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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  Love my 2000 Olds Intrigue! - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By lanova - November 16 - 11:34 am

  Reading everyoneÂ’s issues here w/their Intrigue, guess I got lucky. Bought mine new in 2000 with 10 km on it. Thought I had a lemon with problems of it overheating & adjustments were made to thermostat in 2nd year. Never had much heat after that unless I was doing 120km on the hwy driving easterly on a sunny day. Since I was having hot flashes & driving mostly hwy anyway, didnÂ’t matter much, but I digress.

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  Great Car - 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By patricia covington - November 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is great. Has everything at your finger tips and. If only all cars could look like this. Great car and so comfortable.

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  oldsmobile intrigue gl - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By lesgold - November 6 - 12:46 am

  Car originaly acquired April 1998. Original owner. Car has Leather interior. Color Silver. Total Mileage is 24900 as of 3/15/02. Extended Factory warranty for transmission and Power train valid through April 2004. Very clean. No damage to body or interior. Maintained as required. Record available. CD player.

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  i love my Alero - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By michelle - October 24 - 9:46 pm

  I recently had a baby and feel so safe in my Alero. I wish now I would have purchased a sedan instead of a coupe, they look just as good as the two doors. I love my car, it is the best decision that I have ever made.

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  I love my Alero - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Squashtowner - October 24 - 10:00 am

  Only real problems...crappy BF Goodrich (Garbage?) tires. They are noisy. And, the front pads wore out at 35000 km.

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  Night Mare !!!!! - 2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By rosetat2 - October 23 - 9:30 pm

  I bought my 2002 olds intrigue in 2003 with 4100 miles on it. it has been the best till this year. car now has 114108 miles. I get oil change always. got transmission fluid flushed & power steering fluid flushed & oil changed. had leak in tire fixed cost 499.00. Then my track light, antilock brake light & track light came on also Service eng soon. no ac ,no cruise replace ignition switch assm,replace alternator & fuse assm, replace rf wheel speed sensor harness cost 1478.00. after security light would pop on while i was driving then when i would shut car off then on it would go off. that went on for a while till one day car would not start but when i would keep trying it would start like a

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  Bravo Bravada - 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By gearge - October 19 - 2:00 am

  This vehical is an excellent SUV.It takes you off road or to the opera. Its luxurious and is built on a truck platform for durabity. You wont bend the frame when youre off road and it will soak up rough roads and bumps. The quality of the materials is practical and stylish and still looks utilitarian. I drove this vehical on a two month roadtrip to California from Michigan and back with stops in my favorite desert communities. I have had no problems. Other more expensive SUVs do not have all the features the Bravada has. It was mistaken for a Porsche SUV by a policeman and it will not be a vehical you will see on every corner.

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  WHY DID YOU STOP - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By M-M - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Excellent SUV, BEST BRAVADA made,2nd one I have leased,friends in past had earlier models, VERY Comfortable,Rides great,I get about 17 MILES PER GALLON WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF SUV, BUY AMERICAN LOVE THIS VEHICLE..

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  Best All Around Driver - 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By chilshock - October 9 - 10:46 am

  I bought this car brand new in 1999 and now have 191,000 miles on it. I drive it actually pretty hard and it has never let me down. It has awesome acceleration and reliablity too. The only things Ive had to have replace were the water pump at 120,000 miles and the radiator at 180,000. The front breaks were changed about every 70,000 miles (Im on my third set in the front and the original rear breaks lasted until about 110,000 - Im on my second set now. The spark plug wires were changed at 150,000 miles at the suggestion of the dealership. Im actually still on the same battery (I thought at first it was a dumb idea to put it under the back seat Im starting to re-think that, it has helped it last). It started at -17 F after sitting two days in sub-zero this week.

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  Love This Car! - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By luv_alero - October 6 - 2:00 am

  I have had my 2000 Alero for 2.5 years and absolutely love it! It handles beutifully and really hugs the road. The interior is comfy and quiet. Very smooth ride. I was in a fairly bad front end accident (+/- 30-35 mph) two years ago. I was very pleased with the safety performance of the car. Even after the accident, Ive (surprisingly) had absolutely no problems with it. My lease is up in 6 months and I am torn between getting another one or not since GM is closing Oldsmobile. Too bad, they had a wonderful product with the Alero.