My '96 Olds Cutlass is off to Motorcity in the sky

[SEiZe]

Well I'm back guys after a long hiatus. When I originally came to these forums I had a '96 Olds Cutlass Supreme 3100 with 66k miles on it. Well that vehicle made it to see 110k miles on the good ole' odometer, but it was a rough ride after 95k.

 

About 2 years ago, I took it to a place here called "Brahler's", which is an oil change place, and they were to change the old oil out and replace it with new. Well, they forgot about the remove part and just did the add part causing 10+ quarts to be in the engine instead of the normal amount. This caused leakage past the ring and seals in various parts of the engine and also the head gasket to be replaced. After spending over $1000 to have engine work done, it was back on the road.

 

Around 100k miles, there started to be a stuttering coming from the engine and another trip to the mechanic was made. They found that it was in need of a tune up and also that it was burning oil. After that was done, a month went by and it started to do it again. I knew that it couldn't be the plugs and thought about the fuel delivery system. So first things first, I changed the fuel filter. This eliminated the problem, so I thought.

 

Two weeks go by and it started doing it again. This time I didn't go to a mechanic and just checked myself. I found that two plugs, on the right side when facing the motor, front and back, were getting fouled up with oil so I replaced them. Once replaced, the car ran like a champ for about a week, and then it started the same thing over again.

 

Now at this time, I was like screw it and I was not going to pay $20 a week to replace two plugs, just so my car would run right. So I drove it a while as it was. (Poor car) Finally when I went to do a brake pad change, I noticed that some how a rock had lodged itself between the inner pad and the rotor on the right rear of the vehicle. I was not about to spend another $50 for a rotor when I knew the engine was not going to last.

 

I looked at the amount that it would cost me to replace the engine, rotors, shocks/struts and other miscellaneous parts/pieces and found that it would run me about $4500 to get the car running like it was originally. So I looked for another vehicle to get myself around with. I looked in the papers and online but I could not find anything I liked that was decent or that I could afford.

 

I then was driving back from lunch and found a car that was nice and in a European exotic car lot. So after work, I called down to ask about the car. The guy that I spoke to told me all about it and how they acquired it. He told me that a doctor moved from Utah and then purchased a $100,000 Porsche from there. I then asked him how late they were open and then told him that I would be down to look at it.

 

When I get down there, I didn't see it in the lot. At this point, I was bummed out because I didn't see it on the lot. I then proceeded up to the door and then I was greeted by a guy by my first name and he introduced himself to me. I then asked about the car and he said that it was inside. I asked "inside?", and thought he meant like in the service bay or something.

 

He said, "No, it’s in the show room." and I immediately thought that he was talking about a new exotic car.

 

We then went inside and there it was, the car I saw earlier in the day, sitting in the middle of a Mercedes Benz, an Aston Martin, some BMWs and Porsches. Now this is a domestic car I was looking at earlier and it should not have been in the showroom floor. I then was thrown the keys to it and I asked the guy why he threw them at me. He told me to drive it of the lot, after I gave him driver’s license of course.

 

I drive it around and I like it. It handles nice and performs well. I check it over and find that it has 40k miles on it and does not leak nor sputter. I take it back and ask how much and he tells me $9,000. I ask if any thing is wrong and he said that there was nothing wrong with it. At this point I am wanting to buy it. I go over the numbers with him and get $1,000 for my car with a bad motor and the other problems. I get the financing the next day for it and pick it up.

 

Right before I sign the title to the Cutlass, he tells me that on Saturdays between 9am and noon, they give out free breakfast and wash, wax, and detail the cars that are purchased from them for free. I was like even my domestic and he said that if it runs, was purchased from them and had their "Priority One" sticker in the window, that they would do so. I was shocked about this whole experience.

 

I got a new car for a good price, it was on the showroom floor next to high dollar cars, there was no pressure, I was treated nice and I get food and a free wash, wax and detail. What more could you want from a dealer?

 

And that is how I went from a 1996 Olds Cutlass to a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GT. Hey, I love these W bodies.

[90TGP]

About 2 years ago, I took it to a place here called "Brahler's", which is an oil change place, and they were to change the old oil out and replace it with new. Well, they forgot about the remove part and just did the add part causing 10+ quarts to be in the engine instead of the normal amount. This caused leakage past the ring and seals in various parts of the engine and also the head gasket to be replaced. After spending over $1000 to have engine work done, it was back on the road.

 

Did you sue for damages? That's really stupid. Hope you like your new car

[SEiZe]

Actually, I forgot to keep the receipt for the oil "change" and I got shafted in the end about that.

 

REMEMBER, always keep your receipts!

[94CutlassSLCoupe]

I seriously doubt it would have cost you $4500 to get it running like new again, provided you can do some work yourself. But it looks like you did pretty well anyways on the new car.

[93CutlassSupreme]

I seriously doubt it would have cost you $4500 to get it running like new again, provided you can do some work yourself. But it looks like you did pretty well anyways on the new car.

 

i could easily see a mechanic wanting that much.

[slick]

Why was a 2001 Grand Prix in an exotic showroom floor???

[GP1138]

Why was a 2001 Grand Prix in an exotic showroom floor???

 

The guy that I spoke to told me all about it and how they acquired it. He told me that a doctor moved from Utah and then purchased a $100,000 Porsche from there.

[SEiZe]

Why was a 2001 Grand Prix in an exotic showroom floor???

 

I don't know but Isringhausen is the place to go. Your reaction was the same as mine. Why is a domestic family sedan between high dollar cars. Maybe they do that when someone is really interested in a car from their lot. I know one thing, people come from all over to buy from them and they don't even drive the cars back home. Isringhausen will truck it to your door for free without putting the miles on it. (See their site)

[john99gtp]

ahh who cares

 

 

its a nice car

 

 

you should starting modding that man

 

 

nice pickup

 

 

John

[jeremy]

I would have done an engine swap in the cutty before I would have bought a +'97 GP, especially a GT.....

[SEiZe]

That had crossed my mind, but I found a deal that I could not pass up.

 

I miss the Cutlass and it was fun to drive. I did hate the leather seats in the extreme cold and heat. Plus, I don't want to nickel and dime it all the time just to make it run or function correctly once again. (Mental note: never take car to oil change place, do it yourself) If I had the cash to repair the Cutlass and get the GP I would have, but in this day and age, money doesn't grow on trees nor do jobs.

[White93z34]

that is why i trust me to work on my car and very, very few other people.

if you want something done right do it yourself.

[Euro]

man i would have done something with the oil change place!! thats why i change my own oil, costs me like $15, and a half hour. Alot better than paying $38(for just Pennzoil!!! Mobil 1 was like $50!!!) at a oil change place.

 

 

man must be nice going from an 01 GP GT to a 100k Porsche!!