What's up with these cars?

[Billyvannuys]

Had car 10 weeks. If I had known this much about them before I bought, I might have picked another convertible. the freaky rear suspension is clever but but prone to bushing problems. The doors are too heavy for the flimsy hinges and pulls, engine too small, steering column and associated controls and buttons needed all kinds of replacing, ordering stuff online, going to wrecking yards. The way the top with the little folding windows matches up with the rear quarter windows is a terrible design; leaks,  impossible-to-find moldings shot. Buddy replaced all brake parts, but brakes still feel like a '54 Pllymouth. Going to have to go to real brake guy to figure out why they don't feel like power brakes. Appears I have a power steering fluid leak that mechanic buddy having hard time finding. Horn started blaring the other night for no apparent reason and neighbor pounded on my door, had to remove the damn underhood cross-brace to pull the fuse. I think I'll name this car "Christine", although, unlike that demonic car, this one doesn't fix  and improve itself.

 

 Plus, they're not very popular cars so few aftermarket parts made for them. Right before I bought this, I was looking online at a slightly hot-rodded '65 Cutlass convetrtble that was in my price range. I bet I can find parts for that easier than for this car. Also liked the Pontiac G6 convertible at a local dealer, but that would have required a second car payment (already have payment on truck). Okay, that's my rant. I didn't intend  for fixing this car to be a part-time career needing  supernerd research capabilities, I don't know really what I expected, but I'm in now and there's really no going back.

 

You guys will probably tear into me for this, or just snicker at the stuff you all already know by now. Man, that red G6 vert sure did look good.

[94 olds vert]

The G6 is junk. You would likely have problems with that too.

 

The 3.1ls are gutless, the optional 3.4l is more than adequate at moving this car around.

 

You might need a new master cylinder for the brakes to feel better. Replacing the fluid and bleeding the brakes can do wonders if that hasn't been done. The rubber hoses to the calipers should be replaced those get soft and make your brakes feel like mushy.

Edited February 15, 2016 by 94 olds vert

[RobertISaar]

welcome to 1st gen w-body ownership, where the general public has long since declared "not worth the trouble" and gone on to other things(though not necessarily better).

 

if you're willing to put up with a few stupid things along the way, there's nothing inherently bad about them(especially since most of the dumb things have been worked around). being a vert, you're going to have an even harder time locating certain parts than what the rest of us are already experiencing though.

[Imp558]

If you take good care of a first gen W it will take care of you. An older car is always going to need constant tinkering but not much is terrible to do.

[sean1991olds]

Don't remind me what I might have to fix soon once the car comes out of winter storage lol!
My car had some steering work done with the previous owner, known issue on these cars I believe. The doors well yeah bad design.. but it looked cool and still looks cool.
Brakes, well I think they were trying to do something good lol.. Previous owner gave me the tip to always set the parking brake to adjust the rear brakes.
Those rear window seals yeah I hear you for sure, and yeah seems like it was a bad design. Again previous owner did stuff related to the horn, and also spent $1000 tracking down a short in the rear tail light wiring (bare wire in the dash).

The rear suspension, well the idea was taken from the Corvettes, again trying to do a good thing wahaha.
I had a 88 Z24 vert before this and the 2.8L (basically the same as the 3.1L) seemed way peppier paired with the 3 speed auto than the 4 speed in the Olds.
Still, they are rare and unique and as others say any old car is going to have quirks (I can say this because the previous owner paid for most of the usual fixes lol).. I think this time period of cars is kinda in that grey area of its a cool older car, but not a classic 'worth' some of the bigger repairs unless you are a real big fan.

[Psych0matt]

I love them, mostly because I've been around them fairly primarily for the last 13 years, but there's just something neat and unique about them. I never got much into the 2nd gen Ws but now that the newest 3rd gen is 8 years old I'm kinda feeling similar about them

[Padgett]

Well, as you can tell by my sig, my cars from the last century are all GM and this, Mopars. All but the white whale are 6s. Have had a lot of transverse monoplate/monoleaf  FWD GM cars starting with the 88 Reatta so unless something strange about the Ws, is a decent arrangement (though the special shims needed to decamber the rear wheels are not common).

 

When I was travelling a lot I had many rental Buick Skylarks with 3.1 and 4T60 and never felt they were underpowered. Did feel the 2.8 in a gaggle of Fieros needed "more" but wasn't bad.

 

Reason am here now is because I was pointed to (by a "friend") a 93 GTP that pushed all of my buttons: DOHC 6, five speed manual, 4 wheel disk brakes, and a Pontiac (once upon a time was very active in POCI and GTOAA). Needs quite a bit of work but all cosmetic. Today had the AC flushed and recharged with 134A and going to see how long it holds a charge (134 works well in my other cars here in Central Florida summers & more available than 12).

[Billyvannuys]

Don't remind me what I might have to fix soon once the car comes out of winter storage lol!

My car had some steering work done with the previous owner, known issue on these cars I believe. The doors well yeah bad design.. but it looked cool and still looks cool.

Brakes, well I think they were trying to do something good lol.. Previous owner gave me the tip to always set the parking brake to adjust the rear brakes.

Those rear window seals yeah I hear you for sure, and yeah seems like it was a bad design. Again previous owner did stuff related to the horn, and also spent $1000 tracking down a short in the rear tail light wiring (bare wire in the dash).

The rear suspension, well the idea was taken from the Corvettes, again trying to do a good thing wahaha.

I had a 88 Z24 vert before this and the 2.8L (basically the same as the 3.1L) seemed way peppier paired with the 3 speed auto than the 4 speed in the Olds.

Still, they are rare and unique and as others say any old car is going to have quirks (I can say this because the previous owner paid for most of the usual fixes lol).. I think this time period of cars is kinda in that grey area of its a cool older car, but not a classic 'worth' some of the bigger repairs unless you are a real big fan.

Hi Outright, I appreciate your support of our efforts with these cars. After thinking about it, I think my biggest problem was believing in the competency of my neighbor; (a self-professed) "Mechanic" who had access to his  friends garage and lift. I actually found him lying about something involving my cousin's car but thought things were still on right track with my car. Now, I've decided to remove the neighbor from the picture. I really do like some of the quirky things about this car. I'll regroup and slow things down and get the bothersome items fixed. yeah, the door handles are kinda cool. The rear suspension can be great if I get it fixed right. The brakes should be great if I get them fixed right. Looks like I'm in this to stay. Because of you guys, I find myself looking at other W's driving around. Especially the ones with the door handles in the pillar. In the 11 weeks I've had car and driven to Vegas and back, and all over Los Angeles County, I've never seen another one, or even a  coupe. So, there is the "rare" factor, as you say. Thanks again. Fight the good fight.

[GabsOlds]

. He's hooked!

[oldsconvert]

There is a guy in Michigan who parts them out and has around 10 cars right now and could get you what you need, let me know if you need the contact info.  The rear quarter seals are impossible to find can be replaced with 95-2000 camaro window seals with a little mod.

Tom