This 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado is from an interesting era, but I guess every era is interesting in one way or another. GM downsized the fourth-generation (1986-1992) Toronado just as gas prices dropped below $1.00 a gallon. The seller has this great-looking front-drive luxury car listed here on eBay in West Warwick, Rhode Island, there is no reserve, and the current bid price is $2,000.
I wonder if GM would have added a foot rather than lopped off a foot if they would have known that gas prices would tank during the development stage? Maybe, every time gas prices tank, big vehicles come roaring back into showrooms. It’s a weird game. I mean, not that either vehicle companies or gas companies do anything behind closed doors, ha, I didn’t mean to say that (whew, that was close).
If this car wouldn’t have $1,500 in shipping costs to get it back to our garage, I’d be a player – at this price, this is a no-brainer. I really like this size and era, even though some folks balked at the tiny Toronados, the Buick Reatta, the small Eldorado, etc. This generation Toronado lost its frame for this generation, now having unit construction (unibody), and there are some new electronic modules and things to worry about if something goes haywire.
Not to mention LED/LCD displays can and do go bad, and any number of touchy technology from the Donkey Kong era. This car, though, what a gorgeous machine! The hidden headlights (the first since 1969), and the interior appears to be in great condition everywhere you look, although are those scratches in the back seat? The trunk also looks good. The seller isn’t sure about the exact mileage, but they think there may be a mere 1,313 miles on this car. The paint has some hazing or light scratches unless those are a trick of light and shadow, and looking at most of this car, it does look like a low-mile ride.
The rust under the hood isn’t super confidence-inspiring, I’d want to see the underside, but I don’t see any surface rust anywhere else in the photos. The engine is a Buick-sourced 3.8-liter OHV V6, which would have been factory-rated at 165 horsepower and 215 lb-ft of torque. That’s not a ton of power, but for a 3,300-pound car, it launched this one to 60 mph in about 10 seconds – not that anyone would stoplight race a Toronado, or I hope they wouldn’t tromp on a 35-year-old car. It’s backed up by a four-speed THM 440-T4 automatic with a column shift. I really like this car, have any of you owned a Toronado from this era? If so, let us know what to look for, or if you see anything about this car that would keep you from bidding.
At this price what’s not to like?
Comfortable cruising from Oldsmobile divisions top offering. Always a great model, the Toronado.
My brother’s father in law had one
Of these and I thought it was the coolest car at the time. This looks
Like a great example and if the price stays under $6k it feels like a steal.
This is a very nice Olds to have. A good detail will make this Olds almost new. The interior was not upgraded it has the standard seats. Leather was better. The mileage should be original if you pull the wheels the brake rotors had a slip washer/nut from the factory and the pads should be factory. I went to another site E-bay(Street side seller) and saw the same olds but with 72,000 miles and leather interior. Starting bid $5,000. So the non-leather is a great deal.
Neat car, but as stated, those electronic digital dashes do go bad, and it’s very annoying to never know your speed and how much gas you’ve got. It would be fun to have though. As long as you can tolerate sending out the electronics for repair, hoping works after reinstalling it, and then sending out the rest when it doesn’t.
I don’t buy it that this has only 1,300 miles on it! Looking at the pics on eBay, the one of the interior from the side view shows the padding is compressed on the drivers seat. Any car with that low mileage wouldn’t have that sort of interior wear. Nice car… but not 1,300 miles.
If you check out the seller’s listing he states that the odometer shows 1,300 miles but that he suspects it’s on it’s second time around, he’s not trying to fool anyone.
Mr writer, you question whether or not gas prices are rigged? A silly absurd question. The oil producers and refiners have the world economy on a tight leash. It is a game to them. They put it in a strangle lhold, and just before collapse, they suddenly let loose for some breathing air and the game resets before it all starts again later. Standard economics and common decency have nothing to do with it.
Love these cars, the paint is very similar to my 1993 Riviera.
Scotty I would say email the seller and see if they are willing to deliver it to the closest airport fly out and drive it home. Would make for a interesting story and fun road trip.
Sickened me when GM downsized. But liked the Trofeo’s styling better.
I had a 1988 Trofeo from 1996 to 2006, and never would have sold it because my dad bought it new at Kurland Olds in Spring Valley, NY. I got it 100,000 miles and immediately started buying NOS GM parts like the muffler, wheelhouse trim and others I knew would fail with age in 2006, with 199,000 miles a giant deer ran in front of the car at 70 mph. That was the end. One of the most comfortable and reliable cars ever with the 3.8 engine before GM got stupid with plastic intake manifolds. You never see Trofeos. This is nice, but I doubt it has 1,300 miles.
It has a million mile ( actually 999,999) odometer. So it would have to be a million and 1300 mile car.
😮
Beautiful 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado. Back in 1988 people who wanted a personal “American” luxury coupe almost instantly bought a new 1988 Lincoln MK-7, the only American Personal Luxury RWD 2- door V-8 car available. These Toronados were awesome cars and actually “ rode and felt “ bigger than they were. But it was too late, the downsizing of the 1985 models into these smaller versions was an example of “ too much too soon “. I have driven these Toronados and Eldorados and believe it or not they are actually awesome cars for their time, modern and “ feel” larger than they look!
Seems to me that if you know it’s a one owner car, fresh out of long time storage, and you have the original title from 1987, you might also be able to find out if the mileage is original or not.
It was good enough for Paul Kersey. (Death Wish)
Nice to see one. I can’t recall the last time I saw one in person.
The ‘80s was not a good era for GM. Major transaxle failures and the infamous steering rack with morning sickness. The 3.8 was a great V6, though.
That 3800 V-6 was one of the most reliable GM engines of that time period. It dates all the way back to the 60’s in Buick’s. It’s very reliable, easy to work on, and replacement parts are cheap. You could get a lot of miles out of one if you maintained it well.
Sold, sold, sold: $5,400.
So are you the lucky buyer?
I always thought the Buick Riviera from that year was better looking. Hidden headlights were always a failure from a reliability point of view. It doesn’t matter which manufacturer offered them. GM, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, etcetera. Eventually the systems all fail and you end up with the one eye shut look.
Better to seek out a 1988 Buick Park Avenue 4 door or 1888 Oldsmobile 98 4 door with the similar powertrain .