1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency

Murilee Martin
by Murilee Martin
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.













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  • 55_wrench 55_wrench on Jun 18, 2012

    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!

    • Moparman426W Moparman426W on Jun 18, 2012

      If the computer was bad all you had to do was replace the distributor and carb with units from an earlier non computer car, which is what most people did. There is no way to make a computerized carb work right without a properly working computer.

  • Joe F85 Joe F85 on Feb 06, 2013

    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.

    • See 1 previous
    • Supremebrougham Supremebrougham on Apr 04, 2013

      @nathan5294 Hey Nathan, I knew it was you!!! You better come in and say hi to me at Northland!!! -Richard :)

  • Dusterdude @El scotto , I'm aware of the history, I have been in the "working world" for close to 40 years with many of them being in automotive. We have to look at situation in the "big picture". Did UAW make concessions in past ? - yes. Do they deserve an increase now ? -yes . Is their pay increase reasonable given their current compensation package ? Not at all ! By the way - are the automotive CEO's overpaid - definitely! (That is the case in many industries, and a separate topic). As the auto industry slowly but surely moves to EV's , the "big 3" will need to be producing top quality competitive vehicles or they will not survive.
  • Art_Vandelay “We skipped it because we didn’t think anyone would want to steal these things”-Hyundai
  • El scotto Huge lumbering SUV? Check. Unknown name soon to be made popular by Tiktok ilk? Check. Scads of these showing up in school drop-off lines? Check. The only real over/under is if these will have as much cachet as Land Rovers themselves? A bespoken item had to be new at one time. Bonus "accepted by the right kind of people" points if EBFlex or Tassos disapproves.
  • El scotto No, "brothers and sisters" are the core strength of the union. So you'll take less money and less benefits because "my company really needs helped out"? The UAW already did that with two-tier employees and concessions on their last contract.The Big 3 have never, ever locked out the UAW. The Big 3 have agreed to every collective bargaining agreement since WWII. Neither side will change.
  • El scotto Never mind that that F-1 is a bigger circus than EBFlex and Tassos shopping together for their new BDSM outfits and personal lubricants. Also, the F1 rumor mill churns more than EBFlex's mind choosing a new Sharpie to make his next "Free Candy" sign for his white Ram work van. GM will spend a year or two learning how things work in F1. By the third or fourth year GM will have a competitive "F-1 LS" engine. After they win a race or two Ferrari will protest to highest F-1 authorities. Something not mentioned: Will GM get tens of millions of dollars from F-1? Ferrari gets 30 million a year as a participation trophy.
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