1972 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser 455 cubic inch V8

Summary:

Best value for useful vs. purchase price/maintenance costs of any vehicle I've ever owned

Faults:

Rear brake shoes and a muffler were needed immediately after purchase, another muffler was needed when the bad breaker points caused a huge backfire that split the first new muffler apart at the seams!

One flat tire on the first Wisconsin road trip.

The drivers door electric window motor died.

The heater motor was inoperative at first, due to a bad ground.

General Comments:

Literally bought out of a junkyard in North Dakota for $200 in 1988.

Car had come from Virginia so the body had no rust.

The biggest type of Olds ever made, 455 V8 with 4 barrel carb weighing in at 5260lbs EMPTY.

Eight passenger, but I removed the rear most seats for more covered storage.

Car wasn't used much for about 5 years, stored outside at a friend's farm through -35 degree winters. In 1993, I realized that I didn't have a big car to haul stuff to sell at a car show in Wisc, so I took a battery and fresh gas to the Olds and it fired right up. Did fluid changes and headed for Iola, 14 hours and @650 miles. Went all the way to Chicago and back with nothing worse than a flat. Did this for 3 years, '93-5. Drive it for @2000 miles in 2 weeks, park it for 50.

Got rather upset at the idiots at the car show that wanted to buy it for demo derbying.

Approximately 17mpg highway, city...well...

Bought a trailer hitch at the junkyard for $10 that only added to the usefulness.

7.5 liters trying to breathe through a 2" pipe makes for one LOUD hiss! Dual exhausts and headers are in the future.

Long wheelbase make for a very pleasant highway ride and the 455 makes it seem much more nimble than you'd expect for all it's gargantuan heft.

If you want to carry seven other people, pull a trailer, and not lose momentum on hills, this type of car is for you!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 27th April, 2006

28th Apr 2006, 14:48

"Dual exhausts and headers are in the future."

- Good idea! The 455 Olds will not run OK with a single exhaust.

28th Apr 2006, 21:31

You'll find a few other reviews on here of people who really like the 1970's station wagons. That seems to be a niche that is no longer being filled, phased out in favor of the mini-van. Those old station wagons are like a low profile Suburban, with a ton of cargo and people-hauling space, but without the "truck" ride.

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1985 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

Summary:

Fantastic

Faults:

Nothing was wrong with the car when I first purchased it. I have owned the car for one year. Since I have had the car I have had the transmission rebuilt, the gas tank replaced (it was leaking), and I have replaced the power steering return hose.

General Comments:

The car is roomy enough to carry the kids, their belongings, and me.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th December, 2005

14th Dec 2005, 12:03

My experience with these cars is that they are very very reliable. It should last you for years to come with the only operating costs being gas and routine maintenance. They're a smooth ride too. Enjoy!

1st Jan 2008, 22:42

Had one of these in the family growing up. With the plastic 'wood trim' stickers on the side and a chrome roof rack. It looked like the wagon out of National Lampoon's Family Vacation.

Like most of the GM cars of the time, the steering was totally numb and felt 'loose'. That's about the only knock on the car.

It was built up to Taxi standards. All the major parts on it were totally over engineered. Nothing major went out on the car for the entire 10 years we owned it.

I can still remember jumping the thing at like 60mph over railroad tracks. The car would get major air. The thing didn't mind at all. You could drive it over the most terrible potholed roads all day and it didn't mind, you'd get to where you were going and would get out relaxed. Try that in an Accord.

The Olds 98/88/Custom Cruiser and their other GM cousins were the last of the great American cars IMO.

16th Oct 2008, 08:12

I bought one of these from a family friend in Charlottesville, VA just the other week- a maroon 1985 Custom Cruiser with maroon velour interior. 258,602 miles on the odometer at present, but the 307 V8 was replaced, not rebuilt but *replaced* two or three years back, effectively renewing the heart of the car. She's more than 20 years old and she looks and feels more reliable than my father's 2004 Grand Cherokee by a long shot. I love this car so much I'm happy just sitting behind the wheel. Truly, a car completely worthy of having "GM/Mark of Excellence" on the keys. The Custom Cruiser is a credit to the Oldsmobile name and legacy.

Note- I'm the 17, now 18-year old who left the comment asking about running costs a while ago.