1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue GL review from North America
"Pretty, quick, and nimble, but a very bad investment"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Anti-lock brake module replaced at 24,000 miles.
Rear seat belts inoperative - fixed by recall.
Heater/AC fan and control module replaced at 30,000 miles.
Power steering replaced once, and it is having similar problems (shuddering at low speeds) again.
Every window regulator has been replaced at least once. Two have been replaced twice, and two are currently not working.
Even though they are rarely touched, the treble/bass, fade/balance, and tuner knobs have all been replaced twice. The plastic used just seems to self destruct in the high interior temperatures cars experience in Las Vegas.
Air conditioning works MOST of the time.
Serpentine belt tensioner pulley self destructed at 73,000 miles.
Alternator burned out at 87,000 miles.
Leather seats severely cracked and split.
Black exterior trim around the windows started cracking and peeling at under 40,000 miles.
Engine has started missing under load in the the last 10,000 miles, after reaching operating temperature. It runs fine when cold. The Dealer "technicians" seem to be fond of taking $200.00 "guesses" at diagnosing this problem.
General comments?
Excellent styling, power, and handling when new.
Reliability, maintenance costs, and downtime due to maintenance make this car the very worst transportation investment I've ever made.
Recommended reviews
| Acceptable, reliable daily transportation |
|
| A fun car to drive, but with a few problems |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 3 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 6 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 16000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 94000 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet C10 |
| Date of Entry | 24th April, 2004 |