Oldsmobile Intrigue

dindak

jgriff : Back for another round huh? Life must be dull over at the Acura "love-in" forum.

garnes : Thanx for all that info. I will have to look into all that. Wouldn't mind a few extra ponies under the hood. Too bad there is no K&N for the 3.5L yet.

b4z

Congratulations on your intrigue(s). Keep us posted on how they work for you.

easyrider300m

I just started a new topic in Town Hall and think it should draw lots of interest. The title is:
"Mechanics: Horror Stories." I bet all of you have had at least one bad run in with a dishonest or incompetent mechanic. Please post your horror story under my new topic. Here is the link: easyrider300m "Mechanics: Horror Stories" Oct 28, 2001 1:54am ---Ok, Guys--start your postings!

wbhall

I hope I do too! I'm sure I will. I will be driving 150-170 miles roundtrip a day for work and it seems to be a very comfortable car to drive. I also like the idea of 30 mpg on the highway too. I just picked the car up yesterday morning and I am going to get it waxed before winter. Does anyone know whether a "claybar wax job" is better than normal wax job? I got to protect that paint with winter coming on!

focus

Wbhall - Congratulations...Bronzmist is one of the most favorite color on this board. I picked up my intrigue two weeks ago and now has almost 1000km (600 miles). I am debating whether to use Zaino or Meguiars to shine and protect. Claybar as i know is only used to remove water and other difficult spot so that the surface is better prepare for a wax job.

wbhall

My wife and I both liked it when we saw it. As far as the waxing goes, I guess I don't have to worry about getting a claybar wax job with a brand new car. I'm going to take it to a local car detailing shop to have it waxed for the winter I guess. Don't think I'm going to find the time to do it myself before winter. As far as waxes goes, I always liked Rain Dance. I never noticed a Consumers Report on which wax was actually best, have you?

b4z

I prefer Mother's. I used to use rain dance, but went back to the carnuba many year's ago.
Forgot to tell you. My intrigue was in bronze mist also. Looks great when it is clean.

dindak

I used Nu Finish on my Intrigue a couple of weeks ago. It is well rated by Consumer Reports and works well with my polisher as it doesn't splatter much. It's also much less expensive than Zaino from what I remember. I picked up on sale at Zellers for around C$11.

garnes

Imacmil - yes, Noblesville is 20 minutes north of the Indy city limits. It would be a bit of a drive for you, but possible. I'd look around South Bend first.

Also, there is a place called Thrasher Charged that sells and makes upgrades for the GM 3.8's. They are further north in Indiana (a little closer to you). They may have a dyno or know where to access one closer to you. They are at 765-457-8729. They are on the web too.

Remember, If you make some improvements (and I swear the domestic cars have a habit of suffocating great engines) don't always expect the added HP and torque to just add up on top of each other. Sometimes it works that way, but certain mods add power to different areas of the curve. But it all helps performance.

ketch

Finally saw a new Altima this weekend, as we pulled into a restuarant. First thing I see is the back end, as it was parked headed in. Sorry but the picts looksed great, ut to this eye (IMO of course) the car is not pretty at all. Cannot handle the rear styling, esp. the clear tail lites. My wife was horrified by it as well. Another element that stood out as awkward, was the shut line design for the rear dorrs, with a cheapish looking panel added aft of it to make it a smoother line, ugh. came away happy I got this car, one where nearly all angels are attractive. First car that I have ever seen that appeared better in picts than real life.

Question, rhetorical one, whats with these clear lites everywhere now. I think they look fussy.

evandro

I thought the same when I considered buying an Altima. Too many weird angles... Not to mention that the spartan interior and those ugly tail lights were definite turn-offs! :^P

I think that the 1^st car to sport those dubious clustered tail lights was the Lexus RX300, and has been being copied left and right. I personally think it's an ogre! :^)

garnes

I saw a new Altima this weekend too, and I swear I stood and wondered if the tail lights were factory. I thought "no way" - that it must be the crap they sell at those auto places for greasy kids that usually have the four letter words vibrating the grime off their cars. I guess those tail lights look good if you like the "coffee can" exhaust. I just can't believe this is factory, but I guess it is. Maybe marketing to those that don't yet have an income (or a chance at a real income) is the strategy here. Go figure.

Interior looked a bit economy too. It's the whole ride that counts.

dindak

I agree with most of you, the clear tail lights are the weak point of this car. I still have not tested one, but I've seen a few on the road and they generally look good. The clear lights seem to be a fad with all the Honda/Acura teeny bopper kids. I think it cheapens the look of the car, but I guess many people think it looks hi-tech or something.

Thankfully no kits are available for the Intrigue.

ketch

Jeez, just reread my recent post (4968).
Sorry for all the spelling errors. Typos of course, no really. I'll try to be more Kareful.

vcjumper

Looks like the new Mazda mid size (Mazda 6) has these too.

Mazda 6 Preview

Not a big fan of clear tails either, though I do like the Altima from the peeks I've had at it on the road so far.

Clear tails became popular with the tuner crowd with the Toyota Altezza, marketed as the Lexus IS300 here.

bartender

Hello everyone! I have not posted in while. I'm the the proud owner of a 2001 Ruby GL, yes, that's my Dad with the new 2002 Bronzemist. Anyways, coming home the other night I was approached very closely by a car from the rear. I do not like this so I had to open up the 24 valves a bit and lose him. I DID! After a few more miles this car became very aggressive with passing me, that's when I realized what kind of car it was. It was obvious that he wanted some more, so I gave it to him a few more times. He then became tiresome a quit! GO INTRIGUE! GO GREEN GO WHITE GO STATE!

delrick

what do they do, use red light bulbs?

delrick

'bout ready to turn in the 99 GL.

Lease is up in Jan and the numbers don't make sense anymore, even if the car does.

Called my local Olds guy to explore the "great" lease deals they mentioned in the 2 1/2 year follow up letter. He says GMAC has a 39% residual, 36 months, LOW mileage.

That don't cut it on a lease deal. Banks here refuse to lease Olds any more.

Suggestions?

fgriff1

Just wanted to clear that up. I enjoy my 00 Intrigue, no magor problems. Enjoy everyones posts & info.
PS I went with the X-ones. went to tirerack

dindak

I'm surprised GMAC is not giving a better residual. You really have no options unless you buy. I'm assuming that you don't want to do that so you best lease another car. How are the residuals on the Aurora 3.5?

teo

No one wants to open new lease accounts on new Oldsmobiles. Residuals are terrible and therefore most financial institutions will outright refuse to lease a new Olds.

If you want a new Oldsmobile it is much cheaper to buy it/finance it. Buy the car and keep it until the wheels fall off, because after the division shuts down for good in 2002, these cars will have the resale value of a Yugo.

focus

39% after 36 months! Wow, that means a $30,000 car become $11,700. I will buy another one in 3 yrs!

ab348

The clear-lens taillight is really a clear cover for the taillight opening that covers individual red, amber or clear lenses underneath, that are smaller and usually hockey-puck or bullet-shaped. Not a look that appeals to me, which means that the 20-somethings who are devoted to the Asian makes will probably love it.

Re. depreciation, it is already either an issue or opportunity, depending on your viewpoint. Yesterday at a large GM dealer I saw a bunch of 2000 Impalas and Intrigues on the used lot. Probably fleet turn-ins. In big letters on the side of the Impala: 2000 Impalas from $17,995 (Canadian prices). On the Intrigue: 2000 Intrigues from $16,995. The very best buy might be a good low-mileage used Intrigue, especially in another year or so.

vcjumper

A used one with lots left on the 5yr warranty (is the extra time on the new olds warranty transferrable??) is a very attractive option, especially if you don't have to finance most of it at ~9%.

b4z

That means the several thousand dollar cheaper impala is selling for $1000 more than the intrigue.
That is not too bad.

b4z

I knew that. I remember you from 2+ years ago.

lmacmil

I wasn't planning to drive down to dyno test my car. Just curious about where it was. From your curves, it looks like any noticeable gains from the K&N were in the 4000 rpm and up range. I don't do much driving up there and I'm still skeptical as to whether a 3-4% hp or torque gain really translates into a measurable performance improvement. I'd really love to see some before and after acceleration figures. Motor Trend tests indicate that massive hp gains (50-100) result in only a .1 or .2 gain in the 1/4 mile time.

ab348

Well, I suppose if you were the original Intrigue owner it wouldn't be a good thing. But yes, it struck me that the Intrigue is much more of a car than the Imp and in the used market, is a much better buy. The depreciation hit is pretty scary though... a new 2002 is at least $25-26K here for a GX, so that is one big hit in no more than 2 years.

oldsman01

Did you ever figure out what kind of car that was trying to pass you? BTW, I've found some other Intrigue drivers like to race a bit. I was on the road coming home today and I came upon a silver 99 Intrigue(I could tell because it had the old style wheels and the small Oldsmobile badge, yeah I know I'm a geek)and I wasn't planning on racing him or anything, it just seemed he was moving alot slower than I was. But as I got close he must have put the pedal down because the car starting pulling away. Needless to say, I had to join in the fun. We stayed neck and neck until we came upon heavier traffic and had to slow down. I did finally pass him and we both exchanged looks as I slid by.

oldsman01

I've always thought the Intrigue could have used a couple of more lively colors. Like the bright red Olds offers on the Alero or the $650 extra Crimson Pearl Cadillac offers. My favorite colors are in this order Midnight Blue(the 2000 and 2001 shade), Black, Sterling, Bronzemist, and Ruby. White is dead last. The forest green looks pretty good too, but I'm starting to get tired of green cars. And Cadillac's darker Polo Green(GM color number 91)would have looked better. I will say, they have made an improvement over some of the initial colors offered. The Midnight blue is a much better choice than the original Opal blue was and the Sandstone is better looking than the gold. And I think the Steling is a bit sharper than the old silver mist.

I've seen several 2002 Altimas on the road and while the car is certainly an improvement over the old one, something about the styling just doesn't do it for me. Despite being on the market for over 4 years now, I still find the Intrigue more attractive than it(or nearly any other midsize sedan). I really like how the Intrigue hints at the original Aurora in the styling department.

ab348

I always thought GMs color choices for the Intrigue were pretty uninspired. All of the "mist" colors left me pretty cold. I never cared for Opal Blue either. Am I mistaken or was there a purple/plum shade offered early on? What about a charcoal? I think a light blue or pale green metallic would have worked too. Aleros offered a light sandstone that wasn't bad either. The 2002 dark blue is a step backwards and the white doesn't work for me because it's sort of a dirty white. I don't know about a bright red; I see that on Impalas and it looks out of place on a bigger car. Too bad some colors now seem out of style... I always liked shades like dark gold/sienna metallic and some of the light/medium metallic greens and blues offered in the 70s. Of course, you need some color in interiors to go with those, and the gray mouse fuzz cloth just won't work with them.

sda

I've always wanted an Intrigue, even before they went on sale in '98. I really like the handsome looks and the european emphasis on the driving experience. When my '99 Cutlass GLS was in for repair (rear bumper resprayed) I had the joy of driving a 2001 GL for a week. The 3.5 is a honey. Smooth, powerful and muscular. I'm not sure I care for how the transmission allows the engine to lug at slow speeds. It seems the transmission should atleast unlock in 4th gear at slow speeds instead of allowing the car to lug and feel sluggish. A determined push on the pedal brings a downshift and off you go, but it soon shifts back to overdrive and its sluggish again. The A/C is as weak as in the Cutlass. What happened to GM's freezer cold A/C? I did like the auto control and outside temp readout. The head unit of the stereo is the same as in the Cutlass and sounded only marginally better. Credit the tweeters mounted at window level. Still, I expect better out of both cars. I know the Bose is optional, but I've had better stock systems out of other GM cars. The Intrigue handles better, but over rough bumps rides harder. The Cutlass handles the big bumps well but its jiggly over smooth surfaces and does not like to corner with much enthusiasm without plowing and squealing loudly. If you're deliberate it will still handle better than you think it might, but, oh! the noise! The Intrigue was rattle free. My Cutlass rattles and squeaks at every opportunity. The back seat in the Cutlass is more comfortable and has the same convenient pull straps located in the trunk to fold the back seats down for additional room. The Intrigue is far better looking inside and out. I did notice that in the loaner that the dash was curling up around the center A/C vents. I looked at others on the dealer's lot and noticed the same. I think GM is making a tremendous mistake getting rid of OLDS. They have the only real tasteful european inspired cars that GM makes. Enjoy your Intrigues, I wish I had one!

axr6

Back again for advice. My friend's Intrique started to stall when the engine is relatively cold and she stops at traffic light or such. Then, she needs to crank quite a bit to restart. After that the engine runs fine (99 model with 3.5 engine). The problem started about a week ago and seem to be getting worse, with the engine stalling twice today. Is this a crank ignition sensor problem? Is there a tech bulletin for it? She is just outside of the warranty with 37,500 miles. Looks like a safety item, would the dealer be willing to fix it under warranty or for favorable rates? BTW, about 2 months ago her car was making clicking noises while slow turning and braking. They replaced the steering rack and it is all fine.

My car (2000 model with 3.5, with 11,500 miles) starting to do display some slow speed clunking of the front suspension. Not the same type of noise that my friend's car exhibited. Sounds as if something would be loose and banging around. It is also getting worse. Still under warranty. Any idea from anyone?

axr6

Yes, looks like it is a crankshaft sensor. Any idea where it is located? Can I replace it?

I just found the cause for the front rattle on my 2000 as I was snooping around for the crank sensor. It is missing the front sway bar link and all the bushings from one side. Looks like the bolt probably broke and all the bushings and washers just fell off. I did put in polyurethane bushings up front and a bigger sway bar in the back quite some time ago. They did improve the handling quite a bit. Should be an easy fix on that problem.

b4z

I tried www.gmforum.com and nothing came up.

b4z

It is plural. www.gmforums.com. I am b4zz there.

dindak

Teo : "these cars will have the resale value of a Yugo". Don't be ridiculous! The resale will not be great, but it's not going to be much different than any other midsize American sedan. ab348's numbers are a little closer to reality.

ab348 : Noticed that Cavaliers and Monte Carlos now come in bright yellow. Talk about another trendy color. You are right though, GM doesn't always have the most exciting choices. The best I've seen on the Intrigue was the indigo blue.

white6

Crank sensor is your problem... it is located UNDER the starter. You must remove the starter (two bolts) and then you should be able to see it. It is held in by one bolt (according to my service manual). I paid $245 to have the crank sensor replaced in my 99 GL 3.5 at 52,000 miles. Dealer said they have replaced LOTS of these in Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs in the last year or so. I priced a crank sensor on gmpartsdirect.com and they sell the part for about $50 plus shipping/handling. GM list price is about $100. My dealer charged $150 for the part. Nice guys, huh. Wish I'd had my factory service manual BEFORE the crank sensor went and I would have replaced it myself!
dindak... Nufinish is an very abrasive cleaner/wax. Don't use it too often or you'll find yourself looking at primer. Zaino is expensive as it was originally developed for custom/show car folks, not the general public. It takes more time, too, but the results cannot be beat, especially on a black car. It contains NO abrasives at all and is a carbon-based sealer, not silicone or wax. It is more work and expense than most people want to go to. It took me two full days to do my two cars. Of course, I clay barred both cars, too. You would be amazed at the amount of trash that came off of my brand new Firebird!

redline65

axr6 - I'm not sure, but the crankshaft sensor might be considered an emissions control component. I remember reading in the owners manual that certain emission components carry a longer warranty, required by the government. So your friend might be able to get that fixed at no cost. Check the manual.

axr6

White6 & Redline65

Thanks for the great advice. I will call the dealer and try to have them replace it under warranty as I feel that it is a safety issue when a car stalls in the middle of traffic. As such the factory should address that kind of problem.

If they will not do it then I'll do it myself, thanks to the info that I got from you.

bartender

The car that found out what the 3.5 is all about was a Intrepid RT. This was also in the title of my posting, but thats OK. The Intrigue is a true warrior on the highway, a sheep in wolves clothing!! Just had my 2001 Ruby GL claybared and waxed at a professional detailing store,WOW does this thing glow like a diamond in a goats a a__!

redline65

it's mine!!

ketch

sda summed it up....
"I think GM is making a tremendous mistake getting rid of OLDS. They have the
only real tasteful european inspired cars that GM makes."
...esp. the last part. Wonder if had Lutz been on board a year or so ago, would Olds
have been killed off, or Buick instead? Any ideas?

garnes

Imacmil - Well, an Aurora 4.0 with the "autobahn" (3.71 transaxle) is pretty much the same car as a Caddy STS. Both have the 3.71 and I believe the rest of the gearing is the same. The engines are both Northstar V8's too except that the Caddy has a larger bore to make it 4.6. The STS is rated at 300 HP and 295 torque and is generally rated at 6.7 or 6.8 for 0 to 60. An Aurora with the 3.71 is somewhere in the mid 7's I'd guess with the 250 HP and 260 torque. Both cars weight about the same too. So there is a case of two very similar if not identical cars in many respects with one being significantly quicker due to 30 to 50 HP and torque differences.

I swear I do feel the difference when punching it with my changes. It's just more responsive. I get about 1.5 mpg better on the highway too. And the K&N filters retain high flow performance even after a lot of use - you don't have to hassle with them. If you just do the filter, you are right and probably not notice any additional quickness although it will be there - you just won't feel it much. I did start to notice after I opened up the air box a little. I've improved the air box much more and will test it again. It's really fun to see your ideas and simple modifications translater into more power - even if it not huge amounts. You have to combine better air flow with exhaust to probably see big results.

Oh yeah - go to http://www.x-m-s.com they sell Caddy's with cat-back exhaust systems and a K&N filter and maybe a mass air flow sensor upgrade. They are suposedly in the 340 HP range and they have them clocked at about 1.0 second quicker for 0 to 60. It seems many on the caddyinfo.com site have documented significant increases in performance from these basic improvements too.

I find it hard to believe 10% to 20% more power would evaporate into almost 0% additional quickness. I've seen a lot to show that it does.

dindak

Unbelievable that a car that has less than one year to live has this active a forum.

Congrats redline!

garnes

Imacmil - one other note - just punch it and take a glace at the tach. You will be in 4000 rpm territory A LOT. Hence the significance of the gains.

Looking at the overall curves, there are gains all the way up. You do usually see the biggest gains near the high end from anything you do. And that was just a simple filter and air box mod.

evandro

What happens to the torque curve? Does it just shifts the peak to a higher rev band or does it shift the whole curve up a bit?

TIA

garnes

evandro - check out the curves at http://www.caddyinfo.com Click on Cadillac Performance... then click on Northstar4.0. The air box mods were a start and have since improved on it. I hope to have the dyno tests and results posted there soon as well as pictures of the mods. It's not big stuff, but every bit helps.

lmacmil

What do they charge for a run on the dyno?

lmacmil

Just looked thru some old Motor Trends and found Aurora and STS tests. You had the hp & torque figures exactly right so the Caddy has 20% more hp and 15% more torque. The STS 0-60 time was 6.8 vs. 7.5 (about 10% better) and the 1/4 mile was 15.1 vs. 15.7, less than 5% better.

Assuming the max. 4% hp gain per the K&N website with a panel filter, and assuming acceleration is somewhat proportional to hp, we'd improve 0-60 by 2% and the 1/4 by 1%. On the Intrigue, that would compute to about .16 seconds in either time, less than .01g. I doubt any of us can feel that.

I'd say the main benefits of the K&N are lower maintenance, possible long term cost savings, and the perception that you've gotten a performance boost. That should make it worth the price.