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6,090 Original Miles: 1992 Olds Tornado

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Finding cars that are rare and limited production with low miles isn’t hard. But ordinary vehicles that are usually used hard and put away wet only to end up on some corner used car lot is far more difficult. This 1992 Oldsmobile Tornado has only 6,090 original miles and is here on eBay with bidding over $2K and the reserve unmet. 

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The GM interiors of this era were nothing to write home about, but it’s not offensive. As a fan of the color blue, I dig this Olds’ interior but you may be turned off by acres of the same color. This Tornado, despite its low mileage, has numerous cosmetic flaws including what looks like a long key mark from a vandal. It’s too bad the exterior condition isn’t as nice as the inside, since you’ll have to repaint it for a perfect finish.

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A touch screen in 1992? The Tornado made it possible. I have no idea how well these antiquated systems worked, but it was neat to see the General try and push the tech envelop in its bread-and-butter products. Considering how every new car sold today, from a Hyundai to a Mercedes, has a touch-screen infotainment system in the center stack, you could say cars like the Tornado set the stage for this central control unit that consumers now expect.

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Of course, one of my favorite features of any car is flip-up headlights, and this Tornado looks downright intimidating with these lamps open. The presence of the dealer plate still on the front end tells the tale of car bought new and hardly used, but it doesn’t explain why. The Tornado was purchased new in Kansas and now resides in Pennsylvania, and could be an affordable entry-level classic for the young collector – if the reserve is low enough.

Comments

  1. Avatar Ed

    Toronado.

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  2. Avatar nessy

    The last true Toronado was the 85 model with the first year 66 and the 77 wrap around rear window XS and prototype XSRs my top pick. After the 85 model, blah. Here is a rare photo of the only two prototype Toronado XSRs with the power T Tops to exist in the world. The XSR was going to be put into production but the costs of the power T Tops would have priced the Olds higher than the Eldorado, plus, there were too many issues in making the tops work and stay leak proof.

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    • Avatar AMCSTEVE

      Sorry, 1992 was the last year for the Toronado whether you like it or not. They are beautiful examples of Oldsmobile styling. To bad this one isn’t a Trofeo as its a sexier style.
      These were very expensive cars for the time reaching $45,000 loaded. It was caught in a time of four doors taking over and SUVs becoming popular. Not many of these left in good condition and when you find one they still command 10 to 20 grand.

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  3. HoA Howard A Member

    Why, oh why don’t these people have pictures of the engine. To me, it tells an accurate story of the cars condition. Pretty hard to argue with a digital odometer, so I’m sure the miles are true. When these cars came out, I was appalled at the digital gizmo’s, but looking at this car today, it looks pretty sharp. I think in a few years, this could be quite collectible. For now, be a nice driver for a couple grand.

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  4. Avatar Fred W.

    Don’t think there were touch screens at the time, they just resembled them. Anyone who knows for sure feel free to correct me.

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    • Avatar Roselandpete

      It was an actual touch screen on my 86 Riv.

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    • Avatar Greg

      I owned a 92 Trofeo,And it actually did have a touch screen

      Like 1
    • Avatar CarNut from Winnipeg Member

      It was a touch screen. Just did not do too much. Audio, a bit of hvac, some trip computer basics like inst mpg, mte. One of my father’s best friends from university was Parts/Service director for GM BC/Yukon. When we would visit BC he would lend us his exec car and grab himself something else from the motor pool to drive to and from work. He always had something fully loaded of course and never over 6000km – then they weee sold as exec driven. This system was in the Buick Riviera he loaned us one time.

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  5. Avatar Roselandpete

    I had an 86 Riv with a touch screen which I think was the first year for them in the downsized models.

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  6. Avatar Bob Semrad

    Howard, going to the E-Bay site, they do have a picture of the engine compartment.

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    • HoA Howard A Member

      Thanks Bob, must have missed it, they were all so blue. Well, there you have it. Definitely 9,000 miles.

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      • HoA Howard A Member

        Oops, 6,000 miles, still, low mileage car.

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  7. Avatar dj

    I wouldn’t even consider this one. They are an electrical nightmare of body computers and crap. I worked on them when they were new and you pulled your hair out trying to fix them. I visited my old dealership a few months ago and they had a red one there that needed a body computer. Couldn’t find one.

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  8. Avatar Kevin

    Buick called the touch screen the CRT if I remember correctly, not sure if Olds used the same name. The system worked OK for its time but was fairly finicky and required a very carefully placed finger or else it would freeze or go to the wrong function. Definitely ahead of its time. While I am a fan of funky 80s and 90s cars, these never particularly interested me. The styling was too bland for my taste. Lots of slab sides and no real styling lines, just smoothed out boxes. They were very comfortable cars to drive and relatively reliable if maintained and not driven hard. Given the choice I’d go for the same year Riviera.

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  9. Avatar Art Fink

    My father-in-law gave a 91 Trofeo to my son as a first driver to comute to college. We loved the ride and comfort of the car, it was a very expensive car when he bought it new. But, lo and behold, the digital dash decide to crap out one day. The Olds dealer had no idea how to fix it, the dash was removed and sent out to have the circuit boards repaired. It cost me more than the car was worth for the repair. I eventually gave the Trof to my nephew, who in short order destroyed it. May it
    Rest In Pieces”…………

    Like 0
  10. Avatar grant

    I guess I just don’t get it. This was a nice, if boring driver in its day. Whoever bought and parked this basically flushed the purchase price. Now, regardless of mileage it’s just a 25 year old, early 90’s gm product; with all the finicky electronics and brittle, powdery plastic and sagging headliners that that entails. If it doesn’t go much above about 2500, it will (maybe) make a good work beater; after all the rubber pieces are replaced. Gotta wonder how much the seller is expecting here. Low miles or not it’s still a 90’s GM product.

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  11. Avatar Nick Maher

    Yeah like Ed said: Toronado. Oldsmobile Toronado.
    Toronado times 6, an easy search and replace
    http://assets.hemmings.com/story_image/247671-1000-0.jpg?rev=2

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  12. Avatar Ron G

    I just want to detail this car. It would look amazing if the interior was cleaned up better and the body rubbed out. The wheels need some help too. While I think this car is nice, to me it presents itself like a car that has 60,000 miles on it, not 6. I can’t remember the last time I saw one of these on the road, this is a good find.

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  13. Avatar jaymes

    I had a 87 I drove for 15yrs, burnd up dashes like crazy to the point of not able to find anymore, got good at guessing speed and the low fuel chime was 3 long dings, so knew when to get gas. once in a blue moon it come on and surprise u, jyst enough to see the milage. loved it otherwise though. this year is the ugly one though, they can keep it.

    Like 0

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