Oldsmobile Intrigue

one2one

I had a '98 and currently own a '01. The ISS problem is definitely something to watch out for on that year. Another thing to consider is rusted rear rotors. Those were the only problems I had on mine.

As a side note, I personally like the handling of the 3.8 over the 3.5. The steering feels heavier in the 3.8 and steering response quicker. It may be because the 3.8 is heavier than the 3.5. So with the extra weight pressing on the front wheels it's possible that explains the feel thru the wheel being different.

b4z

It is possible that Olds made some suspension changes. I think the shocks might be a little different.

one2one

You're probably right. In addition to steering feel, the whole car feels different. The '01 has a softer, less firm feel more in line with a touring ride. The '98 was firmer and had a more "riding on rails" feel that is missing in the '01. Which one is better? All depends on one's preference. If I could have the 3.5 in the '98 with the 3.29 axle, that would be ideal for me.

one2one

http://www.gminsidenews.com/SEMA%20GXP.htm

I have read that Lutz plans to kill the Bonniville. From what I have read recently, that doesn't seem to be the case. Hopefully GM will learn their lesson from Chrysler and bring into production these concepts that receive such rave reviews into production exactly as they are and not dumb them down by the time it hits the streets.

b4z

Who will be the first to put the 4.4L V8 in the intrigue?

oldsman01

That was the first place I drove Tuesday morning, I even had a bumper sticker on my Intrigue(don't worry I'm not one to leave those on there for years after an election). I won't say who or how I voted, but I was very happy last night:)

bravedave, have you owned since new? If I can ever get the transmission problem corrected once and for all, I don't think I'll have a problem reacing 100K although I'll probably trade before then. BTW, I've already got 24K on my 01 which I purchased 07/01.

mfletouva

I knew it would stir things up a little, but there's nothing wrong with a little fun, right? Besides, (here's my link to make our discussion relevant moderator), there have been some interesting studies done by those of us in the politics business that tie political preference to the type of car driven. Not suprisingly, cars like the Intrigue tend to be driven by Republicans (but of course there are exceptions to every rule), well cars like the Subarus and the VW Beetle are favored by the Democrats...

Seriously, thanks to everyone who voted no matter who you did it for...nothing like democracy to fight terrorism!

I wouldn't have any qualms about the 3.8L. Its a great workhorse with good torque. Less sophisticated than the 3.5, but even that can have its advantages. Having driven both, the 3.5 feels differently in that it likes to play at a higher speed than the 3.8, but the 3.8 is nice and smooth.

bravedave

My engine & tranny work quite nicely together. I am comtemplating having the engine coolant flushed. I also intend to replace the upper & lower radiator hoses & thermostat at the same time. I know the coolant is good for 5 years or 150k miles, but my 5 year limit will pop up in April. I'd rather have the coolant issue resolved before winter hits. So far, so good

ian18

A GM kit to lube the ISS is available from the parts department. There was an instruction sheet in the kit that explained in some detail how to do the job. DId not do it myself however, my local independent mechanic did the job for $45 plus parts.

sunsession

I'm approaching the 3,000 mile service point on my 2000 Intrigue. You folks guided me along on that adventure. So far I have the following to mention to the service manager: rattling brakes going over bumpy road; loose shifter handle; loose head support that raises itself; rust on rear brake rotors. On this last one, I mention it because I saw one2one note it above. Is this a matter for warranty service? Why does this happen? What are the safety issues? All in all I love the car. I'm not an expert. Professional car writers and people who frequently trade up have many points on which comparisons can be made. I'm just coming off 14 years with a 1988 Ciera. I feel like I'm in a Rolls Royce!

craigcul

Thanks ian18 and everyone for the comments about lubing the ISS. I will check into this at a GM dlr and may buy it. If so, will report back on how hard it is to lube the ISS. I would'nt mind hearing the clunk return, if I knew I could stop it every six months with a little grease.

On the 3.8 engine, I love it. I know it's old tech, but in my 40k miles, it has been absolutely flawless. It could go 100 all day long, with the indicated revs only about 2750. Used a little oil at first, but not a drop now. Also, gas mileage seems to be better now than earlier. On acceleration it has a characteristic induction growl that may make it sound less smooth than the 3.5, and of course the torque flattens out sooner, but personally I much prefer having the torque at the low end for much of my driving. Of course, it doesn't take much to give me a thrill: my last car was a Peugeot diesel.

b4z

that the Intrigue has been around for 5 years now.
We are also coming up on the second anniversary of the death announcement. It was Dec. 15th, right?

dindak

I remember testing a 98 Intrigue when they came out. It was just before we decided to get a 98 Grand Prix. I am scared of 1st year cars so we went for the GP which came out in 97. When we totalled the GP in 2000, I read through this form and decided to make the change and I do not regret it at all. The 3.5L makes me smile when ever I push her.

These days I drive our 02 Alero during the week as I have a longer commute.

one2one

I've been thinking about dropping the Aurora V-8 in but I'm going to wait until after the warranty (and payments) run out.

one2one

Others here that had the rusted brake problem got it fixed under warranty with little fuss, if I remember correctly. I just got aftermarket rotors and didn't have a problem after that.

tarcher

I promised an update and here it is.... The dealer just called and said the car should be ready and that they would deliver the car around 3:00pm to my office. They will be picking up the rental I have had for almost a week. 2003 Mercury Saber. Not a fun car to drive at all. Im not impressed with the car at all. I can't wait till I can drive MY car.

They said it was the crank sensor that went bad and had a hard time locating one in this area. I hope this is it with repairs for a long while. At least this didn't cost me a penny because of the warranty.

evandro

I'm actually leaning towards the '98 with the 3.8 because this engine will be around for a few years to come, while the remarkable 3.5 is already gone. So I guess that there's always going to be plenty of parts available for the 3.8.

About the rusted rotors, is it really a problem? I mean, in rainy days I can see pretty much every car in the company parking lot with the rotors rusted by the end of the day. Of course the rust goes away at the first time one steps on the brakes. Or are you talking about another kind of rust that's more worrisome?

TIA

one2one

Ohhh, you'll know if you have the rusted rotor problem, alright. When I tried to get my rotors cut, a film that looked like plastic came off exposing rust. So much so that it couldn't be cut out. My mechanic called me in a panic and boy was he upset! Upset because he had never seen anything like that on a relatively new car. He insisted that I get GM to reemburse me (I then needed new rotors to pass inspection). And if the dealership woudln't do it, he suggested going up the complaint chain. The dealership I had been going to I felt was going to give me a hard time. I wasn't in the mood nor did I really care. So I just kept driving with my aftermarket rotors.

So in short, you will DEFINITELY know if you have the rotor problem.

evandro

Whoa, you mean they were rusted from the inside out? 8^O

oldsman01

More like 5 1/2 years as I started seeing them in the summer of 97. Back then I thought it was absolutely one of the best looking cars available. Today, it's still a good looker, but there are also some other good looking sedans. Still, the Intrigue at 5 looks better than the brand new 03 Accord's styling. As for the Olds annoucement, I don't remember the date but I know it was the same day we finally learned who would be president so it had to have been early December 2000. The 7th maybe. I also read in Autoweek(or MT) that Debra Kelly-Ennis is going to the over Saab cars USA.

jg28

Was a cold, dark, dreadful day. Many of you have suggested I get another Intrigue and, believe me, I'm very tempted but aside from the shoddy build quality I've seen on too many (I know, I know there are exceptions there's no need to follow this post with "mine's solid as a rock"), there is the overwhelming thought that GM is a big monster and I want to boycott them for life for killing Oldsmobile. Even so, I've called about a couple 2001 Auroras (a 3.5 and a 4.0). They both had too many miles to even consider. The Mazda 6 is coming out soon but I've already seen that it has too little headroom at 38 point something inches.

one2one

You got it!

one2one

Although I purchased a second Intrigue amidst rumors of Olds demise and am glad I made the purchase, I wouldn't necessarily recommend another Olds purchase unless one or more of the following is true in your case:

1. You plan on keeping the car at least 2 years after it's paid off.
2. You hustle the dealer down then drop a wad of cash so you can go for a short term.
3. If both one and two are true.

The primary reason for this recommendation is because of the depreciation. Keep the car after it's paid and depreciation is not an issue. If you only pay $18,000 for a $26,000 car, have a 3 year note and you'll never be behind the 8 ball. You're right;there are other good options these days, both foriegn and domestic. And your money will probably go further.

Personally, I want an Aurora Final 500 (they moved the seat track back in the Bonnie; hopefully, they did the same on the Aurora).

evandro

I checked it out at NAIAS early in January and was not impressed at all. The interior and exterior are nicely styled, but that's it. The ergonomics is poor and it lacks roominess in all directions. Not to mention the really, really cheap plastics all over. It was so bad that barbs pulled a thread in my brother's shirt.

Granted, it was only a pre-production unit, but it was also in a show window...

evandro

When shopping for a used one, do you think that I can punch a hole in the rotor using a screw driver if it's rusted inside?

TIA

dindak

evandro : Every review I read about the 6 seems to praise the car? It can't be that bad.

one2one : I saw a local Toronto dealer had 3 Aurora 3.5L on cash sale for C$34,999 (about U$23K). What a steal. I wish I could upgrade as I really like the car. The 2003 V8 is the last Aurora, correct??

jg28 : I take it you haven't bought anything yet. Any thoughts of what you are leaning towards?

As an add on, I notice Camry reliability has fallen to average in Consumer Reports. Confirms my suspicion that Toyota is cutting costs and corners with their vehicles.

evandro

Be aware that, as you pointed out about the Camry, there's an outright prejudice in favor of imports, even when it's a Ford, as the Mazda 6.

CR hasn't stopped praising and recommending the Camry, in spite of its falling quality. Well, the moment I got into one at a dealer about a year ago, I saw that in my face. Apparently, nobody in the press did. The only cars I see being reviewed unfavorably are generally American cars, deserved or not.

Take the G35, for example. I checked it out of curiosity and never read anything about the impossible location of the power seat buttons: on the seat, under one's thigh. Not only quite cumbersome to reach, but also an uncomfortable bump and a threat to the ladies' panty hoses. Were the otherwise fine G35 American, the press would be all over it.

Take my Bonneville: the press spends paragraphs about the number of buttons on the dash, but all fail to say that they are all in plain sight and within easy reach. IOW, superb ergonomics. Besides, it doesn't have more buttons than other cars in its class.

I'd wait to reach a final conclusion about the Mazda 6 until I test drive one, but would continue to give very little credit to such so called "reviews".

one2one

dindak::: I gotta go with the V-8 Aurora. It's like crack- one shot and you're hooked.

Not sure about when it's ending. But I do believe you're right that the '03 Aurora is it.

evandro::: I don't think they'll let you "test" the rotor before you buy :-) The really scary part is that before the rotor goes on the machine to cut, it looks perfectly normal. In my case, it wasn't until AFTER the cutting began that it showed.

I'm not sure you'd want an Intrigue after driving a Bonnie. I drove the SSEi a couple of weeks ago at a Chrysler event and it was very nice, particularly in the ride quality dept. Granted, I'm also comparing that to the ride in an Intrigue with wearing Badyears Eagle LS's. This is just my opinion, but if you want an Olds cheap, check out pre-owned Auroras. The 3.5 is nice but the V-8 is just plain intoxicating. And it's closer to the level of car you currently drive.

evandro

I can always try to punch the rotor with a screw driver when nobody is looking... :^)

I really, really have to resist an Aurora and keep my bid low. I'm replacing a totalled car, thus I'm being forced to shop. :^( If I could choose, I'd wait until 2004 and get the new Pontiac GP.

But I figured that, as the Intrigue has been in my radar screen before, it would be an upgrade from the Stratus or at least a smaller downgrade from the Bonneville. ;^)

swagled

It took me a while to catch up with all these posts.

I finally got my steering lube done at 41K miles, and it really did get rid of those low-speed jiggling sensations. A $48 service... if I only have to do this every couple of years, I'll just put up with it.

About 3K miles are put on the new Yokohamas now. They are better tires than those Eagles were. Not "loads whopping better", but-- just better.

They seem less prone to hydroplaning in the wet, and less prone to bringing the anti-lock brakes online in a quick dry stop. They provide a slightly stiffer ride, but I'd say the cornering ability is about the same as the Eagles were (when they were new). The Yokos don't make those annoying squeals during parking lot turns, either.

Get yours too at Discount Tire, and say goodbye to those BadYears...

oldsman01

I kind of agree with you. If something happened to my Intrigue and I found a loaded 02 in the color that I like and could get a a killer(under 20K) deal, I'd be tempted. But there are other alternatives that I'd lean toward. The Mazda 6 is interesting looking, but the Saab 9-3 has my attention right now. A guy over in the 9-3 forum got one equipped as I would at GMS pricing and his 15K a year lease runs less than my Intrigue payment. With the Intrigue(and many other cars) values dropping like a rock these days and the typical car note being 5 years(at which point I'd be ready for new wheels anyway) this is very tempting for me. Having said that, I took advantage of the sunny weather today and washed and waxed the car to get it ready for winter. This was the first time I have waxed the car and I used two coats of Zaino, all I can say is wow! I can still barely see some of the sediment that the dealer got on parts of the finish when they had the car last summer, but it's not noticeable without looking closely. And the wax helped the swirl marks on the hood big time. With the afternoon sun shinning down on the freshly washed and waxed black finish, the car just looked spectacular. If I had a digital camera, I'd take some shots right now and email them to you guys.

oldsman01

Both are nice cars and I would be very tempted with an Aurora 4.0 at a good price as there is nothing like a V8. The SSEi is nice too, but at the price of a loaded SSEi, one can get a CTS. The SSEi has more power, but is FWD whereas the CTS is smaller and more balanced. I haven't driven an SSEi so I can't comment on how it drives and handles, but the CTS is an absolute joy to drive. Even with it's power deficit comepared to other cars. And in a year, that omission will be corected.

dindak

evandro : Ya I noticed it was still recommended. I wonder if they would still do that if it fell below average. I call Camry's refrigerators, an appliance.. nothing else.

one2one : V8 still runs on regular gas doesn't it? Should be some good deals this year as Im sure sale will continue to plunge with the lack of a V6 model.

oldsman : You are right about the CTS.. no power deficiency at all. Did you test a 9-3 yet?

jg28

23K for a brand new Aurora? Wow. That IS a great deal. What I like about Aurora is that it has so many standard features (Heated mirrors, standard side airbags). What I wish is that I could combine the great things about the Aurora, the Maxima and the Accord (Aurora rear end, Maxima front end, Accord sides with Maxima engine and headlamps, Accord auto 5 speed, Maxima interior dimensions with Aurora and Accord sumptuous interiors. Then I'd have the perfect car for me. But I've pretty much decided on a 2002 Maxima SE. I've been looking at trucks too and small sport utes. The Frontier was my favorite truck (tested the Chevy S10 with the ZR2 package and the Toyota Tacoma). All but the S10 are a tight fit for me. I was seriously impressed with the Kia Sorento but it doesn't get very good gas mileage and isn't too powerful. I like Escapes but would never get a Ford.

white6

Have you driven a Dakota? I have a 6-year-old Dakota Extended Cab (5.2 V-8) that drives great! Doesn't have that "floaty" feeling of the full-sized trucks, but has 85 percent of the space. Mine has 62,000 on it, and is still tight and rattle-free. Kind of thirsty (17 mpg) but it has decent acceleration and towing power. Steering and handling are first-rate (for a pick up truck) and the ride is smooth. It also is just the right height... tall enough to be a truck, but you don't need a step-ladder to get in! They make a four-door version (our Intrigue serves that function, so I got the Club Cab) if you need a back seat. Bigger than a S-10, plus V-8 power available.

craigcul

I'm glad to hear the ISS lube got rid of your jiggle. Mine stayed rattle-free for about 5000 mi. but it's starting again. This week I'll look for the GM ISS lube kit. Maybe Intrigues should have been fitted with a dashboard lube lever. Give it a pull each morning.
I just put on a set of Bridgestone RE 900s to replace the Goodyears, and they are a distinct improvement over the worn-out OEMs. Ride is a little less harsh and cornering feels more positive. They were a good deal at Costco.

mfletouva

Just got my second tank of gas for my Intrigue. Now, understand that I drive in Metro DC, and my commute is nothing but stop and go all the way. On this tank, that was all it was--just the commute. I got 13.7 miles per gallon, which strikes me as really really bad even considering the area. The first tank was a mixture of commuting and a long drive, and it got 22 mpg on that tank. Can I expect any improvement? The Alero got about 16.5-17 in the city.

jg28

Haven't even considered a Dakota. I'll give one a test drive. They're probably outta my price range. I just love the look of the S10s with the ZR2 package. They look rugged/manly. Does the Dakota have a similar package? I thought Dodge had the worst build quality of all the domestics? I really really liked the Frontier (I tested a supercharged one) but it's not enough headroom or legroom. If I could just get the seat lowered 1 inch and the track moved 3 inches, it'd work perfectly.

akitadog

Hi there, I haven't posted here in a while, but I do read the posts regularly. I just want to say that I too live in the DC metro area, and I've seen some bad gas mileage on my 99 GL 3.5. However, I've always managed to get at least 300 miles out of a tank (There's at least 3 gallons left after the gas light cuts on). I've done the commute on I66 and I know what that's like, but you're probably just pushing the pedal a little too hard when the line goes from "Stop" to "Go".
Of course, you say that you just got your second tank of gas, so it could also be that you engine is not quite broken in? I've read that the mileage actually gets better as the engine ages. As in 1 more MPG city/highway. Hope you didn't get a dud.

Anyone, have you found a decent aftermarket for the Intrigue? I've found a few online shops that have VERY LIMITED Intrigue parts (mostly W-body parts, but little that is Intrigue-specific), but I get a feeling that most of what I want will have to be custom-made. A lotta $$$.

one2one

http://www.oldsmobile-parts-oldsmobile-auto-parts.com

Not really aftermarket but: http://www.autodirectsave.com/home.asp

http://www.autosportz.com

http://www.usautoparts.com/

dindak

My first 4-5 tanks got horrible gas mileage also. It get's better after the initial "break in".

white6

Dakota build quality is about average for the domestics. The V-8 auto trannies had problems back in the early 90's that they have corrected, but gave them a VERY BAD reputation. I don't think they offer an "off road" package, as such, but I think mine (which is a "sport") looks great... no chrome; bumpers, trim, grill, is all body-color. I also mounted a set of 245-70-16 Goodyear Fortera's on a set of Durango 16-inch wheels. Mine came with weanie 215-75-15's although the 03's come with the 245-70-16 standard now. I think you are probably right about the price, though. For a four-door, V-8 auto, 4-wheel drive, you are probably looking at $25,000. I have owned both compact and full-size domestic trucks, and I would be willing to pay as much for a Dakota as I would anything else, that's how much I like it! If the new Chevy Colorado (S-10 replacement) was available with the 5.3 V-8, that would be a slam dunk! Unfortunately, word is the largest engine will be a 215-hp 5-cylinder (?????).

oldsman01

Went to a local auto show over the weekend and got to look at and sit in a good number of cars. First off, the only Olds models there were the Alero and the Silhouette and they were off in a corner with no reps present. Kind of sad, but we've gotten past that. Anyway, checking out other cars I got some pretty good impressions. The new Mazda 6 is an interesting car and offers alot for the price. The interior is styled nicely and seats are comfortable. From the front the 6 is pretty sharp, the rear seems to suffer some of the "aftermarket look" that the Altima does. The rear spoiler on the 6 is overkill IMO. Speaking of the Altima, the one they had there was a fully loaded V6 SE and stickered at over $29K. They also had a well equipped Maxima SE 6 speed and it also stickered for $29K. Aside from it's beam axle rear suspension, the Maxima would be my choice between the two. It's interior was better looking(had better quality materials)and seats were more comfortable. Styling wise, my 27 year old eyes found the now 4 year old Maxima styling more appealing than the Altima's as well.

The new Accord coupe is not bad looking from any angle but the front, but the sedan needs help on the front and rear. The interior of both is pretty nice, but nothing special. They do now offer a Navigation system and all Accords now have electroluminescent gauges which is a nice touch in a car this price. The Camry, lets just say it was a Camry. Nothing new on the Taurus/Sable front and it's pretty much ditto on the Impala and Regal as well. As for luxury cars Cadillac, Lexus, MB, Rover, Lincoln, Saab, and Hummer(well the price is certainly luxury class) were there, but that was about it. I still haven't driven a 9-3 yet, but got to check one out at the auto show and was impressed. The front seats and driving position was superb. And the one at the show was a manual! I was a little disappointed in some areas of the interior though as the carpeting and floor mats in my Intrigue are nicer and parts of the door panels seemed a bit low rent. But all in all, the 9-3 was a nice car. Despite seeing all the fine machinery that was there, I didn't feel too bad when I left and got into my humble Intrigue. I'd be willing to bet that if someone had stripped the badges off and Intrigue and brought one into the show and had people guess what kind of car it, all but a few would guess something other than an Olds.

dindak

Maxima is probably still my favorite choice after Intrigue. Never cared for the Altima. The new 6 looks good, but I have heard other people say it has a lot of cut corners. Have not sat in the new 9-3 yet but it looks real good.

one2one

I have to agree with you on the Max vs. Altima comparo. In my case though, I'd have to go for the Altima. At 6'8" I fit much better in it. I was just excited to realize I had enough room to get a 5-speed! I have NEVER been able to fit comfortably behind the wheel of a 5-speed since I became a licensed driver (although I have driven 5 speed trucks :-) Probably wouldn't get a stick. The wife can't drive sticks and we swap cars occasionally.

evandro

Call me a party spoiler, but I can't comprehend the yearning for manual shifting... Having driven 5-speed for over 10 years, I'm glad I don't have to clutch.

IMHO, given enough engine, any difference between manual or automatic is academic, performance-wise. And I rather change gears with the left foot than with a foot and a hand... ;^)

dindak

5-speeds are nice for performance driving, but for every day commutes through metro area congestion, I'll take an automatic ANY DAY thank you.

akitadog

Thanks for the aftermarket URLs. I found a few in my own searches in case you're interested.

http://www.slponline.com

cat-back exhaust

http://www.eibach.com

lowering springs

http://www.knfilters.com

replacement drop-in part#33-2086 (not listed for Intrigue, but it fits like a glove)

http://www.tornadoair.com

Tornado unit

http://www.bmrfabrication.com

W-body suspension (sway bars, strut tower braces, suspension arms)

http://www.razzi.com

ground effects (not my taste, tho)

mfletouva

I realize I'm mildly off topic here, but since we are talking about other cars in the Intrigue's class I really would love to get this off my chest...

God the new Camry is HIDEOUS! It has got to be the most awkard, bulky, ungraceful beast on the road. I followed one home today and it was so ugly I just couldn't stop staring at it. The tailights stick out, the shape has no symmetry, it is too tall and the dash is just plain wierd. How in the world can that car be considered the best in this class? I'm not crazy about the rear end of the new Accord either, but compared to the Camry its a beauty queen.

Of course, that would make the Intrigue Playmate of the Year...

dindak

Wow, are they ever stocked.

Not one new Intrigue left at the local dealer. Zippo!

Good luck with the negotiating.