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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  Problems - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Elly - February 25 - 5:53 pm

  I had to replace the intake. It was covered under warranty. Then my rear defroster broke. It would cost me $100 because it was not covered under warranty. Now five years later my valves need to be replaced in the engine. What a joke. No warning. It started cutting out one day. Also last year 2008, I had to replace the wheel barrings in it.

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  WORST CAR EVER! - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Katy - February 21 - 10:10 pm

  My 2000 Alero has been a nightmare! Six months after buying it I had to have the brakes replaced (two more times since then). The dash board and door upholstery is peeling up, Ive had to have three of the motors replaced in my power windows ($200 per window), the alternator has been replaced twice, and have had numerous electrical problems. This is the worst car I have ever had!

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  pass on it - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By jim williams - February 18 - 10:00 am

  Numerous problems with wheel bearings, brakes, wheel sensors, and turn signal switches. In the shop every week. True story-went to trade it at a local GM dealer. He said, "no offense but I cant take it on trade, those things are junk."

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  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.

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  Reliability of Bravada QUESTIONABLE? - 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By bohemian007 - December 25 - 10:00 am

  Overall my impression of my Bravda is that it is comforatable and My biggest problems have been maintenance. There is a known shudder problem with the steering. A dealer can drain and refil the transfer case for $200.00 to remedy this reacurring problem. The breaks wear out premeaturly. I have replaced all of the rotars twice now. I have replaced the wheel bearings twice. I replaced the climate control computer for $400.00 and the fuel pump for $700.00. I must add that I currently have over 130,000 miles. Some of these items are wear and tear but I would say the Bravada has above average maintanance costs.

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  Less than thrilled - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By berniegir60 - December 8 - 11:23 pm

  Have had several problems - Have had to replace a couple of body bushings and @ less than 50K miles had to replace left front wheel bearing almost a year to the day later had to replace right front wheel bearing because of a bad sensor(would turn off ABS & traction control) nothing wrong with bearing, but cannot replace just the sensor. Only have 1 speed on the fan-high, so have to now replace the blower motor and with about 70K miles both rotors are warped and need replaced. The CD player does not always eject the CD properly. Turning radius is not good and city gas mileage is a little disappointing.

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  Look further - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By $ in toilet - December 7 - 2:13 pm

  I bought my 1999 2 door GL model used in 2002 because it was sporty, yet sophisticated. Since I have bought this car, the manifold gasket has had to be replaced twice (I am waiting for it to go out again this winter. This resulted in coolant leaking into the oil.) Also, the drivers side automatic window motor had to be replaced around 50k miles. I have had the front brakes and rotors replaced twice, the rear once. The trunk sometimes takes two tries to close, and it leaks. Brake pedal is too stiff. If you are looking at this car, I suggest to keep looking, or else buy an extened warranty. I bought one with the car, and I have used every penny of it!I am heading to the Volvo dealership next.

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  Dont Be Fooled - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Fandor - December 7 - 8:20 am

  I have owned my iIntrigue since 2001. In 2003 had to have the motor replaced due to some annomoly that was known by GM about the balancer rod in the block. 2008 had to replace the engine again. 2 months after replacing engine, had to replace the transmission. Have had to replace every power window unit in the car and getting ready to replace another one. In cold weather the power fluctuates up and down causing the lights to dim. Heater fan does not work correctly. Power steering has failed, and that is no fun to replace. Two oxygen sensors. This car is the reason that foreign cars are selling so well in America.

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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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  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.