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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  Very Pleased - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Dr_DNA - April 6 - 10:00 am

  Weve been very pleased with everything except the gas milage- were lucky to get 11 mpg in town, 19 on the highway. We call it the car for dummys because it does everything for us, including turning on the wipers when it rains! It performs really well, and is the quietest SUV around. It has more than enough power, and is fun to drive. It even does well in the snow and ice and one doesnt have to hassel with putting it into 4WD. We werent big on buying American, but with a bumper-to-bumper 5 year warrenty, we decided that this was a much better buy than essentially the same SUV from GMC or Chevy (with only a 3 year warrenty).

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  Worst car ever! - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Greg - April 6 - 7:53 am

  This has been the worst car Ive ever owned. Im finally getting rid of it and going back to foreign. I seem to have to get it to the shop every month for work. To date, I think Ive put about $6-7k into it to keep it running and it still wont run right. Wants to hesitate and die when I give it gas, and you cant floor it or it dies completely. GM should be ashamed for producing garbage like this.

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  Love it - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By SMK - April 1 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car new and love it as much today as I did on the test drive. Im now at 119,000 miles and the only repairs I needed was to replace the bearings in the front (common with this vehicle) twice within the first year under warranty. Other then that it is a great car that is very fun to drive.

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  Do your research before purchasing - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Craftina - April 1 - 10:00 am

  We bought this car when it was already a year old with about 36K miles on it. About 2 months after we got it, the radio has this problem where it wont stay programmed. We have to turn it on every single time we turn the car on. The dealership didnt know why it was doing that, so it never got fixed. It just left my familystranded on the high way after the fule pump went out in the middle of Alabama (we lived in NC. That among various other repairs needed that I dont have room for. Just do your research.

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  This car is terrible... - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Jason - March 28 - 11:10 pm

  I inherited this car when I got married and started pumping cash into it immediately. Things that are wrong: 1. 3 fuel pump replacements 2. constantly blown fuses 3. window motor replaced 4. brakes constantly replaced (1.5 times a year) 5. lights burn out regularly 6. hazzard switch short.

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  Attached To My Olds - 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera
  By Kiki - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car when it was 5 years old.It had 39,000 miles on it. I liked the car on the first test drive. I am quite attached to my 96 Olds now and take care of it with TLC. I read on another review: QUOTE "Ive had to replace the battery several times and the "service engine soon" light stays on all the time." The same for me but its OK. I will have a hard time to part with this car. It looks like new (had body work done) had a remote starter installed, added Oldsmobile mudflaps and wire wheel covers. Its a sharp looking car. I have spent the most for repairs this year but I knew that was coming and I was willing to make the repair investments. I love my 96 Oldsmobile !

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  Love it! - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Intrigue in AZ - March 22 - 1:10 pm

  Ive had my 2K Intrigue for almost a year now. I purchased it with just under 30K miles and it now has just over 40K. I have not had a single problem. The car is great to drive, good acceleration and handling. I recently took it on a road trip to LA from Phoenix and it was a dream to entire trip; had the cruise control set at nearly 100mph and it was still under 3000rpm.

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  Loser - 2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By vinesman - March 19 - 2:00 am

  We had high hopes for our Premiere, having had GM pull us out of our former Chevy Venture lease. It has been a reliability nightmare. The ventilation system does not deliver the same temp of air between the front and back (almost 25 degree diff). GM master techs cannot correct it. The alternator has died four times, and still the vehicle has issues. We also have a 2 inch pile of service invoices for over two dozen nickel and dime repairs. At first, we thought we had the perfect minivan loaded at the right price. Buyer beware - Olds phaseout plays appears to be impacting quality. Bottom line - look elsewhere.

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  the best - 2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Lou M. - March 19 - 2:00 am

  a pleasure to own and drive

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  Best car I ever owned - 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By dred98 - March 14 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car I ever owned, easy to drive, great performance on the highway and supremely comfortable. The design inside is made for the driver although the front passenger has their own temperature control. Comfortable leather seats - and the heated seats are perfect for Canadian winters. I checked out a Chev Impala at the same dealer - no contest!