1981 Oldsmobile Omega L4

Summary:

A fine little car

Faults:

I bought this car knowing that the carburetor would need to be rebuilt or replaced.

The front-wheel-drive CV axles were bad.

The air-conditioner stopped working.

The front wheels need re-aligning, and make a terrible noise going down the road.

General Comments:

So far, this has been a great little car. It has a tendency to flood until it has warmed up, but then you can floor it, and it takes off like it's been hit in the back.

It handles very well, like a bigger car than it is.

I like the bench seat. The seats and carpet are in very good condition.

I like the way this car is designed. I like the little square car look.

The little sideways 4 cylindre engine does very well, testing at around 120 HP.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd December, 2004

10th Jul 2006, 02:37

You sure don't see very many Omega's around, especially the early 80's models, during the past year or so I've only seen 3 Omega's from 1980-84 and I think they're an under-appreciated car, I'll gladly take the Omegas over what they make today that's for sure.

1983 Oldsmobile Omega (base) 2.5L TBI

Summary:

A well built automobile with some design flaws

Faults:

The water pump went bad when suddenly it started leaking. It was easy to repair. Otherwise no other trouble spots.

General Comments:

This car is comfortable to drive. The ride is soft and handles well. There is plenty of space in the trunk to haul almost everything that I haul. It's turquoise in exterior color, and gray in interior. The seats are 40-20-40 bench style, but I'd prefer bucket seats with a center console. The body has some rust, but I can live with that.

The only real complaint that I have is the engine/transmission combination. This engine design makes it hard to service some components. The oil filter is behind the engine in a tight area making it difficult to service it. The distributor also is behind the engine so if that needed to be replaced, the whole engine has to be moved out of the engine bay. The 90 Horsepower engine struggles to move the 2,700 pound Omega under some circumstances. Especially with an automatic tran saxle with a 2.83 final drive ratio. Also this 2.5L engine has a history of running hot so be careful not to overheat it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd November, 2004

30th Apr 2008, 12:18

I own a 1983 Oldsmoblie Omega and I just wanted to say I thank you for this great review; it helped me out a lot, and I wanted to know if you know of anything else that would be helpful to me. My e-mail is beans102@yahoo.com

Thanks again travis-perez.

1976 Oldsmobile Omega 4.1L 250 I6

Summary:

This is my most favorite of the several cars that I've had

Faults:

The valve cover gasket went, but was an easy fix. Had to replace the water pump (the original one). The rotors were warped. Seats are in great condition, but are very uncomfortable.

General Comments:

This is a great car with in my opinion the best engine made to last besides the 2.8L V6 in my citation. It has a fairly straight body and no leaks. It rides very smoothly. The acceleration isn't much to be proud of, but I'm hoping to get a 455 longblock.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th September, 2004

5th Jan 2009, 10:52

I'm growing more sentimental about my old '76 Omega 4-door, but when I had her, she was a pain. Bought her second-hand from my aunt and called her Blanche. She dieseled, she cut power turning corners, she blew a radiator hose. The carburetor's connection to the accelerator would freeze wide open in cold weather. Once, the generator belt came off and the headlights got dimmer, and dimmer. I could throw pop cans through the floorboards. The tappets were loud. She was an oil hog and would sometimes spray it through the sensor. And on and on. But for all that, Blanche was a tough little car and easy to work on (I should know--I had to work on her so much!). She was on the road 12 years after I sold her for $75, mostly rust and with a wooden rear bumper, at the ripe old age of 22.