1984 Oldsmobile Firenza 1.8

Summary:

Decent little ugly car

Faults:

I bought this car out of someones yard for 800.00 cash. It was a hideous brown hatchback. I drove the car for awhile with raw gasoline coming from somewhere under the hood.. i just thought it was really bad on gas. Well when I had to get it inspected they said something was leaking so I had that fixed. Then awhile later the a/c compressor died. Well at least I had it while it lasted a car that old I didn't expect it to work in the first place. Lets see then later on awhile later the transmission started having some issues and my cousin unplugged something on the transmission and it was fine, so I drove and drove and drove and then it started smoking really bad and I was told it was a bad head gasket.. so I told them to put one on, but in the process of moving the car so the tow truck could come and get it the starter went out.. well at that point I said forget it and sold it for junk.

General Comments:

Well I got a lot more miles outta this car than a lot of people got from there Firenza's. I think for the 800 I paid for it it was an excellent little car, and after awhile the beastly appearance grows on you it kinda looks like a cross eyed bug..

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

Review Date: 3rd February, 2003

2nd May 2005, 21:31

I had the same kind of car and let me tell you how I loved the little brown tird. My cousin passed away in 96. The car was his. It sat for a year until my uncle sold it to me for $400. I ran that thing until it fell apart. Literally. The engine never failed me. Just the body. A few pop cans and some bondo were all that held it together in some spots. Finally after 352000 miles, she got traded in. I miss her!

26th Mar 2006, 17:39

I bought my 1984 blue Firenza new in March of 1984 and finally parted with it in May of 2003. It was a 5 speed manual with the 1.8 liter engine. When I bought it, I told the salesman that I intended to drive it until I couldn't get parts for it anymore and he laughed at me. But that is pretty much what happened. It's final demise came when the second of it's four engine stabilizer brackets broke. That created both transmission and starter problems. Was still getting 34 miles to the gallon on the highway at the end. We push started it, after sitting in my back yard for two months, the day the tow truck came to take it to the car crusher.

1987 Oldsmobile Firenza Base 2.0 OHC K-class

Summary:

God's own grocery getter!

Faults:

A minor computer problem occurred at 89,000 miles, however, many GM cars of this year (including the 1988 Fiero I have) had computer problems that could occur between 50-100K miles. Neither car stopped running, it just ran rough.

The transmission started to rumble in 2nd gear, but this was due to a low amount of transmission fluid. Easily fixed. Still drove with the problem.

The starter motor started to go at 112K miles, however, I drove it for 5 days after the problem occurred, and I was never stranded.

The head gasket blew at 120K miles in 2000, but the car still drove home. The coolant mixed into the oil, and cylinder #4.

Car accident heavily damaged the rear suspension in winter of 2001, but rubber blocks inserted into the rear springs made the car drivable again.

Summer 2001, cylinder #4 spark plug thread gives out, given aluminum is not very strong. Plug is 1/2 inch out too far, but engine runs.

Engine starts loosing steam due to cylinder #4 issues, which is easily repairable, however, the rear end is giving out due to the accident.

General Comments:

This is the best car I have ever owned. Sure I have a Fiero that handles like it's on rails, but this car handles like a rally sport car. I loved driving this car at 70 MPH on the heavenly back-roads of East PA.

The paint, trim, and chassis held up beautifully (till the accident)! Even when it was near the sandy and humid beaches of Long Island, New York, in stop and go driving.

The interior is beautiful. The front and rear seats are so comfy, and the controls are perfectly placed, as well as seat belts that are never too tight, or too loose. The headliner is still good too.

The engine is wonderful! The fuel economy is excellent, even with a 3-speed auto. And there's even a turbo model out there.

I never needed a tow truck once. If I ever had a problem with this car, I either had fair warning, or was able to drive it normal with the problem. It's like a cat that's got 9 lives from the factory.

I drove it to the junkyard, and I bet my beloved Pontiac Fiero, that if I were to go into the junkyard I brought my car to, and charge the battery, it would be able to drive out of that junkyard, go to the store, go to my house, and then drive back to that junkyard, without failure!

If it were not for the accident, I'd still have that car, but I'd drop the turbo motor in, and a 4-speed auto, along with bigger wheels.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th October, 2002