Jimmy McGill’s battered 1998 Suzuki Esteem did not simply disappear when the show’s car met its on-screen fate. The WHEELS Museum says Sony Pictures obtained four Esteems for Better Call Saul: one became a camera car, one was scrapped, Sony kept the best-condition example, and the damaged car associated with season five is now in the museum’s collection.
What happened to Jimmy’s Esteem in the story?
The Esteem is identified as a recurring car for a main character in Better Call Saul by the Internet Movie Cars Database (IMCDb’s vehicle record). The production-car account is more specific than the fictional one: the WHEELS Museum identifies the wrecked car from season five as the vehicle now in its collection. The sources available here do not establish a complete episode-by-episode account of the fictional car’s ultimate fate, so the fate of a production vehicle should not be treated as proof that every Esteem used on set was destroyed.
What became of the four production cars?
According to the WHEELS Museum’s exhibit, Sony Pictures sourced four 1998 Suzuki Esteems for the series. Their reported paths differed:
| Production car | Reported fate |
|---|---|
| Camera process car | One Esteem was cut up and adapted as a camera process car. |
| Scrapped car | One was scrapped. |
| Hero car | Sony retained the best-condition example as the “hero car.” |
| Season-five wreck | The vehicle that met its fate in season five became part of the WHEELS Museum’s vintage-car collection. |
The museum presents the season-five car as an exhibit in its collection. Its account documents the production vehicles’ reported disposition; it does not say that all four were wrecked or destroyed.
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Why did the Esteem look so mismatched?
The red door and other color choices were deliberate, not an accidental repair job. The museum says the show’s transportation department head, Dennis Milliken, was asked by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould to find a vehicle “in the mid to late 90’s range.” Milliken recalled: “in my almost 40 years in this business, I have never searched so far and wide for multiples of the same vehicle.”
The museum attributes the final scheme, including the mismatched red door, to Milliken’s college roommate’s 1970s Ford Pinto. That explanation comes from the museum’s exhibit account, rather than a production transcript.
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What kind of 1998 Suzuki Esteem was it?
“1998 Suzuki Esteem” does not identify one universal engine or specification. Cars.com’s historical listings show differences by body style and trim:
| 1998 configuration listed by Cars.com | Engine and power | Starting MSRP for the 1998 model |
|---|---|---|
| GL sedan, manual transmission | 1.6-liter four-cylinder; 95 horsepower | $11,999 |
| Hatchback, manual transmission | 1.3-liter four-cylinder; 79 horsepower | $9,099 |
These are variant-specific historical figures, not current prices or specifications for every Esteem. Cars.com lists multiple body styles, trims, and powertrains in its 1998 Suzuki Esteem model information.
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Looking for parts for a 1998 Esteem?
A parts catalog has a 1998 Esteem category organized by trim, but that does not establish current stock or the fitment of a particular part. Before buying, confirm the car’s body style, trim, engine, transmission, and the exact part fitment; the model name and year alone may not be enough.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did Bob Odenkirk want Jimmy to replace it?
In an Esquire interview, the question put to Bob Odenkirk was, “Does Saul replace the Suzuki Esteem with a better car?” He replied, “You don’t love the Esteem?” (Esquire interview.) No credible named statistic about the Esteem’s cultural impact, reliability, or the show’s ratings is established by the sources cited here.
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