying an Accord EX with a manual. Man do I miss the 80s.

[kevinfox]

My wife has her mom's 6000 STE. An 86, black, red interior. Yep. It draws a crowd at local cruise nights. Also get a lot of I owned one/my parents had one, but not like this one.

Fun car, because of the memories shared, life events, dumb decisions, things like that. More often than not, .it sits next to the 80 Mercury zephyr, 92 Mustang drive line, worked over, backed with a 5 speed. Set up for road course and daily use.

One of our friends has an 89 6000 wagon as well. His wife has her dad's 90 Celebrity's wagon.

Last time I saw them on the road regularly was the early 2000s. Thanks for covering the A body GMs. Brings back a lot of memories.

[wydopnthrtl]

In 1982 my Dad ordered a 83 6000 with the diesel engine. Sales manager tried to talk him out of the diesel. But my Dad stuck to it. Took about 5 months for the car to arrive. He drove it about 85k miles and the engine died. He replaced it w/a gas engine and we drove it about another 100k miles.
I thought it was a nice car and a little more upscale than the neighbors.
In 1990 bought a used base model 87 6000 and used it as our family car. It had the iron duke and the upper cam gear shredded around 115k miles. That was the first engine I rebuilt myself! Drove it another few years and always liked them. They were a good value and fairly comfortable.

[andregonsalvez]

Great show and review ! I saw far more Cutlass Ciera , Celebrity and Centuries back in the 80s. The A body cars each catered to different customers the 6000 being the most sporty . My parents were @ the time looking @ a 6000 Safari wagon but ended up buying a 84 Parisienne Safari wagon . 😊