It’s been almost three decades since I watched the acclaimed Coen Brothers film Fargo, but that’s still the first thing that came to mind when I opened Barn Finder Lothar…of the Hill People’s tip for this 1988 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Brougham. Even back then, I wondered how the producers of Fargo found all those nice decade-old Oldsmobiles to populate the scenes of a movie about a car dealer’s crime gone wrong, but now, three decades after the movie’s release, you can have a nice ’88 98 (which I’ll never get tired of saying). You can find it here on Marketplace in Black Creek, Wisconsin, one state over from the fictitious Gustafson Motors from Fargo. The price of this clean Oldsmobile? $7,995.
This 89,000-mile Oldsmobile is in that perilous situation where it could probably be used as a 38-year-old daily driver (a shame in salty Wisconsin). It has the award-winning, reliable, and torquey 3800 V6, which produced 165 horsepower (and 215 lb.-ft of torque) in 1988. One thing that always struck me about full-size, front-drive GM cars of the 1980s and ’90s was the room in the engine compartment. Everything was so clean and open, a far cry from their 307-powered predecessors of a mere three years before.
This “Auto Armor” sticker brings back plenty of memories of wandering dealerships when I was a kid; it’s been years, maybe decades since I’ve seen one of them. Apparently, Auto Armor is still a thing, a dealership-offered paint protection system.
Who doesn’t love the interior of a 1980s luxury car? The Ninety-Eight was offered as a Regency or this Regency Brougham, which has a list of additional standard equipment such as cruise control, tilt wheel, and electronic air conditioning. Chances are good that many of you spent many a mile riding in a General Motors product with its nigh-on-indestructible brown velour interior, and this example has power windows and locks, in addition to a cassette player. I can only guess how many cassette tapes I have sitting in my basement, just waiting for another chance, but it would have to be the right music: I don’t think my copy of Are You Experienced? by the Jimi Hendrix Experience will quite fit the theme of this Oldsmobile. Maybe you have something more appropriate in your collection.
The seller doesn’t say much about the running/driving condition of the Ninety-Eight, but based on the pictures, it’s quite possible that you’re buying a car that you’ll be able to use as an everyday driver. But whatever you do, keep it out of the salt, please.
Forget that AutoArmor, at Gustafson Motors you got the real deal, Tru-Coat, “factory” (so there was nothing the store could do about discounting it) applied! Seriously, though, this Olds would be one very satisfying ride and has at least another 100K left in it. Nice price.
The Brougham emblem is missing from the right front fender but other than that it’s a beautiful car with a gorgeous color in & out. Obviously well cared for, too.
I don’t know. If my year around driver got totaled, I’d buy this & probably drive it as my regular car even in winter. No pics of the underside, but I suspect if it was driven in salt, not very much. First year of the 3800 so that’s good news.
I’ll wait to catch hell from some of you! LOL!