Oldsmobile Intrigue

oldsman01

I pretty much agree with that assessment, although I'm starting to question the mechanical quality with this transmission problem. If the car wasn't such a joy to drive, I'd be pretty unhappy now. Speaking of, they still have my car. The dealer has had it since Thursday of last week and had hoped to have it done by yesterday, but did not. I know a transmission is not the quickest repair job, but 6 working days is a long time. As for quality/customer satisfaction surveys Cadillac, Buick, and Saturn seem to be GM's highlights. Overall, I've been pretty satisfied with the car, less so with the service department.

dindak, the unit I bought was $399 but that was in November and I've seen it in Crutchfield for $349 recently so they are coming down. The home kit was another $149 which I thought was a bit high, but it's cheaper than having a separate system for in home use as that would require another $9.95 a month subscription fee. Unlike satellite TV and cell phone service, there is not contract or commitment on service. You buy the equipment and just pay the $9.95 a month(and a $ 14.99 one time activation fee)for as long as you want it.

vex

I drove my brothers intrigue today and I wasn't impressed. The engine has lots of torque up to 30mph and then it gets breathless. I floored the accelerator when going 40mph and it would gently accelerate. Sure it is quiet and doesn't create much rucus but I sure won't be buying a V6 equipped car. My car will need to be equipped with a V8 if its American or if German a V6 will be sufficient. By the way the car is in perfect condition and has just been serviced so there is no mechanical problem.

swagled

To chime in with another poster who said something about learning to "work with" the personality of the car, the 3.5 is very good at "popping forward" at highway speeds.

Say, the driver in front turned on his signal and is edging over to one side... Mash the pedal in a 3.5L Intrigue, and you can replace his position on the road, before a driver in one of the other lanes gets this idea. It's quite a useful driving method on crowded highways!

Another one is when following cars in the far right lane, waiting to exit out. Suppose you're following 3 slow cars. (Yes, I know the right lane is for slow traffic, and when preparing to exit, you don't want to be driving too fast... but still, the first position driver might be going 55 mph and it feels annoyingly slow in an Intrigue.)

The other two drivers won't pass him, because they are waiting for the same exit ramp. You can't pass them because the left lane is too clogged or has to many people zipping by this "slow wagon train" you are in.

Finally, they go 1,2,3 onto the ramp.

Well, now is the time to "mash it" in the far right highway lane (which is now clear) and pass all 3, then quickly move onto the ramp, to take the new #1 spot in front of everyone.

These are things I never would have considered in other cars. They just don't have the oomph at highway speeds to make these tactics possible.

one2one

Your assement of the 3.8 I would say is fair. It's a very smooth engine and quite powerful up to the speed you reference (40mph).

But don't discount American V-6s completely before you try the Intrigue 3.5. Keep in mind the architecture of the engines. The 3.8 is a pushrod which will always have insane power at low speeds. German engines are twin-cams. Twin-cams by nature have to rev high before seeing the power. This is why many Japanese V-6's use VVT-i to improve low-end performance.

The Intrigue 3.5, unlike German and Japanese engines, uses a longer bore stroke as well as twin-cam technology. As a result of the longer bore stroke (length of the piston arm), low-end power is good (particularly with the 3.29 tranny) and "similar" to the 3.8 pushrod in the low-end. High-end power is excellent because of being a twin-cam. So in effect, you have the best of both worlds. Let's not forget that displacement is higher than most mid-size German V-6's and it uses regular gas.

As a side point, I mourn that we will not be able to see what the 3.5 DOHC would perform like with VVT-i. While I am not a fan of how it is implemented in Asian engines, the 3.5 is great as it stands. What would it be like with VVT-i? I'd go out on a limb and say it would probably feel like a small V-8. But now this is just fodder for cocktail parties.

oscarz2

I've heard it implied on occasion that the PCS Intrigues (3.5) are quicker or somehow out- accelerate non-PCS Intrigues. Or, they can transfer into "rocket mode" at highway speeds in less time.

Non-PCS: 3:05 overdrive gear ratio; PCS: 3.29 overdrive gear ratio. Apparently, this is the only difference in the tranny. Result- approx 1 more mpg in fuel economy for the 3.29 (PCS) if you stay in overdrive.

How is there any difference in full-throttle acceleration? I mean, can you even make it to overdrive (under 100mph) at full throttle?

Or, lets assume your cruising along at 45 in overdrive and you punch it. How does the PCS Intrigue yield a better result in this situation? Does it somehow shift faster? If anything, wouldn't the opposite be true since your rpms are a tad higher in the non-PCS overdrive?

What am I missing here?

javidogg

I use to own a 1999 Olds Intrigue GX with a 3.8 engine, custom 18" Lexani chrome wheels, 235/40/18ZR Nitto eXtreme tires, a Kenwood eXcelon KDC817 head unit, custom 6 speaker setup. Well my question was, did any of the Intrigue owners here ever experience any water problems inside of the car gathering on the front passenger side floor, after some what heavy rain. I had that happen to me like twice, I remember when it would rain I used to worry and think if the Intrigue would fill up with water on the passenger side. I think it only did it to me twice, or maybe it could have been because the door was like not fully close, I remember mentioning this to my lady several times that she did not close the passenger door all the way, being able to see via the passenger side mirror. That's really all the problems I had with the Intrigue, I loved that 3.8 engine doe. My Intrigue was totalled in a car accident, which was not my fault "honest", I was not even inside of the car, my car was parked and rammed from the back. I'm now a current owner of a 1999 Onyx Black Aurora with a 4.0 engine, no Northstar engine here and thank goodness for that I heard they tend to leak oil here and there, yes I already customized it already with the 18 inch wheels, Kenwood eXcelon KDC817, Kenwood component speakers, Kenwood eXcelon MP3/CDR/CDRW Changer. Believe it or not everything I had on the Intrigue fitted into the Aurora from rims to sound system and radio, that's why I chose OLDS. I'm willing to sell my custom rims for around $2000, I live around the Chicagoland Area, so let me know here if anyone here is interested in upgrading there Intrigue. Good luck to all, Loving that Aurora.

rjs200240

That 3.29(:1) on the PCS Intrigue is the final-drive ratio, not the ratio of 4th gear. 4th gear (overdrive) has a ratio of .70:1. Each gear is run through the final-drive ratio before hitting the drive wheels. Since the transmission ratios on the PCS and non-PCS cars are the same, the difference in final-drive ratios will affect the ratio in each gear. It means the PCS car will have to turn more in any given gear to go the same speed as the non-PCS car, but it will have more favorable gearing for acceleration.

So, 1st gear has a ratio of 2.92:1 for both cars. This means the actual ratio in 1st is (2.92*3.29) 9.61:1 for the PCS car, and only 8.91:1 for the non-PCS car. The final drive will have the same effect on all gears, essentially lowering them a bit for the PCS car as compared to the non-PCS car. This is why the PCS car will have a bit more bite when accelerating than a non-PCS car. However, it means the PCS car will run at higher rpms while cruising at any given speed, which can mean a bit more noise, a bit more fuel consumption, and a bit more wear. The max speed in each gear will be lower too. If 1st gear could run to 55mph in the non-PCS car it might only run to 51mph in a PCS car, at which point it would have to shift. However, it probably has a favorable impact on top speed since the car is not gearing limited. Since the PCS car will have a bit more gearing advantage and be further into its power curve, it will probably be able to overcome more drag and hit a slightly higher top speed.

P.S. 2nd has a 1.57:1 ratio and 3rd is 1.00:1. Reverse is 2.39:1. You can compute the actual drive ratio for any of these gears by multiplying the gear ratio by the final-drive ratio. For all gears, the PCS car will be geared about 8% lower.

b4z

You can expect about 1mpg less in the 3.29 car.

Harlanc said that the 3.05 geared cars were .2 second slower to 60 mph than the 3.29 cars.

richs07

In order to turn my fog lights on, I first have to turn the inside instrument lights control down from the "max" position (the control clicks to get into the max position-it has to be unclicked to put the fog lights on). Is this normal? If so, why was it designed this way? Why can't you have the interior instrument lights on "max" and the foglights on also?

oldsman01

That 4.0 liter V8 in your Aurora is basically a baby Northstar. It is virtually indentical to a Cadillac Northstar, but is smaller in displacement. It also uses the same two piece block design the Northstar does and this is what "reportedly" has caused some to develop leaks. But I don't think this has been a major problem. The Northstars are wonderful engines. I bet that Aurora makes a wonderful sound at full throttle.

oscarz2

Thanks for the education. Now it makes sense. I think what threw me (besides not having a clue) was that fuel economy improved 1mpg (highway) in 2000. I think that's when pcs became available for Intrigue also. I equated that with what I thought was a different overdrive ratio to improve fuel economy, or something like that.

So, where does that extra 1mpg come from on the 2000+ models?

b4z

The '99 3.5L was rated at 27 mpg. It was only available with the 3.29 gear.
The 2000s came with a 3.05 gear. They were rated at 28 mpg.
In 2001 or 2002 it was raised to 30 mpg. Don't know why.
Interestingly the '02 Impala was downrated to 29mpg from 30mpg.

oscarz2

I thought (even on my 99) since I didn't have PCS, I had the 3.05 ratio. I guess I didn't pay attention to the umpteen thousand times this topic was batted around before.

richs07- I never have the instrument light control past halfway because it makes everything too bright and hot to the touch. I don't know if the fog lights will turn on while the dial is in the max position but I'll check it out later.

oldsman01

The fog lights should come on any time the parking lamps or low beam headlamps are on. The instrument panel lighting level should have nothing to do with it. I keep mine turned up all the way(just below the "click") and the fog lamps work fine. Turning it up to the first click simply puts the vf digital displays(odometer, clock, climate control) at their daylight levels which are way too bright at night. This is called "parade lighting" and the idea as that if you have the headlights on in daylight such as in a parade or funeral, the displays can be kept at level which can be read in daylight.

one2one

Looks like you'll have to apologize to your lady :-) The water buildup wasn't because of the door being opened. I had the same thing in my 98 Intrigue. Something about the air conditioner drain being clogged. Technicians said that it was filled with leaves. Sounded reasonable to me since I live on a heavily tree lined street. It only happened to me once in 80,000 miles.

I drove a 2001 Aurora w/V-8. Man, the sound of that engine was intoxicating!!! Throttle response was great! I can't fit and tried over and over again to make myself fit so I could get one. But I'm not sorry. As the 4.0 is taken from the NorthStar, so the 3.5 is derived from the Aurora 4.0. So, while it's not its big brother, it is from the same gene pool :-)

dindak

I would probably buy a 3.8L powered GM sedan again. The technology is old but the performance in power, refinement and mileage is completely up to date. Given the highway driving we do, the 3.5L is nice to have. Even the 2.2 Ecotec in our Alero is pretty peppy at high speeds making passing a breeze.

racer_x_9

There was a recall for some fog lamps for a 99 and once it was performed, the fog lights will no longer come on in "Parade Mode" which is the highest setting. Cars produced after the recall were rewired in the same manner:

Subject:
Fog Lamp Usage in Parade Mode

Models:
1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue

When diagnosing an inoperative fog lamp condition, verify that the owner is not trying to operate the lamps in the Parade Mode. The fog lamps are not designed to
operate in the Parade Mode. Parade Mode occurs when the headlamps are in the ON position and the instrument panel brightness control is rotated to maximum
brightness.

There is some confusion between the Owner's Manual, P/N 22600386 A (English) or P/N 52368380 (French) and production vehicles. The vehicle wiring was changed
after the start of production for the 1999 model year and Campaign 98069 was issued to change the wiring in early 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue vehicles. The second
edition of the Owner's Manual, P/N 22600386 B - (English) was revised to reflect this change. The part number can be found on page ii of the Manual.

pat

The Town Hall is about to take on a new look in an effort to make content more easily searchable and accessible.

Have you seen the Letter from the Town Hall Manager on the Town Hall Welcome page? If not, you might want to follow that link to have a look.

And hang on to your seats. Change is never easy - for any of us - but resolving the Search problems we've had will be worth the pain.

Pat
Sedans Host

jg28

Recently we had a very hot day and it seemed like my AC didn't perform adequately and the car ran very rough at idle while it was on. I remember there was a TSB about the AC not working well in hot weather and it turned out there wasn't enough freon in the system? Does anyone have this number? I've taken it to the dealer and they couldn't find anything wrong with it but it was a cool day.

javidogg

Oh yes My 1999 Aurora does sound sweet at full throttel, man that sound BROOOOOOOOOM sweet. As for the leaves gathering up inside the air conditioner, hmm never heard of that issue since I never got around taking care of that with the Intrigue getting totalled. But I got to say the Intrigue was wonderfull, I had changed the gauges with some blueish bulbs size 194, that gave it a totally different look since they don't make those El-Glow gauges. Anyone here messed around with the interior of their Intrigues to change it a bit?

jg28

tell me more about these bulbs you put in the interior. Are the OEM bulbs blue? I'd like to get mine to emit a more whitish appearance instead of a bluish tone. How are they accessed? I remember when my trunk button wouldn't light up anymore, the whole button had to be replaced and not just a bulb.

The dealer found the TSB for the A/C and carried it out. It feels colder and working like it should. Passed the 30K mark in my 2000GX just today.

buzzard4

I've been noticing the same thing recently- on 90°+ days, it seems the AC can't quite handle it. I have noticed a slight difference in the idle, but nothing major at this point. If you have the TSB #, I'd appreciate it. Did they give you an idea what that would have cost? I'm out of warranty, and freon (well, whatever they've used to replace freon) usually isn't cheap.

redline65

My trip odometer button doesn't light up anymore. How much did it cost to have replaced?

oldsman01

It's been 90 degrees with high humidity here the past several days(first real hot spell of the year) but I still don't have my Intrigue back to see how well the A/C handles it. It didn't seem to have any problems with it last summer, but the car was brand new then. My patience is about to run out with the service department. I haven't heard anything from them since last Wednesday when they said they "hoped" to have it ready by Friday(as in last Friday) afternoon. If I don't hear from them today, I'm going to call them and see if I can get an update. I'm to the point that I feel I should receive some time of compensation for this. As of tomorrow, they will have had the car two weeks if they still have it then and all the while I've been driving their wonderful 1995 Buick with 98K loaner. Oh and the A/C on that car sure can't handle these 90 degree days with it's cycling compressor(which indicates a low charge). Seriously, 2 weeks is almost half a month so maybe I'll just make half a car payment next time. Two or three days to even a week would have been acceptable, but in two weeks they could have built the entire car from the ground up. The sales experience at the dealer was great, but service seems to be a different story. The real test will be if the car is fixed right when I FINALLY do get it back.

buzzard4

Oldsman,

I don't often quote Bill Clinton, but "I feel your pain." I've posted before about how long the dealer had my Intrigue when they were apparently doing a long-term research project to determine the cause of its steering problem. They had the car nearly 6 weeks over 4 visits, the longest being almost 4 weeks. Sounds like they have the same loaner pool, too. Opening a complaint with Oldsmobile didn't seem to do much, either, except make me more angry when they didn't do anything to push things along. It was definitely frustrating to mail off the payment that month. You're still under warranty, so that's got to be even more frustrating. It's been about 8 or nine months, and it still gets my shorts in a bunch when I think about it.

dindak

I've never left a car over night let alone for days at a time. oldsman, you have a rotten dealer. No reason a car should be in the shop that long.

javidogg

For the gauges U have to unscrew 2 screws that are phillip style then pull out the trim panel out then there is more screws inside just take them out there you pull out the whole housing disconnect the gauge panel and behind there is like 6 bulbs size 194. Those bulbs I replaced them with Hybrids bluish bulbs size 194 of course, but if your looking for a more whitish look, then try the super white L.E.D. bulbs that are for sale at http://www.autodynamic.com

javidogg

Since they don't make those El-Glow gauges for our Oldsmobiles yet. U can also replace the 194 bulb inside the shift gear display too, by taking out the center console apart, I really don't remember how it was layed out since I don't have the Intrigue anymore but it looked real nice when I replaced it with LED bulbs.

javidogg

Man, what up with this board, it only let's me post 115 characters per post. That's why I had to do A part 1 and 2 for my previous post. Sorry about that Intrigue board owners.

b4z

Usually it will stop you from posting a URL with more than 115 characters. I haven't heard that our posts are limited to that many characters.

pat

I think the problem was probably the one link in javidogg's first post.

I have no explanation for this nor do I have any hope this can ever be changed, but sometimes the danged software around here just loses its mind when "counting characters" -- yes, that limit is supposed to be applied to a single "word" (which means a string of characters uninterrupted by a space).

I have seen many instances where this character-counter just does NOT do the job at all, or it imagines that a short link is way past the limit.

Aggravating as all get out, yes?

There are some tips and workarounds in four posts starting here - but it gets kinda complicated.

Hope this helps (but I doubt that it did and I'm sorry!!!).

Pat
Sedans Host

javidogg

I think I got this link posting some what down, well here is the link that I was going to post check it out. "Click here to see it". Let me know what you all think. Peace out and thanks pat Host.

oldsman01

Called the service advisor this afternoon and the tranmission is currently "on the bench" being reassembled and hopefully will be ready by tomorrow afternoon. We've heard that before. I don't think I'll fool with opening a complaint with Olds unless this drags on longer. I do know this, I WILL NOT take it back to that dealer again for service. The sales experience was great and previous service visits were okay, but this in unacceptable. He said they had been waiting on some parts to come in. Thats what I was told a week ago, so did the parts come from Germany?? There is actually a dealer closer to me, the only reason I've been going to that one is that is where I bought the car and they provide loaners. But their loaners are kind of a mix of older trade ins and I would expect that even a non-selling dealer would have to provide some sort of transportation if the car is in for a major repair. In fact, I think this is part of the warranty program. Oh well, we'll see if the car is ready and properly repaired tomorrow.

yurakm

My Malibu transmission broke recently. My Chevrolet dealership told, that it is faster, much more reliable, and usually less expensive overall to replace the whole transmission. Very good dealership, by the way.

However, it still took a whole week: I brought the car in Friday Feb 22 in the morning, and it was ready Friday Mar 01 in the evening. I received it next day.

They diagnosed the problem the very first day, but not early; ordered a remanufactured transmission Monday, after week-end. It was delivered to dealership either late Wednesday or, possibly, Thursday...

dindak

Absolutely ridiculous. Did they at least give you a car to use?

buzzard4

Filing a complaint probably won't get you much, as the repair is already covered under warranty. I got the same runaround about waiting on a part. Actually, first they were waiting on a piece of diagnostic equipment, then a special part coming from Flint. After a week or so of waiting for it, I told them I'd fly to Flint and pick it up. They said I couldn't do that, but I was more than willing to cash in some miles be FedEx man for a day.

You're lucky you have a choice of Olds dealers. There were two dealers within about 20 miles of my home that dropped Olds soon after the announcement. The dealer I bought it from is the only other dealer within 30 miles of work or home, and to go to another would mean fighting suburban DC traffic.

I think what made the situation so disappointing for me was the timing. I bought the Intrigue in November 1999, before the announcement, and the dealer was doing everything they could to get customers and keep them happy. The first year and a half of service were great, and I came to appreciate and expect that level of service. The managers knew all the regular customers' names, and they really seemed like straight shooters. The problems with the car started (and my warranty ran out) soon after the announcement. This dealer only has Olds and Nissan, so I think the Olds service people are done when that side closes. Maybe the slow service I got was a coincidence, but it seems the motivation is gone. I really can't blame them, but it's disappointing. What's ironic is that I've been considering a Maxima to replace the Intrigue, but they're also the only convenient Nissan dealer...

TSchramm

From the Wall Street Journal:

"Here is some advice for car buyers: wait.

A new study by J.D. Power & Associates found that a number of cars and trucks that were new or redesigned last year had more problems than the 2001 models they replaced.
The study quantifies what consumers have long suspected. "I really shouldn't say this because people aren't going to buy a new [redesigned] car in its first year," says Koki Hirashima, Honda's manufacturing chief in North America. He acknowledges that after introduction, each new model makes a gradual improvement. "The car's quality is at its best toward the end of its model lifecycle," he says. Indeed, a new model typically scores about 2% worse -- meaning more problems per 100 vehicles -- than the outgoing model in the previous year, according to Brian Walter, J.D. Power's head of product research.

Auto makers say the quality backsliding is an inevitable fact of life in today's hyper-competitive market. To save money and quickly respond to trends, they are under increasing pressure to cut the time needed to engineer new models. (The typical model cycle is four to five years for most cars, somewhat longer for trucks.)

That means less time for potential problems to emerge before production begins. As a result, auto executives face a dilemma: Delay the launch of a new model to iron out bugs and risk losing sales. Or launch the vehicle on schedule and risk making some extra warranty repairs as early problems emerge."

dindak

Nothing new about that. All new models have problems without exception. Always best to wait a year or two at least.

winter9

19% over 2001. Read about it at

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/business/3388794.htm

tander

Should I get Michelin X1's, or Michelin Pilot Alpina's? I live in NE Ohio and the winter roads are nasty. I'll probably go to Sam's Club for hopefully a great deal. Any experiences or advice out there with these variables?

yurakm

Was the article written by lawer?

vcjumper

Well at 102,000km in my 99 I am starting to hear a single knock noise from the front end when turning in parking lot manouevers once in a while.

Intermediate Steering shaft??

vcjumper

Had a Maine business trip this week. My rental was a base Impala.

Quiet and smooth ride except for the relatively unpleasing engine sounds. The steering was way too assisted for my liking. Handling had a lot of understeer. Stereo blew chunks. Otherwise built very solid.

dindak

I was in a friends rental Impala and it was also very well built. Still don't like the dash much but they are a good value well made car. You probably had a base model?

---------

Not liking this new format much. Extra clicks are ALWAYS bad.

pat

No extra clicks if you "read subscriptions"....

lmacmil

It may not be as good as the model it replaced but it's way better than it was 10-15 years ago. The manufacturers start building the new models in January or February. They usually build about 50-60 in the first run and those get driven and wrung out for 2 months or so until the next build, usually around May. Most problem areas get resolved in that period. There's usually another build in June to iron out the last few issues. Real production typically starts in August.

A launch will get delayed if there are safety issues or problems that will affect a large number of vehicles that can't be corrected quickly. As a supplier, the absolutely worst thing in the world is to be responsible for a launch delay. The OEMs will make you suffer for years (via fewer business awards) if that happens.

sda

One of my biggest concerns of any automobile is automatic transmission trouble, or A/C failure. I am a fairly good mechanic, but as cars have become more complex and more computer controlled, a simple failure can easily be communicated as a catastrophic failure. For example, on my '70 Deville convertible that I restored when I was in college, the transmission was shifting somewhat softly. I feared the worst. I went to my local parts store, and they had knowledgeable folks who were great at trouble shooting. They suggested I replace a vacuum modulator for about $15. Voila, problem solved. Today, a technician could lie to me bold face and I wouldn't know otherwise and get stuck with a repair bill beyond belief. So based on your experience, I will have my car checked out thoroughly at my next visit. Even if the say they can't duplicate the problem, I will insist that they record the complaint in their files. What part of TN do you live? I lived in Knoxville for 6 years, and graduated from UT. Bought my '76 Sunbird at Delmar Haynes. Dad bought his '79 Eldorado Diesel (dog) at Rodgers Cadillac. It's been a while. Sorry, too much info. Hope you get your car back soon. The more I drive mine, the more I like it!

oldsman01

I live in K-town and also graduated from the U of T. Rice Olds which is next to Rodgers Cadillac is 15 minutes from where I live. I actually bought mine from a dealer in Oak Ridge because I got a better deal, but I'm going to start taking mine to Rice for service.

Dindak, yeah I got a 1995 Buick LeSabre with 98,000 miles to drive while my car is in the shop. Speaking of, they STILL have it. Took the car in two weeks ago today in the AM so not counting Memorial Day, they have had the car 10 working days! I haven't even asked about the "flicker" as I also reported this when I took it in and frankly if they say they haven't checked that yet, I'm not going to worry. I just want my car back! To me it would have made sense to simply replace the entire transmission since it has taken so long to rebuild it. If the car is not ready tomorrow afternoon, I think I'm going to talk with them about reimbursing me on rental car expenses and rent a Grand Am or something along those lines as this Buick is getting old. Not only does it drive like a boat, the engine has serious valve clatter, and the A/C does not work well at all. Talked with a guy a work who has a 98 Aurora he bought new from the other(the closer one) Olds dealer here and he said everytime he has it in for service, they provide him with a late model Alero or Intrigue as a loaner.

buzzard4, I actually looked at the Maxima on Nissan's website as I'm seeing BIG "Olds like" discounts on them in the paper here and a 255 hp hooked to a 6 speed manual is tempting, but I still like my Intrigue and if they fix is right, I hope I'll continue to enjoy driving it until I'm ready to take the plunge and buy a CTS.

dindak

Your comment about K-town and UofT threw me as I am originally from Kingston ON (which I call K-town) and I live near Toronto where the University of Toronto (U of T) is. Same terms, totally different area of the world. Glad they gave you something though a 7 year old car isn't must fun.

-------

Did my spring cleaning on the Intrigue last night and it looks fantastic (like new). One thing I noticed is a couple of very small bubbles on the inside bottom of one of the doors. I really hope this is not rust as I did not notice this before. None of the other doors have this. Anyone else seen this on their car?

oldsman01

Okay guys, I FINALLY got the Intrigue back but not without drama. Bear with me, I've had a couple of glasses of wine this evening. So about 4:30 this afternoon I hadn't heard from the dealer and I was prepared to spend another weekend with the Buick when the phone rings. Tells me the car is ready and that they are doing a final road test and safety inspection and it will be ready to be picked up in a hour. So I arrive at the dealer about 5:30 to pick the car up and there is no one in the service department other than a cashier. I told her I was there to pick up my car and she looked around and could not find the paper work(which I was told would be ready by when I came to get the car) but they would mail it to me. No big deal I thought and she handed me the keys and off I went. As I approached my car I noticed what looked like a spot or a mark on the right front fender so I try to wipe it off with my finger. WRONG! It turned out to be a big scratch AND a dent that certainly was not on the car when it went in for service. The car was filthy too as if it had been sitting outside the full two weeks. I went back in the service department asked to speak with someone and the cashier said everyone else had already gone home for the day. So I left and drove home. It felt so good to have my car back and the transmission seemed to shift fine, but I was so mad about what they did I wasn't really trying to feel the shiftpoints. Once home I looked the car over again and saw another dent on the fender as well. I called the dealer back and spoke with my salesperson so that there was a report to someone there about what I had found. He said he would get with a manager tomorrow to see what can be done and call me back. So here again, what could be a good experience has turned sour. As for the other two problems I listed when I took the car in, one was not fixed(the dash separating from the center air vents) and I have no idea if they even checked "the flicker" because I have no paperwork. I'm going to wash and detail the car tomorrow and look for any other damage they may have done. To me this is totally unacceptable and I cannot wait until the service survey for this visit comes in the mail. I think I'm going to contact or write GM as well as this is not acceptable service in my opinion. Other then it going back to them to fix the body damage, I will never take my car back there for service again. Anyway, thats my rant for this evening. I think it's time for another glass of wine.