1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham 5.0L V8 307 cui.

Summary:

A superbly dependable luxury car from the '80's. Compares to its Cadillac counterparts

Faults:

Due to an accident in which I was rear-ended while stopped by a car that was going about 35 MPH, I had to have the back end rebuilt. I barely felt the collision, this car is a tank.

I had to have the brake line done at 139,000 miles.

It has had the transmission rebuilt by the previous owner.

The radio has terrible reception.

Guzzles gas; between 14 and 16 miles to the gallon. Oh well.

General Comments:

Okay, this car is an '85. But for some reason the stock system in it just kicks! I don't have the heart to replace it, so I just added a CD player adapter.

This car has the smoothest ride ever. It's like a land-yacht.

The softest, most relaxing interior of any car I've ridden in by far. It's comparable to my basement couch.

If it were a mafia car, one could say it had an eight-body trunk. Huge amount of trunk space.

I expect to get at least 60,000 more miles out of it yet.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th February, 2001

27th Mar 2001, 08:04

My son has an 85. He just loves the car. However, this morning the heating/air went. He started the car and tried to put the heat on but nothing. No fan or anything. Any suggestions? The fuse was fine.

3rd May 2001, 18:58

CHeck the wiring to the controls, and the wiring to the fan motor.

10th Jul 2001, 21:00

I love this car, two problems that's all - brake line and a new exhaust. Oh well, what do you expect from an 85' that's been in Michigan all its life?

20th Jul 2001, 10:49

The heating/air controls go on these all the time.

It's not a big problem. There are 2 small plastic vacuum hoses under the hood that come off, one is black, the other tan. They can be found on the passenger side of the engine compartment, near the firewall.

Hook them back up, or replace, because they can crack.

6th Feb 2008, 23:08

I also have a 1985 Olds Delta 88 with poor radio reception and I can't cure it. I've replaced the antenna a couple of times, bought a new stereo, sent everything back to the manufacturer to inspect it, and had three different car audio shops check the system, installation and replace all the wiring. Everything looked perfect to them, but it's still as bad as when I bought the car two years ago. My only guess is that something in the main electrical system or the alternator in the car is grounded weird, shorting out, or sending a dirty current to the radio/antenna ground or radio power source, causing the poor reception pickup. My tip: don't go to town and replace everything in your audio system if you don't listen to the radio much, or just listen to tapes/cds.

1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale 5.0 307ci V-8

Summary:

A truly amazing vehicle with abundant HP!

Faults:

I replaced one of the universal joints.

The transmission is a little choppy. It is burning just a little bit of oil, during the summer I added about 1 quart every 10 days.

The brakes need work, but I'm getting rid of it soon, so I'm not going to fix them.

Weather stripping is rotted out.

Interior lights on the dash work when they feel like it.

Windshield wipers don't shut off.

Window on the driver's side doesn't roll down.

Door on the passenger side doesn't open from the outside.

Shifter knob has broke off.

Driver's seat belt buckle is gone, must use the middle one.

The body has many rust holes and dents.

That's it though, the rest is cake.

General Comments:

MY TANK... I love this car, it rides like a dream, I scoff at speed bumps!! It is unbelievably stable at high speeds, I made it up to about 125 or 130mph a few times.

Acceleration is great, I can beat most stock models off the line. I feel like I'm driving a rocket ship when I'm on the highway.

Out of the over 40 cars and trucks I have driven, it was the most comfortable of them all.

Oldsmobile should have kept producing this model identically forever. Wish I could keep it forever.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th January, 2001

17th Apr 2003, 10:25

I do indeed believe that you do not know what you are talking about! Your problem could be two things, you, or the car, and by the way you talk, it seems to be you. If you find out that it isn't, why don't you believe that the car can get over 100 MPH, iv'e done it, and I can peel out (burn rubber) so take a hint, before you open your big mouth, ask a mechanic, like myself if it is possible, and/or if they have done it in a costumer's car!

2nd Mar 2010, 11:13

My first car was a 1985 old Delta 88 2 door. I was 15 when I bought the car. I paid 2500 dollars for it because it had a rebuilt 307 motor in it. At the time, I did not know that this 307 was out of a Cutlass 442, it was a 9 vin code motor (about 40 more rated hp than the y vin code). I got my first speeding ticket in this car (young and dumb) on interstate 75 I Atlanta, 111 in a 55 mph zone. I was 17 years old. 307 with 200r4 trans. After the officer pulled me over, having to catch me from a standstill, he asked me if I know how fast I was go in? I replied "no because the dash only goes to 85 mph " Point of the story is, this car will do 125, 130. Easy!. I've had this car 4 11 years now, I love it. Go Oldsmobile.

3rd Mar 2010, 22:37

To the poster of 2nd Mar 2010, 11:13:

If you were doing 111 mph with the 307, you must have been going down a very steep hill!!!

1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royal Brougham 307 V-8

Summary:

Comfy as a Cadillac, but more reliable

Faults:

The radio cuts out every now and then.

It's a battle to keep it rust free.

General Comments:

I got lucky when my first car turned out to be such a good one. She's never let me down and I can haul a load of stuff. It's not a sports car so there is not much temptation to drive recklessly.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th December, 2000

3rd Mar 2005, 12:00

Good call.

My first car too.