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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  alero "the family car" - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By mcky09 - September 24 - 10:00 am

  the title says it all. this car has a mature feel throughout every aspect.the ride is very nice and has the power to pass if necessary. maxes out at 97 mph. this is the car to grow old in. and im only 20 with no family. why do i have this car?

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  Cant part. Its my baby! - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Love it! - September 23 - 5:56 am

  I love my car! I have had it going on 3 yrs and wish it would last forever the way it has been running. From the start I bought it with less then 6,000 miles ( which I must add got an AMAZING deal on it). The only thing I can say so far that has gone wrong is recently (at 50k) my blinkers have been not working ( I think its just a short in the wire?). Other than that, besides retards parking next to me and putting dings in the car, its great! I love this car and would keep it forever but we are looking into possibly selling it to get a newer, AWD crossover (at least my husband keeps telling me we are selling it but we will see about that). Like I said its my baby!

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  I Love my Bravada - 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Tom Pulmano - September 19 - 3:40 pm

  I bought my Bravada in 2004 with about 84000 miles and now she has 158,000 on the clock. Over the past 5 years I have had to put some money into her but nothing that I would consider outside the ordinary maintenance. Luckily I have a personnel mechanic that has made many repairs to the vehicle at @ 40% less than what it would cost at a dealer. Every time I want to trade her in the vehicle gives me this soulful look and I give in and hang on to her a little bit longer. I am very attached to this car but I know some day we will have to part ways. I would like to hold on to her until she reaches her 200K birthday.

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  Poor Quality Brakes & Poor Customer Svc - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By jetpilot - September 19 - 10:00 am

  My Vehicle has just over 40,000 as well as a friends 2000 Bravada and we both have to replace brake rotors that are decintegrating. GM used poor quality bi-metal brake rotors that quickly rust in between metal layers causing the outer layers to separate and bad pulsing in the brakes. This rotors come from factory at their minimum thickness and can not be turned. Customer service denies any problem and totally unwilling to assist. Just ask your local Midas how many theyve seen.

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  great car - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Mark C234 - September 19 - 10:00 am

  Its an all around great vehicle and fast being a V-6.

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  Leased Alero - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Alero Driver - September 15 - 3:43 pm

  I leased my Alero in July 99. It has the GL1 package and have found it to be a good solid car but nothing exceptional. The heat and a/c did not work on the 2 low settings after a year but other than that I have had no major problems. The gas mileage is not that good - I drive in the city mostly - around 18 miles to the gallon with the 4 cylinder. Resale value poor.

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  Fun to drive but its the little things - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Eric - September 15 - 6:00 am

  I bought the car about a year and a half ago, and had the brakes done and found out i needed a wheel bearing. Less than a month later it went out again and I needed to get two more after that. Many of the fuses have gone out also (horn) and the lights like to burn out in a short amount of time. License plate, side markers and blinkers.

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  It was a good car when I was 18! - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Steph - September 11 - 10:53 am

  I have had this car for 5 years now. So far I have replaced the brakes/roters every year. I had to replace the radiator in 04. Recently it has been constantly overheating. I went in today and they told me the head was cracked and the pistons were loose! I have put more money in repairs then what I bought it for! Off to the dealership to by a different car!

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  My Alero - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By smlzau2fan - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I have found the 2001 Oldsmobile Alero 2 door GL Sedan an absolutely wonderful buy. Its nice and roomy, comfortable, very driveable, and very eye-catching with or without spoiler or other add- ons. Overall Ive found this car to be quite a nine.

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  Good for the money - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By lalalolo - September 10 - 5:33 am

  Well, you could buy an ugly early 90s import, or an Alero for about the same price. For me, theres no contest. Id take my Alero. Unless you plan on driving it for the next 15 years, it is an excellent car for the money.