Used 1997 Oldsmobile Achieva Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 1997 Achieva, so we've included reviews for other years of the Achieva since its last redesign.
Good Old Car
Young Gal, 05/28/2008
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SC 2dr Coupe
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
My 1996 2 door V6 automatic Achieva is a great car, overall it's been very dependable. It was purchased for me about 5 1/2 years ago. If I was to pick a car, this would not be it, but since it was purchased for me I can't complain. It's been a great car, fun to drive with lots of power. The style and look of the car is very "grandparent'ish" but the two door is much better than four door at least. Good back up car to drive to and from work or as a kids first car, nothing to fancy. And gets pretty good gas mileage. Now that its over 12 years old its starting to see some problems with water leaking in, but drill a few holes in the floor and its manageable. Overall, it's been a good ride.
Lila
XxKilr0yxX, 05/18/2009
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought this car from a used dealer once I graduated high school. Once I found the car on the lot I knew I had to have it, but I was a little afraid because it had around 150,000 miles when I bought it. Now after years of driving for work, school and whatever else she is still running strong. The car has 227,000 miles right now I have not had to replace anything too major, the most expensive thing I have replaced was the memory chip for the computer. I love this car, and it is extremely reliable still to this day. Bottom line is if you can find a used Achieva do not be afraid if it has high miles but sounds great, I listened to mine and it has gotten me this far.
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Rookie, 03/25/2003
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought my Achieva used with 32,000 miles on it. Today, I have over 164,000 miles and it's still going. The biggest repair I've so far is I needed a new power stearing unit. There is a problem with the ignition- key release--they key doesn't come out of the column key release very easy at times. The Achieva was a good purchase, very reliable and a great value.
Good work car
me, 11/17/2007
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SC 2dr Coupe
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought this car just for driving to and from work, it is very reliable, and with the 3.1 V-6, Automatic Tranny, and traction control it preforms great on the snow and ice.
awesome for money
stangdood, 10/09/2003
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SC 2dr Coupe
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I've riden this car hard and soft, twice back and forth from Maryland to Florida and it's still my daily driver and runs great. Bought it with 87K and now has 99K in 9 months. Also installed dual exhaust and K&N air intake. Car pushes ~155hp~ and runs a 15.92 1/4 mile on a 5-spd manual tranny...not to shabby.
ups and downs
brett favre fan4, 07/22/2009
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
purchased in october of '97. saw car in showroom and fell in love with it. problems started out early. In november of that year, the engine burst into flames while parking. I got the fire out with a mountain dew. luckily the 30 day warrenty was still in effect. so i got a new engine. I had the car until '05 and it ran great. It ran from Milwaukee to Chicago at least 100 times in its life span. unfortunatly, it suddenly just died. My mechanic couldnt start it, I couldnt start it. Worst of all, it only had 98,000 miles on it. All in all it was a great car to me. I really miss it.
My First Car
firstcarreview04, 06/28/2007
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought a 1997 Oldsmobile Achieva with about 80,000 miles three years ago. It has taken me from the West Coast to the East Coast twice. All I can say is that this car is very well built. It feels solid, has excellent safety features, and gets extremely good gas mileage for an American car (particularly on the highway). The twin cam engine is quite powerful and was easily able to tow a u-haul trailer from South Carolina to New Mexico. The ride is very comfortable. This car is extremely reliable. I have left it for about a month without running it and it started up with no problems. With regular maintenance only minor repairs are required.
Love the car
Grandma Gee, 11/15/2003
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
I've had this car for 8 years and it has been very dependable. The only real problems were an air condition problem that was finally rectified, but I blame the service department at the dealership for not fixing it the first time. It has also required two sets of brakes. Otherwise it has been very dependable and still drives and looks like a new car.
Fun and Economics
Daniel/Sarah Miller, 11/19/2002
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SC 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
It is a fun car to drive. When I test drove it I swear it had a v-6. The GM quad-4 engine is very stong. It also gets great milage. The seats are comforable and the interior is nicly laid out. I have made many long trips in olds. and comfort was never a problem. The engine is very strong and works well both on anf off the highway.
My Under-Achieva
Burned, 01/16/2003
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SC 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Bot 96 Achieve SC in Aug 98. Had 12.5k mi. By Feb99 veh left me sitting 6 times.Engine stall, sputter, panel lights flash on/off then engine died. Security sensors it took at least 10 min to restart engine. Under warranty, Olds dealerships had lots of difficulty diag. Fall 99 dealer kept veh 3 wks. Dealer maint and manu couldn't find problem. Sol:replaced all sensors. 3 yrs and 67k more miles car was ok. Still thought about when it would leave me sitting again. Finally did Nov 02 & Jan03. 3 stall outs. Maint found no problem. Not comfortable with vehicle. Gave it away for tax writeoff.
I Love This Old Car
teddy13, 08/12/2008
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Bought in 1998. It was a rental car. It has had some problems, like ones I have already read: all but one window is not working, engine cuts out when on "C" in winter, metal trim falling off, front end banged up by a hit and run so does not look so good. I have to make sure it is above "c" otherwise will die. Comfortable and fun to drive. I prefer to drive this one around town rather than my 2003 Jeep. Good gas mileage. Have had to replace battery and alternator, but that's about it. Have over 92K miles on it and it is still reliable. But due to its age and miles, I don't drive this car on out of town trips.
150,000 miles And going strong
Patrick, 09/26/2008
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My Family and I have had this car for over 3 years and have little to no problems with this car. Other than my brother hit a snow bank with the car 2 years ago this car runs just fine and get around 33 MPG on the highway and around 27 MPG in the City With the 4 popper engine.
ACCURATE IMPRESSION
Bon, 05/19/2002
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This vehicle has it's quirks and shouldn't be chosen by anyone who will be spending alot of time on the road.
Next best thing to a BMW
justdoug, 09/17/2002
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is one of the most comfortable small American cars I have ever driven. The drivers seat has a tilting base and the seatback has a lumbar adjustment as well as tilting. For a 6'5" driver to get comfortable in this small of a car is wonderful. I could drive this car across the country with no problem. The suspension is very supple yet responsive. After driving it for a week it reminded me of a BMW I owned back in the early 80's. This car is actually fun to drive. The "Quad 4" engine is smooth, powerful and it gets great gas mileage. This is a superior vehicle that represents truly great value.
good car
shaffer, 02/26/2003
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This was my grandfathers car, now my moms car and I drive it often, so I am very familiar with the car. First of all, it is a good little car. It already has 118K on it. The ride is very smooth for a small car. The safety features are big pluses. The dislikes is the "check engine light", as well as the "ETS off" lights are illuminating at times. Repair shop said oxygen sensor, but cannot figure out what that has to do with the traction control. They are either both on or off, which seems like they are linked. Also, when first started when engine is warm, there is a rattling sound, that does go away after a minute.
Terrible
Sam13, 07/09/2003
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The ABS light is always on along with the CHECK ENGINGE light and the ETS OFF light. This is a pain and will not ever go off. The engine has very little power and not worth it. The car also has a tendency to stall out on me. It would stall and then take at least 5 minutes of pumping the gas and turning the key. This is not what I want in a car.
Achieva Review
chrisluvsanimals, 07/20/2003
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Car has been an excellent choice for my son. It has been driven a LOT, and has had no major problems. The car handles extremely well, with great pick-up speed and goes more than fast enough top end. It gets excellent gas milage(approx 26mpg), especially for as fast as it has been driven, but even though it has been driven fairly hard, it continues to perform well.For a mid-sized car,my 6'2" son fits easily into it with more than enough head and leg room.
Great car
Matt00002, 08/11/2003
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car handles great, tight turning, and great accelleration. I had the 2.4L engine, it had 69k on it when i bought it, and the water pump goes out at about 70k miles on almost all 2.4l's. also, the ETS off and the check engine lights only come on when it's hot outside, they turn off in the winter, it's a confessed mistake by GM. Though there is nothing wrong with the ETS or engine, the lights do come on for no reason at times.
What a car!
Mabel, 06/08/2007
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought this car looking for something to use for work that was inexpensive and reliable (two family members had brand new ones and they lasted well over 200k with original drivetrain/tranny!) Despite an accident shortly after purchase I have loved this car. Great in every way. It rocks!
1997 olds
jah, 03/23/2002
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
excell car! have had since new in 97..no problems
96 OLDS
LIFEJACKET, 09/04/2002
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This has been a great car the only thing I have been in the shop for is a water pump at about 60000 miles the front brakes wear fast. I just changed my trans oil at 130000 miles I like this car.
OLDSMOBILES ROCK
Sander, 11/27/2002
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SC 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great car! Love the 5-speed
great performer
MzkMn, 02/19/2003
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SC 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
i test drove many cars, including a `94 mustang GT, and this one beat em all. zips to 60mph, super comfortable, very nice look, and great handling. car can whip around turns. engine produces a nice roar when gas is floored. for the power, i average around 28mpg. very very nice. you get camaro/mustang/firebird performance in a smaller, more economical design. large trunk space too.
The King of Boring Cars
Michael Mote, 10/01/2019
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I adore this car. It’s not particularly stylish, but not ugly. The 2.4L 4 cylinder isn’t GM’s best, but it still packs a little punch, even with the 4 speed automatic, rather than the 5 speed manual. The steering on mine still feels very tight and it handles great. Mine is currently sitting at around 20-22 MPG because I only do city driving, but the highway does bring out some of the little flaws in the car. Wind noise is astonishingly loud, as is the exhaust when you put your foot down. But the amazing speakers and comfy seats will make you forget about that pretty quickly. My car is not equipped with cruise control, which is a minor annoyance, but if you’re considering one of these, you should check if it has it. Overall, I love it and hope mine lasts for another 10 years
Oldsmobile Achieva
mabrad2, 08/05/2002
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Royal Piece of Crap have had 2 trunk releases replaced 2 window motors I Co2 chip and now another problem catylliyc convertor I trashed it a got a brand new buick century
Great car for daily commuting
tinkersk, 09/19/2002
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is an economical car to run, reliable, easy to handle and park. Not too small like a sub-compact, but not too big for city driving. Plain look inside and outside, but comfortable. Never had a problem mechanically for four years. Highly recommended.
Perfect First Car
eThom07, 11/09/2006
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SL 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I purchased this car on my own when I was 17 [last year] and I never took it in for a single problem. Actually, it'd been through two accidents by the time I got into a third accident where the other party totaled the car. I hadn't ever put any money into it, it's a sound, tight little car, and it gets pretty good gas mileage as well. It's an inexpensive buy and I recommend it to any first-time driver. It made a few weird noises once it got below zero, but nothing serious.
Very Happy with my Old Olds!
Very Happy with Olds, 09/20/2005
1997 Oldsmobile Achieva SC 2dr Coupe
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I orginally purchased this car with 89,000 miles on it and it is now at 230,000 and still running like a baby. I have had my share of problems, (transmission *put used in for less than 700*, belts, alternator, seals, catalytic converter *less than 200*) but I could not ask for a better vehicle. I have driven it everywhere without any major problems. Every problem is fixable and affordable and it runs better than my other vehicle with half the miles. I also have my Check Engine light and ETS light on constantly, but I chalk it up to one of it's tiny quirks. It runs no better or worse when the lights are on. This was my first vehicle and it will be may "last". I will never buy anything but and Oldsmobiles again.