112 miles a year over 37 years isn’t a lot of driving for such a relatively new and modern car such as this dark teal blue metallic 1986 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Brougham. The seller has this time capsule posted here on craigslist in Bourne, Massachusetts, and they’re asking a whopping $22,500 or cash offers. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for sending in this tip!
The 11th-generation Olds 98, or Ninety-Eight, was made from 1985 through 1990. This car would most likely go cross-country without a hiccup and you’d arrive at your destination relaxed and in a good mood. Well, other than having to deal with most of the other drivers along the way. In case you haven’t noticed, things have gotten a little unfriendly out there on the roads over the last three years. Speaking of unfriendly, about that asking price… Most sources list this car as being worth around $5,000 at the very most, not that “most sources” know everything.
I ran across two different listings for this exact car in doing a little research on it. Those previous listings show it back when it had 3,127 miles on it, but they didn’t list a selling price. I’m dying to know what it sold for at auction. Apparently, according to those two websites, this was a one-owner car until 2016 when it was sold at auction and an Oldsmobile collector bought it. If nothing else, please check out the much better photos on the other two links. The photos are rich and deep and well-exposed and perfectly in focus and just gorgeous. Not that I’m a fanatic about photos or anything.
In case you’re wondering about the steering wheel protector, I believe that it’s there to protect the original and mint condition steering wheel. Again, I reference the two previous listings to see their photos, they’re much better than the ones in the craigslist ad here. It’s nothing against the seller, maybe they just didn’t have as nice of a camera or the day was hazy or something. You can tell from almost any photos that this car is basically in brand-new condition. The optional leather seating surfaces look perfect both front and rear, and the trunk also looks perfect. One thing that isn’t perfect is that the Bose cassette deck isn’t working. I don’t think that would nudge the seller to take $5,000 for this car, though.
The engine is a Buick-sourced 231-cu.in. (3.8-liter) OHV V6, which had 140 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque when new. Heck, it is almost new. Most of us who have stored cars for years or even decades, as I have, know that nothing protects rubber parts, they just deteriorate due to age, so even though this car looks like new, it may need to be checked over before heading out on that cross-country trip that I mentioned. What’s your cash offer for this beautiful time capsule?
For that kind of money,I’d rather have a nice older car,
or a nice Crown Vic/Grand Marquis.
It’s nice..they were nice. I rode in a new one, same color with velour seats, nice.
$22,500 today would be around $57k in 1986. An Olds 98 Regency Brougham original MSRP in 1986 was about $16,500. Adjusted for inflation that would be about $42,000 today.
I know I know, Olds is gone and try to find another one, still though..
I’d be very surprised if the seller got anywhere near his asking price. Sure, this Olds is very nice with extraordinarily low miles and in a condition that’s hard to fault, but it’s simply a fairly mundane four-door sedan at this point in time. There are certainly a lot of cars that are more interesting out there for that kind of money. For example, the 1954 Buick Special Riviera posted here on Barnfinds for $14,000. Personally, I’d much rather have that than this ’86 Olds. Maybe I don’t have a clue but I’m thinking this Olds is worth somewhere south of $10k. But what do I know.
I think the ads are George Carlin worthy. It’s no wonder he, and others like him, have such success in comedy, a treasure trove of material. Like, “step right up, folks”,, I believe the condition, I see cars like this that almost run me over on my bike a lot, piloted by some old geezer with their mouth open. This was appealing in 1986 for older folks that still wanted an Oldsmobile, no matter how diminished from the originals they had gotten. Most didn’t care what wheel drove the car, it was still an Oldsmobile. Great cars, just the appeal of a rotten orange today. Cars like this are so passe’, seeing one immediately tells the world, they can’t afford anything but an old square car. Many don’t see it as a super clean ’86 Olds. Don’t think so? I live in a VERY upscale community, where money is king. I’m clearly horribly out of place, and one reason I sold the old pickup, seriously. Not everyone shares our view of old cars, sorry. I attended an estate sale of an elderly couple, and there was a car just like this. Not near as nice, but they are out there. No interest, and went for a paltry couple grand. If you want a car like this, that’s where to find them.
we had a few of these…they were a big step down from their predecessor but nice enough to drive. With the fe3 suspension they handled okay but I don’t see the collector value in them.
I love these but, sadly, with this low a miliage, it is a car that can not be driven. Any added miles would only diminish its value. Its only good for display in a museum or such.
Yawn. As exciting as a wet rag.
I’d prefer the ’91-’96 Ninety-Eights/Regencies (and the ’92-’99 Eighty-Eights). Same underpinnings but improved 3800s, and a little more content than these earlier ones like ABS, air bags, and power windows that work past the first few years. On my way to 300K miles out of my ’96.
Back at that time, the fuel injection on these V6s was great. Night and day difference from before. My parents bought a new Cutlass Cierra in this color in 1988 with the 3.8L V6, which was optional over the base 4-cylinder and the 2.8L V6. That car was a rocket for the day, and did very well on fuel economy. Overall, a nice car for the time.
My grandparents owned a white Oldsmobile out of this series and it ran better than most cutlasses and the ride in the back was a bit spongy, so you didn’t want to be prone to car sickness going down mountain grades. To me, this one is a bit deceptive because it’s not a true Oldsmobile on it’s inside. The fact Oldsmobile farmed out to Buick for their main powerplant would make me question why anyone would charge well over twenty thousand dollars, which is totally unrealistic for even a practically new one with few miles on it. These cars were driven by the older folks and rarely if ever had younger people driving them because this was the car you bought for mom and then maybe sold off as a first car to your daughter or son or close friend whose family could use it as a backup. The seller is not being realistic here, if they asked six thousand, I would take a look, but again, I’m not going to spend money on a car I know from history was used mainly by my grandparents and their friends.
I think about half of these came in that color. My uncle had one identical to it. He would run the tires until they absolutely fell to pieces. I remember looking at his tires and seeing wire coming out of the tread because of age. He said there was still tread on them and refused to replace them. He said he drove only around town and slowly. Later he told me about a trip he took with my cousin driving and he took a nap. When he woke up she was driving ninety miles an hour. Nearly gave him a heart attack.
Very nicely preserved Olds, but certainly not considered a “collectable”. Might have a chance of getting 15k but 22k+ …..dream on and when you wake up you might think a bit more realistically!
GTFO lol total crack pipe here.. tho I have a soft spot for them as we drove the Buick version in summer school drivers ed.. nice driving cars for the time.. but 5 figures? No! No! No!
I ordered the 1985 two-door version of this car with every option available and it had a sticker price close to $17,000. I kept it for over fifteen years because it rode so smooth ( cornered like a DOUBLE BED, but rode smooth ) One of the brake lines rusted through and I almost had an accident, so I ended up selling it for $200 to a junk yard. I remember having to wait for months for it to come into the dealer – there were a lot of things I ordered that they hadn’t quite perfected yet, since it was a completely “new” model from the rear drive 1984’s.
I bought a 1986 Delta 88 new and it was the worst car I ever owned.
3 transmissions every sensor went out leaving me stranded every time. the windows fell into the doors twice after being repaired. Wheels cracked and the alternator went out twice leaving me stranded again. I sold it for $100. Might have got more in scrap value. What makes it worse is I worked for Oldsmobile.
I had a 1978! Best car I ever owned. Paid $400.00 for and drove for four years, it was in mint condition when the motor died at 210,000 miles. Parked it in the woods. Wish I’d had kept it.
Just wanted to mention that I have owned 2 Oldsmobiles, both of them were used cars. I had a 1953 Olds 88 4 door sedan, and later a 1981 Olds 4 door sedan. Can’t remember what became of the ’53, but I sold the ’81. Pretty exciting, huh?
Where the term “Your father’s Oldsmobile” originated…lol
Beautiful specimen of a very average and still obtainable car. The Olds, and it’s Buick counterpart were really nice cars but, outside of their very roomy interior’s and trunk, nothing special from a features or driving experience standpoint. The later 3800 Series II was a more refined, powerful and economical version of the original 3800 and as others have mentions, additional features like ABS, airbags and more power make later versions preferable. I’d love it for $6-7k, at 22k I’ll keep my powder dry.
Many oil seals might be dried out and ready to go. Way too high on the price… unless it gives someone the warm and fuzzies for some nostalgic reason.
So not the car my ’72 olds 98 was.
Gustafson Olds, Jerry Lundergaard speaking. But does it have Tru-Coat???
Well,aren’t you just a “Son of a Gunderson – don’t cha know”
These cars were garbage brand new, no power, paint known to peel. not worth $2K even.
Nice car to inherit from your great aunt or grandmother, but to pay cash for it-you have to be kidding!
About 25 years ago I owned the “Touring sedan” edition of this series 98. It was a 1990. Leather “Recaro” buckets, FE suspension whatever that was, floor shift,upscale alloys, painted bumpers,ground effects trim. Nearest thing to a sportscar that I could afford. Did I mention I had three kidz at the time. Anyway what I liked was the way it handled with a new set of Michelins, 35 plus mpg on the hwy. In Touring Sedan trim I might drive one again just for the memory…It wasn’t “My father’s Oldsmobile!”
Car has been listed for 2 days and already lowered the price by 2K to $20,500.
I can’t make it out exactly, but I think they are asking the same amount of money that is on the window sticker.
So, if you missed the original opportunity to own one over 30 years ago, here you go. LOL!
@PRA4SNW
Right you are. The original MSRP on the window sticker reads $20,388
WTF .. do they think this is some kind of performance sports car? Somebody bumped their head. 😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ok , I know what happen, someone put the decimal in the wrong place. $2,200.