Overview & Reviews

At the dawn of the automobile, Oldsmobile was there. Owned by General Motors, Oldsmobile was the most senior domestic marque and one of the oldest automobile brands in the world, with a run that spanned some 107 years.

Ransom E. Olds was born in Ohio, but moved to Lansing, Michigan, to work in his father's machine shop. His experiences there helped whet his appetite for all things automotive, and he soon garnered enough expertise to develop a gasoline-powered vehicle. Joining forces with other partners, Olds cofounded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company in 1897. By the early 1900s, the company had introduced the nation to upscale models like the Curved Dash and had risen to become the best-selling car company in the United States.

Ransom Olds eventually left the company and it was sold to General Motors in 1908, where it became known as the Oldsmobile Division. More than ever, Oldsmobile became the brand of choice for car buyers seeking vehicles steeped in luxury and sophistication. Early models like the 1915 Model 42 Touring Roadster offered sleek lines and style aplenty. The 1918 Model 37 was its first model to offer a closed top, ensuring that the brand's well-heeled buyers had protection from the elements.

Oldsmobile had another hit in the 1920s with the Model 46, a V8-powered touring car that seated seven. The manufacturer did its part to make sure that the decade's elegance wasn't lost on its automobiles. It introduced fancy chrome-plated trim that served to raise the glamour quotient of its already eye-catching vehicles.

The '30s was a decade of innovation for the brand. The company wooed customers with its "Knee-Action" independent front suspension, an affordably priced option that served to improve ride quality. The company also offered one of the earliest automatic transmissions, freeing drivers from the rigors of the clutch with its four-speed "Hydra-matic" system.

Postwar, Oldsmobile gave consumers the Rocket 88. The car offered new levels of performance, giving the North American market its first taste of the short-stroke, overhead-valve V8. The car was adored by enthusiasts, and was chosen to serve as the pace car for the 1949 Indy 500.

The 1950s saw Olds continuing to distinguish itself as a purveyor of fine performance machines. With a name inspired by the Lockheed Starfire fighter plane, its 1953 Starfire show car offered a fiberglass body, a stylishly low beltline and most importantly, a 200-horsepower engine. The car was one of the first to display a wraparound windshield, and in the years following, many other manufacturers adopted this styling cue.

Oldsmobile's innovations continued into the 1960s. The manufacturer was the first since the 1930s Cord to taste success with a front-wheel-drive vehicle, in the form of its sporty Toronado. The '70s saw Olds breaking new ground in the area of safety. In 1974, it introduced a Toronado equipped with a driver-side airbag; Olds was the first domestic automaker to offer this feature. Around this time, the company's Cutlass had also become one of America's favorite cars.

Less successful was the company's effort to get on board with diesel technology. In 1978, Oldsmobile introduced a 5.7-liter V8 diesel engine as a response to that decade's fuel crisis; the engine was meant to appeal to buyers desperate to save money at the pump. Rising diesel prices and the unreliability of the engines caused the program to suffer, and Oldsmobile was eventually forced to terminate its efforts on this front.

In the '80s, Oldsmobile left its competitors in the dust when its Aerotech — piloted by noted racecar driver A.J. Foyt — set a closed-course world speed record of 257 mph. The company continued to have a huge hit with its Cutlass; the model spent much of the decade atop the sales charts.

The '90s saw Oldsmobile's introduction of Guidestar, the first onboard navigation system combining mapping and satellite positioning. The company made history yet again when its race-modified Aurora V8 won the Indy 500, making Olds the first manufacturer to pace and win the race in the same year.

By the dawn of the new millennium, Oldsmobile's sales were in a rut. The brand's identity had suffered over the years due to parts-sharing and rebadging within the GM camp. GM ultimately decided to pull the plug, and the last Oldsmobile rolled off the assembly line in model-year 2004.

User Reviews:

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  Terrible vehicle not reliable at all - 2007 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Jo - July 7 - 10:42 am

  This vehicle stays broke more than anything else especially dealing with the motor of overheating, this is a terrible vehicle to have. Save money and time and less headaches. Motor has a defect, over heating the vehicles or a silhouette, Montana and a Vengeance they have all the same motor and over heating problems highly recommended do not buy unless you plan on staying on the side of the road broke down.

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  junk - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By teresa - December 24 - 4:56 pm

  I have had nothing but problems with my alero.I have had it for 3 years and now it is nothing but a big problem. I have replaced brakes constantly. Had the fuel pump replaced and the timing chain broke which cost me to end up having the motor replaced.These cars to me are junk but needless to say I still have this junk car because I still owe on it.

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  RUN THE OTHER WAY!!!!!! - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By chocokitty - December 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 99 gl3 9/29/2002. 1st in shop 10/02/2002. In 3 mon. Ive had it theyve replaced: fuel pump&filter,#2coils,battery,+ cable,plug wires,reprogrammed pcm,replaced all window trim,cowl&door vapor shield,dome light,seat belt retractor,window reg.,rear door handle,driver mirror.Car still has problems! Sometimes wont start. Been in shop at least 10 times for that alone. They say theyre in Dark about it. Warranty runs out TODAY! Found out today that before I bought car previous owner had problems too. Car not starting, battery no good,engine leaking oil from front of it,lower intake gasket leaking,rotor problem,etc.Too much to list!

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  never buy GM again - 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By countyworker - December 7 - 12:22 pm

  I have over the past 10 years poured a lot of money into this van . While I like the leather seats and all the options being a premiere edition the intake and head gaskets went twice a transmission rebuild ones at 85000 miles heated seats repaired twice broke again had way to many over heating problems just to many things to list .If you like big repair bills by a GM mini van. The van spent more time being repaired than me driving it never get me again GM.

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  GM fooled me once but never again! - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By ihateGM! - November 26 - 10:00 am

  This was my first new car buy ever. Peeling dashboard at 36K miles, rack & pinion and tie rods needed replaced at 38K miles. And Ill spare you all the other repairs under $500. Yes, Im still driving it after 10 years, but when your car has $0 trade-in value at year 4, what choice does one have? (The dealer says to replace the dashboard is over $2000 to repair). My father was UAW and I never thought Id say this but my next car wont be an American brand. GM, shame on you! The government bailout money will be the last penny of mine youll ever get from me.

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  Junk - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By sharon - October 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car used to save gas driving to work in Feb 10. The car had 135,000 miles on it when I got, I have nothing but problems with it. The car started overheating after I bought it and the intake gasket had to be replaced, passenger window gets stuck down, the dash material is rolling up, replaced water pump, replaced catalyst converter, replaced over fill tank and now I have to put another $300.00 in it because there is a gas leak around the intake because a valve is broke off. I would not recommend anyone to buy this car.

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  discouraging. - 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera
  By cole21 - September 1 - 5:50 am

  Ive had this car a little over a year now, and Im aching to be rid of it. you feel every bump in the road, and although the seats are very comfortable, its not a pleasant ride. theres rust and holes in the rear, its slow, its awful on gas, and Ive put so much money into it, its not even worth it. my door doesnt open when i unlock it, my battery died twice, Ive had my brakes done twice, new oil, and fluids, my windshield wiper fluid doesnt come out. Its nothing special, and shouldnt have this many problems considering I bought it from an eighty year old woman who used to to drive to church. Waste of my money and time.

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  .....at least its pretty inexpensive! - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By JennO. - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Going from always having driven Hondas...this was a rude awakening! The only GM product I would consider in the future would be a truck/suv. The Alero is zippy and pretty fun to drive, but not the highest performing vehicle by any means....I like the V6 and would have been very unhappy I feel with the 4-cyl. I just hope I can sell it after hearing the crash test results!!!

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  Worst ever - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By MaineOwner - July 3 - 4:20 pm

  This is seriously the worst car Ive ever driven. I have owned my car for a few years now and i cant stand it. I have problems with EVERYTHING! The security is a pain because it always thinks Im stealing my own car and blinks security lights all the time. Every time i get in the car to drive it a new light on the dash board comes on. The only thing i like is the gas mileage and the way it handles on the road. The back seats are the most uncomfortable seats youll ever sit on, and i have had problems every winter with the anti-lock break system. Oh and i run out of gas all the time because it says i have 1/4 a tank of gas, but it is really empty. So i end up running out of gas completely.

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  bravada overrated - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By mike smith - June 27 - 2:00 am

  fan noise,noise in back plastic trim when sunlite warms the plastic,air compresser failed,mirror module failed, terrible gas mileage,would never buy another one.Way over priced for the poor quality of this suv.