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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  Save your pennies and buy something else - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By muldoon - December 3 - 8:20 pm

  This vehicle has to be a big joke. Yes the acceleration is somewhat spirited. However, it is not that great. My sisters 4-cylinder Galant keeps up with its V6. Plus it has 98,000 miles and no problems. My Alero on the other hand has been in the shop 5 times. Right now at 85,000 the transmission is starting to slip and the air conditioning blower switch and a/c level selector dont work right. This car is trash! Take my advice and buy foriegn.

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  OldmoJOKE - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By idiots - November 25 - 2:57 pm

  Whoever came up with the vehicle assembly on this car should be punched square in the pants. No matter what you need to get to on the car, theres something in the way. I have to fix something in it at least every two weeks. The struts have gone out twice since i got it 3 years ago. All in all, I would suggest staying as far away as possible.

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  Disappointing - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By mikey73 - November 5 - 2:00 am

  The 3800 engine was great. GM should learn the saying- if it aint broke, dont fix it. The new 3.5 engine is weak spirited, makes the car a big mush. Very disappointed.

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  Not all its cut up to be - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By maznwmn - July 6 - 11:30 am

  I bought this car used. It had 120k miles on it. After 4 months the engine blew. We had issues with it wanting to overheat when stopping & going. Issues with the abs light having a mind of its own. Replaced brakes twice in 6 months. Squealy brakes constantly. Think twice before buying this car.

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  Olds - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Gus - June 19 - 10:00 am

  The outside styling is bland and conservative. The inside is nice but a bit cramped in the rear seat. The suspension is stiff and the car feels underpowered.

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  Lemon? - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By millems - June 13 - 10:00 am

  Unfortunately this vehicle has been one significant expense after another. Have spent a lot (on numerous occasions) on brakes (ABS issues, rotors, etc). Also replaced upper/lower gasket intakes. Too many costly repairs for a 1998 with only ~78,000 miles...

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  Buy it and youll regret it deeply - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By loupie1 - June 13 - 10:00 am

  I bought the 2002 GL2 4dr V6. While it handled quite well and had decent ride, it was typical GM junk. I cant stress enough the poor reliability of the car, but more importantly, the blatant disregard GM has for its customers. They DO NOT stand behind their questionable products. For example, brake rotors went at 19k miles while brake pads were not half worn. GM refused to pay. Ditto for intake manifold. I traded the PoS in, taking a heavy loss while doing so because it has the worst depreciation record of ALL compact sedans. Im in a Mazda 6 now and love it. GM will not get another penny from me.

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  Bravada, our generations EDSEL! - 1997 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By proofed - May 19 - 4:03 am

  HI all, I am "mad as hell and I am not going to take ti anymore". Mostly at myself for buying what was meant to be a practical purpose, but the shine and the bells and the whistles sucked me in.To keep it as brief as possible, I bought this car as I needed a vehicle that could tow a boat and a small trailer. It fit the bill perfectly and I traded my SW2 Saturn Wagon, a good car, for this nightmare on elm street. I have been able to use it twice in two years to camp and to boat, a short trip. Overheating was # 1, Bad gas #2, complete cat replacement with 6 oxy sens #3,a 300 spider fuel injection unit #4,batt drain, as the genius who designed the switch made it too easy to leave on,more...

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  This Car is a Piece of Junk - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By MikenStephIndy - May 2 - 10:00 am

  All of the windows have fallen out of their power window track at least once. The battery leaked at 30K miles. The Low Trac light always comes on when backing up. The hazard light switch disappeared into the dashboard. The doors sometimes fail to unlock with the key fob. The plastic interor pieces are multi-colored and snapping or breaking off. Im praying that it will hold together long enough for me to trade it in on a Nissan Altima (V6). In the past year it has began to consume oil and anti-freeze. And, the power steering pump is slowly leaking which means, just like all the other GM cars Ive had, the rack will go out at 80K.

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  maybe mines a lemon? - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By texweber - March 25 - 2:00 am

  Id had my eye on Aleros for quite awhile, and was very impressed with how affordable they were and the features that were included. I have a 2000 model with about 65K on it, and unfortunately have spent too much money on all kinds of maintenance problems. Less than a year into the buy I had to have the rotors and tires replaced, and a year after that Im in a world of hurt with a new thermostat and potentially a gasket leak. Its fun to drive, and Ive been more than happy with it up til recently, but dont have a lot of faith in it anymore. Maybe its just the V6, but I cant keep gas in the thing either.