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Oldsmobile Alero

3012 messages,  Last post on May 28, 2012 at 5:28 AM

You are in the Oldsmobile Alero Forum.

What is this discussion about? Oldsmobile Alero, Sedan

Messages Page 21 of 302

#201 of 3012 cstudent by etharmon

Nov 18, 2000 (10:46 pm)

Good point about styling. I am 26 years old and was still in college back in 98 when I leased my Intrigue. While it is true that Oldsmobiles were a bit rare around campus, I did see some Intrigue and particularly more Aleros once it went on sale. My previous car was an 89 Olds Toronado and I will say that prior to the "new" generation of Oldsmobiles which started with the 95 Aurora, I would not even consider any previous Olds model other than the Toronado. Today, I think Oldsmobile has an excellent line-up and the Alero seems the be gaining popularity with young buyers. In fact, the entire Oldsmobile line has lowered it's average buyer age considerably in the last 3 years. Has anyone seen the 2002 Bravada yet? It is very impressive for an SUV. You may not see many young girls in cars like the Intrigue and Alero because women typically don't base their automotive purchase decision on how the car drives. Instead, they look at factors such as "cuteness" and what their friends drive. I know this is a stereotype, but it is rather true. Otherwise, why are their so many mediocre cars like Cavaliers, Escorts, Civics, and Corollas on the road. Most of them driven by young girls. My ex-girlfriend has a Taurus SHO which was basically a hand me down from her parents and she had no idea what that Yamaha DOHC V6 was capable of. I scared the wits out of her once when I drove the car and I "let her rip" at a green light. Now not all women are this way of course and even some men are the same when they buy a car, but overall women will place more value on the "chic factor" than the performance of a car.

#202 of 3012 whistling/chirping from engine by sharonwilson

Nov 19, 2000 (11:10 pm)

i have had my '99 alero in the shop 4 times for the same chirping noise coming from engine when idling or driving without acceleration under 20 mph. it started at 20,000 - continues now 54,000. they have changed belts twice - no fix. this last time they put in a new carrier and front hub kit - said noise was coming from transmission. got car back and next day - same noise but louder. sound familiar to anyone? any ideas?

#203 of 3012 Chirping Engine by wilhfurtw

Nov 20, 2000 (9:04 am)

I was going to guess that your problem is in the belt pulley. But you mentioned a carrier, and I have no idea what that is. Usually if a belt does not cure the chirping, it is usually the belt pulley. Perhaps the mechanics did not correctly isolate the source of the noise. The noise could be coming from the alternator/accessory belt, if not the fan belt. Good luck.


By the way. How in the world can a transmission make a whistling or chirping noise?

#204 of 3012 Priorities by mfuller1

Nov 20, 2000 (5:42 pm)

I love these discussion threads. I'd just like to throw a few points into the mix.


1. Buying a new car is most likely the third most expensive investment you will ever make (kids and a house being first and second).


2. The choices we make require time and we need to set priorities on what results we are looking for from our choices.


3. As far as the Alero goes, I have a 2000 GLS sedan. I may just be lucky since I haven't had the transmission gremlins, water leaks, brake problems, or any other problems that have shown up in this conference. But in reference to my points above, you have priorities to set when buying a car. True enough, if it's reliability you're after, buy a Japanese car. But, they are generally more costly for given equipment levels, and usually have generally generic styling. If you are looking for reliability plus a higher fun quotient, look towards a German vehicle. Like the Japanese, however, they can get expensive in a hurry, in both initial cost and to maintain.


The Alero, I think, was the best balance between other competing cars. True, it doesn't have the rock-solid dependability of a Honda or Toyota, or the highly-polished edges of a BMW or Audi/VW, but GM cars are at the very least acceptable in these categories. I do like the styling much better than anything from Japan, but it's not quite as sexy as an A4 or a 3-series. You can't get a comparably-equipped Honda, Toyota, or Mitsu for the price of an Alero. At 20K, you can't get a six in a Toyota or a Honda. The Galant ES can be had with a V6 for around 20K, but it doesn't come with leather, 16" alloys, or traction control. For my money the Alero was the best balance of features I wanted for the price I was willing to pay. Sure, I wish it was bolted together like a drum-tight Honda and had the road-holding of a 325i, but I'm happy with what I have. You do get what you pay for. I just tried to set my priorities. I'll deal with the little niggles as they appear; when the rotors go bad I'll probably upgrade to aftermarket performance rotors. When problems arise, as they do in all new cars, especially new designs like the Alero, there are other solutions than running back to the dealer. Now, if your car is still under warranty, you should go to the dealer. But take a proactive stance and try to see the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives. I look at it this way: The Alero has some problems; I can fix them and improve the car beyond what it was originally. Feel free to check out owners comments at www.alero.org (yeah, that's a plug).
Seems that we all similar priorities when we bought our Alero's.
I'm not in any way suggesting that anyone else is ignorant or needs my advice (who the heck am I to say?) but I think we all focus on the negative outcomes of the choices we make far too much. Thanks for reading and letting me rant.

#205 of 3012 First Servicing by rich310

Nov 21, 2000 (2:50 am)

My 2000 GL is appraoching 2900 miles. When do you recommend the first servicing. I normally do it at 3000 miles but everythign I've read talks about 7500 between oil changes. Any recommendations????


I fully agree with mfuller1's assessment about how Alero stacks up against the competition. Car has a couple of nuisances but I'm much better pleased tahn I thought i would be.


 A friend of mine bought a Saturn LS at the same time I ppurchasaed my ALero. His car is a larger, and has a bit of a European feel when driving but he's been palgued with small problems liek door handles falling off, a leaky sun roof and a weird feel to the leather seats. He tried to talk me into the Saturn but now I'm happier withj my choice.

#206 of 3012 1st service by heng

Nov 21, 2000 (3:55 am)

I like to do the 1st oil change at about 2000 miles. Its about when the engine is freeing up (breaking in). That's when you expect the most wear product in the oil. In fact one of my new cars has a magnetic oil plug and it had metal slivers on the 1st oil change!


After that its about every 4000-5000 miles for me. My driving situation is mostly light suburban so your driving and oil change intervals may differ. I tried to go with the GM oil monitor which indicated to change oil at ~5800 miles but it was too sludgy for me. So I went back to my tried and true 4000 miles or so.


I've owned many cars most of which I've kept past 100,000 miles with no engine problems so I stick to my routine.

#207 of 3012 I want to give back my car by aleroanger

Nov 21, 2000 (7:46 pm)

I have a 2000 top of the line alero---leather, moon roof, spoiler, the whole 9. It has 6000 miles on it and I have had it to the dealer 3 times just for the breaks. The first time they replaced the rotors, the second time it was the power booster and the thid time they say there's nothing wrong. Additionally I have already had the driver side window fixed twice and the gear shaft button replaced since it sprung off one day. I purchased the car in May--downpayment no trade in. I am now having a problem with starting the car- it runs extremely loud and ticks but only for a few minutes. The dealer cannot locate a problem. Anyway does anyone know what I can do? I would be willing to trade it in and buy something else but the dealer is not interested in doing this. Also, PA lemon law requires that the same thing be repaired by the dealer 3 times and that it break a fourth! With breaks being the problem I am not comfortable waiting for them to go again- the power booster was enough of a scare. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

#208 of 3012 PA lemon by wilhfurtw

Nov 22, 2000 (2:54 am)

Contact the GM/Oldsmobile zone manager or the district manager in your area. Be assertive and press on your case. Even if your case does not exactly meet the lemon law requirements, GM may act to help you to make sure you are satisfied as a customer. In fact, in an Los Angeles Times article about lemon laws, it was reported that manufacturers bought back problem vehicles from customers under the guise of customer satisfaction, when in fact those cars should have been labeled as lemons.

#209 of 3012 MPG by coalcracker

Nov 22, 2000 (7:40 pm)

For you mileage conscious people here is the latest with my 2000 Alero, V-6(9,000+ miles). In 20 to 34 degree weather, conservative suburbia driving yields an MPG of about 18-19 MPG.

#210 of 3012 4cyl versus v-6 by james113

Nov 23, 2000 (6:51 pm)

I am a new member and have not read all the fine print as it would make me late for thanksgiving dinner. My question is- would it be smart to pay $2000. more for a v-6 over the 4 cyl available in the Special Edition GL 4? The difference in price is primarily due to the options reduction on the GL4 of approx. $1500. I can buy either the GLS or GL4 at Dealer Invoice. Both rebates apply to either car. I can also buy the Honda Accord with similar equipment for $5000. more than the GLS. I guess I would like to hear from people who have had experience with the 4 cyl with respect to overall performance and expected longevity. I usually keep my cars for more than 5 years.

Messages Page 21 of 302

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