1979 Oldsmobile 88 Delta Royale review from North America

Routine maintenance has kept the car in good shape, with A/C compressor replaced several times. Fuel pump, water pump replaced, carburetor rebuilt, brakes redone a couple of times. Compression still good, and car runs and shifts and rides excellently.

I wrote a review of this car for this website five years ago, and I am still driving the car, and it continues to perform well with routine care.

The engine runs strong, the car is comfortable, and tracks straight down the road. I have no concern about wearing the car out from driving it. since I only add about three thousand miles a year to the odometer, and it is still on the low side of 100K. It's more likely that someone will collide with it, and I'll have trouble finding parts. So far, so good.

If I drove more, gas would be a concern, since it only gets about 16 MPG around town. As this is written I've driven the car for 26 years, the longest period of time that I have depended on a vehicle for primary transport. I hope to drive it from now on.

I've noticed that these cars are beginning to command higher prices, despite its poor gas mileage. That's because they are extremely dependable, and well engineered cars. I still lament the passing of Oldsmobile, but hold out no hope for their resurrection as a car company, so this one will have to last.