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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  Best Interior Ever - Good Mechanics Too - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Ben - September 9 - 1:50 am

  This car has the worlds best thought out interior ever. From cupholder locations to armrests and distance to the radio, this car makes everything effortless. I used to commute 75 miles to work. This car made it easy. 211k miles and the poor thing finally died. Id been neglecting a leaky head gasket for a year... apparently the engine cant handle 300degrees... It sure could handle a lot of other abuse.

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  Decent value. - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By alerodriver - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought in 2000... no problems after they recalled the brakes in 02 (they had to replace pads twice). Trunk a little small but no other problems. Great commuter. I replaced the fuel filter at 60k and oil changes is all. I added an aftermarked spoiler (the same one that is on the 6 cyl) to my base model for 300$, improves the looks greatly. Would buy again in the same situation.

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  value and room for the long haul - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By seaduck - September 3 - 2:00 am

  My first SUV, previous owner of 4 mini vans. Better handling, plenty of power,not quite as much room for gear, but better suited for around town use.

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  Could be better - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Alice - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Not a good idea to purchase one of these the resale value went down 8,000 from Jan to now. That is not saying anything good for this car.

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  The Olds-motrigue! - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Woodbed - August 30 - 1:36 pm

  Well, this is the fifth year Ive been driving this car and Ive put 60,000mi on the V6-3800. Ive bought it used with 32,000mi and Ive had one major problem with the steering column when I first bought it (under warranty replacement) Since then only regular maintenance, Ive changed the battery, 3 changes of brakes, one ventilation motor(squeaking), bought one set of winter tires and Im still running on the same Goodyear LS that came new with it. Im 33yr, 64"-200pd and this was one of the few cars that I was comfortable in for my budget. I dont regret it at all. This is my 2nd 3800 and they are reliable/strong motors but they do drink oil. Good fuel economy if you know how to drive it

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  A good value - 2001 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By JBP - August 28 - 2:10 am

  It would be hard to beat this vehicle for the price. We had always driven Subarus and Hondas before buying the Olds. It has had more problems than the Hondas but not the Subaru. None of the problems have been major but have been annoying, like a latch for the back window that has had to be replaced twice and a plaster cover for the window/lock buttons that came off. With 80k-plus miles on it has been very reliable (with consistent oil changes and so on). Frankly, we expected to have more repair expenses with it because of the reviews wed seen but went with it because we thought the purchase price was great.

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  03 Bravada in Colorado - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By cebteb - August 28 - 2:00 am

  The ride quality with the pneumatic rear springs is outstanding. Better than most autos. The inline 6 is smooth & powerful. No wonder it is rated one of the top engines by automotive engineers. Brakes are best Ive every used. Response is perfectly proportional to force applied to the pedal. The ABS stops fast & true, even on snow-packed surfaces. Handling is very responsive. The stuff about back-end sway in the twisties is true, but this is a truck, not a sports car. The only downer with the Bravada has been an inability to match EPA mileage ratings.

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  GM is Intriguing - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By BenDog - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car used, it was a rental. It seemed fine at the time (still some warranty left - thank goodness!). A week after purchase a rear power window quit. After a couple months of driving we noticed that on rainy cool nights the inside of the winshield would fog up horribly and the defogger would not clear it very quickly. Fearing a leaking heater core, I took it in but was told it was the control head. Still has the problem to some extent. Other than that it drives nicely and weve had no other problems.

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  Money Pit - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By issingle - August 28 - 2:00 am

  First 1 1/2 years were fine, then poured money into it. Brakes/rotors replaced at 40,000. Battery/alternator replaced. Front wheelbearings-each costing $270. Window motor went 3 days before Christmas last year-cost almost $500. Windshield wipers fixed twice in a week-cost about $90 in total. Had many new cars-this one is the worst ever owned.Light bulbs burn out fast. Rear tail light cost $16- actual cost of bulb $.70. Console lights cost $150 to replace. Gas tank electronic opener had problem from day one. Would cost $150 to fix. Ill use my credit card to open it! Cant wait to get rid of this car. Glad its out of production.

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  02 GLS - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By ghelwig - August 28 - 2:00 am

  Very good performance out of a 87 octane engine. Transmission shifts very smoothly. Nice seats both front and back. Rather large trunk for a midsize car.