Junkyard Find: 1997 Oldsmobile Bravada

Murilee Martin
by Murilee Martin

The Olds Bravada started out as an Oldsmobized Chevy Blazer and ended (along with Oldsmobile itself) as an Oldsmobated Chevy Trailblazer. They show up in Colorado junkyards in startlingly large numbers. Who bought Bravadas? For that matter, who bought Isuzu Ascenders? Anyway, because the idea of an Oldsmobile-badged midsize SUV made about as much sense as an Oldsmobile-badged cruel-parody-of-a-luxury-car J-body and is thus sort of interesting, I’ve finally decided to do a Bravada Junkyard Find. We’ll return to the usual Pontiac-badged Daewoos soon enough.

Unlike its Blazer/Jimmy siblings, all Bravadas came with all-wheel-drive. SmartTrak is not to be confused with Versatrak.

The interior in this truck is fairly nice, but the different-color hood and left front fender didn’t do much for its real-world value. Next stop, junkyard!

Cash back and a 6-disc CD changer (just in time for the digital-media revolution of the early 21st century).








Murilee Martin
Murilee Martin

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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  • CaseyLE82 CaseyLE82 on Apr 23, 2015

    When I was 16 I test drove a 1996 (I think???) Bravada. It was the old body style. Black with tan leather interior. I didn't buy it. I don't remember why. Then I test drove a 1995 Ford Taurus which I LOVED but my parents wouldn't let me buy because they said it was a piece of sh**. So, I ended up with a 1996 Jeep Cherokee that was green with grey cloth interior. The Cherokee ended up being a good car, but I still think of that Bravada. There was just SOMETHING about it. Something GM lost in, right around...1997 and is yet to really get back.

  • Bickel84 Bickel84 on Apr 24, 2015

    That person really needed 3 AAA stickers on the back...

  • EBFlex China can F right off.
  • MrIcky And tbh, this is why I don't mind a little subsidization of our battery industry. If the American or at least free trade companies don't get some sort of good start, they'll never be able to float long enough to become competitive.
  • SCE to AUX Does the WTO have any teeth? Seems like countries just flail it at each other like a soft rubber stick for internal political purposes.
  • Peter You know we’ve entered the age of self driving vehicles When KIAs go from being stolen to rolling away by themselves.
  • Analoggrotto TTAC is full of drug addicts with short memories. Just beside this article is another very beautiful article about how the EV9 was internationally voted by a renowned board of automotive experts who are no doubt highly educated, wealthy and affluent; the best vehicle in entire world. That's planet earth for you numbskulls. Let me repeat: the best vehicle in the world is the Kia EV9. Voted, and sealed, and if you try to deny it Fanny Willis is ready to prosecute you; but she will send her boyfriend instead because she is busy.
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