It's rare to have your combined knowledge of styling, history, and mechanics. Most car enthusiasts have expertise in one or two, but not all, of those categories. Your videos, Adam, are the best I've seen on the internet. Thank you.
Your Oldsmobile is so beautiful Adam, but I can’t help but prefer the 87 and up flush headlamps. But man it is beautiful and I appreciate your videos more than you know.
@@Cheezwizzz Speaking of whom, not to hijack Adam's channel, but I just read today that Steve is out of the ICU, recovering well, and in good spirits. He is going to be well enough to be back at the next Barrett-Jackson TV broadcast!
For sure, growing up we had a 1985 Buick Park Avenue with the 3800. My Dad bought it at a public vehicle auction. He bid either $500 or $600 and not one person bid against him. It probably had 100,000+ miles at the time. It passed from my Mom, to my brother, to me, and then my cousin. Even with all the abuse we threw at it the car simply wouldn’t die. It was well over 250,000 miles when I had it. While it was a little rough around the edges it never let me down. We had great luck with all of our 80’s and 90’s GM vehicles
Same here, we had an 88 LeSabre (first year 3800) As a teenager I was hard on it, then my younger sister tried her best to destroy it and couldn't. Parents ended up selling it and I literally saw it a few months ago, still running. Would have to have nortt of 300k on the clock by now.
I remember when the 85 C-bodies came out. As a mechanic, I was really surprised by how roomy the engine compartment was, and how smooth they ran and drove. After 5 years of working on the POS Citations and Cavaliers, it was like a breath of fresh air. BTW, those MAF sensors were easy to diagnose. If the engine was running, and you tapped on the MAF, one of 2 things would happen: if the engine kept running smoothly, the MAF was OK. If the engine stalled, the MAF was bad. Also, unplugging a bad MAF would allow the engine to run good enough to make it to the repair shop.
My grandmother had a late 80’s Delta 88 when I was a kid. It was maroon with the plush maroon interior. I remember it being so comfortable, and I thought the maroon interior was cool. She absolutely adored that car. At some point it had an issue, I’m not sure what, but my grandfather decided it was better to trade it in on a 1998 LeSabre. It was the only time I saw my grandmother actually upset with my grandfather. It was silver, with grey leather and she hated every bit of it. She drove it until she died, but would always mention how much she missed her Olds.
In the mid 80's I was an engineer on-site at Lake Orion (Michigan) where these vehicles were built, also Wentzville, Missouri. We put the conveyors in. One of my jobs was to ensure the pickup points were accurate and in doing so, I got exposed to the design/build of the rear sub-frame. They were exceedingly strong. They passed the rear crash tests with flying colors. These really did turn out to be excellent vehicles
We sold a tremendous amount of these cars leather interior gauge pkg and fe3 suspension, then quite a few with just fe3 it gave the car a nice look with the rims and the fat black walls helped it compete with the sporty caddy,people were sold after the test drive, tra nys were tuned to make the car seem quicker than it really was,and they were pretty good in the ride department and for us in the north they were great in the snow, they were easy sells
One of my alltime favorites was my "88-88" Royale Brougham COUPE in maroon with the 3800 and FE3 with the nice alloys. MAN did that car drive sweetly, it's one I'd love to have back. Only thing wrong with it was the first owner had a black canvas fake convt top installed, and I was SHAMED a couple times when girls asked me to put the top down! LOL Now I have 4 convts and a wife who hates to be topless. In cars :)
I had a 1986 Olds 98 Regency Brougham back in the early 1990's. It was my very first luxury car out of high school, and I absolutely adored that car. It was white with grey-ish mint green velour interior, and had that absolutely extraordinary door chime. Drove it between So Cal and Oregon several times, and it never gave me so much as a single complaint. It took that Siskiyou Mountain range like butter. Such a fantastic car. It seemed so small, but it had such a big car ride. What I loved about it too was that it was super cheap American luxury. It barely had 80k miles on it, and had been impeccably kept by the first owner. Absolutely bulletproof engine.
I worked at a Buick dealer in the 2000’s and there were still a ton of these coming in for service and repair. Definitely decently made cars. The 3800 didn’t have the common intake leak issues until the 90’s. Anyway, one of the annoying things about these cars was just trying to do a quick tire repair or rotation. The hubcaps were a massive pain to take off, you had a weird key that you had to twist in the center and if that key or the hubcap was stripped good luck.
These Olds C-bodies were excellent vehicles. My mom owned a 1989 Olds Delta 88 Royale Brougham with all the bells and whistles and it rode and handled great, had plenty of power, a very roomy interior and a good-sized trunk. The ergonomics in this vehicle was also a big plus, with comfy yet supportive seats and great visibility all around.
Excellent content. I reckon it was 1992; a 86' Regency, friend of a friend of an auntie, had a no start. The place was Point, LA, underneath a dirt-floored carport, on a late November evening after I'd finished my janitorial second job. Long story long, failed fuel pump, so we dropped the tank; a black widow was displeased, and landed on my face, and within milliseconds was candy corn jello. That job paid $75 cash.
These cars were featured in the movie Fargo. The main character was an Oldsmobile sales manager and one of the cars was part of a shady deal he made. As he said, "A brand new Burnt Umber Ciera." The producers or director must have loved the pleasant door chimes too, as you heard them more than once (along with a Ford Tempo's).
I miss these cars! My late grand father had a silver 1986 Olds 98 Regency Brougham with grey interior. He bought new just after he retired as a Union organizer for the Teamsters. Man he loved that car and had it well into the late 1990's. He always was a Oldsmobile man which got me into having several Oldsmobiles myself! Btw love the Cimarron! Would love to have one someday!
Gravy job at the dealer back in the late 80's-Crank sensors for tow in road side stall only to start fine when unloaded off the truck, MAF sensor for stalling diagnosed by tapping it with a closed pocket knife, and a bad ECM causing a stall by just tapping on it. Of course, often it took 3 ECM's from parts before getting one that actually worked. Plus, replacing the Da6 AC compressor and flushing the system of all the ring debris paid good too.
My brother was a pastor. There was a dealership owner in his congregation who made him a sweetheart deal on one of these. It had a very nice ride as I recall. It was way smaller than the cars he and I grew up with. I was still driving a 78 New Yorker. I remember these were pricey.
It was fairly common only to have a vanity mirror on the passenger side primarily because the driver already has the rear view mirror and to keep the passenger from using that mirror as a vanity mirror , making the driver having to constantly reposition the rear view mirror, was a big part of the reason they were incorporated in passenger sun visors in the first place lol
A comfortable, relatively spacious car that can also still provide decent economy? What a foreign concept in the current automotive space, where GM will sell you a never ending variety of oversized yet claustrophobic crossovers, massive trucks and SUVs, or a single economy car that will shatter your spine if you hit a bump. It's a shame these cars are all now 30 or more years old, and even the best kept examples are potentially at risk of age related failures. Otherwise they'd be excellent daily drivers even today. Amazing example, Adam! Love that blue interior!
I daily drive a 1994 Cadillac with only minor issues from time to time. But I do most of the repairs myself. It would be different if I had to pay someone to do the work.
A good bit of the blame goes to the EPA for putting mpg regulations on the manufacturers. And if that wasn't enough, they used a stupid formula for manufacturers to go by, which made it almost impossible to focus on good midsized sedans anymore. A full size SUV that gets 18 mpg is much better than a midsized sedan that gets 30. Yes, blame the stupid Environmental "Protection" Agency for that one.
Always liked the c body cars and they were a huge success for gm. Great build quality and fantastic longevity from the 3800, and even earlier 3.8. Fabrics, plastics and all materials were long lasting and high quality. To this day i still see c bodies on the road almost daily. Awesome 80s GM interior too. Look at those seats!
I really appreciate how you insert photos of the other cars that you're comparing to the subject of the video as you are mentioning them. I really enjoyed this video too, thank you!
I always considered the Oldsmobile 98 as a "near Cadillac" based on the overall silhouette and the vertical tail lights. But this series starting in 1985 seemed even more similar.
My family’s car. I learned to drive in. I drove it to high school every day in 1987. Ours had the Bose stereo with an equalizer. The car also talked. Fun times!
I love the nostalgia of that Delco radio/tape player and seeing the square and round GM keys. My Dad had an '86 Park Avenue that was so similar to the Nighty Eight.
I absolutely loved the C - body! Beautiful ride! I miss this styling and elegance of mid to full size cars from the 80’s & 90’s. Nothing made these days has individual personality anymore!
The Town Car did not even need that famous commercial they were built so well with the smoothest 5.0 EFI engine ad butter smooth shifting AOD transmission it sold itself !
Never heard anyone call the AOD buttery smooth. Every one I drove was anything but. They were awful herky-jerky shifting in/out of lockup. The 5.0L was smooth, though.
I had an 86 Electra Park Avenue - great car. IBought it with 48,000 miles on it and it already had the SRTA (service replacement transmission assembly) which was the factory reman unit that had all the engineering updates. The transmission never gave me any issues. I replaced the steering rack when it got "morning sickness" and the cam gear and timing chain before it self destructed. Sold it with 220,000 miles on it in 2006.
Thank you again Adam, for another great video. Your combination of knowledge and enthusiasm are unbeatable. My Dad had a Ciera of the same vintage. It was a lovely car, well made and a lot of feelgood factor. Your 98 even better. .
The BIG PROBLEM was they LOOKED small.. They did not look imposing in the manner the GM C bodies had looked going back to the 1960s. Park a 1986 next to a 1963 and the differences are stunning.
I had a 1988 98 Brougham. Has to be hands down my second favorite GM car next to my 1995 Buick LeSabre. Both were comfortable and reliable as any car you will ever see.
I started my career at Browning Oldsmobile on August 3, 1990, the same day Iraq invaded Kuwait! My first sale that day was our last 1990 "square-body" Ninety Eight Regency. The customer saw the pictures of the 1991 (which arrived three months after the Buick Park Avenue) and she preferred the boxy design. It was a "fleet department" deal that paid me $50 for a superlative delivery!
I had a 1986 Pontiac Bonneville. And like you said, the timing chain jumped at 110,000 miles like clockwork. But the engine itself lasted over 200,000 MI. The transmission had a bump with the 1-2 shift that started at about 130,000 miles. It gradually got worse until about a hundred fifty thousand miles. . Then it got no worse And lasted until I got rid of the car at a little over 200,000 miles. It got great fuel economy. My mother had a Buick Electra of the same year. Those cars had solid power trains. Not the smoothest running engines right off idle.. but very reliable. Although I had a Pontiac, I would have had rather have had the Olds 98
Great car, another great tour/review! The opera lights on the C-bodies were electroluminescent, not LED. If you squint at the ALDL, you should see an "A" and "B" molded into the plastic at the corner terminals that you ground to read codes. If I recall correctly, the ALDL wasn't always in the same orientation across the different platforms. I actually still have a "GM code key" on one of my keychains, but of course a paper clip does the same thing! I'm thinking that the flashing Service Engine light began with 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, then any trouble codes, and then 5-5, 5-5, 5-5 for end of sequence. It has been a long time since I read an OBD I car, though, and may be confusing this with contemporary Chryslers. As a teenager in the mid-80s, I used to check my parents' cars for trouble codes every time I washed them. But alas, they always drove newer cars, and I never got much practice! A car with multiple codes took patience and concentration to count the light flashes!!
Adam, I had an 88 model Touring Sedan which I adored when they were new, but they were expensive ($26k, I think?). I was able to get one which was 3 years old with only 10k miles on it, and drove it till nearly 200k miles on it when the brake system failed. Super comfortable and great mpg cars! Thanks for taking me back!
@RareClassicCars The opera lights on the b-pillars are not LED. They are what’s called Electroluminescent panels. They use a phosphorus filament inside that when an electrical current runs through it, it emits a white glow. You can rebuild them using a new electroluminescent panel.
In the early 1990s, I had a friend with this exact model car. Only difference was the color. His was grey on grey. His '86 ninety-eight regency was the first car I ever witnessed surpass 250k. I was impressed enough by his ninety-eight that I bought a 1988 model eighty-eight. It served me very well.
Although I was not a GM fan, I did like the Oldsmobiles a little better than the others. And it really hurt me a little bit when they allowed Oldsmobile to become the weakest link and be the first division eliminated in modern times. This is especially tragic given that Oldsmobile but one of the earlier if not the earliest automobile manufacturer in the USA.
I was sad they killed off Olds and then Pontiac. I saw an old man driving a really well maintained Olds Alero earlier this week and I still think they’re great looking cars. My father in law no longer drives and offered me his fairly low mile 2005 Pontiac Grand Am. Even though it’s been sitting a few years I might take it on as a project. It’s got the 3400 v6 which is a pretty well regarded engine even if it’s not as reliable as the 3800.
@@RobertSmith-le8wp Two years ago An elderly lady GAVE me a 1993 Pontiac Grand Prix 3.1 L when she stopped driving because I was the one who’d always done the work on it. My dad had replaced the crankshaft about 20 years ago because she’d run it out of oil because of a oil leak. It had about 50,000 miles on it then. It had 73,000 when she gave it to me. The 3.1 isn’t quite as robust as the 3800. But it’s still a pretty good engine. The car runs like a champ. Not that powerful, but pretty much typical for its day.
We didn’t know how good we had it back almost 40 years ago! Oh the brevity of time! This Oldsmobile is such a beautiful car. As is the Buick version. And also offered in two door models! I think the Oldsmobiles and Buicks were better looking than the sister Cadillacs!
My dad had two Oldsmobile Touring Sedans, a 1988 and a 1990. He gave me the '90. It was incredibly well appointed, with every power option, a plethora of gauges, a computer, and steering wheel controls for the Bose sound system and HVAC. Best car ever and I miss it to this very day.
We had this same vehicle in white with burgundy interior. It had the 150 HP engine. Had it 21 years and experienced most of the issues described. We really loved it and were saddened when we sold it with just under 130k miles. It was, however, nickel and diming us beyond an acceptable limit.
Reminds me of my dad’s 87 delta 88 Royale brougham with the door chime and the seats. The radios were good especially with the 6x9’s on the package shelf.
I rented a new 86 Electra back in the day and really liked it. Very comfortable. Unlike some others, I prefer the four rectangular headlights. The later, composite ones looked less “American” to me.
Hello Adam, like your channel - my brother back in the day had one of these cars. It was the Buick Park Avenue variant. Think his was an 88 with the -3800. Into cars myself, just purchased a 1986 Pontiac Fiero 2m6. Was a rare find at 15k original miles. Was sitting for a long time but runs great now. Put on whole new Monroe suspension, new fuel injectors which werent cheap 180 dollars times 6, plugs wires, e brake cable. Passed inspection and driving it daily.
I really didn’t care much for the styling when these came out as the previous model was quite attractive. My dad had a triple black ‘79 Olds 98 and it was a great car. Over the years this styling has grown on me and I forgot how nice the interiors were.
I attended a GM training session in Garland, TX in 1985, where I first encountered the ALDL connector. If memory serves, you short pins 11 and 12, lower right corner. There's even a notch in the plastic connector shell so you can touch both pins with a key or screwdriver, although GM gave us a nifty brass tool to put on a keyring. I still have mine, it's migrated from keyring to keyring over the intervening years, brings a smile every time I see the GM and Delco Electronics logos stamped on the tool 😊
GM finally found their stride with cars. I remember traveling to Norfolk as a 20-year-old kid, working as a navy engineering intern under government orders, and getting one of these as a rental. this was about 1989 and the 88 they gave me was just so much nicer than the Chevy celebrity My mom had at the time. so not as nice as a 98, but it was a neat car!
Had an ‘87 98 Regency Brougham. Fully loaded. Mine had the Blue LCD digital dash. Quite a modern feature for the time. Had inside and outside temperature feature on it. My car also has auto level control. But motor electronics were not sorted. Brakes way too small. But the leather front seat was so comfortable. Like sitting in your living room.
I love these cars & have had several, used to work at a GM dealership & got to buy trade ins. Only ones I wanted were the 3800 though, they last a lifetime if you look after them, only failure is the cam position sensor which was glued inside & would fall off. My 89 Park Avenue had 685 k on it & was still running well when it was sadly rear ended & wrote off.
While Oldsmobile and Buick had transverse mounted V-6 engines, Cadillac had that infamous all-aluminum HT-4100 V-8 mounted transversely. It was the biggest piece of crap. The 3.8 V-6 in this car was good; the transmission was garbage. Cool fact: When the 1986+ 88 and 98 (and their Buick equivalents) were switched to front-wheel drive, the station wagon versions continued on the old "B" platform. In 1987, Pontiac switched the Bonneville to this platform and the Parisienne Safari continued on as well. GREAT VIDEO!
Such a marvel of packaging - these were really quite roomy and comfortable cars, and styled appropriately for the times. I miss the low beltline you mentioned.
Low beltlines are underappreciated - I drove a '22 Camaro LT1 for a year, and while I didn't have the problems with visibility that many complain of, I get in my '03 ZO6 and it's as if I'm looking out over a vast, visible world. I am guessing modern safety regulations are somewhat to blame for the current styles....
Yeah, a lot of modern cars feel very claustrophobic when you're inside, and look very chunky and aggresive from the outside. I vastly prefer the old school low beltline, makes the cars feel light and airy and way more elegant imo.
My Dad had a same platform 1986 or 87 Buick ELECTRA T-Type, red on red, he loved it. I did too as a teen driver. It was loaded, sunroof, velour. It was like this car, but, with the T-TYPE badge, like sports trim - that is, if one can imagine. But, it was cool. However, the hood opened forward, reverse opening bonnet.
Thanks for the video, but TH-cam is now overloading channels with ads. It’s making me frequently quit videos before finishing them. It’s just not worth it.
I drove one of these that I was considering purchasing around 1990, I passed in favor of an 85 Sedan deVille. I knew about the 4.1 issues but I just liked the feel of the Caddy a lot more than the Olds.
In 1996, I bought a Navy blue 1985 Ninety-Eight as a second car. It had 121,000 miles on it, but I knew both previous owners very well, and the car came with a complete service history. I can't tell you how many people asked me about my "Seville!" I kept it for three years and put another 35,000 miles on it. Never had a problem with it. Great car!
Have you ever seen a car with the trip computer / calendar? It mounts where your car has the name script in the middle of the dash, to the right of the warning lights. It had a vacuum fluorescent display, and when you turned the car on it would spell out "Good Morning" or "Good Evening". Seemed very classy! What a tidy engine bay. If I ever came across an Electra T Type, I don't think I'd be able to resist it.
My dad had one new and I drove it to Florida through the worst thunderstorm of my life. The engine had pretty good power as my dad was chased by bad guys once and was able to out run them. The velour fabric was super rubbery soft, weird but yes. If you put modern speakers in the deal I stereo will sound great. And don’t forget get the cd aux adapter lol!
In 1990 (at age 18), I had a 1985 Regency Brougham 4D in the same color combo as yours. I was lucky (or not, depending on who you ask) to have the voice reminder system where the car would tell you a plethora of warnings and notifications. I believe, if memory serves me, it had the trip calculator in lieu of the Olds crest on the dash but did not have the digital dash. I thought I was the only person alive who loved the double-ding door chime. I prefer the 1985 out of the bodystyle run (85-90) because of the grill and split headlamps. I wasn't as fond of the 1986s eggcrate for whatever reason. The car was ahead of its time, in my opinion. When other high school seniors were driving around in Camaro's, Fiero's, CRX's, Probe's, Storm's... I chose to buy the Ninety-Eight. Loved and still love that body vehicle (I say that because I love the Electra and Park Avenue, too). The only thorn in the side of my car was the Turbo 440 Hydramatic transmission. It failed twice but luckily there were many C-Bodies in the salvage yard back then. Other than that, it was perfect till a drunk lady in a Chevy Astro parked her van into the trunk and rear of my car. It was totaled, of course. With the proceeds from her insurance, I bought a 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham Coupe (Burgundy with red pillow top cloth seats). It had the FE3 package and wheels (I preferred the wire wheel disc on my Ninety-Eight). Had zero problems out of it. Traded it after 8 months for a low mileage 1986 Lincoln Mark VII... an amazing car in its own right! Sorry for the long winded comment but you brought out many happy memories with your video! Thanks for posting it!
@@anthonym.cardali1875 No. It was a base Mark VII. It did have the V8 (not diesel). It was however an interesting color that I haven't seen in a Mark before or since. I think the actual color name was "Spruce Green". It was sort of an army green metallic. I appreciate it more now than I did then!
I had a '86 Electra 380 with those wire caps. They had a tendency to loosen up over time & it sounded like your whole car was falling apart coming down the street. I found a decent set of aluminum rims in a yard & quieted down the car. Hated those wire caps!
@@user-ts3ez8cj4l I think that happened even early on. They loosened on all of them. I like them aesthetically. Too bad there wasn't an Oldsmobile dentist to tighten them like they do with braces! Lol!
Made here in my home town. Now the Koreans and Italians are building a $3.2 billion electric vehicle battery plant, Samsung Stellantis joint venture. Don't know how that will pan out. The Delco plant where they made all those radios and control modules is empty. Sad.
for anyone that wants to get codes for a service engine light, this works on most gm cars from 1980 to 1994, jumper the last 2 terminals on the top row a code 13 would be one flash a delay then 3 flashes from the service light, it will repeat 3 times then move to the next code
I was at Chrysler in Detroit in '84 and clearly remember they obtained a new Olds 98 C-body well before they went on sale. This was common practice between OEMs back then and may still exist today. We all rushed down to the garage to check it out before the car was dismantled. My colleagues were very impressed with this car.
I have racked my brain on this, I have owned a 98 Regency Elite years 1991,1992, and 1995. I also have owned an 88 years 1988,1992, 1995,1999. They are basically the same car under the hood, the 88 smaller than the 98 not necessarily that much, but the steering ratio for the 98 was a lot deeper than the 88. I have had several occasions where making a u-turn on a two lane roadway where I would turn the wheel all the way and not be able to make it with the 88 without either riding the curb or stopping and backing up so I can complete the turn, as opposed to the 98 and not even turning it all the way and completing the u-turn without a hitch. If I would have turned the wheel completely until it stops, I'd be in the left lane of the road. So what about the 98 made the bigger car turn deeper without as much as effort as the 88 which most of the time failed making the u-turn?
Thanks for sharing! My dad bought a new 1985 Olds 98, he always said that it was his favorite car, not without its teething problems however, engine block “deteriorated” at 20k dealer put in new block $3400 warranty part and the tranny went out on next owner in 1988. I remember driving it as a 16 year old and it was truly a smooth and enjoyable car.
Adam your automotive knowledge knows no bounds.If you did a 30 minute video on a Yugo I would watch it.I thoroughly enjoy all your videos,they make my day. Smart idea collecting luxury cars as opposed to muscle cars.Muscle car prices are insane .All your vehicles will appreciate as well.I know it would be a monumental task to show all of your vehicles,but it would be AWESOME!Keep up the great work and as always cheers from Eluethra.
I'm not a huge fan of the GM C body because I was born in '81 and still respected all the big cars before that and thought these were weak and lifeless when I was a little kid. I prefer G Bodys any day of the week. But after watching this video, I came to respect the little (at the time) Oldsmobiles. I remember a whole bunch of old ladies that lived in my neighborhood bought up these model Olds, different Olds models too. It's almost like all the old ladies on the street wanted to out-do each other with these types of Oldsmobile classes! I didn't care for it back in the day, but now I can appreciate it.
What a damn jewel. We never thought anyone would keep these cars. Im glad some of these have survived.
Never in a million years did I think I'd be sitting here so far into the future appreciating these cars.
@@HAL-dm1eh I like cars from the 50s & 60s but I'm always in awe when I see these 80s GM boxes in pristine condition.
It's rare to have your combined knowledge of styling, history, and mechanics. Most car enthusiasts have expertise in one or two, but not all, of those categories. Your videos, Adam, are the best I've seen on the internet. Thank you.
I appreciate that!
Your Oldsmobile is so beautiful Adam, but I can’t help but prefer the 87 and up flush headlamps. But man it is beautiful and I appreciate your videos more than you know.
I agree. He is literally the exact opposite of Doug Demuro.
Don’t forget Steve Magnante
@@Cheezwizzz Speaking of whom, not to hijack Adam's channel, but I just read today that Steve is out of the ICU, recovering well, and in good spirits. He is going to be well enough to be back at the next Barrett-Jackson TV broadcast!
My ‘89 lesabre was as reliable as any Toyota I’ve ever owned.
Killer cars in every regard !!
yeah I had an 87 it was pretty bitchen 😏
For sure, growing up we had a 1985 Buick Park Avenue with the 3800. My Dad bought it at a public vehicle auction. He bid either $500 or $600 and not one person bid against him. It probably had 100,000+ miles at the time. It passed from my Mom, to my brother, to me, and then my cousin. Even with all the abuse we threw at it the car simply wouldn’t die. It was well over 250,000 miles when I had it. While it was a little rough around the edges it never let me down. We had great luck with all of our 80’s and 90’s GM vehicles
Same here, we had an 88 LeSabre (first year 3800) As a teenager I was hard on it, then my younger sister tried her best to destroy it and couldn't. Parents ended up selling it and I literally saw it a few months ago, still running. Would have to have nortt of 300k on the clock by now.
I remember when the 85 C-bodies came out. As a mechanic, I was really surprised by how roomy the engine compartment was, and how smooth they ran and drove. After 5 years of working on the POS Citations and Cavaliers, it was like a breath of fresh air. BTW, those MAF sensors were easy to diagnose. If the engine was running, and you tapped on the MAF, one of 2 things would happen: if the engine kept running smoothly, the MAF was OK. If the engine stalled, the MAF was bad. Also, unplugging a bad MAF would allow the engine to run good enough to make it to the repair shop.
Alternator on top good design.
Yes !
Very true, spot on!
I had a Cavalier
My grandmother had a late 80’s Delta 88 when I was a kid. It was maroon with the plush maroon interior. I remember it being so comfortable, and I thought the maroon interior was cool. She absolutely adored that car. At some point it had an issue, I’m not sure what, but my grandfather decided it was better to trade it in on a 1998 LeSabre. It was the only time I saw my grandmother actually upset with my grandfather. It was silver, with grey leather and she hated every bit of it. She drove it until she died, but would always mention how much she missed her Olds.
What a great story.
In the mid 80's I was an engineer on-site at Lake Orion (Michigan) where these vehicles were built, also Wentzville, Missouri. We put the conveyors in. One of my jobs was to ensure the pickup points were accurate and in doing so, I got exposed to the design/build of the rear sub-frame. They were exceedingly strong. They passed the rear crash tests with flying colors. These really did turn out to be excellent vehicles
We sold a tremendous amount of these cars leather interior gauge pkg and fe3 suspension, then quite a few with just fe3 it gave the car a nice look with the rims and the fat black walls helped it compete with the sporty caddy,people were sold after the test drive, tra nys were tuned to make the car seem quicker than it really was,and they were pretty good in the ride department and for us in the north they were great in the snow, they were easy sells
I remember when those were everywhere you looked.
"....people were sold after the test drive, trannies were... "Transmissions were tuned to make the cars..."
-Bill from Curious Cars
One of my alltime favorites was my "88-88" Royale Brougham COUPE in maroon with the 3800 and FE3 with the nice alloys. MAN did that car drive sweetly, it's one I'd love to have back. Only thing wrong with it was the first owner had a black canvas fake convt top installed, and I was SHAMED a couple times when girls asked me to put the top down! LOL Now I have 4 convts and a wife who hates to be topless. In cars :)
The fe3 was definitely the one to own
I had a 1986 Olds 98 Regency Brougham back in the early 1990's. It was my very first luxury car out of high school, and I absolutely adored that car. It was white with grey-ish mint green velour interior, and had that absolutely extraordinary door chime. Drove it between So Cal and Oregon several times, and it never gave me so much as a single complaint. It took that Siskiyou Mountain range like butter. Such a fantastic car. It seemed so small, but it had such a big car ride. What I loved about it too was that it was super cheap American luxury. It barely had 80k miles on it, and had been impeccably kept by the first owner. Absolutely bulletproof engine.
I had one.. it was a great car, very comfortable, reliable and fast.
I worked at a Buick dealer in the 2000’s and there were still a ton of these coming in for service and repair. Definitely decently made cars. The 3800 didn’t have the common intake leak issues until the 90’s. Anyway, one of the annoying things about these cars was just trying to do a quick tire repair or rotation. The hubcaps were a massive pain to take off, you had a weird key that you had to twist in the center and if that key or the hubcap was stripped good luck.
These Olds C-bodies were excellent vehicles. My mom owned a 1989 Olds Delta 88 Royale Brougham with all the bells and whistles and it rode and handled great, had plenty of power, a very roomy interior and a good-sized trunk. The ergonomics in this vehicle was also a big plus, with comfy yet supportive seats and great visibility all around.
Excellent content. I reckon it was 1992; a 86' Regency, friend of a friend of an auntie, had a no start. The place was Point, LA, underneath a dirt-floored carport, on a late November evening after I'd finished my janitorial second job. Long story long, failed fuel pump, so we dropped the tank; a black widow was displeased, and landed on my face, and within milliseconds was candy corn jello. That job paid $75 cash.
Even back then that wasn't enough to deal with a black widow omg
YIPES
These cars were featured in the movie Fargo. The main character was an Oldsmobile sales manager and one of the cars was part of a shady deal he made. As he said, "A brand new Burnt Umber Ciera."
The producers or director must have loved the pleasant door chimes too, as you heard them more than once (along with a Ford Tempo's).
@@rossharris94501 hahaaha yea
timber ciera* this is an olds 98. it was waynes (the patriarch) and its shown a couple times but most prominently when he goes to meet steve buscemi
I miss these cars! My late grand father had a silver 1986 Olds 98 Regency Brougham with grey interior. He bought new just after he retired as a Union organizer for the Teamsters. Man he loved that car and had it well into the late 1990's. He always was a Oldsmobile man which got me into having several Oldsmobiles myself! Btw love the Cimarron! Would love to have one someday!
Gravy job at the dealer back in the late 80's-Crank sensors for tow in road side stall only to start fine when unloaded off the truck, MAF sensor for stalling diagnosed by tapping it with a closed pocket knife, and a bad ECM causing a stall by just tapping on it. Of course, often it took 3 ECM's from parts before getting one that actually worked.
Plus, replacing the Da6 AC compressor and flushing the system of all the ring debris paid good too.
My brother was a pastor. There was a dealership owner in his congregation who made him a sweetheart deal on one of these. It had a very nice ride as I recall. It was way smaller than the cars he and I grew up with. I was still driving a 78 New Yorker. I remember these were pricey.
It was fairly common only to have a vanity mirror on the passenger side primarily because the driver already has the rear view mirror and to keep the passenger from using that mirror as a vanity mirror , making the driver having to constantly reposition the rear view mirror, was a big part of the reason they were incorporated in passenger sun visors in the first place lol
A comfortable, relatively spacious car that can also still provide decent economy? What a foreign concept in the current automotive space, where GM will sell you a never ending variety of oversized yet claustrophobic crossovers, massive trucks and SUVs, or a single economy car that will shatter your spine if you hit a bump. It's a shame these cars are all now 30 or more years old, and even the best kept examples are potentially at risk of age related failures. Otherwise they'd be excellent daily drivers even today.
Amazing example, Adam! Love that blue interior!
I daily drive a 1994 Cadillac with only minor issues from time to time. But I do most of the repairs myself. It would be different if I had to pay someone to do the work.
With junk 1.4, 2.4, and 3.6 liter engines. There was a time when you NEVER had to worry about GM drivetrains.
A good bit of the blame goes to the EPA for putting mpg regulations on the manufacturers. And if that wasn't enough, they used a stupid formula for manufacturers to go by, which made it almost impossible to focus on good midsized sedans anymore.
A full size SUV that gets 18 mpg is much better than a midsized sedan that gets 30. Yes, blame the stupid Environmental "Protection" Agency for that one.
And WAAAAY overpriced.
Always liked the c body cars and they were a huge success for gm. Great build quality and fantastic longevity from the 3800, and even earlier 3.8. Fabrics, plastics and all materials were long lasting and high quality. To this day i still see c bodies on the road almost daily.
Awesome 80s GM interior too. Look at those seats!
I really appreciate how you insert photos of the other cars that you're comparing to the subject of the video as you are mentioning them.
I really enjoyed this video too, thank you!
I always considered the Oldsmobile 98 as a "near Cadillac" based on the overall silhouette and the vertical tail lights. But this series starting in 1985 seemed even more similar.
I was a child when these came out, and for some odd reason I always loved them.
Reminds me of my grandparents 1984 Buick Century.
Same style with the blue interior. Brings back so many memories.
My family’s car. I learned to drive in. I drove it to high school every day in 1987. Ours had the Bose stereo with an equalizer. The car also talked. Fun times!
I’ve always loved these 98s. Perfect size, stylish luxury, good quality and ride. Nothing like those heavy chrome door handles anymore.
I love the nostalgia of that Delco radio/tape player and seeing the square and round GM keys. My Dad had an '86 Park Avenue that was so similar to the Nighty Eight.
I absolutely loved the C - body! Beautiful ride! I miss this styling and elegance of mid to full size cars from the 80’s & 90’s. Nothing made these days has individual personality anymore!
I sold Buicks in '87 and I was always impressed by how well the LeSabres and Electras drove.
The Town Car did not even need that famous commercial they were built so well with the smoothest 5.0 EFI engine ad butter smooth shifting AOD transmission it sold itself !
Never heard anyone call the AOD buttery smooth. Every one I drove was anything but. They were awful herky-jerky shifting in/out of lockup. The 5.0L was smooth, though.
Was it a one owner car ? My 88 Town car is and the car looks like new and drives like new too.@@RareClassicCars
I had an 86 Electra Park Avenue - great car. IBought it with 48,000 miles on it and it already had the SRTA (service replacement transmission assembly) which was the factory reman unit that had all the engineering updates. The transmission never gave me any issues. I replaced the steering rack when it got "morning sickness" and the cam gear and timing chain before it self destructed. Sold it with 220,000 miles on it in 2006.
The front plate came from a dealer in High Point NC I think. I live very close and remember that dealership from many years ago. Beautiful car!
Thank you again Adam, for another great video. Your combination of knowledge and enthusiasm are unbeatable. My Dad had a Ciera of the same vintage. It was a lovely car, well made and a lot of feelgood factor. Your 98 even better. .
My first car was a '90 Ninety Eight. My favorite car of all time by far. Love when you post videos of your '86!
Amazing that GM design took off 30 inches (!) and still made a car with almost as much space as the previous full size cars.
The BIG PROBLEM was they LOOKED small.. They did not look imposing in the manner the GM C bodies had looked going back to the 1960s. Park a 1986 next to a 1963 and the differences are stunning.
I had a 1988 98 Brougham. Has to be hands down my second favorite GM car next to my 1995 Buick LeSabre. Both were comfortable and reliable as any car you will ever see.
Seeing videos like this makes me realize I don't need a muscle car or Corvette to have a classic ride.
Mom had an '87 LeSabre T-Type for over 20 years. Was here favourite car of all and wishes she still had it!
Beautiful ride! I remember the commercial that you mentioned. Great job, thanks!
It is impressive how much you know about cars and that you do your own mechanic work when you obviously can afford to pay someone else.
As a mechanic I remember it was a joy to work on this car.
I started my career at Browning Oldsmobile on August 3, 1990, the same day Iraq invaded Kuwait! My first sale that day was our last 1990 "square-body" Ninety Eight Regency. The customer saw the pictures of the 1991 (which arrived three months after the Buick Park Avenue) and she preferred the boxy design. It was a "fleet department" deal that paid me $50 for a superlative delivery!
We had a 1985. This brings back a lot of memories.
I had a 1986 Pontiac Bonneville. And like you said, the timing chain jumped at 110,000 miles like clockwork. But the engine itself lasted over 200,000 MI. The transmission had a bump with the 1-2 shift that started at about 130,000 miles. It gradually got worse until about a hundred fifty thousand miles. . Then it got no worse And lasted until I got rid of the car at a little over 200,000 miles. It got great fuel economy. My mother had a Buick Electra of the same year. Those cars had solid power trains. Not the smoothest running engines right off idle.. but very reliable. Although I had a Pontiac, I would have had rather have had the Olds 98
Incredible to see one of these in such good shape
Great car, another great tour/review!
The opera lights on the C-bodies were electroluminescent, not LED.
If you squint at the ALDL, you should see an "A" and "B" molded into the plastic at the corner terminals that you ground to read codes. If I recall correctly, the ALDL wasn't always in the same orientation across the different platforms. I actually still have a "GM code key" on one of my keychains, but of course a paper clip does the same thing! I'm thinking that the flashing Service Engine light began with 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, then any trouble codes, and then 5-5, 5-5, 5-5 for end of sequence. It has been a long time since I read an OBD I car, though, and may be confusing this with contemporary Chryslers. As a teenager in the mid-80s, I used to check my parents' cars for trouble codes every time I washed them. But alas, they always drove newer cars, and I never got much practice! A car with multiple codes took patience and concentration to count the light flashes!!
Yes code key or jumper it... don't miss doing that.
I caught that on the LED lol
Adam, I had an 88 model Touring Sedan which I adored when they were new, but they were expensive ($26k, I think?). I was able to get one which was 3 years old with only 10k miles on it, and drove it till nearly 200k miles on it when the brake system failed. Super comfortable and great mpg cars! Thanks for taking me back!
I sold plenty of the touring . It had great seats . Real wood trim . Great fit and finish
ALWAYS have desired a TS!
Beautiful car.
@RareClassicCars The opera lights on the b-pillars are not LED. They are what’s called Electroluminescent panels. They use a phosphorus filament inside that when an electrical current runs through it, it emits a white glow. You can rebuild them using a new electroluminescent panel.
Brings back memories
In the early 1990s, I had a friend with this exact model car. Only difference was the color. His was grey on grey. His '86 ninety-eight regency was the first car I ever witnessed surpass 250k. I was impressed enough by his ninety-eight that I bought a 1988 model eighty-eight. It served me very well.
Although I was not a GM fan, I did like the Oldsmobiles a little better than the others. And it really hurt me a little bit when they allowed Oldsmobile to become the weakest link and be the first division eliminated in modern times. This is especially tragic given that Oldsmobile but one of the earlier if not the earliest automobile manufacturer in the USA.
I was sad they killed off Olds and then Pontiac. I saw an old man driving a really well maintained Olds Alero earlier this week and I still think they’re great looking cars. My father in law no longer drives and offered me his fairly low mile 2005 Pontiac Grand Am. Even though it’s been sitting a few years I might take it on as a project. It’s got the 3400 v6 which is a pretty well regarded engine even if it’s not as reliable as the 3800.
@@RobertSmith-le8wp Two years ago An elderly lady GAVE me a 1993 Pontiac Grand Prix 3.1 L when she stopped driving because I was the one who’d always done the work on it. My dad had replaced the crankshaft about 20 years ago because she’d run it out of oil because of a oil leak. It had about 50,000 miles on it then. It had 73,000 when she gave it to me. The 3.1 isn’t quite as robust as the 3800. But it’s still a pretty good engine. The car runs like a champ. Not that powerful, but pretty much typical for its day.
We didn’t know how good we had it back almost 40 years ago! Oh the brevity of time!
This Oldsmobile is such a beautiful car. As is the Buick version. And also offered in two door models!
I think the Oldsmobiles and Buicks were better looking than the sister Cadillacs!
Always enjoy seeing this one.
My dad had two Oldsmobile Touring Sedans, a 1988 and a 1990. He gave me the '90. It was incredibly well appointed, with every power option, a plethora of gauges, a computer, and steering wheel controls for the Bose sound system and HVAC. Best car ever and I miss it to this very day.
You, sir, have amazing knowledge of these old gems. Love your videos and your neighborhood is beautiful!!
What a beautiful example of a brand that deserved a better end!
We had this same vehicle in white with burgundy interior. It had the 150 HP engine. Had it 21 years and experienced most of the issues described. We really loved it and were saddened when we sold it with just under 130k miles. It was, however, nickel and diming us beyond an acceptable limit.
A lot of people would probably be surprised to look at a mid-late 80s Rolls Royce and find a Delco radio served as the sound system.
I knew that….and was shocked at that time when I first saw that Delco radio in there.
@@HolidayRambling and A/C compressors too....
I second that, Adams videos are the most informative and detailed I have ever come across. How do you know all this stuff Adam....? AMAZING... !!!!
Always loved the rear end on the 98. And that blue fire must color is stunning. Similar to my 1980 Cutlass Supreme. I would love to have this car now!
This is a handsome car, very nice version of down sized GM vehicles!!! 🙂👍👍
Reminds me of my dad’s 87 delta 88 Royale brougham with the door chime and the seats. The radios were good especially with the 6x9’s on the package shelf.
I rented a new 86 Electra back in the day and really liked it. Very comfortable. Unlike some others, I prefer the four rectangular headlights. The later, composite ones looked less “American” to me.
Hello Adam, like your channel - my brother back in the day had one of these cars. It was the Buick Park Avenue variant. Think his was an 88 with the -3800. Into cars myself, just purchased a 1986 Pontiac Fiero 2m6. Was a rare find at 15k original miles. Was sitting for a long time but runs great now. Put on whole new Monroe suspension, new fuel injectors which werent cheap 180 dollars times 6, plugs wires, e brake cable. Passed inspection and driving it daily.
I wanted the Buick version!
The hood opened like a Saab, forwards!
Nice car
I really didn’t care much for the styling when these came out as the previous model was quite attractive. My dad had a triple black ‘79 Olds 98 and it was a great car. Over the years this styling has grown on me and I forgot how nice the interiors were.
I attended a GM training session in Garland, TX in 1985, where I first encountered the ALDL connector. If memory serves, you short pins 11 and 12, lower right corner. There's even a notch in the plastic connector shell so you can touch both pins with a key or screwdriver, although GM gave us a nifty brass tool to put on a keyring. I still have mine, it's migrated from keyring to keyring over the intervening years, brings a smile every time I see the GM and Delco Electronics logos stamped on the tool 😊
Man these cars were built like tanks. They were so reliable. And so smooth. Very up-to-date when new.
GM finally found their stride with cars. I remember traveling to Norfolk as a 20-year-old kid, working as a navy engineering intern under government orders, and getting one of these as a rental. this was about 1989 and the 88 they gave me was just so much nicer than the Chevy celebrity My mom had at the time. so not as nice as a 98, but it was a neat car!
Had an ‘87 98 Regency Brougham. Fully loaded. Mine had the Blue LCD digital dash. Quite a modern feature for the time. Had inside and outside temperature feature on it. My car also has auto level control. But motor electronics were not sorted. Brakes way too small. But the leather front seat was so comfortable. Like sitting in your living room.
I love these cars & have had several, used to work at a GM dealership & got to buy trade ins. Only ones I wanted were the 3800 though, they last a lifetime if you look after them, only failure is the cam position sensor which was glued inside & would fall off. My 89 Park Avenue had 685 k on it & was still running well when it was sadly rear ended & wrote off.
A bland, but very attractive car. I wish they made these today. Beautiful color.
While Oldsmobile and Buick had transverse mounted V-6 engines, Cadillac had that infamous all-aluminum HT-4100 V-8 mounted transversely. It was the biggest piece of crap. The 3.8 V-6 in this car was good; the transmission was garbage. Cool fact: When the 1986+ 88 and 98 (and their Buick equivalents) were switched to front-wheel drive, the station wagon versions continued on the old "B" platform. In 1987, Pontiac switched the Bonneville to this platform and the Parisienne Safari continued on as well. GREAT VIDEO!
😊 😊 These were actually fun to drive. Thanks for sharing Adam! Great color.
Such a marvel of packaging - these were really quite roomy and comfortable cars, and styled appropriately for the times. I miss the low beltline you mentioned.
Low beltlines are underappreciated - I drove a '22 Camaro LT1 for a year, and while I didn't have the problems with visibility that many complain of, I get in my '03 ZO6 and it's as if I'm looking out over a vast, visible world. I am guessing modern safety regulations are somewhat to blame for the current styles....
Yeah, a lot of modern cars feel very claustrophobic when you're inside, and look very chunky and aggresive from the outside. I vastly prefer the old school low beltline, makes the cars feel light and airy and way more elegant imo.
Wow, that was a beautiful car. I had 86 rose, had air ride, suspension and collided. You fall asleep in the chairs if you’re not careful.💕🤗
My Dad had a same platform 1986 or 87 Buick ELECTRA T-Type, red on red, he loved it. I did too as a teen driver. It was loaded, sunroof, velour. It was like this car, but, with the T-TYPE badge, like sports trim - that is, if one can imagine. But, it was cool. However, the hood opened forward, reverse opening bonnet.
Thanks for the video, but TH-cam is now overloading channels with ads. It’s making me frequently quit videos before finishing them. It’s just not worth it.
WOW that shelf like rear bumper is really something.
I drove one of these that I was considering purchasing around 1990, I passed in favor of an 85 Sedan deVille. I knew about the 4.1 issues but I just liked the feel of the Caddy a lot more than the Olds.
In 1996, I bought a Navy blue 1985 Ninety-Eight as a second car. It had 121,000 miles on it, but I knew both previous owners very well, and the car came with a complete service history. I can't tell you how many people asked me about my "Seville!" I kept it for three years and put another 35,000 miles on it. Never had a problem with it. Great car!
I owned a 1976 Ninety Eight Regency and a late production 1985 Ninety Eight Regency Brougham. I miss them both but the 1985 was a fun car to drive.
As a mechanic back in those days, man, the mass airflow sensors I had changed. And the cam magnets.
I used to see holes in those maf sensors from people tapping on them.
Have you ever seen a car with the trip computer / calendar? It mounts where your car has the name script in the middle of the dash, to the right of the warning lights. It had a vacuum fluorescent display, and when you turned the car on it would spell out "Good Morning" or "Good Evening". Seemed very classy!
What a tidy engine bay. If I ever came across an Electra T Type, I don't think I'd be able to resist it.
The 85-87cars have the"Auto Calculator" which evolved into the trip computer on the later cars. The early 88-98s had a talking car option too.
My dad had one new and I drove it to Florida through the worst thunderstorm of my life.
The engine had pretty good power as my dad was chased by bad guys once and was able to out run them. The velour fabric was super rubbery soft, weird but yes. If you put modern speakers in the deal I stereo will sound great. And don’t forget get the cd aux adapter lol!
In 1990 (at age 18), I had a 1985 Regency Brougham 4D in the same color combo as yours. I was lucky (or not, depending on who you ask) to have the voice reminder system where the car would tell you a plethora of warnings and notifications. I believe, if memory serves me, it had the trip calculator in lieu of the Olds crest on the dash but did not have the digital dash. I thought I was the only person alive who loved the double-ding door chime. I prefer the 1985 out of the bodystyle run (85-90) because of the grill and split headlamps. I wasn't as fond of the 1986s eggcrate for whatever reason. The car was ahead of its time, in my opinion. When other high school seniors were driving around in Camaro's, Fiero's, CRX's, Probe's, Storm's... I chose to buy the Ninety-Eight. Loved and still love that body vehicle (I say that because I love the Electra and Park Avenue, too). The only thorn in the side of my car was the Turbo 440 Hydramatic transmission. It failed twice but luckily there were many C-Bodies in the salvage yard back then. Other than that, it was perfect till a drunk lady in a Chevy Astro parked her van into the trunk and rear of my car. It was totaled, of course. With the proceeds from her insurance, I bought a 1986 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham Coupe (Burgundy with red pillow top cloth seats). It had the FE3 package and wheels (I preferred the wire wheel disc on my Ninety-Eight). Had zero problems out of it. Traded it after 8 months for a low mileage 1986 Lincoln Mark VII... an amazing car in its own right! Sorry for the long winded comment but you brought out many happy memories with your video! Thanks for posting it!
Was that mark an LSC with the 5.0?
@@anthonym.cardali1875 No. It was a base Mark VII. It did have the V8 (not diesel). It was however an interesting color that I haven't seen in a Mark before or since. I think the actual color name was "Spruce Green". It was sort of an army green metallic. I appreciate it more now than I did then!
I had a '86 Electra 380 with those wire caps. They had a tendency to loosen up over time & it sounded like your whole car was falling apart coming down the street. I found a decent set of aluminum rims in a yard & quieted down the car. Hated those wire caps!
It was a base model (non LSC or Blass) but it did have the 5.0L. Great car!@@anthonym.cardali1875
@@user-ts3ez8cj4l I think that happened even early on. They loosened on all of them. I like them aesthetically. Too bad there wasn't an Oldsmobile dentist to tighten them like they do with braces! Lol!
No doubt…
The stereo in those were great!
Made here in my home town. Now the Koreans and Italians are building a $3.2 billion electric vehicle battery plant, Samsung Stellantis joint venture. Don't know how that will pan out. The Delco plant where they made all those radios and control modules is empty. Sad.
I had an 87 Cutlass ciera with this engine, which was pretty rare. First thing I did after I bought it was change out the plastic tooth cam gear.
for anyone that wants to get codes for a service engine light, this works on most gm cars from 1980 to 1994, jumper the last 2 terminals on the top row a code 13 would be one flash a delay then 3 flashes from the service light, it will repeat 3 times then move to the next code
I was at Chrysler in Detroit in '84 and clearly remember they obtained a new Olds 98 C-body well before they went on sale. This was common practice between OEMs back then and may still exist today. We all rushed down to the garage to check it out before the car was dismantled. My colleagues were very impressed with this car.
I have racked my brain on this, I have owned a 98 Regency Elite years 1991,1992, and 1995. I also have owned an 88 years 1988,1992, 1995,1999. They are basically the same car under the hood, the 88 smaller than the 98 not necessarily that much, but the steering ratio for the 98 was a lot deeper than the 88. I have had several occasions where making a u-turn on a two lane roadway where I would turn the wheel all the way and not be able to make it with the 88 without either riding the curb or stopping and backing up so I can complete the turn, as opposed to the 98 and not even turning it all the way and completing the u-turn without a hitch. If I would have turned the wheel completely until it stops, I'd be in the left lane of the road. So what about the 98 made the bigger car turn deeper without as much as effort as the 88 which most of the time failed making the u-turn?
Grew up with a LOT of these in the church parking lot in the 90s. Took me right back, I can still taste the newtons. beautiful car!
Thanks for sharing! My dad bought a new 1985 Olds 98, he always said that it was his favorite car, not without its teething problems however, engine block “deteriorated” at 20k dealer put in new block $3400 warranty part and the tranny went out on next owner in 1988. I remember driving it as a 16 year old and it was truly a smooth and enjoyable car.
I personally absolutely love these cars. ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
Very similar to my 89 Park Avenue, except for the P.A. has the back tilt hood.
Adam, an excellent combination of knowledge and presentation!
Thank you kindly!
Adam your automotive knowledge knows no bounds.If you did a 30 minute video on a Yugo I would watch it.I thoroughly enjoy all your videos,they make my day. Smart idea collecting luxury cars as opposed to muscle cars.Muscle car prices are insane .All your vehicles will appreciate as well.I know it would be a monumental task to show all of your vehicles,but it would be AWESOME!Keep up the great work and as always cheers from Eluethra.
From a mechanics point of view there is nothing wrong with gm's platform sharing ! Its actually a blessing ! Thanks generous motors ! 😊
I had 88 98 regency same color. One of the best cars I’ve ever owned to this day.
Fantastic power and incredible gas mileage (38) highway all day long
EXCELLENT!
I'm not a huge fan of the GM C body because I was born in '81 and still respected all the big cars before that and thought these were weak and lifeless when I was a little kid. I prefer G Bodys any day of the week. But after watching this video, I came to respect the little (at the time) Oldsmobiles. I remember a whole bunch of old ladies that lived in my neighborhood bought up these model Olds, different Olds models too. It's almost like all the old ladies on the street wanted to out-do each other with these types of Oldsmobile classes!
I didn't care for it back in the day, but now I can appreciate it.