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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  Olds is gone - This car is a good reason - 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By xc007 - December 9 - 10:00 am

  Weve had it now for 5 years and 30k miles. I want to love this car, I really do, but everytime I start to something else breaks!! Here is a sampling of problems Sensor in Transmission;Fuel injector;Intake Manifold; Rear Window motor (Twice);CD player; Warped Brake Rotors (x3 times); Blower motor fan; Water pump; Several broken controls and buttons. Total non- warranty repairs have totaled close to $2k. I do like the styling and ergonomics. It could be a little quiter on the highway but its not bad. The 3800 V-6 makes it fun to drive.

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  Family Car - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By aldhur - December 6 - 3:27 pm

  For the price we paid, this is a wonderful family car. There is more than enough trunk space to carry our baby stroller and a full cart of groceries. Gas mileage is decent: we average between 20-25 MPG.

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  Aleros SUCK! - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Alero Hater - December 3 - 10:00 am

  In the past 2 years we have replaced the parts the hold the windows up (both windows fell inside the doors, brakes, tires, water pump, altenator, belt (we had to lift the engine out to put it on), and that doesnt include everything is wrong with the car. I have my antilock brake/trac light go off once a week, my fan only works on the 3rd and 4th setting, and my cruise control button doesnt work. This car has been a pain value has depreciated, its ridiculous! DONT BUY THIS CAR! GET RID OF IT, if you own one.

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  eh, its an OK car.. - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Jared - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Hmm ... I know that the Malibu/Cutlass duo is dubbed "The car you knew America could build", but that isnt saying much. Its an OK car for sure, but i did have to replace the altenator (265.00), my brakes squeek sometimes, and the wood grain, i mean.. plastic trim on the doors rattle quite often. On the plus side the cars design should hold up well over time, and the interior is nice. I think the "blandness" of the car actually work in its favor, many people think its nicer and more expensive than what it really is.. you can thank Toyota and Honda for that design inspiration.. All in all, a competant, mediocre car.

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  Worst Car I Have Ever Owned! - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By nick - November 1 - 7:56 pm

  This looked like a really nice car. The first year changed that! Constant brake problems, transmisson problems, and broken interior switches. After about 4 years and 80,000 miles all sorts of things went wrong! I replaced alternator, starter, fuel pump, wheel bearings, and the ignition system( because a cheaply made plastic cover cracked and fried the whole system!) Olsmobile would look for any reason not to honor the warranty and were constantly difficult to deal with! I can see why they went out of business. It is too bad, I paid a lot of money for a very poorly made car and I will never buy American again! It is really too bad!

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  Its in the shop again - 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By disheartened - November 1 - 12:03 am

  I bought this car from a dealers home in the fall with cooler weather. I can see why it wouldnt sell in hot weather,as the transmission clunks real bad when its hot out. I bought the car with 44,000 and have 84,000. My mechanic said my transmission was perfect inside but bulged on the outside. He put in another one last week with 5,000 less miles on it and it was clunking within 10 miles of the shop. He fixed the wheel bearing. The air conditioner hasnt worked since last summer. Ive had to replace the water pump and fix the front end when the steering stopped working. He replaced something to control the pressure in the transmission but that didnt help. The tape player was bad also.

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  Shaking on the Highway - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By orphancitrus - October 16 - 10:00 am

  This car is confortable to sit in and once it gets going, it has a lot of good acceleration. However, on the highway, it is a little shaky, and does not have the refinement of mid-size imports. Engine and trans is reliable, but electrical problems with dash had to be replaced twice, to correct short in climate control. Also, cassette player stopped working after $50K although CD still working. Air conditioner fan cuts out on long road trips. If you are looking for a big American car for a little money, this is not a bad choice.

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  Possessed by a Demon - 2002 Oldsmobile Aurora
  By Bad News - September 15 - 10:00 am

  Thank God for the states lemon law. Ive owned this car for over a year after trading in my Intrigue. Ive had it in for warranty work 8 times with some problems cleared up, but with a persistent episodic glitch in the steering/suspension. The rack and pinion, steering column, and wheel bearings have been replaced on three seperate multi-day stays in the shop. Whats with the ratchety feel in the steering? My dream car is a nightmare.

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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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  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!!!