1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Review
1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Powerful 205-horsepower V6 engine, spacious interior, good value.
Cons
- Rapidly aging design, retirement village image.
What’s new
The Eighty-Eight gets two new exterior colors, Champagne and Evergreen, and the LS model gets the option of white-stripe 16-inch tires. Oh, wait. Oldsmobile is celebrating the nameplate's golden anniversary with a special 50th Anniversary Edition Eighty-Eight. It has 16-inch aluminum wheels fitted with 215/65SR blackwalls, a highly contented leather interior package and special badging finished in, what else? Gold.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight 50th Anniversary 4dr Sedan and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$203/mo for Eighty-Eight 50th Anniversary
Eighty-Eight 50th Anniversary
vs
$219/mo
Avg. Large Car
Vehicle overview
The Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight remains one of the better full-size family cars you can buy. It sports contemporary styling, an ergonomically correct interior and a powerful V6 engine driving the front wheels. There is room inside for six adults, and the Eighty-Eight has proven to be reliable. Oldsmobile's "value-pricing'' strategy has paid off with the Eighty-Eight; it comes well-equipped right out of the box, with few options available. So why haven't these cars sold as well as, say, the Ford Crown Victoria?
We used to think the reason was the uncomfortable seats, because they were this big Olds' only apparent flaw. The rest of the car is admittedly designed to appeal to middle Americans who just want to get from point A to point B in relative safety and comfort. But with mushy, unsupportive seats, the Eighty-Eight didn't fulfill the comfort portion of the equation.
Interior upgrades came along in 1997, including a nice 55/45 split bench seat. So what is the problem these days? Aging design. Although the Eighty-Eight had minor exterior freshening back in 1996, the current design dates back to 1992, and it feels like it. Let's put it this way: If you were standing in an Olds showroom viewing the Eighty-Eight, Aurora, Intrigue and new Alero, which would you be tempted to buy?
No new reasons to select the Eighty-Eight are offered for 1999. Changes are so minimal that the car is essentially a carryover model. Word is that it has one year left before a replacement arrives, in the guise of the model-year 2000 Aurora sedan.
Despite nose-heavy handling, we still think the Eighty-Eight is a great full-size value. And we are not alone. The current generation 88 has been winning "best buy'' type of accolades from the media since its introduction. But its basic design, its demographic orientation, and the nameplate itself are all on life-support. If you've gotta have a full-size sedan, and it's gotta wear an Oldsmobile badge, we strongly suggest you wait out temptation to grab a 1999 Eighty-Eight (repeat that one, fast, three times). Take a look at the changes occurring at Oldsmobile. Unless the 50th anniversary model excites you, get ready to say good-bye to the Eighty-Eight. The upcoming replacement is a shoo-in to be a better product on all fronts.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight.
5 star(67%)
4 star(23%)
3 star(10%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
30 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.75 out of 5 stars
Most Reliable Vehicle I Have Ever Owned in 32 Years
alienrealtor, 12/09/2006
1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight 50th Anniversary 4dr Sedan
In my eyes it's good looking, my kids are not thrilled about it's appearance though. It has been a good and very reliable friend. It does not require much maintenance or repair. I have 112,000 miles on it and it's still very solid. Obviously it is not a good idea to sell it, you won't be paid much for it and the clear coat is still shiny, so why bother. It's paid for and the insurance … is peanuts on it. This Anniversary Edition has every luxury option and they all work fine! If you find one, don't hesitate to buy it. It's a very nice vehicle. Oil changes every 3,000 miles are a must, Synthetic oil will give you about 30 MPG on the highway, every so often go for the high octane gas that has cleaners (BP Gold, Chevron 93 or Shell 93).
4.25 out of 5 stars
Excelent College Car
pizzaman09, 03/13/2012
1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight 4dr Sedan
My 1999 Oldsmobile 88 was my grandparents car and was given to my twin brother and I as our first car with only 42k miles on it!
We have been driving it for about 5 years now and it has 69k miles on it.
They 88 has been outstandingly reliable, we have under $1200 of maintenance into it in 5 years.
We had the common intake leak and the power antenna is stuck up but else it is perfect.
I … use to hate how it looked but it has grown on me.
It is factory Crimson Red and I have white strip tires on it, it looks sharp and stands out among today's cars.
The ride and handling is like a marshmallow, but that is often a good thing.
It is plenty quick too!
I also enjoy the huge trunk!
4.88 out of 5 stars
I love this car!
susan, 01/03/2010
1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight 50th Anniversary 4dr Sedan
I also hate that GM did not cover my expensive gasket problem when it happened in 2005 with just under 90,000 miles on it. Now have 141,000 miles and it has a few minor things wrong with it that I won't bother to fix - but I do love driving it. Also had problems with splitting leather problems the last 5 years. Somehow that hasn't held me back and I wish I could find another like it!
2.63 out of 5 stars
A Bottomless Money Pit
Joe, 05/31/2010
1998 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight 4dr Sedan
This car has caused me quite a bit of trouble. I bought it with 30,000 miles on it and it now has just under 100,000. I've had to replace mufflers on it three times. I replaced the gas tank on it, along with a fuel pump because I would nearly stall after coming down certain hills. This probably needs to be fixed again, as it's acting up. About 1,000 miles ago my belt tensioner broke, … spinning my belt off the pulleys so that no water made it to my radiator and so my engine overheated on the spot. This happened out of nowhere for no reason. A cable snapped in my left mirror so I need to wedge something there to keep the mirror aimed where I want it. This car needs one fix after another.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight, so we've included reviews for other years of the Eighty-Eight since its last redesign.
1999 Eighty-Eight Highlights
50th Anniversary
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 20 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $203/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 18.0 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original0
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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