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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  The performance is horrible! - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By oklahoma man - May 18 - 12:26 am

  This is a nice car. However, the performance stinks! It takes forever for the the throttle response to kick in. Its like they took this heavy car and put a go cart engine in it! Its loud but not powerful at all! Barley gets up to speed on the highway. I tried to go around a Sunfire and couldnt even do it! But every time I turn the key I know it will start. Oh and the handling is terrible too. And they dont make any performance or upgrades for this car! Nothing!

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  Kinda Noisy - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By n8 - May 9 - 6:26 am

  Ive driven this car for about 2½ years. Over all the car has some good features: peppy engine, roomy, and a smooth ride. On the flip side, the engine is very noisy at times I cant even here the music. Ive had it in the shop a couple of times (fuel sensor, and something to do with the injectors), but all covered under warrenty. For some reason the clock on the CD player keeps resetting itself...

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  Looks good on the outside but watch out. - 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
  By excell15 - May 4 - 2:00 am

  This car looks great and is great when it is running but it breaks down a lot. The V6 3.4L DOHC has a great sound and is very powerful. The day I brought it home the A/C compressor pully froze up ruining the starter, breaking the accessory belt and another pully. Then I needed rear shocks that cost more than $400, then my front tire broke off when was driving, had to get a tow and new axal, then some new tie rods, and did I mention that the electrical system sucks. There is a drain on my battery somewhere that kills the battery overnight, so I have to unplug the battery terminal if I want it to start.

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  My First Car - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By survboiurbvs - May 4 - 2:00 am

  This was my first car. I have always drove my parents cars which are both German and cost a lot more than my Alero. The Alero is not a sports car, but I like it a lot. The steering is great and its fun to drive around town and on short road trips. Mine is one and a half years old and has 45,000 miles and it works great.

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  Reliable Comfortable - 2003 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Tom - May 3 - 1:03 am

  Extremely comfortable front seats. Smooth highway car and handles better than most other cars this size.

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  Excellent Value - 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By CCC Chicago - April 25 - 12:30 pm

  This was our second Silhouette. Our first was a 94 and it served our family well. After seven years it began to have a some minor issues and we traded for the 01 GLS. It has served us without any major problems or issues for 5 1/2 years now. It only has 55,000 miles. I cant speak highly enough on the reliability of this vehicle. I tow jet skis with it. Pile kids into it. Haul cargo in it. Move easily through the snow in it. Im one person who has loved my minivans over the past 13 years or so, but my next car will probably be some type of crossover. On the 01, I put on a new set of tires at about 45,000 miles and a new battery after 5 years. This has been an excellent family vehicle.

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  Good car - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By woodaf23 - April 20 - 12:46 am

  weve had our Cutlass for 7 years now and it has 126,000 miles now. Its been a great car, never left us stranded. Has had regular maintenance, but nothing major, and nothing recurring/problematic. Weve put a lot of miles on it and use it pretty much every day and its been good to us. In the last year or two it had developed some rust along the bottom of the doors, which Im told is a common problem for the cutlass/malibus. For being a 6 cylinder it has pretty good performance and is fun to drive.

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  whats with that trans - 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By countrygirl - April 15 - 3:43 am

  i have had my Bravada for about two year..i bought it used. It now has 150,000 miles. Now my service engine light is on, and the car shops are saying my transmision is going out. It has been a great car, i love it and dont want to get rid of it, but the cost to replace the tranny is way to high for the value of the car. and it also leaks oil like crazy, inbetween oil changes i have to put in a quart or two just to keep the oil level at normal.and the cup holders are bad..my cups are always sticking to the rupper and are hard to get out and they are in a really bad place when you want to put your car in park..just saying...oh and for some reason my 4wd doesnt work?

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  pros and cons of the alero - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By sazisarah - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Love the way the car looks , although it is alittle slow on intitial take off but does fine when passing

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  Ultra Reliable - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Gord.D - March 31 - 9:03 pm

  Ive owned this car now since March 2009 (with only 60,000 miles on it) and have put about 30,000 miles on it in one year. Its my daily driver and its been very comfortable and super reliable (Ive changed the tires and the oil and thats about it). While GM may not have figured out Interior Issues by 2002, they sure figured out the mechanical stuff with this car. An excellent buy Used if you can find a well looked after example.