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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  Great Value - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By bulls - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Great Value (factorty rebates plus GM card and drives smoothly. Good power, nice handling, big trunk

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  Dont Bother - 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Skip - June 12 - 10:40 am

  With 2 young children, thought we HAD to have a minivan. Shouldnt have been this one. Heated seats gave up within first 3 months. Fan control resistor at 5 months. A/C condenser cracked at 70K miles. Intake gasket started leaking at 80K. Poor build quality, and the noisiest highway vehicle Ive driven since my 76 K5 Blazer.

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  Absolutely Abhorrent - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By mattoxa - June 12 - 10:00 am

  We bought this car brand-new. It has had multiple mechanical problems. A design flaw that allows engine coolant to leak on the manifold has been the most expensive repair in a very long list of problems. We recently were in an accident that resulted in a total loss of this car. The air bags failed to deploy in a frontal collision raising concerns of safety. The manifold problem was at 62,000, replaced ignition switch at 63,000, replaced bearing at 62,500. Car totaled at 65,000. These were the major problems. There isnt enough space to write all the minor problems with this car. I would not recommend that you buy this car.

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  Adios GM - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Treepusher - June 7 - 1:23 pm

  Saying goodbye to GM after four Oldsmobiles and five years with the Aurora. A beauty. Loved it on the highway, stable, responsive, and extremely comfortable. Body and paint stayed in great condition, but way too much time in shop for repeated steering, water pump, transmission and other problems. Interior bulbs blew at regular intervals, spent half of ownership with check engine light on. First name basis with all of dealers service personnel. Greatly enjoyed the car despite the problems and will miss the design, but after thirty years of buying American, have had enough of GMs hit or miss reliability.

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  Alero Update - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Alero Boy - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car new 2/2003 to replace the 2000 Alero that I had. It doesnt feel as stable as the old 2000. Now Im having problems with the ignition: the key hesitates to go in & is difficult to remove. Of course this happens after the 36k of the warranty. (I gave back the 5yr/60k mi warranty for a $1500 credit). With rebates & discounts, I saved about $7k on this car, but I still couldnt trade it in as I owe 14500 & its worth about $11k as I have 40k mi on it. Does anyone else have no traction on wet roads? I did a 180 into on on-ramp one morning while going 15mph. I think its the Goodyear Eagle LS tires, but cant afford to replace them.

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  Get a Warranty - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Michael Wales - June 7 - 8:06 am

  I purchased my Oldsmobile Bravada in April of 2005, 2 months later it was completely immobile. Im finally getting it back now after a $2,000 transmission repair (at 85,000 miles). I love the vehicle, but there is a vast history of transmission problems - be sure to purchase a warranty.

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  The Contender - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By MrMac - June 3 - 2:00 am

  This is an interesting vehicle. The dealership wont be getting repeat business. The car was delivered with 1200 miles on the odometer and no explanation. The rear passenger-side door has a power window switch for non- existant pw. The salesman didnt know anything about the car, even got the radio wrong. The car is beautiful inside and out. Gray is a little plain but workable. The stereo keeps getting better. Handling is very good for a car this size and price. Interior room is outstanding. Seats are comfortable. Equiment level is high for a stripper. Washer sprayers and hand brake have already gone out. Fix on brakes didnt take.

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  Love it - 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By Don W - May 29 - 10:00 am

  This is my 2nd minivan purchase. This one is very different from my previous van-Windstar. It drives like a car not like a van. I hated driving a van until we purchased the Silhouette. The comfort & spacious interior are 2nd to none.

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  You will be sorry if you purchase Alero - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Stevfonso - May 29 - 10:00 am

  After one week of ownership car was back to dealer for 7 problems. Everything was not fixed or problems have returned. Dealership has the worst customer service I have ever experienced. When you experience several problems from your Alero, dont expect any help from the No Customer Service Assistance Center. Beware of the brakes, steering wheel shakes and vibrates in your hands. GM knows about this problem, but who knows what they are doing about it? The V-6 is only good for low-end power. The gas mileage is horrible for this size car 23mpg while driving mostly on the expressway.

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  Smart track? I call it stupid track - 2001 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Jim - May 26 - 1:53 pm

  I bought a n01 Bravada from a dealer for around 8 grand. Great motor no troubles at all in that department. But the smart track is junk. Always in 4wd. Tore up a lot of tires.They became the slip. Cost alot to have fixed. Better off changing the transfer case which runs about 3 grand