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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  great car! - 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By jmmh - January 24 - 10:00 am

  We did not go to the dealer with an Auora in mind. I had always thought of it as a grandma car. We are happy that we bought it and there isnt a thing that we dont like about it! We will be sad when we have to sell. (too many kids! We no longer fit!)

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  Value and comfort - 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera
  By Buy American - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Original owner with 97,000 miles. No mechanical problems except for transmission which was fixed at 7,000 miles under warranty. Have only changed the belts, front brakes done twice and rear brakes once. Original battery almost eight years old! Gets 31 MPG on highway, about 19 around town. At almost 8 years old the finish is holding up very well except for some discoloration of the plastic side trim. Although it was never fashionable this car has proved to be a great value so far!

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  So near and yet so far - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By rdeschene - January 24 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I both love this car - torquey V6, good handling and steering, about 30mpg(US) hwy, very comfortable front seats, good visibility, nice styling with the rear spoiler, decent price as a 1yr old car. What has been disappointing are the mechanical failures which I KNOW GM knows how to prevent -- I didnt have any of these problems with my previous Corsica. At 107,000km we have replaced both front bearings, the fuel tank sender, the interior fan resistor and the button on the auto shifter TWICE. I am quite certain GM knows how to make front bearings that dont wearout in 100,000km. Theres no excuse for it and it makes me hesitant to buy GM next time.

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  A Lemon! - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Meeme - January 22 - 9:10 am

  I have had this car for ove a year now and I have put so much money into it that if I saved it all I could have paid this car off.. The pass lock locked my car first. 3 mechanics couldnt figure out what was wrong. All together $1000 fixed the problem. My Ford that I paid $1000 didnt give me as many problems as this! Brakes, bearings, spring coil, A/C, drum and the pass lock. All together well over $5000 put into it already! It makes me sick to my stomach. I will never again get an Oldsmobile! No wonder they shut down their production. The sound system is great but I would rather have a reliable car instead.

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  Brakes - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By bcglc - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Bought car for wife and I too have had this car in for the brakes. Before car reach 20,000 Miles I had the brakes done 4 times. Each time I got a LAME excuse that it was our driving habbits. at around 32,000 I got fed up and went to Autozone and bought the best Rotors and Brake pads I could find, Installed them myself and have not had a problem since. Car now has around 62,00 miles on it--I will never buy anothe Olds/GM product along with a Chrysler product that I had problems with previous to this one. I own a Ford Ranger with over 100K miles and it still runs great, Gas Plugs and check the oil....

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  2.5 yrs later - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By RJF - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Classy, fun to drive sports sedan. Has great performance with excellant highway mileage (29+) at 70+. Turns heads with great styling. Elegant leather and wood interior that is comfortable on long trips.

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  Love it! - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By TashaKathryn - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my Alero 5 days ago. I really like it and it feels durable. Has nice features and looks sleek. Hoping the car with be dependable and last.

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  I wouldnt suggest it.. - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By wreckedher - January 17 - 1:39 am

  An Oldsmobile Alero was my first daily driver. It had 88K miles on it when I got it. The first thing I noticed was that the car shifted hard. Even if it shifted from 2nd to 3rd at a measly 2300RPM the car would jolt when it shifted. The second thing I noticed was that the car rode horribly. I got complaints from passengers all the time. The 3rd thing I found out is that my engine was burning 3 quarts of oil at 91K miles. The vehicle started every time I got in it without issue, but the car itself just wasnt great. It drove, rid and acted like a $1000 car. In the end I sold it for $2500 then paid it off so I could buy a $2000 car and have no payments. Havent been happier.

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  Good Vehicle-Has its problems - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By FireInspector - January 15 - 4:26 am

  The Intrigue has a large power plant giving this car more juice than it needs, making this car a true gas hog. Besides getting worse mpg than some SUVs the Oldsmobile Intrigue handles very well, has traction control and abs for winter and wet driving. The vehicle features one of the largest trunks on Earth so storage not an issue here. However at 82,000 miles with regular service I am running into problems. A common one seems to be the gas gauge. It stopped working around 60,000 and I have not tried to fix it, also the a/c heating element is shot so it only blows on the highest setting. The driver door is also causing problems now. SO I say its good but not so good. A fast, safe, average car

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  Best GM vehicle yet - 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Bendo - January 11 - 10:00 am

  I have made two long trips with this vehicle, one to the west coast and all the National Parks while getting 25 miles per gallon going 70-75, great performance. It is so quiet I can hardly tell its running. I only had one incident ( problem) and that was with the transmission where the computer needed adjusting. It was the most comfortable van Ive even ridden in after trying out every style and make. It is the only one where I could drive for 100 miles or more at one time and not get a back ache or leg cramps, and at my age it really means alot.