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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  Nice, but lots of repairs - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Richard Brown - July 12 - 5:20 am

  At 18,000 miles my Oldsmobile Intrigues head gasket blew. At 22,000 the brake rotors warped, At 24,000 the steering pinion geer failed, at 28,000 the brake pump failed, at 48,000 the transmission torque converter broke, at 62,000 I had the brake rotors replaced, at 70,000 the fan belt tension bracket broke off, at 98,000 the transmission pcm valve failed, just to name a few problems. Also, the radio knobs fell off. Factory tires were junk, too. But the drive is nice.

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  Happy owner - 1997 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Carl - July 7 - 10:36 am

  Feel lucky and happy I bought my Bravada at a VERY GOOD PRICE 4 years ago. It needed brakes and tires when I bought it. Thats all Ive done to the car. Now the service light came on and dealer cant fix it after spending $1000. Runs great! Paint is better than newer cars on the road. Im amazed at all the extras it came with it, all power moon roof, driver seat windows mirrors and ALL WORKS!

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  Expensive Repairs - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By lowmile - June 30 - 9:23 am

  My 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass is quite a nice car and has been reliable, but now that it has 52,000 miles, it is getting expensive to repair. A couple of years ago the heater fan worked only on high. The cost to repair was $126. A couple of months ago it had to have a leaking intake manifold gasket repaired at a cost of over $600. A couple of weeks ago everything went dead at a red light. The alternator had stopped working, killing the battery. The cost of repair was $644. I did the front brakes myself last year and am doing the rear brakes in a couple of days myself. In short, this car is OK if your a good mechanic.

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  Bad Brakes - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By jtskitty - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Overall I have pleased with the vehicle. The main problem I have experienced has been the brakes. We had to replace brakes & rotors at only 30,000 miles and they still make a grinding noise with the new brakes. This is a definite manufacturing/design flaw on Oldsmobiles part. Brakes are not something you should short change on a car. This is a definite safety issue. The second issue I have is that the service engine soon light came on & wont go off. The third issue is a lagging starter. Sometimes it works beautifully & then others I have to prime it to get it to start.

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  Intrigued - no longer - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By aileron - June 17 - 2:00 am

  The 3.5 twin cam engine is the best feature of the car. The transmission, at 75000 miles, is becoming "unsure of itself". Fit and finish are not good. Interior layout is OK. Service reliability has been subpar for a car that lists for over 26 grand. Fog lights are ridiculous - lousy design - bulbs dont last and cost a fortune at 10-14 dollars each. The assemblies fill up with water and list for 113 dollars each. The headlight assys are little better as the lenses fog over (crazing) and condensation always forms inside the light assemblies. Im afraid to even inquire the price. Ill go Japanese next time.

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  Good Vehicle for the $$$ - 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By castledevcon - June 6 - 10:00 am

  I own a 91 and a 98 Bravada. Both have been very reliable. You get a lot of vehicle for you dollar in comparison to many other SUVs. It rides better than most true SUVs and the AWD is great for inclimate weather.

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  Great Care - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Good car - May 16 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car with 160,000 miles on it. Not bad. After replacing brakes, tires and struts, and of course keeping up with oil, it runs great. I get 33 mpg highway. It goes when I want it to go, and sure, sometimes the blinkers quit working, but oh well. This car rocks it up the mountain with power, and it rocks it in the snow better than 4x4. My car just hit 202,000, and its running just as good if not better than when I bought it.

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  Aurora 3.5 - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Jerry Barrax Jr - May 14 - 2:13 pm

  I just purchased a 2001 Aurora 3.5. Its a gorgeous full-size sedan that has the styling of a mid-size car. Its a fully loaded luxury-sport sedan in silver metallic. The previous owner had the windows tinted, so it looks even sportier. I get compliments on it constantly. Its very well equipped, comfortable for long trips, and very satisfying. Being a front-driver tuned for comfort, its not a "canyon carver", but has good acceleration and decent handling.

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  Great Car! - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By gatorchamps96 - May 4 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car with alot of enthusiasm. It was refreshing to find a GM that exceeded all others in its class. The overall performance of this vehicle really shined when we compared it to other competitors (Accord, Camry, etc). The car has never given us any mechanical problems, and it has aged very well. The interior looks as new as the day we bought it, and the exterior paint looks perfect. We have had to replace a power window motor, but it was taken care of thru our warranty and has never given us any more problems. The car has been fun to own and fun to drive. I would definitely refer this car to a friend.

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  Bought used, works great - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By _vandra_ - May 1 - 5:16 pm

  I bought this car almost 5 years ago. It handles well, corners neatly and is comfortable. Drivers seat is easy to adjust esp steering wheel height which is a biggie for me. The seats were leather and not oiled so consequently they are cracking like mad in drivers seat and one of the rear seats. Thats annoying and given a choice, Id have opted for cloth because leather and 120 degree weather dont mix! The gas mileage is supposed to be 17-22 but I easily clear 25 in town and 30 if I do 60-65 on highway. In fact, I drove to St. Louis with cruise on at 55 mph and got nearly 38 miles to the gallon! Overall Im very pleased and plan on keeping the car for several more years for my daughter.