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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  goodbye to the almighty alero - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By manda - February 14 - 10:26 pm

  I have had my Alero for 2 years now. It was my 1st car and at first I loved it. The sound system in it is great but thats about it. I have had to replace both front bearings on it every 6 months and is crazy expensive to do being a college kid. It was a good 1st car to me but I need something more reliable.

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  Much More Good Than Bad - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Hamburger - February 14 - 10:00 am

  This is a nice vehicle, but for one whose first new car, a 1956 Chevrolet Bel-Aire with all the bells and whistles, cost less than $3,000, it is expensive. That said, Ive put more than 11,000 miles on this one in seven months and find few faults -- road noise is the major one of these -- and no major problems. On the other hand, the car is tight, reasonably comfortable, has plenty of moxie and constantly flirts with 30 mpg even with mountain driving. In summary, this car has much more good than bad going for it.

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  2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette - 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By vanowner - February 13 - 10:23 pm

  Besdies the usual, I transport 6-7 adults with luggage 4-6 times a year so rear seat headroom is very important to me. The 24 mpg that I have been getting has been excellent for the size of the vehicle. My costs were only wear and tear and recommended maintenance, except for an intake gasket related to the cooling system that apparently is a weak feature in GM cars. Replacing that cost $1,000 when I was out of town on a trip. This has been a very comfortable, efficient, reliable road vehicle.

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  Cutlass GLS - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Moses - February 13 - 4:50 pm

  Not too bad. Reliable but bad on gas. Engine too harsh and noisy

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  1999 Olds Aurora -- RSG - 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Richard - February 11 - 10:53 pm

  My 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora is a beautiful, comfortable, luxury / performance car that does everything well. I keer her looking sharp and after 107,000 miles, she still turns heads.

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  American made junk - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Pete - February 7 - 9:46 am

  Intake manifold gaskets twice (120K on car), head gaskets, power window switches, interior pieces fallen off, leaking radiators, etc., etc., ad nausem. One thing after the other. Most infuriating is GMs deliberate design to keep do-it-yourselfers from doing repairs)yourself, i.e., engine mount must be removed to replace the serptine belt! What a scam. I did all the repairs save the head gasket myself, Id be broke if not. I bought this as a starter car for my son. Il never buy American again. Honda here I come.

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  1998 Olds Aurora - 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Claudia - February 4 - 2:40 am

  I couldnt be happier with my pearl white Aurora. I bought it 2 years old with only 5,000 miles on it. It was like brand new! It runs like a top and I have never had any mechanical problems with it. I did have a problem with the horn not honking, which turned out to be pinched wires under the airbag in the steering wheel. A bit costly (~$250) to fix, but worth it. It is fun to drive if you like speed and power. It feels like you are going slower than reality, so be careful not to get a ticket! :-)

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  Good highway cruiser and town car - 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By ygo2work - February 2 - 10:00 am

  Brake rotors had to be replaced at 52000 miles. Radio antenna automation is out and will need repair. For the price it was the best car we could find that had good climate control and a silent and comfortable ride with good front wheel drive traction control for the Colorado icy roads. This is a nice highway cruiser while not being too large for around town driving. We bought an extended warranty (cost $1200) for 100,000 miles from Warranty Direct.

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  Great Overall Car - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Nick Ellermann - February 2 - 10:00 am

  There isnÂ’t much of a difference between driving this car and my previous Grand Prix. A fun, sporty mid sized car. An Excellent value for itÂ’s reasonable price tag. I added a receiver hitch to my Intrigue and pulled a fully loaded 8Â’ Uhaul trailer through the Appalachian Mountains. I was amazed it was able to pull it!

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  New Trans Every 3500? - 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By bluetwinkie - February 1 - 3:00 pm

  I didnt have this car at 3500 miles when others lost transmissions, but I have had it at 60k (lost again). Now I hear I need to fix it again (jarring gears). I included traction control problems last time. I did not run it hard (I drive like grandma on purpose) but it did not solve this $4000 later. It runs quiet and smooth sometimes, but I cant put off a transmission repair for complications failure would have - seen elsewhere. It was in the shop a long time despite being partially covered by a plan and monitored for that. They damaged some other features while fixing it at an approved GM dealership (i.e. driver seat warmer).