Generally, most of what we cover here on BF are old cars, but what defines an “old” ride? At first blush, I have a tough time classifying a 1985 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Brougham as an “old” car. But wait a minute, ’85 was 41 years ago, for cryin’ out loud, and Oldsmobile went the way of the passenger pigeon twenty-two years ago. OK, I gotta climb out of the past and roll with it; yes, this Ninety-Eight sedan qualifies. Zen found the listing for this top-drawer Olds; it calls Rotterdam, New York, home and is listed here on craigslist for $7,200.
So, what’s up with Oldsmobile sedans and New York State? This is the third one I have covered lately that calls the Empire State home, the others being a 1985 Delta 88 Royale and a 1983 Delta 88. Whatever the case, this one looks pretty sound, as in it has not had to fight New York winters, though the listing says something about this sedan spending time in Florida. Ninety-Eight Regencys were offered in two body styles in ’85: two or four-door sedans, and two trim levels, Standard and Brougham, such as our subject. This C-body platform-based sedan is a member of the Ninety-Eight’s eleventh generation (’85-’90) and is one of 111K Regency Brougham four-door sedans assembled forty-one years ago. Finished in Sandstone Metallic, one of probably eight billion GM cars so painted (OK, I’m exaggerating, but if it moved, it seemed GM sprayed it this color back then), it looks pretty good, but I have to apologize for the images; they’re not very good. Anyway, the seller states, “No surface rust underneath, spotless. Very clean. Underbody is showroom condition. Car came from Florida and was stored in a heated garage here in NY. Never been in snow.” It appears to have a vinyl top, and from what can be seen, it checks out. And, of course, this Ninety-Eight is outfitted with GM’s obligatory eighties vintage wire-wheel covers.
Sitting sideways in the engine room is a 125 net HP Buick-sourced 3.8-liter V6 engine, directing its power to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transaxle. The base curb weight of this 76K mile subject is 3,300 lbs., so I would expect leisurely acceleration from its 125 HP. The seller is encouraging and states, “It’s like sitting in a Lazy Boy and driving on a cloud.”
A tan exterior means a tan interior, upholstered in typical GM cloth fabric upholstery of the era. It’s a shade that will show dirt, but that’s not the case here; the interior is neat and clean with no indication of excessive wear. The instrument panel looks fine, but I’d offer that it’s pretty pedestrian for a car of a Ninety-Eight Regency Brougham’s status. The seller asserts, “A/C blows ice cold,” so that’s certainly a plus.
So, a member of the old car corral? Sure, I’d consider it as such. It’s not going to have the same cred as a ’55 or ’65 edition, but then everything changes (evolves?). I’m not sure who the likely target market for this sedan would be, but there’s always a bottom for every seat; it just depends on the price. And, speaking of that, what’s your thought on an ask of $7,200- priced right or not quite?
My current daily driver is a 02 LeSabre 3800, getting 27/30 MPG,I love it.
I’m oddly drawn to older luxury boats like this, and this certainly seems to be a solid specimen. The only thing that is not really clicking for me is the color scheme. Boring is the best way I can describe it, at least to me. Hope they get their price. This one deserves to live on.
I hated these when they first came out, being so much smaller than the previous model year. Eventually they grew on me, and I had a 90 LeSabre Limited coupe, which was very comfortable with a nice ride, and plenty of power. A relative also had this body style in a 1988 Cadillac Fleetwood d’Elegance, which was also very comfortable and they put quite a lot of mileage on it, although they did have to rebuild the 4.5 Liter engine.
After GM’s styling dominance in the ’50s-’60s-’70s they managed to come up with these awkward ugly ducklings. No flow to the lines and cheap-looking, they appealed to buyers with little imagination or discernment. Instead of going from bigger and solid to smaller and solid they went to little and flimsy. No wonder they were painted in the blandest colors imaginable.
The downfall of the American automobile industry can be directly traced to its deteriorating product offerings. Compare the delicate and artistic elegance of the front end of a 1956 Olds 98 to the generic and deliberately awful lines of the featured car. While you’re at it, compare the dashboards, too.
This is what you get when you let accountants make all the decisions. That’s a fact. You can look it up.
One easy way to improve fuel economy is to reduce weight. They had to meet the CAFE numbers. Every manufacturer made a car like this in the 80s.