Torque, handling, comfortable seats, large trunk

Paint chips easily

The Alero is the first car I bought and I love driving it. Very seldom do I need more power than it can deliver. I like the angle of the controls, but the knobs seem a little awkward. I've even had one knob replaced. The trunk is large and with the rear seats folded, I have plenty of room. People have commented how comfortable the back seats were, even though they're hard to get into (I have the 2-door coupe.) The large steering wheel is very comfortable.
I've had the serp. belt replaced 5 times now. =( Also had the pass. seat belt wasn't retracting, so that was replaced too. Many people complain of the cup holders, but I really haven't had any problems with mine. I've also not had the problem with the weatherstipping, like others have.
I don't like the volume control of the stereo. There aren't enough "steps." Some times it can be too loud, but one step lower and it's too quite (or not audible at all). I really don't want to replace the stereo because I like the CD and tape player combination.

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none

Strong V6 grunt, capable brakes, comfy seats, very good stock suspension (for a small Olds), good sound system, classy styling

Annoying cupholders, expensive to modify, stupid DRLs, no manual tranny available with the V6, could be screwed together more tightly

Despite some of the problems other people have had with the Alero, mine has been almost trouble-free. I have not had rain water leaking into the interior (this problem seems more common to the coupes than the sedans), but I did have problems with warping front brake rotors. I was well aware of this problem before I purchased the car, so when the problem crept up at 5000 miles, I ponied up for aftermarket slotted brake rotors rather than mess with GM replacements (which reportedly are still having problems). Otherwise, the Alero is smartly styled and well-engineered. True, the basic architecture of the V6 is decades old, but it's proven reliable and quite strong. The disc brakes are strong and have good pedal feel. The steering is direct and has a rather quick ratio, but is still a bit too light for my tastes. Road noise isn't too bad, considering there are no rear wheelwell liners. Since I track race this car (sounds crazy, I know), I have performed various modifications to the car, but the front seats, while very comfortable, are lacking in lateral support and I cannot find suitable replacements. Overall, I find this car to be a strong value for this class and I am quite happy with this small Olds.

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Pontiac Grand Am GT - although this is a sister car to the Alero (both N-platform cars), I found their personalities to be very different. I couldn't find a comfy seat position in the Grand Am, and, although subjective, I couldn't get used to the interior and exterior styling.

I really like the look and the drive.

I have had my car in the shop for every small thing that you could possibly imagine!! I am very unsatisfied with my car. I think that different Alero might be alright

This is my first new car so as far as the look and drive it is great.

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None

Powerful V6 has plenty of power when I need it (and I LOVE power) much quieter engine than most of the import cars. It is not a luxury car- but it is quieter than the civic, stratus, intrepid, all Hyundai.
Bottom line this is a great mix of luxury and performance.

placement of the cup holders is awful, visibility-- unable to see the end of the trunk, which makes parking tough.
constantly having to replace the rotors, water leaks, Olds customer service is very bad to deal with, they do not care about the end buyer

This is a great car with a lot of problems...
At 8,000 miles water started leaking from every door -- took several attemps for the dealer to fix this problem. I also had the rotors and pads replaced at the same time. 12,000 miles had the rotors replaced again, The dealership told me that there are problems with the brakes and I would probably need to replace them every other oil change... (it took some arm twisting to get this information from them) I am not happy with the dealer or Olds customer service -- as far as Olds cust. service is concerned if the dealer says they fixed the problem, then there isn't a problem REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CUSTOMER THINKS!

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None

Styling, Power, Quality, Size, Gas Mileage and Value. Much better then the Camry and Accord.

Tiny bit of Torque Steer when pushed, but it is nothing that cannot be controlled.

This is one of the nicest cars period. Once you take in the great deals that are being offered right now you get a deal that should be considered theft. I bought a Black 2001 GL2 w/V-6 and the Sun and Sound package. An Absolutely stunning automotive experience.

None

Gas mileage is not as good as I expected. My last two cars used a lot less gas and it has been an eye opener! The a/c seems to be leaking into the passenger side while taking long trips! Service did not sound at all surprised when I called for an appointment.

I love the car! It has plenty of room, drives nice and I love the look!

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Chevy Cavalier, Pontiac Grand AM

The exterior and the xenon foglights (which I have replaced 4 times for water collecting inside). Car looks stylish and has a classy two tone color inside.

Everything but the look of the car plus the resale value sucks! What's up with my car only being worth $10,000 with only 13K on it???!!! Don't be stupid and buy an Alero. If you are wondering why they are such a good deal take a look at all the complaints. You get what you pay for. I did.

I bought this car with only 7K and right away I needed the brakes and rotors replaced because they were warped. Not only that but there was a leak that took the dealer 5 times to fix, and the car stalls almost daily. The car will crank over but no fire up or it will hesitate then fire.They have replaced starter, battery, fuel pressure regulator, ect., and it still does it almost every day.It is currently in the shop and they claim not to be able to reproduce it (i guess I must be imagining staring my car 10 times before it will fire).
Plus I cannot get rid of the shaking of the wheel at speeds over 60. I have balanced, rotated, alligned, tried 30 psi, 35 psi, nothing will stop the shaking! Little things include my windows needed to be replaced because something in the door was scrapping the glass, the air broke, the car rattles horribly, there was another minor leak in the back on the drivers side floor, and the car sounds awful when you start it up!

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Grand Am GT (had numerous problems with this car as well).

Roomy
Looks
Affordability
Warranty
Keyless entry (standard on most Aleros)
You can extend the list when you buy one.

A little less power off of the line then I am used to. It's a heavy car though. Once you get by intertia (stupid Isaac Newton) even the 4 cylinder has has plenty to offer.

I love my my Alero so much I wish I had two of them. I bought the 5-speed which costs less but sacrifices a little power. I know I made the right decision. Any problems I have heard with the Aleros come from a the V6. The manual is more fun to drive anyway. When I was looking for cars, I was looking at a Nissan Sentra or a Tiburon. When you ask a four year old to draw a car, they draw a Sentra. Regardless of what people say, you cannot fit in a Tibby with a sunroof. I am 6 foot and there was no way I could return my seat to an upright position. These reasons, and the fact that the Alero is ten times the car they are, are just some of the reasons why I have a shiny new Olds in my driveway

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CSunfire GT - This car sucks. I had it for three Canadian winters (the bad kinds) and, on long trips, I couldn't keep the windows fog free and I think my girlfriend froze to death.

looks

reliability

I purchased this car a few months after it came out because I was so impressed with its looks. I was happy with this car for the 1st few months. Then I started noticing that my RPMS oscillated when I was in idle. Then I had warm start problems with the car where I had to step on the gas to get the car started. I had a custom exhaust and cat back system installed along with a K&N air filter. This helped performance significantly, but my other problems continued.
At 20K miles, my rotors needed to be replaced. At 25K miles, my tire beads wore out and I needed new tires. I had countless problems with interior, battery, serpatene belt, ect. I got so tired of spending more time in the service center than in the car, especially with the annoying buzz from the fuel pump that could not be fixed. My wife and I decided to trade this car in for a 2001 SE MAxima. While I lost over 10K on the trade in, it was the best move I ever made. I will never buy a car who's management is run domestically. No more Fords, or GMs for me. Its Nissan all the way baby!

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Nissan Maxima

Very powerful little 4-cylinder. Comfortable and stylish interior.

General Motors Warranty

This car amazes me every day. It comes with the most options for the buck. If I had to go car shopping all over again, I'd get another Alero.

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My friend has a Honda Accord and this Alero walks all over it.