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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  A Great Car. - 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By MRRN - July 14 - 10:00 am

  Very reliable, beautiful car. Fun to drive and sporty for a midsize sedan. Very strong engine, especially at higher speeds. smooth ride and transmission. Lots of complements from passengers.

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  best car Ive owed in thirty years - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By RADKOR - July 14 - 10:00 am

  Bought this car as a storm damaged r- titled car, tree fell accross the hood. Been driving for almost 2yrs. only thing replaced was a fuel regulator. Gets 34mpg hwy/ 24city. Keeps up w/ the best from Germany. Still has the original BFGs with 55k miles. With traction contol I was never stranded in our Pittsburgh snow,(66"). Gobbs of room, should have seen me, my wife and 2kids coming back from the grandparents in NC @ Christmas.

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  Not Pleased - 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette
  By kds - July 12 - 10:33 pm

  This piece of junk is the last GM product that will ever darken my driveway. I have 39,000 miles on my Oldsmobile Silhouette and just outside of the 3-year waranty period it dropped the transmission. After doing some research I found that this was a fairly common problem caused by a known defect in one of the solenoids in the transmission. GM provided no assistance and it cost me $3,500 to get repaired. Run dont walk from this thing.

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  The Great Alero - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By 7ate9 - July 11 - 5:46 pm

  My wife and I purchased this 02 Alero in the fall of 01. It was for her and she wanted something sporty with a little extra room and comfort features. We looked at others, but the Alero seemed a good choice for the dollar. We got everything except for the sunroof. What a machine! This is one fast V-6. Off the line or in the lane. We followed the maint schedules and 122000 miles later it still looks great and running like a top. First 5 years reg- maint all 100% orginal looking for 3rd set of tires. This past year I replaced the gaskets, sensors, fuel pump & filter. A new battery(3),more.. about $3,000 Garenteed to last another 4-5 years. Except for that damn dash, starts to peel after 1yr

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  Oldsmobile Intrigue - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Paul Biniak - July 8 - 10:23 am

  Overall a well performing car with good gas mileage. Has the power to pass and go yet still a comfortable ride. Best to get good tires for traction in water and snow. Air conditioning not as strong as it should be. Has been a reliable car since I bought it brand new.

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  Love Hate - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By Eric with headache - July 8 - 10:00 am

  I have a love/hate relationship with this car. I love the engine, the styling, and the comfort. However, I have had more visits to the dealership than I wish to mention. Most of the problems are those you would not expect from a car that cost this much. It all started with having the steering wheel column replaced because of grinding gears. This was two months after purchase. Then there was the carpet having to be re-installed, the windshield wiper motor replaced, A/C blower replace, left front wheel bearings...... This will be my last GM! My vehicle prior to this was a Grand Am that was repurchased by GM because it was a Lemon!!!

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  Good deal if you find one - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Dan - July 5 - 6:16 pm

  I bought the car right after Olds stopped making them, so I actually bought the car for about 3K less than it would have been worth had Olds not tanked, which was fine in my eyes. With a huge available array of mechanicals left over from both the Alero and Grand Am (sister vehicle) theres no need to worry about service in the future.

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  solid, all around car - 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By intriguingly - July 3 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car used a couple months ago with 40,000 miles on it and it drives fairly close to a new car. I was surprised with its power, coming from an oldsmobile and I was happy to pick up the trusted 3.8L that is in many other GM cars (though I wish it had 215 hp like the 3.5L, oh well). The factory speakers were better than my aftermarket ones from my previous car! This is a safe, comfortable, and well-built ride. Thanks GM!

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  2001 3.5 Not So Lucky - 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By oke doke - July 3 - 10:00 am

  Acquired the 2001 3.5 in Feb 2003 w/ 19K mi. The car now has 30K mi. on it. Since purchase, replaced the steering column, the pwr steering pump, the ignition switch (the car would literally just stop running on the highway while doing 70 mph), and as of 09/29/03, the transmission is gone!. Also - the driver door squeak were ones left leg rests against the speaker (in case you think the noise is coming from your seat). Needless to say, kind of a bum experience. I owned a 98 Aurora w/ 100K on it and traded it in on this - the 98 never had an issue - guess I made a bad call...

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  A midsize SUV with a small foot print - 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By johdavl - July 3 - 10:00 am

  I originally was looking for a Tahoe or Yukon size vehicle, but gas mileage and garage size played heavily into the equation. I found a 2002 Bravada with every option (sunroof instead of LCD TV). The gas mileage (20-22 on the highway) is far better than a Tahoe would ever be and it tows boats very well. I pulled a Ski Natique a couple hundred miles and got 15-16 mpg. Thats about what a Tahoe would do without a boat in tow and the Bravada fits in my garage!!