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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  My Alero Experience - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By lisa - August 6 - 10:00 am

  This car is stylish and fun to drive - when it works. My brakes have been replaced 5 times, last time they put a special GM "kit" on so that it wont happen again. I have replaced the drive belt twice, the power steering pump twice, my radio antenna and air conditioning recently stopped working and Im tired of throwing money into it. I had one minor bumper scrape, it was expensive to fix, but it held up very well in the accident. Id say it was a lemon, but I am not the only person with these problems.

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  Disappointed - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By kkgerman - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Mechanically, it has been one thing after another. The rotors were bad after two years, the generator assembly, and a lower gasket seal. Had I not had an extended warranty the lower gasket seal would have cost $700.

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  Great Car -- Good Lincoln/BMW Competitor - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Dalas - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Too bad GM couldnt market this to the late thirty, early forty something effectively as this is a great car. I thoroughly enjoy the ride, features, handling, performance, sound, leather, size, sound.

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  Not to happy - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By jasonvqmzm2 - July 25 - 9:51 am

  Bought the car this year, 2014. Had 144k miles on the car at purchase. Fuel pump went out at 146k and found it had been replaced before. Now, the anti-theft system is kicking in when going down the hwy and killing the engine. Ignition switch is jamming up and have to wiggle key to turn and start the car. Being told now that the ignition lock cylinder can fail causing anti-theft system fault and no start conditions. Have towed car home twice in last month because of this problem. GM wont issue a recall on this because they claim it isnt a safety issue. What is safe about your engine cutting off, going 70 mph on the interstate?

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  An Excellent Family car - 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera
  By Jammin in Jersey - July 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for almost 7 years, and it has almost 105k miles. The performance, comfort, and reliability is still there. There have been absolutely no problems with this car. This car with over 100k miles rides and is quieter than my nephews brand new Accord V-6. Interior is a bit drab, but there is a lot of space. This is a great budget buy used because if you maintain it regularly, it will outlast your friends japanese and german cars.

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  What, me worried? - 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Blurondo - July 2 - 10:00 am

  The car is over six years old, has 92,000 mi. and it still performs like it did when I got it in 2000. Great for city or highway driving; 18+ mpg in town and 23+ mpg on long trips. Rising gas prices have generated thoughts of switching to something else but I dont think I could stand the shock. Had to replace the directional switch, apparently not totally uncommon, for an uncommon price of $550.00.

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  Pretty good car - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By loriedave - June 29 - 2:00 am

  Very happy with it overall. Very smooth and reliable engine. Ride is firm but comfortable for us. We bought it with 31500 miles and put about 45000 on it in one year with no major hassles. We had to replace a power steering pump early on, and the cruise control module on the steering wheel. Our dealership was very good about the repairs.

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  Not a Reliable Car - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By NW - June 24 - 5:23 pm

  My Cutlass was good for the first three years. Then each year I have had 1-2 expensive repairs, including the alternator, head gasket, water pump, struts & mounts, new computer, window switch, all in addition to the usual battery, brakes, belts, tire type maintenance. Now the brakes need turning/replacement AGAIN and the new computer still doesnt seem quite right. Most of the problems started at around 55,000 miles and this car currently only has 80,000! I dont like to go far from home at all. I am planning to unload this high maintenance car ASAP.

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  3 Year Update from 11/09/03 Post - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By us_blueskirt - June 14 - 12:50 am

  The milage and performance has dramatically decreased over the last year! The only real issue outside of that was a problem with the flasher system, which was fixed by a factory recall on the assembly. I cant really complain about the performance...Its got just over 165,000 miles on it. The performance didnt waiver until it hit around 120,000 miles, but its been downhill since then. I keep up with all scheduled maintenance and it seems to work for this car. It is very reliable...I still take long trips on a regular basis!

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  Nice cheap car - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Justin - June 10 - 2:46 am

  This cars nice. 3.4L v6 it has plenty of power. Good gas mileage 22 city 30 highway. I wish it had ABS or ETS but oh well. Good trunk space. Smooth drive. Poor quality though considering almost every 60degree v6 has a failing lower intake manifold gasket. I replaced mine once I got it around 77000 miles.