Oldsmobile Intrigue

dindak · May 2002

They wanted to clean and adjust the brakes. The guy said they were ok but wearing unevenly. A brake service would prolong the life of the pads he said. C$39.95 for the front and another $39.95 for the back. Sounds like a lot of money to me. Unless it increases the life 50%+, I don't see that it will be worth it. I've never had it done before and my pads have lasted as long as they should have.

vcjumper · May 2002

Outside Rear View Mirror Housing Turns Chalky/Dull (Color/Clear Coat Mirror) #00-08-51-001
Outside Rear View Mirror Housing Turns Chalky/Dull (Color/Clear Coat Mirror)
1998-2000 Buick Century, Park Avenue, Regal

1998-2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, Lumina, Malibu, Metro, Monte Carlo, Prizm, Tracker, Venture

2000 Chevrolet Impala

1998-2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue, Silhouette

1999-2000 Oldsmobile Alero

1998-2000 Pontiac Bonneville, Grand Am, Sunfire, Trans Sport

1998-2000 Chevrolet and GMC C/K, S/T Models and M/L Van

1998-2000 Oldsmobile Bravada

Condition
Some customers may comment that the black plastic housing around the outside rear view mirror turns chalky or is dull in color.

Correction

Caution
Sanding dust, solvents and paint are potential health hazards. Make sure to wear an approved mask or fresh air supplied respirator that is appropriate to the task being performed.

Refinish both mirrors (Black WA 8555 with a gloss of 30%) following the GM Approved Refinish Materials Booklet GM4901M-D-2000 (GM4901M-D-F-2000 (French)) under the flexible substrates section. Refer to your paint manufacturer for specific process and application process for plastics.

Warranty Information
For vehicles repaired under warranty, use:

Labor Operation Description Labor Time
A1240 Mirror, Outside Rear View Color/Clear Coat - Right Side Use published labor operation time
A1241 Mirror, Outside Rear View Color/Clear Coat - Left Side Use published labor operation time

oldsman01 · May 2002

It's good Buick is getting the Bravada(they should get the minivan too) but why not with the 4.2 liter inline 6 engine. Yes, the 5.3 liter is more powerful, but the inline 6 is no weakling and it is so smooth. That engine is one of the main reasons I would actually consider one of those SUVs.

bjl3 · May 2002

Recently someone here posted about a Tranny rebuild done on there Intrigue. I was wondering what the symptoms were. I have a 99 with the 3800 that just turned 30,000 miles today. My wife is the main driver of this car, so I don't drive it everyday. But it seems to shift to quickly at times. Nearing the end of warrenty and was just wondering.

perdnee · May 2002

I have a 2002 Intrigue. Love the car but have a few problems which the dealership can not duplicate to fix.

1. Does anyone else have a problem with their cruise control not keeping the engine at stead RPM's? Mine goes up then way down then back up again just to maintain a steady speed. I have motion sickness and it is very noticable to me. Seems only driver can sense the sensation of it.

2. I have a creeking in the front left of the car when turning into parking spaces, etc. Dealer doesn't hear it. It's the type of noise that is hard to give exact location and is not real loud.

Anyone else have these problems, or any suggestions....would be greatly appreciated.

jg28 · May 2002

filter is not right underneath either of the screens. It's more toward the middle of the car but still on the passenger half.

I notice that when I go through automatic car washes my mirrors turn chalky too. I think it's that liquid wax they use. I just buff it off with a towel and some of my own wax. I can't believe your dealer can't find the TSB. My dealer "couldn't find" the TSB about the air dam either until I found it for them either.

lmacmil · May 2002

"Clean and adjust brakes" is another way of saying "give me some $ for some peace of mind." Disc brakes are self-adjusting and self-cleaning. The piston boot is designed to "retract" the piston just slightly away from the rotor when pressure is released. The piston seal is designed to hold the piston in place, yielding only to the "knockback" caused by the rotor irregularities. Knockback and retraction are standard disc brake tests that the manufacturers do the characterize the design. Our knockback/retraction machine cost $150,000 US.

As far as the cleaning part, what's to clean? There's nowhere for anything to collect. The spinning rotor is going to fling off anything loose that might adhere to it. It's conceivable that some rust flakes or lining dust might collect inside the hat section of the rear rotor but so what? Doesn't hurt anything.

The parking brake (being a drum brake) has a self-adjusting mechanism that automatically adjusts the shoes when you apply it.

One of my favorite repair shops pulled this on me once but it was on a minivan with drum brakes at the rear. I paid them and told them never again.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, if the caliper pin lube dries out, the caliper might stick and cause uneven pad wear. Maybe this is what they want to do. It's a 10 minute job per side so $40 is pretty salty. Lubing the pins should be part of the pad replacement service and the lube should certainly last as long as the pads.

lmacmil · May 2002

I had my tranny rebuilt under warranty. There were no symptoms other than it didn't go into overdrive. First time I had it on the highway (I bought it used) and saw 2900 rpm at 70mph, I thought something was wrong.

Later I discovered there is a TSB out on the overdrive clutch burning out and that's what happened to mine (probably before I got it.) The dealer charged GM 18 hours plus parts so I suspect it would have been well over $1000.

tensor · May 2002

My 98 Intrigue had a transmission problem which was the deciding factor in my trading it at 70K miles. It would accelerate and decelerate fine, 1-2-3-4 and 4-3-2-1. However, if you were in overdrive and wanted it to shift 4 to 3, the car would shake. On the highway it wasn't too noticeable. In town, say 30-40 mph, the shake was pretty bad.

winter9 · May 2002

My wife also has a 99 w/3.8. This motor makes very good torque at low rpms so the tranny is calibrated to take advantage of this and consequentially shifts very early. Parenthetically, this is one reason why the 3.8 is so fuel efficient. Unless you really put your foot into it, my wifes car often changes gears under 2000 rpm. From what you describe - this may be perfectly normal behavior for the 3.8s.
When I first got my 02 Intrigue, I did not like the way the tranny was calibrated because I was familiar with the way my wife's 99 shifted. It seemed to hang on to a gear forever before it would shift. I like it now that I have become accustomed to it and can feather the throttle back if I want it to shift earlier. The 3.5 does not make as much low-end torque so the tranny is calibrated to shift at a higher rpm. If you are used to driving something that revs higher (i.e. like a 4 banger), I can see where you would question something that shifts so early.

winter9 · May 2002

Does cruise control exhibit this rpm varience on level roads? It is normal to have the rpms go up (downshift) when going up a hill to maintain steady speed. It is not normal for rpms to vary on level ground. If this is the case, take it to the dealer.

oscarz2 · May 2002

Ditto on tranny.

Early on it bothered me. Now I dig it.

tboom · May 2002

I just bought a new 2002 intrigue, black/pewter, with leather,rear spoiler, sun&sound, and gold package. I've been reading this board for a while and have seen that some intrigues have had some problems. From what I remember I have to look out for headlights dimming, steering shaft may have to be lubed, and now the side mirrors seem to develope a haze. Is there anything else that I should look out for? What are the symptoms that result in needing the steering shaft lubed? Hope to pick it up later this week.

ruintrigued · May 2002

Just checked the coolant after washing car this evening. When I took off the cap I found a sludge at the top. It looks like reddish brown mud. I know about the special DEX-COOL coolant. Does anybody know what could have happened? Possible contamination if an attendant at the last oil change station topped off with regular antifreeze? Thanks for any help.

dindak · May 2002

Congrats on the new Intrigue!! I think the haze only applies to 98-00 Intrigues. Headlight problem has hit many cars and the steering has only hit some. I have the headlight problem though it only happens on very cold nights in the winter. Otherwise aside from a temp. gauge that had to be replaced I have had a wonderful 2+ years with the car now.

The 02's should be the best so your car will likely be a good one.

sda · May 2002

Just traded my '99 Cutlass for a 2000 Intrigue GL. It is midnight blue with sunroof and satellite radio controls. 19500 miles and about another 16 months of factory warranty remaining. I have been interested in the Intrigue since they were introduced and still have the 1998 sales brochure. I was given two Intrigues to drive as loaners when my Cutlass was in for service. To say that I was impressed is an understatement. I know the current depreciation on Intrigues is high... but that made for a great used car purchase. Even with Olds fading away, I am delighted to join the ranks of enthusiastic Intrigue owners. Looking forward to many miles of smiles as I enjoy my newest toy. Quick question: how do you determine if the car is equipped with PCS? My Intrigue has the Goodyear LS tires. Is it only those cars that come with the Goodyear RSAs that are equipped with PCS?

oldsman01 · May 2002

Congratulations on the new ride, is yours a GL or GLS? Sounds like a similar color combo as my 2001 GLS. As for anything to watch out for, COPS!! I'm serious, that 3.5 liter V6 can get you into trouble. I've not had any steering shaft problems as I believe this was on earlier models, but I do have the headlight "flicker" which I am actually getting ready to have the dealer check again.

oldsman01 · May 2002

2 ways to tell for PCS. One if you have LS tires than more than likely you do not as PCS models came with RS-As. The other would be to look for the code JL5 on the little stikcer on the inside of the trunk lid. JL5 is the RPO for PCS and that little sticker includes the codes for all features and options the car has.

oscarz2 · May 2002

I have a 99 and it started creeking just like you said (front driver side). Took a mechanic for a ride 4 days ago and it wouldn't do it. It's gotten more pronounced. Took a mechanic for a ride today and he heard it clearly. He suspects it's the strut bearings (yellow ring at top of the spring) and says he's seen a lot of them go bad on Intrigue. He also said GM has come out with a new high temp lubricant that seems to have remedied the problem. They go to work on it tomorrow. I'll post the results.

tboom · May 2002

I ended up with the GL. The dealer didn't have any GLS on his lot. He could get me one from another dealer, but not give me as good as a deal. I hear ya about the cops. I've been driving around for the last 6 yrs. a bright red 95 Olds cutlass coupe. I think sometimes I have a sign on my car that says "Pull me over, please."

bjl3 · May 2002

Thanks to all for the response on the trans shifting issues. I thought everything was fine, But at times you just question yourself. I recently drove my mothers 2000 Grand Prix GT and noticed a difference there. It must be geared different or something, since it also has the 3.8L.

In regards to coolant sludge, I think that is normal. I have noticed that on the inflow tube also. I'm sure others here have noticed this as well. Right?

one2one · May 2002

I can only speak for the steering shaft needing to be lubed. Many describe it as a "jiggling" thru the steering wheel. Some note that a clicking noise is accompanied with it. I did not have the latter. It's most noticable at low speeds, I'd say under 40 mph. You'd feel it when going over speed bumps or something else to make the wheels bounce at low speed like entering a supermarket parking lot. Also, can be felt when braking at low speeds (30 mph and under). In this instance you might also feel a "jiggling" thru the brake pedel. You might also feel it during hard turns such as when performing a 3 point turn or any other tight turn.

My 2001 has over 20k and so far I don't have any symptoms. Perhaps they addressed it by the time mine was built. For any others out there that have this problem, don't let the dealer feed you crap like "steering shafts don't go bad" or "cannot duplicate problem". If you're feeling it, then it's happening. And since there is a TSB for the problem there shouldn't be a need for debate. If they do give you a hard time, insist on the fix. If they still refuse, call GM and open a complaint. My experience with this has been that they'll try to blow you off with the "can't duplicate problem" excuse.

lmacmil · May 2002

This is from "Autobeat Daily" on May 7th:
"General Motors Corp. is adding a third shift at its Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo auto
plant in Oshawa, Ont. The facility has been running overtime on two shifts,
but hasn´t been able to meet demand for the midsize Impala. North American
sales for the model jumped more than 20 percent last year to 226,000 units."

I wonder how many potential Intrigue buyers went with an Impala instead because of Olds' impending demise. Intrigue production thru April was less than 8000 units.

redline65 · May 2002

Big welcome to all of you new owners! I think the PCS-equipped cars have a PCS badge on the back.

b4z · May 2002

Impala production is way up, but sales for the first 4 months are down just a little.
25,000 impalas were produced in April.
Impalas sales are up for the model year though.

I think sales for all the wbodies are down, except for the impala.

My dealer has sold all of his intrigues and would like to get more.

oldsman01 · May 2002

8000 Intrigues, is that for the month of April, calendar year 2002, or model year 2002? Were I a potential Intrigue customer(as I was a year ago) the Impala would not be in the running. Maybe if they had an SS model with the supercharged 3800(Ditto on the MC) but otherwise the Regal GS would have probably gotten the nod. That or a used Aurora or Cadillac. Or better yet, I would have put the new car off a bit longer, saved every penny and gone with a Cadillac CTS.

lmacmil · May 2002

was less than 8000 thru April 27th.

redly_one · May 2002

OK, last year I replaced a crankshaft sensor. I am experiencing a starting problem once again, so I took my car to an Olds dealer (the one that previously serviced tha car is now defunct).

Does this sound out of line, they want $425 to replace a fuel injector pressure regulator. I priced the part online at Autozone, $77. I figure dealer price is at least $125, if not $150. And, the thing is on the top of the motor, so it can't be that difficult to replace...Sooo, add the $75 diagnostic fee and we have ($150 +$75= $225) $200 labor for this job...Give me a break...I bet it will take them a half hour tops to install their overpriced part.

Anyway, the reason I am here... Has anyone else had this problem? What did you pay?

b4z · May 2002

My fuel pressure regulator was replaced in the a attemp to fix my rough start problem.
It ddidn't help.
The mechanic said that it was "wet in the vacuum line", whatever that means.
This was a warranty repair so i do not know what it cost.

lamronh49 · May 2002

Has anyone installed koni, KYB, or Monroe/NAPA Reflex (mistakenly called "reflux" by several parts guys)? How is your experience with them? Thanks, LAMRON

dindak · May 2002

I was reading in Autoweek that while the residuals of Oldsmobiles is falling off, the resale of Oldsmobile is holding up very well. In fact they cited an example where an Intrigue re-sale dropped $3050 in it's first year where a LeSabre dropped $3025 and a GP dropped $3100 on the wholesale market.

I think what is happening is what I thought would happen. People just view an Intrigue like any other w-body, nothing else.

merckx · May 2002

Or maybe people are finally realizing the Intrigue is probably the best US product GM makes. Dindak,I almost bought an Intrigue(I still think it is an exceptionally handsome sedan),but the other two cars you mentioned,I wouldn't have remotely considered.
I'll never understand GM not going further with the Intrigue.
Maybe it's things like the ridiculous interior of the Aurora. That "jet plane" instrument panel really cramped the driver's environment. I thought it just juvenile and absurd. Often,GM really seems to have a "lowest common denominator" perspective.

redline65 · May 2002

I was checking Edmunds True Market Values, and I saw the TMV of my '99 Intrigue GL is around $10K. If I would have bought a '99 Accord EX V6 and put the same number of miles on it, the Accord would be worth about $15K right now. Granted, I paid about $2K less for my Intrigue when bought new, but if I knew then what I know now...

dindak · May 2002

merkx : I agree, but what can you do.. Intrigue is almost gone. My hope is that the next generation Regal which Mr. Lutz is having re-done is very Intrigue-like.

redline : Resale on any w-body has been less than an Accord for years. Like you say though, when you account for what you paid and the lower finance rate you probably got, the difference isn't all that much.

merckx · May 2002

It appears that Pontiac is finally getting rid of that cheesy "cladding". Boy,that really ruined all those cars for me. But actually,underneath all that extra plastic,the Bonnie is really a pretty nice sedan.

dindak · May 2002

GP has no cladding? The new GP looks better inside though.

racerx9 · May 2002

Labor time is .4 hours. I don't know how much the part is but labor should be less than $40.

oscarz2 · May 2002

For the newbies here I'll recap. I've been playing around with suspension for a while now because I never really liked the way my 99 rode (too stiff/harsh). It's a 99 GLS/3.5 and has 22K now. But because I like the car overall and depreciation is steep, I decided to keep it.

I added strut tower braces (front bracket had to be customized (pictures in photo gallery have been removed-I guess they were too large)? STBs were an improvement in that it tightened things up and bumps became less harsh.

I then removed the sway bars. This made the suspension more independent and the ride was softer but it caused understeer (which I like).

I then got Yokohama Avid Touring tires and this made ride very smooth and quiet. I could have stopped here because ride was right where I wanted it but curiosity got the best of me.

I then got Monroe Sensatracs (Monroe said they will provide a softer ride then Reflex) and everyone else said the Monroes would be less stiff than KYB, Koni, etc. The Sensatracs made the ride firm again (to my surprise) but not bad.

I kept my Delphi struts in the garage. The other day I was examining them and noticed a swishing noise when moving them around. So when I took my car in for the strut bearing issue I popped the trunk and had them look at the Delphis to see if they were defective. It turns out they are (leaking, little resistance, etc).

So, there I stood facing another opportunity to experiment. They said they would replace them all under warranty. I said, if you can put in the AC-Delco Road Response Silver #503-322s and 323s I'll do it. They said parts will take about 3 days to arrive. So next week I'll have another report on struts.

Based on what I've read, monotube struts will have a softer ride. The Delphis and Sensatracs are twin tube, while the Road Response are mono.
AC-Delco says the Road Response Silvers are softer than the Reacteks.

Since the Road Responses can also go on Regal and other cars, and based on other deductive reasoning, I'm assuming the ride will be comfortable.

To be continued...

b4z · May 2002

It probably will be more comfortable. Except for the huge swaybars.
Are your's still off?

winter9 · May 2002

Where do you get the labor hours figures from? I know the shops can look them up, but can the average joe blow get access to this? Any internet resources? Thanks.

oscarz2 · May 2002

Swaybars are still off.

jg28- did you ever get the #s on your springs?

I'm curious to know if all Intrigues have the same springs or are there variations by year, trim, engine, etc?

Will someone post there spring #s for comparison? They are on a tag near the top of the spring.

lmacmil · May 2002

2000GX, build date 12/99

Front: FJT
Rear: TKS (the middle letter might have been an N, difficult to see and my bifocals didn't help!)

oldsman01 · May 2002

But would you have really wanted that dull looking "dime a dozen" Accord? Maybe I'm missing the big picture here, but I've never understood the Accord. Sure, it's a nice car and seems to be very reliable, but there is really nothing about them that stands out. I've looked at them before and have riden in them with people who have them and again, nothing special. The same can pretty much be said about Toyota Camrys, Ford tauri and Chevy Malibus. All seem to sell well, but offer little to the imagination. I guess for the most part, we have become a nation of drivers who view cars with the same logic they do as a washing machine. Hence the demise of manual transmissions, "how dare you prevent me from being able to have my hand free to use my cell phone or put on make-up while driving."

oldsman01 · May 2002

Too bad more people haven't realized what a great sedan the Intrigue is and taken advantage of the excellent deals, but in a way that is part of the car's appeal to me. While not rare, at least I don't see a dozen clones of my car in a parking lot. In fact, I have only seen one other Intrigue exactly like mine(black w dark grey interior, PCS, chrome wheels, and gold trim).

redline65 · May 2002

No, I don't like the Accord sedan's dull looks. But the Accord coupe is kind of sporty looking. At the time, it didn't really matter to me whether I got a coupe or sedan, and the Intrigue was the best bang for the buck. I knew I could get an Intrigue with the same options as an Accord for about $2K less. What I didn't know was that 3 years later the Accord would be worth $5K more than the Intrigue. I knew nothing about resale value back then. Had I known, I may have leaned more toward the Accord coupe. 3 years from now will the Accord be worth $6K - $8K more than my Intrigue? Probably.

pgl1 · May 2002

Its good to hear from new owners who appreciate what a truly good product the Intrigue is; IMO one of GMs best. As production sadly comes to an end for the car that so many of us here have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy, here is a eulogy consisting of excerpts Ive taken from automotive reviews praising the Intrigue. Im sure you'll recognize some the reasons you bought your Intrigue among the observations that follow:

In the Intrigue's first comparison test at C/D (August 1997) against the Ford Taurus and Toyota Camry, the Intrigue spanked the Taurus and squeaked past the Camry to win top honors. We liked the Intrigue's classy looks, its seamless, strong powertrain, its taut body motions, and its high value. This was news. The Intrigue turned out to be exceptional. Its one unscheduled [service] stop beats the average, and even our long-term Accord two-door required a stop that wasn't in the owner's manual. A few more performances like this one and we'll be ready to acknowledge that the General has equaled the Japanese in fit, finish, and quality. (Car & Driver June 1999)

Styling-wise, it's a cut above that cookie-cutter blandness you get with some of the big-hitter imports. I think the Intrigue has a lot more personality than competitors such as the Toyota Camry or the Honda Accor, and overall performance than with the old pushrod 3.8-liter V6. Excerpt from The Detroit News footnoted in July 26, 1999 article in Autoweek entitled, Oldsmobile Intrigue the truth is out there)

THE INTRIGUE HAS ITS PRIORITIES together. All the pieces that make it go are top quality, and the driving experience is the key to this sedan. ... there's no quibbling about the way this car drives. It's the first mainstream sedan from General Motors that is plainly better than its competition from Japan. (Excerpt from Automobile Magazine footnoted in July 26, 1999 article in Autoweek entitled, Oldsmobile Intrigue the truth is out there)

dindak · May 2002

pgl1 : Those are the articles that caught my attention. I still think it's one of the best sedans on the market and definitely the best value with the deal on right now.

oldsman : I agree with you on the Accord. Even a dressed up V6 isn't all that exciting and the base 4 bangers are brutal. That said, I can't take anything away from the quality and finish. That long running reputation is the reason the car is a best seller.

perdnee · May 2002

Sorry I'm slow responding to your question, I haven't been online. I know about change in engine when going up or down hill, but the problem is it does it even on a level road. Noone else has had simular problems? Of course, have taken to the dealer....can't duplicate the problem....I just wonder how hard they have tried.

perdnee · May 2002

Thank you for your suggestion...how did you make out with the noise?

jg28 · May 2002

nice job pg. Thanks for the retrospective. The accord isn't anything special to look at. Even the interior is bland. But I just LOVE the way they ride. They absorb bumps like buttah without being pillowy. And their fit&finish, like Dindak said is on par with anything out there. Plus, their engines are rock solid too with the best engineering out there.

oscarz, I didn't get the spring numbers cause I don't wanna crawl under and look.

Oldsmobile Intrigue

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