Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  1998 Olds Cutlass (same as the Malibu) - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By shuge - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought this in May 2000 with 28k it now has 62k.The problems: Lots of rattles and noise from the interior parts. Alternator went out at 52k miles. Began leaking anti-freeze from around one of the heads at 50k miles. The ABS system went haywire at 60k miles. Handles horribly. Especially in the snow. This car has kind of soured me on GM. It seems like its held together with bubble-gum and scotch tape. I never drove it very hard, although it is a 8 mile stop and go commute to work. Overall I am very disappointed with the car. Dont know if I got a bad one or if other people have the same problems.

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  My Cutlas - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By RMD - November 19 - 10:00 am

  09/00 new brakes $395. 1 yr later replaced alternator. Brake/rotar job 10/01 $454. Battery caught fire 08/01. Front brakes constantly make rubbing sound. Tune up and injectors cleaned $699 08/01. Front end is rough. This is a high maintenance car. Inside is comfortable and roomy. I like the design. The build quality and mechanical reliabilty is not good. Bought the car with 23000 mi on it for my 14 year old daughter. She will be 16 in next few weeks but we are shopping for a different vehicle. I simply dont want her out in this one because it is truly undependable.

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  A Competent Car but no Camry - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Stratman - October 4 - 6:50 am

  Purchased new in 1998 by my dad and passed down to me in 2001 - have driven about 90 k miles since then. Tried to convince him to buy Camry but he was a solid GM customer. The best thing I did was to replace the Firestone OEM Affinity tires -- first with Affinity LH30s and later with Yokohama Avid TRZs which were even better. They dramatically improved the ride and handling. After 108k, the car is still solid with no rattles which surprised me for an American car (Ive always owned Japanese or German cars.

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  Average mid-size car - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By adam - June 10 - 10:36 pm

  Bought this car used in 2002 with 25k on it. Color and finish still look great with 93k on it now. Performed regular maintenance on it but still had many mechanical problems. Head gasket twice, fuel injectors (had to replace 4), brakes, rotors, radio, a/c, power window, thermostat, water pump, steering, etc. Had extended warranty when purchased that paid for most of it but ran out on 2006. Still will keep it. Repairs still cheaper than a new car note every month.

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  Not Too Shabby - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Laura - January 22 - 9:36 am

  Overall, it drives well, but like other midsize GM cars, its needed frequent repairs - electrical switches malfunction, brakes need frequent replacing, etc.... Its doing well for having 140,000 miles, but Im always wondering when something will need fixing next.

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  eh, its an OK car.. - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Jared - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Hmm ... I know that the Malibu/Cutlass duo is dubbed "The car you knew America could build", but that isnt saying much. Its an OK car for sure, but i did have to replace the altenator (265.00), my brakes squeek sometimes, and the wood grain, i mean.. plastic trim on the doors rattle quite often. On the plus side the cars design should hold up well over time, and the interior is nice. I think the "blandness" of the car actually work in its favor, many people think its nicer and more expensive than what it really is.. you can thank Toyota and Honda for that design inspiration.. All in all, a competant, mediocre car.

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  Its in the shop again - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By disheartened - November 1 - 12:03 am

  I bought this car from a dealers home in the fall with cooler weather. I can see why it wouldnt sell in hot weather,as the transmission clunks real bad when its hot out. I bought the car with 44,000 and have 84,000. My mechanic said my transmission was perfect inside but bulged on the outside. He put in another one last week with 5,000 less miles on it and it was clunking within 10 miles of the shop. He fixed the wheel bearing. The air conditioner hasnt worked since last summer. Ive had to replace the water pump and fix the front end when the steering stopped working. He replaced something to control the pressure in the transmission but that didnt help. The tape player was bad also.

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  Shaking on the Highway - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By orphancitrus - October 16 - 10:00 am

  This car is confortable to sit in and once it gets going, it has a lot of good acceleration. However, on the highway, it is a little shaky, and does not have the refinement of mid-size imports. Engine and trans is reliable, but electrical problems with dash had to be replaced twice, to correct short in climate control. Also, cassette player stopped working after $50K although CD still working. Air conditioner fan cuts out on long road trips. If you are looking for a big American car for a little money, this is not a bad choice.

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  Cutlass - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By JLFL - March 20 - 6:23 pm

  Got this car in March just as a point A to point B car. Rides pretty well with a nice suspension and decent power. Fuel economy has been about 17/25/20.5, which is acceptable. The car is roomy and comfortable, but the build quality is pretty iffy. Had a couple interior trim pieces fall off, and some other loosely attached pieces. Mechanically it has help up pretty good, but a cog in the steering mechanism is off-set, not said to be a serious problem though.

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  Not all its cut up to be - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By maznwmn - July 6 - 11:30 am

  I bought this car used. It had 120k miles on it. After 4 months the engine blew. We had issues with it wanting to overheat when stopping & going. Issues with the abs light having a mind of its own. Replaced brakes twice in 6 months. Squealy brakes constantly. Think twice before buying this car.