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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  Cutty - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Mani - December 7 - 1:30 am

  Intake manifold went twice, like everyone else on here $600 the first time and $500 the second time. Alternator, battery because of alternator, rotors and pads, more times than I can count, front end axle, water pump twice. Computer system is a mess, recalled, but didnt bother wasting my time getting it. No wonder they stopped making this car.

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  a lot of recalls - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By rdaaj - December 6 - 10:00 am

  the car has alot of recalls and alot of prolems like shutteing and door paneling on the interior rubber and noise through the side driver door never gone away even after being repaired and the tranmission stuck and wont shift bravada 2002 awheel dr goodman is a great place excellent service free car rentals all the time great dealer ship thank you

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  No More Olds - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By FootballMom - December 6 - 10:00 am

  The worst car I have ever owned. The brakes are a continual problem. The gear shift button has been replaced. The cruise control is broken. The rear door upholstery is peeling up. And last but not least, the dash board is peeling. The Olds dealer says it was caused by the sun and will cost $1200 to repair and my car is only worth $3500. GM Customer service says since my car has 90,000+ miles on it, they will not do anything about it. I told them my 94 Toyota Camry and my 97 Jeep Cherokee had no such problems and I will never purchase another GM product.

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  maintain it - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By kjo - December 5 - 1:46 pm

  I got my car in December 1999, it now has 178,ooo miles on it. If you want this car to last do what I did. KEEP UP THE MAINTAINCE. I do the maintaince regularly when scheduled and I fix the minor problems before they become major. This car is still going strong. I will keep it. To bad they dont make this car anymore or I would by another.

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  Eh...Its just OK - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By terry1988 - December 5 - 11:41 am

  My Oldsmobile has been alright for the year that I had it. Ive since then traded it for a Honda Accord. Engine and transmission were solid but there have been a few problems over the course of a year. Water pump, ($350) Power steering pump, ($200) Front-end wheel bearings, Tie rods, Front-end alignment, (650), A/C Compressor, (900). My car had an leaking oil issue to the point of going through 4 quarts in between oil changes. Interior quality wasnt very good - headliner falling down - door panel plastic crumbling. Great car but its expensive to maintain.

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  Olds alero driver - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Noah Private - December 2 - 2:36 pm

  This car is really great! Dont get me wrong though there are some problems.... I have an 04 red 2 door 3.4l and boy this thing is pretty quick. You put your foot done and it drops down a gear and just takes off. It feels like you are "floating" when you drive or get up towards the governed speed of 110 mph. I passed a lot of cars with this alero, including some mustangs and many many hondas. This car has some major head gaskets issues however. I am on my 3rd set now. I have rebuilt this motor myself inside and out. Stock rods and pistons are pretty solid, and the aluminum heads dissipate a lot of heat. This car also has bad tranny problems.. This is my second trans in my alero, they leak tranns fluid really bad. However the engine area is pretty easy to work on, you can pull the whole motor apart in the engine bay and put it back together in 8 hours. Also this car seems to have a problem with staying aligned and it blows through brake rotors, calipers, and brake pads. Even with a good alignment this car goes through tires quick. I am a little rough on the car because I deliver pizza everyday. It is pretty fast though, more lower end power. Stock speakers sound nice, driver seat raises and lowers.

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  Great Car - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Gigi - November 30 - 2:00 am

  This car handles so nice, runs smooth, great gas mileage

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  Olds Intrigue - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Narby - November 23 - 9:43 am

  My 2001 Intrigue is the finest car Ive ever owned. It just turned 150,000 miles and is still going strong. The only repairs Ive had to pay for are an alternator and a brake job. I would have preferred that GM drop Buick rather than Oldsmobile.

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  Great car - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By smomus - November 23 - 2:00 am

  There has been problems with the hazard switch pushing up into the dashbord.

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  Good Car - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Sam Voit - November 21 - 8:10 am