Back in the day when General Motor's GM-10 platform (later called "W-body") was shiny and new, the only way to get a convertible top in one was through Oldsmobile. Harkening back to the days of "family sized" convertibles, save for Chrysler's LeBaron and Sebring which were both significantly smaller, these cars were also quite unique in that they could sit four adults comfortably. None of the Big Three make anything remotely similar to this car today.
I drove one of these years ago when a friend of mine in the leasing business had one returned by a customer when their deal was up. I was driving my 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Z34 at the time and was quite dismayed to find it was a very nice driver. A much nicer ride than my relatively harshly sprung, underpowered "sporty" Z34. I forget what color that Cutlass was but it may have been this gag me "1990's awful" electric teal like this one. It had the SFI 3100 engine and a newer dash design so it probably was a '95. Same car as this for all intents and purposes.
I've always had a rocky relationship with convertibles. By rule, I don't care for them because by and large they ruin the lines of otherwise good designs; if said convertible wasn't designed as such from the start. Some cars look good as convertibles with the top up and others with it down. This one, strangely enough, looks good with the top either up or down. Convertibles are impractical, though and require constant maintenance, are expensive, the sacrifices made to make them don't outweigh any pleasantry they may offer and finally I think you can't help but look like an old "look at me" douche bag when you're driving one with the top down. I've yet to drive one that didn't wind buff the hell out of me as well.
To make matters worse, on these first generation GM-10 or W body coupes, with the door handles in the B pillar, GM festooned these cars with a massive "basket handle" running up and over the middle of the car that messes up, in my opinion, the overall flow of the design. Guess it was less expensive to do that rather than design special doors with the handles on the doors instead. There may have been some additional bracing provided by the "basket handle" but the basket handle would do nothing in the unlikely event the car flipped over.
Our subject GM-10 Cutlass convertible, like the one I drove years ago, has this lovely leather lined interior. Far superior to the cloth interior of my Z34, the driver's seat is also power adjustable whereas my Z had a lever that allowed the driver to literally "rock" or hinge the seat bottom. Better than nothing, I guess, but nothing beats a power seat.
Being a 1993 Cutlass, our subject suffers from all the horrible ergonomics and cheap plastics the original 1988 Cutlass had. Interesting how Oldsmobile marketed the 1988 Cutlass as an "International" car. Overall the car certainly was not and while the exterior design may have been so in appearance, debate all you want, there was certainly nothing "international" about this interior. This dash is about as international as an International House of Pancakes. Oldsmobile's reboot of the dash for 1995 was a marked improvement.
Rarely do I recommend an older engine design over another but in the case of a GM-10, if you can forgo GM's "Dual Twin Cam" 3.4 liter V-6 or even the "SFI 3100" for this engine, by all means do it. While it makes only 135 horsepower in this application and is no doubt burdened with having to motivate well more than 3,500 pounds of midsize convertible, this engine had none of the intake manifold gasket issues of the "3100" and was certainly far more reliable than the "TDC".
Somehow and someway, though, I like this car a lot. I did so back then and even now despite a number of quirks that might otherwise conspire to make this one ugly turkey. It makes no sense what's-so-ever but convertibles aren't supposed to make sense. It's is quite old and I'm leery of anything built before 1996 because of a lack of OBD-II but that might be a blessing in disguise. If you're looking for an inexpensive convertible that won't break down on you like this car's spiritual successors would, give the Shott Brothers a call. Tell them I sent ya. Maybe they'll cut you a deal. The 4-1-9 area code is an expansive area up here in Ohio so pack a lunch if you're heading out to kick the tires.
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