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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  Alero Good With Exceptions - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By TheDarxion - January 17 - 10:00 am

  I like the Alero for all aspects except two: 1) Front brakes and wheels. My Alero has had two brake jobs and a replaced hub assembly (wheel bearing) in 30,000 miles....and GM only warranties the break pads (at $70) for 1 year / 12,000 miles. 2) Poor city, rural (not highway), and winter MPG...22 MPG winter, 26 MPG summer on country roads (22 miles home to work), 33 MPG hiway. Not sure what gives here. So, if you are willing to put up with continued brake and wheel work (as I discovered has happened to many others) and lower MPG (except on the highway), this car is good....but dont buy it new...poor resale value.

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  I love this car! - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By definingme - January 16 - 8:35 pm

  I bought this car in July of 2012 with 123K miles on her. Its a huge upgrade from my previous cars. Shes an old V6, so naturally there are repairs, but she runs beautifully! I love the sound of the engine, and the feel! She is so easy to drive in the Midwestern snow/ice because shes much heavier than my previous cars. Since buying her, Ive put on another 10K miles, and I have no regrets! Shes reliable, sporty, comfortable, and by far the favorite car Ive owned thus far!

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  Not bad for a last year Olds... - 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By si_sargeanto - January 12 - 10:00 am

  This SUV has been nothing but good. It is a step up from the Envoy/Trailblazer and it lets you know it. Perferated leather seats, wood trim everywhere, OnStar and other electronical goodies are just a few of the goodies I enjoy in this car. The AWD system is helpful, and has no doubt gotten me out of some bad situations, living in Michigan and all, but it seems there is a bit of a long delay for it to kick in... but when it does... WOW! it is a difference! Its is truly an outstanding family, Home Depot, and overall just classy SUV. Its beautiful, it knows it too, but doesnt flaunt it.

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  Good, could be better - 2001 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Matt - January 10 - 3:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for a year now and I like it, a lot! The truck rides very nice and handles well, the interior fit and finish is typical GM business, bad. Doors squeak over rough pavement. I really like the front seats, extremely comfy. Power is decent and I average 18 mpg in town. The transmission shifts smoothly. So far I have 102000 miles on it and I love the way it feels. Not as off road ready as I like, and interior quality is poor, but overall, very good buy. You wont be dissappointed.

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  Best of the GMs - 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By KE - January 8 - 10:33 am

  Too bad Olds will be going away. The only Van Id rather own is the Chrysler T&C LTD. Comfy, useful, great ride and better gas mileage than most other minivans.

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  Intrigue 3.8 6 cylinder - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Blondie - January 7 - 1:46 pm

  Still driving her after 7 yrs, I bought her with 33,000 miles and she is still running after 137,000. I give her regular oil changes, & normal wear & tear, brakes, rotors, & struts. When she reached 120,000 after her tune up she started to need a little more work done. In the past year Ive replaced the fuel filter, oil pan, battery, both (R)and(L) cv joints. Which I didnt need to replace. I had a clicking noise when I would turned (R) only, so after the 5 mechanic it ended up being my starter, the spring in the starter wasnt sitting right so every time I turned (R) it would hit the fly wheel. I just did my own brakes & rotors this time. So shes ready to go for another 100,000.

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  Dream Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By jonnyric - January 3 - 10:00 am

  This is the finest automobile I have EVER owned. It is also the best looking car GM ever produced!!

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  good car, very good deal - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By gc - January 3 - 10:00 am

  Represents my part in helping the economy (...) after the Sept 2001 attack. Bought used, as a program car, base GX + pref. option pkg (alloys, traction, pwr drv seat, AM/FM/cass/CD, 6 spkrs, leather wheel & shifter, a few other perks) for about 50% of MSRP (less than a Focus!), at 26K mi. I could have gotten an extra $400 off if not for particular circumstances when I purchased it. Nice and "easy" to drive, performance tires are a bit noisy at speed, reviews say 7.7s 0-60mph vs. 7.5s or so for Passat. Handling is good but not equal to performance sedans in its class

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  Good one - 2003 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Hitdog - January 3 - 2:00 am

  Too bad this line is discontinued. With a couple of minor tweeks, this could compete with any vehicle priced between $35 and $45K. Trunk needs some tlc. Upgrade finish in trunk. The paint job could be better. Other than that, the car is quick, quiet, and prestegious. Excellent ride, and very comfortable to drive.

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  Timely Demise - 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Moe - December 26 - 11:03 am

  The van is now showing its age with having to replace the front wheel hub assemblies on both sides (very expensive). The wiring to the hubs has corroded and therefore had to be replaced (costly). The interior is flooding due to improper drainage of condensation of the A/C unit. The power of the engine is very limited compared to the imports. Have also had to replace the rear wiper motor, contacts to the power sliding doors, rear window motors. The headlight assemblies both leak considerably, causing the halogen lamps to need replacing more than necessary.