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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  Looks nice on the outside. Poison inside - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Kmarz555 - June 8 - 5:10 am

  Where to start? Within the first year I owned it; the entire transmission went out. Luckily, the warranty covered that. However, the abs system on this thing is the worst Ive ever seen. The ABS light always comes on, they want hundreds to fix it. The worse though is the knock sensor issues. I spent $2000 to fix it once, as soon as I got it back, it went out again. I took into the dealership for that one repair alone over 10 times! They still cant figure it out--the service manager claims its a manufacturing defect. The front CV joints sound like theyre about to fall off--every time I turn I hear a loud rubbing noise (Those have been replaced too). Overall, Ive suffered too long...

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  XLNT Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Oldsman - May 31 - 10:00 am

  Since I purchased my car, it has been excellent. My only copmplaint is that it is a little cramped for such a large, long car-- not much leg or head room for someone over 6 feet tall. Im 62", and I drive with the seat all the way back (and tilted all the way back), and the backrest tilted back at about 35 degrees. My (short) hair still brushes the roof. Because of that, my next car will probably be a Cadillac STS. But if youre altitudinally challenged, this is one great, smooth, good-looking and reliable car.

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  Supurb Driver Control - 2003 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Manuel A. Martinez - May 31 - 10:00 am

  Transaxal Locking Assemly makes vehicle handle emergency stops very well. Vehicle now sells way under what is now reviewed and that is just one of many reasons why this is an excellant bargain. Grab one in south Texas for less then 26500.00

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  GM Strikes (Out) Again!! - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Sharrrona - May 31 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Alero with the highest of expectations. The car is very aestetically pleasing and is fun to drive. Unfortunately that is not enough to make up for the GM reliability. The sticker priceon my car was $22,000 and I paid $18,000 and thought I was getting a deal. 3 years and $6000 in repair bills later, I beg to differ. Please steer clear from this and other GM Products!!! Great car if you have the occasional grand to put in it.

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  2002 Olds Intrigue GL - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Tony M - May 28 - 5:26 am

  This is the wifes car,but I drive it occasionally. We negotiated a very good price and GM gave a $3500 rebate. I occasionally drive the car, and it is always a pleasure. It is very comfortable,handles well,plenty of power and loaded with features. This car has been rock solid reliable through 67k miles (knock on wood). The OHC engine took a little getting used to. Im used to the classic push rod grunt off the line and then power fade at 4000 or so rpm. Exactly the opposite happens with the 3.5 OHC. Overall we are VERY pleased with the Intrigue. I am and always have been a "GM guy." It is a shame that the Olds division had to die-they were building GMs best cars.

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  Its been good to me! - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By chridan - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This car has been great! Have had it almost 4 years and havent had any problems with it.

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  jojo - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By auntjojo - May 18 - 2:00 am

  Its a good little car ,but i have had clogged fuel injectors at under 14000 miles ,also a defective battery replaced. The interior design was a bit chintzy some cup holders and small plastic parts pop out of place easily.I like the design of the outside but i am very mad that it didnt do well in frontal crashes (poor rating) i would have reconsidered the purchase if i had this info before hand!

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  The performance is horrible! - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By oklahoma man - May 18 - 12:26 am

  This is a nice car. However, the performance stinks! It takes forever for the the throttle response to kick in. Its like they took this heavy car and put a go cart engine in it! Its loud but not powerful at all! Barley gets up to speed on the highway. I tried to go around a Sunfire and couldnt even do it! But every time I turn the key I know it will start. Oh and the handling is terrible too. And they dont make any performance or upgrades for this car! Nothing!

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  Mixed Feelings - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By dane_1 - May 17 - 10:00 am

  We chose the Bravada 2002 for my wife mainly because of the seats - she had two back surgeries last year and the front seats suites her very well. We had been looking at SUVs from Mercedes Benz, Lexus, Ford, Toyota, etc. I was a little concerned about the quality (both external and internal) and reliability, however we havent had any major problems. I too would had liked the driving to be more like Toyota Highlander - more car like, but its a SUV of the old type - despite the well suited re-design for the 2002 model.

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  will make you worry - 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By charming - May 11 - 10:00 am

  rough ride,shakes a lot. bad