Oldsmobile Intrigue

redline65

mirth - Just the usual stuff. Replaced crankshaft sensor, intermediate steering shaft, battery, migrating trim above front doors, loose shift handle. With 30K miles it's been a great car, and I plan on keeping mine for another 5 years or so. The car is very comfortable and roomy, which is one reason we chose it over the Alero. We don't own an SUV, so the Intrigue's generous trunk space comes in very handy. If reliability is a big concern buy an extended warranty. Of course, the 5 year/60K mile warranty that it comes with is hard to beat.

dindak

Reliability on the Intrigue is average. I have been lucky in that I have only had one problem (a faulty temperature gauge). Most people seem to have had 2 or 3 small problems, but I think for the most part 2000+ Intrigues are very good. I think the Intrigue is a better driving car than the Accord and it's better looking IMO. The Maxima is a better performer, but it's also more expensive than Intrigue. I plan on keeping my 2000 for another 6 years and I am confident it will do well. You should have an Oldsmobile credit from your wifes car which will make the deal sweet. We are considering an Alero for our other car, but we may need an SUV or van depending on the kid situation.

Good luck and let us know what you buy regardless.

focus

Mirth - the intrigue from 2000 on is as good as it get. Check the msn.com auto consumer feedback, it improves year after year. For 2001 (which i own), the average rating is 9.1 out of 10. I certainly hope mine will live up to that reputation. Just buff my car again...

one2one

If going used, stay away from '98s & 99s. They mostly had the problems that redline65 enumerated. For sure, the steering shaft will probably come up.

That being said, I owned a 98 that went 80,000 miles before it was totalled. It actually got smoother as I approached that mileage. I only had the steering shaft and rusted rear rotors. Other than that, I had no problems at all with the car. I now have a 2001 Intrigue with about 8000 miles on it. So far, it has been flawless (as it should be with 8k miles :-) But I am in agreement if you go 2000 and up, you'll get a nice machine.

evandro

I think I've seen in this forum a link to an official GM site which contained TSBs for its cars. If my memory still serves me, it was a kind of on-line magazine for mechanics or something...

Would somebody here still have the URL by any chance?

TIA

redline65

I lost another one of those stupid lug nut caps. I'm thinking about removing all of them and buying a complete set of lug nuts for the car so I won't have to deal with the missing caps anymore. Has anyone done this?

lmacmil

How did you lose one? I can't even get mine off. They back off a little as I unscrew them then just spin and spin without coming off.

lmacmil

I bought my 2000GX with 24K miles on it. I was an Avis rental but I bought it from a Chevy dealer. After a few weeks, I realized I had no 4th gear. The dealer rebuilt the trans (there's a TSB on the OD clutch burning up) and put in the intermediate steering shaft while they were at it. I'm closing in on 30K now with no other problems. It gets 30mpg on the highway and didn't use any oil in the first 4200 mile oil change interval. The shift knob is loose (another common problem) but I'll get that fixed at the next oil change.

oldsman01

If you like the Alero then you will love the Intrigue. The Alero is a great car, but the Intrigue blows it out of the water. Especially if you get an uplevel model like the GL or GLS. I've got nearly 6500 miles on mine already(purchased in July) and other than an oil change and a trunk lid strut that wasn't going all the way up, no problems or trips to the dealer. You'll get a 5 year/50000 mile warranty too. Performance wise, I think the Intrigue(especially with the PCS package) will outperform an Accord and is probably on par with a Maxima SE. I will give the Maxi credit that you can get it with a manual. But the Nissan V6(in both the Maxima and the new Altima) requires premium unleaded. One thing about Hondas, they STILL use timing belts rather than chains. Nissan has gone to timing chains and IMO this is a good move, especially with a V6. It's on thing to have to replace a belt on an I-4, but on a V6(especially one packed as tight as the Accord's) it could get real costly. I have the GM service manual on the Intrigue so if you or anyone has any questions, I'll try to get an answer.

jkkinnova1

I have a '99 GLS w/the 3.5. How often should the transmission fluid be changed? The manual says something like 100-150K miles, but I've heard people say you should flush every couple of years or so. Any guidelines here?

As far as reliability goes, we've had our Intrigue for about 10 months now and, other than flaky control of the front passenger window from the driver window controls, no problems. We bought it at 13,500 and now have about 25,000 on it. Very nice car.

swagled

My 2000 model has the headlight flicker and the steering shaft clunk. These are the main "problems" I'm keeping an eye on. Mine is a 3/2000 build.

Maybe the later 2000's don't have the steering shaft problem... It started out as a light ticking sound when turning right and braking. Now I can feel it left or right, and sometimes driving straight over bumps.

I'm at 20K miles now. I'm just going to let the shaft get a little looser, maybe 25K or 30K, before taking it in. That way the dealer can't pretend it's unreproducable and waste my time.

Anyway, if this kind of things worries you, stick with the 2001+ models when looking used.

I like my car, though. It's comfortable and has lots of power on the highway. I used to think the climate control was a gimmicky frill, but it works well, (and I notice it's absence when I have to drive rentals of other makes.)

I wish Olds had included standard lumbar adjustment in the earlier models, though. I know the 2002's have it... but a car in this class really should have had it all along.

mfd37

Yeah, I'm a volunteer firefighter and need the strobes and L.E.D. for warning lights. Went with the PCS package for control during emergency responses too. Got finished this evening and all the guys at the station were impressed with the strobes warning power. I put all the switches in that little compartment on left of the steering wheel so when it's closed you can't tell anything is different at all. I've got to say for as much as we ripped that car apart, we didn't find any fit/finish problems before or after the job. Drilling holes probably isn't going to help the re-sale value, but since I've always kept my Oldsmobiles for at least 12 years I don't think it'll really matter.

one2one

I priced them about 2 years ago... they were about $5.00 a piece. I needed 3. Needless to say, I never replaced them. The boys at Sears were responsible for fogetting to put them back on after rotation. I suppose that's why the new wheels have faux lug covers.

dindak

I had the headlight flicker one very cold night last winter. I never saw it again (and boy did I watch for it). I may just have the alternator replaced before the warranty runs out just to be on the safe side. I'll be watching closely starting again next month when the nights get colder.

dindak

Drove by the local lot and the Intrigue inventory was up to 5 cars which is pretty decent (and comparable to the Impalas). Another dealer I drove by had 6 last week. Perhaps GM Canada is preparing an Intrigue promotion.

redline65

Imacmil & one2one - I have the 98/99 style wheels, and I think the lug nut caps just pop on and off. I don't think they are the spinning type. Anyway, it seems like I always lose them after my tires are rotated. I always walk around my car at the dealership before I leave to make sure they are on. Once I lost 3 of them on the way home. I took it back to the dealer and they replaced them free of charge. This time I lost 1 after my tire rotation. I'm thinking about just removing all of them and installing some regular lug nuts.

mirth

Thanks for all the feedback folks.

dindak - Yeah, that extra $1500 off is a definite plus on the Intrigue. Even factoring in the steep deprecation, it's still a pretty good deal when compared to the Maxima. Obviously, it's more expensive in the long run than an Accord EX V6, but I think I might kill myself out of sheer boredom if I got that.

oldsman - I would definitely get a GL with PCS. And I like the oil sensor.

Currently there's a $1000 off rebate, and a 0.9% financing for 48 months. Do you folks know whether it's an either/or situation, or can you get both?

Thanks again.

redline65

$1000 rebate for 2002 models, $2000 rebate for 2001 models. You can't combine the special financing with the rebate. I would run the numbers to see what will save you more - 0.9% financing or $1000 rebate. I'm guessing the special financing will be better, depending on how much of a down payment you plan to make. Don't forget to use your $1500 loyalty certificate also.

oldsman01

Other than the color and wheels(and the embossing on the seats) any other features exclusive to the final 500. I wouldn't mind one simply for the exclusivity, but I like my black GLS with gold trim package and chrome wheels alot. Also, if the light grey interior is too light for you, check out the dark grey. This is what mine has and it looks great with the black exterior. Speaking of final editions, I'd LOVE one of those special final editions of the Cadillac Eldorado. They are planning to build about 1600 and each will have a individualized plaque mounted on the dash and the exhaust note is supposed to tuned to have a deeper sound much like the Eldos of the 50s. That itself should be available on a Caddies! Nothing like the smooth deep rumble of that Northstar V8. Now we know where the 3.5 liter V6 in our Intrigues get its great exhaust note.

swagled

I'm not sure about this, but I get the impression the headlight flicker happens less often if you drive your car sedately, under 2000 RPM.... but I don't know how to stop myself from "stomping on it" to 5500... that's the main fun of driving the 3.5L! :-)

winter9

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2001-11-07-gm-lutz.htm

Go, Bob go!

dindak

You may be better off taking the $1000 cash back. With rates as low as they are, you can probably get decent finance rate at the bank anyway. I would work the numbers out before going one way or another.

Accord V6 is only slightly more exciting to drive than a Malibu. It's really is a dull car, but it sells faster than freshly made Krispy Kreem donuts. Never understand that.

one2one

I, for one, am glad Lutz is not only at GM but also has been given the authority to make necessary changes. Too many times, people are brought into companies to make specific changes and then get their hands tied because management doesn't want to stop what they're doing.

Proof of that is this statement:...during one of his first trips to GM's design center, he saw sketches of a vehicle that had been rejected, and ordered Brian Nesbitt, Chevy's design chief for concept cars, to get it ready for the show.

The fact that this unnamed vehicle was canned and the Aztek pushed to production shows the level of resistance to change that is at GM. Nesbitt and Lutz were largely responsible for the PT Cruiser. That being said, I'm looking forward to seeing this car at the auto show.

"The superb engineering and technological excellence I have seen" at GM combined with "excellent design that people recognize and love" will get the world's largest automaker to that share, he said.

I don't think too many people will deny that GM is among the best when it comes to technological excellence, even by foreign car owners. From a technical perspective--specifically powertrains--GM can hold it's own against anyone. Who will deny that a (relatively) cheap priced GM midsize car such as Impala and Intrigue have transmissions that are just as smooth, if not smoother, than Lexus powertrains? Only those who haven't driven them. Much of the "useful" technology that exist has been pioneered by GM. I say "useful" because I hear so many people obsessed with "high-tech" features like VVT-i. VVT-i was a trick used to optimize power from underpowered engines. If you've ever driven a VVT-i, even GM's, you'll feel noticeable lag compared to other engines with similar displacement and power output. Auto.com reviewed the new ES300. While it's power rating is close to the Intrigue, the reviewer commented that at higher speeds it looses steam. We all here know that that's where the non-VVT-i 3.5L comes to life! That's just one example of technology that sounds fancy and great but really turns out to be nothing.

Now if they can match good designs with that technology, watch out!

Ok. I'm done :-)

dindak

No doubt GM has the money, technology and man power to make the best in the world. I just hope they can pull it off this time. The first signs of hope I have seen the past 2 years are very promising. If they can do to their cars and vans what they did to their trucks, they should be sitting pretty in a few years.

mirth

dindak - Nah, it's hard to beat the 0.9% financing. With the amount I'd have to borrow (20% down), their would end up being over a $500 savings in taking the financing. Best rate I've seen from banks/credit unions is 5.5%.

focus

One to One: it's long but well said. Cheers...

lmacmil

We have access to J.D. Power reports on our intranet at work so I thought I share some info. The Intrigue falls into the "premium midsize" category with all the usual suspects: GM W bodies, Maxima, Accord, Camry, Intrepid, Taurus and others. In the 2001 "2nd quarter initial quality study" the Intrigue score was 118 (problems per 100 vehicles) compared to a segment average of 128. The top two were the Buick Century (at 96) and Avalon (at 97). At the bottom were the Volvo S40 (198) and Hyundai XG300 (186).

In the 2001 "APEAL" study, our beloved Intrigue didn't fare so well. It was 3rd from last, beating out only the Taurus and Suburu Legacy. The Avalon was #1 and the XG300 was #2.

They categorize buyers into six demographic groups. The group that buys the most Intrigues is called "mature sensible" which pretty much describes me. In contrast, the most common Maxima buyer group is the "affluent enthusiast."

What I found interesting is that the Taurus rates lower than the Intrigue in both quality and appeal, yet outsells it almost 4 to 1. I suppose a combination of name recognition, price and marketing explain it.

ian18

I have to wonder what is up with the steering in the Intrigue. My '98 had the shaft replaced but is still not right. Apparently the problem seems to persist even in the '00 Intrigues and I have seen that there is a TSB on replacing the '01 Aurora's intermediate steering shaft! I wish I could get an explanation as to the reasons for all the problems.

Really if you take out the steering shaft problems and warped rotors the Intrigue is amazingly trouble-free.

dindak

No surprise Hyundia and Volvo are at the bottom. Wouldn't touch either make. I think I fall into the Maxima demographic, but I bought the Intrigue. Of course, if GM screws up the next GP, I will likely be a Maxima/ Altima driver.

teo

yeah but only the 2000 model year Impalas have the ISS problem. 2001's have been problem free so far.

Just making your claims straight.

one2one

Since Impala and Intrigue both use the same part, it doesn't surprise me that '01 Intrigues and Impalas are not affected.

A point one must keep in mind is that this steering shaft was "tested" on Intrigue for 2 years before going on Impalas. Impala wasn't made until model year 2000. So it is no surprise that 98, 99, and 2000 Intrigues suffer with this problem along with 2000 Impalas.

vcjumper

I always thought they used different ones, with the Intrigue's attempting to allow for more road feel transmitted through it.

evandro

Just out of curiosity, what are all the "buyer groups" and which cars they buy most?

TIA

teo

The ISS part number for the Impala is different from the one on Intrigue. They do not share the same ISS assembly whatsoever.

swagled

So with all the comparisons between the problems of various years, what is the best model year to shop for? (Assume we're talking 10 years in the future, for someone looking at a low miliage "old car").

My guess would be either the '99 or '02 Intrigues.

The '99s all had the 3.29 axle and you could choose either the 3.8 or 3.5 motor. They also hasn't been de-contented of the fuel filler door and a few other little things. But then, there's the ISS, brakes, alternator... did the previous owner take care of these?

The '02s have adjustable lumbar and should be free of the problems of the earlier models. If you can find a PCS car you could still get the 3.29 axle, but I doubt many of these were built-- and it might be a tough search.

redline65

swagled - I believe the '99s also have the heated outside mirrors. But I think the later versions have more content, with PCS and the additional sound insulation. The '99 models also don't have the brake or alternator problems (at least mine doesn't). It wouldn't suprise me if the ISS problem continues to be an issue on the 2001 and 2002 model Intrigues and Impalas. Many owners just don't have enough miles on them yet.

b4z

2001 and later intigues and impalas have the wheelwell liners installed which helps with road noise coming from the rear. My '99 intrigue was pretty noisy. The impala is much quieter.
I guess one2one is the only one of us who has extended experience with both.

the '99 intrigue has that weird non start/rough start thing also.

lmacmil

http://www.jdpower.com/auto/auto_terms/auto_terms_f.asp

This is the link to JD Power's site glossary and you can find the terms by looking thru this. I don't have access to my firm's intranet at home (where I post from) so I can't access the reports from here. If there are specific models you are interested in, I'll check. Keep in mind that the "premium midsize" class was 25-30 different vehicles.

oldsman01

99s didn't offer heated seats or Onstar. However, starting in 2001 the trunk mounted cd changer is no longer available. Go figure. I am interested in getting an XM radio receiver for my car as the service is now available here, but the integration poses a problem. Unless you have a specific aftermarket radio which has an input, they pretty much expect you to use an rf modulator like with cd changers. I've used these in the past with a cd changer and they DON'T sound as good or clear. The Intrigue's radio does have a remote audio input, but it uses it for Onstar on cars with this feature(which mine has). There is a single 32 pin connector on the back of the radio and the service manual details which pin is for what. What I've got to engineer is a way to splice into the Onstar audio wires and connect the XM receiver's audio out into that. The kicker is getting to radio to mute and go to the auxillary input. One of the pins is for the serial/comfort data and when Onstar is activated, a signal is sent to radio via this route and this is what mutes the radio and turns the Onstar audio on. I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

swagled

I have to wonder if it may be a non-operative doodad in 10 years. (I can remember some people in this forum talking about getting a 2001 Intrigue just to avoid paying for OnStar.)

Now that you've reminded me about the wheel liners and heated seats, maybe the 2002's do edge out the older models...

I guess if you really wanted the headed mirrors from a '99 Intrigue, you could scavenge for them in a junkyard someday!

focus

i always suspect it, the new camry rear end is a copycat of the taurus, just saw them side by side.

focus

Oldsman01 - intrigue's radio remote audio input, is it just a single RCA, or two rca for left and right? You are right about RF sound, they sucks.
I have a sony cd changer with a build in decoder with rca (L&R) output, wondering if i can hook it up to the existing unit.

vcjumper

For those of you who want to see a couple cars with A LOT of power stomp on it on the highway... Watch and listen to this! Off topic but I couldn't help it!

Video

focus

vcjumper - i have high speed internet but it sounded like big farts, on and off and on and off.....

one2one

The GMC Envoy made Motor Trends Truck of the Year. Having rented one for two full weeks, I agree with everything they said.

Now, if only they could apply the philosophy for creating the Envoy and its stablemates to their car line...

dindak

http://chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/columnists/chi-0111080037nov08.column

evandro

Is there an insurance discount for its tracking and immobilization feature?

evandro

Thanks.

It seems that I fit in the "practical enthusiast" category. There, I got a label on myself! :^)

yurakm

there is a very interesting article on Stretcher:

http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/auto/20011107a.asp

In short, people with good credit are filing 40% less auto insurance claims.

Statistically, good credit score is even more important than clean driving record. However, the score for insurance purpose is calculated by different rules comparing with the usual score for loan purpose.

Several states prohibit denying insurance based on credit report, and few states prohibit using credit data when calculating rates. However, most of state OK the practice.

winter9

I think it is important to remember when talking about the 99 Intrigues, that they were available with both the tried-and-true 3.8 and the all-new 3.5. The 3.5 was and is an excellent powerplant, but had some minor bugs early on. The "weird non start/rough start thing" that bz4 refers to, I believe has never been an issue with the 3.8. I have an early 99 with the 3.8 (45+K miles) and have not had any engine issues at all. Have dealt with the ISS once - is OK now.

I am trying to pick up an 02 Intrigue before the big incentives expire next week. But my dealer can't find anything close to what I want within 100 miles (Rockford, IL). I'm looking for a GL with leather, PCS and a wing in silver. Most GL's w/ leather out there were ordered with the sun and sound package which I do not want. I may have to factory order, but that takes a good 6 weeks assuming Fairfax stays open. I just heard this morning, GM is shutting down the Janesville, Wi truck plant for a while.