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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  Comfort Plus - 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By EH - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Perhaps the best-priced, luxury sedan on the market today. Excellent balance between comfort, power. Suprisingly good fuel economy. Egonomically, nearly perfect. Excellent reliability during its first 100K of life. Would buy another one in a heartbeat.

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  I definitely got my moneys worth - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By kjr75 - August 20 - 6:43 pm

  I bought a new 2003 Alero back in June 2003. I definitely got my moneys worth as I just passed the 183,000 mile mark. Sad to say the time has now come to get a new car as there are issues with the cylinder heads under the gasket not responding and long story short Pep boys wants to charge $3,000 to replace. The car itself is probably worth 1k with as many miles on it. After 9.5yrs and 183,000 miles it definitely has done its job. Looking for either a new Sonata Turbo or used 2012 Buick Lacrosse. I dont think I can go wrong either way as I take these cars to the grave so I really dont care much about resale value.

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  Just bought my 1999 Alero - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By riker93 - August 20 - 2:32 pm

  I just bought my 1999 Alero GL, with only 105,000 miles on it. Got a good deal at a local dealership. The car is in great shape, and so far in the month that Ive had it, theres been no problems, and I hope it stays that way. Too early to tell though. It gets excellent gas mileage, and with the hot weather were currently having, the a/c puts out very cold air. So, as long as it keeps running the way it does, Ill be happy. Keeping my fingers crossed.

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  Why Cant they Build a Decent car? - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Ro - August 17 - 2:06 am

  I ordered my Oldsmobile Alero in 1999. The first couple of years went okay, but in the third year I had to replace the alternater and soon after that my front brakes went. My rear view mirror completely fell off when I was driving and since there are wires connected to it I had to drive with the mirror dangling from my windshield. I can only use my air / heat on the 3 and 4 settings so the air literally sucks the tears from my eyes. Whenever it rains heavily my drivers side floor becomes completely saturated & I have a puddle of water in my car. Finally, on a day we had a snow storm, the drivers side window fell into the door. These things happened after the warranty expiresd and I wasnt offered an extended warranty..hmm, I wonder why?

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  Great car, Not so many problems. - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By drivesalot - August 14 - 1:26 am

  I bought a 2001 model in January of 2001. Since then ive put approximately 30k miles on this car. It runs great, and I love the safety features. The only problem I had was a defective fog lamp 5 days after I purchased the vehicle. This was replaced within 30 minutes of me dropping off the car at lunch time. I find this car very comfortable for long (15 hour) drives, and very fun on shorter drives.

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  bravda...?? - 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By type r - August 8 - 2:00 am

  well, i never really heard of a bravada till i went to the dealership then i discouverd it was machine waiting for me. as i stepped into the refined and spacious interior i felt like a little boy again. it had the features that i never knew exisited. when i took off with the bravada i notice that it was accelerating like my type r integra well at least it was close. this bravada had no defaults it is still on my driveway as soon as it gives problem it will be out tho. but with 23000 it is still going strong at 170kmph it pulss quick

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  Fantastic Car - 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By herbk - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I have 103,000 miles on my second Aurora and have had nothing but fun and reliability from this car. Great power, nice looking, and super dependable. It was a sad day when they changed this body style then dropped the Aurora completely.

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  My Expensive Mistake - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By sam2000 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I liked the features and styling when I bought this car, but the build quality has turned out to be very disappointing. The rear rotors are scored deeply with plenty of pad remaining. Had to have all the windows replaced due to the glass getting scratched every time the windows were lowered and raised. Cruise control switch went bad. Power window switches went bad.... three times. Many minor electrical problems. Dash board also had to be replaced. No problems with the power train so far (45k mi.), but I dont trust the car anymore after so many problems; and with the awful resale value, I cant afford to get rid of it.

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  hey hey - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Ashee - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I really like it. It has great speed and is easy to handle. It looks sporty and is alot of fun.

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  Alero - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Daous80 - August 7 - 10:00 am

  With the 5-Speed Transmittion great car. I get great gas mpg. interior nice. Only thing I would like to see improved is have the ablitily to have P/W in the GX model and the sunroof and fin. I had to purshase these separte. engine is not as quite as I would have liked but for the price I can deal with it.