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:

• 

  Glad to still be alive - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Sam - January 26 - 6:23 am

  I owned this car for one year, lost brakes and ended in a ditch. The car had 70000 miles only. Checked the car. The frame was corroded. Factory undercoating was ridiculous and was not existing anymore (thinner than onion skin). The brake lines were badly corroded, and broken under the rear, driver side door, over the frame and below the cabin. Totaled the car.

• 

  A definite risk - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Ursa Major - January 17 - 10:00 am

  The good: I love this car when it works. I love the styling, the low, aggressive stance and the powerful engine. The bad: I was lured by the strength of the engine. Hovever, this car has been more problematic I would ever have guessed. It hasnt gone a 6- month period without a major repair. It has been in the shop for 16 days and I have spent $3200 on maintenance alone in the last 20 months. Many parts are unique to the Intrigue and quite expensive when they break. Judging from what others review, you can have the best car in the world or a real lemon. Either way, your resale value will be rock bottom. I wont risk it ever again.

• 

  great potential, but falls short - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Ned Flanders - January 11 - 12:43 pm

  Very high feature content at a great price. I bought a left over 99 GX in 2000. I have 32K miles on it and the only problem were warped rotors that were replaced under warranty. Bottom line, for what I needed; a new, stylish, cheap commuter car that I will likely run into the ground its perfect. A fully loaded model would not be a good value.

• 

  Great vehicle! - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By jtrujillo86 - January 11 - 2:00 am

  I just purchased this car after owning a 1997 Chevrolet Malibu for 2 years (which was hunk of junk by the way). I have the GL1 with the 3.4 liter V6 engine. It is sooooo responsive and compliant, its amazing! The vehicle knows exactly when to downshift and the shifts are smooth and fluid. The traction control is okay on the vehicle, but not nessecary, even in slick weather. There are, however, a few TINY rattles and/or vibrations on the interior. They dont bother me too much, but I plan to get them fixed before the warranty runs dry. The only thing I wish this car had was a spoiler.

• 

  Bravada Review - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By 2000Bravada - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Love it! So far we have had only a few problems. Very nice, nice looking.

• 

  Long lasting car and still looks good. - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Mark Glanemann - January 8 - 10:06 am

  I bought this car new. The first month I had it the transmission messed up but a new one was put in. Factory defect. 160,000 miles later the tranny went out. Just had a new one put in and shifts like when I first bought it. That is the only major problem I had but that is normal wear and tear. I bought the car when I was 21 so of course I drove like a fool and beat it up a little. But 9 years later I still have the car and it runs great. It does burn some oil if I go on long trips. I think I can make this car last 200k+ and from other reviews it looks like these cars can last that longer then that and then some. Have some rust forming on the bottom doors, but can live with that.

• 

  Excellent Ride - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By dr.malthuse - January 5 - 2:00 am

  My Bravada has been a smooth ride and reliable throughout. The luxuries and comforts make long drives less of a burden and with all of its cargo space packing for 5 adults is easy. Any complaints about the off road ability are ridiculous as the company never claims to compete with off-road S.U.V.s. However, I have found that my Bravada is more than capable off road and has been the savior of more rugged trucks on our adventures. It is a perfect balance on the luxury vs. Sport- ute scale. I loved it so much I just bought my second Bravada for my wife.

• 

  balanced (luxury-sport )family sedan - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By rocket - January 3 - 10:00 am

  this car is the best among it siblings impala/grand prix/regal a true import fighter inside and out. functional interior/beautiful exterior shape/excellent handling/and best of all A TOP TEN ENGINE ACCORDING TO WARDS WORLD MAGAZINE,AND THEY ARE TELLING THE TRUTH. A GENUINE ROCKET CAR

• 

  alero - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By darla l pierce - January 3 - 10:00 am

  i drive 60 miles round trip to work five days a week and have never had any trouble except for a flat tire, its a great vehicle but i need to get another car because of the amout of miles i have put on it, i would recommend this car to anyone, it gets at least 30 miles to the gallon and rides great, i love this car and hate to think of getting a new one but i know that i need to. its just the right size for me (one passenger usually) but its also great for the family, there are 4 of us.

• 

  Worst Car Ever - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Annoyed Customer - January 1 - 10:10 pm

  This is the worst car ever made! This is my first vehicle, and everything that could go wrong with a car has gone wrong with this one. I bought it and then 3 months later had to replace the engine. 3 months after that had to replace the struts, which by the way cost almost 300 each! Now all the lights are on, on the dash. The signals do not work anymore. And the car started randomly shutting off while you are driving! Most of the time you try to start it and it acts like it has a dead battery. And I have never seen rust problems like this before! This is the worst car ever, will never never never buy a intrigue ever again! Stay away from these cars!