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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  great suv - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By gary bauman - August 26 - 2:00 am

  great power, excellent ride, good radio, good deal with a great warranty

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  Robs Review - 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By iam14style - August 12 - 10:00 am

  Good deal for the money, handles well and is good looking.

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  Suprised its not a Honda! - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By R W - August 7 - 11:13 pm

  Bought it with 20,000 miles. I owned 3 Hondas before this one and I didnt enjoy the reliability. Ive only replaced an alternator (93,000 miles) and a fuel pump (91,000 due to a very bad tank of gas). Thats it outside of regular oil changes, brakes, and tires. This is the best money Ive ever spent on any car. It still runs like it is brand new. For a 4 cyliner it is quite peppy, more than the Honda Civic that was $2K more than the Alero at that time Now, its 2007 and I cant find Aleros anymore? Thats OK. Mine runs fine. Ill keep driving it. GM should re-open the Olds Alero line. This is the best 4-cylinder car for the money GM has made!

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  Dont even hesitate to buy one. - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By PatrickD844 - July 27 - 6:53 am

  I have owned my 2004 Alero for just over 3 years now. I bought it barely used with 15k on it, and now it has about 58k. It has been an exceptional car, starting every single time, and never letting me down. The only times its been in the shop have been for maintenance/wear and tear items. A very well made car, and well worth the money I paid for it.

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  Nice Investment - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Drew Anderson - July 20 - 1:23 pm

  I bought my Alero brand new, and loved it. I got it fully loaded so it makes the car a lot nicer. The only thing thats ever gone wrong for me was the Trans and I had a clogged cat. I replaced the Trans and just put a straight pipe over the cat so its all good. Still love this car and everything i got with it.

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  Grreat car - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Duaner1955 - July 6 - 10:00 am

  Have had the vechile for a month now, and its been great. Extremely happy with the very peppy 4-cyc engine and great gas mileage.. 35+ so far. Love the look and feel of it, as it handles like a sports car. Should have bought it a year ago, instead of putting more money into my old caravan.

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  I miss the 3.5 - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By OldsKidd - June 27 - 9:23 pm

  My parents bought their 99 Intrige GLS with 27,000 miles in 2001. Theyve driven it to Mexico once, and to Michigan countless times. Its proven to be as reliable as their Toyota Corolla. It now has 100,000 miles and it still runs like the day they bought it. Regular maintenance is all that has been needed. The seats are comfy and the dual zone climate control is great as my dad is always cold and mom is the opposite. Theyre thinking of getting another car, but why? If anything theyd get a used Aurora with the same bulletproof Northstar based 3.5L V6. GM made a big mistake dropping Oldsmobile and the 3.5L and 4.0L engines. They shouldve kept the lineup, or at least put the engines in Buick.

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  Best Deal In Town - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By GmanNYC - June 25 - 10:00 am

  Why Did GM stop Producing this car? My previous cars were an 88 accord, 88 cutlas, 92 Legend and a 97 malibu, and my 99 intrique has the best features of all of them. The design with the chrome rims and spoiler give an attractive look. the leather was comparable to my old legend. The Bose System was similar to the after market system in my accord. Most important it was the size i needed consider im 6 ft 230lbs and play hockey. I wanted something bigger than my malibu but with all the toys. This car takes a 45 mile comute with no problem and 5 of us fit decently going to a football game with tailgating stuff in the trunk. Car is fun to drive, priced perfect under 9 grand used. mpg is decent

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  The best Ive driven new and used! - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Weeza71 - June 25 - 10:00 am

  We were shopping for a replacement for a conversion van and a small pickup. We tested many new vehicles and found the used 2002 Bravada with 37,000 miles on it was the best choice. It is a very classy sport utility that says I AM AN OLDSMOBILE. It is very capable of doing every job that needs to be done and still be fun and luxurious. We wanted it to use to carry additional passengers comfortably. We needed it to pull a utility trailer with a Large riding lawnmower. We needed better gas mileage for both around town and long trips. To me this is the total package. Im sorry to see the Oldsmobile line go. I think GM should have scrapped the GMC line instead.

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  used county car - 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera
  By Sean - June 21 - 10:30 pm

  I had bought my 1996 Olds Ciera Wagon from Suffolk County on auction. It had over 100K when I bought it. I have used it as a utility vehicle basically to carry stuff that I do not want getting wet in my pick up. The car has been excellent, while not a great stand out by styling it does the job it is suppose to do. Like the car very much. Have the 3.1 V6 offers good acceleration.