I'm currently driving an 89 Olds 88, and the AC needs charged, but... It's still cool. Lol. It takes a little while and it's a 35 year old system, but it gets chilly in there still.
My favorite aunt who was the best person I ever knew bought a new Delta 88 Royale Brougham in 1989. I remember going with her to look at them at one dealer. Things were starting to change with car sales by then. My aunt, used to the old way of looking at cars, test driving them and then ordering one which came in 4 to 6 weeks later was shocked that they didn't have any cars and the saleslady told her to say what she wanted and they could get it from another dealer. She was also shocked at the attitude of the dealers. Again, used to kinder people, she didn't like their crappy attitude and pressure. She ended up buying it from another dealer. Every year they had a free 'car clinic' where you could have your car looked over for problems. They always seemed to find over $1K in repairs every year from the time it was a year old. I told her they were taking her but she said she knew but better safe than sorry in case something really WAS wrong. When she died in '96, the car only had 28K miles on it and looked showroom new.
@@retroguy9494 Great insight to the American car shopping experience! The dealer I bought my used '17 Nissan Juke from was clear across the country and I had it shipped! All done in phone these days, which I like Your aunt's car was the kind Adam on here finds to buy, apparently! My used Juke was in excellent shape, luckily but the dealer here wanted $250 plus labor to change oil & a stupid aire filter! Never went back
@@sableminer8133 Only $250 at a Nissan dealer? That's a BARGAIN dude! 🤣 I had a similar experience as you. I had a 2005 GMC Yukon which I had bought new. But the fame was all rusted out and my mechanic told me it was unsafe to drive and to get rid of it. This was over a year ago when you couldn't GET cars. Well, I managed to find a new one and sit in it and it was HORRIBLE. I have severe muscle issues and it felt like I was sitting on hard piece of warped wood. Plus, there is no room as you are pinned into the cabin with the door and console against your legs. I need to move them when I drive. Long story short, my doctor told me to get a low mileage used '07 to '14 Yukon or Cadillac Escalade as he had both and said I I would be fine. Well, I was searching every day country wide on the net but things were sold before I could call. Finally I found a '14 Escalade with only 16K original miles in Nebraska! LOL I researched it and it had been a Las Vegas car bought new by an elderly lady who died and her executors sold it and it went to the auto auction in Vegas which is where the Nebraska dealer got it. They wanted $6K OVER top book value for it and he wouldn't come down at all! So I had to give it to him. I, too, had it shipped here to the east coast. In an enclosed trailer to avoid stone chips coming half way across the country! That same doctor is telling me now that friends of his are actually paying $10K OVER window sticker for new vehicles. That's how bad this inflation and price gouging have gotten!
I convinced my parents to buy one of these in the late 80's. We get a whole lot of snow in WI and with front wheel drive makes a good full-sized car. They loved it. They had it for many years and it was 1 of the only cars my mom was sad to let go of. The replaced it with a full-sized Buick front drive car a Park Avenue that they again drove forever. When the Buick Lucerne came out, they bought 1 and still have it today. This is a rave review for GM from a person like my dad that only owned Fords up till then
Grew up in a 86 Delta 88 and then my mother was given a 91' 98 touring sedan. I'd drive one of these today. in the mid 90's I was able to buy that same family Delta 88 for $1000 as a winter car. By then, it was a rust bucket. Oh and we also lived in WI!
The Lucerne is a really good car, I just got an 08 DTS and it really made me appreciate full size cars, 207in long! My grandparents up in northern WI had a white 1992 olds 98 that they had from new until the day they died that car just kept on going, unfortunately after it was sold it was still in my grandmas name and some guy in Milwaukee was racking up parking tickets.
@@TheMW2informer Yeah, my parents bought the Lucerne maybe the 1st or 2nd year it was available. Its been extremally reliable. Never needs a repair, just normal maintenance. Sorry to hear about the tickets. Hope the family got absolved from the costs and the party responsible is forced to pay
Big FWD cars are great in the midwestern winters. I used to gig in a band with a late 80s FWD Cadilac Seville Hearse from a Funeral Home in Wisconsin. That thing was a tank in the snow
I owned a 1974 olds 98 regency, man what a car. White, blk vinal top, blk interior. What a neat car especially for the drive in theaters. Great vids thanks.
I'm 74 years old and been a lifelong GM fan but I learn so much, even at my old age, from you every time I watch one of your GM vehicle videos. Keep up the amazing work. Thank you so much!!
Thank you for saving these cars and sharing with us. My family was an Oldsmobile family in the 80s when I grew up. Brings back great memories. Dad had trouble trading in the 1980 98 Regency diesel. Finally talked a dealer into trading for 1985 Firenza. Then upgraded to a 1986 Cutlass Supreme 4 door, then a 1987 Cutlass Ciera that we kept for nearly 15 years and a few 100K miles. It was an Iron Duke engine and my mother loved driving it. She actually claimed that it was the smoothest running car that she had ever had. 🤣
I've owned a bunch of cars with those 3800, series 1, 2 and 3. The supercharged versions are great, the only thing I've ever had to do to them was occasionally change a value cover gasket, that's it. You're right though, awesome engines..
@@irocitZ those as in the LG2 (Engine in video)? (Or Non N/A LG3), they are paired with a 440T4 for FWD. I have one just like this video in a 86 Toro. It stalls on the downshift from 2 to first?(or possibly on the rideout from 2nd into first when coming to a stop?). He said in another video it may be a tcc lock-up solenoid, which I hope it isn't.
@@entity49I think he said you can unplug it if you don't want to fix it, It's supposed to be fine if you do that. I have to go back and watch it again to see exactly what he said.
@@irocitZ unfortunately, though a great simple fix, it will result in the transmission overheating badly, but I also don't want to open my 440T4 and fix it so that leaves me with doing nothing and sucking it up for now..
@Pete Nebber, like sitting on the couch at home! My mom had an '85 Century. This reminds me of it. Had the quad sealed beams. It had the thin, horizontal red lines in the back for the tail lights. I also remember that old AC Delco Cassette player, it did play well. That car was a 3.0 liter v6 carbureted engine. Eventually the AC compressor went out, it started burning oil & then the catalytic converter started glowing red so she ended up just giving the car to my bro and he was talking about reworking it etc., but sold it for scrap. It was definitely going out of service by then but it was nice when we got it. It had the dark green paint scheme with a tan, vinyl top.
This beautiful blue Olds warms my heart. These cars (especially the Cadillac Deville) were a common fixture on the streets during my childhood, with a few among friends and family. Before I was a "car guy" and developed any sort of taste, these were the first cars that caught my eye. They will always hold a special place in my heart for them, in the same way a car from the 50s has an intrinsic connection to someone who grew up in the 50s and 60s. Truly a wonderful example of a fine automobile. It's almost hard to think that this design is almost 40 years old. Also have to agree with you on preferring the sealed beam front fascia. Always thought the two door models in particular had this short, sharp, purposeful look, especially with the sealed beams.
You should have been a child when I was one. Back when you had ginormous cars like the Cadillacs and Lincolns and Oldsmobiles and Buicks from the early to mid 1970's! Now THOSE were CARS! I could never get used to these tiny sawed off looking cars. They almost looked like a toy car to me. No weight to them either. My aunt had a 1989 Oldsmobile. I didn't care for it too much.
As a 21 year old I’m jealous!! I love the old Devilles, wish I was around when those cars were more common, even the lest gen DeVille is a treat to see.
This was also basically the first car to catch my eye as a kid. My aunt had a navy/navy 1986 delta 88 royale brougham and the name with the cursive “Eighty Eight” logo with the coat of arms on the dashboard, for reason I associated it with royalty, the kind of car a king or queen would be driven in 😅 it just looked so modern and formal to me, plus I loved the way it rode and always thought about that car over the years. Seen plenty of later models come up for sale but the front didn’t appeal to me, when an 86 came up for a good price I had to snatch it up.
My mom had an ‘86 Delta 88 Royale Brougham in dark blue (with matching interior)…. these are the types of cars that I grew up with (even though I am a 90s kid). Thank you so much for sharing this blast from my past!!!
@@evanthompson8925 i average 23 with my supercharged SSEi. i have owned both L36's and L67's and there isnt a HUGE difference in mileage, but the L67 is quite a bit more lively.
I remember being very impressed with these when they were first introduced, the Buick Electra in particular. Your description of this car was so filled with appreciation for its qualities that I think you would have given a salesman a good run for his money. This is a remarkably clean example that seems about as perfect as one could hope to find -- I noted how it was so quiet under speed, we can hear your hands squeaking on the steering wheel cover! Well done, sir.
I was born in 1973 and grew up with all these GM cars. As an adult I had a 88 IROC and a 91 Grand AM. One thing that has always impressed me is how great those stock Delco GM radios sounded.
@@FLINTmitten810 No, I think the Panasonic built GM radios sounded much better. They put out anywhere from 75 - 100 watts and were paired and engineered to some nice US built 6x9 speakers. The higher end Delco Tape decks of the time had AM stereo, loudness button, and the ability to play Cr02 tapes. Many even had built in EQs.
My parents had a 91 Pontiac Bonneville LE....and gave it to my brother in 1999...Dad thought about getting a SSEi version but the LE was a better value proposition in his mind. The 3800 V6 delivered great performance and excellent highway fuel economy. After 5 years of driving an Iron Duke Pontiac 6000 and I think a Rocky Mountain road trip in it cemented his feelings that "I need something with some power." And the 3800 delivered. The car was relable and very pleasant to drive. I spent some seat time in it when my parents went out of town and I kept the car for a week and used it for commuting to work.
i have had multiple bonnevilles and still have a 10th generation 2003 SSEi. i do not drive that car in the winter, they have become quite rare. i really like the bonny. we had a 87, 96, 99, and an 03. the 99 was an SSE every option except the supercharger, it was in phenomenal condition. no rust. it was a really nice car until some dummy ran a stop sign and crashed into it while my wife was driving. i really do like the 03, 3800 supercharged. i did the usual PCM tune, colder plugs, and pulley swap.
@@Flies2FLL they usually run until they rot to pieces, it's why I keep my SSEi out of the salt. I think it's a pretty nice car, but with enough salt exposure it wont be
@@andrewdonohue1853 I had a 92 Bonneville with the 3800 that would occasionally stall but had great power and got great gas mileage. Later I had a 96 Buick Park Avenue Ultra with the supercharged 3800. That thing would scream and I absolutely loved it but ended up selling it and bought a new truck. 3800s were and are a great engine
Adam, I agree with you when it comes to clean, smooth styling. So many cars are an origami mishmash of shapes. That styling really date stamps a car. The big 3 really nailed styling down back in the day. Too bad, in many cases, they didn't nail down build quality or engineering.
My mom owned a 1989 Oldsmobile 88 Royale Brougham with lower miles on it and it was truly an excellent car. It ran great, had an extremely comfortable interior, and it rode like a dream.
Nostalgia! I was a teenager in the 90s. Many of these, and their sibling Buick Electra, are still running. I had a friend whose parents owned this gen 98, from my memory it was a copper color, with low milage and rust free paint. Very smooth ride. And it was as roomy inside as the bigger B-Body rear drive Olds station wagon from another friend. This car brings back old memories. Thank you for sharing.
Same here. I had a friend in high school who was driving his dad's old Ninety Eight, probably an 87 or 88 in boring beige, but man what a smooth ride, and Adam's right: the interior is so roomy. It seems like a mid-sized car outside, but inside it's clearly full sized. The car had like 200k on it and just about everything was still working on it. I really came to respect this era of GM cars. I'd love to have a 91-93 Sedan Deville as I regard that as sort of the ultimate incarnation of that platform (and to my mind at least, the sharpest looking.)
@@johnfloore9799 The one I rode in had less than 50k on the odometer. And it looked like it was garage kept. I heard these cars are very reliable, especially among later years of production. 200k and still running fine is not uncommon. These had slightly smaller hip room compared with older rear drive cars, but they are right up there with the giant GM cars of the 70's when it comes to head room and leg room.
Thanks Adam, for this trip down memory lane! I bought a brand new Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency Brougham in 1985 that was such a great car. If I remember correctly, I believe the color was called Champaign Glamour Metallic, and it had a beige velour interior...That was such a comfortable car! I took it on vacation to SoCal and it was like riding down the interstate in your living room. That car had all the bells and whistles, including the trip computer in the upper right hand corner of the instrument panel. Funny thing about that was I never did learn how to use it but it sure looked nice, especially at night with all those buttons lit up!🤣😂I only remember two things that I had to have fixed on that car while I had it. The radio antenna motor quit and the carriage lamp on the pillar behind the driver's door went out. I eventually traded it in on a Toronado, but that Ninety Eight was certainly a sweet ride! I really do enjoy your videos of these 80's cars because I think that decade was a very interesting time in the automotive world. I am really looking forward to hearing your interview with the designer because I felt these cars were so advanced compared to all of their competition at that time. Take care.
“Riding down the interstate in your living room” lol yes I agree, but did you happen to catch, I think it was the “car and driver” review that characterises it as “sitting on a sofa in the back of an empty moving van, going over bumps” 😂 I thought it was rather apt, they don’t like being hustled and rushed
Thanks for sharing this car, Adam. My first car that I purchased from my parents was a 1987 Olds Touring Sedan...dark garnet red with a matching interior and this same engine. The car could handle any type of weather and design-wise it remains so relevant today.
Man, you just reminded me of all the things my mother experienced in her brand new '86 Delta 88 Royal with the V6 and the transmission that I don't think I would have remembered otherwise. The throttle was too sensitive, and the car would lurch off the line, and the car would buck forward abruptly because of it. She also experienced the car stalling while driving in normal traffic, mostly when she came to a stop. The one thing that was very distinctive for the pre-3800 V6, was their exhaust noise. They had very throaty, and quite loud exhaust noise, that you knew exactly if one were passing by on the street. She hated that car because of these issues, and happily traded it for an '89 Sedan DeVille one day.
Oh man those '89 Sedan DeVille's and Fleetwoods were AWESOME! They still are if you can actually find one in good shape and with low miles. The problem with those were, just like the '77 to '79 DeVilles and Fleetwood, they were so good people ran them into the ground.
@@3713msg I wouldn't go THAT far dude. My aunt had a 1989 Delta 88 Royale Brougham which really didn't give her any problems. It was still going strong when she died in '96 and then my cousin drove it for a few years after. I think the demise of the GM auto market were those GT4100 engines they put in the Cadillacs in the 80's. I just happen to HAVE one! LOL
@@retroguy9494 i have a 1991 sedan deville that has the best engine they used in the fwd cadillacs, the 4.9 L V8. this car had 107k miles when i bought it in 2017 and today it has 113k miles on it. still runs well and handles great. it needs a few very minor things but i have put a ton of money into it fixing the common things i know about them.
My grandma had a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and it looked a lot like this in the front. My mom had a 1992 98 Regency, you don't see many of those Cutlass Ciera's or oldsmobile in general running around anymore.
After watching this video there is so much I could say, I could practically write an essay. My first car was a 1990 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency Brougham(last year of this body) full gauge package with the awesome and ahead of it's time Driver Information System that included fuel economy readouts, tach, coolant readout and a bunch of other neat features that some newer cars don't even have. Of course it has the pre series 1 LN3 3800. I bought it off an old lady that was a friend of the family for $750. She was done driving and the car had an issue with killing batteries, as she only drove the car once or twice a month to go to the grocery store. Turned out that was caused by the load leveling suspension (to this day the smoothest riding car I've ever been in with the stock set up). One of the air shocks had a leak which caused the pump to run often when it was sitting. At first I just unplugged the air compressor but soon after one of the shocks bottomed out so it was time to look into replacing them. I looked online and here locally and just the basics (air shocks, new air lines, mounts etc were $2500 back in 2009). So I had a buddy of mine that was a tire and suspension guy modify the car with standard rear shocks/struts off of an Eighty Eight. That wound up being somewhat complex in itself as he had to fabricate and weld on mounts as this car didn't have anything resembling them due to it being equipped with the air set up. Other than that it was just little nitpicky things that went wrong, like the auto-down feature on the trunk took a shit and would not allow me to latch the trunk so I modified the old latch to work like a standard one. Wound up needing an ac compressor (the one I replaced was the original one, and he is right about being insanely cold) once I put a new compressor on it and changed it over to modern refrigerant it was never as cold unfortunately. Crank position sensor/harmonic balancer combo took a shit on me as well and that was a somewhat pricey job. What finally led to me getting rid of the car was a faulty coolant temp sensor. The car ran perfect but once it got up to temp it would just die randomly, and after an hour of sitting it would fire right back up. The mechanic I used at the time threw a computer at it and a bunch of other various parts but eventually gave in and said he couldn't fix it. By this time I was desperate for a reliable vehicle and was convinced that it wasn't fixable, so I literally gave the car away for free. The guy I gave it to called me 2 weeks later and explained that the coolant sensor was bad, making the car think it was overheating and would shut it down to prevent engine damage. A $40 sensor later and he drove the car for awhile before selling it for $3k. The last time I saw it was a couple years ago, in a bad part of town being driven by what looked to be a drug addict and the car was filthy and had more dents and scratches on it than it ever had when I owned it but it was still running. I have regrets about ever getting rid of it, a way better all around vehicle than my current 15 Sonata. Loved the video and I'm glad you're keeping the memory of these great cars alive.
There is just no way sir, no way I can accept your logic that this GM turdmobile was a superior vehicle to that 15 Sonata you currently have. And I recognize that Korean cars are recycled junk as well. Your entire story sums up the experience with these turdmobiles. The horrendous electronics, the lackluster build quality. Nothing about them was special. That's why GM continued to make the full size Caprice, Fleetwoods, and RWD Cutlass because those were the only products keeping the brand alive, and offsetting the giant, gaping, bleeding, wound that these cars were under warranty. They almost sunk the brand. Well in essence, it did kill these brands. Pontiac, Olds, and even Buick never recovered from the FWD turd era. The only reason Buick still exists today, is sadly because of China. They are brainwashed just as much as we were back then. However, Buick has lost a lot of ground over there to other companies like BMW and Lexus. Who have made a tremendous push over there.
Hi Adam: I worked for GM during these years and this car brings back many memories. I've driven dozens of them. I was always impressed with the jumpy, spry acceleration they offered and the smooth ride quality as well. I would have to move all the new cars when they came off of the truck. It was a great time at GM to see them moving in a positive direction, and then the SUV craze hit and there went everything! So much for downsizing.
The ‘C’ and ‘H’ cars are great designs and overall were sales successes for GM. I didn’t realize the low belt line (being lower then the fenders or quarters) was the reason for the “openness” and “airy” feeling of spaciousness in those cars. I always lean so much from you and I thought I knew a lot about these GM cars as I’m a big lifelong GM fan. Once again, fantastic job Adam!
My favorite car EVER was my Dad's '90 Touring Sedan, which my parents gave me for Christmas in '93. White, blue perforated leather, full gauges, Bose sound, power yer ma and pa. The dash (and the steering wheel controls!) lit up like a Buck Rogers Christmas tree. Incredible car! It ate alternators for breakfast, but I got an Auto Zone lifetime warranty on my first replacement and could switch them out in minutes. Her name was Grace, and I mourn her absence to this day. Thanks for the memories!
I just lost my 1995 Ninety Eight to a massive engine failure. I live on a small fixed income, so spending $5,000 or more to replace the engine is out of the question. But I love that car, and am devastated to let it go. Thank you for reviewing this lovely Ninety Eight.
@@stephendavidbailey2743 When a 3800 runs and isn't heavily sludged it's got years of life left. I agree that it's not easy to find motors that old - not because they don't last that long, but the owners of cheap cars tend to neglect basic maintenance . A wrecked car in otherwise clean condition is the best bet. Unfortunately most send these cars straight to the salvage yard without listing them for sale. I see them frequently in the junk yards . If you were a DiY person you could probably get a motor for $250. I see many nice looking junked cars that look like they were parked under grandpa's carport and wouldn't start after sitting so the family junked them.
@@timothykeith1367 My engine hydrolocked and bent at least one connecting rod, which means damaged bearings. I was very conscientious about maintenance. Just bad luck. I did thoroughly enjoy the car for eight years. Except for minor items, I am not DIY. I was on my Corvair, but that is a much simpler car.
Beautiful 98. In an uncommon color. I’ve owned a couple of 86/87 Delta88’s, my grandparents had an 86 98 Regency Brougham. Three very distinctive characteristics of these cars with the 3.8 is the exhaust note out the tailpipe, the hushed throatiness of that engine under acceleration, and the quiet “chunk” sound of the doors closing. Loved seeing your 98, Adam.
Great looking example. The 1988 and up are really refined. My first real job was at a Buick dealership in 1988 and really liked the 98's and Electra/Park Ave.
Those tufted velour seats take me back about 10 years ago....1991 Chrysler 5th avenue...gold over gold! Great cruiser got 27 MPGs from Reno to Glenwood CO packed so tight ! 4 of us on board and no space left in the trunk! Air shocks kept us flying right and level!
The styling on these 98s was really top notch. They also had beautiful interiors. The 1985 -90 has the same interior space as the much larger 1984. My 1990 DOES have standard airbags.
My impression was that they had a little less legroom than '84 in the rear, but a lot more in the front, especially on the passenger's side. They also had a bit less shoulder room, but with no transmission hump or differential bulge under the rear seat, they were still more comfortable when carrying 5 or 6 passengers. The trunk was also smaller than that of the '84, but with the spare tire underneath the floor, the space was more useful. If you wanted a lot of space on a small footprint, these cars, along with the enlarged versions of Chrysler's K cars were about the best Detroit ever offered.
I disagree. They looked like a shrunken late 70s olds with wrong proportions. Compared to 80s cars from europe, japan, and FORD it looks like an antique. That goes for the entite gm lineup from 85-1990. Hence why the company lost 20% of the us market in that decade almost went banktupt in 91.
@@Henry_Jones Yeah, the early Seventies we're the last of any sort of quality or performance ( ditto styling). As a car buff I get tickled when younger folks think these are good styling! WTF
I'll admit the seats were nice. But I didn't like the dash. But I HATED the outside. It looked like a sawed off car. Like a miniature car you see the Shriners driving in parades. My aunt had a 1989 Delta 88 which is kind of the same car, only less options really. But her husband had a 1984 Regency 98. Now THAT was a car! It was beautiful. And SO comfy. A co-worker of my father's also had one only a coupe. Plus the Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac all looked alike starting in '85. I still remember that funny Lincoln commercial where all the wealthy guys can't find their respective cars because they all look the same then a man and his wife come out and he says with his nose in the air 'the Lincoln Town Car please!'
Now you have me missing my 1999 LeSabre (w/ Gran Touring option) all over again. I let go of it at 109k because of transmission problems. I got far more attached to that car than I had intended. Another great episode, Adam.
I remember when the Queen Mother visited Toronto back in '86, I passed her riding in the back of a dark blue Olds 98 Regency like this, no tinted windows, just out there in traffic.
My parents had an 86 Delta 88 Royale. I remember that car having the "morning sickness" rack issues. Besides that it was pretty reliable and robust for the period. Served the family for a number of years. Great video Adam!
In 1985 I bought my first new car...a VW Golf Wolfsburg in creamy white and black interior. I adored that car, solid, reliable, 5 speed with believe it or not a/c. Yeah when you turned that a/c on it was like an elephant climbed in the back seat. I drove it from NJ to NM, trunk and back seat loaded to the roof, at least 5 times with never an issue. GM cars weren't even on my radar at the time. Your videos make me appreciate those American cars of that era much more and the formidable challenges the US auto industry faced at the time.
These, along with the 88, were my dad’s company salesman’s cars in the 80’s. We sometimes had a small fleet in our driveway. I took my drivers test in this exact same car. So many great memories associated with this car. Fantastic! On a side note you can fit a couple of teenagers in the trunk to sneak them into a drive-In movie!!!
The Olds and Buick Park Avenues were just great. I loved the 86 and up Park Avenue with that front hinged hood and that great Buick 3.8 V6 which to me is FAR better than the Cadillac HR4100. They are still out there to be found!
My in-laws had a series of these, and I still really like them. They're spacious and comfortable. Far better interior packaging than the Panther chassis cars my dad was fond of.
I agree. I own a 2004 Panther chassis sedan. I enjoy the robust / reliability of the panther. But it falls short in many ways. Unless you use it as intended. A workhorse. Solid rear axle. Tow a small / medium sized trailer. With a Harley on it. Crisp air conditioning. Electrics are not reliable. I feel the Olds Adam has is a better vehicle for general use.
@@onlyhereonce7290 the fact that the Panthers far outlived this GM platform shows how good it is and a better car. From taxis with 300,000 miles on them, to air ride Town Cars, to police cruisers jumping curbs an running at high speed, the panthers were very versatile. And their reliability and durability was equal to Toyota or Honda. Maybe better since they didn’t make anything that could take the abuse of a Panther.
My father’s 1985 Oldsmobile 98 had the 3.8 V6 engine. He never had any problems with it, it also appeared to run smoothly and the transmission shifted smoothly and efficiently.
Great video! Thanks for making take a walk down memory lane. Definitely reminds me of my youth as well. I grew up on the Oldsmobile brand. Our family had 6 people and we needed our big cars to get us around. We had a 1970 Cutlass from new till 2004 when we drove it to the junk yard. We had a 77 Delta 88 which was given to my sister in 1989. It ran till I believe 1992. Mom bought the new 85 Delta 88 Brougham, and let me tell you that it was the most luxurious car we've ever owned. I learned to drive in that car back in 1990. In 2005, my mom's 85 Delta was totaled in Pittsburgh Traffic (was 20 years old with less than 100k miles). I bought her a 91 Olds Regency for $1500 on ebay. That was the last car she drove, up until around 10 years ago before letting my older sister take on the chore of driving. My first olds was an 81 Cutlass Supreme, with a 350. It was originally a diesel but the previous owner made the swap. They knew nothing about setting the timing or adjusting the carb, it ran terrible. But my buddy and I got it running really good. It was only $400 :) When I turned 21, I purchased an 89 Cutlass Supreme, and then traded up to a used 91 Cutlass Supreme a year later. Had that car for over 5 1/2 years. I got a pickup truck then a Firebird after that but needed a beater. My final Old a 1996 Delta 88, 4 door silver mini-land yacht. It was almost as nice as mom's 85 Delta 88. I drove it for 2 years and traded it in on a 93 Chevy truck which I kept for the next 12 year. Now, If I can keep myself from getting one off of Facebook Marketplace LOL. Cheers!
Thanks for bringing back great memories! I was a high school co-op student at Buick Motor Division in 1983/4 when these vehicles were developed/launched - my very first job!!! These cars were so comfortable and cutting-edge for their time! I always thought they were great cars. I am historically a Buick man, but I preferred the "sporty" (for its era) 98 Olds dash to the Park Avenue Buick.
Thank you for that nice walk down memory lane. Felt like I was riding in my grandparent’s car again. They must have had a brougham because the seats looked like that picture thumbnail you showed. Thanks again for the review, it was a nice flashback.
It's amzing since i found your channel how you've covered my first car ( '71 Olds 98) and now you're covering my Bff's mom car and then the '68 Olds Delta my gramps had. So many families had these cars they were practically as analogous as Holiday Inns along any interstate with those neon blinking stars! Funny, yoo That your FIRST car was an '86 Olds Delta 2 door? Mind blown as i wanted one, too, at the time. I thought it was cool they had amber lenses in the tail! Remembered all my friends said i was an old man in my early twenties! Great minds we share ( with great taste)! Viva Oldsmobile!!!
The Buick version was my favorite. It took a year for the Oldsmobile and Cadillac versions to grow on me. Very cool car. I was coming out of high school when those arrived. Keep em coming!
I always admire your technical & historical knowledge, your focus on everyday cars instead of some muscle/exotic. Very glad to see you expanding into the 80s. My dad’s boss briefly had the previous Olds 98 - he and his wife got a new car every year or two, usually a GM product. That was a massive tank! I was a senior in high school when this new C-body debuted. I remember driving down to our nearby Oldsmobile dealership to see the nifty rear license plate slot. It was still a big car, but it looked so much more modern than the previous generation. Except for the door handles. Later I would own two used 1986 and one 1987 car: Saab 900 (S 4-door & Turbo 3-door) and Volvo 740 Turbo sedan, respectively. These vehicles had qualities in the same era that the C-body and other domestics didn’t: taillights with each function having its own separate section - no turn signal overriding a brake light and brake section dark even when lights are on until the brake is pressed, as examples. More visible amber turn signals; front & rear head restraints that were actually the shape of a human skull - and in a position so you could have your head against them and still be looking forward; 3-point seatbelts front and rear (except rear center) front bucket seats with a console because 1) no front bench had a 3-point seat belt and 2) the console provided storage and gave the option of a manual transmission; higher output per unit of measure; a design that isn’t quickly replaced by a refresh; sunroofs. My Volvo and Saabs did have less total interior volume than the 98, but neither were cramped. The Volvo’s trunk was larger than the 98’s. The Saab 900 hatchback had a massive cargo area with the rear seat folded down.
These GM cars were incredibly popular in Europe too. Especially in areas with an official GM Dealership. And the owners seemed to usually keep them for a long time. Many Olds in gold color. Later years it seemed like it was mostly Pontiacs and quite a few Cadillacs too. At night on the Autobahn it was easy to spot them from far away for their taillights were usually much brighter and of a distinctive shape.
Great overview Adam. I rented two 1986 Buick Electra Park Avenues when they were new cars. I enjoyed them. Good power, good lateral handling and a nice ride. I seem to recall the hood of the Buicks pulled forward and then titled up ala 1958 Edsel? The vertical roof looked to be inspired also by the Volvo 740 series. This is what I thought back in the day. Cheers Mark
My grandfather bought the '85 Park Avenue with the 3.8L. Luckily, he never experienced the misfiring-shaking engine problem that so many others had. It was not a looker, but it was luxurious and expansive inside.
Absolutely right. My mother had a 1986 Delta 88 Royal Brougham. Beautiful red velour interior and every option you could get in it. It had the factory cream paint on it and the 80 or 100 spoke hub caps. Rear fender skirts, removable. Had the first series 3.8 v6 and was surprisingly quick. Just an absolutely beautiful car with an exceptional ride quality. Mama kept that car spotless. Great memories.
My mother had a touring sedan version. Thanks for making a video of this one! Takes me back to the vacations we took back in the early 90s. Pure nostalgia for me. Video was much appreciated!
My Dad had a burgundy '86 Delta 88 during the early '90s when I was a kid. Comfortable and reliable car. I still can smell the red interior dye. Awesome find!
Hi Adam! Wow so exciting to see this video as I just mentioned in an earlier video how much I love these and want a 1990 Buick Park Avenue so bad I can taste it!! Love these C-Bodies so much! When I was a boy at the time these were popular I remember begging my grandma to buy one but she chose a much smaller Skylark instead 😩 BUT now I wanna get one of my own! I agree with you they are fantastic and comfortable vehicles… thanks for posting this video and if you have a Park Avenue please show us!!! ❤️❤️👍🏼👍🏼 thanks Bud! Jeff
I really like your videos. I enjoy your knowledge-base and the way that you appreciate cars that are not normally considered "collectables" and their characteristics that are not normally considered. It was exciting in the '80s to see the "big 3" (GM in particular) struggling to deal with CAFE standards, emission controls, and foreign competition. In 1982 my Dad bought a 1980 2-door Buick Skylark. It had the 2.8L V6 and vinyl seats. He was impressed that it was a demonstrator! Both him and Mom loved that car for the 9 years they had it. The only mods were a $5 digital clock that Dad stuck on the dash, and the previous owner had deleted the catalytic converter. To be fair, it was pretty great - it was roomy and comfortable - even in the back seat, it ran well, the engine and transmission seemed well-matched, was very reliable, was great in snow compared to rear-wheel drive cars, and had good fuel efficiency. The only weird thing was that for several years it made this weird metallic clanking noise on shut down. After it was replaced by a 1991 Buick Regal (gross) it became an extra car that we (the kids), used. One day, it wouldn't start. If you turned the key, the engine wouldn't even turn over. So, instead of scrapping it, I bought it for $100, and pulled the starter - thinking/hoping that that was the only problem. When I lowered it down, there was this short little bolt sitting in the "nose" of the starter preventing the gear from engaging the flywheel. I figured out that it was one of the bolts holding the flywheel to the torque converter and discovered that one more was missing and the third of three was ready to fall out as well. After replacing and tightening all 3, the clanking stopped and I drove it for another 2 years! Finally, my 24 year-old self had punished it enough and I sold it at auction and used the money to buy 2 really big, durable duffle bags that I still have today. I still wish I had that car now!
Love that Lincoln Continental coupe in the garage. I had a 73 in the past, split pea green metallic with dark green top and leather interior. Nothing felt smoother and powerful than that 460 under the hood. That car drove like silk on the highway. My son brought home an 85 olds regency brougham a decade ago. Rebuilt it better than new, it was light blue with the navy crushed velour interior like you showed in your video. He painted it Cadillac pearl white, it really came out looking great. He also had a mint egg rate grille and steering wheel, but they’re both long gone.
Thank you Adam. I really enjoyed the video. I smiled while watching. I look forward to the interview with the designer. I liked the information you pointed out as well. I still prefer my 1996 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight I drive daily. I have a better view point about this era Ninety-Eight as I was not a fan of three things on this car: the length, the exterior door handles, and the trunk space. I had heard the same thing about Oldsmobile using Cadillac styling cues before on several of their models. The 1975-1976 Oldsmobile Toronado is one example. Thank you so much Adam. My favorite Ninety-Eights were: 1963,1965-1966,1968,1970,1975,1980-1984,and 1991-1996. You know Regency came after this for two years in 1997-1998.
I had a 1990 Olds 88 with FE3 Suspension. I bought it used about 7 years old and by the time they got to 1990, the problems were well sorted and it was a good car. Reliable, comfortable and the 3800 engine was fully up to the task.
My dad had the Buick version - 1986 Park Avenue that I learned to drive on. The timing chain skipped while pulling the fishing boat from the boat launch. Lucky the next guy had a tow strap. Thanks for the vid. Takes me back
My Dad had a 440 trans in his 89 LaSabre. He had almost 220K on the original when he totaled the car in a wreck. Trick is to change the fluid every 20K and keep your foot out of it when that cable shifted junker changes gears. Nice car Adam.
My cousin bought one of these new, and I always admired it. It was a tight, well-sized package. It drove well (3800 V6, EFI), enjoyed great mileage, and the interior was a great place to be. I was driving Maximas at the time. Today, I would buy the 98 before the same era Maxima.
Excellent video. So many of us grew up with these cars and have so many great memories. I imagine a lot of us had these as our first cars, either buying it from a little old lady or a pass me down from the parents. I had an 87’ LeSabre Coupe as my first car with the T suspension package, limited interior and digital gauges. I loved that car and had it all through college and a. It thereafter until it was stolen. All the things you described about these cars/engines is so spot on. I recently bought an 89’ LeSabre T-Type with the 3800 engine. I love driving it and it gets a lot of looks and compliments.
I recall renting some of these in 1990, and as an Euro-snob in USA, at first sight I found them old and ugly. After using them for a couple weeks, they grew on you. The comfort, roominess and economy was something I was not expecting, and really enjoyed. Thanks for creating this content
Beautiful Regency! My dad always said that his 1988 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham was the best car he ever owned, and he had quite a few Oldsmobiles.
What a great video! I had a 1985 Ninety Eight Regency that I bought in 1996, with 120,000 miles on it. But I knew both previous owners very well. The first was a neighbor of mine since the 1960s and the second was a service writer for the Olds dealer in town. Beautiful car! I agree with you that the AC was excellent, but not the heater. The car virtually ATE thermostats! I had it for three years, and sold it to the daughter of a friend for $750. I was honest that it had a small, strange engine noise that sounded ominous. The engine died at 200,000 miles, when the camshaft snapped. She and her dad found another engine, and five years later, it was still going. Great car!
I bought an ‘86 Regency Brougham off of a used car lot back in 1995. It had been a one-owner car, driven by an elderly gentleman who took exceptional care of it. I simply cannot say enough about how wonderful that car was. For me at age 21, that beautiful dual-tone seat belt chime served as a symbol that I had *arrived*. As you pointed out, the belt line on these C-bodies was perfectly placed in terms of both aesthetics and ergonomics. Being only 5’-6” I was able to drive it down the freeway with my left arm resting on the driver’s window ceil. It was so absolutely lovely to drive! When I had it checked out the day I bought it, the shop told me it was apparent that the original transmission had been replaced (with a Serta transmission I think they said?) and that the replacement would be very reliable, and it *was*. At no time during my ownership of this car did it ever give me so much as a whimper of trouble. I took it on ski trips to the mountain, and took it on many freeway trips to wherever, and the car was just an exceptional freeway cruiser. Even in the city, the car had so much torque that you only had to barely touch the accelerator to get it to move - AND MOVE IT DID! The longest road trip I took it on was from Eugene, Oregon to San Diego, CA and back, and I’m telling you the car sailed through the Siskou mountains like they were completely flat. 110 degree outside temps going through Stockton did not stop the A/C from keeping the cabin at a temperate 72 degrees. As for the ride quality, I remember it being BUTTERY-smooth both in the city as well as on the freeway. Then in 2000, I bought a 1988 Buick Park Ave, and that car was just as equally wonderful and reliable as the Regency Brougham, except it had leather. The only C-body luxury I’ve never owned is the ‘87/88’ Cadillac Sedan de Ville. I rode in one when it was brand new, and I thought it rode much heavier than the Regency and Park Ave. I absolutely love this generation of Regency/Park Ave/Sedan de Ville. They were so much smaller than their predecessors, yet they delivered exactly the big car ride we expected back then. They seemed so advanced and contemporary for their time - so much so that I think they were a complete game changer for GM in those days.
These cars were junk, but the transmissions never really were. It's a highly misunderstood, and overstated problem. GM DOES make great FWD units. At least they did in this era. The torque converter clutch at the time was not as durable as the ones we make today. It was considered a wear item, and by the time they eclipse 100k miles, the wet disc inside the torque converter has reached it's service life. It's wise to drop the unit, and swap in a new TC, and your unit will stay trouble free. When the TC starts to ends its life, it produced a lot of debris that contaminated the system and resulted in a lot of drivability problems as well as premature wear. In the late 90's a company called sonnax introduced new and improved internals for the torque converter clutch, and it really extends the life of the unit. The rebuilt TC's can get you well over 150k miles of service life, and a meticulous owner could squeeze even more with frequent fluid and filter services.
Awesome video! My parents had so many of these when I was growing up. LeSabre's, PA's, 98 Regency's, just wonderful cars and a great trip down memory lane. Love the detail and effort you put into this walk around. Very enjoyable.
You were able to describe all the reasons that I too feel this is an amazingly comfortable car - I never could put to words the reasons the downsized 85-90 FWD 98's felt so "right" to me but you did a great job of doing so in this video. We look to be about the same size, physically, so i guess it figures this would be the case, but the roominess and great greenhouse view are just the start. The tactile feel of the velours, the smooth, cool propionate steering wheel, the muted clicks, whirrs and snicks of the various automatic functions, These are what I sign up for in buying an Oldsmobile 98. Great video, fabulous car. Thanks for the video. (P.S. I have an 88 Custom Cruiser wagon - Also I have an amazing photo of an '86 Ninety Eight Regency's steering wheel in blue, like yours. I'm happy to share if you want it for your collection.)
I had an '89 88 in battleship gray in the mid to late '90s, and always said "the drab gray Olds ain't what she used to be," but actually loved the car. It cruise all day at 80 mph and get 35 to 37 mpg in total comfort.
These are still one of the models I compare any new car to. Most come up short. Absolutely beloved model, that Every driver in our family would “take one again in a heartbeat today”.
I am in full agreement on all your points with this cash. I have owned my 1987 Olds 98 Regency Brougham since new, triple burgundy and beautiful with 186,000 miles on the clock. Almost as new with the exception of the rear bumper filler panels (missing). I love her and drive her on weekends. A perfect car in all respects
GM cars with AC would literally "freeze you out". No other make ever came close. Love your channel.
I'm currently driving an 89 Olds 88, and the AC needs charged, but... It's still cool. Lol. It takes a little while and it's a 35 year old system, but it gets chilly in there still.
I graduated high school in 1989 and got a job selling Oldsmobiles..I know these cars very well. I miss those days. They still had character.
They were a good seller for GM I bet next to the Chevrolet Caprice Classics .
Not sure about character by then, lack of quality comes to mind though! As my sister's mechanic bf would say, "JUNK
My favorite aunt who was the best person I ever knew bought a new Delta 88 Royale Brougham in 1989. I remember going with her to look at them at one dealer. Things were starting to change with car sales by then. My aunt, used to the old way of looking at cars, test driving them and then ordering one which came in 4 to 6 weeks later was shocked that they didn't have any cars and the saleslady told her to say what she wanted and they could get it from another dealer. She was also shocked at the attitude of the dealers. Again, used to kinder people, she didn't like their crappy attitude and pressure. She ended up buying it from another dealer.
Every year they had a free 'car clinic' where you could have your car looked over for problems. They always seemed to find over $1K in repairs every year from the time it was a year old. I told her they were taking her but she said she knew but better safe than sorry in case something really WAS wrong. When she died in '96, the car only had 28K miles on it and looked showroom new.
@@retroguy9494 Great insight to the American car shopping experience! The dealer I bought my used '17 Nissan Juke from was clear across the country and I had it shipped! All done in phone these days, which I like
Your aunt's car was the kind Adam on here finds to buy, apparently! My used Juke was in excellent shape, luckily but the dealer here wanted $250 plus labor to change oil & a stupid aire filter! Never went back
@@sableminer8133 Only $250 at a Nissan dealer? That's a BARGAIN dude! 🤣
I had a similar experience as you. I had a 2005 GMC Yukon which I had bought new. But the fame was all rusted out and my mechanic told me it was unsafe to drive and to get rid of it. This was over a year ago when you couldn't GET cars. Well, I managed to find a new one and sit in it and it was HORRIBLE. I have severe muscle issues and it felt like I was sitting on hard piece of warped wood. Plus, there is no room as you are pinned into the cabin with the door and console against your legs. I need to move them when I drive.
Long story short, my doctor told me to get a low mileage used '07 to '14 Yukon or Cadillac Escalade as he had both and said I I would be fine. Well, I was searching every day country wide on the net but things were sold before I could call. Finally I found a '14 Escalade with only 16K original miles in Nebraska! LOL I researched it and it had been a Las Vegas car bought new by an elderly lady who died and her executors sold it and it went to the auto auction in Vegas which is where the Nebraska dealer got it. They wanted $6K OVER top book value for it and he wouldn't come down at all! So I had to give it to him. I, too, had it shipped here to the east coast. In an enclosed trailer to avoid stone chips coming half way across the country! That same doctor is telling me now that friends of his are actually paying $10K OVER window sticker for new vehicles. That's how bad this inflation and price gouging have gotten!
I convinced my parents to buy one of these in the late 80's. We get a whole lot of snow in WI and with front wheel drive makes a good full-sized car. They loved it. They had it for many years and it was 1 of the only cars my mom was sad to let go of. The replaced it with a full-sized Buick front drive car a Park Avenue that they again drove forever. When the Buick Lucerne came out, they bought 1 and still have it today. This is a rave review for GM from a person like my dad that only owned Fords up till then
Grew up in a 86 Delta 88 and then my mother was given a 91' 98 touring sedan. I'd drive one of these today. in the mid 90's I was able to buy that same family Delta 88 for $1000 as a winter car. By then, it was a rust bucket.
Oh and we also lived in WI!
The Lucerne is a really good car, I just got an 08 DTS and it really made me appreciate full size cars, 207in long! My grandparents up in northern WI had a white 1992 olds 98 that they had from new until the day they died that car just kept on going, unfortunately after it was sold it was still in my grandmas name and some guy in Milwaukee was racking up parking tickets.
@@TheMW2informer Yeah, my parents bought the Lucerne maybe the 1st or 2nd year it was available. Its been extremally reliable. Never needs a repair, just normal maintenance. Sorry to hear about the tickets. Hope the family got absolved from the costs and the party responsible is forced to pay
@@TheMW2informer Oh yeah! The DTS and Lucerne are platform mates. Decent cars.
Big FWD cars are great in the midwestern winters. I used to gig in a band with a late 80s FWD Cadilac Seville Hearse from a Funeral Home in Wisconsin. That thing was a tank in the snow
I owned a 1974 olds 98 regency, man what a car. White, blk vinal top, blk interior. What a neat car especially for the drive in theaters. Great vids thanks.
I'm 74 years old and been a lifelong GM fan but I learn so much, even at my old age, from you every time I watch one of your GM vehicle videos. Keep up the amazing work. Thank you so much!!
I can only imagine how cool this video would be if Toyota, Honda and Nissan didn’t exist.
@@fettaboyproductions6022
"OUCH".........😬😖😑🤫😎
CHEERS YA'LL
thata cool gret cr adam i lke these older cars and the older 90 versions as well hey ed 8 whats ur fravorite gm car mine is the 70 chevelle ss
@@fettaboyproductions6022 eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee😢eeeeeeeee
Thank you for saving these cars and sharing with us. My family was an Oldsmobile family in the 80s when I grew up. Brings back great memories. Dad had trouble trading in the 1980 98 Regency diesel. Finally talked a dealer into trading for 1985 Firenza. Then upgraded to a 1986 Cutlass Supreme 4 door, then a 1987 Cutlass Ciera that we kept for nearly 15 years and a few 100K miles. It was an Iron Duke engine and my mother loved driving it. She actually claimed that it was the smoothest running car that she had ever had. 🤣
My first car was an 86 delta 88. It was a phenomenal car. That 3800 was a truly bulletproof engine.
I've owned a bunch of cars with those 3800, series 1, 2 and 3. The supercharged versions are great, the only thing I've ever had to do to them was occasionally change a value cover gasket, that's it. You're right though, awesome engines..
@@irocitZ those as in the LG2 (Engine in video)? (Or Non N/A LG3), they are paired with a 440T4 for FWD. I have one just like this video in a 86 Toro. It stalls on the downshift from 2 to first?(or possibly on the rideout from 2nd into first when coming to a stop?). He said in another video it may be a tcc lock-up solenoid, which I hope it isn't.
@@entity49I think he said you can unplug it if you don't want to fix it, It's supposed to be fine if you do that. I have to go back and watch it again to see exactly what he said.
@@irocitZ unfortunately, though a great simple fix, it will result in the transmission overheating badly, but I also don't want to open my 440T4 and fix it so that leaves me with doing nothing and sucking it up for now..
So cool to see this 98. My mother bought this car back in the 80s in this color! A walk down memory lane! Thanks, Adam!
I'll always miss Dad's 1983 Oldsmobile 98 Brougham ... super long and luxurious.
His was a way better car than this awful compact
23:20 I see that vintage Casio calculator/databank watch! Awesome choice! So much love to the vintage Casios and this stunning example of a fine car.
My mom had one of those. One of the best cars we ever owned.
I had an '81 Regal Ltd with similar seats and they were the nicest seats I have ever had. That velour was so soft and comfortable.
@Pete Nebber, like sitting on the couch at home! My mom had an '85 Century. This reminds me of it. Had the quad sealed beams. It had the thin, horizontal red lines in the back for the tail lights. I also remember that old AC Delco Cassette player, it did play well. That car was a 3.0 liter v6 carbureted engine. Eventually the AC compressor went out, it started burning oil & then the catalytic converter started glowing red so she ended up just giving the car to my bro and he was talking about reworking it etc., but sold it for scrap. It was definitely going out of service by then but it was nice when we got it. It had the dark green paint scheme with a tan, vinyl top.
This beautiful blue Olds warms my heart. These cars (especially the Cadillac Deville) were a common fixture on the streets during my childhood, with a few among friends and family. Before I was a "car guy" and developed any sort of taste, these were the first cars that caught my eye. They will always hold a special place in my heart for them, in the same way a car from the 50s has an intrinsic connection to someone who grew up in the 50s and 60s. Truly a wonderful example of a fine automobile. It's almost hard to think that this design is almost 40 years old.
Also have to agree with you on preferring the sealed beam front fascia. Always thought the two door models in particular had this short, sharp, purposeful look, especially with the sealed beams.
You should have been a child when I was one. Back when you had ginormous cars like the Cadillacs and Lincolns and Oldsmobiles and Buicks from the early to mid 1970's! Now THOSE were CARS! I could never get used to these tiny sawed off looking cars. They almost looked like a toy car to me. No weight to them either. My aunt had a 1989 Oldsmobile. I didn't care for it too much.
As a 21 year old I’m jealous!! I love the old Devilles, wish I was around when those cars were more common, even the lest gen DeVille is a treat to see.
This was also basically the first car to catch my eye as a kid. My aunt had a navy/navy 1986 delta 88 royale brougham and the name with the cursive “Eighty Eight” logo with the coat of arms on the dashboard, for reason I associated it with royalty, the kind of car a king or queen would be driven in 😅 it just looked so modern and formal to me, plus I loved the way it rode and always thought about that car over the years. Seen plenty of later models come up for sale but the front didn’t appeal to me, when an 86 came up for a good price I had to snatch it up.
36 years ago. Time is flying by. These were my growing up years too.
My mom had an ‘86 Delta 88 Royale Brougham in dark blue (with matching interior)…. these are the types of cars that I grew up with (even though I am a 90s kid). Thank you so much for sharing this blast from my past!!!
C and H Car with the 3800 V6 were great vehicles. Good performance, good economy for the size, cheap to keep running and extremely reliable.
the earlier 3.8 had it quirks, the 3800 series II and III are superior engines.
I owned a 1987 Buick Riviera T Type here in Munich! 👍🏼
@@andrewdonohue1853 I agree with the 3800 V6. The one I drove got 29-30 MPG on the interstate.
And they threw the whole 3800 idea out the window... After it was perfect, of course.
@@evanthompson8925 i average 23 with my supercharged SSEi. i have owned both L36's and L67's and there isnt a HUGE difference in mileage, but the L67 is quite a bit more lively.
I remember being very impressed with these when they were first introduced, the Buick Electra in particular. Your description of this car was so filled with appreciation for its qualities that I think you would have given a salesman a good run for his money. This is a remarkably clean example that seems about as perfect as one could hope to find -- I noted how it was so quiet under speed, we can hear your hands squeaking on the steering wheel cover! Well done, sir.
I was born in 1973 and grew up with all these GM cars. As an adult I had a 88 IROC and a 91 Grand AM. One thing that has always impressed me is how great those stock Delco GM radios sounded.
Not trying to be a jerk but in my opinion the old delcos didn’t sound really all that great. Ford always had an upper hand on audio systems.
They did/do! They were warm and rich sounding, even on shitty overmodulated FM stations
@@fujifrontier Yes, rich sounding is the correct term. They would put out 75- 100 watts depending on the model.
@@FLINTmitten810 No, I think the Panasonic built GM radios sounded much better. They put out anywhere from 75 - 100 watts and were paired and engineered to some nice US built 6x9 speakers. The higher end Delco Tape decks of the time had AM stereo, loudness button, and the ability to play Cr02 tapes. Many even had built in EQs.
My parents had a 91 Pontiac Bonneville LE....and gave it to my brother in 1999...Dad thought about getting a SSEi version but the LE was a better value proposition in his mind. The 3800 V6 delivered great performance and excellent highway fuel economy. After 5 years of driving an Iron Duke Pontiac 6000 and I think a Rocky Mountain road trip in it cemented his feelings that "I need something with some power." And the 3800 delivered. The car was relable and very pleasant to drive. I spent some seat time in it when my parents went out of town and I kept the car for a week and used it for commuting to work.
i have had multiple bonnevilles and still have a 10th generation 2003 SSEi. i do not drive that car in the winter, they have become quite rare. i really like the bonny. we had a 87, 96, 99, and an 03. the 99 was an SSE every option except the supercharger, it was in phenomenal condition. no rust. it was a really nice car until some dummy ran a stop sign and crashed into it while my wife was driving. i really do like the 03, 3800 supercharged. i did the usual PCM tune, colder plugs, and pulley swap.
@@andrewdonohue1853 Andrew, these cars run forever~
@@Flies2FLL they usually run until they rot to pieces, it's why I keep my SSEi out of the salt. I think it's a pretty nice car, but with enough salt exposure it wont be
@@andrewdonohue1853 Awesome! Keep that thing going!
@@andrewdonohue1853 I had a 92 Bonneville with the 3800 that would occasionally stall but had great power and got great gas mileage. Later I had a 96 Buick Park Avenue Ultra with the supercharged 3800. That thing would scream and I absolutely loved it but ended up selling it and bought a new truck. 3800s were and are a great engine
My dad had one of those cars when I was younger and still swears its the best highway cruiser he's ever owned,
Adam, I agree with you when it comes to clean, smooth styling. So many cars are an origami mishmash of shapes. That styling really date stamps a car. The big 3 really nailed styling down back in the day. Too bad, in many cases, they didn't nail down build quality or engineering.
I always liked the interior of the 98 Regency
My mom owned a 1989 Oldsmobile 88 Royale Brougham with lower miles on it and it was truly an excellent car. It ran great, had an extremely comfortable interior, and it rode like a dream.
My dad had a Park Avenue - he felt like a modern Exec having that. Whole different era.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Nostalgia! I was a teenager in the 90s. Many of these, and their sibling Buick Electra, are still running. I had a friend whose parents owned this gen 98, from my memory it was a copper color, with low milage and rust free paint. Very smooth ride. And it was as roomy inside as the bigger B-Body rear drive Olds station wagon from another friend. This car brings back old memories. Thank you for sharing.
Same here. I had a friend in high school who was driving his dad's old Ninety Eight, probably an 87 or 88 in boring beige, but man what a smooth ride, and Adam's right: the interior is so roomy. It seems like a mid-sized car outside, but inside it's clearly full sized. The car had like 200k on it and just about everything was still working on it. I really came to respect this era of GM cars. I'd love to have a 91-93 Sedan Deville as I regard that as sort of the ultimate incarnation of that platform (and to my mind at least, the sharpest looking.)
@@johnfloore9799 The one I rode in had less than 50k on the odometer. And it looked like it was garage kept. I heard these cars are very reliable, especially among later years of production. 200k and still running fine is not uncommon. These had slightly smaller hip room compared with older rear drive cars, but they are right up there with the giant GM cars of the 70's when it comes to head room and leg room.
@@johnfloore9799 I would love to have one of these early 90's Devilles with touring package
ua-cam.com/video/Lxq4V8T1ptw/v-deo.html
Thanks Adam, for this trip down memory lane! I bought a brand new Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency Brougham in 1985 that was such a great car. If I remember correctly, I believe the color was called Champaign Glamour Metallic, and it had a beige velour interior...That was such a comfortable car! I took it on vacation to SoCal and it was like riding down the interstate in your living room. That car had all the bells and whistles, including the trip computer in the upper right hand corner of the instrument panel. Funny thing about that was I never did learn how to use it but it sure looked nice, especially at night with all those buttons lit up!🤣😂I only remember two things that I had to have fixed on that car while I had it. The radio antenna motor quit and the carriage lamp on the pillar behind the driver's door went out. I eventually traded it in on a Toronado, but that Ninety Eight was certainly a sweet ride! I really do enjoy your videos of these 80's cars because I think that decade was a very interesting time in the automotive world. I am really looking forward to hearing your interview with the designer because I felt these cars were so advanced compared to all of their competition at that time. Take care.
“Riding down the interstate in your living room” lol yes I agree, but did you happen to catch, I think it was the “car and driver” review that characterises it as “sitting on a sofa in the back of an empty moving van, going over bumps” 😂 I thought it was rather apt, they don’t like being hustled and rushed
Thanks for sharing this car, Adam. My first car that I purchased from my parents was a 1987 Olds Touring Sedan...dark garnet red with a matching interior and this same engine. The car could handle any type of weather and design-wise it remains so relevant today.
Man, you just reminded me of all the things my mother experienced in her brand new '86 Delta 88 Royal with the V6 and the transmission that I don't think I would have remembered otherwise. The throttle was too sensitive, and the car would lurch off the line, and the car would buck forward abruptly because of it. She also experienced the car stalling while driving in normal traffic, mostly when she came to a stop. The one thing that was very distinctive for the pre-3800 V6, was their exhaust noise. They had very throaty, and quite loud exhaust noise, that you knew exactly if one were passing by on the street. She hated that car because of these issues, and happily traded it for an '89 Sedan DeVille one day.
They made the throttle touchy to make drivers think the car was faster than it was.
Oh man those '89 Sedan DeVille's and Fleetwoods were AWESOME! They still are if you can actually find one in good shape and with low miles. The problem with those were, just like the '77 to '79 DeVilles and Fleetwood, they were so good people ran them into the ground.
These were horrible cars, that should have never been released to the public. These cars are to blame to the demise of the GM automotive market.
@@3713msg I wouldn't go THAT far dude. My aunt had a 1989 Delta 88 Royale Brougham which really didn't give her any problems. It was still going strong when she died in '96 and then my cousin drove it for a few years after. I think the demise of the GM auto market were those GT4100 engines they put in the Cadillacs in the 80's. I just happen to HAVE one! LOL
@@retroguy9494 i have a 1991 sedan deville that has the best engine they used in the fwd cadillacs, the 4.9 L V8. this car had 107k miles when i bought it in 2017 and today it has 113k miles on it. still runs well and handles great. it needs a few very minor things but i have put a ton of money into it fixing the common things i know about them.
My grandma had a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and it looked a lot like this in the front. My mom had a 1992 98 Regency, you don't see many of those Cutlass Ciera's or oldsmobile in general running around anymore.
After watching this video there is so much I could say, I could practically write an essay. My first car was a 1990 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Regency Brougham(last year of this body) full gauge package with the awesome and ahead of it's time Driver Information System that included fuel economy readouts, tach, coolant readout and a bunch of other neat features that some newer cars don't even have. Of course it has the pre series 1 LN3 3800. I bought it off an old lady that was a friend of the family for $750. She was done driving and the car had an issue with killing batteries, as she only drove the car once or twice a month to go to the grocery store. Turned out that was caused by the load leveling suspension (to this day the smoothest riding car I've ever been in with the stock set up). One of the air shocks had a leak which caused the pump to run often when it was sitting. At first I just unplugged the air compressor but soon after one of the shocks bottomed out so it was time to look into replacing them. I looked online and here locally and just the basics (air shocks, new air lines, mounts etc were $2500 back in 2009). So I had a buddy of mine that was a tire and suspension guy modify the car with standard rear shocks/struts off of an Eighty Eight. That wound up being somewhat complex in itself as he had to fabricate and weld on mounts as this car didn't have anything resembling them due to it being equipped with the air set up. Other than that it was just little nitpicky things that went wrong, like the auto-down feature on the trunk took a shit and would not allow me to latch the trunk so I modified the old latch to work like a standard one. Wound up needing an ac compressor (the one I replaced was the original one, and he is right about being insanely cold) once I put a new compressor on it and changed it over to modern refrigerant it was never as cold unfortunately. Crank position sensor/harmonic balancer combo took a shit on me as well and that was a somewhat pricey job. What finally led to me getting rid of the car was a faulty coolant temp sensor. The car ran perfect but once it got up to temp it would just die randomly, and after an hour of sitting it would fire right back up. The mechanic I used at the time threw a computer at it and a bunch of other various parts but eventually gave in and said he couldn't fix it. By this time I was desperate for a reliable vehicle and was convinced that it wasn't fixable, so I literally gave the car away for free. The guy I gave it to called me 2 weeks later and explained that the coolant sensor was bad, making the car think it was overheating and would shut it down to prevent engine damage. A $40 sensor later and he drove the car for awhile before selling it for $3k. The last time I saw it was a couple years ago, in a bad part of town being driven by what looked to be a drug addict and the car was filthy and had more dents and scratches on it than it ever had when I owned it but it was still running. I have regrets about ever getting rid of it, a way better all around vehicle than my current 15 Sonata. Loved the video and I'm glad you're keeping the memory of these great cars alive.
There is just no way sir, no way I can accept your logic that this GM turdmobile was a superior vehicle to that 15 Sonata you currently have. And I recognize that Korean cars are recycled junk as well.
Your entire story sums up the experience with these turdmobiles. The horrendous electronics, the lackluster build quality. Nothing about them was special. That's why GM continued to make the full size Caprice, Fleetwoods, and RWD Cutlass because those were the only products keeping the brand alive, and offsetting the giant, gaping, bleeding, wound that these cars were under warranty. They almost sunk the brand. Well in essence, it did kill these brands. Pontiac, Olds, and even Buick never recovered from the FWD turd era. The only reason Buick still exists today, is sadly because of China. They are brainwashed just as much as we were back then. However, Buick has lost a lot of ground over there to other companies like BMW and Lexus. Who have made a tremendous push over there.
I love these 98’s and 88’s
Hi Adam: I worked for GM during these years and this car brings back many memories. I've driven dozens of them. I was always impressed with the jumpy, spry acceleration they offered and the smooth ride quality as well. I would have to move all the new cars when they came off of the truck. It was a great time at GM to see them moving in a positive direction, and then the SUV craze hit and there went everything! So much for downsizing.
The ‘C’ and ‘H’ cars are great designs and overall were sales successes for GM. I didn’t realize the low belt line (being lower then the fenders or quarters) was the reason for the “openness” and “airy” feeling of spaciousness in those cars. I always lean so much from you and I thought I knew a lot about these GM cars as I’m a big lifelong GM fan. Once again, fantastic job Adam!
My favorite car EVER was my Dad's '90 Touring Sedan, which my parents gave me for Christmas in '93. White, blue perforated leather, full gauges, Bose sound, power yer ma and pa. The dash (and the steering wheel controls!) lit up like a Buck Rogers Christmas tree. Incredible car! It ate alternators for breakfast, but I got an Auto Zone lifetime warranty on my first replacement and could switch them out in minutes. Her name was Grace, and I mourn her absence to this day. Thanks for the memories!
Excellent Sunday afternoon entertainment. It is just amazing how you can talk for such lengths without stumbling.
I just lost my 1995 Ninety Eight to a massive engine failure. I live on a small fixed income, so spending $5,000 or more to replace the engine is out of the question. But I love that car, and am devastated to let it go.
Thank you for reviewing this lovely Ninety Eight.
It wouldn't be difficult to replace the motor with a used one - the 3800 should last for 300,000 miles. I was toted to get a Buick with that motor
@@timothykeith1367 Not many good used engines for a 27-year-old car. The cost of installation is in the thousands. But I appreciate the suggestion.
@@stephendavidbailey2743 When a 3800 runs and isn't heavily sludged it's got years of life left. I agree that it's not easy to find motors that old - not because they don't last that long, but the owners of cheap cars tend to neglect basic maintenance . A wrecked car in otherwise clean condition is the best bet. Unfortunately most send these cars straight to the salvage yard without listing them for sale. I see them frequently in the junk yards . If you were a DiY person you could probably get a motor for $250. I see many nice looking junked cars that look like they were parked under grandpa's carport and wouldn't start after sitting so the family junked them.
@@timothykeith1367 My engine hydrolocked and bent at least one connecting rod, which means damaged bearings. I was very conscientious about maintenance. Just bad luck. I did thoroughly enjoy the car for eight years. Except for minor items, I am not DIY. I was on my Corvair, but that is a much simpler car.
Beautiful 98. In an uncommon color. I’ve owned a couple of 86/87 Delta88’s, my grandparents had an 86 98 Regency Brougham. Three very distinctive characteristics of these cars with the 3.8 is the exhaust note out the tailpipe, the hushed throatiness of that engine under acceleration, and the quiet “chunk” sound of the doors closing. Loved seeing your 98, Adam.
I'm the proud owner of a '90 Buick Electra. It's great to see C and H body content from someone who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
I bought a brand new 1986 Olds Regency Brougham from the dealer showroom. Beautiful car. It was passed around the family until it was junked.
Great looking example. The 1988 and up are really refined. My first real job was at a Buick dealership in 1988 and really liked the 98's and Electra/Park Ave.
Way better than anything being offered. I hope we can buy a basic car again one day. Waaaay too many electronics these days.
Those tufted velour seats take me back about 10 years ago....1991 Chrysler 5th avenue...gold over gold! Great cruiser got 27 MPGs from Reno to Glenwood CO packed so tight ! 4 of us on board and no space left in the trunk! Air shocks kept us flying right and level!
We had an 85 Buick Century and it was solid. That boxy body was a sign of the times and we loved it.
The styling on these 98s was really top notch. They also had beautiful interiors. The 1985 -90 has the same interior space as the much larger 1984. My 1990 DOES have standard airbags.
My impression was that they had a little less legroom than '84 in the rear, but a lot more in the front, especially on the passenger's side. They also had a bit less shoulder room, but with no transmission hump or differential bulge under the rear seat, they were still more comfortable when carrying 5 or 6 passengers. The trunk was also smaller than that of the '84, but with the spare tire underneath the floor, the space was more useful. If you wanted a lot of space on a small footprint, these cars, along with the enlarged versions of Chrysler's K cars were about the best Detroit ever offered.
I disagree. They looked like a shrunken late 70s olds with wrong proportions. Compared to 80s cars from europe, japan, and FORD it looks like an antique. That goes for the entite gm lineup from 85-1990. Hence why the company lost 20% of the us market in that decade almost went banktupt in 91.
I had a 1990 Regency Brougham and it was fully loaded except for the airbags. Driver and passenger Airbags were a very rare option on these cars.
@@Henry_Jones Yeah, the early Seventies we're the last of any sort of quality or performance ( ditto styling). As a car buff I get tickled when younger folks think these are good styling! WTF
I'll admit the seats were nice. But I didn't like the dash. But I HATED the outside. It looked like a sawed off car. Like a miniature car you see the Shriners driving in parades. My aunt had a 1989 Delta 88 which is kind of the same car, only less options really. But her husband had a 1984 Regency 98. Now THAT was a car! It was beautiful. And SO comfy. A co-worker of my father's also had one only a coupe.
Plus the Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac all looked alike starting in '85. I still remember that funny Lincoln commercial where all the wealthy guys can't find their respective cars because they all look the same then a man and his wife come out and he says with his nose in the air 'the Lincoln Town Car please!'
I could listen to you talk about cars all day…
Now you have me missing my 1999 LeSabre (w/ Gran Touring option) all over again. I let go of it at 109k because of transmission problems. I got far more attached to that car than I had intended. Another great episode, Adam.
The 1999 LeSabre, as I'm sure you know, was a completely different car from the 1989's. So I don't get the connection between this video and your car.
🤣
I remember when the Queen Mother visited Toronto back in '86, I passed her riding in the back of a dark blue Olds 98 Regency like this, no tinted windows, just out there in traffic.
My parents had an 86 Delta 88 Royale. I remember that car having the "morning sickness" rack issues. Besides that it was pretty reliable and robust for the period. Served the family for a number of years. Great video Adam!
In 1985 I bought my first new car...a VW Golf Wolfsburg in creamy white and black interior. I adored that car, solid, reliable, 5 speed with believe it or not a/c. Yeah when you turned that a/c on it was like an elephant climbed in the back seat. I drove it from NJ to NM, trunk and back seat loaded to the roof, at least 5 times with never an issue. GM cars weren't even on my radar at the time. Your videos make me appreciate those American cars of that era much more and the formidable challenges the US auto industry faced at the time.
These, along with the 88, were my dad’s company salesman’s cars in the 80’s. We sometimes had a small fleet in our driveway. I took my drivers test in this exact same car. So many great memories associated with this car. Fantastic! On a side note you can fit a couple of teenagers in the trunk to sneak them into a drive-In movie!!!
The Olds and Buick Park Avenues were just great. I loved the 86 and up Park Avenue with that front hinged hood and that great Buick 3.8 V6 which to me is FAR better than the Cadillac HR4100. They are still out there to be found!
My in-laws had a series of these, and I still really like them. They're spacious and comfortable. Far better interior packaging than the Panther chassis cars my dad was fond of.
I agree. I own a 2004 Panther chassis sedan. I enjoy the robust / reliability of the panther. But it falls short in many ways. Unless you use it as intended. A workhorse. Solid rear axle. Tow a small / medium sized trailer. With a Harley on it. Crisp air conditioning. Electrics are not reliable. I feel the Olds Adam has is a better vehicle for general use.
Much more spacious inside than the Panther cars but nothing beats those Panther trunks.
All of the points made in this sub-thread are right on target.
@@onlyhereonce7290 the fact that the Panthers far outlived this GM platform shows how good it is and a better car. From taxis with 300,000 miles on them, to air ride Town Cars, to police cruisers jumping curbs an running at high speed, the panthers were very versatile. And their reliability and durability was equal to Toyota or Honda. Maybe better since they didn’t make anything that could take the abuse of a Panther.
@@khakiswag I have a panther chassis sedan. As a second car. It’s quite reliable.
My parents had a 1985 Oldsmobile 98 regency brougham. It engine was very smooth and shifted smoothly. They loved it!
The car needed larger tires than the 14” tires, they always looked too small!
My father’s 1985 Oldsmobile 98 had the 3.8 V6 engine. He never had any problems with it, it also appeared to run smoothly and the transmission shifted smoothly and efficiently.
Great video! Thanks for making take a walk down memory lane. Definitely reminds me of my youth as well. I grew up on the Oldsmobile brand. Our family had 6 people and we needed our big cars to get us around.
We had a 1970 Cutlass from new till 2004 when we drove it to the junk yard. We had a 77 Delta 88 which was given to my sister in 1989. It ran till I believe 1992. Mom bought the new 85 Delta 88 Brougham, and let me tell you that it was the most luxurious car we've ever owned. I learned to drive in that car back in 1990. In 2005, my mom's 85 Delta was totaled in Pittsburgh Traffic (was 20 years old with less than 100k miles). I bought her a 91 Olds Regency for $1500 on ebay. That was the last car she drove, up until around 10 years ago before letting my older sister take on the chore of driving.
My first olds was an 81 Cutlass Supreme, with a 350. It was originally a diesel but the previous owner made the swap. They knew nothing about setting the timing or adjusting the carb, it ran terrible. But my buddy and I got it running really good. It was only $400 :) When I turned 21, I purchased an 89 Cutlass Supreme, and then traded up to a used 91 Cutlass Supreme a year later. Had that car for over 5 1/2 years. I got a pickup truck then a Firebird after that but needed a beater. My final Old a 1996 Delta 88, 4 door silver mini-land yacht. It was almost as nice as mom's 85 Delta 88. I drove it for 2 years and traded it in on a 93 Chevy truck which I kept for the next 12 year.
Now, If I can keep myself from getting one off of Facebook Marketplace LOL. Cheers!
I worked at Olds Dealers in '84 and '86....Your 98 is Gorgeous! I Love these Olds! I Loved the Dashes!!
Thanks for bringing back great memories! I was a high school co-op student at Buick Motor Division in 1983/4 when these vehicles were developed/launched - my very first job!!! These cars were so comfortable and cutting-edge for their time! I always thought they were great cars. I am historically a Buick man, but I preferred the "sporty" (for its era) 98 Olds dash to the Park Avenue Buick.
Thank you for that nice walk down memory lane. Felt like I was riding in my grandparent’s car again. They must have had a brougham because the seats looked like that picture thumbnail you showed. Thanks again for the review, it was a nice flashback.
It's amzing since i found your channel how you've covered my first car ( '71 Olds 98) and now you're covering my Bff's mom car and then the '68 Olds Delta my gramps had. So many families had these cars they were practically as analogous as Holiday Inns along any interstate with those neon blinking stars!
Funny, yoo That your FIRST car was an '86 Olds Delta 2 door? Mind blown as i wanted one, too, at the time. I thought it was cool they had amber lenses in the tail! Remembered all my friends said i was an old man in my early twenties!
Great minds we share ( with great taste)! Viva Oldsmobile!!!
The Buick version was my favorite. It took a year for the Oldsmobile and Cadillac versions to grow on me. Very
cool car. I was coming out of high school when those arrived.
Keep em coming!
I always admire your technical & historical knowledge, your focus on everyday cars instead of some muscle/exotic. Very glad to see you expanding into the 80s.
My dad’s boss briefly had the previous Olds 98 - he and his wife got a new car every year or two, usually a GM product. That was a massive tank!
I was a senior in high school when this new C-body debuted. I remember driving down to our nearby Oldsmobile dealership to see the nifty rear license plate slot.
It was still a big car, but it looked so much more modern than the previous generation. Except for the door handles.
Later I would own two used 1986 and one 1987 car: Saab 900 (S 4-door & Turbo 3-door) and Volvo 740 Turbo sedan, respectively.
These vehicles had qualities in the same era that the C-body and other domestics didn’t: taillights with each function having its own separate section - no turn signal overriding a brake light and brake section dark even when lights are on until the brake is pressed, as examples. More visible amber turn signals; front & rear head restraints that were actually the shape of a human skull - and in a position so you could have your head against them and still be looking forward; 3-point seatbelts front and rear (except rear center) front bucket seats with a console because 1) no front bench had a 3-point seat belt and 2) the console provided storage and gave the option of a manual transmission; higher output per unit of measure; a design that isn’t quickly replaced by a refresh; sunroofs.
My Volvo and Saabs did have less total interior volume than the 98, but neither were cramped. The Volvo’s trunk was larger than the 98’s. The Saab 900 hatchback had a massive cargo area with the rear seat folded down.
16:16 OMG when this man opens the hood. The cleanliness is unreal. I have never seen a car of this age this clean!
Thanks for the review. It brought back memories as my parents owned an ‘86 98 Regency Brougham. Your comments are spot on! My mom loved that car.
In 1988 I bought a used 1986 Buick Park Avenue 2 door. I believe the last year of the 2 door. Great car! Great ride!
My Mom had a 1993 Buick Park Avenue for a few years in the mid-1990’s and I have fond memories of it.
These GM cars were incredibly popular in Europe too. Especially in areas with an official GM Dealership. And the owners seemed to usually keep them for a long time. Many Olds in gold color. Later years it seemed like it was mostly Pontiacs and quite a few Cadillacs too. At night on the Autobahn it was easy to spot them from far away for their taillights were usually much brighter and of a distinctive shape.
One of the reasons I like the 1986’s… orange blinkers and red stops . I hate the all-red design of later years
Great overview Adam. I rented two 1986 Buick Electra Park Avenues when they were new cars. I enjoyed them. Good power, good lateral handling and a nice ride. I seem to recall the hood of the Buicks pulled forward and then titled up ala 1958 Edsel? The vertical roof looked to be inspired also by the Volvo 740 series. This is what I thought back in the day. Cheers Mark
The Buick did have a reverse clamshell hood.
Great GM knowledge. Always felt the 3800 V6 was a great engine. I owned a Buick GS Regal that was Supercharged and my parents had a GTP GrandPrix.
My grandfather bought the '85 Park Avenue with the 3.8L. Luckily, he never experienced the misfiring-shaking engine problem that so many others had. It was not a looker, but it was luxurious and expansive inside.
Absolutely right. My mother had a 1986 Delta 88 Royal Brougham. Beautiful red velour interior and every option you could get in it. It had the factory cream paint on it and the 80 or 100 spoke hub caps. Rear fender skirts, removable. Had the first series 3.8 v6 and was surprisingly quick. Just an absolutely beautiful car with an exceptional ride quality. Mama kept that car spotless. Great memories.
My mother had a touring sedan version. Thanks for making a video of this one! Takes me back to the vacations we took back in the early 90s. Pure nostalgia for me. Video was much appreciated!
These 98s and Delta 88s of this era were fantastic cars. So smooth and comfortable. Great family cars.
My Dad had a burgundy '86 Delta 88 during the early '90s when I was a kid. Comfortable and reliable car. I still can smell the red interior dye. Awesome find!
Hi Adam! Wow so exciting to see this video as I just mentioned in an earlier video how much I love these and want a 1990 Buick Park Avenue so bad I can taste it!! Love these C-Bodies so much! When I was a boy at the time these were popular I remember begging my grandma to buy one but she chose a much smaller Skylark instead 😩 BUT now I wanna get one of my own! I agree with you they are fantastic and comfortable vehicles… thanks for posting this video and if you have a Park Avenue please show us!!! ❤️❤️👍🏼👍🏼 thanks Bud!
Jeff
Those engines are legendary
I really like your videos. I enjoy your knowledge-base and the way that you appreciate cars that are not normally considered "collectables" and their characteristics that are not normally considered. It was exciting in the '80s to see the "big 3" (GM in particular) struggling to deal with CAFE standards, emission controls, and foreign competition.
In 1982 my Dad bought a 1980 2-door Buick Skylark. It had the 2.8L V6 and vinyl seats. He was impressed that it was a demonstrator! Both him and Mom loved that car for the 9 years they had it. The only mods were a $5 digital clock that Dad stuck on the dash, and the previous owner had deleted the catalytic converter. To be fair, it was pretty great - it was roomy and comfortable - even in the back seat, it ran well, the engine and transmission seemed well-matched, was very reliable, was great in snow compared to rear-wheel drive cars, and had good fuel efficiency. The only weird thing was that for several years it made this weird metallic clanking noise on shut down.
After it was replaced by a 1991 Buick Regal (gross) it became an extra car that we (the kids), used. One day, it wouldn't start. If you turned the key, the engine wouldn't even turn over. So, instead of scrapping it, I bought it for $100, and pulled the starter - thinking/hoping that that was the only problem. When I lowered it down, there was this short little bolt sitting in the "nose" of the starter preventing the gear from engaging the flywheel. I figured out that it was one of the bolts holding the flywheel to the torque converter and discovered that one more was missing and the third of three was ready to fall out as well. After replacing and tightening all 3, the clanking stopped and I drove it for another 2 years!
Finally, my 24 year-old self had punished it enough and I sold it at auction and used the money to buy 2 really big, durable duffle bags that I still have today.
I still wish I had that car now!
A guy I worked for had the Royale with soft roof. My folks drove volvos so riding in this was like being in a Rolls for me!
i love these! always wanted one back in the day. thanks for the review!
I just saw a little old lady driving one of these in 2023. Probably the original owner. What a testament to maintenance and pride of ownership.
Love that Lincoln Continental coupe in the garage. I had a 73 in the past, split pea green metallic with dark green top and leather interior. Nothing felt smoother and powerful than that 460 under the hood. That car drove like silk on the highway. My son brought home an 85 olds regency brougham a decade ago. Rebuilt it better than new, it was light blue with the navy crushed velour interior like you showed in your video. He painted it Cadillac pearl white, it really came out looking great. He also had a mint egg rate grille and steering wheel, but they’re both long gone.
Thank you Adam. I really enjoyed the video. I smiled while watching. I look forward to the interview with the designer. I liked the information you pointed out as well. I still prefer my 1996 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight I drive daily. I have a better view point about this era Ninety-Eight as I was not a fan of three things on this car: the length, the exterior door handles, and the trunk space. I had heard the same thing about Oldsmobile using Cadillac styling cues before on several of their models. The 1975-1976 Oldsmobile Toronado is one example. Thank you so much Adam. My favorite Ninety-Eights were: 1963,1965-1966,1968,1970,1975,1980-1984,and 1991-1996. You know Regency came after this for two years in 1997-1998.
I had a 1990 Olds 88 with FE3 Suspension. I bought it used about 7 years old and by the time they got to 1990, the problems were well sorted and it was a good car. Reliable, comfortable and the 3800 engine was fully up to the task.
My dad had the Buick version - 1986 Park Avenue that I learned to drive on. The timing chain skipped while pulling the fishing boat from the boat launch. Lucky the next guy had a tow strap. Thanks for the vid. Takes me back
My Dad had a 440 trans in his 89 LaSabre. He had almost 220K on the original when he totaled the car in a wreck. Trick is to change the fluid every 20K and keep your foot out of it when that cable shifted junker changes gears.
Nice car Adam.
Thats right!!
That does the trick to prolong the trans.!
You shift it self with your foot!
I remember the day my Dad brought home a new 1986 Toronado with the 3.8. Smooth and quiet from what I recall.
My cousin bought one of these new, and I always admired it. It was a tight, well-sized package. It drove well (3800 V6, EFI), enjoyed great mileage, and the interior was a great place to be. I was driving Maximas at the time. Today, I would buy the 98 before the same era Maxima.
Excellent video. So many of us grew up with these cars and have so many great memories. I imagine a lot of us had these as our first cars, either buying it from a little old lady or a pass me down from the parents. I had an 87’ LeSabre Coupe as my first car with the T suspension package, limited interior and digital gauges. I loved that car and had it all through college and a. It thereafter until it was stolen. All the things you described about these cars/engines is so spot on. I recently bought an 89’ LeSabre T-Type with the 3800 engine. I love driving it and it gets a lot of looks and compliments.
I recall renting some of these in 1990, and as an Euro-snob in USA, at first sight I found them old and ugly. After using them for a couple weeks, they grew on you. The comfort, roominess and economy was something I was not expecting, and really enjoyed. Thanks for creating this content
Thank you for your auto history videos, I love learning all of the small details and design histories.
Beautiful Regency! My dad always said that his 1988 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham was the best car he ever owned, and he had quite a few Oldsmobiles.
What a great video! I had a 1985 Ninety Eight Regency that I bought in 1996, with 120,000 miles on it. But I knew both previous owners very well. The first was a neighbor of mine since the 1960s and the second was a service writer for the Olds dealer in town. Beautiful car! I agree with you that the AC was excellent, but not the heater. The car virtually ATE thermostats! I had it for three years, and sold it to the daughter of a friend for $750. I was honest that it had a small, strange engine noise that sounded ominous. The engine died at 200,000 miles, when the camshaft snapped. She and her dad found another engine, and five years later, it was still going. Great car!
I bought an ‘86 Regency Brougham off of a used car lot back in 1995. It had been a one-owner car, driven by an elderly gentleman who took exceptional care of it. I simply cannot say enough about how wonderful that car was. For me at age 21, that beautiful dual-tone seat belt chime served as a symbol that I had *arrived*. As you pointed out, the belt line on these C-bodies was perfectly placed in terms of both aesthetics and ergonomics. Being only 5’-6” I was able to drive it down the freeway with my left arm resting on the driver’s window ceil. It was so absolutely lovely to drive! When I had it checked out the day I bought it, the shop told me it was apparent that the original transmission had been replaced (with a Serta transmission I think they said?) and that the replacement would be very reliable, and it *was*. At no time during my ownership of this car did it ever give me so much as a whimper of trouble. I took it on ski trips to the mountain, and took it on many freeway trips to wherever, and the car was just an exceptional freeway cruiser. Even in the city, the car had so much torque that you only had to barely touch the accelerator to get it to move - AND MOVE IT DID! The longest road trip I took it on was from Eugene, Oregon to San Diego, CA and back, and I’m telling you the car sailed through the Siskou mountains like they were completely flat. 110 degree outside temps going through Stockton did not stop the A/C from keeping the cabin at a temperate 72 degrees. As for the ride quality, I remember it being BUTTERY-smooth both in the city as well as on the freeway. Then in 2000, I bought a 1988 Buick Park Ave, and that car was just as equally wonderful and reliable as the Regency Brougham, except it had leather. The only C-body luxury I’ve never owned is the ‘87/88’ Cadillac Sedan de Ville. I rode in one when it was brand new, and I thought it rode much heavier than the Regency and Park Ave. I absolutely love this generation of Regency/Park Ave/Sedan de Ville. They were so much smaller than their predecessors, yet they delivered exactly the big car ride we expected back then. They seemed so advanced and contemporary for their time - so much so that I think they were a complete game changer for GM in those days.
These cars were junk, but the transmissions never really were. It's a highly misunderstood, and overstated problem. GM DOES make great FWD units. At least they did in this era. The torque converter clutch at the time was not as durable as the ones we make today. It was considered a wear item, and by the time they eclipse 100k miles, the wet disc inside the torque converter has reached it's service life. It's wise to drop the unit, and swap in a new TC, and your unit will stay trouble free. When the TC starts to ends its life, it produced a lot of debris that contaminated the system and resulted in a lot of drivability problems as well as premature wear.
In the late 90's a company called sonnax introduced new and improved internals for the torque converter clutch, and it really extends the life of the unit. The rebuilt TC's can get you well over 150k miles of service life, and a meticulous owner could squeeze even more with frequent fluid and filter services.
Awesome video! My parents had so many of these when I was growing up. LeSabre's, PA's, 98 Regency's, just wonderful cars and a great trip down memory lane. Love the detail and effort you put into this walk around. Very enjoyable.
You were able to describe all the reasons that I too feel this is an amazingly comfortable car - I never could put to words the reasons the downsized 85-90 FWD 98's felt so "right" to me but you did a great job of doing so in this video. We look to be about the same size, physically, so i guess it figures this would be the case, but the roominess and great greenhouse view are just the start. The tactile feel of the velours, the smooth, cool propionate steering wheel, the muted clicks, whirrs and snicks of the various automatic functions, These are what I sign up for in buying an Oldsmobile 98. Great video, fabulous car. Thanks for the video. (P.S. I have an 88 Custom Cruiser wagon - Also I have an amazing photo of an '86 Ninety Eight Regency's steering wheel in blue, like yours. I'm happy to share if you want it for your collection.)
Had 1990 olds touring sedan loved it 4 leather bucket seats even had power headrest
I had an '89 88 in battleship gray in the mid to late '90s, and always said "the drab gray Olds ain't what she used to be," but actually loved the car. It cruise all day at 80 mph and get 35 to 37 mpg in total comfort.
03:26 I knew you'd remember the diesel... very few do..... Great job Adam!!!
I love all the glass of this car and the low belt line. It’s really a gorgeous car. I want one!
These are still one of the models I compare any new car to. Most come up short. Absolutely beloved model, that Every driver in our family would “take one again in a heartbeat today”.
Wow...that engine is very well-packaged, everything is in view, and it seems serviceable.
I am in full agreement on all your points with this cash. I have owned my 1987 Olds 98 Regency Brougham since new, triple burgundy and beautiful with 186,000 miles on the clock. Almost as new with the exception of the rear bumper filler panels (missing). I love her and drive her on weekends. A perfect car in all respects