The 1980s were all about excess—big hair and questionable fashion choices. Sadly, the car industry wasn’t spared. While some cars defined the decade, others crashed and burned (sometimes literally). These ten cars turned the ’80s into a mechanical minefield. Buckle up because it’s going to get bumpy.

Cadillac Cimarron

Cadillac thought it could simply slap its logo on a Chevy Cavalier, toss in some leather seats, and call it a luxury car. Spoiler: it couldn’t. The Cimarron was underpowered, overpriced, and a disappointment to luxury car buyers. Nothing says “status symbol” like realizing your “Cadillac” shares parts with your neighbor’s old beater.

Yugo GV

The Yugo GV cost less than $4,000, and even that was too much. Built in communist Yugoslavia, it had the reliability of a soggy cardboard box. Owners quickly learned that “GV” stood for “Guaranteed Vexation.” The only thing faster than its 0-60 time? It’s a trip to the junkyard.

DeLorean DMC-12

Yes, it starred in “Back to the Future,” but no, it wasn’t futuristic. Underpowered and built with questionable quality, the DMC-12 was a financial disaster. A cool design and gull-wing doors don’t make up for an engine that accelerates like a lawnmower on sedatives.

Ford Bronco II

SUVs should inspire confidence, not terror, but the Bronco II did the opposite. If you made a sharp turn in this thing, you weren’t driving—you were flipping. In their infinite wisdom, Ford thought, “Let’s shrink the Bronco!” and somehow ignored fundamental physics. The result? A high center of gravity and just a few rollovers.

Maserati Biturbo

Maserati’s twin-turbo V6 should’ve been a dream. Instead, it was a mechanical soap opera. The Biturbo had turbo lag you could measure with a calendar and reliability issues, making it a mechanic’s retirement plan. Owning one meant being fluent in frustration and “Maserati repair costs.”

Hyundai Excel

Hyundai’s American debut started off strong with an affordable price and an appealing style. But then came the test drive. The Excel had the durability of a toy car and a lifespan shorter than a fruit fly’s. Owners soon realized that “Excel” was a bit of a misnomer—it was better at excelling in breakdowns.

Pontiac LeMans

Pontiac attached a once-iconic name to an underwhelming, underpowered compact. A rebadged Daewoo with less power than a bicycle, the ’80s LeMans fell short of expectations. While the ’60s version was a legend, this version seemed to ignore everything that made it special.

Alfa Romeo Arna

A collaboration between Alfa Romeo and Nissan might seem promising. But it wasn’t. The Arna combined the worst of both brands—Alfa’s unreliability and Nissan’s dullness—resulting in a forgettable car that even the most loyal Alfa fans wish had never happened.

Chevrolet Citation

GM’s first front-wheel-drive compact had all the potential for success. Instead, it became a ticking time bomb of recalls. With brake failures, suspension problems, and poor quality, the name “Citation” turned out to be fitting—owners were constantly getting tickets for broken taillights and malfunctioning brakes.

Renault Fuego

You’d expect something fiery with a name like Fuego (Spanish for “fire”). Instead, Renault delivered a lackluster disappointment. It had the looks of a sports car but couldn’t deliver the performance to match. When it faded away, no one was left wondering, “Hey, what ever happened to the Fuego?”