In the summer of 2000 I flew from Sydney to Los Angeles and drove a brand-new (500 miles) Olds intrigue across America. I was deeply impressed by the performance, the style, the space and the comfort. I couldn't understand why anyone would buy a boring Toyota Camray when the Olds was clearly a superior choice on any level.
"Camray." :-D Okay, JD! Yeah, these were great cars, as was the first gen Aurora and the later Alero. Just when Oldsmobile was starting to create some worthy vehicles, they get axed.
GM should have kept the 3.8 in the intrigue. I owned a 97 Buick Regal with the 3.8. It was and still is one of GM's best built engines, especially in series 2 and series 3 form.
My dad bought a brand new 1999 Olds Intrigue. On the way home from the dealership, the check engine light came on. We immediately returned and they said they'd fix it. Fast forward only six years, at about 55k miles, the engine was DONE. And my father took great care of all his cars so to have an engine fail that soon was unreal. After the engine replacement ($5,500), more and more repairs were needed until my parents got rid of it in 2013. I was the only member of my family to not buy an American car and after all this, my parents also abandoned GM and went with a foreign car and they had no trouble with it.
I once had an Intrique as a rental car. After we enjoyed it, I deemed it the only Olds I'd consider buying. Really nice riding/driving/constructed car!
It's intriguing how little horsepower they managed to extract from a 3.5 24 valve V6 even for late 90's standard. Not only that, but GM made it slower than the version that it replaced. Very intriguing, indeed.
@@CynicalBastard511 GM's FWD transaxles were a bit on the weak side so it wouldn't be surprising if they detuned the engine for the sake of the transmission.
I had 2 of these cars. The 1999 with the 3.5 had 3.29 gears and was quite peppy for the time and quicker than the times reported here. I got 7.3 seconds to 60 consistently. Later on I got a base model 2002 with the same 3.5 but Olds decided to dumb down the gearing to 3.05 which blunted off the line pep a bit. That car was a tad slower at 7.8 seconds to 60 but got a little better highway mileage. Both were great reliable cars that went way past 100K with a minimum of issues. Wish they made cars like this today!
The Alero shares the same platform as the Pontiac, Grand Am, while the intrigue shares its platform with the Grand Prix and impala, albeit with a shorter wheelbase
Alero was a larger compact / smaller mid-size, while Intrigue was an upper mid-size sedan. Alero came available as a 2-door coupe and 4-door sedan, while Intrigue was sedan only. They offered different powertrains, built on different platforms. Alero had bigger taillights. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know, lol...
It's like that with most gm products of the 90s unless we're talking about the trucks or full size suvs. But you definitely still see Hondas and Toyotas from that year and decade in spades all over the place! Coincidence???? I don't think so.
I still see plenty of 3.8 and 3.1/3.4 powered GMs around here in central Indiana. Rust eventually gets the subframes and sends them to the junkyard. Tons of even early 90s Cieras/Centuries, Lesabres, etc
In the summer of 2000 I flew from Sydney to Los Angeles and drove a brand-new (500 miles) Olds intrigue across America. I was deeply impressed by the performance, the style, the space and the comfort. I couldn't understand why anyone would buy a boring Toyota Camray when the Olds was clearly a superior choice on any level.
"Camray." :-D Okay, JD! Yeah, these were great cars, as was the first gen Aurora and the later Alero. Just when Oldsmobile was starting to create some worthy vehicles, they get axed.
Back in 1998 I wanted one of these so bad. Little did I know that Olds was on its last legs by then, and would be phased out completely by 2004.
GM should have kept the 3.8 in the intrigue. I owned a 97 Buick Regal with the 3.8. It was and still is one of GM's best built engines, especially in series 2 and series 3 form.
As someone who’s first car was a 3.5 intrigue, I really wish I got an earlier one lol
Yes, they should have.
My dad bought a brand new 1999 Olds Intrigue. On the way home from the dealership, the check engine light came on. We immediately returned and they said they'd fix it. Fast forward only six years, at about 55k miles, the engine was DONE. And my father took great care of all his cars so to have an engine fail that soon was unreal. After the engine replacement ($5,500), more and more repairs were needed until my parents got rid of it in 2013.
I was the only member of my family to not buy an American car and after all this, my parents also abandoned GM and went with a foreign car and they had no trouble with it.
I once had an Intrique as a rental car. After we enjoyed it, I deemed it the only Olds I'd consider buying. Really nice riding/driving/constructed car!
I still have a 2002 GL bought it for 3.5k driven 2 years very cheap to operate now my daughter has it 2 grand kids they love it.
I like how 'Limp Mode' is deemed a marketable feature for a brand new unproven engine.
It's intriguing how little horsepower they managed to extract from a 3.5 24 valve V6 even for late 90's standard. Not only that, but GM made it slower than the version that it replaced. Very intriguing, indeed.
Reliability
@@ericdanzero1974 Yeah, right.
Had alot to do with the transmission being optimized for smoothness refinement and fuel economy.
@@gabevillarreal96 Yeah, right.
@@CynicalBastard511 GM's FWD transaxles were a bit on the weak side so it wouldn't be surprising if they detuned the engine for the sake of the transmission.
Looove 90's GM! Miss it.
I had 2 of these cars. The 1999 with the 3.5 had 3.29 gears and was quite peppy for the time and quicker than the times reported here. I got 7.3 seconds to 60 consistently. Later on I got a base model 2002 with the same 3.5 but Olds decided to dumb down the gearing to 3.05 which blunted off the line pep a bit. That car was a tad slower at 7.8 seconds to 60 but got a little better highway mileage. Both were great reliable cars that went way past 100K with a minimum of issues. Wish they made cars like this today!
3:55 all these cars are still here and the intrigue is in the garage
Had a 2001 GLS great car.
Is that a Mini Cooper prototype at the beginning there?
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Plastic fantastic GM 90's interior.
Thank you
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0:09 the right car to start oldsmobiles next 100 years, that didnt age well
Somebody please explain the difference between the Intrigue and the Alero- I have an '03 Alero and I can't tell the difference 😢
The Alero shares the same platform as the Pontiac, Grand Am, while the intrigue shares its platform with the Grand Prix and impala, albeit with a shorter wheelbase
The Alero was smaller and Cheaper. Simple lol
Alero was a larger compact / smaller mid-size, while Intrigue was an upper mid-size sedan. Alero came available as a 2-door coupe and 4-door sedan, while Intrigue was sedan only. They offered different powertrains, built on different platforms. Alero had bigger taillights. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know, lol...
Maybe you shouldn't be driving, if you can't tell the difference
@@mikeflege5733no idea what YOU are talking about
Now THAT is a heap of crap. Reminds me of my childhood.
Just don't see these anymore.
It's like that with most gm products of the 90s unless we're talking about the trucks or full size suvs. But you definitely still see Hondas and Toyotas from that year and decade in spades all over the place! Coincidence???? I don't think so.
I still see plenty of 3.8 and 3.1/3.4 powered GMs around here in central Indiana. Rust eventually gets the subframes and sends them to the junkyard. Tons of even early 90s Cieras/Centuries, Lesabres, etc
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