1988 Oldsmobile 98 Touring Sedan review from North America

Complete front suspension system had to be replaced.

Transmission need to be serviced badly when acquired.

Right rear brake solenoid gave out.

Starter went.

Battery went dead.

Spark plugs/wires/coil all had to be replaced.

Tape deck didn't work.

Rear left power window would not go down from the back (though worked through the driver's control)

Alignment was bad.

Fog lights won't work even after new bulbs were put in.

Parking brake didn't work properly.

Headliner sagged so badly it had to be torn down.

The hood shocks were blown.

The driver's seat had some tears in it.

Valve cover gaskets were worn.

The fuel gauge was not very accurate

ABS system only worked every now and then.

The Touring Sedan badge fell off when I was washing it.

I just want to say most of this car's problems were caused by the incredible lack of maintenance by the previous (not mention first) owners.

The body had 201k on it, yet the engine had only about 15k on it.

The tranny shifted when in the city, but while getting up to highway speeds, shifting from 3rd to 4th gear, it felt as if it was about to completely give out. The guy at the tranny place said if I hadn't brought it in when I did, it would've blown.

The air cleaner looked as if it had been in there for about 12 years.

The coil appeared to have been in there since the car rolled off the assembly line. See a pattern?

I had simply bought this Olds at an auction to drive while looking for an '80s Chrysler Fifth Avenue. Once I found one (nearly a year and half later I am still very satisfied with that car) I gave the Olds to a co-worker who desperately needed a car. I know I put way more money into it then it was really worth, but I hated to see such an abused car go to a crusher without a second chance.

Most people seem to love the Buick 3800; not me. If you do your own maintenance, be warned, this engine has the dumbest placed oil filter ever, and the rear spark plugs are very hard to get to (a very common problem with transversely mounted engines).

All that said, the Oldsmobile Touring Sedan has many good qualities: for one thing it looks like a sporty 98 on the outside (which is what it is).

The front seats have more power adjustments than you'll know what to do with (it remains the only American car I've seen with power headrests).

The rear seats also have headrests plus reading lamps, and even cup holders.

The center console has one of the coolest shifters ever made.

There's also a cup holder (which doesn't hold cups very well), which can flip to a coin holder or just a flat surface.

It should be noted that all the wood trim on the dash is real wood, not fake.

They come with full gauge clusters, which is nice, but the speedometer is not well detailed (yet oddly all other gauges are).

The controls are also generally very well placed, and the leather seats are a far higher grade than you'll find on any new car. The carpets are also nice and thick

Sadly what this car really lacks is pride; it looks like too many GM cars that aren't even Oldsmobiles, and it has a Buick engine (why not a nice Olds 307?). These cars also can't maneuver well; they are simply too front-heavy.

I feel with rear wheel drive, an Oldsmobile V-8, and more of its own look, the Oldsmobile Touring Sedan would've been a huge success.