Oldsmobile Intrigue

etharmon

If you don't have the automatic climate control, fog lights, and your outside mirrors are black rather than body color, it is a GX or simply a base model as GX was the label given to the base model in 99. Mine is also a base 98 and has absolutely no options. The car comes standard with alot of good features and that was one of the things that impressed me about the Intrigue as the base models on most cars are very basic. If I do another Intrigue though, I'm going with a loaded GL or GLS. I do want fog lights, climate control, remote locks, and leather seats. And I think a sunroof is a must if I do another Intrigue.

1415

etharmon::::::Post #3 has not been removed; however #2 and #4 are gone...What was aimed at me; fire away!!!!

occupant1:::::yep, its a tad out of the way; thanks for the answer...

mrmiata:::::The autobahn pkg option uses a speed-rated tire and should go 125+mph. The normal uses the ordinary Eagle LS.

Brakes on the regular Intrigue are prone to warpping/and rotor replacement. Rear rotors on my 98 were replaced at 3k and fronts turned @19k and GM became the owner @26k. My 99 had rears turned @8kand rear rotors were replacd @16k; pads@19k--Fronts turned @19k and again @34k--and rears turned @34k.

Brakes are really a massive problem---and the stock Olds reply is "driving habits". Being an automotive supplier I would love to have the production contract for the service business is going to be great....Having owned a flock of cars in my 67 yrs. the mighty Intrigue takes the cake for crappy brakes--never bought a rotor to date. Enjoy!!!My Olds dealer also handles Mazda--the Miata is popular in Detroit--however my stable is totally domestic brands. I personally don't think the autobahn pkg brakes were any better or worse than the std brk--however owners of the pkgd cars probably thought they would withstand repeated panic stops from 100 and certainly fried the binders on the first attempt.

spitasky

Does anyone else have any problems with their cabin fan making high-pitched chirping noises at low fan speeds?

dindak

Don't know about your brakes 1415, but the ones on my 2000 GL are about the best I've ever had. Tests also show the Intrigue out breaks Accord V6 and Maxima. Aside from the 98 Autobahn brakes, there is not a lot to complain about unless you have a problem specific to your car.

After watching the "100 Best Hard Rock Bands" last night on VH1, I slipped in an old Motley Crue CD in on the way to work today. Highly recommended as it gets you in a great driving mood! ;-)

dindak

Probably needs some WD-40. My old Grand Prix got that after a couple of years and the dealer just sprayed the fan.

w5kap

Scloiz, very sorry about that. My first post and although I usually hit the spellcheck button, I was in a hurry. Won't happen again. As to the location of the rattle, I think it is coming from the front left but I can't be sure. The Gen Mgr of my dealer is a ham radio friend of mine so I will be going back to see him if, as you and others indicate, this could be serious. Thanks to all for your ideas. Think I'll hit that button now!

W5KAP

ketch

agreed, and its common knowledge that the torque for most any pushrod engine is produce low in the band as opposed to higher for cammed engines. Nevertheless, this also causes pushrod engines like the 3.8 to fall off the torque curve earlier than ohc ones. Today with variable vvalve technology applied to ohc engines, they too can produce torque down low, and stay in the band on the high end too. Olds needs to do this to the 3.5, as Honda has done to thiers, but even w/o this, most car enthusiast wouldn't be caught dead in a pushrod engine due to its short torque curve, lack of nice sounds on accel., and refinement.
As you show, for those who want the old technology, the Regal is for them, but note that the demographics they are after are not import buyers at all, but aging boomers and beyond.

teo

Just for taking any Olds on a test drive!

teo

"most car
enthusiast wouldn't be caught dead in a pushrod
engine due to its short torque curve, lack of nice
sounds on accel., and refinement."

Hey mister, I am a car enthusiast and have had my share of OHC, DOHC and pushrod engines. I prefer pushrods for every day driving and I am not ashamed to be caught driving one of those ;-). Have you driven the 3800 Series II engine? Probably you haven't. The torque curve is pretty good and even at a steady 100MPH this engine still has plenty of breathing room. Refinement? Who cares? Highly subjective. If cammed engines work for you fine, for me pushrods do the job just as well. Nice sounds? What? I have owned Honda 4 bangers that sound like tractors when pushed hard. The 3800 sounds pretty sweet to me. Besides, I don't buy engines for the sound, but for the performance, ok?

For the record I am 29 years old, married, Computer engineer.

teo

AMEN!

j_coleman

ketch: I thought variable valve timing doesn't kick in until high rpm's(around 5000). How does that help low-end torque?

mkco

One more note on the DOHC thing. My first DOHC car was the first ('86) Acura Integra. Low-end acceleration in that thing was a total DOG, and when the A/C was turned on, you could just feel the energy sapped out of the engine.

jgriff

dindak---> I don't want any attention, & certainly need/want yours. You seem to always be the first to respond to my posts, why don't you take your own advice and just "let them go"?

I've truly have enjoyed the discussions regarding the 3800 vs. 3.5. My thoughts here is the 3800 is one tough bullet-proof engine. However the single/dual OHC engines, just sound and seem much more refined.

Damn I simply love all kind of cars [good ones that is], and I wish I could own several. But then it would be like getting dress in the morning, and having to decide which baby gets driven that day.

1415

Lots of cockpit time with the 3.8 in a 87 Electra T-Type,92 RegalGS, 94 LeSabre combined approx 245k miles=total repair costs 1 water pump in the 92 Regal. 95% Interstate driving--reliable-little drony at higher, boring, and alot depends on the final gearing.

mkco:::::::If you drove the plain Intrigue-no PCS-then it could be a slug...3.05 vs 3.29/PCS. The 3.5 99s all had the 3.29. The GTP is a neat car; I would had one in 98; but the GTP was in demand and no deals. I do not like the local Pontiac guy so I walked. The suspension and supercharged engine are for the money a good value, and its USA hertiage is okay for me. I don't go for the prem. gas but life isn't perfect sometimes..

teo

For an Intrigue Convertible? (Much in the same fashion as the early 1990's Cutlass Supreme cabriolet?)

spitasky

We own both the 3.5L and the 3.8l (in a 2000 bonneville).

No question that the 3.8L delivers more grunt off idle than the 3.5L. But the DOHC can really fiercely run through its gears. There is a lot more to an engine than this difference, though. I'd take the 5.7l Corvette LS1 (pushrod) engine anyday! It produces more than 275 lb-ft of torque at any RPM, maxing out at about 350 lb-ft at 4400 rpm.

This probably has nothing to do with the valve/aspiration design, but the 3.5L is a LOT smoother and quieter than the 3.8L. Especially at idle.

one2one

I have the 3.8 and have driven the 3.5. Quite frankly, it didn't sound any more "refined" than my 3.8. Mine is hush quiet... so much so that I sometimes turn off the radio to not hear it.

My wife also has a Bonniville (95). Ironiclly, there is a difference and everything isn't in the torque and hp numbers.

The Bonnie feels like a monster when pulling off from a light. It feels like the power will never end. And it can do battle at highway speeds as well.

My 3.8 Intrigue, on the other hand, feels snappier off the line than the Bonnie. At highway speeds the Bonnie actually has more "umph" then the Intrigue. But that could also be because of the 15 extra horses in it.

My estimation: the 3.5 is good. My sister-in-law is checking out Intrigues and that's one of the selling points I've convinced her on. Do I think it's so "refined" and "hi-tech" enough to give up my low-end muscle car power :-) ? No. Technology can sometimes be overrated. If it doesn't do what's required, who cares how "hi-tech" it is. That's a general statement, not an attack on the 3.5.

ketch

dohc vs. pushrods: I stand by what I said, and the press has said, that the 3.5 is superior to the 3.8 for many reasons, incl. nice sounds. In fact the 3.5 is rated as one of the top ten engines, two years running, and is no slug (as someone laughably said), even with the non pcs equipped gearing. The torque may come on later, but stays there as opposed to a fall off.
You may prefer the 3.8, but go bye the iverstyled GP or overly conservative regal, or worse yet the ugly Impala.

I again stand by my opion that the 3.5 excels over the 3.8 and in fact IS the reason I considered the car.

mkco

Actually, the '01 Intrigue I drove did have PCS. Still not as hot off the line as the 3800. I also don't find the engine/transmission combo as smooth with the 3.5...Car & Driver also noted this.

Premium gas is my big concern about the GTP...not that much more than the GT. But the GTP does have one hell of an engine! Unfortunately, Pontiac doesn't offer RS-A tires on the GT (with the regular 3800). So, I'm unable to get the plain-3800/RS-A combination I find so practical and fun in an '01 model. (I may get a GT and then swap out the LS tires for RS-A's.)

dindak

Sorry jgriff, it's my only hope you will honor your commitment to leave for good.

dindak

Having spent a lot of time behind the wheel of both I can honestly say the 3.5L is my favorite. The 3.8L off-line is better, but not substantially and the 3.5L highway performance is much better than the 3.8L. I hope GM does keep both engines rolling as the choice give them a competitive edge.

ketch

Let me throw this out. To further differentiate Olds from other GM divisions, and to help compete against the VW Passat and others, what about an Intrigue Wagon. It would be interesting to see this compete against the Volvo's and Audi wagons as well, as a less expensive alternative?

b4z

An intrigue wagon would be very cool. Maybe they could put the skylights in them like the old vista cruiser of the late 60s.
A few months ago and old guy in a newer lesabre pulled next to me at a stoplight. The light turned green and he absolutely killed me off the line. He was almost a car length ahead of me by the time we got through the intersection. I have the 3.5L w/ 3.29 rearend.
Last night a kid in a ford explorer V8 did the same thing to me when the light turned green. I was going 45mph before i caught up to him.
Having said that i much prefer the dohc to the pushrod motor. Especially on the highway and two lane roads.

b4z

I just nominated the intrigue for the top 10 list.
Impala is currently number one.
http://www.top10sa.com/Top10List.asp?ListID=17
Look under view nominations and you will find the intrigue. Vote.

hounddog3

b4z:::::::Let's get out the vote. I voted, and I hope we don't have to have a manual recount. I'n sticking with C&Ds initial test results.

ketch

Impala no. 1? those who voted for it must have "butterfly" ballots and mispunched thier cards. how about a recount, then a manual one, followed by...


...send in the clowns, err lawyers.

peufan

...or "near" Lux...

It would be really nice to see a non-yacht
wagon along the lines of those mentioned
in the previous post, come from GM.

It would also be nice if they could keep it
in the price range of the Intrigue/Regal/Impala
sedans.

$35 - 40K for a decent, fun to drive wagon is
just insane, and not everyone wants an SUV.

GM....anybody listening??

Yes, I know about the Saturn wagon;
don't dig it.

teo

Those butterflies must be flying in formation in your stomach, aren't they?

b4z

The guys in the impala forum are the ones who made it number one.

teo

That's right! ;-)