The Last Oldsmobile...
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
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From: Ontario
The Last Oldsmobile...
...rolls off the assembly line in Lansing, Michigan tomorrow. When I was young I drooled at the sight of a 4-4-2 (four-barrel, four-speed, dual exhaust). Never could afford one but to this day I have a soft spot for those cars. While we all have to accept change it is still sad to see a fine automobile marque pass into history.
[Modified by paul67, 8:16 AM 4/28/2004]
[Modified by paul67, 8:16 AM 4/28/2004]
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 51
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From: Houston Texas
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (paul67)
Oldsmobile used to be a premium brand known for good build quality and design. Kind of like Honda today. Little by little it slipped away. When GMAD took over their assembly lines and product development was centralized, they became just another redundant GM brand and lost their product identity.
The question is "Who's next?" Probably Pontiac? Saturn? GM would like to trim both of them, but as they learned with Olds, dealer litigation would be super expensive. :rolleyes:
[Modified by triadecho, 1:01 PM 4/28/2004]
The question is "Who's next?" Probably Pontiac? Saturn? GM would like to trim both of them, but as they learned with Olds, dealer litigation would be super expensive. :rolleyes:
[Modified by triadecho, 1:01 PM 4/28/2004]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,943
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From: Wildwood IL
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (paul67)
I'm still mourning the loss of Camaro's & Firebirds, but this addition to the mix just sends me into a state of depression. I owned a 442 back in 78. Not the HP monster it was earlier, but a GREAT comfortable quality car. :sad:
Eddie
[Modified by Silvr77, 6:58 AM 4/28/2004]
Eddie
[Modified by Silvr77, 6:58 AM 4/28/2004]
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (paul67)
Feel the same Paul, my father still works for Olds but his plant has not produce an Olds in a number of years, mostly Pontiacs. Sad they picked the oldest name plate in the auto industry to discontinue. :(
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,473
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From: New Paltz, New York USA
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (paul67)
Paul67,
I had a 1966 442 and a 1970 442. They were 2 of the best cars I ever owned. We now have a 2000 Olds Alero and what a piece of junk!. :cry
I had a 1966 442 and a 1970 442. They were 2 of the best cars I ever owned. We now have a 2000 Olds Alero and what a piece of junk!. :cry
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Ontario
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (Richard Cooper)
Those were the days when GM Divisions had separate identities in terms of engineering, engines, transmissions, etc. In the 1970s the move to "corporate" began and we now find common drivetrains in GM vehicles such as the Alero/Grand Am/Impala/Century. It was probably a good business decision but something was lost along the way.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,663
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From: Vail AZ
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (paul67)
I think we've almost got all years covered now! My first car was a '68 4-4-2. Probably not a wise choice for a 16-years old kid, but I sure had a blast with it!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
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From: Sewell NJ
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (paul67)
I just traded in my 98 Olds Intrigue. It was one of the best cars I've owned giving me 70000 miles of driving with no major breakdowns. I think it was a well styled and well put together car that could have gone a lot farther if GM had advertised it instead of pushing their trucks constantly. I find it amusing that after ignoring their cars for so many years in favor of SUVs and trucks GM is now scrambling to be competitive in the market that they dominated for so many years. I've lost a lot of faith in corporate america in the last 5 years. :(
Safety Car
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From: Buckeye, AZ
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (vettfixr)
I would have thought Buick would have gone first. Their buyers are literally dying. At least Olds had some things to appeal to a younger market. I think ultimately GM will pare down to the basic-Chevy, sport-Pontiac, luxury-Cadillac. I don't know why there are (2) truck lines. In the consumer market a GMC and Chevy are almost identical.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Saginaw Michigan
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (vettfixr)
Remember when GM started putting the Chevrolet 350s in Oldsmobiles? Corporate management was shocked that Oldsmobile owners were actually irate that Chevrolet engines were being installed in place of their "Rocket V8s"!
BTW, one of the nicest cars that I ever owned was a 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado GT. With studded snows on the front, I could drive almost anywhere in Michigan.
BTW, one of the nicest cars that I ever owned was a 1970 Oldsmobile Toronado GT. With studded snows on the front, I could drive almost anywhere in Michigan.
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From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (Jim Shea)
:sad:
The "Oldsmobiles" were great cars-GM should've gotten rid of the stodgy Buick line-wait a minute, "Would'nt you rather own a BuHog" :lolg:
The "Oldsmobiles" were great cars-GM should've gotten rid of the stodgy Buick line-wait a minute, "Would'nt you rather own a BuHog" :lolg:
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
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From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (paul67)
GM neglects the Olds name for years, strips the division of any semblence of the brand identity that it once had, doesn't put any cash into advertising the Olds brand and then decides it's not making any money for them so cans it. Duuuhhhhh!!
Diamler-Chrysler does the same thing with Plymouth a couple years earlier.
SCHEISSE!!
It's just plain sad that these brands that had once a strong and loyal customer base and strong support are now gone due to poor management. :cry
I could just :U on the bean counters that make these decisions.
I always liked Oldsmobiles. My '77 Cutlass ran forever and was one terrific overall car. Good looks, ride, and decent performance (for a hobbled '70's era emissions wonder). It's no wonder the Cutlass's of that era outsold any other make. How could GM have forgotten the formula for that success???
R.I.P.
Diamler-Chrysler does the same thing with Plymouth a couple years earlier.
SCHEISSE!!
It's just plain sad that these brands that had once a strong and loyal customer base and strong support are now gone due to poor management. :cry
I could just :U on the bean counters that make these decisions.
I always liked Oldsmobiles. My '77 Cutlass ran forever and was one terrific overall car. Good looks, ride, and decent performance (for a hobbled '70's era emissions wonder). It's no wonder the Cutlass's of that era outsold any other make. How could GM have forgotten the formula for that success???
R.I.P.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Ontario
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (Jim Shea)
Jim,
That is why Corvette engines changed from Chevy Orange to Corporate Blue in 1977. In the mid-1970s some fellow lifted the hood on his new Oldsmobile and found an orange Chevrolet 350 engine. He (and others) were so irate he sued GM. I can't recall the outcome of the lawsuit but all GM engines for all Divisions became blue shortly thereafter to muddy the consumer waters.
That is why Corvette engines changed from Chevy Orange to Corporate Blue in 1977. In the mid-1970s some fellow lifted the hood on his new Oldsmobile and found an orange Chevrolet 350 engine. He (and others) were so irate he sued GM. I can't recall the outcome of the lawsuit but all GM engines for all Divisions became blue shortly thereafter to muddy the consumer waters.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Ontario
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (gliot1)
I tend to agree with you. During the time I spent at a Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealer I saw few Buick buyers/drivers under the age of 45. But J.D. Power consistently rates the build quality of Buicks very high so it would be difficult to kill it. And older drivers do tend to have dollars in the bank. The "This is not your Father's Oldsmobile" marketing campaign turned off the older drivers and never excited the younger. That was the beginning of the end.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,429
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From: CA
Re: The Last Oldsmobile... (paul67)
1970 Olds Vista Cruiser, fastest car I've ever owned. When I parted with it, I kept the best part: the 455 (it's in my 59 Chev truck now)
If you are an Olds fan, check out http://www.442.com
The FAQ section has tons of info :yesnod:
[Modified by 71coupe, 1:32 PM 4/28/2004]
If you are an Olds fan, check out http://www.442.com
The FAQ section has tons of info :yesnod:
[Modified by 71coupe, 1:32 PM 4/28/2004]