26th Dec 2000, 18:03
I owned a 6 cylinder 3.0 liter '84 Ciera and sold it at 98,000 miles. It was the perfect sized car, really comfortable, handled beautifully, had great pickup and gas mileage, but it was not dependable - we didn't know if it would start every time we got into it.
The problem was the carburator had a heating element in it that would preheat the gas and it was very, very hard to start. When that element went out, it was like having no choke.
We got stranded many times. The car was a horrible nightmare and we vowed not to buy another Oldsmobile ever again. The engine compartment was cramped with no room to do my own maintenance.
27th Apr 2001, 12:23
My car is an 84 Cutlass Ciera and it is my first car.
The problem I have with it is trying to start it; it doesn't always crank up and if it does, when you put it in gear the car turns off.
11th Aug 2007, 14:18
I have a 1984 cutlass ciera 3.0 v6 I bought new; only have 77000 miles on it. My gas mileage is down to 16 mpg. The car has a new tune up on it. Can someone tell me what is wrong?
21st May 2008, 17:24
I bought a 1984 Cutlass Ciera Brougham H&E Convertible (only 814 made 1983-1986) on ebay 3 years ago, and sight unseen flew up to Bend Oregon to drive it home to Laughlin Nv. That night I made it as far as Salem Oregon and got a hotel in the pouring rain. Next day drove it straight through to Laughlin, but in Las Vegas the engine light came on. She still made it home and have not had it checked yet.
The radio does have to have a slap on the dash.. don't know why, and once she warms up she ticks slightly... but she starts right up every time.
I know these cars are cheap to fix, since they made so many of them, and that's comforting. I drive her once a week and just enjoy looking at her in the garage.
The 3.0 V-6 has plenty of pep, and even though she ticks, she doesn't use a drop of oil.
I wish I could find other people that have these just to email back and forth with, since out of 814 made, I doubt there's too many of them left.
I recently found the TV show A-team used one identical to mine, and hope to dig up those episodes.
13th Dec 2008, 01:15
I have a 3.0L V-6 with 52,000 miles on it. It starts great and I got it from an elderly lady; but I'm in high school, so it's a good car to 'fix up'.
14th Aug 2010, 01:56
Hey to you Olds Ciera owners. I used to own a 1984 Olds Ciera Brougham diesel. I bought it used in 1990 with 70,000 miles on it. What a car, I hate that I traded it in for a Grand Prix that was a nightmare.
Anyway, the only problems I ever had was an injection pump that was known to go out around 80 K, and a bad rack and pinion. Otherwise she always performed well.
As luck would have it, I saw the car many many years later in a neighboring county, drove it, and was invited to buy it for about twice what I paid for it originally. Needless to say I declined, but she was still holding up well.
Best of Luck to all you Ciera owners (especially diesel).
21st Feb 2011, 12:32
I own a 1984 Olds Cutlass Ciera H&E Convertible.
I am the original owner, only 50K+ miles, burgundy on burgundy leather, white top. It has a digital dash, everything works perfectly.
I want to know what others have sold and paid for them... Email me at heather.lombardo@comcast.net.
28th Feb 2011, 08:33
I paid 1000$ for my 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Brougham. It has 70000 kms on it and I love the car.
I am starting to read and witness the problems that occur around the 80K mark.
Other than the car failing to start at times, it is a great project car that can last forever!
rapid_fire61@hotmail.com.
6th Apr 2013, 22:30
I have an '84 Ciera Brougham with 97k miles on it. Good car except the mileage is terrible. Any help is appreciated.
Audwin Ross. Email R8577@aol.com
22nd Dec 2000, 13:44
I just bought an 84 Cutlass Ciera Brougham Diesel 2 months ago. The car was in beautiful condition and the engine ran great (until I got it in a minor accident).
The only problems I've had with it are that the battery has died twice, and the rear lights have shorted out. Other than that, it's in excellent working order after over 200,000 miles, and it gets 12 miles to the gallon on the highway and a little less on the street.
It's my first car (I'm 20) and I'm planning on keeping it a while. I call it the Saratoga, and it's a great car.