Oldsmobile Alero Midsize | Compact

Oldsmobile Alero Midsize | Compact 

DESCRIPTION

The Alero is offered in a 2 door coupe or a 4 door sedan with option of a 2.4-liter/150-hp 4 cylinder or a 3.4-liter/170-hp V-6. Both come with the standard 4-speed automatic and ABS.

USER REVIEWS

Showing 131-140 of 278  
[Oct 21, 2002]
kking
Model Reviewed: Oldsmobile Alero

Strength:

The car looks great and is very comfortable. Sporty without being rated a sports car

Weakness:

WATER LEAKS, MECHANICAL PROBLEMS, BRAKE PROBLEMS ETC ETC ETC. A LEMON!

I loved the way this car looked and drove and chose it over other cars. From the beginning this car has been plagued with problems. Both doors had water leaks that took 5 times at the dealership before they were able to fix them. The brakes and rotors had to be replaced with less than 15000 miles on the car. The inside light broke, the fuel injector value had to be replaced. The door panel was replaced several times. I am now over my warranty because I do a lot of highway driving - and the front dash started to come up. After several calls it was replaced a N/C. Now the blinkers are making noise and the drivers windown won't roll down. WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY! A great looking car - rides great - but CONSTANTLY plagued with problems. Of course the warranty is now up and I have to pay to repair everything. I have always bought foreign cars - my first US made car. WHAT A DISAPOINTMENT! King Olds has done there best - but at this point they won't help because I have too many miles - even though the car is only 2 years old and they are not mechanical problems. | MY SUGGESTION - DON'T BUY AN ALERO!

Similar Products Used:

None - this was my first (AND LAST) GM car.

OVERALL
RATING
1
VALUE
RATING
2
[Oct 21, 2002]
Athena Battle
Model Reviewed: Olds Alero

Strength:

It's a great looking car with a very sporty profile.

Weakness:

The greatest weakness is every mechanical part. GM should have put more quality parts in these vehicles to make sure that failures are limited. But they should have also made sure that the mechanics know how to fix anything that does go wrong. My car has been in the shop more than on the road.

I purchased this car brand new and was sure, from my research, that this was the right car for me. I couldn't have been more wrong. In the two years I have owned this car I have had several major problems with it. In the initial 4 months, the problems were the steering wheel bolts falling out and the banging associated with it; the air conditioning motor blew out and the gear shift mechanism stopped working. Henry Gay stated that it needed the tranmission fluid replaced to fix the transmission. The truth was that the original engine was damaged (thrown rod) and a rebuilt engine was hastily inserted as a replacement, causing the gear shift problem - the tranmission problem took exactly one year to repair. After that repair, the electrical system went out and the transducer in the rear had to be replaced because of water damage - the same water problem that caused the back seat floor boards to fill with water in the rain. Now the issue is the radio fading in and out, when the car hits a bump, due to another electrical problem. I caution anyone who is looking at an Alero to look elsewhere. This car is not worth the amount of time and effort spent in the repair shop trying to convince mechanics that there really is a problem and then having them not be able to fix it.

Similar Products Used:

Olds Omega

OVERALL
RATING
1
VALUE
RATING
2
[Oct 18, 2002]
Ryan
Model Reviewed: Alero

Strength:

Looks nice, ABS brakes

Weakness:

Can't get it out of my driveway

I bought this car because it seemed like a good value for the price. For the first six months of ownership it was. At about 28,000 miles it wouldn't start. We had to have the dealership tow it to the shop where they decided it was the fuel pump. This didn't correct the problem, so they moved onto replacing a fuse block, fuel pump sensor, and three more fuel pumps and to this day it still will not start sometimes. We have taken it to two different dealers and both have thrown there hands in the air and given up on this car. They have offered us a good trade in value towards something else just to get us off their backs. This car sucks! There have also been other electrical problems such as blinkers not working.

Similar Products Used:

Ford Taurus, Toyota Camry, all without major issues

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
2
[Oct 17, 2002]
Charmin
Model Reviewed: Alero 2 door

Strength:

Sporty looking ride

Weakness:

WATER LEAKS, WATER LEAKS, WATER LEAKS!!

I have owned this car since October 2001 and have had it in the shop 2 times for water leakage on the driver and passenger doors. Back floorboards flood with water. The dealer says they don't know where the water leak is. I was referred to a place called "Water Doctor" which supposedly fixed the leak involving molding around the doors, and much to my surprise I have water in my floorboards again. They have supposedly fixed it again, but time (and the weather) will tell. The dealer has looked at vehicle 2 times and paid for the Water Doctor to fix, but I am getting sick of this water problem. I also have had to have the fuel pump replaced, which the dealer took care of.

Similar Products Used:

Pontiac Grand Am

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
2
[Oct 06, 2002]
xcalibur_255
Model Reviewed: Olds Alero GL2 Coupe

Strength:

Excellent styling (2dr), Good low-end torque and decent acceleration from the 3.4 V6, beautiful interior design, many features for the price

Weakness:

Miserable GM build quality, questionable transmission shift programming, rattles incessantly, terrible gas mileage, held back by antique and unrefined GM donor parts

I purchased my Alero used with only 11,000 miles on it thinking it would be a good "keeper" car to drive for 5 or more years. GM designed this car to compete directly with Toyota and Honda. It has a complaint ride on highways, with enough firmness to make pot holes and expansion joints felt on your bottomside. The steering is completely dead, with no road feel at all. It is also light, with too much power boost, and is very sensitive off-center. This makes the car twitchy unless you hold the wheel completely still. Even with no steering feedback, the wheel still vibrates and allows pothole kickback on the highway. Handling is pretty good with the 16in. tires, but this isn't a sports car and doesn't claim to be. Overall, the car feels pretty solid, with good exterior build quality and a solid feel on the road. The paint quality seems low though, and the lower air dam of the front bumber is composed of the flimsiest plastic I've ever seen and will break easily. The rest of the exterior is well built, save for large panel gaps. When you first open the door and look in, the interior of the Alero seems perfect; with graceful curves and a beautiful two-tone design that carries to the back of the car. Unfortunately, Olds had to do alot of cost-cutting to make the Alero's interior unique from the Grand Am's. Too many cheap plastic parts are used to comprise the doors and center stack, and they show cheap looking mold lines that even a Hyundai wouldn't have. The various interior trim bits are loosely fitted together as well, using pastic clips instead of screws. To date, I have counted no less than 9 separate rattles in my 11,000 mile car throughout the door panels and dash. The dome light had to be replaced because it was falling out of the ceiling, and the shift-lever bezel was replaced for coming loose as well. The entire center console moves from side to side (squeaking in the process) when I rest my leg against it. On the plus side are a good base-level stereo and very comfortable seats both from and back. I have some education as a sound expert, and brief testing showed the base-level factory stereo capable of bass extension down to 39Hz. This is quite impressive for a factory unit, although the amplifier drowns the music in hiss and distortion at higher volumes. Mechanically, the Alero is derived mostly from stock GM parts, including the 3.4L V6

Similar Products Used:

1994 Ford Escort (5 years with this car and absolutely no problems)

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
4
[Oct 03, 2002]
faye cherry
Model Reviewed: Alero

Strength:

Looks good ,drives good, good air and heat.

Weakness:

The front cup holder is at a terrible place. I had to have some work done to a senor because the ABS light was coiming on. I had purcashed an extended warranty so they covered that. I had to have the first two setting fixed on the fan for the air /heating unit.

I have had this car for almost 5 months. I liked the looks of it when I first saw it. I have a teenager and she liked it. That's saying a lot when we both like something. It drives well. My dash looks fine. I wanted leather seats, good driving, good looks and an affordable price. I got it in this car!

Similar Products Used:

Chevy van 1980 I've drove mostly fords this is my first oldsmobile.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Sep 26, 2002]
Kristie
Model Reviewed: GL Coupe

Strength:

Cute

Weakness:

Brakes Interior Blind Spot

Complete waste of money!!! The week I drove it off the lot, I had it back in the shop to have a hose and a valve replaced. I should have left it there. I have owned this car for 3 years. It currently has 72k miles, mostly highway miles. I too have had to replace the brakes twice and going on the third time. The interior is definitely a defect that Oldsmobile will not acknowledge. The following items are bubbling dashboard, passenger air bag cover and both doors. Is this truly what we paid for??????? Also, I know two people with 2001 Alero's and both cars leak when it rains.

Similar Products Used:

Ford Probe

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
1
[Sep 26, 2002]
jocorsj
Model Reviewed: Alero

Strength:

None that i can think of.

Weakness:

too many electrical problems!

I purchased the car with a little over 31,000 miles on it...everything seemed to be going fine till i passed 38,000 miles. i began to have problems with the turn signal.it wouldn't come on. i found that pounding the dash corrects this breifly. second, the front driver's power window will not go down sometimes. this, too requires some pounding of the door to get it working. the fuel gauge cuts in and out showing from full to empty and back up again. the horn cut out after 50,000 miles and hasnt worked since. the vehhicle has never been wrecked or driven rough, but currently has over 80,000 miles on it. Even though it has high miles, i find it strange that my son's 1990 Corsica, with 90,000 miles, has never had any sort of problem. WHY am I having these problems! if someone has simular problems, i'd like to know!

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
1
[Sep 24, 2002]
JOSEPH LO GULLO
Model Reviewed: ALERO

Strength:

OVER ALL I THINK IT IS A NICE CAR. RUNS WELL (UNDER 50 MPH). FOR A 4 CYLINDER IT IS VERY SPUNKY. IT CAN KEEP UP WITH ALMOST ANYTHING. THE SEATING IS COMFORTABLE.

Weakness:

OTHER THAN THE HESITATION I REALLY CAN NOT FIND ANY FAULT WITH THE ALERO

THE FIRST 12000 MILES THE CAR RAN BEAUTIFULLY. NO COMPLAINTS. ON MY WAY HOME FROM VIRGINIA IT STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN FEEDING GAS AT SPEEDS OVER 50 (NOT EVERY TIME). I THOUGHT IT WAS A CASE OF BAD GASOLINE AS I JUST FULLED UP. NEXT FULL UP I ADDED FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER THINKING THE INJECTORS MAY BE CLOGGED. BUT IT DID NOT HELP. I HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES BUT THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG; THE COMPUTER DOES NOT SHOW ANYTHING.IF THERE IS NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON THAT MEANS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER WHO IS LOCATED NEAR A HIGHWAY. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF DRIVING MYSELF AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG MAY BE IT'S THE WAY YOU DRIVE. I HAVE HAD CARS SINCE 1949 AND I THINK I KNOW WHEN AN ENGINE IS HESITATING. THANK THE GOOD LORD I HAVE NOT HAD ANY OF THE PROBLEMS.YET. I AM AT 16500 MILES. I SHOULD BITE MY TONGUE. ANYONE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP. IF I CAN NOT GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED AND SINCE I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THIS I CAN NOT UNDER THE LEMON LAW GET THE DEALER TO TAKE IT BACK. IF THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE RESOLVED I WILL PROBALLY LOOK ELSWHERE; BUICK MAYBE HONDA

Similar Products Used:

1987 CUTLAS SUPREME(WHICH I SHOULD HAVE KEPT) 1970 BUICK SKYLARK 1960 BUICK LE SABRE 1954 BUICK SUPER (BEST I EVER OWNED) 1939 PONTIAC 1935 FORD

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
3
[Sep 23, 2002]
Matt
Model Reviewed: Alero

Strength:

Sound system, Handleing, and the over all look of the car

Weakness:

The Dashboard is bubling up. The glue has come undone and the dashboard has a ripple effect. Olds will not fix. If you have this problem with your Alero Call there Customer Service Number and Complain 1-800-422-OLDS. If there is enough of a problem then they may recall the Dashboard.

The car runs great and is a good car as long as you do not care about what the car looks like inside over time. The poor quality will cause problems with the dash.

OVERALL
RATING
1
VALUE
RATING
2
Showing 131-140 of 278  

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