1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency
While it was possible to get a Ninety-Eight Regency Brougham in 1984, the buyer of this Olds cheaped out and went for the non-Brougham version. That just seems wrong.
When you’re talking about an Olds 98 from the 1980s, the conversation must turn to the greatest Oldsmobile song of all time. Suckers to the side! I know you hate my 98!
What we’ve got here is a big, traditional Detroit rear-drive sedan. By this time, the base engine in the Ninety-Eight was an Olds 307 making 140 horsepower, and the car weighed 3,886 pounds.
But Ninety-Eight Regency drivers weren’t looking for speed, in spite of what Chuck D said about his. They were looking for the same kind of luxury they got in their ’47 Oldsmobiles.
Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.
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yikes! We had the exact same color and year car! Bought off a tier 2 used car lot on a Wednesday night when all the salesmen were trying get to a seminar that night in Sacto. 7 years old, stickered for 27K and we bought it for $4400 out the door. It was just like driving a couch. Tranny went once, blew a timing gear and AC compressor, otherwise it was pretty reliable...but I don't miss it. They had cheaped out on the inside upper door trim and discovered a faux wood trim that bubbled and blistered in the sun, and replacements were 3-400 bucks EACH. Not worth the expense to cherry out, so we just lived with it. Finally got rid of it when the computer failed and there was no way I could make it run right, even after rebuilding the carburetor. It was the last carbureted car I would buy. Don't miss it at all. Coming home from the dealer after the purchase, we noticed a strange burnt smell in the interior. We didn't find out till 2-3 years later it was our son who had been playing with the cigar lighter in the back door armrest- he had fired it up and toasted the end of his finger..I bet he doesn't miss it either!
Hi guys. Newbie here. I had to comment. I still own and drive a 1984 Olds Ninety-Eight Regency Brougham - I had it now for 14 years. From everything I've read and studied on the subject, the Big 3 simply mated their old-technology engines (drive train as a whole) to mandated pollution-fighting technology, and the result was a horrific loss in power. As I age, though, I find this loss to be less of a pain. This car represents Oldsmobile's long-standing commitment to luxury and quality. The car is probably the quietest car I've ever been in. A truly wonderful car to experience. I am still angry at GM for 'killing' the brand long before discontinuing it: remember the 'Not your father's Oldsmobile' campain? That's exactly what Olds drivers wanted! Lastly, I have to say that it pains me to see these cars put out to pasture like the one pictured above. With relatively little attention, these cars will offer years (decades, for me) of reliable, stylish transportation. Thanks for posting.