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Road Tests: Long-Term Test
1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
Wrap-Up
By editors at Edmunds.com
Date Posted 01-01-1999
Two years ago, we acquired this gold 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue GL. We chose it because the Intrigue was designed to compete with the best the world has to offer, and its mission was to bring about a comeback for this 100-year-old brand. Based on the same platform as the Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, the Intrigue was also supposed to breathe new life into GM and target the upscale import buyer with its styling, handling, and interior appointments.
So, ladies and gents, did the vehicle succeed in its mission? Well, the staff at Edmunds.com has to say the Intrigue has failed in its charge. And no, we didn't pilot a nationwide survey or put a response ad in The Wall Street Journal. But, we have lived with the Intrigue (or without the Intrigue, given its alarming number of dealership visits) for two years, and have come to this conclusion based on our experience.
The Intrigue does have a fantastic engine, great performance and handling, fuel efficiency and a bulletproof drivetrain. In fact, our pushrod 3800 V6 was one of the flawless items on our test vehicle. From our logbook, "We love this engine, with its low-end grunt, promising reliability and better than average fuel economy." Drivers commented on the Intrigue being a pleasure to pilot, with excellent acceleration and a well-controlled ride." At one point we characterized the Olds as "coming close to the perfect interface between driver and road surface."
While the Intrigue sports quite a competent powertrain, it was also praised for its capable handling and steering performance. Our drivers especially liked the Autobahn package. From our logbook, "Steering, braking, and handling with the optional Autobahn package are models of what should be available in all domestic sedans." And even though the car did handle well and has a gutsy motor, one driver commented: "Is it fun to drive? No, it's still a sedan." Drivers also liked the Intrigue's transmission, commenting often about its smooth gear changes and responsive downshifts. We were also fond of the great highway fuel economy, but the city ratings were miserable.
All told, then, the Olds is an excellent road car.
But, and this is a big BUT, the Intrigue failed us in terms of build quality, with an assortment of interior disappointments. Our staff was displeased with the "chintzy" cabin materials and trimmings that not only look and feel cheaper than they ought to, but would, at times, simply pop off in your hands. We also had a sagging glove box door and drooping underdash trim that never wanted to stay repaired. We noticed that our door panels "breathed" when raising or lowering the front windows, and the driver's side airbag cover was misaligned. Not the kind of quality we want in the best the world has to offer.
Drivers had mixed impressions of front seat accommodations, with some commenting on their "superb levels of comfort on a 10-hour drive" and others saying the seats were too firm and lacking in lumbar support, even compared to "an inner tube or a plastic amusement-park ride seat." However, whether you love or hate the seats, the Intrigue is roomy, with a big cabin (large enough for a family of four with two large boys in back), and the cavernous trunk makes it quite capable for bringing along all the gear you need.
The Intrigue's interior design was also given mixed reviews. It seems for every thumbs-up about one issue, there was a separate but equal thumbs-down. Well, not necessarily — everyone loved the automatic headlights! Well, what's not to love; they're automatic.
Kudos went out for excellent front and rear cupholders, but then some said they were too small. Likewise, much praise was doled out for the climate control system and cruise control system, while a group of rabble rousers said the climate controls were in a poor position, and it was a "less than intuitive dual climate control system with no difference in air temperature between the driver and passenger sides."
Consistent complaints included poorly located steering wheel-mounted radio controls and traction control button, a useless door armrest, and no "door ajar" warning light. What we did like were the huge sideview mirrors, one-touch open sunroof (but you have to hold the button down to close it), bright map lighting, automatic door locks, excellent visibility, and audible low-fuel warning. We also found the sound system to be adequate, although now one can order an optional Bose unit on upscale Intrigue models.
Aside from the engine, our Intrigue's exterior was probably the most universally praised. Almost all drivers thought the styling was sleek and attractive, with some calling it "one of the best-looking sedans in GM's lineup."
Although most heaped praise on the styling, many drivers thought our Goldilocks was a trifle overdone, with the shiny gold paint and glitzy chrome wheels. We admit our color choice was probably not the best.
Then there were the multitudinous problems our Intrigue suffered over the course of the past two years. Simply put, stuff just kept on breaking or jamming and then, sometimes, fixing itself magically, but most of the time remaining a mystery, to ourselves and the dealerships (and there were many) that looked at the car. Our Intrigue totaled 11 dealership visits in the past 24 months. That's a lot of visits to the doctor, and while a couple of those were for scheduled maintenance, even those visits involved trying to fix what was wrong. Among the problems we reported: warped front brake rotors, red-hot dashboard controls, jammed right front passenger door, rear seatbelts that jam, static on FM radio when rear defogger is on, inconsistent power assist in the steering system, and grinding front struts.
There was the infamous "Yahtzee shaker" rattle coming from the front end that began to plague us back in the summer of '98 and persisted for the rest of our time with the Intrigue. Other Intrigue owners reported this same problem, and there were various theories about the cause (rack and pinion steering, ABS self test, etc.), but our experienced staff proved that the cause was none of these, and we (nor any dealership) never did figure it out.
Some of these "gremlins" haunted us the entire time we had the car; others magically fixed themselves (such as the right-rear shoulder harness retractor), or fixed themselves for a while but made special appearances. Suffice it to say, all of these scenarios were unsettling. There simply seemed to be too many problems and too little down time when the Intrigue didn't need to go into the shop. From our logbook: "Our car is a nightmare. What makes it worse, and this will rub many of you the wrong way, is that we have a Toyota Camry in our long-term fleet that is serving as a yardstick that our Oldsmobile will never be able to match in terms of quality. Yes, the Intrigue is more exciting to look at and drive than the Toyota, but in terms of everyday practical use it has utterly failed. Can you imagine the frustration we'd feel if we had to rely on this thing as our sole source of transportation?"
Lest you think our dealership experiences were limited to repairs and maintenance, our visits consisted of a healthy dose of body reshaping as well. The Intrigue experienced four injuries: the front bumper was struck on a pole; a large dent mysteriously appeared on the A-pillar (accompanied by small dents in the hood and a scuffed rear bumper); the front end got smashed in during a fender-bender with minivan, and the rear end took a healthy jolt from an Explorer. Even with all that body damage, and a massive repair bill, our Intrigue looked good as new when we returned it after our lease.
So, what's the final word? Even though our Intrigue had outstanding handling, steering, and acceleration, it still can't "play in Honda and Toyota's playground." The Intrigue was unreliable and burdensome, and no matter how it drove those qualities can't be ignored.
What Edmunds.com says about the Intrigue:
Pros: Powerful V6 engine, roomy interior, cavernous trunk, optional Autobahn package does wonders for braking and handling, attractive styling.
Cons: Lousy build quality, "Yahtzee" shaker rattle and other mysterious gremlins, unreliability, cheap interior materials.
Best Logbook Quotes:
"VROOOM!!!!! VROOOM!!!!! I love this car!…Even though it's Retirement Gold, you can't have it back." — John Davis
"I think our dealer is still having an ass/elbow issue." —Anonymous
"I enjoy the extra side lights that come on whenever I use the turn signal. They kept me from killing a cute little squirrel the other night while making a right turn. Not a good car for Boris and Natasha." —Lev Stark
"I don't care. Fix it." —Grant Whitmore
"Within the light clusters, I felt that the parking lights were a little oversized and pronounced, like two giant meatballs stuck to the grille." —Scott Jacobs
"While 'fun' probably isn't exactly what the Intrigue was designed to deliver, to both the driver and its passengers, the Olds is, well - boring. Not bad, just bland. Not incompetent, just incapable of stirring one's soul. That's likely not a fair assessment, in view of how good a family hauler it has turned out to be for us. But thanks to my many years in the automotive journalism business, this family is used to getting a taste of many different kinds of vehicles in this, the Motor City. And to us, this Olds just doesn't have much flavor." —John Clor
"Overall, our Intrigue drives like it has 120,000 miles on the odometer, rather than 20,000." —Chris Wardlaw
"The gold car is no fun." —John Clor's boys, Jeremy and Jeff Clor
What Owners say about the Intrigue:
Email Commentary:
My wife and I have found the Intrigue to be roomy, comfortable, sharp looking and handling, with responsive brakes and more than acceptable gas milage. Bravo, Olds! — C. White, Oklahoma City, OK
The car is about as beautiful a design as GM can pen, maybe second best only to the Corvette Convertible (which is my daily driver.) The size of the interior and cargo space is nothing short of perfect, and even comfortably holds my 6-foot-4-inch frame. Handling with the Autobahn package is fantastic for a four-door sedan, and the dinosaur 3800 OHV engine provides more than enough stop-light and highway entry acceleration required in a busy city…Most of the problems faced by the Edmunds car have found their way to our car: remote releases that don't release, interior panels that come loose, steering and suspension that make grinding sounds…the list goes on-and-on. In addition, my wife and I have found our Houston-based Olds dealer to be incompetent at fixing problems…My wife loves her Intrigue so much, she claims that she'll drive it until the wheels fall off. My concern is that judging by the build quality, that time could be any minute now! — S. Barer, Houston, TX
My 1998 Intrigue was delivered to me on 1/4/98. It has 24,486 miles on it and has not had any problems. I am very happy with the car. In fact, I am one of the many readers who wrote and criticized your negative reviews of the car. — A. Maira, Rochester, NY
I took delivery of my Intrigue on May 4, 1998 and sold it 15 months and 1 day later on August 5, 1999. I drove the car 38,250 miles which were accumulated mostly on cruise control at 70 mph across country from Minnesota to the west coast. During that time the car spent 23 days in one dealer or another's shop for warranty repairs… I loved the styling, comfort and utility of this car. When it was running, the seats were quite comfortable to sit in and drive for extended periods. The trunk was cavernous and swallowed up two bicycles along with ample luggage for two…My biggest disappointment was not the poor build quality of the car, but rather the inability of a variety of Oldsmobile dealers to make effective repairs. To my way of thinking, "Autobahn brakes" should not have rotors that warp and require replacement every 15,000 miles when the car was driven for hundreds of miles at a time without ever touching the brakes. It got to the point where I had no faith in the car to drive it across the desert southwest in 115 degree temperatures, or across the mountains during freezing winters. Thus, my saga ended by trading it for a Honda Accord! — K. Almer, Plymouth, MN
I have a 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue. To date I have about 16,500 miles and have been very pleased with the car. I've been reading your long-term report on the Intrigue for some time and I must say that mine has been the complete opposite of yours. I have had very few problems with the car and the problems which I have experienced have been taken care of by the dealer. My only problems have been the steering intermediate shaft which has been a common problem on '98s and the power steering pump was whining. The Intrigue is a great car to drive. The acceleration is smooth, the transmission works perfectly with the engine, and the brakes have very good feel to them. Among other cars in its class, the Intrigue's styling is near the best…The Intrigue in particular is more stylish than the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima, and Ford Taurus. Compared to these cars, the Intrigue also offers more for the price. My only complaint with the Intrigue has been some spotty build quality in areas such as the window and door seals and some of the interior trim seems a little low grade, other than those few things I believe Olds has a winner here and still don't understand why more people don't consider the Intrigue. — E. Harmon, Knoxville, TN
Town Hall Commentary:
I do still believe that the Intrigue has "serious reliability concerns." Like I have said, the Intrigue has drawn decidedly mixed reviews in the quality and reliability department. I know that there are those of you who will say "Well, Intrigues built in 1998 had problems, but the 99's are better." Understand that car manufacturers often live or die by their reputation, including their reputation for quality (why do you think Camry is so popular, the blazing performance?). Why would a consumer take a $25,000 chance with an Intrigue's reliability when Accord, Maxima, et al. offer a similar level of features and performance, AND have a PROVEN history of quality? — gadman
The Intrigue had several problems in its first model year but none of them were major and to my knowledge none of the problems were passed on to the '99 models. The problems were steering (now resolved), warped rotors on Autobahn cars (brakes no longer offered), stuck rear seatbelts (we had ours fixed and it hasn't recurred) and sagging trim. 95 percent of the complaints you will see on the Intrigue topic are related to those "major" problems. I have seen very few reliability concerns regarding '99 models so I would assume that those issues are worked out.— 1487
Regardless, I test drove a Camry right after test driving an Intrigue with the 3.5. The Intrigue's torque and acceleration made the Camry feel like a grand dad car. Also, regarding reliability, I know someone whose Camry's timing belt failed and ruined the motor. The Intrigue 3.5 has a timing chain that won't need to be replaced. Finally, the Intrigue is as big as an Avalon and has a bigger trunk. — tander
Summing Up:
Current Market Value*: $15,136
Depreciation: $4,605 or 30% of original MSRP
Final Odometer Reading: 32,634
Best Fuel Economy: 32.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.3 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 20.3 mpg
Total Body Repair Costs: $6609.64
Total Routine Maintenance Costs: $161.83
Additional Maintenance Costs: $0
Warranty Repairs: 4
Non-Warranty Repairs: 0
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 4
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 10
Days Out of Service: 40
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: 0
Recalls:
1- The owner's manuals do not contain the required information pertaining to the vehicle headlamp aiming device. If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may not be able to aim the headlights properly.
Problem History:
Our dash lights were flickering; dealer replaced the body control module but it didn't solve the problem.
When rear defogger was activated the FM radio had static. Dealer fixed problem, but it cropped up again. Another dealer replaced the rear window and antenna module.
Rear seatbelt was jammed; dealer installed new rear seatbelt.
When we turned on the heater the air conditioner activated instead. Fisher Olds ordered a new A/C controller.
Rubber seal around front passenger window was ripped.
Our dashboard shut down completely while driving; dealer replaced the dashboard.
When heater is running, A/C and radio controls get super hot. A dealer said, "They all do that." This cropped up again and again the entire time we had the vehicle.
Our "check oil" light illuminated when the headlights were switched on; oil change corrected the problem.
An odd "Yahtzee shaker" rattle developed, audible intermittently when the car was reversing or just after shifting from reverse to drive and accelerating with the front wheels turned. In an effort for repair, a dealer retorqued the cradle arm and front suspension componentry to try and quiet the rattles as well as tighten the looseness in the steering. Rattles went on hiatus for a short time, then resurfaced.
The front right passenger door was sticking, dealer discovered this was due to the trim along the top of the door that was installed incorrectly. Dealer repaired it.
The front brake rotors were warped; dealer resurfaced our front rotors and pads to get rid of brake pulsation.
Our underdash trim panel hung down over front passenger's footwell. It was temporarily repaired, sagged again, and then got repaired once again. But then it drooped again.
Over bumps a vibration in the steering wheel indicated that something was loose in the front suspension.
During tight turning maneuvers, the steering became progressively heavy as each lock was approached, as though the power assist was failing. This was accompanied by an "odd vacuum compression sound." This problem occurred intermittently. One dealer found a damaged power steering pump shaft and replaced it. When problem persisted, another dealer installed a brand-new intermediate steering shaft, although the steering still tugged and wobbled slightly off center.
The clip that held the center console trim to the left of the gear selector in place snapped off. Dealer replaced the center console shift bezel.
Our trunk-release button popped off occasionally. Dealer secured it so well it stopped working altogether. Another dealer repaired it so it worked properly.
Door panels breathed when we raised or lowered the front windows.
Our driver's side window affixed itself to the rubber weather stripping around the window frame, tearing a chunk of the latter off when the laboring power window motor finally overcame adhesion, leaving a sticky mess of black foam all over the glass.
Cruise control stopped working altogether, then started working perfectly again.
Right rear shoulder harness retractor would lock up, then jammed completely, only to free itself and retract fully. Rear seatbelts continued to jam up occasionally. Left rear seatbelt retractor was fixed by dealer.
Dealer Service Commentary:
Drummy Oldsmobile, Eastpointe, Mich.
"To my utter surprise, my home office phone rang at about 5:30 that afternoon. It was Drummy Oldsmobile, telling me that the work on the Intrigue was completed. They had apparently also fixed the two problem items under warranty, a pleasant surprise as well."
St. Claire Oldsmobile, San Jose, Calif.
It took the people at St. Claire forever to get the Intrigue done! I took the car in on the 19th of April, and it still wasn't ready on the 28th when I left for a one-week vacation. I didn't get the car back until May 7th. Communication from the people at the dealership was minimal. I had to call them several times to inquire when the car would be ready - the first few times they had no idea. I did a quick inspection of the paperwork when I picked the car up, but there was no explanation about the traction-control problem. I waited awhile for someone to help me understand the paperwork, but nobody attempted to assist. So I left and never had time to return and deal with it."
La Brea Motors, Los Angeles, Calif.
"Yeah, that's the kind of detail and customer satisfaction that will usher all those Accord and Camry buyers into an Oldsmobile showroom. Honestly, both La Brea's service department and our car disgust us; if there was a more convenient dealership near our Southern California office, we would use it in a split second."
Albertson Oldsmobile-Chevrolet, Culver City, Calif.
"This guy treated me like I was an idiot who didn't know anything about cars. He said a really hot stereo is normal since the Intrigue has a powerful head unit, and that owners need to lubricate the weather stripping around the windows with silicone once or twice per year to keep it sticking to the windows. Sure, that's what the owner of a new car wants to do. Why don't they add that to the service schedule if it needs to be done?"
Ralph Schomp Oldsmobile, Littleton, Colo.
"Incidentally, an Intrigue owner sent us e-mail shortly after our visit to Ralph Schomp recommending their service department, and was pleased to discover that we'd tried Schomp already. Aside from the unneeded service package they tried to sell us, Schomp turned out to be an excellent place to have an Oldsmobile serviced."
Don Massey Cadillac-Oldsmobile, Denver, Colo.
"They didn't fix the car the first day. Or the second day. On the third day we called and asked when the car would be done. "The car's in the air, and he's working on it right now," was the response. We could pick it up before 6 p.m. No ride was available that evening, so we headed over to the dealership the morning of the fourth day to retrieve the Olds. The car still wasn't done, jacked up in the air with both front tires removed. We were obviously disappointed about the situation. How freaking long does it take to turn rotors, align a door, and install struts?"
Changes to Intrigue since 1998:
1999 —
Olds offers a new, 215-horsepower, 3.5 liter, DOHC V6, fitted as standard in the new top-of-the-line GLS and optional in the GX and GL trim levels, (which retain the 195-horse, 3.8-liter, OHV V6 from '98). Full-function traction control is now available in models equipped with the new powerplant. Also new is the availability of GM's OnStar system, which gives 24-hour cell-phone access to advisers who can provide directions or get roadside assistance to you. Minor feature revisions, one new color and new badging rounds out the changes this year. A Bose sound system is now an available option.
2000 —
The 3.8-liter V6 is gone from the Intrigue lineup as the DOHC 3.5 is now standard across the board. A new option is a stability control system, called the Precision Control System (PCS) that is designed to keep the car on the driver's intended line by selectively braking one or more wheels. PCS is available on all Intrigues, though adding it to a GX requires the optional traction control that's standard on the GL and GLS. Adding more luxury to the GLS is newly standard heated front seats. All Intrigues get restyled six-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels in either silver argent paint or chrome. Retained accessory power becomes standard.
Similar Vehicles:
Buick Century
Buick Regal
Pontiac Grand Prix
* based on Spring 2000 edition of "Edmund's Used Cars & Trucks," and expressed in U.S. dollars.
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