Those of you who have always lived in mild climates have no idea how good you have it, car-wise. Cheap, plentiful, rust-free cars are a luxury not afforded to those who live in harsher environments. If you’re looking for a used car in, say, the upper Midwest, rust is going to inform your every automotive decision.
Yesterday we looked at two good-running beaters from here in Maryland, and to my great surprise, the PT Cruiser seems to be winning. I thought for sure that the Nissan Sentra’s better condition and more thorough description would give it the win, but apparently most of you have zero faith in the Jatco transmission’s ability to keep transmitting power.
That’s definitely a consideration, but I think I’d give the PT Cruiser the edge for two other reasons: cargo capacity, and parts and service availability. Mechanically, it’s pretty much the same as zillions of Stratuses (Strata?) and Neons, so you can be confident that any decent mechanic anywhere can keep it on the road. I wouldn’t have the same certainty about the Sentra and its CVT.
Today’s choices are both known to be durable and reliable cars, but both also have a tendency to rust in some bad places. This wouldn’t be a problem – except that they’re both in the Minneapolis/St. Paul suburbs, where road crews use salt as freely as Rachael Ray uses extra-virgin olive oil. Neither one looks too bad yet, but looks can be deceiving when it comes to rust. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which one looks more trustworthy.
1992 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Royale – $2,450
Engine/drivetrain: 3.8-liter OHV V6, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Little Falls, MN
Odometer reading: 138,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
In 1985, General Motors began replacing its long-serving B-body sedans with something entirely new: the front-wheel-drive H platform. You could hear the howls of dissent from miles away when long-time GM buyers found out, but the H-body cars spoke for themselves. They were more efficient, better built, and at least as comfortable as their predecessors, and as a bonus, turned out to be rock-solid reliable. This is Oldsmobile’s version, the Eighty-Eight Royale.
Much of the H-body’s reputation for reliability and durability comes from its engine, the 3800 V6, a Buick design that dates back to 1962. GM sold the tooling for the engine to Kaiser in 1967, bought it back in 1974, and refined it into a legend. It produces 170 horsepower in this form, and with the exception of fragile intake manifold gaskets, will spin happily under the Eighty Eight’s hood until the end of time. It drives the front wheels through a 4T60-E automatic transmission, which, as long as its fluid is kept clean, is just about as durable. This one had one owner, from the sound of it, who put only 138,000 miles on it and maintained it carefully.
This car’s mechanical specification and exterior styling were modernized during the redesign, but the interior remained a throwback to earlier days. The bordello-red color, the split bench seat, and the column-mounted gearshift aren’t all that different from an Oldsmobile sedan from the 1970s. Despite the grand-sounding name, the “Royale” is actually the base model of this car, and this one doesn’t look like it has anything beyond the basic standard equipment. It’s in acceptable shape, but it’s a little threadbare in places. I bet it’s still mighty comfortable, though.
It has one original hubcap and three Wal-Mart specials. The paint looks pretty good, but it’s so dusty that it’s hard to tell. It doesn’t appear to have any rust, but these cars usually don’t, at least on the outside. The front subframe, on the other hand, tends to collect water and slush and rust from the inside out. There’s no way to know how rusty it is without getting underneath and poking around. Check the rocker panels while you’re under there, too; the plastic cladding can hide rust.
1998 Honda Accord LX – $2,495
Engine/drivetrain: 2.3-liter OHC inline 4, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Lino Lakes, MN
Odometer reading: 238,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
This Honda Accord is for sale at a dealership called Bob’s Auto Ranch, a place where I have actually bought a car before – an Accord, in fact, back in 1995. It served me well for about a year, until the rear brakes failed and I discovered it was too rusty to jack up and repair. But that was a 1984 model, back when a good stiff damp breeze was enough to cause a Honda to rust. This 1998 model seems to be quite a bit more robust.
This sixth-generation Accord is more refined and powerful than my old one, with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine producing 135 horsepower. It has an automatic transmission, which is probably a disappointment to some of you, but remember, we’re looking for a good, inexpensive car for non-gearheads here, and most folks would rather not bother with a manual. It runs and drives well, but as is typical of cheap cars from dealerships, there’s no maintenance history to be had. Plan to take it to a good mechanic and have it checked over to make sure it’s ready to go.
It’s an LX model, so it has power windows and locks, as well as air conditioning, which works fine. Someone has added a modern touchscreen stereo to it, but very few cars reach this age with their factory stereos intact. It’s in good condition overall, but the steering wheel and center armrest are pretty grubby. Steering wheel covers are easy enough to find, or you can make your own. And I bet, if you’re handy with a needle and thread, you could make a new cover for the armrest, too. Little things like that can really spruce up an old car like this, and make it your own in the process.
It does have some rust, most notably in the rear wheel arches, which is typical of Accords of pretty much any generation. You’d have to see it in person to see how bad it really is. But the one I had looked a whole lot worse than this when I bought it, and it lasted a year, so this one probably has some life in it yet.
Finding a decent cheap car in places with harsh winters can be a real challenge. The best way to handle it is to keep your expectations manageable and not worry about rust unless it’s structural. There’s no vehicle inspection in Minnesota – though maybe there should be – so you’re kind of on your own. Bring a screwdriver to poke with, a fridge magnet to check for Bondo, and a flashlight. Which one of these do you feel more optimistic about?
My original inclination was the Honda, because if the main concern here is rust the 10 year younger car must have less right? Sorry less miles and better care makes me think the Royale is the better condition car.
A 3800 with half the miles and a red interior? Rock it, 88.
Barely relevant but I grew up just a few miles from Bob’s Auto Ranch and know a handful of families that sourced first cars for teenagers from those storied fields. I don’t know anyone that I got a lemon, and while I have been tempted by a few of their offerings I will pass on this one. Give me the Olds with the red interior.
I gotta go Honda…I like both of these but love the Accord a lot more than the 88 (I don’t like that body style that much, but the 3800 is great…I’ve grown fond of them) I’ll fix the rust if need be but even though the 5th & 6th gen Accords aren’t my favorite, it will last a long time (I much prefer the 3rd gen, have had 2 of them w/ stick and pop-ups and they were a blast to drive) and 4th gen (had a 91 as one of the family cars growing up and it was still going fine when sold at 240K)
Even though I wrote this in 1st person, it’s still what I would recommend for the non gearhead.
Hondas just work and they are the #1 brand to me by far, as far as daily drivers go. I’ll even throw in the awesome single DIN JVC CD player and a bunch of speakers that I still have
I’m mostly a Honda guy, but I’ve never owned one in a salty state. I saw a lot of rusty ’86-’88 Accords when I live in Rochester, NY and Cleveland. Prior to living in those places, I had an ’86 Accord in California and rust wasn’t a problem. It was a great car.
In Cleveland, I had the previous generation of the Oldsmobile as a company car. The company had about a dozen of them, and they were pretty solid. And on the freeway, it was at least as efficient as the Accord was.
Today’s Olds has 100K fewer miles and the sheet metal looks pretty intact. The interior color is a little hard on the eyes but looks to be in decent shape. Today, I’ll take “my father’s Oldsmobile.”
The interior is so bright I have to wear shades.
The Honda by a mile. That is a great gen of accord when Honda the style reliability and build. I’ve always thought olds were ugly and wasn’t surprised they were killed off. While the 3800 is one of the greats I’ll take it in something else.
Honda is a better car, but not with that rust.
I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that Oldsmobile. When I was a kid, everyone in my poor neighborhood drove clapped out K-cars and rusted trucks from the 70’s. The only “rich” guy I knew had a brand new Olds 98 just like that in a deep maroon color. At 5 years old, I just thought that car was the epitome of class and sophistication.
This is a NOPE to both. I don’t like either car to start with, but mostly I refuse to own cars from the salt states anymore.
Rust is like an iceberg – the part you see is only 10% of what is actually there.
Despite my fondness for Little Falls (RIP Pine Edge Inn and their famous breakfast rolls), I’ll take the Honda.
I grew up in LF during the 70s. Never set foot in the Pine Edge; that was for rich folks.
Jason should write a column about Lindbergh’s Beetle, which is on display at the state park; of course, the jokes would write themselves.
Olds, for sure. That earlier 3.8 is bulletproof, and extra points for the red interior.
The funny thing is, I bet the 3.8 gets better mileage than the Accord during normal driving.
That Accord is a $500 car, that’s ridiculous that someone things that’s worth 2500.
In this case, my vote goes to the Olds because it does NOT have visible rust, doesn’t look like it’s been in a collision and poorly repaired, doesn’t have delaminating paint and has 100,000 fewer miles.
We had one of these 1992 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eights, when I was a kid. I could swear ours was a Royale LS, however. It definitely had alloy wheels. And it was the baby blue with the darker blue velour.
My grandmother purchased it used in or around 1999 after she began taking care of my great grandfather (her father), for whom her Mercury Topaz was too small.
My dad (grandmother’s son) inherited it in 2004 when my grandmother passed. And he drove it for about four years. Since he was doing a lot of driving from work, I remember the rear suspension being tired out and sagging from all the papers and equipment he carried in the trunk. Also, the headliner fabric began excusing itself from the party rather suddenly. My father tolerated it for two months, and then unceremoniously ripped it down from the ceiling, exposing the brown glue and backing board.
Eventually, dad “upgraded” to a 2007 Dodge Caliber SXT and the Oldsmobile got donated to my mother’s hairdresser, who’d previously needed rides to and from her clients and who got another few years out of it. I think it bit the dust permanently in or around 2011, mostly from neglect.
Gimme that 3800 V6 all day long.
I’ll take the Olds and road-trip it through Wisconsin so I can have my Royale with cheese. Classic Milwaukee winter-beater.
Oldsmobile. Easy choice. If you want the Accord, plan on spending $900+ to get a new timing belt installed. It being a 1998, it should be due for its fourth one next year – and if I were a betting man, I wouldn’t bet that this has been maintained. 3800 FTW.
Easy one today. Gimme my (grand)father’s Oldsmobile. H bodies are mile eating machines in base form. Seeing 30 mpg or better from that boat is doable. There are also a few mods to do that reduce the boatiness. First is a modern set of all seasons. Next is poly sway bar endlinks.
Intake manifold gaskets weren’t really an issue on a Series I 3800 like this. That’s more an early Series II issue. Series III used metal gaskets from the factory and an updated Dex-Cool that didn’t eat plastic when left in for longer than the change interval.
True. We had a 1997 Buick Riviera Supercharged (which had the Series II 3800 S/C) in the family, and the intake manifold was the only (mechanical) issue. The supercharger belt was also expensive to replace, as it required undoing one of the engine mounts and supporting the engine externally, if I recall correctly.
I had a ’98 88 for awhile, can confirm. I easily got high 20’s/low 30’s on road trips, and it was like riding on a cloud.
I would go with the Oldsmobile. I bet that thing has at least another 100k miles left in it.
https://youtu.be/mjiizapeNMM?si=OtbrDZi_G7p_C1c1
Look at the interior of that “YoungMobile,” and you’ll know why they called them “Escape Machines.”
I was all set to vote for the Accord, then the rust bomb hit. I’ve already got one Honda with rust problems, don’t need to pay for a second one.
Looks like the Olds had that TruCoat installed at the factory because the rust doesn’t look too bad. Maybe Jerry Lundegaard wasn’t completely full of it.
I want to feel royal driving around that Olds with that gaudy but awesome red interior.
I’ll take the big cushy Olds, please. A nicer car than the Accord to begin with and lower miles. This generation of sedans is the one that brought into being the saying “A GM car will run bad longer than most cars will run at all.”
I had a ’92 88 for many years. The seat broke at about 145,000, and my father in law found me a great used car – a ’93 88 owned by a little old man who smoked a cigar. I know this because there was a soot stain on the ceiling.
I drove the car for a few more years, until I was just tired of it.
Meanwhile, there was a woman in my office (about 70 years old, whose husband was about 10 years older than her) whose adult daughter totally abused her car, and ultimately crashed it leaving the dealership after it was repaired because she never changed the oil. She wanted her folks to buy her a Miata. She said to me “I will help her out, but I will not buy her a Miata!”
I said “I have the perfect car for her. It’s big, safe, reliable, and she’ll HATE it.”
I sold her my 88. A few weeks later, I asked about the car, and she said “My husband liked it so much he’s keeping it for himself…”
I had a 98 Accord as a winter beater for a couple of years. Started and ran, the heater worked well. No complaints except the EGR passages were clogged up causing surging once it was warm on occasion. The 99+ had a plate you could remove to clean out the passages, mine didn’t so I lived with it. Voted for it.