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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  Update from original post - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By jtrujillo86 - February 8 - 10:50 am

  After owning this car for nearly 2 years, I thought I should write an update. I am still in love with her! Ive added a front strut tower bace and it makes the "fun to drive" factor increase by 10! In the area of quality, Ive had to have the wheel bearing and the power steering pump replace, both under warranty. The wheel bearings are common issues on these cars, but the pump was just a fluke with mine. Anyway, even at nearly 50K miles, I am still as happy with it as the day I bought it...I am saving up now to get a REAR strut tower brace.

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  Good Car, Bad Quality - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By unreliable2000 - February 6 - 8:43 pm

  Would have been an excellent car if reliability and build quality were better. I had it for 3 years and only put 24,000 miles on it. Here is what had to be replaced: rack and pinion steering, cv-joints, thermostat, horn, cd player, and alternator. Not normal for a 24,000 mile car. I also had probems with an erratic check engine light. The car was comfortable and rode well, and the performance was good. Performance would have been excellent if it had a 5 speed auto or 6 speed manual. Traction was also very poor in the snow. Interior was of modern Japanese design, but the plastics quality was 1970s American. I was going to keep the car after the lease was turned it in after all the trouble.

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  Ol Reliable - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By finderskeepers - January 31 - 9:10 pm

  I bought my Oldsmobile Intrigue used with 40,000 miles on it, It now has 120,000 miles, and still drives like new. The only major work that I had done on it was the replacement of the alternator at 100,000 miles. It has terrific acceleration, good handling, and good mileage for a full size car. Its problems include an engine that needs about 1.5 quarts of oil between changes (apparently according to GM this is normal for this engine), a fuel door that seldom opens by itself, and seats with little lumbar or side support.

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  I love my Intrigue! - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By ashley17 - January 27 - 8:47 pm

  I received my Intrigue December of 2011 for a X-mas present. So far it has made it 138,410 miles, so all of you who think that high mileage is bad, its not it just depends on who is taking care of it. No problems except having to restore front lenses, and covering up a few dings. This car is fun and smooth, almost ;like riding on a cloud. So for all who are looking for a good starter car I reccomend this beautiful car.

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  Do Not BUY THIS CAR! - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By redlovely1 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  I was in love with my Alero when I first bought it. However, its safety rating dropped and my auto insurance increased. Also it has this annoying clicking noise behind the hazard switch that the dealerships could not fix while it was under warranty and I took it 3 times. They kept changing the hazard switch, but the clicking continued. This car had lots of power, but with high miles (mine had 77K) it is worth $1 and starts having problems other cars would have at 100K +. Brakes were an issue.

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  Long term review (after 3 years) - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By mtach3 - January 18 - 8:06 pm

  I wrote my first review a month after I had it.I still love it after 3 years, but I had to replace the engine and tranny.The warranty I bought with the car covered ALL the repairs.The tranny was easy, but the engine was a problem.It kept overheating and it took 9 attempts before the dealership figured out the engine block had a clog.Because they kept returning the car to me without properly repairing it,the motor died.In the process they replaced every part of the cooling system.Finally,they replaced the motor with a brand new one from GM.Most of this issue was due to a bad service center.If they fixed it right the first time it would have cost them $400. Instead, it was $9,000. Duh!!

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  Love it - 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By PatC - January 18 - 10:00 am

  We now have 167,000 miles on our van and we have had no major problems with it. The AC needed work at 112,000 and the rear lights (including back up sensors) went bad at 125,000 but we bought parts at a junk yard and everything is still going great.

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  My Review Of The Intrigue GX - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By whitneyphat7 - January 14 - 2:00 am

  My experience with this car was, is, a bad one. I personally would not recommend anyone to buy this specific vehicle. I am always going in to fix something under warranty, and then it still doesnt work, or brakes soon after.

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  So Far So Good - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By PD - January 12 - 10:00 am

  Bought my 02 Bravada in 12/01 for invoice with no dlr fees and then minus $2500 in GM Card points and then took the Zero APR loan..26,500 with zero int loan is hard to beat! Replaced a 96 Explorer-V8 with 125,000 miles..and this SUV is 100% better in Ride and Quietness..now have 6,500 Trouble free miles..

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  My title - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Greg Schlosser - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Power steering went out but was replaced immediately. They then forgot to connect the coolant hose but this was discovered no more than 2 miles down the road and they reconnected it and topped it off. Love the style, room, and dual a/c. The engine is one of the best I have driven as far as power, but needs help in the gas milage. Feels fairly good in the corners.