Oldsmobile Intrigue

dindak

I was mainly talking about the interior (bigger cup holders ect.). Exterior doesn't need anything except a Chevy grill.

nferr

Yes I agree the Northstar V8 is a great engine. I still don't understand why the 3.5 northstar is being axed or why the 4.0 northstar is not being widely utilized by GM. My next car might very well be a used STS. As much as I praise the German cars I don't really like them much for myself. Don't know what it is but they don't excite the passion to own one.

dindak

3.5L was expensive to build and would have been expensive to upgrade to the new U.S. emission standards for next year so they killed it. I see there are a slew of new DOHC engines coming from GM in the next few years so stay tuned.

Used STS would be a nice choice. The new ones are beautiful IMO. Unfortunately I can't afford a car like that yet, but I love my Intrigue!

evandro

Yes, the previous Vectra was a nice car (I've driven several for several months). The new one looks much less elegant than the previous one. But when it comes to dynamics and space, it's just not up to American standards (Saturn L and Saab's are Vectra's). Besides, it's too expensive to import cars from Europe (taxation there is a looter!) to sell them as Chevy's, only as Cadillac's.

About Euro this, Euro that, I couldn't care less. I just want the best car my hard-earned money can buy. ;^)

b4z

Shortstar was a $500 option when I bought my intrigue 2/99.
seemed like a good deal to me.
In 1984 I paid $505.00 for the H.O. L69 motor in my Z28.

swagled

Although it may be an "odd" engine, we really should be fine. Most engine designs today don't "fail" (in serious ways like throwing rods or chewing valves) like the ones we grew up with.

Does the 3.5 use standard GM pumps? That's the most likely thing to replace on an engine. If they're "normal" then there will be aftermarket parts.

We're going to be stuck with GM for things like head gaskets, but at least we can get the parts. Heck, you can get gaskets and other parts for cars which long ago disappeared from our shores, like Renaults and Alpha Romeos. (You might need to wait a few days for it, but you *can* get it!)

I guess the key issue for owners several years from now is: "How much inconvenience will you put up with to drive an Intrigue?" Can you wait a few days for a part? Would you take it to an Oldsmobile specialist 30 miles from you?

teo

GM can easily replicate the tooling of the new 2002 Vectra in NA plants, no sweat. Who says it needs to be imported from Germany?

Oh wait the Catera was imported.

The Saturn L series is the current generation Vectra. The new one appears to be bigger, hence the perfect replacement for the aging N-body Malibu.

redline65

Not really what I was expecting. Looks more like a "refreshening" than a "redesign". Oh well, adios GM...

one2one

I like it. The rear spoiler is -- different -- but not hideous. I really like the interior. The sheetmetal from the side looks like what an '04 Intrigue would probably have been if it hadn't been discontinued.

one2one

Looks like a Volkswagon on the inside. Not my cup of tea. But for GM, I think it's something they need to keep. If they are really thinking global, we should be seeing it on our shores. My question is can they bring it over "as is" and keep it in traditional Chevy territory.

pgl1

I just bought out my '99 Intrigue GX that came off a GMAC lease. It looks great and run like new, and I'm interested in doing some upgrade modifications to it.

Questions:

What's the deal with the after market Xenon bulbs? Do they really work, and are they street legal?

Would anyone recommend a good source of parts in the central New Jersey area? I'd be happy to go to yards and pull parts, (e.g., climate control, CD player, driving lights) myself.

Also, has anyone had a problem with the color fading on their side view mirrors? If so, have you been able to get a dealership repaint them at little/no charge after warranty. I from a technical service bulletin that I came across that know GM has done this in the past with some other models.

I'd be happy to share info re: my buyout of the car.

Thanks.

pgl1

I just bought out my '99 Intrigue GX that came off a GMAC lease. It looks great and run like new, and I'm interested in doing some upgrade modifications to it.

Questions:

What's the deal with the after market Xenon bulbs? Do they really work, and are they street legal?

Would anyone recommend a good source of parts in the central New Jersey area? I'd be happy to go to yards and pull parts, (e.g., climate control, CD player, driving lights) myself.

Also, has anyone had a problem with the color fading on their side view mirrors? If so, have you been able to get a dealership repaint them at little/no charge after warranty. I from a technical service bulletin that I came across I know GM has done extended this service in the past with some other models.

I'd be happy to share info re: my buyout of the car.

Thanks.

rc52

Check this out for a low-cost adaptation of the GM STB for the front. Found on ClubGP Forum.

http://members.aol.com/wizbang250/STB_Bracket_Build.htm

lmacmil

I just emailed the guy to see if he knows if the bracket raises the bar enough to clear the p/s line.

BTW, has anyone installed just the rear STB and if so, was it an improvement or did the increased stiffness in the rear "unbalance" the car in some way?

rc52

Judging by the picture, it will. Maybe I just got lucky, but my 3.5 p/s line does not touch the GM bar when I lay it across the strut towers. It did at first until I took a closer look at the bar - it is not symmetrical - there is a front side to it. When I reversed the bar so the front arrow was pointing forward, there was clearance. The arrow with the word 'frt' is on one of the ends by the mounting holes. I'm going ahead and getting these brackets anyway 'cuz I don't want to drill any holes.

lmacmil

This is Jim's reply to my email about his STB bracket:

I'm not familiar with the Intrigue engine compartment layout. But, what I can tell you is the brackets I've designed lift the STB 5/8 inches higher than its normal height. This also puts it 1/4 inch from the hood on a Grand Prix. I would not feel comfortable going any closer to the hood. How the hood line of a GP compares to an Intrigue, I don't know. I guess the only way to know for sure whether the brackets in their present configuration would work on an Intrigue is to test fit them out.

If you, or someone you know, own an Intrigue, were willing to get a STB kit and commit to test fitting a set of brackets, I'd send a set out your way. You could reimburse me if you felt they worked to your satisfaction. If they didn't work, I'm sure I could modify the design to have it work just fine. So, I'll leave that ball in your court. If this is something that you might be interested in, email me back your address and I'll get a set of brackets out to you. ;-)

Another thing. In your message, you stated you caught a link on the Edmund's Town Hall Intrigue forum to these brackets. I was not familiar with this forum. It's sure amazing how information travels on the web.

To answer your question you posted on that forum, mounting a STB on the rear only will not throw your car out of balance under normal driving situations. I had my rear on a week and a half before I had my brackets designed, made and the front STB mounted. During that time, my GP's handling was well behaved. I hope this settles any of your concerns.

Look forward to hearing back from you,
Jim

msw13

Hi All,
I have a '99 GL w/54k and today the ABS light and brake light illuminated and wont go off. The rear calipers dont appear to be working, as they were cold to the touch after driving. and the fronts were not!! I called the dealer service dept. and its going in tomorrow. Anyone seen anything like this? Thanks, Mark

lmacmil

The ABS light comes on when the system self check finds a fault. The brake light comes on when either the brake fluid reservoir is low on fluid or you have a half system failure. If you had a half system failure it would be obvious from increased pedal travel and pedal effort.

dindak

I was looking at all the Pontiacs introduced yesterday and it would seem that ribbing will be absent from new models and updates. The Bonneville looks very good and even the Grand Am concept was decent. If the interiors of these cars keep losing plastic like the 04 GP, Pontiac could be very competitive in the coming years.

msw13

Imacmil: Thanks, but I know it has a half system failure, what I wanted, was input from other Intrigue owners as to whether or not they had seen this type of problem and what the fix is. I suspect the ABS relay, as the Master Cylinder is full, the pads are thick, and the car still stops pretty good. It is going to the dealer today.

george92

HI I am the owner of a 98olds intrigue 20000miles. When driving over bump/bumps and simultaneously stepping on the brakes, a springing noise can be heard coming from under the front end that last for serval seconds. I complained about this springing noise 2 years ago and the service dept couldnt find anything wrong. The noise only happens when I hit the brakes at the same time Im going over the bump/bumps. Otherwise the car rides good. Can anyone offer me any insight. Thank YOU.

pat

A major newspaper is looking to interview folks who learned how to drive stick in their adulthood, and either fell in love or hated it. Also welcome is any input on why people love to drive stick, and any unusual anecdotes about how you learned etc.

Hope to hear from you before Feb 22 via the Talk to the Press discussion or at jfallon@edmunds.com with your thoughts and contact information.

Thanks as always,

Jeannine Fallon
PR Director, Edmunds.com

oscarz2

Get jounce bumpers lubed. I had same noise when simultaneously braking/turning/going over bumps and the jounce lube eliminated noise but if the lube wears off noise will return.

Sometimes a front-strut assembly will correct noise but I don't think you want to go there. Next oil change, have them lube jounce bumps (easy, should be free) but take the mechanic for a ride so he can hear the noise.

Front end noises on Intrigue (especially early ones) are a trademark for this car.

george92

Thanks for your input. oscarz I have never heard of the term jounce bumpers could you tell me what they are.

dindak

Was driving through a cold front last night and temperature dropped from just above freezing to about 6 degrees below. I had no flicker for the first hour and more flicker as the temperature droped. It was really interesting to watch it happen over the course of a 3 hour drive.

I will wait until next winter to get it fixed. It's not that bad and I want a 1 year warranty on the replacement at the end of the car's warranty.

carbuyer67

Hello,

I just purchased a 2001 used Olds Intrigue with 27,300 miles on it. The car only included the 3 year/36,000 mile GM warranty and the chevrolet dealer added an extra 3 months or 3,000 miles on top of that.

I was trying to find out why this vehicle did not come under the 5 year 60,000 mile warranty and found out that this vehicle was manufactured in August of 2000 and was not part of the revised warranty features. (Is this correct???)

Also, when I was driving the vehicle, there was some clicking that could be felt in the steering wheel and that small bumps in the road could be felt in the steering wheel (Like the front suspension was loose). Also looked as though the power steering fluid is low. I am taking this vehicle to the Oldsmobile dealership tommorrow and am getting this fixed under warranty. I had seen some prior posts about this problem (lubrication problem, steering coupler, etc). Any other info on this problem would be appreciated.

I am also asking them to replace the air filter and cabin air filter as well as making sure all applicable recall notices are taken care of.

Also the chevrolet dealer did not have an owners manual to give me so they are going to find me one. In addition, they only provided me with 1 key. I am going to need another one and my father told me that the keys are specially coded and cost around $20-$25 for a replacement.

I had the dealer provide me a carfax report and found that the vehicle was obtained from auction and that it had been leased in Boca Raton Florida.
(In a year and 4 months the car was driven 27,000 miles) Hopefully all highway miles.

Started to worry about salt water and rusting problems but the body looks OK. Small pin rust spots were noticed around the trunk wells when the trunk is open. It appears that water could accumulate here. (Any pointers about removing this?)

Other than that the car has new tires, the brakes appear fine and the overall body is in great condition. Can anyone think of anything else I need to have the dealer service while it is in the shop?

Does this car take normal power steering fluid?

What Oil weight is recommended? 10W 30 (Is synthetic oil better to use than the synthetic blend)?

I currently use Mobil 1 in my minivan but that gets expensive after a while.

Also, this vehicle does not have the keyless entry GX Model. Can this be purchased aftermarket and if so how much does it cost?

Any additional pointers would be appreciated?

lmacmil

A couple of answers for you (I bought used 2000GX from a Chevy dealer 9 months ago.)

I got a replacement key at a locksmith for $2.50 and the dealer paid for it. There's nothing special about it.

5w-30 is the recommended oil weight. I think it says this right on the filler cap. The oil quality sensor will tell you when it needs changing. I wouldn't bother with synthetic.

I purchased a "Viper" keyless entry with trunk release for $150 (installed). It doesn't have an alarm but who's going to steal an Intrigue?

The clicking could be the intermediate steering shaft. My Chevy dealer replaced mine without even being asked to when they noticed the click.

lmacmil

The anti-rattle clips on pads are typically stainless steel and retain their "springiness" long after the pads are gone. I live in northern Indiana where the roads are at least as bad as Michigan and I don't have any rattle at 31K miles.

swagled

The extra warranty was a sales incentive, and probably not retroactive to cars initially purchased before the Olds shutdown announcement. My Intrigue is a March 2000 build and is covered under the longer warranty. But I bought it new from dealer stock. That's probably the difference.

The primary determination between a "new" car and a used one (in legal terms) is whether a title for it exists. Even if the dealer used the car for some reason, and put a couple thousand miles on it, as long as a title has never been created, it's still a "new" car in the eyes of the state.

You could still raise a stink and see if they budge on the warranty. But I wouldn't get my hopes too high.

carbuyer67

Thanks for your input!!

I have been checking under the car to see where the oil plug is to drain the oil. Is it easy to change the oil yourself on this car???

Also, I noticed that the coolant in the plastic resevoir is Brownish yellow (Orangish). Is this the normal color of the coolant or is it dirty?
(It says the coolant should last 150,000 miles).

Thanks

ketch

The coolant is the correct color, and is called Dexcool (by Dexron) and is a diff. color to indicate its the "lifetime" kind. Do not add another brand to top it off, always use the same.

great news on the car. While yes it has some reliability issues, overall its an excellent car, and one of the finer sports sedans on the market for the price. Enjoy...just remember to get on it and hear that great LX5 v6 once in awhile!

jg28

I called about a 2001 Aurora the other day and the dealer told me that the 5 year/60K warranty is not transferrable to other owners, thus, if you have the 5 year warranty and you sell the car, it apparently reverts to the 3yr/36K warranty. Disappointing isn't it!

wbhall

My tilt steering wheel locked in position again for the 2nd time. The first time it happened the mechanic adjusted the fingers if I remember right. Looks like he'll have to do it again. Hopefully it will be fixed for good.

Lights still have the dimming problem. I supposably already have the new alternator. The dimming seems to be less right now though.

Another new problem that happened to me was that the dash lights quit working automatically when the headlights came on in the evening. The dash lights intensity dial was dialed up to bright too. If I turned the headlights on manually, they worked fine. The dealer said they found nothing wrong but they now work ok. I was told to read the manual. Excuse me, I have to count to ten again..........Ok, I'm better now!

I guess my biggest problem so far has been the Oldsmobile dealership. I go to take my car in...they say I have to have an appointment.....I make one.....I bring it back on the appointment date......the car sits all day without being touched! Car goes back this week hopefully.

Question on the Impalas to everyone....Is it just me or did Chevrolet blow it by not having the three round tail lights in the rear instead of the two that they have? Three rear tail lights always was the quick indicator of the Impala vs the Bel-Air. Plus I think that 3 smaller tail lights would look better than the 2 plate size tail lights they currently have. This is not a flame, I would have probably bought the Impala over the Intrigue if not for the 5/50,000 mile warranty. I bumped that up to 100,000 miles too!

lmacmil

I've got about 5K miles left on the 3/36. Normally I don't think extended warranties are a good buy but since I had to have my tranny rebuilt (OD clutch burned up just like the TSB says it might), I am thinking seriously about an extended warranty at least on the power train. Does anyone have any experience with the 3rd party warranties? I'm guessing they'll be cheaper than what the dealer will offer but I don't want to buy something and then run into hassles when I try to use it.

racer_x_9

Bought a bumper to bumper 100K - 7 year extended warranty when I bought my 99 Intrigue. It was $1200 with $50 deductable per visit, but ZERO if I bring it back to the selling dealership. Well guess what, 3 weeks after my 3/36 warranty expired, I noticed a small spot of Dex-cool on the garage floor, about the size of a quarter. I figure no big deal, maybe a loose clamp.

Dealer calls and says intake manifold is warped and needs to be replaced. $620.

Extended warranty covered it all. So 3 weeks into my 4 years of extended warranty and I already got half my money back. It's always a good feeling bringing your car to the dealer knowing someone else is picking up the tab.

I know alot of people see extended warranties as nothing but a money maker for the warranty company. That may be, but it helps me sleep better once the original warranty runs out.

With parts costing what they do and labor at about $80 an hour, it doesn't take much for a $500 dollar repair bill.

beniman74

I need some advice on the following:
I have a 1999 Olds Intrigue GX with the 3.8V6. I am starting to experience intermittent starting problems. The car starts but idles roughly on occaasion. This usually happens when the car has been driven and is warm on restart. Other times it starts fine. Also after the car is put into drive and starts to move the rough idle disappears. Has anyone else experienced this problem and if so what was causing it? Thanks in advance for you help.

one2one

There's a new lemon law in Pennsylvania for people who lease cars. Basically it's the same as for a purchase except that if within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles if a problem can't be fixed within 3 visits, the owner is entitled to a refund or to receive a new vehicle.

dindak

Aside from a little flickering Friday night we did 500+ miles this weekend and the Intrigue was perfect, comfortable and a joy to drive. While GM must get a good fix for the flicker, I still can't believe how much I love my car.

I know you do also "1way".

Test drove a Toyota Matrix on Friday also. Really neat little car. Waiting for the Vibe twin as it looks better on the outside.

george92

Iknow there was a lot of problems with the 98 & 99 olds intrigue rotors. I havent heard to many complaints with the years 2000 & 2001. Does any one know if oldsmobile solved that problem by putting different rotors/brake pads on the 2000,2001. I have the 98 and had to have my rotors front a back refaced. Also I had the intermediate steering shaft replaced my car only has 20000 miles. If I knew for sure that olds corrected the problem I might consider buying a 2002. They are a great buy with the 5 year warranty.

vcjumper

The Intrigue uses the same small ones as the other GM w-bodies now (GP, Regal , Impala). In 98 the Autobahn package had some improper materials on their 11.9" rotors that caused them to warp.

mberg

Hello everyone. I've been reading for sometime but now I'm thinking about buying. I found a 2002 Intrigue GL w/ Sun & Sound, PCS, premium leather and rear spoiler. The dealer is currently offering $23,539 + tax (sticker is something like $28,017). The car rode nice but it was much softer than what I expected and when turning it seemed that I had to turn the wheel more than what I'm used to in my 1993 GrandAm. My plan is to keep the car for 9 years or so just like my current car. It seems to me that the invoice price minus the $2002 rebate, minus a $500 auto show rebate would put the price near $23,220. Does anyone here have any advice on how much lower I might be able to get them go and if I'd be making a big mistake if I bought this. Thanks for any input.

dindak

dbogey : Congrats on the STS. What did you pay for the slightly used Caddy?

one2one : I agree, the Impala needs a better interior and rear end before I would look at it again. I think at this point the upcoming 04 Malibu looks like a better bet though it's a bit small.

one2one

Real/Century is the only other W-body to have automatic climate control.

dindak

I have not had any major issues with my 2000 GL but some of the 98/99 models have. I think the 01/02 models are excellent cars, but if you plan to sell it in less that 4-5 year, think about a lease as resale is likely to be lower than Grand Prix or Regal. I plan on keeping my Intruige for another 6-7 years so I'm not very concerned about the resale.

Can't help you with price in the US, but it sounds like a good deal.

tomcat630

With the warranty and keeping it long, resale is a non issue. So, if you like the car, then get it! Price is 5k off sticker, pretty good I think.

b4z

Impalas have 12" front rotors.

b4z

i always liked the steering in my intrigue. not sure what you meant about a soft riding intrigue.
Mine rode hard over small bumps. 2001's and laters might have softer struts which is a real plus.

b4z

Well my impala finally had to go in for warranty work. I smelled coolant and they replaced the upper manifold base at the throttle body.
I think somebody just posted about that on their 3.8L intrigue.
So, my 8 month old 14,000 mile impala finally had its first problem.
I had been to the dealer about 6 times during this time period with the intrigue.

oldsman01

Sounds like a pretty good deal. If you like the car and see yourself driving it for the next few years, I'd go for it. Intrigues seem to have some quirks, but for the price there is not much else out there that offers as much performance, features, and style for the price.

rotors, I've now got 12,000 miles on my 2001 GLS(purchased in July) and no brake problems at all. Stops are smooth and straight.

oldsman01

It's hard to believe that in just under 7 months I've already racked up 12,000 miles. So far, I'm still very impressed with the car, less so with the dealership service department. They aren't terrible, but it did bother me that they were unable to correct the "flicker" and said they cound not duplicate it and then the car does it the very evening I drove it home. I think Olds did their homework on designing this car and the weakest link seems to be final assembly.