Long-Term Test: 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue

The Intrigue makes its first trip this month, from New York City to Vermont and back in the hands of an East Coast staffer. After several hundred miles and a week behind the wheel, our man gave the Intrigue a mixed review.

Positive attributes noted during the trip included excellent cupholders front and rear that passed the dreaded Snapple test. Acceleration, ride, brakes, handling, and seat comfort all received very high marks. Contrary to other staff opinion, this driver did not feel as though the interior controls looked cheap or tacky, which is good news for Oldsmobile.

Unfortunately, there was more to complain about than to praise. Inevitably, the staffer that drove our Intrigue to New England found himself comparing the 1998 Oldsmobile to his 1995 Toyota Camry. Overall, our Intrigue's build quality and the design's attention to detail did not inspire him to recommend the car. From the log book:

"If GM thinks that they can play in Honda and Toyota's playground by merely putting together a package that has outstanding handling, steering, and acceleration, they are sadly mistaken. The primary reasons people prefer Japanese cars is that they are reliable. When I think of reliability, I have in mind a certain confidence that enough thought and effort went into the vehicle design that its use becomes effortless. Reliability also means that when you bring the car home from the showroom you know that all its features will work well. This is not the case with our test Intrigue."

Our test driver detailed how heavy the trunk lid was. He discussed how the door armrest was useless to his wife when she had the seat comfortably adjusted. He pointed out that there was no discernable door ajar warning light, which made him wonder whether he'd want his kids riding in the Intrigue. The dual-zone temperature display button was poorly designed, in his opinion, because when the driver pushes to change the display from the default external readout to the preset internal setting, the button wouldn't pop back out automatically. And finally, he noted that the driver's side airbag cover was misaligned.

Two glitches were also discovered on this trip. If the radio is tuned to a FM radio station, and the rear defogger button is pushed, the FM radio station is replaced by static. Shut down the rear defogger, and the FM radio station returns to the speakers. Also, the dashboard warning lights flashed on twice while the car was being driven, apparently for no reason whatsoever. We'll take the Intrigue to the dealer and have the car investigated for electrical shorts.

After the trip, our staffer summed up as follows: "It was a fun car to drive – but I'm not sure I'd buy one, given all of the design and build problems I discovered."

Best Fuel Economy: 18.5 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 17.2 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Suspected electrical shorts in dash warning lights, stereo, and rear defogger.

Our East Coast staff left town, and the Intrigue sat in a parking garage for a good portion of the month. We used very little fuel, and drove fewer miles than we would have liked. The Intrigue spent a couple days at Fisher Oldsmobile while the technicians there tried to find the source of our electrical problems. They replaced the body control module, but the dash lights are still flickering. However, the radio now works properly when the rear defogger is turned on, so one fix out of two ain’t bad. The car is going back to the shop for more troubleshooting, and we’ll inquire about our dismal fuel economy and a jammed rear seat belt at that time.

Our drivers are enjoying small but useful conveniences in the Intrigue. Dual power outlets have come in handy, and soda guzzling passengers all had places to stow the drinks while underway. Due to its sleek design, the Intrigue’s corners are hidden from the driver’s line of sight, as we discovered in a parking lot one night. Our Olds has new scars on the front bumper from a pole.

Best Fuel Economy: 19.6 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 17.1 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Electrical gremlins continue to haunt the Olds, despite replaced body control module.

More trouble. The dash lighting is behaving itself now, but when we turn on the heater the air conditioner activates instead. Fisher Olds ordered a new A/C controller and we’re waiting for the part. Also, the rubber seal around the front passenger window is ripped, but we suspect a fumbling thief and not lousy materials (though at this point, the latter might be the more logical conclusion).

During our visit to the dealer last month we received a new rear seat belt. We also received a free 3,000-mile service, which included an oil change and fluid check. Apparently, every Fisher Oldsmobile customer receives a free 3,000-mile and 6,000-mile service. We’ll revert to the medium-duty maintenance schedule after the free oil changes. The service advisor also explained that our Intrigue is getting lousy fuel economy because the engine isn’t broken in yet, and we drive the car primarily in New York City. A road trip to Baltimore resulted in highway mileage in the high 20s, so things are looking up on that front.

Our driver lauded the easy-to-use cruise controls, and liked the audible low fuel warning. However, she didn’t like the seats, which lacked proper lumbar support and resulted in soreness after a day behind the wheel. She also took issue with the placement of the traction control button on the center console. Protruding from just behind the shifter and forward of the storage armrest, the traction control button was accidentally pushed on several occasions by her purse, which she prefers to set on the console in that particular location. The result? Unwanted traction control deactivation.

We’ve also begun hearing from Intrigue owners, who are sharing stories about their experiences with the newest Oldsmobile. One gentleman from Tennessee got caught in a surprise snowstorm and couldn’t stop gushing about how sure-footed the Intrigue was in the frozen wet stuff. However, the lighting system completely turned him off to foul-weather driving in the car, because he couldn’t douse them in favor of just fog lights and parking lamps during a white-out. See, the Intrigue has an ambient light sensor that automatically switches from DRL’s (orange center-mounted lights on this GM product) to low-beam headlights. The fog lights can only be operated in conjunction with the low beams. Our friend in Tennessee simply couldn’t see through the heavy snow, and he wondered what the point of the fog lights was in the first place.

Best Fuel Economy: 26.6 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.6 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Broken rear seat belt retractor. A/C activates when heater is turned on.

We’re getting to know the service guys at Fisher Oldsmobile pretty well. Another trip to the dealer was made to replace our A/C control panel after the part ordered in February arrived. But afterward drivers noted that none of the climate control buttons responded with a single press. Also, when the heater was run, the radio and climate controls got almost too hot to touch. It seemed as though we had a new problem for the guys at Fisher to investigate.

They got their chance soon enough. On March 20 the dashboard completely shut down. Only the speedometer worked. After "flying blind" for ten minutes, the dash lighting blinked to life and all the gauges and controls operated properly once again. Of course, dealership personnel couldn’t duplicate the problem, so they replaced the dashboard. When we dropped the car off with them, the odometer read 3,896 miles. When we picked the car up after the dash had been replaced, the odometer read 3,000 miles. So now it’s going back to the dealer for the third freaking time in 30 days to have the morons who installed the dash correct the odometer reading.

Following a road trip last December, one staffer warned that Oldsmobile would have to match the quality of a Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry with this new Intrigue if the company wanted buyers to take them seriously. Between electrical problems, lousy fuel economy, broken safety equipment, and poor attention to detail on the part of Fisher’s service technicians, we’re finding that with our particular test vehicle, Oldsmobile apparently is striving for the role of Court Jester. The car is headed to Florida on vacation next month. We’ve warned the staff member driving the Intrigue to be sure to bring his credit card.

Best Fuel Economy: 22.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 16.3 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: When heater is running, A/C and radio controls get super-hot.
Flashing dash lights and gauges that shut down haphazardly result in major cosmetic surgery.

A New Yorker who just recently got around to obtaining a driver's license took our long-term Intrigue on vacation to Florida last month. Some comments were quite interesting, since this particular staff member is not accustomed to driving any cars for any length of time. He noted his discontent with certain interior functions that most of us accepted long ago as normal.

For example, the sunroof doesn't offer one-touch closing. The driver or passenger must press and hold a button until the roof slides shut. Similarly, the power windows are not one-touch close items either. Our driver would have enjoyed an Audi or Volkswagen, which offer both of these amenities. Also noted were headrests that do not lock into place once positioned properly, a common malady on domestic automobiles. Not only is this a rather useless design for protecting occupants from injury during a crash, he noted, but when he leaned his head back during the long drive south the headrest would often collapse and require a re-positioning.

Another gripe was logged about the design of the cruise control buttons, which are located on the steering wheel. Three buttons control cruise functions. The center button cancels the cruise control, and our driver kept disengaging the system when intending to accelerate or decelerate on the Interstate. Our driver also found the cupholders to be sized a bit too small and he received a dandy backache after long hours on the road due to a lack of lumbar support.

Praised were the handling, braking, and acceleration. The sound system also impressed our new driver and the roomy rear seat and trunk made traveling with four adults easy. We recorded a whopping 31 miles per gallon on this long road trip, which means we've officially exceeded the EPA highway rating. But our in-town fuel economy is still dismal, as evidenced below.

More problems are cropping up in our Intrigue. The "Check Oil" light in our brand spankin' new dashboard is coming on now when we manually turn the headlights on, and when the climate controls and stereo are used simultaneously, the dashboard heats up and CDs feel as though they've just been pressed when ejected from the in-dash player. We'll see what the dealer has to say about it this time ... buy a fire extinguisher?

Best Fuel Economy: 30.9 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 16.1 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: "Check Oil" light illuminates when headlights are switched on. CDs are super-hot when ejected from CD player.

An oil change has corrected our "Check Oil" warning light problem, and the dealership claims they have no idea why the light would have been illuminating only when the headlight switch was turned on. The dealer also fixed a misaligned door and offered the standard "they all do that" explanation for the broiling stereo console when the CD player is in use.

On a good note, no new problems cropped up during the month of May, the first trouble-free 30-day period we've experienced since our first few weeks with the car. Have the bugs been found and fixed, or is the Olds giving its drivers a break before the next failure? If the road trip we have planned goes off without a hitch, perhaps the Intrigue will begin to live up to its name in a more positive sense.

The Intrigue is headed out of New York City soon for a cross-country excursion that will include stops in Boston, Cape Cod, upstate New York, Michigan, and finally Denver. Our Olds will spend the summer in the Rocky Mountains under the care of members of our editorial and production staff, as well as a different Oldsmobile dealer.

New York staffers have grown fond of the Intrigue, lavishing praise on its driveability, comfort and sleek styling. However, none of them will miss the frequent visits to the dealership for adjustments and repairs.

Best Fuel Economy: 24 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 18.3 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: None.

Our Editor-in-Chief, Christian Wardlaw, flew to New York and absconded with the Intrigue for a family vacation on Cape Cod. A big fan of this midsize Oldsmobile sedan, he enjoyed the weeks he spent piloting the Intrigue along the Atlantic coast and then back to Denver. Warned by NYC staffers that he would suffer a backache on the long drive, Wardlaw was somewhat mystified since the Intrigue offered him superb levels of comfort even after 10 hours behind the wheel. In his opinion, our Intrigue is an excellent road car.

Family and friends on Cape Cod were surprised to learn that our classy gold Intrigue was an Oldsmobile. One guessed Acura. Another guessed Lexus. Not surprising, since the only mentions of the Oldsmobile name that are visible on the car include an embossed right rear taillight lens and the stereo faceplate. Neighbors came over to admire the car's sexy flanks. "Wow. Now I like this," claimed one resident of Truro, Mass., nearly requiring a bib as his eyes swept top to bottom, left to right, ogling the Intrigue's proportions like a peeping tom at Kim Basinger's window.

Blindfolded, a driver would never guess this was an American sedan if it weren't for the slightly cheap feeling interior fitments and coarse-sounding pushrod V6 engine. But at a hair over $25,000, our car offers nearly all the creature comforts one might need. The powertrain is excellent, providing strong acceleration and smooth shifts. Steering, braking and handling with the optional Autobahn Package are models of what should be available in all domestic sedans. The car is comfortable, attractive, and well designed with lots of storage space, huge sideview mirrors, a one-touch open sunroof and cupholders that can accommodate fat bottles of Snapple. Wet-arm wipers are a nice touch, and ventilation can be completely shut off for passengers who dislike constantly circulating air.

Missing, however, are a compass and a visor map strap. Our stereo also produces rather mediocre sound, though Oldsmobile now offers an optional Bose unit on upscale models. We heartily recommend this top-flight audio system. The front headrests collapse far too easily, and the rear seatbelts can be temperamental at times, getting caught and twisted in the retractors on a regular basis. We also find the dual climate control system to be less than intuitive, and have yet to discern a difference in air temperature between driver and passenger sides.

Our detail-oriented editor remarked upon a few build quality issues that hadn't previously been noted. The driver's airbag cover is horribly misaligned with the steering wheel spokes, some under dash padding hangs into the front passenger's footwell and constantly needs to be pushed back into place, and the glovebox door sags a bit toward the upper right side. Also caught were faintly visible square outlines around each front door lock and handle, as well as the rear trunk lock. We assume that this is residue left by some protective devices used by the New Jersey dealership to discourage theft while the car sat on the lot before we purchased it. Now it's collecting dirt and becoming visible. We'll be trying some car cleaners to remove the gunk from the paint.

The front brake rotors were warped when Wardlaw retrieved the Intrigue from the clutches of Manhattan: not surprising considering the stop-and-go nature of traversing that crowded island. During the course of his trip, the front passenger door quickly became jammed, due to upper window door trim that rubbed with the same on the rear door. An odd rattle developed, only audible intermittently when the car was reversing, or just after shifting from Reverse to Drive and accelerating with the front wheels turned. Think of Yahtzee dice in a tin can shaken briefly, and you'll know what we heard.

So we made an advance appointment at Don Massey Cadillac-Oldsmobile on Arapahoe Road in south suburban Denver, for repairs. After detailing the Intrigue's ailments over the phone, we were told to have the car in by 7:30 a.m. if we expected to get it back that night. We arrived dutifully at the dealership at the appointed time, handed over the keys to the Intrigue and, for the second time, went over the three problems requiring correction with the service advisor. "Please fix the brake pulsation, the jammed door, and track down that rattle." Easy enough, right? Later, during a follow-up call we made to the service department to see when the car would be done, we had to go over the list a third time.

They didn't fix the car the first day. Or the second day. A technical service bulletin for the rattle dictated replacement of the front struts. "Waiting for parts," was the reason the car wasn't fixed the first day. "Having trouble getting a free bay, but the parts are here," was the report during a follow-up call we made on the second day. On the third day we called and asked when the car would be done. "The car's in the air, and he's working on it right now," was the response. We could pick it up before 6 p.m. No ride was available that evening, so we headed over to the dealership the morning of the fourth day to retrieve the Olds. The car still wasn't done, jacked up in the air with both front tires removed. We were obviously disappointed about the situation. How freaking long does it take to turn rotors, align a door, and install struts? The service advisor, recognizing the need for some damage control, promised the car by noon, and said he'd deliver it to our offices personally. Mid-morning we got a call from the service advisor requesting directions to the office. Fifteen minutes later, we were informed that there would be a delay while the Intrigue was washed and the service advisor went to snag lunch for the crew.

At this point, we were incredulous. Why have to wait so the driver who's delivering our car can grab lunch for employees? Did anybody at Don Massey even notice Cadillac buyers leaving in droves for Acura, Infiniti and Lexus models during the past decade? Does this dealership have any concept of customer service? We made all the follow-up calls. Nobody at Don Massey picked up a phone even once to inform us of the status of the Intrigue until the fourth day. Now after nearly a week without the car we've gotta wait for somebody else's lunch?!? Oy vey. For the record, the service advisor claimed that because summertime is busy for them, it's not unusual for repairs like these to take some time, despite his assurance that customers with appointments get serviced before those who simply drive in without an appointment. And the reason he didn't inform us that the car wasn't done at the end of the third day? "I honestly didn't think you'd be coming in to pick it up." Yeah, that's why I confirmed your closing time with you over the phone.

The Intrigue is a nice car, but the electrical problems, lousy build quality, and indifferent dealership attitude do not go a long way toward selling our Editor-in-Chief on the merits of buying an Oldsmobile. Take a look at the decal affixed haphazardly on the inside driver's doorjamb. A picture tells a thousand words.

Best Fuel Economy: 29.2 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Odd rattle from front end. Jammed right front door. Warped rotors.

We sent the Intrigue to Colorado Springs this month, where two Edmund's employees cared for the car. Enthusiastic John Davis, our Colorado-based computer guru, thoroughly enjoyed the power and performance our gold Intrigue provides. He said Oldsmobile has "come close to the perfect interface between driver and road surface." He claims the Intrigue attracts positive attention and remarks from all walks of life, from "40-something luxury sedan owners to high school muscle car freaks."

John did complain about rather chintzy interior materials, but comments like "VROOOM!!!!! VROOOM!!!!! I love this car!" indicate that the questionable quality of interior plastics isn't enough to sway his affection for the Intrigue. His parting comments as we prepared to retrieve the Olds from the Springs? "Even though it's Retirement Gold, you can't have it back."

Online Editor Greg Anderson's comments were far less inspiring. "The shiny gold Intrigue is one ugly piece of machinery," is how he began his logbook rant. Greg hid his face while driving the Intrigue around Colorado Springs, hoping people he knew wouldn't mistake him for a pimp or drug dealer.

When Anderson picked up the car from Davis, the Olds had been detailed, inside and out. Armor All coated the interior, and Anderson claims it looked as though Colonel Sanders had deep-fried a chicken using the car. The driving experience itself, however, received a backhanded compliment as he wrote "The car handles very well, it has a very capable motor, and it's comfortable ergonomically. Is it fun to drive? No, it's still a sedan."

Anderson noted that the rattle emitted by the car upon ignition "sounds like the valves are grinding themselves." Evidently, the TSB that prompted Don Massey Olds to replace the front struts in an effort to repair the problem didn't work. Also, the right front door began sticking again while Anderson drove the Intrigue.

We aren't the only publication driving a long-term Intrigue right now. The September, 1998, issue of Automobile contains an update for their manufacturer-supplied vehicle. They complain about an odd front-end rattle, warped rotors and super-hot CD's. Good to know we aren't the only ones experiencing problems.

Best Fuel Economy: 22.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.5 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Odd rattle from front end continues. Right front door is beginning to stick again.

Our Editor-in-Chief drove the Intrigue during the month of August, noting how large and spacious the front passenger compartment of the car feels in contrast to the Dodge Intrepid long-termer. Part of the reason the Intrigue feels larger is due to the light tan interior color and less intrusive A-pillars, but the Intrigue also provides a larger and firmer driver's seat that can be raised to chair-like heights.

His wife, however, was not looking forward to the return of the "old-lady car." Mrs. Wardlaw is put off by the Intrigue aesthetically, although she found the car more enjoyable this time around than during its previous visits to her garage. The gold paint, the glitzy chrome wheels and the large forward cabin all conspire to remind her of something her grandmother would drive. (Her grandmas own a Toyota Corolla and Chevrolet Astro, so we don't know where this comes from.)

One weekend the Wardlaw clan took the Intrigue to Estes Park, Colorado. The car was roomy enough to stow all baby gear in the trunk, but Dad found the back seat lacking in space. Sarah rode in her child seat directly behind the front passenger position, and she could easily prop her sandaled feet on the back of the chair. Dad rode behind Mom, and, while not uncomfortable, he did note a low seating positon and barely acceptable leg room. "These are not issues that crop up in the Intrepid," he noted in the logbook.

The Intrigue continues to chip away at our conviction that this is one of the best sedans on the market. The underdash trim continues to droop. The rattle from the steering column that occurs when the driver is reversing or starting off in a new direction after selecting "drive" makes itself apparent intermittently. The front passenger door still sticks, though not as badly as the first time. A new problem has been detected: over bumps a vibration in the steering wheel indicates that all is not well with the front end of our car.

The Olds is due for its 15,000-mile checkup very soon, and we'll have these issues revisited by a different Denver-area dealership than we tried last time. Then the car is off to Los Angeles for the winter.

Best Fuel Economy: 25.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 19.5 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Odd rattle from front end continues on an intermittent basis. Right front door sticks.
Vibration felt through steering wheel indicates something loose in front suspension.

Our Intrigue visited Ralph Schomp Oldsmobile in Littleton, Colo., for its 15,000-mile service before hitting the road to Los Angeles. Schomp squeezed us into the schedule at the last minute, had the car done in less than a day, and had an exceptionally friendly service advisor. Unfortunately, he tried to sell us a $150 service package (including wheel balancing and front-end alignment) that the owner's manual did not call for, so we simply requested an oil change and tire rotation.

This set us back $39.41, plus tax. Schomp also fixed the sticky front passenger door, noting that the trim along the top of the door was installed incorrectly (by Don Massey Olds, no doubt). They retorqued the cradle arm and front suspension componentry to try and quiet the rattles as well as tighten the looseness in the steering. Some folded rubber trim along the bottom right rear quarter window was flattened out, and a rear tire was repaired after a slow leak was detected. The total for services performed: $57.52. Incidentally, an Intrigue owner sent us e-mail shortly after our visit to Ralph Schomp recommending their service department, and was pleased to discover that we'd tried Schomp already. Aside from the unneeded service package they tried to sell us, Schomp turned out to be an excellent place to have an Oldsmobile serviced.

Then, Senior Features Editor Greg Anderson drove the Intrigue to Los Angeles without incident. He commented that the Olds was a great road car, but he was put off by its cheap feeling interior - a common staff complaint. He also noted that CDs come out of the stereo smoking hot. During this trip, we posted an amazing 32.3 mpg on one tank of fuel.

Los Angeles staffers have been hopping in and out of the Intrigue all month. One asked about strange rattles coming from the front end, so it seems our gremlins are back. Reader Dave Wehling, an Intrigue owner, experienced similar problems with his car. He told us that his dealer replaced the rack-and-pinion steering assembly, the intermediate shaft in the steering column and the front struts in an effort to quiet the noises emanating from the front end of his Intrigue. That didn't fix the problem. So Dave's dealer continued the hunt for the noise and found that the plastic wheelwell liners were rattling against the front fenders. By applying some sound deadening material, the dealer successfully excised odd noises from his Olds, and the car is running "as quiet as a church mouse." Hmmm, we'll have to investigate this solution during our next servicing.

During the second half of the month, the Intrigue went to La Brea Motors for cosmetic work. A large dent in the A-pillar obtained from a mystery source in New York City, small dents in the hood obtained from a hailstorm in Denver, and a scuffed rear bumper obtained from God-knows-where were repaired. According to Vice President Lev Stark, the boys at La Brea Motors "don't know their asses from their elbows."

He wrote: "The service there, as always, is sub-par. We were called on Friday to pick up the Intrigue. When we arrived at 4 p.m., the cashier had no idea what I was talking about. She had no paperwork on any car in my name or the company's name. She asked the name of the service advisor who took the car in, so I handed her his business card. She called him and he came to the cashier's office, but did not remember the car or me. It took 20 minutes for them to figure out that the Intrigue was in the body shop, and then they told me it was not ready yet and that they would call me when it was done. I explained that my presence at the time was in response to such a phone call. They went back into their huddle and told me to wait. Ten minutes later, the car was ready for me to drive home. On a scale of 1-10, I give the work they performed a 10 but the service a 2."

Most recently, programmer Debby Katzir has been running around the San Fernando Valley in the Intrigue. She deems the Olds nicely equipped and comfortable for a family sedan, but complained about "the automatic door locks, terrible sound system, stiff ride and lack of cupholders."

Best Fuel Economy: 32.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 19.4 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $1,262.09 for cosmetic repair to A-pillar, hood and rear bumper
$57.52 for 15,000-mile service and tire repair
Problems: Rattling front end, folded rubber exterior trim, leaky tire.

Lately, we've been taking more than a bit of heat over our complaints about the two General Motors products in our long-term fleet. We've been accused of unfairly scrutinizing the cars for flaws, bias toward imports, and flat-out unprofessionalism in our assessment of the Intrigue and Cadillac Seville. So this month, we'll let the reading public share their thoughts about their own Intrigues.

From an owner of a black Intrigue: "I, too, have a '98 Intrigue with many of the problems you have mentioned and more! I have ended up switching dealerships as well as contacting an attorney because there are so many problems." She goes on to detail complaints about front-end rattles, door trim problems, rear seat belts that tangle easily, "screwy" electrical glitches, and lousy treatment by an Oldsmobile-Cadillac dealership. "You and I seem to have the most problems with our vehicles out of everyone who has posted on Town Hall." Not quite, my friend.

Another reader began his letter: "I wish to tell you my horror story with my Intrigue..." A persistent rattle from the passenger's side of the dashboard near the airbag could not be remedied to his satisfaction, despite a complete dashboard replacement and attempted fixes during four dealership visits. After he contacted the Better Business Bureau, Oldsmobile offered our reader a $1,500 Customer Care Certificate toward the purchase of another Oldsmobile product. He decided a Chrysler product would better suit his needs, and dumped the Intrigue after barely six months.

Oddly, our dash rattles have gone on hiatus, though the front end still doesn't feel completely tightened down. But, a new problem cropped up with our long-term car just before press time. During tight turning maneuvers, the steering gets progressively heavy as each lock is approached, as though the power assist is failing. What one driver characterized as an "odd vacuum compression sound" accompanies the stiffening of the steering. The underdash trim panel is hanging down over the front passenger's footwell again, and a new complaint about the way that the shifter is designed was noted in the logbook.

Favorable comments continue to be noted for the Intrigue's torquey V6 engine, and one staff member found the detailed lesson in jump starting a car found in the Oldsmobile's owner's manual to be quite useful.

Best Fuel Economy: 21.2 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.2 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Stiff steering in tight turns.

The other shoe has dropped. From our email box:

"I like how you guys used email from the readers to `prove' that the Intrigue is a piece of junk... By putting in those comments from readers you just made yourselves look more partial than you looked before. Good job." This Intrigue owner details to our staff that after 8,100 miles his Intrigue has not required any service beyond normal maintenance. His car has had no squeaks or rattles from the front end, no climate control problems, and no electrical glitches. He does mention that his fuel gauge is pessimistic and that the steering gear makes a noise when pulling out of parking spaces at very low speeds.

Another reader wrote: "I have been a long time reader of yours, but like many people, am unhappy with your characterization of your long-term fleet. To characterize the Intrigue as `falling apart' is a misnomer...Unless you've been leaving a lot out of your reports, the Intrigue has never broken down, stranded anyone, or prevented you from going anywhere." This correspondent has two family members who own Intrigues. His cousin owns a 1999 GLS, and his cousin's wife owns a 1998 model similar to our long-termer. The writer calls the Intrigue fun to drive, comfortable and attractive with perfectly aligned interior and exterior panel fits on the 1999 model. "The rule about first year products holds true...my cousin's '99 GLS is screwed together much more solidly than his wife's '98. The '99 makes my neighbor's E-Class Mercedes look flimsy." Did our reader report any problems? Yes. The '98 Intrigue "occasionally makes a rattle, or vibration, from the front end."

Of course, Intrigue detractors continue sending us reports. One Philadelphia man with a 1998 Intrigue says, "I have had many of the same problems you are reporting and more!" He discussed problems with his brakes, air conditioning, radio reception, a misaligned front passenger door, tweeter speakers that pop off the doors when they're slammed, and rattles from the front end.

Since we were involved in a fender bender this month, our staff has little to report on our Intrigue. The staff member who was involved in the accident decided he doesn't like the car much. "It feels like a big heavy `boat,' and the interior feels cheap. The front door panels flex when the windows are powered down, as though they are hiding a bass speaker. And the trunk lid takes far too much effort to close." This driver's wife, however, found the car to be quite comfortable, enjoying the wide, firm seats as she idled through L.A. traffic.

Our staffer hit a minivan during rush hour early in the month. It was a low-speed crash, so the airbag did not detonate. Due to nosedive during hard braking, the upper front fascia, the lighting system and the hood, which buckled considerably, absorbed the brunt of the impact. We took the car to La Brea motors in Los Angeles for cosmetic repairs and to have the whining steering gear checked out. The Intrigue will be back in action next month.

Best Fuel Economy: No data available this month
Worst Fuel Economy: No data available this month
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: None

Our lead-footed Los Angeles drivers got the Intrigue back from the body shop a couple of weeks ago, but our old problems with stiff steering, rattles, a sticky door, sagging interior trim and what feels like a loose steering rack are still evident. As this is being written, the car is back in the shop to have the problem with the steering effort investigated, since La Brea motors failed to look into this when we had the car in for collision damage repairs late last month. We're also having them see if the center console trim to the left of the gear selector can be fixed, as it seems the clip that formerly held it in place has snapped. Finally, that troublesome underdash trim that droops into the passenger footwell will be repaired. The Yahtzee cup rattle that is occasionally heard after backing up and shifting into 'drive' and the loose steering gear are enigmas whose origins may never be traced. We're learning to live with them.

Interestingly, when we returned to La Brea this week, just days after picking up our newly repaired test vehicle from that very dealership, the service department had no record of us in the computer. So we're getting another free 27-point check and they're starting a new service record on the car. As one staff member put it, "I think they're still having an ass/elbow issue."

Business and programming types drove the car this month. Our resident computer whiz liked the luxury touches inside, such as leather seats, temperature control and automatic headlights. He also commented on the solid and heavy feel imparted by the Intrigue, though that impression was somewhat diminished when he leaned on the trunk floor to get something that had rolled forward and heard a craaack! from beneath the trunk carpeting. Commenting on the how nicely the car handled in the Hollywood Hills, he likened the hefty-feeling Intrigue to the dancing elephants in Dumbo.

Our vice president likes the roomy Intrigue, but hates the color of our test vehicle, asking, "Who wants to be seen in an oversized replica of a gold brick from Fort Knox?" Other interesting comments from the VP included, "My spoiled LA butt isn't used to cold leather first thing in the morning." (Oldsmobile doesn't offer seat heaters as an option on the Intrigue.) Another tidbit from Boss Jr.: "I enjoy the extra side lights that come on whenever I use the turn signal. They kept me from killing a cute little squirrel the other night while making a right turn. Not a good car for Boris and Natasha." However, our veep complained about the satellite radio controls, mounted deep along the right side of the steering wheel airbag module, saying that they are too small and hard to use to make them worthwhile.

During a trip to LA, our editor-in-chief took the Intrigue to lunch. He noticed that the tan leather seats are getting discolored (hopefully not from spoiled LA butts), so we'll have them cleaned. Already informed about the recurring problems with our test car, he lamented in the logbook: "It's too bad we got one that isn't assembled well, because this is otherwise a car Americans can be proud to own. Fast, comfortable, affordable and good looking, all the Olds lacks is build quality."

Best Fuel Economy: 15.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.1 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $4,331.43
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Power steering stiffness returned this month, odd rattles from front end continue, steering rack still feels loose, center console trim coming apart, underdash trim hanging in passenger footwell, right front door sticking once again.

Incredibly, our Intrigue has suffered more crash damage, this time from an out-of-control driver in Los Angeles traffic. Our vice president stopped on a busy thoroughfare in a light rain so that pedestrians could use the crosswalk. (For those unaware of California traffic law, pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks that are not governed by a traffic signal.) As our man sat waiting for folks to cross, he observed the pedestrians' faces turn from foul-weather grimaces to looks of surprise and horror as they ran for the opposite curb. "What's the matter?" he thought to himself. "I'm stopped already!"

Wham! A nice woman driving a shiny new Ford Explorer slid into the right rear corner of our Oldsmobile. The Intrigue slid into the crosswalk, narrowly missing the people crossing the street. Speed and slick roadways were ultimately to blame. While the damage to our Intrigue looks minor, our staffer has been suffering back problems ever since. Here's hoping all manufacturers soon adopt Volvo's slick new anti-whiplash system just as they embraced another invention from the Swedish automaker, the three-point seat belt.

Previous to this mishap, we took the Olds back to La Brea Motors in Los Angeles to have several problems repaired. The sticking right front passenger door was examined. La Brea repaired the molding and now the door works properly. We also had the sagging underdash sound insulator repaired at this time, and the power steering problem investigated. La Brea found a damaged power steering pump shaft and replaced it. Finally, the center console shift bezel was replaced. All of this work was done under warranty. However, just weeks after La Brea's fix, the front passenger footwell was once again encroached upon by fuzzy dark gray padding dangling from beneath the dash. One of our staffers thinks he's finally repaired this trim once and for all. One other issue associated with La Brea's service: our car now has splotches of gold paint on the steering wheel rim, presumably from the hands of the person involved with repainting the front of our Intrigue last month.

Comments from drivers this month included gripes about how much effort is required to slam the trunk lid shut, though when it closes it does so with a satisfyingly solid "thunk." The Intrigue's size and navigability have come under fire from L.A. staffers who've found the Olds difficult to gauge in tight parking maneuvers. Seat comfort is also a sore spot for some as well, with one driver comparing the Intrigue's firm padding to sitting on an over-inflated innertube, and another to a plastic amusement park ride seat. We noted plenty of commentary from drivers of all sizes and shapes regarding difficulty in getting comfortable in our Intrigue, despite power adjustable seats.

Positive comments culled from the logbook this month include kudos for the Intrigue's styling, interior design, and steering. Several staffers love the way the Intrigue looks, gold paint and chrome wheels notwithstanding. Others like the roomy interior and control placement, ranking the car superior in these areas to our long-term Camry. Generally, our drivers' think the Oldsmobile's steering provides excellent road feel. Finally, the automatic headlight system has been getting rave reviews.

While some of our staff members find the Intrigue's interior materials unappealing, at least one family man was happy to report that the leather and plastic innards are easily scrubbed down. Another complaint centered on the A/C-on indicator light, which is sized like a pencil tip and is virtually invisible in bright daylight.

The suspension is liked by some, but not many. Our office assistant characterized the Intrigue's ride as similar to that in her old 1978 Ford LTD, calling it a "smooth, boat-like ride." This was actually a compliment. Our technical editor, however, went on a rant in the logbook, claiming that aside from the Corvette, Camaro and Firebird, he hasn't driven a General Motors product without thinking "a Dramamine dispenser should be included as standard equipment." He asks: "Is it really that tough to keep a car from wallowing through dips and freeway expansion joints? There is this great thing called 'suspension damping' that I so wish GM engineers would discover." It's not only our tech editor complaining about the Intrigue's disconnected feel. One staffer's wife wrote: "I'm not confident in the car's handling. It drifts excessively on the freeway." Another entry reads, "I don't like the Intrigue's heavy and ponderous big-car feel."

Total Odometer Reading: 19,393
Best Fuel Economy: 17.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 11.3 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: No new ones.

Aerosmith sang, "I'm back, back in the saddle again." We sing, "We're back, back at the dealer again." This month, as we write this update, the Intrigue is visiting La Brea Motors for cosmetic surgery to repair the damage suffered at the hands of the crazed woman driving her Explorer too fast in the rain. But if we hadn't been rear-ended, the car would still be in the shop. Also getting checked is the new power steering pump shaft and a problem with radio reception when the rear defroster is activated.

Managing Editor Grant Whitmore wrote in the logbook that "the power steering problem is back with a vengeance," likening the groaning and grinding to a...uh, well, let's just leave it at a groaning and grinding noise, OK? When dropping the car off at La Brea Motors, Whitmore also informed the dealer tech that the radio reception was ruined when the rear defroster was doing its thing on crisp L.A. mornings, making it difficult to hear what Howard Stern might say next. The tech explained that this happens because the antenna is integrated into the rear window with the defroster. Whitmore said: "I don't care. Fix it." Apparently, the tech grinned stupidly and said, "I'll give it a shot."

Yeah, that's the kind of design detail and customer satisfaction that will usher all those Accord and Camry buyers into an Oldsmobile showroom. Honestly, both La Brea's service department and our car disgust us; if there was a more convenient dealership near our Southern California office, we would use it in a split second.

Save the letters defending the car. We know there are Intrigue owners out there who have had no problems and adore their wheels, but for each one of you who writes, there is someone sending us a note about a nightmare unfolding before their eyes. Our car is a nightmare. What makes it worse, and this will rub many of you the wrong way, is that we have a Toyota Camry in our long-term fleet that is serving as a yardstick that our Oldsmobile will never be able to match in terms of quality. Yes, the Intrigue is more exciting to look at and drive than the Toyota, but in terms of everyday practical use it has utterly failed. Can you imagine the frustration we'd feel if we had to rely on this thing as our sole source of transportation? And by the way, the Camry's integrated rear antenna works perfectly with the defroster turned on.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming. Early in the month, our VP implored Whitmore not to put him in the Intrigue again, offering a bribe to get any of the other long-term cars available in Los Angeles. Evidently, he can be bought - Webmaster Haim Hirsch pulled Intrigue duty and headed off to Las Vegas for a weekend, where our garish gold Intrigue fit right in.

He and his family enjoyed the Intrigue's powerful engine, roomy interior and trunk, and excellent visibility. Gripes were handed out about the low positioning of the climate controls (which require a glance away from the road to operate), wind noise at highway speeds, and a slow-to-react windshield defroster.

Total Odometer Reading: 20,447
Best Fuel Economy: Not Available
Worst Fuel Economy: Not Available
Body Repair Costs: see update next month
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: The power steering is groaning and grinding, radio reception is cut when using the rear defroster, the underdash padding is sagging again, the trunk release button pops off occasionally.

It is alive. La Brea Motors, the Oldsmobile dealership we've been using in Los Angeles, released our Intrigue from captivity once again, looking good as new with fresh cosmetics at the right rear. Maybe we can keep it out of the shop for the next eight months and rack up a few more test miles before donating it to science at the end of the lease. Unfortunately, La Brea did not successfully address our problems with the radio reception when the rear window defroster is turned on, nor did they fix the power steering assist problem we have had with the car on and off for months.

Our copy editor was the first to drive the car after it returned to our offices. Impressed by the engine's power, Deb couldn't get her rather diminutive frame comfortable in the large driver's seat. Also, as a "vertically challenged' adult, she found that the oversized front chairs created blind spots in visibility. Other gripes included a stiff accelerator pedal, difficulty maneuvering the large car in tight parking situations, and the remote key fob, which unlocks the car only if standing "super-close" to it. Her final comments on the Intrigue: "This is definitely such the American car. It's not fun to drive but a comfortable car my uncle would like to own."

Scott Jacobs, our resident photography guru, took the Olds on a trip to San Francisco, finding the seats comfortable for the long ride. But aside from noting how peppy the engine was, he found the car loathsome. Regarding the appearance of the Intrigue: "Within the light clusters, I felt that the parking lights were a little oversized and pronounced, like two giant meatballs stuck to the grille." Regarding interior ergonomics and ease of control use: "The angle of the knob on the shifter was a bit awkward for me, not offering an optimal position from which to operate the release button. The steering wheel was a little thin for my comfort. The dual-zone environmental controls were confusing to me. I never did figure out how to use the passenger-side temperature setting." Regarding the driving experience: "The suspension, well, I felt like I was driving a marshmallow. The brakes felt mushy, and I found it really difficult to manage into tight spaces." Scott noticed that the engine makes a "funny gurgle sound" immediately after starting, and that the power steering is acting up when turning hard.

Our chief technical guy commented on the Intrigue's strut-supported trunk lid: "The unusual thing about this car's trunk lid to me is that it requires continuous force to close, not just a simple slam motion." Also unusual about this arrangement is that there aren't any trunk-lid hinges crushing your bags. We'll trade the higher close effort for more useable trunk space any day of the week.

Total Odometer Reading: 20,799
Best Fuel Economy: 26.2 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 19.2 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $1016.12
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: No new ones, but we're still living with the sagging underdash padding, lousy stereo reception when defroster is activated, odd power steering assist, and the odd gurgle emitted from underhood shortly after starting the car.

Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm Christian Wardlaw, the lucky editor who drew the short straw to write our monthly Intrigue updates. As this is written, our Intrigue is at the dealership again. But this time, we've taken it to a different Olds dealer in a different city, just to see if the utter inability to repair our poor car properly is a regional issue. Here's to hoping that St. Claire Cadillac-Oldsmobile in San Jose, Calif., can help us like our car again.

The reason I introduced myself is because I'm personally disturbed not only by the poor reliability of our long-term Intrigue, but also by the feedback many readers have offered during the past several months. As editor-in-chief for Edmunds.com, it is my job to make sure we evaluate test vehicles thoroughly and report in a fair and unbiased manner. Many of you have accused us of exhibiting a lack of professionalism when it comes to this particular long-term vehicle. Because it has been several months since the Intrigue was in my care in Denver, I recently requested the car for use during a business trip to San Diego so that I could verify the less-than-flattering reports coming from my colleagues in our Los Angeles office. Here is what I found during several hundred miles of interstate driving over the course of four days:

1.) The traction-control system is not working, which I discovered in a rainstorm as I pulled away from a traffic light.

2.) In sweeping high-speed turns, such as an off ramp, the steering exhibits an odd tug that feels like inconsistent power assist. Also, the power assist fades as the steering locks are approached, such as when making a U-turn or parking in tight quarters.

3.) On bumps, what feels like loose front-end components can be detected in both the steering column and the suspension.

4.) The brakes are severely shuddering, most likely due to warped front rotors.

5.) Radio reception fades when the defroster is activated.

6.) Interior door trim pops off in your bare hands, as though the clips holding it in have broken.

7.) Noise insulation, despite several attempts to remedy the problem, still sags into the front right foot well.

8.) The hood sits lower than the front fenders.

9.) The door panels "breathe" when raising or lowering the front windows.

10.) Steering wheel-mounted tuning button for stereo doesn't work.

Overall, our Intrigue drives like it has 120,000 miles on the odometer, rather than 20,000. Certainly, our accident in L.A. traffic has exacerbated or even caused some of the car's problems, like the misalignment of the hood with the front fenders, so we won't discount the car for this fault. Rather, this is testament to the ability of the body shop technicians at La Brea Motors in Los Angeles. Also, the traction control may have been disengaged in the wreck or during subsequent repair work at La Brea Motors. Warped brake rotors aren't the car's fault; we drive it hard in stop-and-go traffic. The "breathing" door panels are normal and part of the design of the car, according to the service advisor in San Jose. But the rest of this stuff has nothing to do with the accident; they are either new problems unrelated to the impact or they existed before we trashed the front end.

Some readers have tried to explain the odd "Yahtzee Shaker" rattle we've experienced in our test car. Common theory has it that the antilock brake system is conducting a self-test, and that this is a normal sound during everyday operation of the Intrigue. We disagree. First, if this were the case, the noise would occur on a consistent basis. It doesn't. Second, we know the sound of GM's ABS self-test - we've heard it in almost all General Motors test vehicles we've driven lately. That sound is much less intrusive and generally occurs immediately after cranking the ignition. Our "Yahtzee Shaker" gurgle cannot be predicted. It is very loud. And it occurs only after starting the car, backing up, stopping, shifting into "drive," and then pulling away with the steering wheel turned. It doesn't seem to matter, by the way, whether or not the brakes are engaged upon start-up or not, as one reader surmised.

We've also heard from folks who are pursuing Lemon Law suits against Oldsmobile, from people who've had their cars repurchased by Oldsmobile, and by owners of the new 1999 Intrigue GLS model, who claim to be unable to find any fault with their cars. I would like to remind those of you who bought the version with the new 3.5-liter dual-overhead-cam V6 that our car's pushrod 3800 V6 has been one of the few flawless items on our test vehicle. We love this engine, with its excellent low-end grunt, promising reliability and better-than-average fuel economy. In our opinion, Olds should have spent the development money blown on the DOHC motor in areas where the Intrigue is failing.

Interestingly, a young man named Andrew, whose parents are suffering the decision to buy an early-build 1998 Intrigue, has created a Web site titled "The Intrigue Chronicles," where Intrigue owners can share both the good and the bad about this supposedly revolutionary Oldsmobile. You can contact Andrew and his Web site at http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Lane/7859.

Contrary to what is evidently a popular belief, our staff does not have some kind of vendetta against Oldsmobile, General Motors, or American carmakers in general. Also, we do not despise the Intrigue, though we certainly wish we'd chosen a different paint color. Look at what we wrote when the car was introduced by going to our New Car Road Tests and checking the two reviews conducted in 1998. Read our family sedan comparison test and you'll find that the Intrigue nearly beat the Honda Accord to win the test. An odd dashboard rattle, quite similar to our "Yahtzee Shaker" noise, developed on the last day of the test, however, reminding us that buyers in this segment of the marketplace highly value reliability.

We genuinely like the Intrigue's blend of modern design, spirited performance, value and interior comfort. But for a vehicle that represents (as Oldsmobile claimed during the press introduction in Dallas, Texas, nearly two years ago) the best that GM can build, the car utterly fails.

We bought one from a dealership, just like you. We take the car in for service, just like you. We don't announce that our car is an Edmund's long-term vehicle when it is serviced. We did not approach Oldsmobile to get a "special deal" or a donor vehicle from their fleet of tweaked Intrigues dedicated to press usage. Any one of you could be stuck with the car we bought, and you'd be very unhappy with it.

A wide variety of people drive our car in an effort to replicate the diversity of the Intrigue's owner base. We report their findings, both likes and dislikes. The car is in our possession for seven more months. We sincerely hope that after St. Claire Cadillac-Oldsmobile is finished examining our Intrigue's problems, we have more positive than negative commentary to report. But based on our experience to date, don't count on it.

Total Odometer Reading: 21,759
Best Fuel Economy: 28 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 16.7 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Odd steering-wheel tug in turns, power steering assist fade as locks are approached, steering wheel stereo controls broken, bumps cause vibration in steering column and front suspension, shuddering brakes, broken traction-control system, radio reception fades when defroster is activated, driver's side door-panel trim popping off, trunk and fuel door-release buttons pop off.

St. Claire Oldsmobile in San Jose, Calif., was able to help some staff members like our Intrigue again. But we didn't like them much, which comes as no surprise to a reader who sent this email: "Oh my God! I just read the April Intrigue report. BEWARE ST. CLAIRE OLDSMOBILE! THEY ARE INCREDIBLY HORRIBLE! St. Claire Oldsmobile is the reason I went to an attorney about my Intrigue. They consistently failed to correctly diagnose problems, kept my car for days on end (a simple oil change took two days) and I got my car back once with white paint splatters on the interior."

Well, our staffer reported the following about the service at St. Claire: "It took the people at St. Claire forever to get the Intrigue done! I took the car in on the 19th of April, and it still wasn't ready on the 28th when I left for a one-week vacation. I didn't get the car back until May 7th. Communication from the people at the dealership was minimal. I had to call them several times to inquire when the car would be ready - the first few times they had no idea. I did a quick inspection of the paperwork when I picked the car up, but there was no explanation about the traction-control problem. I waited awhile for someone to help me understand the paperwork, but nobody attempted to assist. So I left and never had time to return and deal with it."

St. Claire performed the 22,500-mile service for $53.65, which amounted to an oil change and tire rotation. Also, they managed to fix most of the problems noted last month, so the Olds is actually enjoyable to drive again. The rattles and loose play in the steering and front suspension has vanished, courtesy of a brand-new intermediate steering shaft, but the steering still tugs and wobbles slightly just off center, and the wheel itself is cockeyed to the left these days.

St. Claire resurfaced our front rotors and pads to rid the Intrigue of the brake pulsation, and replaced the rear window and antenna module to cure the fuzzy radio reception we got when the stereo and rear defroster were operated simultaneously. According to our paperwork, this car has a history of "micro-arcing of the defogger grid material," so if you suffer this problem, you now know what the solution is.

Further testing has revealed that the traction control system does indeed work, but allows so much wheelspin that it would be easy to assume it was inoperative. The trim surrounding the power window and lock switchgear on the door panel still pops off with little effort, and while our remote trunk and fuel door release buttons are securely affixed to the dashboard thanks to the efforts of St. Claire, the trunk release no longer works. (Sing along to Aerosmith's "Back in the Saddle") We're going back...back to the dealer again.

We also have new problems with the car. The driver's side window affixed itself to the rubber weather stripping around the window frame, tearing a chunk of the latter off when the laboring power-window motor finally overcame adhesion, leaving a sticky mess of black foam all over the glass that Windex couldn't vanquish. More seriously, some drivers report a burning smell when the climate controls and stereo are operated, and a console face that is very hot to the touch.

The car returned to Los Angeles, without the stereo or climate controls operating for fear of starting a car fire. Our driver wrote, "I was supposed to have the Intrigue for another two weeks, but I've joined the growing legion of Edmund's employees (who) want nothing to do with the car. Thanks to the console heat problem, there is no way I'm going to drive that car back up to San Francisco, and then return it to L.A. in a couple of weeks. I've got enough stress in my life without worrying that a car with 22,000 miles on the odometer is going to catch fire and strand me on the Grapevine at 9:00 at night. In fact, I'm unwilling to drive it around L.A. if I can avoid it. Really, I feel bad for the car. It isn't an incapable machine, it's just built terribly."

Our technical editor also observed the unusual amount of heat emitting from the dash and center console. "During a 10-minute drive from the office to my home, the center stack got very warm. When I reached down to adjust the temperature of the air conditioning, it felt as though a heater vent was emanating hot air from that area. Also, the 'PRNDL' indicators in the center console were hot to the touch."

So, we took the car back to the dealership. This time we tried Albertson Oldsmobile-Chevrolet in Culver City. Our service advisor at this dealership did not impress the editor who dropped off the car. "This guy treated me like I was an idiot who didn't know anything about cars. He said a really hot stereo is normal since the Intrigue has a powerful head unit, and that owners need to lubricate the weather stripping around the windows with silicone once or twice per year to keep it sticking to the windows. Sure, that's what the owner of a new car wants to do. Why don't they add that to the service schedule if it needs to be done?"

Our question, as it has been before, is this: If this stuff is normal, why don't any of our other long-term vehicles require this kind of care? The Camry's windows have never stuck to the weatherstripping. The Seville's Bose 4.0 sound system, certainly more powerful than the stereo in our Oldsmobile, doesn't pump heat or fry fingertips when operated.

We waited for our car for a week. Finally, we had to retrieve it early so that it could make a pilgrimage to Detroit, Mich., where our news editor, the self-described Motor City Madman, can take a crack at deciphering the Intrigue. According to Albertson Olds, they didn't do a thing to the car the entire week they had it, because parts were on order and hadn't arrived. Yet, our driver reports no black, sticky goo on the driver's window. Hmmm.

In fact, the driver charged with piloting the Olds east began to wonder what the hullabaloo was about. Sure, the dash got hot at night when the interior lighting was set to the brightest setting, but dimming them solved the problem. Cassettes and CDs worked fine without getting too hot to touch. He reported no significant problems other than interior trim with variable fade rates, so that the pieces no longer match, and a slight pull to the right.

Furthermore, yours truly drove the Intrigue several hundred miles during its stopover in Denver en route to Detroit. I found that, while the stereo, climate controls, 'PRNDL' display and the steering wheel pods containing the cruise control and sound system switchgear did warm themselves over time, particularly when the headlights were on, there was no danger of incinerating flesh when using them, and no burning smell accompanied the heat.

Did Albertson Oldsmobile secretly fix the car? Are the California staff members' perceptions warped? Stay tuned for the next installment of "The Intrigue Files."

Total Odometer Reading: 22,592
Best Fuel Economy: 28 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 17.6 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $53.65
Problems: Dashboard reportedly going into meltdown mode, sticky window weather stripping, broken trunk-release button, steering still not 100-percent correct.

Well, regular reader, if you're looking for a gripping conclusion to last month's update, you're not gonna find it here. The trip from Denver to Detroit was uneventful. A meltdown did not occur. The car did not break and leave us stranded. Aside from some minor electrical glitches, the car ran flawlessly.

During the Denver-Detroit segment of the trip, the digital odometer, clock, and radio-station readouts faded to invisibility, though on a few occasions, after signaling for a left turn, they returned to normal brightness before fading again. Our long-distance driver commented on the "cushiony and pleasant" ride, but derided "flat, hard and generally unsupportive" seats.

But the Motor-City Madman, John Clor, and his family found the Intrigue quite comfortable during a round-trip to Lansing, Mich., in a searing heat wave. Sitting in bumper-to-bumper construction traffic in sweltering temps, Clor reported that the dashboard did not do its "instant heat" trick, and that the powerful A/C system kept the family cool despite the beating sun and high humidity.

Though tight for five, the Clors find the Intrigue to be a perfect size for their 2+2 family. Clor's son, Jeff, headed to hockey camp at Michigan State University, and was able to cram all of his gear into the good-sized trunk, though his stick bag had to ride in the cabin between the seats since the Intrigue doesn't have a rear-seat pass-through.

Clor noticed during the trip north that the Intrigue's cruise control is on the fritz. But no other maladies plagued the Intrigue this month. Complaints are limted, as well. Clor finds that the turn-signal stalk is positioned about an inch further away from the steering wheel than is comfortable, while his wife, Jenny, is frustrated that the stereo readout doesn't include a volume control. Finally, Clor complained about seatbelts that don't retract with the same speed that the family exits the car, resulting in belts slammed into the doorjambs on a regular basis.

Likes include the heavy, solid feel of the car, the styling, the acceleration, the handling, the comfortable seating, and the positioning of the ignition switch in the dash.

The Clors are taking the Olds on a full-fledged family vacation to Northern Michigan next month, the true torture test for any long-term test car. For now, John reports, the Intrigue is running well and seems fit for his needs.

Total Odometer Reading: 25,990
Best Fuel Economy: 15.8 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.1 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Electrical glitches with digital readouts, broken cruise-control system.

Our long-term Oldsmobile Intrigue had a busy month with the Clor family in Detroit, where it split its road time nearly 50-50 between city and highway driving. It logged surprisingly good fuel economy when traversing the cross-town freeways or taking to the highway to attend automotive media functions to the far western and northern suburban regions beyond Detroit. In fact, three out of this month's five fill-ups netted us 22 mpg or better, which was a pretty nice number considering the relative size and comfort of the Olds.

When battling city traffic or sitting in bumper-to-bumper gridlock along Detroit's infamous I-94 pothole-awareness test, however, the Olds just couldn't quite eke out 17-and-a-half mpg. In its defense, both the air temperature and humidity levels were in the 90s that week, and the car's A/C remained pegged every minute it was running.

But the Olds had even more surprises in store for us this month: an almost magical ability to fix itself! That's right, where once we thought something was broken, by month's end it began working again -- as if to say, "Please, dear owner, don't leave me alone at that Oldsmobile dealership again!"

Take the cruise control, for instance. Clor and his wife, Jenny, tried, on three separate occasions, to engage the cruise during a long stretch, and three different times they couldn't get the thing to work. Must be broken, they thought. Clor tried it again later in the month on a trip out to the western suburbs, and, to his surprise, the light in the button actually went ON when pushed, and the cruise both set and worked PERFECTLY! Next time out on the highway, he tried it again - just to make sure its sudden return to life wasn't a fluke. Alas, it worked again, and works every time now, thank you.

Same with the right-rear shoulder harness retractor. Clor's 11-year-old, Jeremy, complained of battling the seatbelt every time he got in the car. Clor tried pulling on the retractor at different speeds and angles so it wouldn't get angry and lock up - but no luck. Finally, a steady tug pulled the belt all the way out, where it jammed and stayed that way. Each day for two weeks, we'd try to free it -- but it wouldn't budge. Then, one night on the way to a local ice cream shop, Jeremy announced that the belt freed itself and retracted fully. It now works perfectly every time.

While both instances saved us the hassle of adding a service item for repair at the dealership, it's a little disconcerting to have something go wrong with a car, and then - just as suddenly - go back to operating again. There's even a little bit of worry associated with having something connected to the electrical system (such as the cruise control) go out, and then go back on again on its own. As Clor noted in the logbook: "If it goes out, fine, I'll accept that. But working again on its own I neither understand nor particularly like. I'd rather it stay broken and get fixed than have some mystical gremlins be in control of what works, and when."

But then, this isn't the first time our staffers have noted problems with the Olds, only to find them mysteriously solved later on. Cases in point: heat from the center stack, dash lights working as they please, sticky window weather stripping rejuvenating itself. On and on. "What gives with this car?" asked Clor.

The only other major realization about the Intrigue that came to Clor this month is that, well, the Olds is rather obscure. It looks like so many other cars on the road, and although it is serving his family's needs well, it does so in pure blandness. It seems to lack any real personality. Even Clor's boys ask to ride in his family's minivan instead of the Oldsmobile because they claim "the gold car is no fun."

From Clor's logbook: "While 'fun' probably isn't exactly what the Intrigue was designed to deliver, to both the driver and its passengers, the Olds is, well - boring. Not bad, just bland. Not incompetent, just incapable of stirring one's soul. That's likely not a fair assessment, in view of how good a family hauler it has turned out to be for us. But thanks to my many years in the automotive journalism business, this family is used to getting a taste of many different kinds of vehicles in this, the Motor City. And to us, this Olds just doesn't have much flavor."

As this report is written, the Olds is experiencing a "Clor Family Vacation" up into the northern reaches of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. When he returns, the long hours spent on the road with the Intrigue will certainly help him figure out if he can finally learn to love this car, or simply resolve to accept it. He just hopes no electronic or mechanical gremlins come along for the ride.

Total Odometer Reading: 27,248
Best Fuel Economy: 23.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 17.4 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Once-inoperative cruise control now magically working again. Right-rear shoulder harness retractor jammed earlier this month, then finally freed itself. Dash-mounted trunk-release button is still stuck.

It was feast and then famine for our long-term Oldsmobile Intrigue in Detroit this month. To lead off the period, the Olds got to stretch out its legs on Michigan's highway system, transporting news editor John Clor and his family of four up into the northern sections of Michigan's Lower Peninsula for a much-needed vacation. It responded well on the mileage front, averaging better than 24 mpg over the course of the 800-odd-mile journey. What's more, our gold Intrigue performed without a hitch, with no overheated center stack, no sticky window weather stripping, and nary an electronic gremlin to be found the whole time.

Out on the open highway, the Olds ran effortlessly, and passing power was surprisingly good, despite a full complement of family and luggage aboard. With its light beige interior, we discouraged snacking along the way, much to the kids' dismay. (Such a practice is the main reason why the interior of the Clor family minivan smells like a McDonald's Happy Meal left out in the sun all day.) But the comfort level and sound system of the Olds combined with Michigan's scenic countryside helped to make the trip an enjoyable one. It amazed the whole crew how much stuff fits into the Olds' trunk (for some reason it doesn't appear as cavernous as it actually is), and the only complaint was that the rear seatbelts occasionally jammed up.

But then the Olds had to contend with spending the rest of the month logging a zillion short trips in and around Detroit's far east side, doing all the things a busy family does and going all the places a busy family goes. This clearly did not make the Olds happy, for fuel economy plummeted to between 16 and 17 mpg during the hottest, busiest dog days of summer in the city. The constant shuttling around town -- with the boys going to the pool, taking shopping trips, picking up Grandma Clor for dinner, visiting the cousins, etc. -- extracted a toll on the Intrigue's finicky rear shoulder harnesses. A constant stream of kids getting in and out of the rear seats and buckling and unbuckling the harnesses was apparently too much for the Olds to handle: The left-rear harness now simply refuses to budge from its retractor, rendering it totally useless.

Jammed all the way in as it is, it means Clor's 6-foot-2-inch teenager can't get enough of the left-rear outboard belt around him to buckle up. Because that's a safety issue, he has to scoot over to the middle and use the center belt -- which means the two boys are in each other's faces even more than usual. Boys being boys, sometimes they need their space, which makes this problem a noisy nuisance every time they come along for the ride.

One of the Intrigue's self-diagnostic features made an appearance this month: the "change engine oil" light is currently illuminated. Motivated by the need for an oil change and armed with information about the balky rear shoulder harnesses, we called the nearest Oldsmobile dealer for a service appointment. We'll get the lube and filter, the rear belts repaired, and have them fix that long-stuck dash-mounted trunk-release button while they're at it.

Well, the long-term Intrigue survived a Clor family vacation, and sweated out a summer in tough and bumpy Detroit. We're beginning to hear the occasional creak or an odd rattle every once in a while as the Olds nears the 30,000-mile mark. And the brakes don't feel as firm as they did when the car first arrived in Michigan. But overall, Clor admits that it has served him well this summer.

Clor told his family that soon this car will find its way back to the East Coast from whence it came ... and nobody shed a tear. No last, longing glances, like when they had the VW Beetle. No request to go for a ride with the sunroof open, like when they had the Isuzu Rodeo. From the Clors' vantage point, this is a pretty nice sedan. It turned out to be almost as family friendly as the Dodge Intrepid we tested, but less interesting and more troublesome.

Total Odometer Reading: 28,902
Best Fuel Economy: 25.5 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 16.5 mpg
Body Repair Costs: $0
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: Left-rear shoulder harness retractor is jammed and inoperative. Dash-mounted trunk-release button is still stuck.

This month our Intrigue left the Motor City to head for Derry, New Hampshire (which, by the way, should not be confused with the fictional town in Stephen King's "It," although the verdict's still out on the presence of killer clowns). At any rate, we planned to swap the Intrigue with our long-term Cadillac Seville, still in the hands of our used car data manager.

Before departure, though, our Intrigue would linger in Detroit long enough to have its 30,000-mile service performed. In addition, we wanted our trunk release push-button fixed and our left rear seatbelt retractor unjammed. In low-tech fashion, we pulled out the Yellow Pages and searched for the nearest Oldsmobile dealer. We found Drummy Oldsmobile in Eastpointe, Mich., and proceeded to call to schedule an appointment. Our news editor remarked, "The surprising thing is that we didn't even have to make a service appointment at all...[the service advisor] told us to bring it in anytime, and they'll take it right away." However, we were informed that because we wanted a couple issues outside of the 30K service inspected, our car might not be ready by closing time.

We arrived at the dealership around lunchtime, pulled into the open service driveway, and waited a bit for the service advisor to get off the phone. After hanging up with his phone customer, the advisor apologized for keeping us waiting. Our Detroit editor found the service advisor amenable and efficient, stating, "When I told him I had called about getting the 30,000-mile service done, he said, 'Oh, yes,' and then pulled out a GM sheet and showed me exactly what work is performed at this interval." We explained about our broken trunk release and rear seatbelt, and the service advisor said he'd try to have everything completed by the end of the day, but that if parts had to be ordered for the two problems, we'd have to bring the car back.

Our Detroit staffer returned to the office, but before the day was through, he was a bit shocked: "To my utter surprise, my home office phone rang at about 5:30 that afternoon. It was Drummy Oldsmobile, telling me that the work on the Intrigue was completed." They had apparently also fixed the two problem items under warranty, a pleasant surprise as well.

We went back to the dealership, arriving before close of their business day. Our original service advisor was not there, but a pleasant woman took our claim check and summoned the car from the service lot. We paid $50.66 for the routine maintenance, hopped in our car, and prepared for take off, but our "change oil" indicator still shone brightly on the dash. We got out of the car and asked the advisor if a technician had forgotten to reset our indicator. She said it was likely, and promptly situated herself in our driver's seat. She turned the car off, turned the ignition back on, and then hit the accelerator three times in quick succession. After turning the car off again and restarting it, the light went out. A bit of an oversight by the technician, but no biggie.

With the swap point of Waterloo calling out to us from afar, we packed up, strapped in, and headed off. Our Detroit editor said of the car swap, "When we finally made the swap in New York, there were no last, longing glances back at the Intrigue, like when my family said goodbye to the VW Beetle." No tears were shed, but our staffer did make sure to note that the vehicle had served himself and his ever errand-running family well. Keys exchanged hands between our Detroit-based staffer and our New Hampshire staffer, used car data editor John DiPietro, and our Intrigue prepared for a jaunt to the East Coast.

Shortly after the car exchange, DiPietro found that the right rear shoulder belt was now sticking intermittently. Ugh. He also griped of cheap-looking door panels, an awkward glove box, and illuminated controls that were hot to the touch. With regard to the hot-potato controls, we found that simply dimming the interior illumination remedied this problem.

DiPietro found much to like about his new chariot. Commenting on the exterior, he said, "The car's styling draws on the better elements of big brother Aurora, such as the front end and muscular fenders, but thankfully doesn't share the same busy rear end or awkward greenhouse." Deeper praise was given to the mechanicals, "Workhorse 3800 V6 has good low-end grunt, strong passing power, and great fuel efficiency; who needs overhead cams?" And the following: "Handling is stable and buttoned-down. The Intrigue is in its element on fast, sweeping curves as it exhibits little body lean and smooth transitions." We found more to like this month, citing the clean-sounding stereo, linear brakes, smooth-shifting tranny, and taut suspension.

One final trouble arose this month, with the right front door sticking so badly that it required a healthy tug to allow access to the steed. Applying some WD-40 to the weather stripping quickly alleviated the problem.

Derry is where our car will remain for a bit, until lease-end time comes. We'll do our best to avoid potholes, rabbit holes, and sewers of all shapes and sizes, as we wouldn't want to find ourselves sucked into Stephen King's alternate universe.

Current Odometer: 31,567
Best Fuel Economy: 27 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 22.6 mpg
Body Damage: $0
Maintenance Costs: $50.66
Problems: Intermittently sticking right rear seatbelt, sticking right front door, hot center-stack controls.