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 last GM product - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By tkt2ride - December 12 - 4:00 pm

  This car has been in the shop more than any vehicle I have ever owned. All 4 electric window regulators (motors) replaced. Brakes are simply defective. Passlock/key caused four trips to the shop. Turn signals. Battery. Three radios.

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  Just Not That Good - 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
  By clunkerjunker - November 30 - 11:45 pm

  This car has never met any of my expectations. It always has something wrong with it, be it the electrical, mechanical or cosmetic. The electrical is a little screwy, it has a tendency of some of the lights not working or working intermittently, and it isnt the bulbs or connectors, I have replace both. The warning lights come and go all the time, I never know if something is actually wrong. It doesnt burn or leak oil, but it takes 4L of oil for every tank of gas. Gas mileage is poor. Paint peels off on this car at the bottoms of the doors (See this on all of them). I have put a ton into it ($10 000) and by the sounds of it, I am lucky the transmission has not gone yet.

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  A GM Money Trap - 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass
  By Jimbo - November 15 - 3:40 pm

  After numerous shoddy brake replacements, ABS sensor malfunctions, alternators, premature leather wear, air conditioning faults, transmission disasters, and the final death knell of the infamous intake manifold leak, Im glad to be saying bye-bye to the Cutlass. Be warned, this is a car you will be pouring major cash into to keep it operational, and thats not including the disappointing fuel economy either.

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  Would not pick this one over again. - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By jnell - October 10 - 7:41 pm

  I have owned this car for almost 2 years now. I bought it with around 80,000 miles on it. It now has 110,000 miles. And I would not do it again. About a month after I bought it the front wheel bearings went out. I have also had problems with the drivers side window - had to replace the motor. The head gaskets have had to be replaced and the brakes react terrible if it rains or snows. Needless to say this has not been anything like what I thought. None of the repairs have been anything close to cheap or acceptable. I would not recommend it to anyone, especially for young driver. Aleros are very questionable cars, its a 50/50 chance - you either get a good one or a very rotten lemon.

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  Lemon - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Lemon - October 7 - 7:10 am

  I have had nothing but problems with my Alero. In the last five years, I have had to replace my blinker, gas cap, entire clutch system, steering wheel pump, cruise control switch, and rear defroster. I also had a bolt break causing my front passenger wheel to fall of, luckily I was going slow enough that it didnt cause serious damage and I was not injured. And most recently I found out I have a leak in my cooling system.

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  bomb - 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By sjf - August 18 - 2:00 am

  70000 easy miles and Ive replaced the fuel pump, alternator, tensioner belt, both front wheel bearings, ball joints, oil cooler lines, stereo speakers and now the transmission is slipping. This vehicle has never towed anything.

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  Problems never end - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By melrosedave - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I do love the look of the car, but I have had to call AAA four times in the eleven months I have owned the car. Its either the alternator, battery, electric system or emissions problems.

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  Junk... - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Renter132423 - June 11 - 2:00 am

  Rented one. my daily driver is BMW 330xi. I like the looks especially the rear end lights. Got in, wow - sucked. Too much plastic feel. Handling is crummy. Motor poor for V6. GLAD GLAD I can recommend anyone NOT to buy one of these. Look at a Honda or Toyota before this thing... terrible. Sorry.

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  will make you worry - 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By charming - May 11 - 10:00 am

  rough ride,shakes a lot. bad

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  Glad to still be alive - 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada
  By Sam - January 26 - 6:23 am

  I owned this car for one year, lost brakes and ended in a ditch. The car had 70000 miles only. Checked the car. The frame was corroded. Factory undercoating was ridiculous and was not existing anymore (thinner than onion skin). The brake lines were badly corroded, and broken under the rear, driver side door, over the frame and below the cabin. Totaled the car.