It's a car that behaves like a motorcycle! Our '88 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais International came to us by my mom who bought it from my Grandmother's estate. Mom didn't want it anymore because of mechanical problems that I'll detail later. When I got it, I was VERY impressed by the amount of go the little 4 cylinder "Quad 4" motor had. At 2.3L, the motor behaves much like a 4 cylinder motorcycle engine would. It doesn't have much pull from a stop, but open up the throttle and as the revs climb, so does the pull from the motor. It makes me wish that this car had a manual transmission.
The down side and the reason my mom didn't want the car anymore is that the Quad 4 has a tendency to blow head gaskets. This is not such a good habit for what is, essentially, a family car. The gasket in our car leaks, but it hasn't let go in nearly 9 months, so we keep driving and crossing our fingers.
Normally, I'd get rid of a problem car like this, but there are a lot of other things that keeps me coming back to our little Rocket. The International package was the top of the line trim option for this car in this year. It has wide aluminum wheels, power everything and a very nice, gray interior. The ride is not glassy smooth, but more like a sports sedan. You feel the road. The handling, for a 4 door car, is surprisingly good. It's nimble, and the seating position is very comfortable for long trips through the back roads. The car also lets you know the motor is there. There is quite a bit of noise from the engine bay and the exhaust isn't exactly quiet, either. There is a good deal of vibration in the car at idle due to the engine. All of this combines to make it feel that you're driving a sporty car, rather than a family sedan. I also really love the way it is nearly invisible on the highway. Being silver with a gray interior, it looks very bland and I've taken some folks by surprise with the motor's pulling potential. All in all, this is a very likable vehicle, with a heartbreaking flaw. Due to the fragile nature of the engine, this one's for experts only.
