Oldsmobile Intrigue

lmacmil

A search on the K&N website yields zero results for a 2000 Intrigue. Probably not enough volume for them to develop a filter for this car.

vcjumper

Noticed the pot was stirred quite a bit in the Impala forum when 6363 was there briefly.

b4z

It was something he posted in the impala forum. That caused the removal.

b4z

My olds dealer has sold their 2002 silver intrigue already. They also have a 2002 Ruby GL on the lot. I wonder how many more they will get before they stop.

dindak

RE : K&N. Too bad there is nothing available. It would be nice to get a little more HP.

b4z : Local lot has one silver 2002. Still for sale. Oldsmobile has stopped advertising so I can't imagine Intrigue sales will be great this year (though Aleros are selling very well).

one2one

Nothing for the Intrigue and the air box is different for the Aurora.

The only reason i can think that the Aurora, which has only been out for a year, has the K&N is that GM cut a deal so that more drivers would buy an Aurora knowing there was aftermarket support. I know it sounds stupid but if the 3.5 has been out on the Intrigue since '99 and the Aurora just came out and they still don't have filters for the Intrigue, that can be the only logical conclusion.

one2one

I would follow the indicator faithfully (actually, I did). It seems to err on the side of caution. I went 80,000 miles on my original Intrigue following the oil light. At those miles it purred so quietly and smoothly that passengers couldn't believe it didn't have 20,000 miles on it. I'm doing the same with the new one because of past experiences with the indicator light.

tpken

There was nearly a riot over in Impala land a while ago in response to some comments about old Impalas vs new ones - guess who was involved?

Cad, what an Intriguing guy!

Intrigues and Impalas are both great vehicles - I'd drive either of them with great enjoyment but not even comparable in that guy's opinion.

Ken

winter9

I checked out my local dealer (Rockford, IL) over the weekend to see what they had in the way of new Intrigues. I was surprised to see about a dozen new Intrigues, most were 2002's.

A few things I learned:
EPA estimated gas mileage rating is indeed up. The previous years 3.5 non-PCS cars were rated at 19/28 mpg. 2002's are at 20/30. The salesman thought there was some change to the injectors but did not sound very sure. I called and emailed Olds customer service to see what may account for the diff - complete waste of time. Does anyone out there know anything about this? Where's harlanc when you need him? They had no PCS-equipped machines (can you believe that?), so I assume it is rated at 20/29? (close to my 99 Intrigue w/ 3.8 @ 19/29)
The list price for the GL trim level actually FELL $18 vs the final price for 2001! The GX is up $152 and the GLS is up $1107
Deals are indeed sweet now! Free financing up to 60 mo for 2001's thru Oct, 2002's are free for 36 mo, 0.9% for 48 mo and 2.9% for 60 mo thru 1-15-02
Has anyone seen the new Teal color yet? The Olds website still has the 2001 colors listed, so I can't even check it out on a "virtual" Intrigue. If it is a nice looking color, it would be cool to have a new color in the final production year - should be pretty rare.

b4z

I have been trying to get him to drive a impala, but he has not done it yet.
I think he feels that the impala LS will be like a Buick with the Sport suspension.
I have found that the impala and intrigue have about the same cornering capability, but that the intrigue changes direction faster and has a sportier ride.

tpken

I've not driven Intrigue - have ridden in a 2000 GL once and was impressed. I absolutely love the Impala LS and would be driving one now if I had not snagged a great deal on a 2000 Bonneville SE which is very similar.

I do think the Intrigue is by far one of the nicest looking GM sedans ever - very classy, particularly in the dark blue and wine red colors with chromes. Our office secretary has that gorgeous red with beige leather, chromes and SR and it is magnificent. Sound like the ride may a bit 'sportier' than my SE although the stabilizer bar I recently installed in the back has mine riding like on rails - but smoooooooothly.

From the sound of it - Intrigue and possibly Bonneville are not long for this world - let's enjoy them while we can - Impala LS will hopefully be waiting for us in a few years.

Am I correct in thinking you traded Intrigue for Impala LS? I know someone here did. I'd take a new LS in that Indigo Blue that Buick Rendezvous comes if I could get one. Make the interior beige leather and I'll be ecstatic!

Ken

b4z

That was me. The intrigue was a leased car. GM paid off the lease, and i bought the impala. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. The only bad thing i can say about it is an error of omission. I wish it had the intrigue's 3.5L engine.
The impala has noticeably more back seat room than the intrigue.
I think if it had a longer wheelbase and better structural rigidity the intrigue and olds would still be going strong.

dindak

There isn't a K&N for the 3.5 Aurora is there? I can't imagine there would be any difference between that and an Intrigue 3.5L.

redline65

winter9 - I think the old 19/28 mpg numbers were when most Intrigues had the 3.29 gears, and the new 20/30 mpg numbers are for the 3.05 gears, since that probably makes up the majority of Intrigues sold.

vcjumper

Probably takes its air in from a different spot than the W-bodies so the airbox and filter could be different shapes.

lss1

barely got the car to the dealer for a scheduled appointment to check stalling problem. engine would not even turn over when tried to start car this morning. finally got it started. just found out that i am getting a new body contol module--still under warranty--but--last 12 months--2 intermediate drive shafts, new power steering system, and now this. like the car a lot, and don't want to start a nasty discussion, but this is simply inexcusable. i was/am hoping to keep car for another 3-5 years. unless i can get a good deal on an extended warranty might very well unload.

one2one

This weekend took an "afternoon" trip from Philly to the suburban Baltimore area. When I got back and filled up, I got 25mpg. That's pretty darn good since 95% of my driving was highway. The stop-n-go was really "stop-n-go" so that would have made my mpg take a big hit. I estimate that while I was on the highway I hit at least 30 mph. Needless to say, I'm pleased. V-6 power and comfort with 4-banger mileage-- sounds good to me.

evandro

Which stabilizer bar did you put in the rear suspension, the SLE/SSEi's?

b4z

Actually the '99's with the 3.5L and the 3.29 gear(the only gear available that year) were rated at 27 mpg.
The '00's and '01's were 28 mpg.
This is why i was totally shocked when i saw 30 mpg. I hope they didn't lower the power of the engine.

mosaix

Well, I'm leaving for Chi town tomorrow morning and will be there until the weekend. So if you see a black GLS with chrome wheels blazing up I-65 tomorrow, thats probably me. I'll have my laptop with me and if i can get a good connection(some hotels have lousy phone lines) I'll try to log on and give an update on the long distance factor.

jg28

for the 3.5 Aurora.

jgriff

Sure is sounding like you need to dump your Intrigue before the warranty expires. The pattern seems to be getting pretty routine, only you can decide if it is worth the headaches [or not], even with an extended warranty.

IF you really like the Intrigue, you could always bargain for a new 01-02 model, and start the warranty period over at 5yr/60k. Surely the latest and greatest is better.

Just my thoughts.

lmacmil

shows the same part number for the 3.8 engine (searching under 1998 Intrigue) and the 2001 Aurora with 3.5 or 4.0 engines. Yet on the Purolater site, it shows a different part number for Aurora 4.0 vs. the 3.8. They can't both be right.

focus

saw one today. Teal metallic (with sparkle in it), it looks pretty good with neutral leather.
But i think in a few years time, it wouldn't age as gracefully as other colors.
K&N did email me back saying a filter is not available at the moment for the 3.5 engine.

dindak

Went to Canadian Tire, they said no filter for 3.5L. E-mailed K&N 2 days ago and have heard nothing. I've given up. Are there any other good filters out there aside from AC Delco? I will need to change in the coming months.

lmacmil

I wouldn't waste a lot of time looking for a different air filter. First, the AC Delco filter was probably designed based on specs supplied by the 3.5 engineers. Aftermarket filter manufacturers may have had to infer those specs from displacement, rpm, etc. Second, even K&N concedes that just replacing the stock filter with their filter in the stock airbox will result in little if any change in engine performance. So the only rationale for buying K&N is economics. At a typical 4:1 price premium, unless one is planning to keep a vehicle through 4 filter changes (say 120K additional miles), it's not economically rational.

one2one

I just changed my air filter this past weekend with my oil change (call me obsessive but I don't like waiting until my car is wheezing before changing my filter). I installed a FRAM filter. I felt a difference over the OEM filter. Although that could be contributed to also getting an oil change, I am of the opinion that manufacturers will cut cost any way they can. Since air filters will be changed shortly after the car is purchased (relatively speaking), I woudl think that that's one place they'd try saving money.

And why did they make it so darn hard to get the new filter in?!!!!! The 3.8 was incredibly simple: pop the clips, pull off housing, install new filter (that is easy to reach), put housing back on, attach clips. Done!

dindak

How often do you change your filter?

one2one

I know I'm hypocritical in this regard. I follow the maintanence schedule religiously except when it comes to oil and air filters.

I change my oil filters every oil change. Same for air. I have found from vehicles prior to the Intrigues that following the schedule means you're driving around with a filty filter. Meanwhile, the engine's suffering as well as performance. I like my cars to feel the same way it did when it was new. So I don't wait until the filter is black to change it.

Since I've used my method my engines have lasted well over 100,000 miles while still purring like a kitten. That's why I wanted a K&N... pay the money one-time for the filter and basically never have to touch it again.

dindak

In the past I have changed air filters every 50-60K kms. I'm at 35K right now so I was thinking it might be a good time to do it early and before the winter. Like you I thought the K&N would be a good option. I guess I will just get a Delco in the coming weeks.

tpken

One of my buddies over in the Bonneville Forum has a 2000 SSEi and got himself a beefier sway bar. He very generously offered the OEM part to me and I had it installed at the Pontiac dealer.

What a great ride - this has certainly eliminated the marginal slushiness characterisic in the base model. I've probably got one of the best handling SEs around - as well as having a rare color - the Spruce Green - can you tell I love my car? Now more than ever.

Ken

one2one

Did Olds use a different sway bar beyond the '99 model year? My 98' base felt like it was riding on rails. My '01 feels controlled and good but not like the '98. That may be one of my next projects.

lmacmil

K&N filters are not maintenance free. You have to clean and re-oil them at about the same interval that you would change a conventional air filter.

one2one: did you have to remove the stiffening brace to replace the air filter? I can't tell by looking if the cover can be raised enough to replace a filter.

one2one

I thought about that. But instead I unscrewed the clamps for the air box so I could move it far enough to put the new filter in. It won't move completely out of the way but enough to insert the new filter without damaging it. That was a poor design.

Pulling the old one out is easy. Putting a new one in is a bear and requires a flathead and philips screwdriver.

vcjumper

I've changed mine with a Fram and Delco and couldn't really tell the difference between the two. Fram was cheaper though (Walmart!).

I took the brace above it off the second and third time I changed the filter, made it easier to change and wipe away any dirt. I've changed it about every 20,000km or 12,000miles.

lmacmil

You guys are making me feel guilty. I've got 27K on mine so I guess I'll spring for a new one this weekend.

dindak

lmacmil : Don't feel guilty, then I will also. ;-)

I'll probably change it in the next few weeks. Since I'm planning on keeping the car at least 8 years, I'd better spring for a new one.

isit1

I recently rented an Avis Intrigue and was very impressed. However I understand that the car is being discontinued and Oldsmobile is disappearing.
1. What are the risks in buying a car that is being discontinued ?
2. Should there be a substantial discount from MSRP? From Invoice?
3. Any good dealers in NYC area?
Any help would be appreciated.

lmacmil

The main risk is financial. First year depreciation will be very high and marketability will be low. I don't think the dealers will be giving them away but I would think one could buy for very little over invoice plus I think GM has extended the warranty. Best bet is a 1 or 2 year old lease turn-in or ex-rental. Someone else will have taken that 1st year depreciation hit and if you shop right, you'll still have a year and 10K miles or so left on the warranty.

b4z

You should be able to buy a 2 year old intrigue for $11,000-12,000. Not bad, considering they cost over $23,000 new.

redline65

isit1 - Good luck finding a new Intrigue with the options you want. Local dealer's lot here in Dallas only has 2 of them. I'm not sure when the cut-off for ordering one is, probably pretty soon. Used would probably be the way to go. A 2 year old loaded Intrigue may run around $14K. Not a bad deal for such a fully-equipped car.

dindak

Big risk is indeed depreciation. If you plan on selling within 5-6 years, lease it. After that there won't be a big difference between Intrigue and other w-bodies like Grand Prix or Regal. Parts should be around for 10+ years. Discounts are good now with 0% financing.

After a year and a half, I still love my 2000 Intrigue GL. It's not perfect, but it completely reliable and lots of fun to drive. Only one issue I had was a faulty temp. gauge which was replaced under warranty.

The car is a super value, even more so with all the discounts now. You will be hard pressed to find a car with Intrigues performance for less.

georgeduda

Haven't been here for probably over a year. Still haven't bought an Intrigue although I've test driven about two dozen of them and still love them. Just can't seen to get to a place where I can afford a car payment. I found a dealer that has two brand new 2000 Intrigue leftovers. One is the Sterling Silver Edition. Its loaded (including PCS) and stickers for over $28,000. I've always like silver. I've made an offer I'm embarrased to reveal and which they probably won't accept.

So I continue to drive my 87 Delta 88 which is slowly turning into a rust bucket, has over 266,000 miles on it, and still drives, rides, and runs very well while getting up to 32 mpg with that old 3.8 motor. I also hate to see Oldsmobile go away.

b4z

Our intrigue buddy was having some starting problems with his intrigue. His dealer originally thought it might be tied to the use of the spare key. It turns out that a faulty crankshaft sensor was to blame. The dealer said that they can overheat sometimes and not function or even stop the engine when it is running.
I took my car in countless times for this and could never get any satisfaction.
Looks like his dealer is a lot better than mine was.
He has been unable to get any satisfaction on the suspension noises though.

dindak

The only thing I didn't like about the Sterling Edition was the polished wheels. Otherwise it's a beautiful car and could be a collector car some day as there were very few made. I see a lady driving one around my neighborhood every so often.

focus

what is the difference between sterling silver (02)and galaxy silver (01)? The brochures from both years used (same) silver on the cover.

white6

You mentioned "polished" wheels... Are they different from the chrome and standard silver painted wheels? I noticed at aaarim.com a "polished" wheel for the Intrigue. My black GL would look great with these... and you don't have to worry about the chrome peeling off somewhere down the road. Wish I could find a picture of this wheel somewhere.
tpken: I bought the Aquatread III's from a local Goodyear dealer. Goodyear had a promotion going where they gave you a $50 rebate if you used your Goodyear credit card to buy tires. I have since purchased two sets of tires from tirerack.com and have been very happy with them. Last set ordered on a Monday, received on Thursday of same week!

swagled

There was a rumor here last month of a TSB for a redesigned air dam. Anyone know the real story? (Or do we just keep driving ours until they scrape away enough to stop making noise!)

racer_x_9

Mine got loose last winter and was replaced. They no longer have the old design and a new deflector design was implemented.

Whenever anything is done to my car that has a TSB associated with it, I ask the dealer for a printout of the TSB so I can relay it to anyone else having the same problem.

===================================================================
Date Aug, 2000
Subject:
New Front Air Deflector with Increased Ground Clearance

Models:
1997-2000 Buick Century, Regal - Built Prior to VIN Breakpoint Y1297005
1998-2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
1997-2000 Pontiac Grand Prix

Part #10442031
TSB #00-08-63-003

A new front air deflector with improved ground clearance is now available if replacement of the production air deflector is required. This new air deflector is a non-hinged design and has approximately 12 mm (1/2 in) more ground clearance than those previously used. In addition, this new air deflector sets back approximately 38 mm (1 1/2 in) further rearward and uses a material and shape that makes considerable less noise if contact with a curb or the ground is made.

This new design front air deflector is a direct bolt-on and should be used if service or replacement is required on the above listed vehicles.

Important: To maintain proper air conditioning performance, vehicle aerodynamics and prevent extreme underhood temperatures, the front air deflector must be properly installed on the vehicle and be fully functional. As a result, operating the vehicle without the front air deflector is not recommended.

lmacmil

Can you really save enough on tires from Tirerack to offset the shipping costs? Where do you get them installed? Tirerack is local for me and I've always been curious about this.