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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  My Alero Experience - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By lisa - August 6 - 10:00 am

  This car is stylish and fun to drive - when it works. My brakes have been replaced 5 times, last time they put a special GM "kit" on so that it wont happen again. I have replaced the drive belt twice, the power steering pump twice, my radio antenna and air conditioning recently stopped working and Im tired of throwing money into it. I had one minor bumper scrape, it was expensive to fix, but it held up very well in the accident. Id say it was a lemon, but I am not the only person with these problems.

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  Dad Sold Me a Lemon! - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Maeve - August 3 - 7:03 am

  I know he didnt mean to, but its been one headache after another with this one! Fuel injection, brake lines, fuel lines, alternator, ball joints and the transfer case may be next - all with less than 50,000 miles on it (I work close to home and dont take lots of trips so the mileage on this is EXCEPTIONALLY LOW)! When its running properly, it IS fun to drive, it makes New England winters a breeze in the snow and ice. Thank Goddess I live next door to my auto mechanic, Ive been keeping him very busy. My only hope at this point is "Bank of Dad" will "write off" the loan on this vehicle till hes ready to sell me his new Cadillac!

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  Great car at excellent value - 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera
  By 1996 Olds Ciera Wago - July 31 - 6:26 pm

  I bought this car on auction from Suffolk County. It is an ex fleet vehicle. I use it primarily to take me to and from work. Which it does very well. While not an sexy car. It works for me. The mileage is excellent and with 100k + on the odometer all I have had to do is change the oil , have it inspected and flush the rad. Excellent buy. I still get quite a few comments (positive) about it.

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  Disappointed - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By kkgerman - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Mechanically, it has been one thing after another. The rotors were bad after two years, the generator assembly, and a lower gasket seal. Had I not had an extended warranty the lower gasket seal would have cost $700.

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  Should Have been a Cutlass - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By love my olds - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Bought this one the week after GM decided to kill the brand. The 5/60 Protection Plan combined with excellent pricing made this the quickest new car purchase I have ever made. Ive now owned this for over 2 and 1/2 years and have done nothing except oil changes and a set of brakes and tires at 50k. For a guy who hasnt kept a car for more than 2 years sence college, I cant imagine trading this one in anytime soon.

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  Great Car -- Good Lincoln/BMW Competitor - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Dalas - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Too bad GM couldnt market this to the late thirty, early forty something effectively as this is a great car. I thoroughly enjoy the ride, features, handling, performance, sound, leather, size, sound.

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  Its out of the shop finally - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Disheartened - July 28 - 11:50 pm

  The transmission shop put in 2 used transmissions and tried a used computer. With a new computer the transmission is real smooth. Well know for sure next summer when the heat is on if the clunking days are over for good. My dad said put in used parts to fix the air conditioning. After what Ive been thru I dont think so!!! Thats next to fix.

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  Dependable and great mileage - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By antoine c - July 25 - 12:06 pm

  I bought my Intrigue with 42,000 miles on it and its been great. It was a rental car at one point based on the Carfax report. I just hit 103,000 miles with no significant issues. All it has needed is new tires, new brakes and a serpentine belt. The car is bullet proof! I keep track of mileage and I got 28 MPG in my last fillup in mixed city/hwy driving. The cars handling is still top notch with over 100,000 miles on the odometer. I originally bought the car after renting various Intrigues for work. The handling was what impressed me at first.

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  Not to happy - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By jasonvqmzm2 - July 25 - 9:51 am

  Bought the car this year, 2014. Had 144k miles on the car at purchase. Fuel pump went out at 146k and found it had been replaced before. Now, the anti-theft system is kicking in when going down the hwy and killing the engine. Ignition switch is jamming up and have to wiggle key to turn and start the car. Being told now that the ignition lock cylinder can fail causing anti-theft system fault and no start conditions. Have towed car home twice in last month because of this problem. GM wont issue a recall on this because they claim it isnt a safety issue. What is safe about your engine cutting off, going 70 mph on the interstate?

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  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Geografer - July 24 - 2:00 am

  Had nothing but problems with this car since day 1. Back rotor brakes have been resurfaced 4 times (only 28K miles on car) and already need to be done again. There are random electrical problems (blinkers will randomly quit working while driving but turn the hazard lights on few seconds they will work again/radio will not turn off after car is off, keys out and doors open and will stay on constantly until suddenly going off as it should) that they cant seem to find an explanation for so cant fix. I bought this car because it claimed to be low maintenance but has been anything but. It has been in for repairs at least 6 times a year.