Original Grandma Car: 1992 Oldsmobile 98
A lot of us dream about finding cars hidden away in garages – one-owner, low-mile cars that have been taken care of and always parked in a garage when not in use. This 1992 Oldsmobile 98 appears to be one of those cars. It isn’t that old, just 28 years since leaving the factory, but it looks pretty much like new. It can be found here on eBay in Punta Gorda, Florida, right where you expected to see a white Olds 98 with a padded landau vinyl top. The bids are at $3,650 as I write this and there is no reserve.
The twelvth-generation Olds 98, or Ninety-Eight, or, Ninety Eight for the 1992-1996 models, would be the company’s last version of a luxury model that they made since 1941. That’s a long run.
This car looks like it’s in outstanding condition. The seller is listing it for their grandmother who has owned this Oldsmobile Nighty Eight since their grandfather bought it for her brand new. I don’t see a flaw anywhere. It certainly looks like a Florida car to me, and that’s not a bad thing. They have included a few underside photos which are always nice to see. It looks good underneath, too.
The only thing I notice on the interior photos that has me wondering is, what are those white marks on the steering wheel? Other than that, the interior looks like classic GM 1980s/90s luxury and those reddish-burgundy velour seats are great. For a luxury car that has to have a nice, roomy backseat, this is the only photo of the rear seating area which is a little unusual. The six-digit odometer and the seller both let us know that this 98 has just over 55,300 miles on it.
This isn’t the supercharged engine, unfortunately, but is instead GM’s 3800, a 3.8L V6 which would have had 170 hp and 220 ft-lb of torque. The supercharged version in the highest trim level for 1992 would have had 205 hp and could knock a second off of a 0-60 time, but an Olds 98 isn’t about stoplight drag racing, is it? Are there any fans of the last-generation Olds 98 out there?
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Comments
I never get tired of seeing clean, low mile examples of these pop up here on B/F. There is one thing that really turns me off on this, and that’s the terrible looking landau top, YUK! Everything else looks great, including the beautiful velour interior. I’d feel guilty for wanting to buy it, cause this would be my main cruise, but and again, that’s what it was built for….right?
“Beautiful velour interior,” said nobody ever.
Bob S. Said it.
I personally have never understood the infatuation of leather. Hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and after 60-70k miles, they’re all cracked up, and looks terrible. I’ve commented on this before, and I can guarantee you moremonkey, that I’m not in lone company saying that, so YES, beautiful velour interior!!!
I’m right there with you, Bob!
Decades ago, a car salesman tried to push me towards a car with a leather interior. I told him that I considered leather to be expensive vinyl–hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and I was paying $1,000 extra for the privilege. He said that leather breathes and I just laughed.
I say it too. Love the 80s and early 90s velour. Nowadays its all burlap rough pseudo “cloth” or cold leather
I call it dollar-store-backpack cloth.
The funky vinyl roof gave me pause as well as the “Regent” nameplate. Could this roof treatment have been an aftermarket add-on? Not being well versed in anything, especially 1992 Oldsmobiles 98s, I checked out Wikipedia just to see if the Regency was ever known as simply “Regent.” Didn’t spot the word “Regent” anywhere on the page.
Of course, none of this would stop me from enjoying this!
I’ve never seen that roof treatment before (and I’ve owned two of these cars over the years). Almost certainly aftermarket, and makes an already controversial (to some) body design more questionable.
The Ninety Eights of this generation are comfortable cruisers with decent power and are surprisingly good on gas too. Lots of room to stretch out and a huge trunk. I have a ’95 Ninety Eight Regency Elite with just under 90,000 miles on it that I’ve had for 15 years. The featured car looks great, but I could do without the vinyl roof and wire wheel covers. (and I’d ditch the bug shield).
Have you checked your right rear wheel well for rust yet? for some reason they almost all rust through there eventually. Reach in behind the trunk liner near the trunk hinge and feel around for a rust hole. Repair as needed before it gets too bad.
I still like the odd styling of these. I’d lose the shield luggage rack and coach roof though.
Unfortunately, I’m assuming that Grandma is no longer with us. May she RIP. I hope the Olds goes to a good home, which certainly wouldn’t be mine. These cars are hideous and honestly that vinyl roof doesn’t add much.
The listing states that’s it’s being sold by the original owner, the eBayer’s grandmother. So I assume she’s still around and will hopefully see a nice figure come from the sale. Bless her heart.
Yeah, that the word “Estate” is missing is indeed a good sign! I wish she’d have lavished this loving attention on, say, a 1992 GMC Typhoon or Mustang GT but oh well. I have to respect the devotion that was given here.
Do you think that vinyl roof treatment was after-market? Noticed the “Regent” nameplate and that made me go to Wikipedia to check out 98s to see if Olds ever did that. I found no mention of a “Regent” there.
Of course that would hardly stop me from enjoying this car.
May I suggest the marks on the steering wheel come from some kind of hand lotion or cosmetics that has set permanent stains…? Most everything that accumulates years will become brittle, and so does elderly peoples’ skin and particularly their hands – looks like ol’ gramma preferred to keep her left hand at the 6 o’clock position.
Always thought this was an absolutely horrible-looking car – sort of the sedan version of the Pontiac Trans Sport. I find the faux luggage carrier and landau roof to be major pluses here, as they indeed seal the ol’ folks package – how about a turbocharged sleeper…? Seriously, someone has done an outstanding job keeping this in such unmolested condition. There got to be at least one guy out there who loves these too and in this condition it deserves to be owned by a person who can appreciate it, not just end up as a winter beater.
And yes; I love red velour seats too! 😁
Leather “cold in the winter, hot in the summer”? Have any of the leather haters actually owned a car with leather interior? I have, and my daily right now has leather seats. Not “cold in the winter, hot in the summer”, at all. I wear clothes when I drive it, maybe that’s what I’m doing wrong. BTW, leather seats in that boat are heated.
Dave, weather it be this post, or others commenting on seat materials, I’ve never used the word hate. It’s just a personal preference. I don’t recall in the early 90s heated seats being offered in these either, but, I very well could be wrong. Back in 94, the nurse at the company I worked for had a brand new Buick Park Avenue with leather. I’ve never in my life sat on a seat that was as hard as what they were. Maybe the factory forgot to put foam in that particular car, who knows, but it was like sitting on a park bench. For the record, I’ve owned a few cars with leather, but prefer cloth. Hate’s a strong word.
Bob S., I currently own 3 cars with leather sets. A ’95 Vette, a ’99 Vette, and a 2004 Park Ave and none of them are “cold in the winter and hot in the summer”, and they all have greater than “60K to 70K miles” and they are not “all cracked up”. I keep them clean and conditioned, it’s really not much effort. Maybe you have sensitive skin? I can tell it’s thin…
To my knowledge, heated seats were never an option on the 98s of this generation (possibly the Touring Sedan). That said, I’ve owned lots of full size GMs with leather and find that they hold up well and warm up quickly in the winter from body heat. Cloth or leather, the ’94-’96 Regency’s seats are among the most comfortable seats I’ve ever traveled in.
I have leather seats on my Lincoln with cool and heat settings, therefore I have no problems with cold or hot seats. I just hit a switch and I am good, No cracks either as I keep the treated,
Yes I have owned a couple with leather seats. Perhaps you’re lucky or blessed or have no proper feeling in your skin or the muscle tissue immediately below it. I fully concur with what the others had said about because I’ve owned 2 so I’m speaking from experience.
I always thought these look art deco with those lines running down the side. Dont like that roof but the wire wheel covers look great on those. Most of those I have seen are either white or black. Didn’t they make any colors?
I’m not really a fan of this Olds, but it is always good to see a car which has been loved for decades. It would make a nice cruiser for someone for not much money, and is new enough to be fine in modern traffic.
Steering wheel: maybe, it is a blurry picture showing the outer layer peeling off?
Honestly looks like mold on the steering wheel. If you look closely, it’s fuzzy and has dimension.
But wow- love that burgundy velour interior. Give me this any day over boring tan (leather) interiors that are all-too-common now!
Liked these when they came out and still do almost 30 years later. Love the skirted wheels and the vaned lower body sides. They look much better in dark colors over the silver lower. Roof treatment and trunk rack are unfortunate dealer add ons, though the roof doesn’t look as bad on this car as it does on some bodies. I like both velour and leather but the cloth stands up much better with zero maintenance over the years.
If it was mine, I’d remove the rack and have the holes filled and lid resprayed. It would be worth the effort and expense to clean up the lines a bit. The top could be dyed in silver to match the lower cladding to lessen the contrast with the white.
The padded roof and luggage rack are absolutely dealer added. The S Florida market is loaded with dealers that use the “styling enhancements” to pad profits and appeal to the older buyers who love the additional decorative hardware. Wire wheels, Vogue tyres and a “Rolls Royce” grill we’re also popular They always have a brand for these treatments; Eleganza, Presidential Edition, Regent, d’Elegance, every dealer had their own package name. Too bad as all it did was ruin the stock styling and pad their profitability.
I agree ,its not a vinyl roof but a plastic roof insert with padding glued on top. I once picked up a junk 90s Regal “presidential edition” for a derby car . The padding was blowing in the wind but what was left was attached to a large formed plastic shell that was held to the roof with gobs of clear RTV .
Great cars. Far superior in reliable transportation. Great gas mileage. I owned 3 of these in the last 25 year’s. Never an engine or transmission problem. Bob S is rightin. Leather is total garbage. What most people do Not know is leather is dyed and sprayed with a clear. You waste money buying expensive oils to treat it. I have professionally detailed cars for 40 years. I simply spray on Meguiars Synthetic spray wax. Never a problem. My four cars all have velour or vinyl. Leather is hot in summer and hard as brick in winter. I even passed on an old Corvette with leather seat covers for a not as nice car with standard vinyl. Love this 98. Would buy it in a minute even with the stupid top. These engines go 250,000 miles before they need anything. My 88 olds Trofeo had 230,900 miles when a useless deer ran in front of it. Orig starter, radiator, alternator and no oil burning. Orig trans shifted perfect. My dad bought it new. I miss that car more than any other.
Velour is total pump my fridge garbage. I wouldn’t be caught dead owning a POS velour interior car. Leather is the best, far more durable than cheap velour.
If only I lived in Florida. I’d keep the left directional light on and rock this rig slowly in the left lane, eyes straight ahead and white knuckling the wheel at 10 and 2.
You don’t need to reside in Florida to do that – old people behave so all over the world