Oldsmobile Intrigue

moonshadow

nice pics. I looked at the v6 lincoln when i got my intrigue. Cannot remember why i backed off, maybe price of a new one, maybe RWD. Oh well. I do like a car with a grill and i do like the lines on it. Of coarse the trig looks pretty slick when its sitting in my yard, which like you, seems to be the best part.

Do you know what the difference is from your trigs trade price and their ask price and have they adjusted down yet from their original ask price. 2 months is a long time for a dealer.

sda

Beautiful car. Black looks great on the Intrigue. Do you miss it, even just a smidge?
Your LS is nice, too. Enjoy.

v8lincolnguy

Just checked the dealer's website and my Intrigue is gone, I guess someone bought it. Last time I was on the site, they had it listed for $13.9K. They gave me 11.5K for trade allowance. When I was shopping and found the LS, they had it listed for $26.9K but said they were having a "special" that weekend(it was the labor day weekend) and they were selling it for $23.9. I ended up getting the car for $22.5 so it's hard to say if the last price I saw for the Intrigue was their high list price, or a price closer to what they would sell it for. I'd be curious to know how much it did go for.

sda, I miss the Intrigue a bit at times. More than the missing the entire car itself(as the Lincoln does pretty much everything better), I do miss some of the things the Intrigue had. First off, it's Bose sound system. The LS has the Alpine audio system, but it doesn't sound anywhere as good as the Bose in the Olds did. In fact, I just ordered some speakers from Crutchfield which I am going to install to see if that improves things. I also miss the Intrigue's more user friendly wiper and headlight dimmer controls. And I still can't get used to the doors not auto unlocking(Ford cars auto lock but don't auto unlock). And the delayed locking feature and exit lighting are two more little things that the Linc doesn't have. Oh well, I lost a few extra features but did gain two cylinders in the engine compartment:) And while I really don't care what people think when they see me in my car, driving a luxury car does sometimes make people think your showing off or being flashy. I have to say, it's kind of odd when I'm driving a nicer car than my boss. But as we all know, I bought the Lincoln for it's engineering and performance, not to show off. Was I wanting to buy a flashy car, I would have gone with the LS's platform mate, the Jaguar S-type.

dindak

LS is a nice car. Given the price and what you got, it sounds like a good deal.

Like you I am not a flashy person. Even if I had a few million bucks, my daily driver would likely be a pretty average vehicle. That said, I would have a red Ferarri in the garage for weekend jaunts.

;-)

taycron

The other day I noticed something leaking pretty bad from under my car. It turned out to be water. I was happy it was water but I wondered why it was leaking it. Yesterday I noticed that my car is leaking oil (figures). It seems to be half water and oil. I'm also getting a lot of gurgling noises every now and then.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks...

lars10

I'm still running on my original RSAs for my '98 GL w/ the autobahn package, 90K miles. Probably should've replaced 10-20k miles ago but tread was still o.k. Car has been great w/ very few problems!
Any suggestions for replacement tires? Looking for good combination of performance and ride - planning to drive the car for another 90K!

evandro

I have RS-A on my Bonneville and, though, loud, I don't have any other complaints about it. Even the noise is OK from inside the well-insulated Pontiac.

However, my Intrigue had the howlly LS and I trade it up some 10000mls too soon with Yokohama Avid Touring. I was split between getting this tire and the Bridgestone Touranza LS, both faring the highest in their category according to the Tire Rack survey, and very quiet too. I ended up getting the Yokohama for price: $75 each, assembled.

So far, 5000mls later, it is indeed the quietest tire I've ever owned. The dry and wet traction are OK, but I'm still waiting for a downpour to be able to pass judgment on its hydroplaning resistance.

HTH

redline65

I'm looking for tires right now as well. Interested in the Turanza LS also, but when I called Firestone their out-the-door price on them was US$750! This is for the LS-H also, which should be the least expensive. They must have gold belts or something.

I'm interested in the Goodyear Eagle GT-HR and the Yokohama YK420. I can't find much info on either of these tires though.

A lot of people say the Michelin Pilot XGT H4 is a good tire for the Intrigue, but most of the survey results on Tirerack.com show low tread life.

Had bad luck in the past with Dunlop SP Sport A2 (chopped, noisy, terrible tread life) and Pirelli P3000 (noisy on my wife's Saturn).

evandro

I was considering the Turanza LS-S (LS-T?) and it was priced at the Firestone dealer at just below $100. Actually, the original price on the Avid Touring was over $90, but I haggled the guy at Discount Tire with the Tire Rack print out showing a little over $50 and he matched their price on the spot plus balancing and assembly.

HTH

redline65

Does the Intrigue require front (thrust) alignment, or does it require front & rear alignment?

dindak

I had both front and back done last month but I'm not sure if it was needed in the rear. It was only $50 for both so I wasn't too worried about it.

mfletouva

Both! I just had my done (yesterday) and it was a mess. The rear alignment was actually significantly worse than the front alignment. It is no wonder the car was handling so sluggishly. It seems that most places you bring it only will do 4-wheel anyway, and they charged me $60 so it was fine.

b4z

Bought a lexus LS 400 on ebay Sunday.
'95 with 127K. $9775. 10-14 days shipping time.

Impala still in autotrader.

Hopefully I will get more serious now that I have 2 car payments. although they only add up to what the Impala used to be.
I refinanced the iMpala and dropped it's payment from $426 to $228.

I am hoping I don't buy another new car again. It just doesn't make any sense.

Although 2004 GTO is kind of interesting.

v8lincolnguy

The GTO is VERY interesting. 95% of a CTS-V performance for nearly 20K less. $9775 isn't bad for an LS400. Keep us posted on how the ebay shopping experience and transaction goes. I've actually been looking at ebay motors just for kicks and it is interesting to see all the different types of cars they have on there.

redline65

Good Lord man, 127K miles!?!? I'm usually getting rid of cars when they have that many miles. I hope it doesn't turn into a maintenance nightmare for you. Guess it can't be any worse than your Intrigue was though.

dindak

I have to agree, I would never own a primary car of any make with 127K miles on it. Major stuff starts blowing up at that point. Hope you are handy, good luck.

b4z

Average retail is 13.1K.
High retail is 14.4K.

So I feel I did okay.

You rarely get a deal on ebay. But you are more likely to find what you want.

When I get the Impala sold I will probably sell the Lexus to my mom.(She drive less than 5K a year).
Then look for a '97 with 70-90K miles at around 15K.

It is not unusual for a Lexus to go 250-300K miles.
And still drive solidly. Unlike an American car.

I couldn't imagine going 250K miles in my Intrigue. It would have been a bucket of bolts.

dindak

"It is not unusual for a Lexus to go 250-300K miles"

Maybe, but you will be replacing a lot of parts along the way. I couldn't be bothered, just don't have the time.

mfletouva

I don't care who makes it, at 127k there are a lot of maintenence issues on a car. Tires, brakes, gaskets, hoses start to crack, fluids, etc. Not to measure interior wear and tear--you drive a car that long, you are bound to spill something, scratch something, etc. I mean, whatever floats your boat, but...that's a little ridiculous.

v8lincolnguy

My only concern with ANY car(foriegn or domestic) is that maintenance issues and typical wear and tear items come up. With a luxury car(and that includes domestic ones now) those expenses can really be high. It used to be a Cadillac or Lincoln was cheaper to maintain and had cheaper parts, but I don't think that really is the case anymore. On the other hand, these type of cars typically last longer and require fewer repairs and less maintenace than they used to. I may be proven wrong, but I'd dare say my Lincoln LS will feel much more solid at 100K than my Intrigue would have. Not that the Intrigue was a bad car, they just cut some corners on it. And to be fair, the Lincoln was a more expensive car when new. Lexus LS400s sold new in the 50-60K range so I would expect them to last a while.

b4z, do you know if the Lexus V8 uses a belt or chains to drive the cam shafts? I've heard mixed reports on which is used. BTW, did you look for and/or find any Q45s?

v8lincolnguy

Since the issue of high mileage cars has come up, I'd be curious to see who has the highest mileage on their Intrigue. Seems I read a post where someone had hit 100K. Anyone hit 125K yet?

ab348

All those geegaws and gadgets that impress when new can really be a bear to fix when they get some wear on them. And the price of Lexus parts does not compare favorably with GM or most other makes. Good luck.

I still love my Intrigue 3 months along. Not a single complaint to lodge when I take it in for maintenance later this month.

jpnmass

I have 83K on my 1998. Still enjoy the ride but only doing 5-6K a year nowadays. Looking at the CTS now but won't be buying until at least 2006 model year. Biggest problem I have is the power windows. Replaced the motor/regulator at 55K (all windows went). Then just the passenger rear went recently. Now the passenger front is starting to die. Expensive stuff to replace!

b4z

LS 400 uses belts which are quieter but have a recommended change interval of 90K at a cost of about $700.
Lately I have heard of many Lexus owners going to 150K before changing.
The one on the car I bought has already been changed out.
Don't think I would have the guts to go 150K on such an expensive car.

b4z

About my purchase.
I am pretty car savvy and have spent 2 months bidding on 7 different cars.
Checked each one out thoroughly.

i have done the numbers and the car will be cheaper to own than either the Intrigue or the Impala.

Let's take an absolute worse case.
I own the car for 3 years.
I put 4K in repairs into it(that's a lot). I then have 14K in it.
I sell the car for 6K with 170K on it.(very doable)
It cost me 8K over 3 years.
My Impala has depreciated 10K in 2 years and the Intigue was 12K in 2 years.
Doesn't even count the money I put into them.
Which car is the better buy?

The resale on GM's sedans is just dismal.
I know you guys realize that but I have dealt with it twice.

My Impala is the cheapest LS in autotrader right now at 12.5K.
Not 1 single call in 3 weeks.
Retail was 25.5K.

I paid 23K for my Intrigue and it sold at auction for 9.3K 27 months after I leased it.

Depreciation on the lexus will be probably 40% over 3 years.
Depreciation on the wbody GM cars is about 60%.

evandro

You can't compare the depreciation of new cars and that of a used car. I mean, sure, that's your case, but it's not because they were GM cars. Do the math with a Toyota and you're going to end up with similar figures, give or take a couple of grands. Throw in the insurance costs and see what you get.

Just don't do the math were the Lexus new, for your jaw would drop to the floor... ;-)

dindak

It's not the cost, it's the trouble of getting repairs done and fixing up worn out parts that I would not put up with. I did that in university on my Civic because I could not afford anything else. With a family and job, I just don't have the time for that stuff, maybe you do.

As for my intrigue, I have 70K kms on it and still not 1 rattle. A solid car!

tomcat630

"It is not unusual for a Lexus to go 250-300K miles"

Has anyone actually seen one? Post a picture, then. How many truly keep their brand new cars as long as that? I see rusty beat up first/second gen Lexuses and they look as ordinary as a Camry.

perna

I didn't have my Intrigue very long, but I fell in love with the automatic climate control.

A "friend of a friend" has a Buick Regal with that same unit, and the display on hers died out of warranty. Cost to replace? $800.

When I bought my Nissan, I went back to the manual controls.

ab348

On my now-departed Park Avenue, the auto climate control would go to max hot/max blower intermittently during period of damp weather. Impossible to fix reasonably. Found myself driving around with a window down even in very cold weather when it was acting up. One of the reasons I moved on, the thing had a mind of its own. My Intrigue has manual A/C and that's just fine with me.

b4z

Here is a 237K mile Lexus with worn out front seat. But looks decent for it's age.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item- - - - - - - - - =2442523255&category=14240

Here is a 311K mile Lexus that is looking ptretty tired. Leather is torn on front seat. Typical of high mileage Lexus's though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item- =2443097298&category=14240

The whole reason for the deal was to get out of the GM FWD Intrigue/Impala. There are high mileage FWD cars but I believe that RWD is better.
I need a car with good room and excellent trunk due to my height and that I will be carrying passengers.
The intrigue was very good at this. The Impala better.
i wanted an actual luxury car with the prestige that goes along with it.
When I bought the Intrigue my business improved.
So this new car is the next logical step.
Customers want to deal with someone who is successful.
It may sound shallow but it is true.

I feel that when I put someone in the new car they will give more import to things I say to them. I also look very young and people will take me more seriously.
I wish that wasn't the case but it is.
It is akin to being treated differently by the public when I walk into a place of business in a suit then when I am in kakhis and a short sleeve shirt.

Not trying to promote other cars, just thought you guys might be interested in what I chose to replace the Intrigue class of car with.

A little surprised by you guy's reaction. I guess it is the high miles you are reacting to. At least I hope that is it.

dindak

"I wanted an actual luxury car with the prestige that goes along with it"

I don't think you are fooling anyone with a near dead Lexus. I see teenagers driving these things around here. I'd be more impressed with a new Corolla or Camry. Sorry, I just don't see the point of your purchase but so long as you are happy, great.

vcjumper

A friend of mine has a 95 with 115,000 miles (he purchased it when it had 70,000). I drove it while I was in NC last month. Was very well kept, did not feel older than my Intrigue. I'm not a big fan of the way it drove but it was completely solid. I did burn some rubber by mistake just reversing out of a parking spot :-).

A car I drove a day before from the same era that wowed me was the Q45. Its interior was a bit more worn in spots though.

I know all about the looking young thing. Its great for asking girls out 10 years my junior but other than that...

b4z

Here is the car I bought.
Ignore the outbid. The title is already at my Credit Union.
Doesn't look "near dead" to me. LOL.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1- - - &category=14240&item=2442092577

Was on the interstate a few days ago and saw a shiny black intrigue coming in the left lane at speed. A kid probably 18-19 with his girlfriend in the car.
Perfect condition chrome wheels, sunroof, GLS.
Looked like a '99 with the wheels it had.
Right behind was another Intrigue. 18 year old kid.
In that silver grey color. Also a '99. Great condition.
both sounded like 3.5Ls.
It was a pretty cool scene.
It is rare to come upon 2 intrigues now.
I guess Intrigues are affordable and performance
oriented enough for the youngsters.
Also the car is faster than my '83 Z28 I had when I was 20.

lmacmil

Looks very good from the pictures. I think you are right on about the image projected by a luxury car. I had an uncle in real estate and he always drove a Cadillac because potential clients associated that brand with success. If you are in sales, appearance counts for a lot.

moonshadow

I don't understand why everyone is attacking b4z for his car purchase. OK it has 237 miles but so what. He doesn't even have possession yet and he hasn't had a chance to see if it has a problem. It may be a perfectly good car and from the looks of the photos, all i see is a stain on the seat.

Sure under the hood may be different, but again so what. Look at his situation. He has had 2 gms that have cost him at least 15 k each, thats 30 k in a few years, a lot of headaches and unresolved trips for warranty.

If he had done this a few years ago he would have had that 30 thou to perform whatever problems that he will get. Really. he could install a new engine and tranny and still have a chunk of change left over. Plus he has a lexus.

As far as the millage, tough. On the whole these cars are more reliable than the gm cars he had. My neighbor has a 91 camry with almost 300 klics on it and the only problem he has had was a rusted fuel line at a bend coming from the fuel sending unit, a few years ago and i replaced his rad, battery 2 years ago and rear struts last year and one was still good. Going on 13 years, nothing else, nada, zip, no endless trips to the dealer, did all his own oil changes at 5 to 7 klics. Of coarse he may have been overly lucky, however b4z has been overly unlucky. Sure parts can be more expensive for a lexus but i know that you can get the same part # at a toyota dealer cheaper.

Nevertheless, From a cost/luxury/reliability point of view i think he will be fine and i think people should just wait and see what kind of issues he has with this car before it gets condemned. Let the man enjoy his decision.

b4z, like the looks and I'm sure you'll have better luck and pleasure with your new old beast than you did with your new gm's

dindak

Sorry man, don't mean to attack you.

Two main concerns are trouble to replace parts wearing and potential big repairs. If you are ok with that risk and have time to take care of these issues, great.

As for the prestige thing, personally I would think you were driving an old luxury car and would be no more impressed than if you were driving a new / newer Camry or Impala.

evandro

On a side subject, how was the experience bidding on a car on-line? I mean, don't get me wrong, but how does it work? Do you have to go by the pictures alone, no check-up by a mechanic? What if you find out that either the pictures were of another car or that there were gremlins under the hood?

TIA

b4z

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Moonshadow,
mileage is 127K, not 237K.

I have had 2 issues to deal with bidding.
I set up everything with my credit union 2 months ago.
Monday I got there to refy the Impala and set up the new car.
She told me that I could no longer do 72 months if the car had over 100K miles and that the interest rate was 6.25% instead on 5.75%.
She said they are always changing the policy.
This flipped me out because my payment was now
$257 month instead of $170(round numbers).
This was an interim lexus anyway until the Imp got sold then I would buy a newer 15K Lexus.

So here I have been bidding on '90-92 Lexuss with 70-90K miles, and I step up to a newer one and get a curve ball thrown at me.

I have the ability to inspect the car but I choose not to. I don't really see how I can get hurt, since the price is low.

I checked with my Lexus dealer and the car has been maintained by the book. Carfax is clean, etc.

I figure I can easily sell it for what I have in it.

The average sale on a Lexus of this vintage and mileage is 12-13K.

The auctions I like are the no reserve ones.
You can bid say 7K and it only bids what it needs to to get you the car.

Many bidders use proxy services and they bid in the last 5-10 secs. I have lost at least 2 cars this way. Plus I have a dial up which is slower.

There is shill bidding going with some companies but as long as you stick to your guns you won't pay too much. A lot of times the seller will call you and say I will sell the car to you for X.

I have bid on 7 cars and everything has been on the up and up so far.

The guy that I am buying mine from seems to be really nice. And has done everything I have asked him to do.

The other issue is that this is the first car that I bid on that was a long distance from home.
The car will shipped at a cost of $795.
If they don't pick it up within the alloted time then I will cancel and go get the car myself.
It will be a nice way to see America.

ab348

From reading the owners manual it seems that Olds is saying that you should not follow a time/mileage schedule for oil changes but instead rely on the monitor to tell you when it's time. Never having had a car with a monitor before this makes me uneasy.

Meanwhile the GM Canada service planner site tells me I should change every 3 months or 5000 miles, which seems a bit much.

What do you guys (and gals) do?

vcjumper

I just don't let it get past 4 months or 7,500km.
 The one time I didn't the monitor came on at about 8,500km.

moonshadow

127K. Hey even better deal. Sorry, I guess i was typing to fast. I reread my post and noticed that i said my neighbor buddy changed his oil every 5 to 7 klics. HEHE Missed the K there too. Bad day with numbers. Oh well, first day with the new brain, haven't got all the bugs worked out.

Funny the oil change subject came up. In the past, my dealer had a big overhead sign stating schedule for maintenance and oil change at 5000kms. The last time i was in there, they had it changed to 7500kms. Interesting cause that is what my manual says.

I had changed out mine at 5000kms for the first 20000, except the very first which was at 2500, and then relied on the oil monitor or 7000. I have also noted in my log when the oil monitor comes on and it does so like clockwork at around 7500 to 8500. The oil life monitor works by calculating engine revolutions and engine temp to determine when the oil and its additives have reached their prime.

b4z

I did it every 3K miles. Except twice. I think it went to 5K one time and about 5.5K another time.
I do a lot of stop n go and in town driving.
And of course the car just begged to be revved.
I would walk it off the line then put my foot into it, and right before it shifted i would roll my foot off the gas to let it slide into second.
trans was flawless and I guess the revs are what made my monitor light up before i got to 7 or 7.5K miles.
Interestingly, my car stopped using oil at 20K miles. Always did blow a puff of blue smoke when cold though.

dindak

I do it when the computer tells me. Won't let it go past 7500-8000kms though.

v8lincolnguy

Despite what the manual said, I always had the oil in my Intrigue changed in the 3-4K interval. I just felt better about it having fresh oil, especially considering I often revved that engine. And I had originally planned to keep that car for the long term. On my LS, Ford recommends 5K oil change intervals so this is probably what I'll stick with. Most LS owners I've talked to change their oil at 5K.

ozznet

I change my oil every 3 months or 5k. I don't drive that much so often I only have 2k on it. You can't change the oil too much. I don't trust those computers and whats 25 dollars every 3 months.

v8lincolnguy

Moving up in the world! Saw the pics, not a bad looking car. Welcome to the world of luxury. As for that black Intrigue you saw, other than the 99 style wheels, that was mine! Black, excellent condition, GLS, spoiler, sunroof.

dindak, I don't see too many teenagers driving used LS400s around here. I do see quite a few of them in first generation ES300s(complete with the full "you know what" treatment), but most LSs I see are driven by more mature drivers. And the occasional pro basketball or rap star looking fellows. And I'm starting to see more late 80s and early 90s Cadillac Devilles with dubs and stereo systems that are probably worth more than the car.

b4z

I saw your website. Great Looking car.
Another good color combo was the silver with the chromes.

Saw a early early 90's Crown Vic with 22" chrome spoked wheels the other day.
There were so many dents and dings on the side of the body that the wheels were probably 4 times the value of the car.

dindak

I think a lot of kids in this area inherit these cars off their parents and deck them out. Don't see a lot of them, but you do see the kids driving them. Yes, do see more ES' around.

v8lincolnguy

That silver is a very sharp color combo on the LS. And coming from a black Intrigue, I'll say that black LSs are very sharp as well. Speaking of Intrigues, the Sterling silver they went to in 01 looked pretty good on them. Someome in my area has a Sterling GLS with chrome wheels and a dark grey leather interior, pretty sharp. And it is only one of a handful of Intrigues that I've seen which have the "precision control system" badge on them like mine had.