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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  COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By PWB - March 5 - 2:00 am

  IN 99 PAYING OVER $18K FOR A CAR YOU WOULD EXPECT ALITTLE BETTER, BUT NOT BAD. DID HAVE ALOT OF PROBLEMS: LIGHTS ON REAR VIEW MIRROR WOULDT GO OFF, FAN WOULDNT WORK UNLESS ON HIGH, ROTORS AND BRAKES SHOT AT 18K MILES. BUT MAYBE MY FAULT FOR BUYING FIRST YEAR MODEL. VERY BAD RESALE VALUE. ALMOST HAVE TO GIVE AWAY. IF YOUR BUYING GET THE V6. THIS IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THE CAR!!

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  definate winner - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By DB - March 4 - 7:33 pm

  Bought this car in 1999 with 17,000 miles on it. With the exception of an alternator, two head gaskets, many sets of brakes, and a power steering pump my car just turned 275,000 miles and STILL gets 27mpg average. Took a trip last summer and with cruise control I got 30mpg. If only it would last forever.

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  2001 Olds. Alero review - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By TONY - February 17 - 10:00 am

  The car has been in for warranty repairs about 5 times for different failures, incl. the rear speaker, oil leak at the intake (2 times), spark plug wire, warped brake rotors, and warning brake light stays on. I currently have 55K miles on this car and it came with a 60K ext. warranty and I have used the extended warr. several times. The 3.4L 6cyl. is underpowered compared to my 1995 Grand Am w/ the 3.1L 6cyl. If I had to do it again I would not buy this particular vehicle.

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  fun but not reliable - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By a - February 10 - 5:20 am

  Nice ride, very quick 6 cyl, got new rack and pinion, bad starting noise and hesitation, new power steering pump, new e-brake, new speakers and ignition parts many times. Very good sounding speakers. New alternator. New head gasket. No more american for me. Dont look in the future to see Aleros go 200k miles.

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  dress her up AND take her out!!! - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By swede1978 - February 5 - 2:00 am

  Always had a pick up truck, one day saw the Alero on a lot.... went home with it, never looked back. Has the "moxy" i like on the highway and handles tight like a tiger. OH YEAH- nice fuel economy too, real relief when at the pumps, especially compared to a pick up truck @16MPG or less and Alero @ 34+hiwayMPG! Has plenty of room for stuffs in the trunk with folding rear seats. Ive convinced 3 of my friends to get one and my Mom too. Excellent sound sys as well that appeases the music connoisseur.

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  Value and comfort - 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera
  By Buy American - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Original owner with 97,000 miles. No mechanical problems except for transmission which was fixed at 7,000 miles under warranty. Have only changed the belts, front brakes done twice and rear brakes once. Original battery almost eight years old! Gets 31 MPG on highway, about 19 around town. At almost 8 years old the finish is holding up very well except for some discoloration of the plastic side trim. Although it was never fashionable this car has proved to be a great value so far!

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  So near and yet so far - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By rdeschene - January 24 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I both love this car - torquey V6, good handling and steering, about 30mpg(US) hwy, very comfortable front seats, good visibility, nice styling with the rear spoiler, decent price as a 1yr old car. What has been disappointing are the mechanical failures which I KNOW GM knows how to prevent -- I didnt have any of these problems with my previous Corsica. At 107,000km we have replaced both front bearings, the fuel tank sender, the interior fan resistor and the button on the auto shifter TWICE. I am quite certain GM knows how to make front bearings that dont wearout in 100,000km. Theres no excuse for it and it makes me hesitant to buy GM next time.

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  Good Vehicle-Has its problems - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By FireInspector - January 15 - 4:26 am

  The Intrigue has a large power plant giving this car more juice than it needs, making this car a true gas hog. Besides getting worse mpg than some SUVs the Oldsmobile Intrigue handles very well, has traction control and abs for winter and wet driving. The vehicle features one of the largest trunks on Earth so storage not an issue here. However at 82,000 miles with regular service I am running into problems. A common one seems to be the gas gauge. It stopped working around 60,000 and I have not tried to fix it, also the a/c heating element is shot so it only blows on the highest setting. The driver door is also causing problems now. SO I say its good but not so good. A fast, safe, average car

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  Its not a Honda - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By A-guy - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Purchased this car new and have had my share of ups and downs. Fortunately, the car had been under warranty. for my share of problems: Warpped rotors, leak in windshield, buckled material on the dashboard, leak in pass/rear door seal, rt ft shock mount. * never stranded. Now I am worried about what is to become of this car for the next few years. Not to mention the value. The rapid depreciation is main reason why I still own this car, the other reason is that, aside from all of the problems, I really love the car. There is something about it that allows me to look past the problems. Hopefully I will not have any major issues to change my mind.

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  Wife loves it! - 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By rgolf1960 - January 10 - 1:30 am

  Bought second hand last year with 100k miles. Was in excellent condition and well taken care of. Had zero problems so far, and wife is completely satisfied. Previously we owned a 96 Ford Windstar, and this van is far superior. Got a great deal ($5,700) and hope it will last a couple more years.