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Oldsmobile Intrigue

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Comments

  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    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.
  • ketchketch Member Posts: 217
    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?
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    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.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    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.
  • hounddog3hounddog3 Member Posts: 15
    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.
  • ketchketch Member Posts: 217
    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.
  • peufanpeufan Member Posts: 53
    ...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.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Those butterflies must be flying in formation in your stomach, aren't they?
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    The guys in the impala forum are the ones who made it number one.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    That's right! ;-)
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    We went from 2 votes to 36 votes in an hour. Not bad.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    I am sure nobody in this forum voted twice. We wouldn't do something like that.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Except our friend Al Bore!
  • ketchketch Member Posts: 217
    butterflies in my stomach? only when i see an impala, just before I go for the barf bag. Looks like the Pontiac Aztec now beats it for ugliest vehicle though.
  • j_colemanj_coleman Member Posts: 143
    Aztek - Quite possibly the most ugly vehicle on the planet.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    By the way...what do you drive?
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    Interesting, because I actually get the opposite feedback. See, different people (They don't even own GM products)have given me compliments on the good looks of my car. Get stopped at parking lots, gas stations, etc. Young and old alike. My friend, who is a very high profile surgeon, loves my car. Mind you he drives a $50,000 Mercedes E420. He basicly can afford anything he wants. A lawyer here in our building also drives a new Impala LS. His colleagues have BMW's, Volvos, MB's etc.

    It seems the Impala turns heads...some like it, some hate it...such is life!

    To each his own! ;-)
  • ketchketch Member Posts: 217
    a 2000 GL.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    I like your car. Even considered getting one. Drove it and found it very solid. Why I didn't get? Well I had my reasons, but in all honesty some of the problems reported by owners of the first 2 production years and the somewhat lousy safety scores turned me away from it. I was offered a sweet deal + juicy rebate. Said no. Have no regrets. Maybe Olds next time but an Aurora looks like a prime candidate. Hope Olds survives by the year 2004.
  • white6white6 Member Posts: 588
    Well, I just bought a left-over 2000 Firebird (3.8 auto), so I think a comparison with the wife's 99 GL 3.5 is relevant. Off the line, as we all agree, goes to the 3.8. 50 to 80 on the highway: NO COMPARISON! The 3.5 (ours has 35,000 on it so it's nice and broken-in) pulls like a beast... 3.8 really looses its breath by about 65 or so; still accelerates, but not what I would call briskly. Of course, RKSport sells a supercharger kit for the 3.8 V-6 Firebird/Camaro... I really considered leasing a 2001 BMW 325i (what a sweet driving car!) but chickened out at the last minute and went the cheap-o route with the Pontiac ($17,000 out the door, brand new). Maybe in a couple of years, I'll be brave enough (and my business established enough) to dive into a Bimmer. Considered a 3.5 Aurora, but I drove one with 7,500 miles on it and it was looser and rattled worse than my 2 year old Intrigue; really disappointing!
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    A couple of days ago i asked if there was a delete option for the spoiler if you get PCS. Does anybody know?
    I finally signed up in the yahoo chat room and somebody has my log in name. I am b4z28 in there.
    At least i got it in www.camaroz28.com and www.fbody.org.
  • 14151415 Member Posts: 249
    Spoiler comes with the pkg and can't be deleted. Talked with the dealer GM--for what it is worth!!!

    Impala is one ugly car!!!!!

    The Firebird 3.8 is a value pkg---no supercharger; the std engine does not have the good parts.

    420 Mercedes is not a 50k car unless it is a few years old...
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    420 must be old: MB stopped selling them after 1999.

    http://www.edmunds.com/used/1999/mercedesbenz/sclass/s420.html
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    The Impala is a "love it or hate" design. But people do notice it. For some reason, younger women (at least the ones I've spoken to about cars) really seem to love it. Unfortunately, when I mention that I really like the new Oldsmobiles in general and the Intrigue in particular, they give me a blank look and ask, "What's an Intrigue?"
  • lee18lee18 Member Posts: 45
    I bought my 99 GL during the brief period when both the 3800 and 3.5L were available. I chose the 3800 and don't regret it.

    I don't do much highway driving but I do have a couple of 'tricky' merges each day where the low end torque is definitely appreciated.

    I also keep my cars for a long time (at least 10 years) so I like the 'bulletproof' history of the 3800. I also liked the flawless transmission shifting.

    As to 'refinement', what do I care about that? The 3800 isn't exactly a steam engine. It has the performance I need and it has no annoying vibration and is not particularly noisy, that's all that matters to me and most drivers.

    As to engine sounds, well the Japanese, and before them the Europeans, are masters of tuning the exhaust 'notes' of their cars to match some primal mental impression of how true performance should sound. I refuse to be manipulated that way.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    hey grbeck, remember the whole world of automobiles is designed to appeal to women these days. Why else would Camrys and Accords be the best selling cars? Yes, I'll admit they are good cars...but seriously everyone the reason these boremobiles sell like hotcakes is their sweet tidy inoffensive buttoned up suit personality. they possess attributes that appeal more to women. Smaller and less intimidating, less emphasis on performance...more emphasis on how safe the car feels and how tidy, user friendly, innofensive, and convenient the interior is.

    About 1980 or a little thereafter, it seemed that men stopped wearing the pants in the automotive world. Since then men have become less and less a factor in the purchase decision of new vehicles. Vehicles like the first minivan only helped that trend along. Then, the SUV's. These large markets were made lucrative by female demand.

    So no wonder chicks won't know what an Intrigue is. It doesn't have the "designer appeal" a Passat has. Again, the Passat is a good car, but the chicks all buy VW's because there is a certain cute tidiness about them. Not because of their performance. The car is a fashion accessory, or just an inoffensive appliance. Until Olds (and the rest of GM)gives the Intrigue this "runway fashion" and aura of cuteness and innofensiveness and strips it of its male qualities it will have no looks from women.

    Truth: cars will fail in the market if you can't get soccer moms to buy it. Just like for the last 12 years we can't seem to elect a president that isn't big with the soccer mom crowd.

    Etharmon-Amen to the getting rid of political correctness. I'm tired of it too. I don't care if someone dislikes my viewpoint. As long as you aren't personalizing anyone...you rock on man.

    As long as our views aren't an uncalled for disrespect to someone or our country, let's speak our mind. And if someone tell's me I'm full of it...hey right back at ya. What's important to me is how I feel. If you feel different too bad. Prove to me why I'm wrong. If you can do that I'm big enough to admit I can change my mind. But otherwise guys follow your own drum!!!

    BTW, I very much prefer the 3.5 to the 3.8.
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    You like so much Intrigue, that are trying to argue that all other cars, or at least other GM W-bodies, are definitely worse than Intrigue. My point is the opposite: most of cars are better than others in some respects, worse in other.

    The best car is the car that fit best the personal tastes, driving patterns, family needs, and the checking account. And obviously, given the diversity of American population, no one model can fit all.


    I like very much the wide range of the W-body GM cars. It let us select, within the same basic design, whatever is better for us, or what we like more.

    Intrigue is a very good car, powerful and nice-looking. But let imagine everybody around, instead of Impala, Monte-Carlo, Regal, Grand Prix, and Century, would drive Intrigues with 3.5l engines. Would you enjoy this?

    For me, it would be very boring. Not unlike the Soviet Union.


    BTW, the diversity of models is the old good GM philosophy, famous from the 1920-ths, when GM won the competition with the one-size-fit-all Ford approach.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Seems most of the Intrigues in my neighborhood are driven by women. Perhaps it was their husbands that bought them, but that is my observation.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    We made it to mumber one with 46 posts yesterday!
    Your last post will most certainly be deleted. You are bringing it on yourself with the language you are using, it is unnecessary.
    I got deleted too, several days ago for the first time. Big deal.
  • spitaskyspitasky Member Posts: 12
    I'll stick to my guns -- if you have a choice between the 3.5 and the 3.8, run run run to the 3.5. Not only is the highway delivery better, but there are a lot of Northstar features that make it worthwhile -- run 50 miles without coolant (3 cyls at a time), the traction control systems are always more advanced, and the engine is smooth as glass. Both engines are reliable but the 3.5 is a real step up.

    Etharmon, are you getting enough sleep?

    Censorship would be someone coming into YOUR web site that YOU owned and telling you that you couldn't post something. You joined SOMEONE ELSE's website. You agreed to the rules before they let you join. If you are going to use their time and money to post (this is costing someone SOMETHING), you have to follow their rules. You can create a website called ETHARMON'S-INTRIGUE-DISCUSSION.COM and put all your political there if it makes you feel better.

    In any case, please don't insult the rest of us with the foul language.
  • vcjumpervcjumper Member Posts: 1,110
    Your son is very well rounded :-).
  • j_colemanj_coleman Member Posts: 143
    I have to agree the Passat (or any VW) seems to appeal more to females. Grand Prix seems more popular with males. Intrigue is stuck in the middle; I usually see a pretty even mix driving them. VW is overpriced; why pay $23K USD for a tiny Jetta with a V6? (built in Mexico I believe, the high price might be justified if it were built in Germany)

    Surprised etharmon's post is still there this morning. Censors have the day off?
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    You are generalizing too much about men and women. A lot of men likes refinement, and a lot of women likes powerful engines.

    As to concerning the safety inclination, powerful engine substantially improves safety of car. As well as performance tires, and better handling generally. While the SUVs you attributed to women drivers are hardly safe.
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    Thank you!

    I removed the posting. Wrote deep in night, sorry.
  • jgriffjgriff Member Posts: 362
    regfootball -- interesting viewpoints, I do agree with you on how women may tend to choose their cars, however most families have 2 vehicles. And therefore depending on the family financial status, the man either get stuck with the 8-year old bomb to get to-from work, or he gets to pick his own vehicle with no regards to how the family may fit in it. But yes, the main family vehicle is whatever the women wants, and tends to be the soccer versions ie. minivans, and lately SUVs, because if mama ain’t happy then ain’t no ones happy.
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    The the soccer versions ie. minivans, and lately SUVs are much more convenient to taxi around three or more kids. Would fathers have to drive them, they also would buy minivans.

    With one-two kids, sedans are as much convenient as minivans, probably even more. Coupes are for single or childless pairs. SUVs are mostly just a fad: do not see how can they be useful on asphalt.

    BTW, there is much less minivans on the roads, than families with kids. I take my son from school sometimes, or drive him to sport, etc. Only about 20-25% of cars on the school parking lot for parents are minivans or SUVs.

    Sedans still are dominating in quantity in our places. But every minivan or SUV on the roads hinder visibility more, than five or ten cars.
  • htwiredhtwired Member Posts: 62
    Although, this site is intended to be used to facilitate discussions about automobiles and the Oldsmobile Intrigue, we who spend our time reading and submitting the various posts have developed a relationship with each other. The truth is we have our own small electronic community. Although the Oldsmobile Intrigue may be our primary shared interest, it is not the only interest we share. As long as posts are respectful, political comments should be allowed. Hateful, bigoted and racist comments should never be tolerated, even when the topic of conversation is vehicle related. Thank you for letting me express my opinion.
  • tblacknitetblacknite Member Posts: 5
    Tried the link to vote for Intrigue. There wasn't anything I could click on at the bottom of the page to find Intrigue.
  • ketchketch Member Posts: 217
    Actually your wrong in restating what I said. The press in fact has stated (and by them i mean the car press, not the wall street journal, who have place reviewing cars) that the Intrigue is the best w-body and perhaps one of GM's best cars.

    Also, the Intrigue is considered to be one of the best in its class by them, with typically the VW Passat mentioned as a better car.

    The Passat was a first choice for me, but my wife hated its looks. You want import type handling and refinement, its an Intrigue, Passat, among other choices for import buyers. Want a more domestic feel, go with the other w-bodies. If I need to explain what I mean by an an "import feel" vs typical domestic feel, then you'll never understand.
  • L8_ApexL8_Apex Member Posts: 187
    I understand your position and attempted to allow infrequent and "light" political commentary to remain but... Unfortunately, many of the comments were not "respectful" and at times I had to remove seven of ten posts. At that level, the political discussion is dominating the conversation with less-than-friendly commentary.

    The funny thing is... when I remove left-wing posts, I'm accused of being right-wing. The opposite is also true. The fact of the matter is, I just remove all political posts and many of you would probably be surprised to learn of my political preferences.

    etharmon has chosen not to address the topic management off-line as I invited him to do and to ignore my requests instead choosing to derail this topic with spiteful insults and name-calling. This will not be tolerated.

    Again, if you'd like to discuss the handling of this issue, you are more than welcome to email me off-line.

    Have a good weekend,

    L8_Apex
    Sedans Host
  • 14151415 Member Posts: 249
    I like suv's because I supply some parts to one of the model lines; however ownership and day to day driving is out of the question...Even the small ones are clumsy, noisy and unreliable. They serve a purpose in rugged areas and probably are a hit as a status item as I see when school is letting out. Its a sea of suvs and believe me Grosse Pointe is full of them. I find them uncomfortable and really a low-tech way to get around.. I love the way that the ladies whip them around and tailgate at 80 with a cellphone in one ear. Try tapping the brakes several times to wake them up--it usually works.

    The vans are great for large families and really serve a purpose---utility value/status zippo. Hope to avoid any ownership of either vehicle due to some of the reasons outlined plus they don't handle too safely and offer very poor visibility laterally and back.

    They are great for loading up which I could use for the Fla run since the Caddy is loaded to the ceiling and load-leveling features are appreciated.

    As for as the censure is concerned; I really don't get bent out shape too much due to the age variance of the forum and the ever-present reminder of correctness..My background doesn't blend with the goody-goody aspect of most of the preached correctness..Raised two very successful kids that are a pleasure to my wife and I; which many of you will learn is no small feat..

    I have been informed----time to pack....
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    Click on "view nominations" down at the bottom of the page. That will bring up the intrigue as the number one choice. We have 50 votes now. I don't know how many we need to unseat the accord.
  • 14151415 Member Posts: 249
    Just voted-our Olds pick is at 101!!!!!The Impala vote with the 3.4 is amazing--the old Impalas were great cars starting in 1958 thru I forget???The Impalas today are a watered down version--insulting---almost an afterthought from GM trying to capitalize on the name. The SS Impala of 94thru 96 was truly the last great Chevy of the 90s--maybe a little too rednecky; but one tough auto. Still regret not buying one.

    Got to go pack some more!!!
  • limadeltalimadelta Member Posts: 49
    After 53,000 miles in my '98 Autobahn and 2100 miles in my '00 GLS I would like to offer a couple of observations on each engine.

    The Series II engine does work well up to about 70 in that it pulls fine and has great low end grunt. Never had a problem with that engine although the oil filter placement sure makes a mess out of lower right side of the suspension. I guess that's what you get when you convert what was a rear wheel drive engine to front wheel drive. The 3800 did make some noise under hard acceleration, but I think that is the nature of the beast. Nothing untoward, just a little bit of noise.

    The 3.5 makes it strength felt best when you press on the gas hard enough to let the revs build, but not so hard that you force a downshift. You can feel strong power at about 3500 RPM and up. On ramps are great when you get the hang of how to apply power. I have run the 3.5 up to 5000 RPM and the engine just pulls so clean and strong that it makes me wish for a stick. BTW, I ride many different motorcycles for a couple of magazines and get the opportunity to go from pushrod OHV engines to 5-valve twin-cam motors and every engine makes power in different ways and you really need to find the kind of engine that most appeals to the way you plan to ride/drive.

    The 3.5 makes very sophisticated noises (especially when you start it) that appeals to how the Intrigue feels when you run at speed. I went to Palm Springs this week and 85-105 is GREAT with this motor. Had a little Allman Bros on the CD and that added to the road 'music'.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    "if mama ain’t happy then ain’t no ones happy"

    I love it....so TRUE!!!!!

    Guys keep this in mind at all times or you get shut out if you know what I mean.

    I'm talking about getting to pick out a car!!!! Not THAT!
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    I'd say 80 percent of the mom traffic here is suv/minivans
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    As a realtor i can tell you, its true with cars and its true with houses. If the wife doesn't like the house then they aren't going to be buying it. I don't like minivans or suv's but if people have kids, then they got a lot of stuff. A sedan just doesn't cut it with the carpools and the after school activities. The car manufactures are giving people what they want.
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    I have been lurking on the impala and 300m sites and have noticed the different personalities that
    post in each forum. The 300m people are engineering types and know how to do any change that anybody could want from stereos to exhaust modifications. The impala people are very friendly and talk a lot about their personal lives and seem to be very enthusiastic about everything.
    The intriguers appear to be split between those who feel that the car is the best thing since sliced bread and those who feel that is possessed by the devil. It is a very schizophrenic car that doesn't seem to have an identity and its owners are upset that it is not getting its due from oldsmobile.
    Any comments would be appreciated. Anyone.... Anyone.... Bueller.....Bueller.....
  • limadeltalimadelta Member Posts: 49
    I just tried to install PIAA 9005 & 9006 bulbs in the '00 and there is bad news. The PIAA's will not fit in our Intrigues because the tolerances in our headlights are too tight. PIAA makes their bulbs about 1mm thicker in the flange that is supposed to fit into the headlight collar.

    Intrigues, new Suburbans and new Hondas all have this same problem. Save your hard earned taxable income until PIAA gets the 'fix' in.
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    I take it from post #105 that the key to woman's heart is a ... brand-new minivan?! Who would've thought that?

    bz4: When the Intrigue works right, it's fantastic. When it doesn't, it's incredibly frustrating - primarily because it holds so much promise. It looks great, has one of the best drivetrains of any car - foreign or domestic - and offers a nice interior. Unfortunately, designing this nice car must have exhausted GM, because the corporation sure hasn't expended much effort to ensure consistent quality control or mount a clever, effective advertising campaign.
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