Used 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette Minivan Consumer Reviews
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the good, bad, and ugly
gg in AL, 01/30/2010
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We bought the van and loved it until the camshaft broke @142k. Replaced with a used 2004 engine. Now at 155k many things are broke or not working; both reading lights are broken; power door doesn't close but pops back open 50% of the time in cold weather; check engine light has been on for a year; low coolant light flashes on/off but coolant is ok; driver's window stops 1/2 of the way up and must be manually adjusted to close; outside temp sensor is off by 20 degrees; headlights cloudy and full of water; I have recharged the A/C 6 times; GM has increased parts prices by 300% since bankrupt. When the next expensive repair comes along I will junk the van and buy a Toyota or Honda.
Been A good one - gonna miss her
miledriver, 01/18/2012
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Bought new and always maintained. At 247,500 miles the headgasket blew. Such a shame. At 14 years old its just not worth fixing but everything about this van is in perfect condition. The paint is perfect. The leather looks brand new. Everything still works! Even the power sliding door. This van however was extremely well maintained and taken care. The only thing other than regular maintenance done was the headlamp assemblies were replaced because they turned cloudy and that only cost $35.00 per side and I changed them myself. Hate it but I guess we gonna crush it.
98 Oldsmobile Silouette
cyberbro, 04/17/2002
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I was not disappoint in purchasing this used vehicle with just 22000 miles on it. At lease that is what I was told. So far the only problem that I have is the brakes sometimes squeak when coming to a stop.
Clearly the worst van on the market
la, 01/04/2010
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Ok - I love this van only because of senimentality. Thw big problem is the engine. What ever you do -do not get the oxygen sensor replaced!! I have done this twice and both times it led to engine trouble. first time 3 years ago it resulted in needing the head gaskets replaced. Then last week it was running fine except the service engine soon light had been on for a while, so i took it in and they replaced the same oxygen sensor. This time it resulted in needing a new engine. All mechanics will tell you the two are not related. hoever a friend had the same problem with her olds silhoutte last fall. Stay away from these vans if you can.Also lots of small things that go wrong with them.
Nice van, but what a piece of JUNK!!!
Todd, 05/24/2008
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GS 4dr Minivan
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I loved everything about this van when I first bought it, but oh my god, what a nightmare! I had to trade it in the week that my extended warranty expired. I was scared to keep it without the warranty. Van had 30,000 when I got it and I put 60,000 more on it-in that time the warranty paid out nearly $9000 in covered repairs and not just on 1 or 2 major items. It was $1000 here, $700 there, etc. Van left us stranded on 2 out of town family vacations and gave us problems on several others. Don't buy one of these, even though the purchase price may seem like a really good deal!You will be sorry. Easily the worst vehicle I have ever owned, as far as reliability.
Served us well
Bob M, 12/13/2007
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
GM had a good thing going with this Silhouette platform/engine/drivetrain package. I hope our Uplander replacement proves as reliable. The reason we bought the Silhouette over the "default van" (Crysler Caravan) was transmission reliability. We were not disappointed. Over 200,000 miles and not one lick of tranny trouble from our GM. The biggest expence was for head gaskets at 140K. No probs since. In its prime we always got 22/26 mpg. I still get 19- 20mpg "around town". We live in the "rust belt" with salted winter time roads. I think this car would get to 225k or 250k miles if only the body would hold out as rust has popped through on both sides of the car in front of the rear tires.
LOVE this van!
daja, 06/30/2008
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We purchased this van with 35k miles on it 8 years ago, and have since put 120k miles on it. Many trips have been made from Tennessee to Missouri over the years & we have had nothing but comfortable trips! We love the lumbar supports in both front seats for those long drives. Only one side door is power, but that hasn't been a problem. The kids just get in on the "power" side, & they're big enough now to open/close the manual side! I just love this van!!!
170k and still going
Dan Jackson, 07/29/2008
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Minimal problems with the Silhouette for the miles. I use Mobil 1 (engine) and flush the trans completely (including torque converter). Just replaced struts for the first time. Rear wheel brake cylinders making noise (seals probably need replaced) Power door is dead (expensive to fix) Power window motor replaced (cheap fix). A few lights on the radio out. Serpentine belt replaced. Driver seat cushion replaced. That's basically it. Highly recommend this vehicle.
davan
tulamusa64, 07/16/2002
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GL 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is a fun van to drive. The gas mileage is exceptional for its size. Lots of room!
Silhouette - convenient but trucky
Laurie, 04/23/2002
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I owned a '98 Silhouette for three years (65,000 miles). The vehicle gave me no problems and was exceptionally convenient for me with my pre-schooler. We took out the middle-row captain's seats and had enough room for bikes, strollers, etc. Plus, kids can't kick the back of the driver seat from way back there. The high-profile made it rock a little in heavy winds, and it rocked like a pickup truck when I pulled out of my driveway and hit dips. On husband's insistence, moved on to an Intrigue sedan - more stylish and fun to drive, but I will be going back to a minivan with my next vehicle.
It looks great but is not built to last
dbm, 09/23/2003
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The rear AC unit is a nice feature that was novel in 1998 but now it seems that all minivans have it. Mechanically the only problem we have had is the AC which stopped working at 110000 with a shot compressor motor. The real problem I have had is the rubber stripping and molding. This van was 27,000 new and for that much money I expect the rubber seals to stay attached to the doors. They have not. The drivers side wind seals have fallen off, the molding that seals the sliding doors have come off. You would expect some decent glue holding these things on. The van is not build to the same standards as the price.
Revised Review Disreguard my Previous One
beaksters, 08/15/2005
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a comfortable van, that gets good MPG. It has poor long term reliability though. At 119,000 miles it experienced a transmission failure. At 126,000 miles a blown head gasket (in this model mechanics recommend a rebuilt engine). If your GM van is near those miles, WATCH OUT! I'm selling it. It's value has collapsed. I lost big money on this one. I had problems with a Ford Windstar before this. So I have said one word to the "Big Three Automakers", "Sianara". I now drive a Honda!
Very Satisfied Owner
Sir frederick, 12/25/2005
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have driven my 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette for over 93,000 miles with no problems other than an occasional one with the power door - mainly in cold weather. The only other minor annoyance was losing the center cap on the aluminum wheels. The van drove very smoothly and the engine had adequate power. I don't understand why some think it is underpowered. You don't buy a van for jackrabbit starts. I hauled seven adults and plenty of luggage and the power was adequate for the job. Our original tires lasted for 81,000 miles and were not totally worn out. The gas mileage averaged 23 to 25 MPG on long trips. It is an extremely comfortable vehicle to drive on long trips. If Olds hadn't quit, I would buy another.
More minuses than pluses
Evanob, 02/19/2004
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette Premiere 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The car performed well in the first 4 years. The car developed a head gasket leak which allowed engine coolant Dexon to leak into the engine oil. The problem was misdiagnosed and eventually the crank shaft broke at 70,000 miles. We had to replace the engine. GM paid half -- out of warranty. We had frequent trouble with the power sliding door.
Silhouette Rules
thebakers, 06/03/2004
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GS 4dr Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We LOVE our van! It rides, drives and always been a dream for us. The MPG for a van has been outstanding. We are in it every other weekend traveling and it has always come through for us. We have been told by many dealers and individuals we have a premier van among vehicles and we believe it!
Bought w/ 92k and still going!
beaksters, 07/23/2004
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GL 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Bought from flat Texas last year(ie low strain on tranny). 15 months later,@ 116k, the pwr slider does not work and problem with load leveling system (both not worth repairing). But the van is great for those on a budget. Low initial cost(bought at yr 5), no major engine issues, great gas mileage for a van, smooth ride, my two young boys sleep well on trips! Handling is good. Front and side airbags. Dual sliders are great. Comfortable seats. It is a living room on wheels. My friends have there expensive SUV's, I have my van paid off!!!
Good Engine, Bad Everything Else
Spikeman, 10/15/2004
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GS 4dr Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We have found this a very frustrating vehicle to own. The engine and drive train have been very good but we have had so many other problems that we wish we had made a different choice. Where to start... the power sliding door is useless. First it would not close unless you held it shut, now it doesn't work at all and has become a very heavy manual door. Numerous trips to the shop have not helped. The check engine light kept coming on for several months but that appears to be fixed now (finally). The temperature senser clearly doesn't work, the cup holders are useless, the rubber stripping falls off. We regret not paying the extra money for the Toyota. Get the extended warranty.
decent until 80K
findlj, 03/14/2003
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Overall satisfied with the silhouette. Reliablity not as good as expected considering the price, however. We travelled a lot with it. Very comfortable. Interior had very nice features like rear individual radio controls capable of running two audio systems at once (using headphones with one). Problems were intake manifold gasket needed replacing at 60k. Many problems occurred at 80K and just kept coming. Many hardware rattles and wind noise became pretty bad. Traded for a Honda Oddessy.
260,000 Miles and Still Going
Winklers TEAM car, 03/05/2007
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We bought this van used with 150,000 miles on it. We now have 260,000 miles on it and it is still going! We have had no major issues just normal wear and tear. It still gets 26+ mpg. It uses a little oil, but anything would at that point. The exterior has one spot of rust by the sliding door. The power door didn't work when we got it but then it decided to work one day? Bonus!
Well Worth the Money Spent
Brandy, 03/01/2008
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This was purchased used with 115,000 miles. It's now at 195,000 miles. Only problems have been power sliding door resets frequently and sensor for door closed is malfunctioning, and most recently the a/c compressor "blowing out". The oil level sensor has been replaced but is still lit up after 4 yrs. Otherwise besides normal wear and tear, this has been a great van for my family. It rides smoothly on long hauls and the leather seats have really held up. 2 yrs ago we had only 2 kids, 3 dogs, and all our luggage and were comfortable to make a 1600 mile round trip from Texas to Missouri. Since it has been well maintained, I see this last many more 1000's of miles.
A Good Minivan
NKP, 04/27/2003
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My experience was pretty good with this particular vehicle. I really didn't have any major problems, besides just changing the tires and other small things. It got us to many places in a nice and fun ride. So I really loved the Silhouette.
OK minivan with poor reliability
Jackincalifornia, 06/27/2003
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GS 4dr Minivan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This minivan has broken down on the highway 3 times, costing over $7,000 in non-warranty repairs. Beware of short warrantee periods.
Silhouette - convenient but trucky
laurie, 04/23/2002
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
I owned a '98 Silhouette for three years (65,000 miles). The vehicle gave me no problems and was exceptionally convenient for me with my pre-schooler. We took out the middle-row captain's seats and had enough room for bikes, strollers, etc. Plus, kids can't kick the back of the driver seat from way back there. The high-profile made it rock a little in heavy winds, and it rocked like a pickup truck when I pulled out of my driveway and hit dips. On husband's insistence, moved on to an Intrigue sedan - more stylish and fun to drive, but I will be going back to a minivan with my next vehicle.
2nd Olds Minivan
belairdad, 11/29/2002
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This 98 Silhoutte is our family's second Olds minivan. Replaced a 93 model, which was an excellent vehicle. Family's 4th. Olds and all were rock solid expect for this model. Space in the 98 is great, second row captains chairs and third row seat (split reclining bench) are all very comfortable. Even Dad can sit in the third row in comfort. Vehicle has a serene ride and is very quiet on the highway. Wife likes the traction control for winter, and kids like the second row radio/cd/tape controls and rear climate controls.
Too many problems
Evanob, 01/05/2003
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Bought the car because we wanted a large minivan that wasn't a Chrysler having had a bad experience with a 1991 Voyager. The Silouhette had serious electric door problems for first 3 years and the dealers had trouble solving this problem. Also had brake issues -- possibly normal wear, but had to turn rotors once then replace rotors. Recently have had engine problems including coolant leak and steering pump problems that have made the car undriveable. Just towed to dealer today 1/5/03.
this car stays solid
bill from albany ny, 08/20/2003
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
we don't stay put much. Our three teens plus two cousins took a 6000 mile trip with camping gear and it cruised nicely at 70 all day, day after day when it was brand new, stuff piled 2-3 feet high on the roof. Now, a hundred thousand miles later, my daughter has it; Its been to Indiana, Tennessee and Maine this summer. Oil consumption is zero. It gets changed at 7500 miles with synthetic oil. The handling is sure, and the ride quiet on Michelins. No rust tho' it only gets washed when it rains. Only problems are the power sliding door which is prone to failure (we use it as non power now) and the brakes have been problematic.
Driven Hard No problems
tadarbie, 08/31/2003
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This has been a very solid family vehicle. Lots of long family trips, lots of daily commute miles and still has good acceleration and comfortable ride after almost 6 years and 120,000 miles.
Comfortable Road Car
dispencer, 01/20/2004
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS 4dr Ext Minivan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This GLS has 120k miles on it as of 1/04. Reliability and build quality is poor. Car has numerous rattles and needed a head gasket at 80k. Brakes don't hold up. Car is very comfortable on the road (Touring HD suspension) and rides very well. Seats are well designed and supportive. The engine is underpowered for the size of the car resulting in numerous downshifts while in cruise control on hills. Lots of rattles and flimsy plastic trim pieces that break. 2nd row Captain's chairs don't fold forward in '98 model.
110K Still Runs Like New
Bill P, 03/15/2004
1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette Premiere 4dr Ext Minivan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Had some init probs with reliability -- GM gave us a free upgrade to 72mo/100K $0 Deductable warranty. In shop 4x for vid sys modules (3x for audio, 1x for video), all were covered. Some probs w/ oxy sensor (engine light on, low mpg) covered under warranty. Intermit low coolant lgt -- air bubbles in sensor line. Comfortable ride, good perform, lots of room inside. We have 3 kids each gets their own seat! Traction control is great for snow and ice - never stuck in 5 years. Replaced weak original headlight bulbs with prem bulbs that are 3x as bright(but still not as good as my '95 F-150). Just turned 110K miles and it still drives like new.