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Comments
There were bulletins on the steering column/shaft back when I first had the car; can't remember details, but had the intermediate steering shaft replaced and some other part of it went a second time.
Only noticed a kind of clunking feel when making turns.
The dealership should know this and fix the steering for sure (and for free!).
I have also had tie rods replaced and a front joint (but the bad joint, they say, should make a groaning sound).
How many miles on the car?
Mileage - don't know much about. Mine has been pretty good...about 20-23 mph average, and I have 95,000 miles on it. But, uses lots of oil (always down 1-2 quarts between 3000 mile changes!!). So, check your oil between oil changes!! GM says this is normal for that engine. Whatever...it's a fact of life, so just keep checking!
If I can get back to this forum, I'll try and give you the list of things that they should fix that they say don't need fixing (I know because I've had lots of things fixed on this baby!).
Hope this helps.
All the noises that I hear out of the car are slight, but they are there. I'm just hoping i didnt make a bad decision buying the car.
The previous owner had never replaced anything on it yet, I'm hoping that its not all going bad starting now.
If it's a bad joint in the front end, usually there is a groan (so they say).
Most dealerships will always say they don't hear/see/feel the things we do!!
Do you have an extended warranty? I bought one when I got the car used at 17,000. Glad I did because the little things add up.
I don't really know what effect the excess oil consumption has on the car's performance/engine. I figure it has to be fouling up something somewhere after awhile though!
I've done a lot of searches on web sites where Olds Intrigue owners describe the same problems I have had with mine...a lot of good info there.
If the previous owner really had few problems, that's great. I don't think there have ever been actual recalls on the Intrigue (also a good thing!), just technical bulletins for things like the steering, but wonder if that would still apply to your car (with the higher mileage on it).
Mine doesn't sound as perfect (the engine) as it used to either, but it is getting up there in miles.
I really liked the engine/power/performance, which is why I bought it in the first place. Plus, it is the only car I can drive for long distances and be comfortable!
I'll try to find the info, if I can, on the bulletins, etc.
The low oil light will come on if you are a quart low. I burn about a quart every 1500-200 miles. I buy the Walmart Supertech 5 gallon jug for $7.80 and keep in trunk. The car still gets 27-28 mpg per tank (90% highway). So this is much cheaper option that most of us accept. I doubt the burning oil would cause the engine getitng louder during acceleration. If it does bother you, some people swear by the engine flushes. YOu cna have the dealership do that. It will probably help a bit but....it will come back. It's the nature of the engine.
I'll try the lithium grease this weekend. Is there a certain type of lithium grease?
Thanks alot man.
I don't think the ISS is a safety issue. At least I haven't heard of any incidences. That why getting under the steering wheel and lubing it yourself is such a popular option. GM has a more formal process that requires taking it to the shop and putting it up on the lift and actually removing the steering column to lube the shaft. Since I am out of warranty and would cost me, I'll just climb under the steering wheel and do it myself.
But, as I've said recently, its started to betray me. It has 44,000 miles and at times sound like it has 144,000. There is a very bad rattle coming from the back that nobody seems to have much of a clue about. The steering column and dash area appear to be coming loose on the inside and very a pretty bad rattle. I'm on my 3rd steering shaft, and this time the problem came back after less than a 1,000 miles. Of course I had the incident I described when my vehicle stopped dead at 60 mph on the highway. Seperatley, I had a leak in the intake manifold. The oxygen sensor was malfunctioned. The power window on the drivers side stopped working. The forward and back buttons on the CD player stopped working. Well, you get the point. And now, (not the car's fault), I need new brakes.
I'm trading it for a 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid. It will be a big adjustment not having my Shortstar to rely on. I did love the power across the spectrum. While the Camry Hybrid is a 4 cylinder, I found it to be pretty quick--it has a 50 HP electric motor in addition to the 4 cylinder. Road Track clocked it to 60 faster than the Intrigue! (7.3 seconds). I'm getting it for HOV reasons mostly.
But anyway, the bottom line is that despite all that, I'll miss my car. Resale on it is horrid and I didn't get all that much for my trade (though this dealer gave me $500 more than Carmax and $800 more than KBB). So anyway, just thought I'd post here like I did when I bought it. I'll always have a soft spot for it. I wish it had been a better car--the reliability was just unacceptable. But it was well designed with a great powertrain.
So long, Iggy.
So, good luck with your new car. I will not be buying a GM anything again (this was my third - a lemon Buick, and two Oldsmobiles).
Enjoy your new ride!
Di
Overall, Hybrids are a loss for the buyer unless they drive enormous amounts of annual miles.
As the contrarian here, too the Camry is super boring, but yes super reliable. An appliance then. For many, that is enough. Really, Toyota has become the Japanese Buick, both in product and most of thier core buyer demographics. I'd never buy a Buick (ok, maybe the coming LaCross Super), and so no Toyota for me. Mazda and perhaps Nissan are another matter entirely, providing exciting products AND cars with character.
I never have thought of cars as appliances, and so after 6.5+ years, and 45k miles, my 2000 GL Intrigue still is an exciting sedan that has proven pretty reliable. Any car, even Toyotas, have problems as they age and the miles add on. Some more or less than others. I have had many GM's and all have been great, so my experiences is at odds with some here.
I drove the Camry the same way I did my Intrigue today to work and back--a long trip that's an even mix between highway and city. My Intrigue got 23 or so on this run. The Camry got 35 today. That's with some pretty aggressive driving.
In terms of it being a loss...well, no, not really. The Hybrid comes in what is essentially XLE trim--XLE interior, sound system (440 watt JBL), Bluetooth, dual climate with steering wheel controls, and the Lexus stability control system (only Camry its available on). Mine has a sunroof. If you option up a regular Camry that much, you're looking at less than a few thousand difference. For buying a Camry Hybrid, I get a $2600 tax credit. It makes up the difference...the rest is all gravy.
The battery pack is warrantied for 8 years, 100k. There is many a Prius out there now well over 100k and still going strong. We'll see. Toyota expects it to go a minimum of 10 years. 10 years is a long time.
Look, its all subjective...if you think the new Camry looks boring, that's up to you. Compared to Accord or what? The Altima? The 6? To me, this Camry's a far more intersting car visually. If your appliances have these features, well, you've got a heck of an appliance. And every single one of these cars will be looking at the tailights of the V6 Camry.
I know it may break down. We'll see. I just don't need a lecture about GM cars...I've owned 5. I'm just sick of it. Maybe the Camry won't be better...but it can't be worse. You're the exception, not the rule with your luck. I thought the Intrigue was a great car in terms of design and powertrain. Durability, it was a disaster. Sure, it will run and probably keep running (well, except for mine at times), but rattle free? Will everything work? Not a chance. I had $3400 worth of warranty work in the past 6 months. My warranty was just about up and I had zero evidence that I wasn't going to have another $3400 coming up---only this time out of MY pocket. What was I supposed to do?
My Grand Marquis gets me the same mileage, but I now have a V8, RWD and a lot more room inside and in the trunk; of course being a CPO car, I have a zero deductible through 75K/6 years which helps, too.
Seeing the "quality" GM offers, I didn't even think about another of the General's vehicles.
Enjoy the Camry and laugh all the way to the bank.
Good luck.
Deke
I used to be one of those guys on Edmunds who was adamant that GM was coming around, the vehicle quality was getting better, etc.
Well, now with some perspective on recent vehicles, my attitude has changed. I have a long commute now (78 miles a day in Metro DC) and a pregnant wife. I can't afford to screw around anymore with dealer trying to figure out whats wrong with my car THIS time. I don't want to be on a first name basis with service advisors any more. I gave GM a shot, I really did. And actually, if they were to build a product that I felt was high quality, maybe I'd give it a shot if the deal was right (since we've got GM Card points up the wazoo to spend). But now at least I have one car that is very well made and technologically superior to most everything else out there.
Interesting about your warranty situation. This is my warranty story. My wife, who was then my fiance, had a 2000 Olds Alero GLS Coupe. Black with grey leather. 20k miles, 3 years 3 months old. She's driving down my parking garage and I'm standing there waving goodbye. All of a sudden I see this fluid gushing from beneath the car. It rolls to a stop in front of me...she says everything just died.
Car is towed to a dealer---total failure of the power steering system. Cost of new system: $2,300. Call GM--look, this car is barely out of warranty, you really think a car should drop its steering system at 20k? They ended up sending a check for $400 as a "good faith gesture." Gee, thanks.
Happy with mine, glad you are free of your problem car. :lemon:
Mine was a base, but because of all the standard equipment it came with, at the time it was the best equipped car in its' price field; Trac, 4 wheel disc with ABS, etc, etc. They were optional on the Lumina GTZ I looked at first.
Deke
I took a look at the new Aura and I am really tempted. What a nice sedan, the 3.6L with the 18" wheels and brown leather interior looks great. This is the nicest looking sedan GM has made since the Intrigue IMO. Have you seen one?
Will also look at a Impala LTZ, a Fusion and a used CTS.
How are things in Vegas?
I find myself tempted by the Lincoln Zephyr (or MKZ, next year, with an upgraded engine), or the Buick Lucerne, as replacements for the 'Trig when the time comes.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Buick Lucerne is nice though it likely won't fit in my garage. My Intrigue is tight. I would also want the V8 which would start getting pricey.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Just added 18 inch chrome wheels mounted on Dunlop 245-45 Z rated F1 rain tires. Updated the 'old horse' pretty well.
Some picts:
Recent pictures
If I were in the market now, the G6 GTP with the new 3.9 DoD interests me, or the Aura. No interest whatsoever in those still boring Japanese sourced sedans like Camry and Accord. Bulletproof perhaps, but also characterless, which to me is a poor tradeoff (I consider myself a born car enthusiast that would not be caught dead in a boring emotionless car).
Vegas has been hot lately of course, and we have had the worst monsoon weather since I moved here 4 years ago. Dryer now so I can keep the car clean!
Seriously, 100k miles is allot, and so i would expect some 'issues' like yours by then, perhaps not the engine though. Seems like the same story, bad car and previous owner runs to a Japanese sourced one, assumming that makes it all fine and good from there out. Hope it does for you, but some of this is just hype (see recalls by Nissan and recently, even vaunted Toyota). Hope that just becuase you hate this car :lemon: you aren't excluding all American makes, as that is just wrong, but a common mistake. Sorry for your troubles.
Company slowing down to avoid more recalls."
"NHTSA investigates Toyota Sienna"
"Tundra suspension problems continue"
Headlines seen today that makes my point. :lemon: :lemon:
Summer is starting to cool up here, the really muggy hot days seem to be done.
Make no mistake -- if Saturn hadn't been created, Olds would still be around.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Agree that perhaps Saturn helped some decision by that moron Zarella for the demise of Olds, as perhaps they planned for the money to go to Saturn anyways for the current/coming makeover.
Finally, make no mistake about this, Olds' demise was due to failure of marketing to get the message out on thier reformed product lines clearly, in addition to not allowing time for that same message and new focus to really take hold. Zarrella was an idiot, and yes, he should have killed Buick instead if any.
Overall an old debate, but glad I still have mine!
MOTOR NOISE!!!
The top end of the motor under the valve cover on one side (3 of the 6 cyl.)is very noisy and also bone dry. THREE mechanics later still no fix... Looking for a motor diagram to see how the oil gets pumped up to the double overhead cam. Also, the motor runs great, no skip....
2001 olds intrigue. 3.5 liter engine
MOTOR NOISE!!!
The top end of the motor under the valve cover on one side (3 of the 6 cyl.)is very noisy and also bone dry. THREE MECHANICS LATER, still no fix... Looking for a motor diagram to see how the oil gets pumped up to the double overhead cam. Also, the motor runs great, no skip....
2001 olds intrigue. 3.5 liter engine
"As Toyota factories rush to fill Camry orders, the launch has encountered a speed bump. Internet chat sites such as Edmunds.com, MSN Autos and Yahoo! Autos list hundreds of customer complaints about 2007 Camry powertrains hesitating under low-speed acceleration. That echoes problems suffered in the launch of last year's redesigned Avalon, which shares many components with the Camry.
In response to these complaints, Toyota has issued several technical service bulletins for the 2007 Camry powertrain, a spokesman said. The bulletins address transmission malfunctions, spiking RPMs and harsh downshifts.
Toyota's success around the world has caused a substantial review of the company's vaunted quality procedures.
Executives are pondering whether Toyota's rapid growth is undermining vehicle quality, forcing a reevaluation of the automaker's launch strategy."
Ya, Toyota, bullet proof, riiiggghhht. :lemon:
Thankfully the product coming from Saturn now is finally worth of it's top notch customer service and that means I can finally take a serious look.
Well, I still cannot. Rehashing small European designs for the American market is the answer why Saturn is stagnant. Look at the Aura, it holds no candle to the Intrigue. Its counterpart at Olds would more appropriately be the Alero. But I'm not in the market for an expensive (with the 3.6) compact car, not now, not ever.
GM can bid me farwell. :P
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Saturn may have siphoned some marketing / development dollars from other GM divisions but Olds had an all new lineup (which GM spent billions developing and marketing) in case you forgot and still could't sell cars. Never get me wrong.. killing Olds was not a good decision. It's just not as simple as you make it out to be and Saturn had little to nothing to do with Olds death.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
One thing we can agree on is that Olds never should have been killed. Killing Olds killed 2 points of market share, nothing to sneeze at.