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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  dont buy - 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By dont buy - November 14 - 6:23 pm

  this van is pretty bad. it may be luxury, but it is not reliable.

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  DANGER! WARNING STAY AWAY FROM THIS CAR. - 2002 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Thomas Alcantine - March 25 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car for my 18 year old son over a 3-Series BMW not the 5- Series as many unexperienced non- affluent drivers compare it too. I never owned a car this bad. The leather is cheap, the engine is noisy, interior pieces have broken, door locks died. It is disgraceful to compare this economy car to a luxury car. The person who said the Lexus GS is a Camry, you are wrong. The GS is built off the Avalons platform. I drive the 2002 Mercedes CLK55AMG. I recommend, spend the extra money and go for a TRUE luxury car. (Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, Jaguar,etc.) On Edmunds luxury page, you wont find Oldsmobile, Buick or Chrsyler in there.

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  Proof of GMs constant failures - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Paul - January 7 - 7:13 pm

  Purchased this vehicle used with 13900 miles on it, today it has 111K miles. Since day one this vehicle was a problem!! Within 24hrs of purchase it ditched me on a major intersection (trans failure). Here are the bits and pieces replaced: Transmission, Tie rods, steering system, A/C compressor, All pwr windows, Cam sensor, Alternator, Crank sensor, control arms, Stereo and speakers, pwr window switches (x3), coolant reservoir, idler pulleys(x2), climate control, valve cover seals, blower motor and blower motor resistor(rusted), air vent covers (cheap plastic), door panels, starter.This vehicle has cost me more in repairs than any vehicle I owned! I currently have a 94 Camry v6 240k gr8car

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  Hunk Of Scrap! GM are theives to have even marketed this DEATH TRAP!!! - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By alderozrjunk - March 29 - 8:20 am

  This is the worst POS on the planet. This was Oldsmobiles last car before they went belly up and I now know why. I bought it used three years old and have had nothing but problem after problem from the front bumper to the rear bumper. Too many problems to name but I will say this. The guy who sold me this POS knew what a Death Trap and it was when he sold it and got his eyes blackened and a broken nose in return after it landed me in the ditch over a mechanical issue that was recalled by GM! I bought it used so there was nothing I could do about it as the "class action lawsuit" in which the lawyers got everything and the owners got nothing was resolved. I WILL NEVER BUY A GM PRODUCT AGAIN!

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  Disgraceful - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By TKincaid - December 5 - 10:00 am

  I gave this car poor on its rating to get back at Oldsmobile for not fixing my Alero. The Aluminum Wheels make a grinding/humming noise. Oldsmobile has not had enough complaints for a recall so turn off the radio, roll up the windows and listen as you drive at 10 to 15 mph. Olds. does not deny that this is a problem but will not stand behind their product. There are 3 types of wheels and the aluminum ones are making the sound. Let Olds. know or write BBB. This is no way to treat a customer.

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  Junk - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By oldsjunk123gfy - November 30 - 10:00 am

  Garbage. Power windows broke. Rotors warp every 10,000. Trans problems. Steering column problems.

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  Worst Vehicle Ever - 1997 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By CarOwner - July 21 - 4:50 pm

  This was the worst experience I have ever had with any vehicle. I had to replace the transmission at 56,000 miles, the alternator, serpentine belt, belt tensioner, brakes many times, major tune up at 60,000 miles, oxygen sensor, transfer case, complete air conditioning system, wiper motor, door hinge pins, many fuses, parts of the dash started falling off, idler arm, and last but not least an alighnment. I am sure I have forgotten something or many somethings. Please do not buy this vehicle, I lost so much money and it was so hard to resell due to its reputation. It is no wonder Oldsmobile is no more.

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  This car is terrible... - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Jason - March 28 - 11:10 pm

  I inherited this car when I got married and started pumping cash into it immediately. Things that are wrong: 1. 3 fuel pump replacements 2. constantly blown fuses 3. window motor replaced 4. brakes constantly replaced (1.5 times a year) 5. lights burn out regularly 6. hazzard switch short.

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  Kill it with fire!!! - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By emt6 - December 7 - 2:47 am

  Nothing but problems! Less then 100 000 miles on er and everything has been replaced on this car! Transmission, window motors, steering components, rear axle thingys, everything! And most of it would have been covered by my insurance, if it wasnt for the fact they would write it off! I mean, its like $1500 for the window motor to be replaceD! The value of the car is only like $1200, so i mean, anything and everything would be a write off for this thing! The thing eats oil and the paint peels off everytwhere, and there are a few spots that alway fill with water and rust holes! I cant keep this car on the road because so much goes wrong!

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  Worst Car Ever - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Annoyed Customer - January 1 - 10:10 pm

  This is the worst car ever made! This is my first vehicle, and everything that could go wrong with a car has gone wrong with this one. I bought it and then 3 months later had to replace the engine. 3 months after that had to replace the struts, which by the way cost almost 300 each! Now all the lights are on, on the dash. The signals do not work anymore. And the car started randomly shutting off while you are driving! Most of the time you try to start it and it acts like it has a dead battery. And I have never seen rust problems like this before! This is the worst car ever, will never never never buy a intrigue ever again! Stay away from these cars!