Good morning! Today we’re going to look at a couple of cheap cars that are local to me. Both of them run, but both need some work before being put into service. Which one is worth the effort is up to you.
Yesterday, we kept things simple – really simple. Though, as some of you pointed out, neither of yesterday’s cars was as simple as it could have been; both had the absolute decadence of not one, but two side mirrors. And the Mighty Max had carpet and cloth upholstery! Pure hedonism, that. The Mighty Max took home an easy win, but I have to applaud those couple dozen of you who voted for the third-party Hyundai Excel. I really wanted to feature that ridiculous little thing; I’m really disappointed it sold.
I think the Mighty Max is the right call here; small basic trucks are cooler and more useful than small basic cars. But if the Fox were any color except “Sidewalk,” or if it were a wagon, I might be tempted to take it instead.
Now then: I’ve spent the last two days wrenching on my wife’s car. I had to replace the steering box, pitman arm, and idler arm in order for it to pass Maryland state inspection, and I did the tie-rod ends and swaybar links while I was under there. It got me wondering how many cars get sold for cheap around here because they won’t pass inspection, so I went looking for slightly broken fixer-uppers in the area. I found these two just across the border in Delaware, which is apparently even stricter when it comes to inspections. You’ll need to put in a weekend of work before they’ll sign off on either of these. Let’s see which one you’d rather fix up.
1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham – $1,500
Engine/drivetrain: 3.8-liter overhead valve V6, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Seaford, DE
Odometer reading: 94,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives, but power steering is out
If someone asks for a recommendation for a big, cheap, reliable, comfortable car, my mind immediately goes to the GM H-body. It features the bulletproof 3800 V6, a sturdy overdrive automatic, tons of room inside, and a ride that, while maybe not quite like floating on a cloud, is pretty damn close to driving around in a La-Z-Boy. And since they’re typically considered “old people’s cars,” they have nice low resale value. They’re getting a little thin in the classifieds these days, especially these early square ones, but when you find one, it’s still worth a look.
The most compelling argument for these cars, of course, is that V6: GM may get a lot of things wrong, but when it comes to refining and perfecting an engine design over time, no one does it better. This one only puts out 150 horsepower, but it will continue to do so until the end of time. Unfortunately, there is something that doesn’t work so well: the power steering has a bad leak, and the seller has removed the belt as a temporary fix. On a front-heavy car like this, that’s not really a fix at all. I bet parallel parking is a pain in the ass.
This is a top-of-the-line Royale Brougham, with the comfy leather seats that you just sink into, and all the power toys available in 1987. We don’t get very good views of the interior, but it mostly looks okay. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is in rough shape, but it could be re-covered. Or you could install a completely out-of-place Grant GT wheel or something.
This is a low-mileage car with only one owner before the current seller, but we do know one thing about that owner: they did not have a garage. This car’s paint is done for. And no wonder: the seller includes a photo of the original window sticker. It lists all the car’s options, but nowhere do I see any mention whatsoever of Tru-Coat.
2000 Volvo S70 – $1,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.4-liter dual overhead cam inline 5, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Dagsboro, DE
Odometer reading: 125,000 miles
Operational status: Starts and runs, but radiator leaks too much to drive
I have known plenty of folks who wouldn’t be caught dead in an Oldsmobile, no matter how reliable it is. But show them an old Volvo, and they’re all over it. And to be fair, Volvo has a reputation for reliability and durability of its own. The S70, basically a facelift of the earlier 850, is more than capable of racking up the miles – even if the odometer sometimes quits before the car does.
The 850 and S70 were a major departure from Volvo’s tried-and-true “Red block” four-cylinder engines driving solid rear axles. This car features a twin-cam inline-five, mounted transversely and driving the front wheels. The engine has a good reputation, the automatic transmission somewhat less so, but this one’s current major problem lies in the cooling system – the radiator leaks like a sieve, to the point that the car simply isn’t drivable. It has been sitting in this state for a few months, but the seller says it fires right up if you give it a jump. You just can’t leave it running for too long.
It also has inoperable power windows. Because it’s all four and not just one, I would suspect a relay or control module or something; I bet a few minutes with a Haynes manual would point you in the right direction. The interior itself is in decent condition, except for the armrest. But that should be fixable, if it bothers you.
It has suffered a little bump in the left rear corner, which not only took out the taillight but also damaged the surrounding sheetmetal. On a $1,500 car, it probably isn’t worth fixing all of the damage, but you might have to bend some things back straight before you are able to install a new taillight. But apart from that, it doesn’t look too bad outside, though it’s in desperate need of a wash.
I don’t know how common it is anymore to buy cheap cars and fix them up. It’s a shame, though, because too many cars end up in junkyards before their time for something that could be fixed on a Saturday afternoon, if only someone was willing to put the time in. I know one guy who is doing his part, and when I see cars like these two, I start thinking about doing something similar. Maybe I will sometime. But for now, I’ll leave the choice up to you: do you want to fix a power steering leak, or replace a radiator and a crunched taillight?
(Image credits: Facebook Marketplace sellers)
Thanks for the shout-out, my friend! That Royale Brougham for me, hands down.
Excellence as always, Mark!
That Volvo looks beat up,I would rather take my chances with the Oldsmobile.
I love 3800, and I’m digging the red leather. But also a GM power steering system is cheap and easy to replace in full if needed. Not so sure about the multiple issues on the Volvo, as much as I like the idea of a 5 cylinder. So Olds it is.
I like the Volvo better even though I really miss Oldsmobile…they shoulda got that TruCoat! Sounds like it runs good so after fixing those problems it would be worth it to me. I know the Delta is newer than the one in 8 Mile (1976 even though he says 1928 which is hilarious) but this is obligatory:
“Look at this car! Thanks a lot, Mom
Here, happy birthday, Rabbit
Here’s a brand new car, you can have it!”
A 1928 Delta
This shit won’t even get me to The Shelter”
Going Volvo on this one, although it was a really tough call. The Olds would be fun to have, but as an owner of BMWs from the 90’s and 2000’s, I’m quite familiar with fixing cooling systems. Power steering, not so much. Also pretty sure I could figure something out for the taillight and windows.
I chose the Olds because I have a thing for American cars. I dislike any red interior but hey that’s my thing. Also it’s not that I don’t like the Volvo it’s just that I don’t like the Volvo. Lol
I’ll walk before I own another Volvo S car. My 93 240 puts my 2001 S60 to shame. After owning the S60 for a short time my mom commented that the US had never been in a war against Sweden but “this POS Volvo might change that…”
I’ll take a $1500 Olds Delta 88 any day over a $1500 Volvo S70. I’m gonna guess the Volvo will need a lot of work and is a much bigger gamble in that you have to hope the radiator leak didn’t lead to an overheat/blown headgasket situation.
Ordinarily I’d find the Volvo a much more attractive choice but needing to fix the cooling system and do bodywork is much more daunting than what should be a relatively straightforward power steering fix. For the Olds I think I would also immediately replace the tires. Still the better deal.
GM should make a Royale Brougham package for the Equinox EV.
Normally, I’d prefer the Volvo over the Olds, but for the price and ease of repair, the Delta 88 gets my vote.
In the late-’90s my dad had a burgundy over burgundy velour ’87 or ’88 Delta 88 hanging around the house. I’m not sure how he got it or why (most likely he knew someone selling it and probably just because it was a deal), but at about 150,000 miles it still was solid and comfortable (if, um, “traditionally sprung”) and reliable. Someone around the corner had one that looked and presumably sounded identical, and the dog would always look confused when she saw it go by and his was in the driveway. I drove it occasionally because my Protege had started having the coolant system issues that led to its demise in 2004, and I half considered trading it for that. although I would have missed the handling and the 5 speed.
Fixing the power steering would be more difficult than swapping the Volvo’s radiator and if equally reliable it would be more wieldy and more fun than the Olds, but mystery doesn’t beat history in this case.
Mark you may have to change your bio, you are an east coaster now.
Yeah, I know, I’ll get to it eventually…
Oldsmobile for me! These are such great cars!
The Olds’ paint looks like it was never parked in any direction except due east.
Royale Brougham!
These are both good, though. Weirdly, Oldsmobile vs. Volvo was the debate Mom had when she got our Ninety-Eight of this vintage. Great car. Super comfy. This is a toss-up, but I gave it to the Olds for having fewer dings around the corners and shocking low miles for a car that’s almost as old as I am.
15 minutes to swap the rad on the Volvo and go- if it was the power steering you have to drop the subframe-
Oldsmobile. After wrecking my back replacing the engine in my nephew’s 850 a couple summer’s ago, I got the “this era Volvo” experience out of my system. My father ordered a somewhat similar 1985 Olds 98 from the factory (he was working for GM at the time) and kept it until I turned 16 and got on the family insurance a year or so later. Plus I’m weirdly nostalgic for GM cars of this era.
Olds all the way. but I already have one like that. Also, my power steering is on it’s last leg. When I bought it three year ago, it was still running the original fluid believe it or not. It was just sludge and water by that point.
I just cast the 50/50 vote for the Olds, this is a tight race!
I guess I’d fix the Volvo. I’ve replaced radiators before. Usually those leaks start out small and around the necks of the radiator esp. if plastic. So I would say the seller has been ignoring it until it got really bad. Still I just don’t want that Olds even as comfy as it looks inside.
Minor rant. Why can’t people be bothered to wash their car before they take the photos and list them. A gas station car wash would have done wonders for that Volvo. And pick up the garbage in the interior shots. Don’t leave it on the seats. And what is that stick near the used Kleenex in the Olds anyway? The milk jug in the Volvo (to add water to the radiator?)
Adding to the minor rant. Does Facebook charge for every picture you upload. How much does it cost to develop digital picture these days?
I thought the same. I think Facebook Marketplace listings are free and you get 10 photos. Both of these ads have fewer than 10 photos and they are subpar at best. Not sure what I’m supposed to get out of the blank side of the invoice?