Why do I want this? (Oldsmobile Content)

Theres a really nice w-body 80s GM something-or-other like that near me that i did a double take over when i saw it up close. If i could buy it from someone who didnt know/didnt care for ~$800, i probably would. I've driven and worked on a fair number and they actually characterize a lot of what i like about DIY-ing 80s cars in general. New enough for 'good' fuel injection, old enough to be simple. New enough to use relays and fuses without glass on them (and generally have still-reliable electrics), old enough to not need a scan tool for much of anything. New enough that the door doesn't weigh 75lbs and sag, old enough to be 'small' by modern standards of whatever 'class' of car it's considered to be. New enough to get good fuel mileage, old enough to have cheap antique plates. New enough to not have values shoot up due to nostalgia, old enough to be worthless unless in exceptional shape. Etc

The only thing that keeps those things from flipping over in the corners is the door handles.

The addition of an in-dash calculator on the "luxury" version of this platform says a lot about what GM thought of its customers.  

Isn't there some sort of weird Pontiac variant of these that got AWD?

You guys amuse me.   There is gushing lust for Cressidas, Coronas and all kinds of mundane, boring Japanese cars on this board, but when someone posts a pic of a boring, mundane American car--- lots of hate. 

I owned a 87 Cressida--- it was a nice car-- a hand me down  from my Grandmother.  Was it a better car than this Olds?  No....no it wasn't.  About the only thing the Cressida had over the Olds was RWD---- but unless you add the boosts...... the  Toyota's fun  advantage was only in gravel, or ice, where the fairly gutless engine could spin the tires.   The Olds gets better mpg, has more power, is as reliable, is as a much "fun" to drive, and is less expensive to maintain.   

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

Isn't there some sort of weird Pontiac variant of these that got AWD?

I think you may be thinking of the Pontiac 6000 STE.  Celebrity platform---- widely praised by the automotive press.  They had a rare variant with AWD.  

I feel like cars like this (boring, anonymous, cheap, disposable) are a steering quickener and hydraulic handbrake away from being absolutely hilarious to drive at all times.  You could fly around corners sideways, tires shrieking, and unless they had direct line of sight the officer who heard the noise would pull over the Mustang next to you 

+1 to both Joe Gearin's posts. 

I don't know how boost friendly the AWD system was but there are well-known ways to make power with the available drivetrains. 

1320Video just put up some content that's right up my alley (and this one, sort of), a ~10 second  mid-80s Dodge Omni and a ~10 second late-80s Chevy Cavalier Z24 racing each other in the semi-finals of a no-prep drag race event. I think the Omni makes about 450hp and the Cav makes about 600.  There really is not much difference in concept between taking those cars and making something fun out of them, and this Olds. 

I drove several of the olds models for a small town Taxi company in the early 2000's. They were good, sturdy rides with good mpgs at the time.

joey48442 said:

Peter Egan drove one for a while I think. If it’s good enough for him....

And Peter Egan was amazed at the 3800's fuel economy.  He wrote a whole article about it.

January 2002 R&T

We had a 1985, the first year of the FWD chassis.  Another of my wife's brilliant ideas.  It was the second biggest turd we owned, only surpassed by the 1991 Lincoln Continental.   It got 2 or 3 transmissions and the AC system was weak (way to underdesign Delco).  I don't think we ever got 30mpg.              

As long as it is the 3800 v6.  Otherwise pass 

If it is priced right I would pick it up for some floaty goodness as a secondary vehicle.