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:

• 

  Love It - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By robbin - June 17 - 10:00 am

  This is an awesome car! I spend two hours a day in my Aurora. I am so pleased with comfort, style, and performance. This was a perfect used car purchase with a huge depreciation from the brand new purchase price. I am sorry for all of you bought new. Too bad Olds decided to end, I would want to buy this car again. All the reviews here helped me decide on this purchase. The white with chrome wheels and tinted windows are a perfect choice for a chick car. This is definitely not my grandfathers car. It tickles me when I see another Aurora with older folks at the wheel. Seeing another Aurora is a rare site. Great to be different!

• 

  A sharp car to drive - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By meghan - June 14 - 2:00 am

  I bought my car from a private owner. It handles great and sure is fun to drive. The leather interior is so comfortable. The only complaint, I dont get to drive it as often as Id like to.

• 

  great car - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By lee - June 14 - 2:00 am

  Some fit & finish items are lacking, but overall a great car for the $$$, especially since olds is offering the 60,000 bumper-bumper warranty.

• 

  A Good Solid Lux Automobile - 1998 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight
  By Robbed718 - June 12 - 3:23 pm

  I bought this car about a week ago now with 54,000 miles on it. It was from a little old lady who lost her vision and the car was rarely used. I bought it and brought it to the mechanic. Apparently the V5 A/C Compressors on this car are horrible. It is making a sound when the belt turns but I ordered one online for only 200 bucks (Mechanics shop wants $450 just for the compressor) I heard these are great cars esp with the 3800 thats why I bought it. I plan on keeping it a while, it drives beautifully. Very Comfortable, decent gas mileage and fun to drive. Its basically like driving a big leather couch with lots of power. Overall I am very happy so far and it is worth the money

• 

  Money well spent! - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By MJJ - June 11 - 2:20 am

  Originally was going to order my car but found the exact car, feature for feature, at one of the local dealerships. This has been an exceptional car. Well made, great performance and handling, quiet and best of all, plenty of room for someone 62", like myself. Bose 8 speaker stereo is fantastic and theres nothing like turning on the heated seats on a cold morning. Interstate driving will give you 27-28 MPG. Local driving will give you around 20 MPG. As of 5/2009, only major repair has been the sway bar. Minor repairs have been the plastic clips that support the power windows.

• 

  Good Old Truck - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Jimmy1 - June 10 - 11:56 pm

  We brought this truck 11/01 using the 0% financing incentive. It was our 6th Oldsmobile and we still own 5 of them. It has serve me well with no major repairs until around 150k miles when the fan clutch started getting noisy. Now at 215k I have spent a total of $4,975 on repairs. Still using second set of tires and on original brakes. We keep it serviced and minor issues repaired, and I still use it everyday and not afraid to travel any distance in it. When it had 125k miles I towed a trailer loaded with a 1960 Ford 4x4 pick-up from northern California to St.Louis, MO with no incidents. Note: in order to replace one of the heaters you have to pull the transmission (thats dumb).

• 

  2001 Oldsmobile Alero - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Blcofee - June 10 - 3:43 am

  The only problems I have had with my 2001 Oldsmobile Alero are with the intake manifold. My Alero had 31,000 when I purchased and at around 41,000 miles the intake manifold went bad. It was just by the grace on of God that my car was still under warranty! I enjyed driving this car when I first boight it, and I still do. It does have many large blind spots though.

• 

  Olds Alero - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By micco - June 8 - 11:56 am

  The alero was much more than we expected. My wife loves it so much she will not let me drive. The cars workmanship is tops in its class.

• 

  The best car I ever owned - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By triad33 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is great, but I guess all good things must eventually come to an end. Shame on you General Motors for discontinuing Oldsmobile and for failing to transfer the Aurora to another line, such as Buick. You have alienated this lifelong GM customer. Hellooooooo Lexus!

• 

  Value Purchase - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By swagled - May 21 - 10:00 am

  This is a real bang-for-the buck vehicle. Well optioned, nice handling, and styling still competitive for a 1997 design. There are some annoying design flaws (popping sounds in the steering, flickering headlights) common to this car, but no problems in the sense of reliability. The car is very long-legged and drives quite confidently at 90MPH.