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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  Worst Vehicle Ever - 1997 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By CarOwner - July 21 - 4:50 pm

  This was the worst experience I have ever had with any vehicle. I had to replace the transmission at 56,000 miles, the alternator, serpentine belt, belt tensioner, brakes many times, major tune up at 60,000 miles, oxygen sensor, transfer case, complete air conditioning system, wiper motor, door hinge pins, many fuses, parts of the dash started falling off, idler arm, and last but not least an alighnment. I am sure I have forgotten something or many somethings. Please do not buy this vehicle, I lost so much money and it was so hard to resell due to its reputation. It is no wonder Oldsmobile is no more.

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  Great SUV! - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By FMUTA - July 19 - 10:00 am

  The new Bravada rocks!

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  Great SUV! - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By fmuta - July 19 - 10:00 am

  The new Bravada rocks!

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  Transmission - 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By douguch - July 15 - 10:00 am

  Transmission died at 35k! Replaced by GM dealer. Running good right now. $3500 later...

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  Nice, but lots of repairs - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Richard Brown - July 12 - 5:20 am

  At 18,000 miles my Oldsmobile Intrigues head gasket blew. At 22,000 the brake rotors warped, At 24,000 the steering pinion geer failed, at 28,000 the brake pump failed, at 48,000 the transmission torque converter broke, at 62,000 I had the brake rotors replaced, at 70,000 the fan belt tension bracket broke off, at 98,000 the transmission pcm valve failed, just to name a few problems. Also, the radio knobs fell off. Factory tires were junk, too. But the drive is nice.

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  Great Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By nat_jill - July 12 - 2:00 am

  This has to be the best car I have driven! It is very reliable and fun to drive.

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  Why discontinue the Intrigue? - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Bill Hartung - July 10 - 6:30 am

  When I test drove the car, I was surprised at the Intriguess engine responsiveness and smoothness, its nimble handling, and its useful space. I have owned many Oldsmobiles and the Intrigue is the best-balanced Oldsmobile that I have driven. The Intrigue handles as well if not better than many compact performance cars. Dont just look at the car. Test drive it! I was surprised. You may be too.

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  Happy owner - 1997 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Carl - July 7 - 10:36 am

  Feel lucky and happy I bought my Bravada at a VERY GOOD PRICE 4 years ago. It needed brakes and tires when I bought it. Thats all Ive done to the car. Now the service light came on and dealer cant fix it after spending $1000. Runs great! Paint is better than newer cars on the road. Im amazed at all the extras it came with it, all power moon roof, driver seat windows mirrors and ALL WORKS!

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  2003 Bravada - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By AZ1 - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Very luxurious and drives like a car. Very smooth ride and solid feel. Very impressed with the Bravada.

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  Expensive Repairs - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By lowmile - June 30 - 9:23 am

  My 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass is quite a nice car and has been reliable, but now that it has 52,000 miles, it is getting expensive to repair. A couple of years ago the heater fan worked only on high. The cost to repair was $126. A couple of months ago it had to have a leaking intake manifold gasket repaired at a cost of over $600. A couple of weeks ago everything went dead at a red light. The alternator had stopped working, killing the battery. The cost of repair was $644. I did the front brakes myself last year and am doing the rear brakes in a couple of days myself. In short, this car is OK if your a good mechanic.