Ya, I'm not too pleased with the mileage but I'm only on my fifth tank so I still have hope we are still in break-in phase. Last fill up was about 23 mpg mixed, this fill up was worse with more highway miles.
Dindak, hang in there, I'm up to about 27mpg(no A/C) now with 7000km. But i find that every tank is different even though I drive the same way. It could be the type of gas you use. I try to use Sunoco. It is pretty crappy gas up here compared to the States. I took a trip to Chicago once and got about 100km more/ tank with highway driving from US gas??? Plus I was driving a 4.3L Blazer. It was a 20% increase in mileage!!! We get screwed up here. We pay more per gallon and travel less per fillup!!! I don't think your going to see the same figures as the others. 28-29mpg is probably the best we can do up here.
The A/C probably takes a lot more out of the fuel economy too because its a 4cyl. Driving with A/C on is like driving with an extra 3-400 pounds on the car which sucks more power out of the 4cyl than a 6cyl
Our Intrigue gets great gas mileage, identical to U.S. ratings so I don't think I buy the "bad gas in Canada" story. I do know that Esso has the dirtiest gas so I try and avoid them and after hearing about the Shell fiasco, I think I will stay away from them for now. I usually get Petro Canada, Pioneer or Sunoco.
It's been a pretty cool summer so far so I've not used the air much. I think things will get better, it's just taking longer than I hoped.
I have a 2000 GL with 75,000K on it and had to get towed this afternoon because my fuel pump went. Anyone else with this problem? Is it worth me trying to get anything from the warranty (which ended at 60,000). I really love my Alero but I am not a happy camper right now
A Technical Service Bulletin #00-06-04-044 titled Fuel Pump Module - Engine Hesitation, Stalls/No Start was issued in OCT 2000. The only info I have is the title. you may want to mention the TSB to the dealer or you can purchase the details of it at www.alldata.com
Thanks Greg. I did some research yesterday and found that myself. I spoke to GM Customer Service and the lady there told me that those bulletins are for their service ppl and how they can fix the problem. I just got my estimate from my mechanic for a lovely $1200 CDN. If you know anyone who wants to buy a used Alero, let me know In addition to the $1500 I've spent on front rotars, I am very disappointed for having only been driving the car for less than 2 years, from brand new.
Sounds like you got ripped on your brake work. Where did you get that done?
I remember taking our old Cavalier to Speedy once and they wanted to replace everything on a car with 50K on it. I took it to the GM dealer and they charged my hundreds less and only grinded the rotors and replaced the brake pads.
I'm on my 4th set of rotars. Twice I've paid for them, twice they've been replaced under the warranty. I've also had to replace pads as well. Apparently the braking system is not heavy enough for the car, or something like that.
I've just learned my lesson the hard way. Even though you buy a new car, it doesn't mean that it isn't going to still cost you in the long run. Oh well
You must be very hard on your brakes if you have been through 4 sets of brakes over 75K kms. My mom has a V6 99 GL with 58K on it and she just changed the brakes last month for the first time.
The brake pads wore out and scratched rotors at 23k miles. I thought, it happened early because the rotors were warped a bit. Additionally, the car was severely rear-ended 700 miles before this happened. My wife braked strong when was hit, to not hit hard the next car ahead of her. Must be hard on brakes.
However, at 45k mile service, the second set of pads turned to be 90% gone. So, currently I believe that, with my driving pattern and style, the pads live for 22-23k miles only. Will check it at 65k miles or so.
However, my commute is through suburb with hilly and winding streets, and a city with a lot of traffic lights. Do not drive on highways often.
I remember talking to a tech at Midas and he told me that most people in metro areas get around 30-40K kms out of their pads. Our Intrigue has almost 50K on it and it's still on originals as it does a lot of highway drives.
I have noticed that a lot of new cars go through brakes faster than normal. This is due to the softer compound used in `genuine dealer` brake parts. You can get more mileage from an after market pad from Napa/UAP or other parts store. A good guage of how quickly your brakes are wearing is how often you have to clean the brake dust off the front wheels. My new Alero wheels seem to be dirty every week.
Dindak is right, brakes used with city driving should last at least 40k and probably 50-60 with highway driving. (I am still on a set of aftermarket pads and have over 50k on them and they are still only 60% worn)
It seems that the rotor problem is very common among older Aleros. There have been several posts regarding them. But 4 sets seems extreme. Im not sure what GM did to cure the problem for the later models but the dealership should have replaced them with better rotors while the waranty was still active. I'm not sure if you can go back on the dealer now but check out the older posts in this room. Now that your warranty is over I would suggest a local mechanic for future brake work.
Loveya, I did a quick scan through the first 250 posts and found the following messages that mentioned the brake problem. 47,50,58,62,85,110,123,125,164,242 & 250. There are probably dozens more. If the dealer did not replace the rotors with the upgraded version you probably have a case to get some, if not all, of your money back from them. your situation is not exclusive and with a little research you can go well armed to see the dealer. Good luck
I usually get 50-60K kms out of mine, but the Alero is going to be heavily city driven so I am expecting less. Where do you get your brakes done? I used to always go to Speedy but my one visit to the new local Speedy gave me a bad impression.
I have never liked Speedy or Midas myself.I could tell you a few stories about each of these but it would take up too much space . I used to be a mechanic apprentice before I moved on to bigger and better things and have seen them first hand try to take adavantage of customers(me included). Because they are a big chain with big advertising budgets, they know that for every customer that is unhappy or they overcharge for work, there will be another through the door the next minute.
This is not the case with all franchises however. After receiving a quote of $1500 at one Speedy to get his car certified, my brother in law asked me to look at it. After looking at the work order and inspecting the car there was more than $850 worth of bogus work "needed". I took the same car to a different Speedy myself and told them what I thought it needed for the safety and they did exactly what I told them it needed for $640. Needles to say its a crap shoot with these places.
What I would recomend is a small local mechanic. If he is in the neighborhood, he can't afford to be badmouthed and I have found most of them to be honest. Better yet, get a refferal from a friend who uses one close by. Another good way is to check with the BBB. They will have a list of garages with previous complaints. Most places will still have a few complaints but theBBB will be able to tell you of the worst offenders.
On the other hand, now that I am driving a new car, I will take it to the dealer for work until the warranty expires. After that I will still use them for diagnostic or other major work because they know the car the best. But minor stuff like brakes, exhaust, tires, etc. I will take it to my local mechanic (if I have no time to do it myself). Hope this helps.
I'm looking to buy a slightly used Oldsmobile Alero or Intrigue towards the end of the year, but I've seen some problems that I frankly don't want to have to deal with. Is there are particular year or model that is more troublesome than others? I want to make sure that I won't be sinking money into repairs shortly after my purchase. I would greatly appreciate any feedback.
The Speedy near our old house was great, but the local Speedy wanted to do a lot of unnecessary brake work on our old car and I will likely never go back. It's too bad because the prices are good and it's a 2 minute walk from the office. The local dealer has been pretty good so I always have them I guess. I will try Midas next time as our Intrigue will need new brakes in the next year.
Thanks for all of the advice everyone. I too have seen the multiple postings re: the rotars. To give you an idea, I do all highway driving (about 45,000K a year), my local mechanic (who I've been dealing with for 10 years) is finishing up my fuel pump (Price dropped to $677 from the dealership on Friday.. phew) and he is going after the after-market company to replace the current set of rotars which have only 10,000K on them and are already shaking violently. I do admit I'm a hard driver, but this is a little silly. My mechanic has been using RayBestos rotars- top of the line. I don't know much about cars, but this can't be right.
loveya75 : Clearly something wrong with your car and clearly the person fixing you car is not doing it right. I would bring it to another place and get a second opinion.
mij325 : We have both an 02 Alero and an 00 Intrigue. Both are good but I would generally avoid both of their first years. Many 98 Intrigues had brake and steering shaft issues and some 99 Aleros had water leak problems. Always best to go with as late a model as you can as the bugs get fewer and fewer. We have been very happy with both cars.
Unless you simply cannot afford it, you might want to look at just getting a brand new Alero. The deals are excellent and you get a 5 year 60,000 mile warranty.
i have a 00 alero. i just read on my-gmlink that it has retained accessory power (RAP)-you know-the radio continues to work after turning the car off until a door is opened. does anyone's alero have this? mine doesn't. another problem has popped up-the weather strip along the bottom of the front doors has fallen off on both sides. and i was just at the dealer to have the olds logo replaced because it fell off, rear seat belt buckle broke, vibrating driver side mirror that has been worked on 6 times now and i still think it vibrates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No reason you should have this. Obviously the Alero was not right the first time BUT, clearly the people who fixed your car at fault the other 4 times. It's not GMs fault if you have incompetent people working on your car.
I agree with Dindak that your problem has more to do with incompetent service. While I have heard of the problem's with '99 Aleros, my best friend has '99 GL2 and didn't have the brakes serviced until 50,000.
The problems you are having are not common on 99 Aleros. If what you are saying is true, I certainly sympathize but a brake problem like that can be fixed by competent service people who know what they are doing. In your case, you are clearly not dealing with the right folks.
Just a note that my mileage is slowly creeping up. Last tank I got about 26 mpg combined (60% highway), much better than the 23mpg a couple of tanks ago.. Still nothing much to report, still enjoying the car.
I need to make a decision and I am just not sure. I am looking at a 99 Alero with 39,000 miles on it. It has not had any problems yet but is this going to remain true? According to what I am reading here in these reviews it looks like I will have to deal with new rotors, brakes, and water leaks in the future. I was in a Geo Prism with no problems until I got rear ended a couple weeks ago. Can someone please give me some feedback, should I purchase this or not? Why? I would be most appreciative for any input!!!! I need to make this decision by tomorrow, July 2nd. HELP!
I hope only the car was damaged and not the occupants!
Well, the 99 Alero is a fine car, as a good friend of mine has one. However, you neglected to mention details like sedan/coupe, engine size, etc.
With all the great deals and improvements they've made to the Alero, I'd pony up a little extra dough for a 2002. The new 4 cylinder engine is a nice improvement over the 2.4 in the 1999.
With the 2002, you get more standard features plus a 5/yr 60,000 bumper-bumper warranty.
The alero is a nice step up from the prizm...something you'll enjoy driving for a long time.
You may have a lemon, but the Alero is a very good car. The brake problems your are experiencing are NOT common, and even if they were your dealer should have fixed it by now. My mom has a 99 and it's been trouble free (including the brakes).
While I sympathize, your issues do not mean the car is bad. It means you may have a lemon and your dealer is incompetent.
I would like to thank "jpelder" and others for providing me with some comments. This website has been great to read. I researched the car quite a bit and with everything taken into consideration I have decided to buy the 99 Alero. It is in excellent condition with 39,000 miles on it and has had no problems thus far. A good trusty mechanic I have worked with for a while has checked it out and given me the go ahead. In addition, I am getting this at a excellent price. This is a good step up from my 95 Prism (which I loved) and I hope that I find it fun to drive. The details of the car are as follows: 4 cyl, - wish it was 6 but it is OK. 2.4L engine Sadan
Any additional advice? Any tips? I will take all I can get.
Did you get any kind of warranty with it or was it a private sale? The only issue my mom has really had with her 99 was a couple of loose trim pieces after a few thousand miles. I would check that. Do you know if it's a GX or a GL?
Dindak and others, I am in the process of deciding if I should get a warrenty or not. It is a bit of money but ovbiously if something goes wrong it is well worth it. I will make that decision today when I do all the paper work and pick up my car. The car is a GL.
I had a trusted service person look over it again yesterday and everything really does look good. I am looking forward to driving it!!!!
Any other comments or tips? Like I said I will take all I can get to keep this car operating as smooth as possible.
If the extended warranty is not too expensive, go for it if you can afford it. I'm not a big fan of these extended warranties as I would rather take my chances if a car seems to be running well. That said, many people feel better with them so it's hard for me to judge.
If wuchifeng is still out there, I just had the same experience with my Hazaard button. I just recently got a 99 Alero and as I was driving along I thought I would test it out. Just like you the button disappeared right into the dashboard and I found a little plastic piece too that fell out from behind. Now I just have this empty hole that is fixed now. I too have an extended warranty option. The cost is $2300 which would cover 3 years. I just recently bought this car and I've read about water leaks and break problems with this car. I'm thinking of purchasing this warranty. Does anyone have any suggestions on whether they think this is too expensive or worth it or not? Thanks.
In summer 2000 I bought for about $1200 an extended warranty for my 98 Malibu, and the warranty already paid for itself 2.5 times. $2300 transmission, plus $550 intake gasket(coolant leak), plus almost $200 for oil pump gasket (small oil leak).
However, I bought the warranty toward the end of manufacturer warranty period. Something like at 32k(?) and 34 months after the car was build (July 1997, in door jamb). I felt that the car is not OK. Too much small problems fixed under warranty. I bought it used with 15k miles, and the first owner probably had reason to unload it. According to salesman, the previous owner was GM (lemon?).
I have few problems with another car, the 2000 Buick Regal. If no serious problems will develop during the next year, I will not buy a warranty.
With my experience, I would suggest to wait almost till the end of the manufacturer warranty. If the car turns not reliable, I will buy an aftermarket extended warranty. Otherwise, self-insurance.
However, it depends. If it is difficult to afford the warranty, it will be even more difficult to afford a major repair. Self-insurance is less expensive, in average, but it needs enough free funds - as financial reserve...
$2300 is very expensive for extended warranty. Possibly right price for MB 600, but not for Alero. Probably, this is the list price for GM warranty.
See my previous posting: for $1204 I bought an extended warranty for 6 years (after original 3 year one), and 100k miles (including the 36000 covered by original warranty). This is bumper to bumper plan, with zero deductible. Aftermarket, the company name is Warranty Gold. I found them on Internet and bought by phone.
Too much. If I had to spend $2300 in non-wear and tear repairs over 3 years, I wouldn't be keeping the car. Sounds like a price a GM dealer would quote.
Thank-you all for your input! I forgot to mention that I am a new member of the "Town-hall" and this is my first time writing here. I just recently bought out the 3 year lease on my brother's 4door, 6 cylinder Alero GL (he's since moved on to a 2002 Intrigue). This is my first car purchase so I am still a bit new to this business of "Extended Warranties" and such. You were all correct to assume that this $2300, 3 year warranty was offered by the GM dealer. There is actually still 2 months left on the existing warranty and the gentleman at the dealership was trying to pressure me into buying it right then and there (he wanted $500 down plus 12 more equal payments of $150). I told him that I would get back to him, not knowing for sure if I was passing up a good offer or not, and now I know better thanks to you guys! After reading your helpful comments I will see if I can come up with a better deal. I wonder if I can bargain with the guy at my dealership to get the $2300 lower? I'll keep you informed on what I find out.
On my 2000 Alero GS-3, I just found out that the air conditioning comes on when you press the recirculation button on the dash. I ask, is this normal? It seems that it is not. Does anyone else have this situation? The air conditioning light does not come on the air conditioning button. The air conditioner keeps running as long as you keep the button engaged. If you press the outside air button, then the air conditioner shuts off. Needless to say the air conditioning button does come on when you push that button. Waiting for your flood of comments. Thanks.
I have a 2001 Alero GLS. After reading your post we went for a drive. Being warm today in Oregon I hit the inside air button. Heard the air conditioning compressor kick in and the air immediately cooled down. Hit the air condition button, the light came on but could not, tell any difference in the temperature. With the air condition on and inside air it is a lot colder than with the outside air being cooled by the air conditioner. Hope this information helps.
It's normal. My mom's 99 and our 02 Alero are both set up the same way. Seems a bit strange, but I guess the re-circulate button was not meant to be used unless the A/C is on.
I have seen it in other cars where the compressor turns on when the air is on recirc. It is done to dry out the air in the car, so it doesn't get musty from the "human humidifiers".
Comments
The A/C probably takes a lot more out of the fuel economy too because its a 4cyl. Driving with A/C on is like driving with an extra 3-400 pounds on the car which sucks more power out of the 4cyl than a 6cyl
It's been a pretty cool summer so far so I've not used the air much. I think things will get better, it's just taking longer than I hoped.
I remember taking our old Cavalier to Speedy once and they wanted to replace everything on a car with 50K on it. I took it to the GM dealer and they charged my hundreds less and only grinded the rotors and replaced the brake pads.
I've just learned my lesson the hard way. Even though you buy a new car, it doesn't mean that it isn't going to still cost you in the long run. Oh well
The brake pads wore out and scratched rotors at 23k miles. I thought, it happened early because the rotors were warped a bit. Additionally, the car was severely rear-ended 700 miles before this happened. My wife braked strong when was hit, to not hit hard the next car ahead of her. Must be hard on brakes.
However, at 45k mile service, the second set of pads turned to be 90% gone. So, currently I believe that, with my driving pattern and style, the pads live for 22-23k miles only. Will check it at 65k miles or so.
However, my commute is through suburb with hilly and winding streets, and a city with a lot of traffic lights. Do not drive on highways often.
I remember talking to a tech at Midas and he told me that most people in metro areas get around 30-40K kms out of their pads. Our Intrigue has almost 50K on it and it's still on originals as it does a lot of highway drives.
Dindak is right, brakes used with city driving should last at least 40k and probably 50-60 with highway driving. (I am still on a set of aftermarket pads and have over 50k on them and they are still only 60% worn)
It seems that the rotor problem is very common among older Aleros. There have been several posts regarding them. But 4 sets seems extreme. Im not sure what GM did to cure the problem for the later models but the dealership should have replaced them with better rotors while the waranty was still active. I'm not sure if you can go back on the dealer now but check out the older posts in this room. Now that your warranty is over I would suggest a local mechanic for future brake work.
This is not the case with all franchises however. After receiving a quote of $1500 at one Speedy to get his car certified, my brother in law asked me to look at it. After looking at the work order and inspecting the car there was more than $850 worth of bogus work "needed". I took the same car to a different Speedy myself and told them what I thought it needed for the safety and they did exactly what I told them it needed for $640. Needles to say its a crap shoot with these places.
What I would recomend is a small local mechanic. If he is in the neighborhood, he can't afford to be badmouthed and I have found most of them to be honest. Better yet, get a refferal from a friend who uses one close by. Another good way is to check with the BBB. They will have a list of garages with previous complaints. Most places will still have a few complaints but theBBB will be able to tell you of the worst offenders.
On the other hand, now that I am driving a new car, I will take it to the dealer for work until the warranty expires. After that I will still use them for diagnostic or other major work because they know the car the best. But minor stuff like brakes, exhaust, tires, etc. I will take it to my local mechanic (if I have no time to do it myself). Hope this helps.
mij325 : We have both an 02 Alero and an 00 Intrigue. Both are good but I would generally avoid both of their first years. Many 98 Intrigues had brake and steering shaft issues and some 99 Aleros had water leak problems. Always best to go with as late a model as you can as the bugs get fewer and fewer. We have been very happy with both cars.
I would be most appreciative for any input!!!!
I need to make this decision by tomorrow, July 2nd. HELP!
Well, the 99 Alero is a fine car, as a good friend of mine has one. However, you neglected to mention details like sedan/coupe, engine size, etc.
With all the great deals and improvements they've made to the Alero, I'd pony up a little extra dough for a 2002. The new 4 cylinder engine is a nice improvement over the 2.4 in the 1999.
With the 2002, you get more standard features plus a 5/yr 60,000 bumper-bumper warranty.
The alero is a nice step up from the prizm...something you'll enjoy driving for a long time.
While I sympathize, your issues do not mean the car is bad. It means you may have a lemon and your dealer is incompetent.
The details of the car are as follows:
4 cyl, - wish it was 6 but it is OK.
2.4L engine
Sadan
Any additional advice? Any tips? I will take all I can get.
Did you get any kind of warranty with it or was it a private sale? The only issue my mom has really had with her 99 was a couple of loose trim pieces after a few thousand miles. I would check that. Do you know if it's a GX or a GL?
I am in the process of deciding if I should get a warrenty or not. It is a bit of money but ovbiously if something goes wrong it is well worth it. I will make that decision today when I do all the paper work and pick up my car. The car is a GL.
I had a trusted service person look over it again yesterday and everything really does look good. I am looking forward to driving it!!!!
Any other comments or tips? Like I said I will take all I can get to keep this car operating as smooth as possible.
I too have an extended warranty option. The cost is $2300 which would cover 3 years. I just recently bought this car and I've read about water leaks and break problems with this car. I'm thinking of purchasing this warranty. Does anyone have any suggestions on whether they think this is too expensive or worth it or not?
Thanks.
However, I bought the warranty toward the end of manufacturer warranty period. Something like at 32k(?) and 34 months after the car was build (July 1997, in door jamb). I felt that the car is not OK. Too much small problems fixed under warranty. I bought it used with 15k miles, and the first owner probably had reason to unload it. According to salesman, the previous owner was GM (lemon?).
I have few problems with another car, the 2000 Buick Regal. If no serious problems will develop during the next year, I will not buy a warranty.
With my experience, I would suggest to wait almost till the end of the manufacturer warranty. If the car turns not reliable, I will buy an aftermarket extended warranty. Otherwise, self-insurance.
However, it depends. If it is difficult to afford the warranty, it will be even more difficult to afford a major repair. Self-insurance is less expensive, in average, but it needs enough free funds - as financial reserve...
See my previous posting: for $1204 I bought an extended warranty for 6 years (after original 3 year one), and 100k miles (including the 36000 covered by original warranty). This is bumper to bumper plan, with zero deductible. Aftermarket, the company name is Warranty Gold. I found them on Internet and bought by phone.
Anyone else have similar experience?