1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham from North America - Comments

Well, first off, the car was treated like dirt from its previous owner, and I can tell that it sat for a long time. You must know that if you plan on keeping your Delta 88 around for a few decades, you need to maintenance it regularly. And even though you think that this car is maintenance-free, think again. After all it IS still a car. I suspect that major neglect and nonexistent maintenance was the problem with this car from the start.

Bought: 1999

Original Miles from Purchase: Approx. 90,000

Condition: Fair.

Before I begin to discuss the negative, I must say that after cleaning up the car for the first time (wash, a bottle of STP Son of a Gun! on all of the interior plastic/leather surfaces, vacuum) and without replacing a single thing, my family and I took it on a three-hour ride. It was an absolutely fabulous ride.

However, it needed a lot of cosmetic as well as physical improvements.

Inside tail light (third light) was burned out as well as the two front sidemarkers, the right-side license plate light, one courtesy light, as well as the rear left fender sidemarker.

Antenna was stuck in the "up" position (a car wash nightmare) ; cassette deck was broken.

Air conditioning was dead.

Brakes were fried.

Needed new tires.

Interior was absolutely filthy and full of garbage (wrappers, I even found a hair clip).

Driver's side window rotor was burnt and window was stuck in a "down" position (and for some reason, the driver's control cluster for the windows was upside-down - I have since gotten the window fixed and the cluster correctly mounted).

Manual mirror adjustment plate was off the door, just dangling.

Markings on the turn-signal lever were faded, and the connection for the cruise control was broken, so it was nonfunctioning.

Lifters on the hood were toasted.

Also, the ignition key was difficult to turn (though now it is easy).

All of these problems have been addressed and repaired professionally except I used Bondini to glue the mirror adjustment plate into place.

When I was in high school, a teacher backed into it, smashing the front left headlight and grille (I was sick, to say the least). I also dented the rear bumper, but it is hardly noticeable, though I intend to undo this as well. I also took off the driver-side mirror while backing into the garage, which I had replaced with a new one. Also, the border around the back windshield is weathering, and I also intend to take care of this.

ONLY PROBLEMS FOR ME:

Since I got it, the alternator needed to be replaced this past month and it has gone through three Interstate-brand batteries in about three years, in part, I suspect, due to the worn alternator. Also, the catalectic converter had to be replaced because the innards were loose and rattling, no other reason (new converter, modified to fit this car). Last year, a brake line dripped liquid.

Ironically enough, with this car, the SERVICE ENGINE SOON light apparently comes on just before something needs to be checked or before something goes wrong.

The only other problems encountered were extreme wear and tear from the previous owner and trying to repair their damage.

But even though this car was in less than sales-worthy shape, it looked superb when my dad brought it home the very first time. I was amazed by all of the great features it had. He acquired the car from a local auto mechanic in July of 1999. I actually thought it was a late 90s car!

First time I drove it that was it. It drove and rode just like my dad's 1986 Grand Marquis, only with much better handling and, what I think is more comfort and MUCH MUCH smoother shifting - better than any car I've ever driven. It handled beautifully, and still does.

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Side Note: My friend who bought a 1997 Blazer and just got rid of his 1991 (I think) Oldsmobile Eighty Eight about a year ago has said first, he is so sorry, especially regarding the gas mileage (his Blazer is a gas-guzzler). And when he rode in it for the first time, he couldn't believe how comfortable my Olds is, how well it rides, or how cold the air conditioning got. (Took the temp down to 54 inside the car on that day - we froze.) On top of that, his Blazer only has 190 horsepower.

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Since it is the newest car my family owns (though it is technically mine), it has been treated like royalty from day one. I was and still am determined to make this car look like new, and after reading some of the reviews on this site I am once again inspired.

I currently use my Olds for daily commuting to college and my family and I still take it on two to three-hour drives (we only rent for longer drives to take the strain off of our 1985, 1986, and 1987 cars - that's right, we own no car older than 1987, but for good reason, especially since my Olds has a good deal of mileage on it). Original mileage when I got it was around 90,000 and is now at around 103-104,000 miles.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Unlike most of the Delta 88's I have seen, mine is truly unique. It has all of the standards of the Delta 88's - Power Windows, Power Locks, Tilt Wheel, Cruise Control, a Power Driver Seat, and trunk release. It is actually more along the lines of a Cadillac with a digital linear speedometer (press a button to switch from English to metric), Cadillac Brougham-like seats, a totally electronic instrument cluster (fuel, engine temperature, inside/outside temperature, trip odometer) with a climate control system. (Only drawback to the electronic control cluster is that GM took off the accessory function of the ignition key because of battery consumption if there were, as per the instruction manual.)

Also, this car has spoke wheels. Its color is mint green and a mint green interior with speckled black in the seats (where there exists additional padding) and a darker green for the upper dash.

COMMENTS ABOUT ITS PERFORMANCE:

The car runs very smoothly and is superbly comfortable. Balance the wheels and you're riding on air.

I can sneak in the driveway and back into the garage without anyone even knowing I am home, so it is very quiet. Engine-wise, it's extremely reliable and extremely efficient on gas (27-30 mpg).

Didn't think its power was exceptional until I read others' reviews. So I looked at its specs under the hood. It really is powerful - 210 horsepower. Eat that, Ford Focus!

And it is very strong. The pickup will shock you - so don't hit that accelerator too fast. I've never floored it because I'm afraid of what will happen, and thanks for cautioning me, fellow-reviewers.

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And those are just the original goodies.

I have since replaced the old power antenna with a new professional one, the cassette deck now works and I now use a portable CD-player with a cassette adapter for CDs (and this sound system is the best I've seen - we rented a 2003 Lincoln Towncar Executive, and this sound system gives the Lincoln a run for its money - bass is unimaginable). The driver's window now works, and since the alternator was replaced, it ascends and descends much better as do the other windows.

All lights on the car now work, and it now has two sets of BRAND NEW headlights, grilles, and sidemarkers - first the accident victim side was replaced, then the other looked so bad next to a new grille and headlight assembly, it was also replaced. And these are brand new, not from a junkyard.

The air conditioning now blows cold, though utilizing the old-world Freon is virtually a money pit, needing to be recharged every year. My dad's auto technician put in a newer type, which caused the entire air conditioning system to be refueled, but it seems to hold a charge longer - only time will tell.

Brakes were replaced not even a month after I got the car.

A transmission expert replaced the cluster for the turn signal, and the cruise control was good to go.

Lifters for the hood were replaced about a year ago.

All other problems I am still working on, though all problems are mostly cosmetic improvements. I intend on getting this car as close to perfect as possible.

Paint is impeccable - that was one thing that I immediately noticed about this car. It has been buffed twice, polished with an expensive premium polish, and receives an exterior-only wash with paint sealant and wax once a month from our local carwash, and is hand-washed as often as possible. It shines, to say the least.

The styling of this car is very beautiful. Original taillights are very bright, and I have had new bulbs put in them.

My Recommendations:

If you can find an Oldsmobile Delta 88 that has an accident-free body and runs well no matter what the mileage, restore it as best you can. You'll be glad you did.

If you have a Delta 88, treasure it. My personal opinion - treat it like a king (or queen, if you personify your car as a woman) and settle for nothing less. If something breaks, fix it professionally (with a technician or auto mechanic you TRUST) and with NEW parts, no matter what the cost.

Use mid-grade ('89) fuel in your Oldsmobile for years up to at least 1991. Try it, if it performance is no better, it doesn't matter, no loss, no gain. I've found my Olds HATES '87 fuel.

If you have a Delta 88, put white-wall tires on it. Black-walls do it no justice - it'll just look like any other car.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I love my car. I have yet to see another car that remotely compares. It is my first (maybe my last), and I hope to keep it for a long long time and will keep working until it's perfect!

Obviously you really like your Delta 88. My dad had a Park Avenue ('89) which is fairly similar. He also really enjoyed that car and it lasted up until just last summer when it overheated (through no fault of its own - only half the amount of coolant was in it and the rad was shot). You clearly have proven that taking care of a car means fixing the little things before they add up to big things. I truly believe that most people give up on a car because they don't bother fixing the small things and then suddenly they wake up one morning to find their driving a piece of junk! Keep the small things working, and the big things will take care of themselves.

I bought my 1985 Delta 88 from my aunt about 10 months ago. It's got a 307.5 engine and the paint job is really bad. this is my first personal car I have ever owned. Everything that you have done to your car I am currently working on except I got some really nice beat in my car. My only problem is interrior and exterrior work, a little engine work, and some old school white-wall tires. Maybe I'll go with some 17-18 inch rims. By the way if you use 93 ultimate fuel your car will run better than ever.

Your vehicle has 150 HP, not 210.

http://www.carprices.com/used_vehicles/1987/Oldsmobile/Delta_88/Royale/Specifications/index.html

I had a 1987 Delta 88, and it was the most amazing car I've ever driven. It had the most comfortable seats, and ran like new, despite the fact that it was twenty years old and had 120,000 miles on it. Unfortunately I got hit by a teenager who ran a stop sign last February, insurance wouldn't pay, and the cost of repair was higher than the value of the car, so I sold it to a salvage yard. Honestly, I now really regret that decision, and if I had to do it again, I would just shell out the cash to get it repaired. The Delta 88 was one of the greatest cars ever made. It's just too bad they stopped making them.

Are you sure it's 150hp? Cause it feels like a lot more if you floor it... that thing goes from quiet to screaming... (engine...) what I don't get is tons of websites say it has a turbo charger and even the owner's manual does, but I can't find it under the hood... but it definitely feels like more than 150hp under the hood.

Note: this IS a 1987 Delta 88 Royal Brougham, and is in great condition except some body damage... like it looks like someone plowed a trailer hitch along the passenger side doors, but that's all.

Hello. Good to hear people still taking care of these wonderful cars! My dad had one when I was very young and I cannot find one like it to save my life. It did have the Digital cluster but it also had the alloy (mesh style) wheels. The "FE3" suspension package, "FE3" badge on the trunk. Also, instead of various chimes for warning messages it actually had a voice that would speak the warning message. Things like, "The Parking brake is not fully released." If you left the Parking Braking On. Or, " *ding* *ding* *ding*...The Headlights are on." If you left the headlights on after turning the car off. I've have scoured the Internet and used car lots for another like this and I cannot find one. If anyone knows of one anywhere that has these options please email me... speedyman_2@yahoo.com.

I have owned a 1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham for almost a year now. This car has acquired quite a few thousand miles since I've had it. It has over 190,000 miles on it. I DO like this car, but it needs quite a bit of work, and as I'm already attached to this car, I'm not sure what I want to do with it. It's also my first car (I'm only 16). I'm slighty interested in restoring this car, but I remain unconvinced that it's worth it, even though it's a good car. Tranny needs servicing, and then engine may need an overhaul. If you have any comments, etc., please contact me via e-mail at huntershift_08@yahoo.com. I will save this car if I can be convinced that it's worth it.

It's not worth it.

"tons of websites say it has a turbo charger and even the owner's manual does,"

Wow, an 87 Olds 88 with a turbocharger?

Definitely one of a kind alright.

Ding ding ding.

It's cool that some people are still interested and even driving this car still. As a matter of fact, my first car was an '86 Olds Delta 88, (before they talked and went electronic). I got it when I was 17, I'm 29 now. I gave it to my brother when I got a newer car. He didn't take care of it and blew a head gasket in the engine. It's been a junk heap at my mom's house ever since, but I always had the desire to fix it up and cruise it again.

It was never in the greatest condition when I got it anyways, the paint was oxidized badly and it had maybe 150,000 miles on it. By the time it broke down it had 181,000. I recently towed it over to my house in another town from my mom's and I am going to restore it! I have the money to do it now. I figure overall it's going to cost me 3-4k to get it looking cool and running great. However, that is only because I'm going to repaint it, put low pro tires and probably 20" rims, plus a new or low mileage engine in it. All that is pretty expensive, but I thinks it's worth it in terms of "sentimental" value. In terms of dollar value, worth, or resale value, it's totally not worth it, but of course that's not what I'm doing it for.

My reasons to rebuild/restore are memory driven, because it was my first car, bought more than 12 years ago. It reminds me of good times when I was just out of high school and had just got my license. Plus, it is a worthy car to be restored. If it was some unpopular car, then who would care, I wouldn't...but it's an Oldsmobile Delta 88! These cars have 80's fame written all over them. It was one of the preferred cars of its time, for teenagers especially, so roomy, affordable, and comfortable, with a crazy smooth ride like a Cadillac. And I experienced all of that when I had her running.

On my Myspace I included a pic of the car model I have, it's not my car though, but I superimposed some cool rims and tires on it and tinted the windows. It is what I hope my car looks like soon. The pic is on www.myspace.com/clayrock. To look at this pic is a great motivator for me. Well, thanks for letting me share my little story of my '86 Olds with you. I'll be posting Youtube videos of the progress we make on the car from start to finish at www.youtube.com/clayrockmusic if you ever wanna check it out.

Thanks for listening,

Clay Rock

www.clayrock.net