Used Cars Trivia

Wendy Jo Sperber lost her battle with breast cancer after an 8 year fight and died in 2005 at the age of 47. A big shame, she was in some of the funniest movies and tv shows of the 80's.

Betty Thomas, who had a small role in the film, went on to direct Howard Sterns "Private Parts".

The red car superstition was totally fabricated by screenwriters Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis. It has since gone on to have a life of its own...

Jim the Mechanic's line of "Jesus, Palomino!" was a line Warren Oates said in Spielberg's conspicuous failure, "1941" which was also written by 'The Two Bobs', Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, who later penned "Back to the Future".

Roy L.'s line about "politicians staying bought" was first attributed to steel baron Henry Frick about President Theodore Roosevelt after massive donations to the Republican party by big business helped Roosevelt's re-election and Roosevelt subsequently began proposing legislation to increase regulation of steel mills and railroads.

Used Cars is Robert Zemeckis's only R rated movie to date.

The scene in which Rudy (Kurt Russell) comes home from his promotional car spot with the hookers, he makes a nod to the statue of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley that's sitting on his dresser. Russell had played Elvis the year before in "Elvis."

The T-Birds' white convertible and the Scorpion's black Mercury (w/ flames) from Grease (1978) are two of the cars that Rudy Russo palms off on the driver ed. teacher.

The character Manuel was played by director Alfonso Arau. He would later play in Robert Zemeckis' "Romancing the Stone" in 1984 as Juan.

Marc "Jimmy Olson" McClure and Wendie Jo Sperber play two of the high school students driving the used clunkers during the movies climactic chase. They would later play Marty McFly's older siblings in Robert Zemeckis's Back to the Future. They also appeared in Robert Zemecki's debut film "I Wanna Hold Your Hand". Deborah Harmon and Wendie Jo Sperber would appear together again, along with Wendie Jo Sperber's fellow "Bosom Buddies" cast member Tom Hanks in "Bachelor Party".