1991 Oldsmobile 98 Regency Elite 3.8 V6

Summary:

Good car for the money

Faults:

Air conditioning does not work. I took it to a mechanic and he said that I would have to replace the whole system. It would have cost at least $1000 and I only paid $900 for the car. I figured I could do without it.

Various trim pieces are starting to fall off, such as weatherstripping on driver's door.

General Comments:

Has a very nice ride, decent acceleration, and the gas mileage (17 average) is affordable.

Shocks will need to be replaced soon.

Very reliable car, holds 5 or 6 people comfortably.

Only work I have had to do is two oil changes and a transmission fluid change.

Rear brakes are beginning to make some noise.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th September, 2007

1991 Oldsmobile 98 Elite 3.8 V6

Summary:

One of the best I have ever owned!

Faults:

When I bought this car, I knew it had a few problems to be dealt with. Turned out to be a few more things than I realized.

Power steering pump died.

Replaced both front struts.

Replaced ball joint.

Had to 'bypass' power steering cooling system (how dumb was that idea GM?) because of severe leaking. Hence the reason I needed a new pump!

Had rear brake drums ground because of noise.

General Comments:

Seriously one of the best rides you will ever have. You can easily and comfortable fit 5 adults in this car. Now that it's old the gas mileage has dropped to 23 on the Highway and 18 in town. Still not bad for a car this size. The fact that it's front wheel drive makes it fantastic in Wisconsin winters! The 3.8 V-6 is die hard, but lacks a little for take-off in this car because of the weight. But if you REALLY need to move, the car will respond.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th February, 2004

1991 Oldsmobile 98 Touring Sedan 3.8

Summary:

Better than a Cadillac..

Faults:

When I first acquired the car, it hadn't been highway driven over 55mph in 3 years at least, so I kinda expected trouble. The tranny went out, at 70,000. After I had that repaired, I blew out the coolant pump at 75,000 miles. Since then, the alternator went (at 95,000) and until now (currently about 101,500) smooth sailing. I put mostly mid-grade gas into my car.

The air conditioner isn't very good anymore, dealer quoted $1200 to fix...

General Comments:

This is a great car. I first started in a 1986 Lincoln Continental, then got (in 1994) a 1986 Volvo 760 Turbo (intercooler). This is my first FWD car and I expected it to be a bit wussier'. It really has balls!

The interior is awesome, with a trip computer / lockable trunk control with the glove box lock, nice big center console for storage, motorized adjustable seats with motorized lumbar, leg, and neck supports as well as full tilts and reclines. All leather.

This car is kind of a battleship. It drives like a cop car that had its suspension tuned for comfort. It's great fun on the highway, as well as on twisty roads.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 27th August, 2003

28th Aug 2003, 16:42

That 3800 is a great engine- they still use it to this day (it's a little different now, but basically the same engine). Expect to get at least 250,000 out of that car with proper maintenance. Mine had 245k on it before it got impounded : (

12th Feb 2005, 18:11

I wrote the 98 TS review, and I would like to add some more information two years on.

After replacing the alternator, I have had no serious problems with the car. I do have a minor problem, though - the oil pressure interface in the dashboard computer (a Hyundai product) is quite messed up. When I start the car, it either tells me "OIL PRESSURE SENDER PROBLEM" or "ENGINE OIL LOW". I about had a heart attack the first time I experienced this message - I was about 800 miles from home in the middle of nowhere. Since then, I hardly notice (the warnings can be cancelled by pressing the TEST button). The automatically dimming mirror no longer automatically dims. The dealer is confounded on both counts, and wants to perform exploratory mechanical surgery on the vehicle. I will not allow somebody to work on my car without a clear diagnosis of the problem and an accurate estimate, so these problems remain unfixed.

I am considering adding a Memcal 2620 computer to the car, to boost the output of the supercharged engine, and a performance muffler. The guy at the hot rod muffler store was impressed that this vehicle came with huge exhaust from the factory - in his words "It's already all set up."

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