Hi there, I was wondering if anyone would have a suggestion to fix my problem before I consult my dealer. I have a '99, 4 door, Alero and over the weekend I wanted to raise my "powered" seat up. When I flicked the switch up (located at the bottom left side of the seat) the seat motor hums but the seat doesn't move up (or any furthur down for that matter). Would anyone know how to fix this little problem of mine?
We just got snow dumped on us here in the Denver area, and on my way home a chick skidded into the back of my baby. The funny part though: I knew her. I looked at my bumper @ a gas station and there are three nice hefty, long scratches across it. There's no telling, though, how much damage there is under the bumper. I am so glad the accident wasn't my fault!
BEFORE the accident I had a couple of minutes to try out the traction control for the first time. I wasn't too impressed. It says in the manual that it limits wheel spin. I noticed however, that it takes a real heavy foot upon acceleration (and the act of keeping it heavy) to have the system intervene. I punched the gas upon a green light, but the LOW TRAC light didn't appear until after about 6-8 seconds of wheel spin. If you are used to driving in the snow (which I am) you usually recognize wheel spin and quickly let off the gas. You don't need the car to do that for you on top of letting you know conditions are bad with the LOW TRAC light. That's just me though...
RE JK296: It sounds like there might be something wedged (maybe a coin or a straw) that may be causing your problem. I'm not an expert on this car (yet), but check to make sure that underneath the seat is completely clear.
So far as I know, the traction control on the Alero is not "full" TC but a cheaper and less effective version. The TC on our Intrigue seems to work better though I still appreciate it on the Alero. No snow to try again yet this year though.
I've noticed a few problems with my car, that I can definitely live with, but would like to get checked out before the warrant is up:
1: Trunk sometimes takes a hard slam to close, or may take up to 4 tries to get the job done.
2: Today there was a profound clicking when I had the heater on, and the sound didn't quit when I changed the directional knob on the heater. It was coming from the area where the heat comes onto the front passenger foot-area. It finally quit after having the heater off for about 10 min. then restarting.
3: There is an occasional bubbling noise when braking. Had this on my Malibu but never had it checked out.
Anyway, like I said, it's nothing that needs to be done now, just before the warranty runs dry.
Today I was standing over the kitchen sink and I accidently dropped my key fob and keys into a bowl that was full of water. I quickly pulled them out and pretty much assumed they were toast...much to my surprise though they worked!
Anyway, feedback on my little issues would be great. Thanks in advance.
I thought about the above question the other day. The manual says the vehicle stops the wheels from spinning by upshifting the transmission and cutting engine power...therefore it seems impossible to me to have this combination, but I was just curious. Any thoughts?
Our Alero has had 1 issue, a fogged up headlight. The other issue now is a creaky driver seat. The car is amazingly rattle free though, I love that part.
I have an '01 5 sp., and was told by the dealer I have (and there is also a button behind the shifter for) traction control. I don't believe it's ever kicked in since I've owned the car however, even when letting out the clutch with too much gas, causing a significant chirp of the tires.
My 2002 Alero is hardly two years old and the dash pad and three door pads have come come un-glued just after it turned 37,000 miles.
Since it had gone past the 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty, neither the dealer I purchased it from nor GM would fix it even though the cause of the defect was simply poor factory workmanship and materials used to manufacture the Alero.
The pictures of my 2002 Alero and how terrible the dash and door pads have come un-glued an buckled can be viewed at http://www.alero.info.
This is a site every one who owns an Alero or who is thinking about buying an Alero should see.
If a dealer who is trying to sell you an Alero will not give you a written guarantee the they will replace the dash and door pads in case you have the same problems with the dash and door pads coming unglued like mine has--pass it up no matter how good the car looks at the time.
Trust me, the dash and door pads will not hold up and will sooner or later look just like mine does right now on my 2002 Alero at 37,000 miles in 2 years. The defective dash and door pads had nothing to do with the miles the car has been driven.
I understand your frustration with this problem. If this happened to our car, I would be pretty upset. However, it sounds like you consider this a universal problem with all Aleros, but it isn't. Ours is a 2000 GLS, and the dash and door panels look as good as the day we bought it.
Hey Jeremy, congrats on your new baby, welcome to the family, and thanks for livening up this board!
I have an '01 GL2, Black 4-dr w/ the 2.4 and 5-sp. Love it, and have had 32,000 virtually trouble free miles (except for failed turn signal/hazard switch).
It DOES have Traction Control, even w/ the 5-sp. Like you say, it's not the best system out there, but it does kick in and is pretty effective w/ a manual tranny where you can start in 2nd or 3rd gear to further lower torque.
Then on top of these charges there is the hazardous waste disposal, paint costs, and rental car charge. Total the estimated $742.76 USD. One again, I'm glad it wasn't my fault.
When I had first showed the estimator the scratches (or what I thought to be scratches) he immediately informed me that they were stress cracks in the paint and bumper cover. Interesting...
I really wish this hadn't happened, since the car has less than 30K on it. :-(
Wish the "Silver Bullet" good luck when she goes under the knife...err, I mean screwdriver.
I heard you mention a seat rattle. Does it occur when you accelerate and your body weight shifts a bit? Mine does that but doesn't continue to make noise when I am cruising. Let me know what they find with it.
BTW, It looks like my tires need just a bit more air in them. Even if I add a little to all of them, do I still have to reset the LOW TIRE PRESSURE light? If so, is the only way to do it by removing the fuse panel cover on the driver's side dash? I heard that another way was by using the reset button on the dash. Is this true?
I don't have the tire pressure light (I have a GX) so I know nothing about it, sorry.
Seat creaks when I sit down initially and move around more than a little. It sounds like an old door though not as loud. I suspect it needs some lubrication but it's hard to know where with the power seat mechanism under there so I will let the shop do it next oil change.
You won't need to reset the tire pressure light if you add more air. The system will keep monitoring...(i believe checking whether there is a greater than 5psi difference between any two tires.)
Do you have alloy wheels? If so, you may find that you need to air more frequently now that it is cold out. I know some people (including myself) have had issue with tires losing air more frequently b/c cold weather causes different rates of shrinikng in the wheels and tires - resulting in slight air leaks.
I've never heard that you could use the (odometer?) reset button on the dash to reset the tire sensor. If you find out how, let us know!
You use the same reset button that you use to reset the oil change monitor light but with a different sequencing. This is done after getting new tires also. Check your manual.
The "bubbling sound when you use the brakes" is indeed odd. Is it fluid (e.g. gas tank) you hear gurgling around. If you find you have to push the pedal down harder to get the same stopping power, drive (slowly) to your mechanic now. That could indicate air in the brake fluid.
Traction control: on our 2000 Alero GLS (V6, auto) the traction control system comes on within a fraction of a second as does the light.
I would definitely (for starters) looks at how the trunk lid operates and see if something is bent out of shape/misaligned or, even better, maybe it just needs to be cleaned and lubed. Having to slam your trunk like that is definitely not right.
A co-worker has a 1999 Pontiac Montana with the 3.4L , pushrod, V6 engine. He mentioned that it seems to be leaking coolant around the middle gasket, which caught my attention since our Alero has basically the same engine (2000, 95000km/59000miles)
Has anyone seen or heard of something like this with 3.4L V6 Aleros. Just curious of what might be to come. Then again, we've never had any warped rotor problems so it's a bit hit and miss on this stuff.
The leaking intake manifold gasket is a well known problem on the 3.4, along with other V6's. I suppose that is the leaking "middle gasket" your referring to.
Well I took a gander at the manual and I must have misunderstood the first time read it about the T/P warning light. The only way you can reset the system is by using the reset button in the fuse panel. You can access this by removing the fuse panel end cap on the drivers side of the dash. Sorry for the confusion.
Today I got the windows tinted on the Silver Bullet...she looks sweet! I got them tinted as dark as legally possible. I got every window other than the windshield done for only $89.00. There are zero bubbles in it and it looks great!
Okay...so after I wrote the above post, I went to the movie store. Upon my departure, being the moron that I am, I *gently* curbed checked a parking block. When I got home I checked the wheels and found a small scrape across the left front alloy. Will this cause the wheel to rust prematurely? Can I get it resurfaced or anything of that nature? If I can figure out how, I'll post a picture to show ya sometime next week. I seriously wanted to slam my head against a brick wall for being so careless...
It might rust, I'm not sure what you can do to fix that up though.
There have a couple of paint scratches on our Alero but I have not got around to touching them up. It's hard to see these things on your pride and joy!
I would definitely purchase a new wheel. So, yeah...I hope they don't rust.
Speaking of wheels, I need a balance and rotation. I noticed a little shim in my wheel while on a trip to Ft. Collins, Colorado today. There was only a bit of shake over 90 mph...oops...did I say that out loud? (I wanted to stretch her legs a bit.)
While on my outing, I realized that this car does an awesome job on the highway. The MPG is extremely impressive compared to city driving. I usually get about 230 miles per tank (I fill it up before my light comes on), and today while still having a quarter tank left, I have 210 miles on the tripometer. Hopefully that will come out to at least 25 MPG.
I was also curious, when you guys figure your MPG, how do you do it? What tank size do you use? I think the tank is approximately 14.1 gallons, but of course the light comes on long before the 13.5 mark. I usually do it with the miles driven divided by what it takes to fill it up. I run the engine on Conoco, Texaco, or Shell mid-grade gasoline, if that makes any difference.
Today I did notice one or two rattles. One where the dash reaches the windshield and the other near the upper door speaker around the A pillar on the passenger side (I think I mentioned this one before). I also noticed a little bubbling or ungluing on the passenger side door padding where it meets the window. Hopefully this will only be isolated to that one door. I'll be sure to get it all fixed before 36K.
Also, I know a guy who works at a Goodwrench service dealer. He told me that before the warranty runs out, to bring her in and tell the advisor that there is "some sort of oil leak," whether you actually notice one or not. He said that many GM vehicles develop any given leak before 36K and the techs are likely to find something that will be fixed on the dealership's dime.
I still haven't gotten the back end of the Silver Bullet fixed yet. The insurance company that is supposed to be paying for it is giving me the runaround and I'm getting pretty sick of it. When they called to take my statement, they tried to get me to say something that would point the finger away from their driver who hit me. Yeah right...I may be dumb, but I'm not THAT dumb. They also said an adjuster would contact me by Monday...still waiting.
On a lighter note, I was thinking about giving the car a true wax. On my Malibu, I used Eagle One Wax As You Dry a couple of times and got pretty good results. This time though, I think I will do it the hard way. I wanted to look into Eagle One Carnauba Wax, but we'll see what I end up using. BTW is it too soon to do a wax? I have 26.5K miles on it.
Anyway, everything is great here. I'm in love with the car still and hopefully will be for a very long time to come. I can still smell the new car smell...ummmmmm :-) I will definitely try to post photos of my baby.
Wow! I must be the only bored one on Christmas Eve...
Anyway, I was curious what brand and weight of oil everyone runs in their Aleros. In my Malibu, I used Valvoline 5W-30 Durablend, which is a synthetic blend. I was thinking, however, of switching to Mobil 1 pure synthetic in my new ride. I have always used and will continue to use Fram oil filters as well as air filters. Feedback on this topic would be great! Thanks.
I use Quaker State Synthetic blend 5W30 and some off brand oil filter that the quick change place uses. I really question the need for a synthetic blend (or full synthetic) but the quick change place offers a good deal on this level of service. $34.95 minus $5 coupon with 8th service free comes to about $26. This service includes check everything, replenish all fluids, and tire rotation. The last time consumer reports tested motor oil (which was quite awhile ago) they saw no benefit in synthetic oil and recommended regular dino oil. I also like Fram filters back from the days when I used to do it myself. Now I settle for whatever the quick change place has. If you do a search on Fram you can find some discussion boards giving them a bad rap. It seems when you dissamble them and compare some of the internal parts to other brands the Fram falls short. However, I see no evidence that Fram does not provide the filtration required by today's engines. The more expensive filters may be overkill.
I agree with Mikey on the expensive filters. I once purchased a "high performance" filter from Mobil 1 for my Malibu (don't ask me why) and it cost me $12. Then when I looked at the box, it reccommended a new filter in only 3K miles! WHAT?!? Twelve bucks for an oil filter and it can't last longer than 3K?
About the oil, my grandmother used to have a Ford something or other when I was younger, in which the shop she did her oil changes at, used Pennzoil, the makers of Quaker State. At like 45K the engine went. When they replaced the engine, they said the failure was due to excessive wear in the cylinder walls. Who knows if that was the real reason, but that's why I stay away from Pennzoil and Quaker State, as does my family. I guess it also could have been because it was a Ford...
On our way back from North Bay to Brockville (400km/250miles) I noticed a low-pitched "whirring" sound when driving without the stereo and on dry pavement. It definitely wasn't coming from the rear, and was louder when heard from the driver's seat than the front passenger's.
I checked the tire pressures (Michelin Arctic Alpins on steel wheels), and they were all 30psi so no problem there.
After we got back home, I brought it in and had the front, driver's side wheel bearing replaced. A quick spin down the highway clearly showed how much quieter the car now was and now you could hear the real tire noise - which is actually not nearly as loud as the failing bearing.
Damage (CDN$)=$295 aftermarket part+$58.40 labour OEM part was $150 more, which I did NOT go with.
According to the mechanic I spoke to, this is a pretty common repair among Grand Am too (a fellow N-chassis!).
Okay, so to the list of "classic" N-chassis problems: (1) wheel bearing (2) warped rotor (3) blower motor resistor (4) intake manifold gasket (5) fuel-level sensor in gas tank
Personally, I like long product cycles. At least I know what I'm getting into.
Yeah, when I sold my Malibu, my wheel bearing was taking a dump. My next door neighbor had his done for nearly $1K. That's one reason why I sold the "old hag" as I often refer to her as. Anyway, it may be a GM thing, because the Malibu, to my knowledge, is not on the N chassis with the Grand Am and Alero.
As most of you may know, I have a 2002 GL1. I was wondering a few things about Passlock and the keyless entry system. Why, if the vehicle has been locked from the key fob, does the alarm not go off if the car is unlocked from the inside (simulating a thief breaking the glass and unlocking the door)? On my mom's 1999 Blazer, if you set the alarm via the key fob and try to unlock the door, the horn goes off and the lights flash. Also, upon exiting her vehicle, her "SECURITY" light, which is amber in color, flashes, reminding the driver to set the alarm by either locking the doors from the key fob or the power door locks. Why doesn't the red security light on the our Alero do that? Is the security system on the two vehicles the same or not? I would assume so since they are both GM and use the same key fob, but I may be wrong. I have the Adobe Acrobat version of the manual on my computer so I'll take a look, but any insight to this would be great. Thanks!
I had the 2000 program GL Alero for just over 3 years and 26000 miles. Moderate problems, blower resistor twice, Injector, steering rack, noisy front end, i.e. strut bearings, radio cd,cassette sucked too much noise interference. The noisy strut bearings were cured by spraying heavy duty silicon spray through the top holes above the bearings. Dealer had dropped the engine cradle and lubricated the sway bar bushings with no help.
Averaged 26 mpg or more for the distance. Was a program vehicle with 8000 miles when purchased and 34202 when traded in on a 2002 Buick regal with 8000 miles.
I will now take my wife's 2000 GX intrigue with 48000 miles and let her drive the fully loaded Buick with most every whistle and bell. However no heated seats.
Liked the Alero but the Intrigue is a much better ride. Fuel mileage was within 10% of being the same between the two.
Other than intermediate shaft and steering rack the Intrigue has been bullet proof.
Sitting in the two car garage and looking at a buick and intrigue one wonders, what's the difference? The ride is probably a little softer in the Buick. But, otherwise they are almost the same.
I just love the proven designs that are being discontinued.
I must find this Info. again as to where the Buick regal reliability was better than the camcords and the minima or something like that. This was supposed to have been in Nov. consumers Digest and the Wall Street journal.
Are the Buick components really THAT much more expensive that a Pontiac or (now lamented) Oldsmobile ? As Honda and Toyota have shown, people are ready to pay for that and THEN some, although it takes a while to change a reputation.
Of course, it takes a while to lose 10 or 20% market share too.
Today I was curious how much my Alero was worth. I knew that being a GM and since Oldsmobile is being phased out that the car would depreciate quicker than others, but I was shocked at how much. Right now I owe about $11.5K (haven't even made a car payment yet) and my car's TMV is set at about $8.5K. Either I got screwed or the car just plain sucks at holding its value...maybe both. Any thoughts?
This new Grand Am (or is it G6?) has the clean, clad-free styling that made the Alero more appealing than the old Grand Am. I'm impressed -- this is a sharp-looking car. I think a new Alero would have been redundant.
Comments
I was wondering if anyone would have a suggestion to fix my problem before I consult my dealer. I have a '99, 4 door, Alero and over the weekend I wanted to raise my "powered" seat up. When I flicked the switch up (located at the bottom left side of the seat) the seat motor hums but the seat doesn't move up (or any furthur down for that matter). Would anyone know how to fix this little problem of mine?
BEFORE the accident I had a couple of minutes to try out the traction control for the first time. I wasn't too impressed. It says in the manual that it limits wheel spin. I noticed however, that it takes a real heavy foot upon acceleration (and the act of keeping it heavy) to have the system intervene. I punched the gas upon a green light, but the LOW TRAC light didn't appear until after about 6-8 seconds of wheel spin. If you are used to driving in the snow (which I am) you usually recognize wheel spin and quickly let off the gas. You don't need the car to do that for you on top of letting you know conditions are bad with the LOW TRAC light. That's just me though...
RE JK296: It sounds like there might be something wedged (maybe a coin or a straw) that may be causing your problem. I'm not an expert on this car (yet), but check to make sure that underneath the seat is completely clear.
Jeremy
1: Trunk sometimes takes a hard slam to close, or may take up to 4 tries to get the job done.
2: Today there was a profound clicking when I had the heater on, and the sound didn't quit when I changed the directional knob on the heater. It was coming from the area where the heat comes onto the front passenger foot-area. It finally quit after having the heater off for about 10 min. then restarting.
3: There is an occasional bubbling noise when braking. Had this on my Malibu but never had it checked out.
Anyway, like I said, it's nothing that needs to be done now, just before the warranty runs dry.
Today I was standing over the kitchen sink and I accidently dropped my key fob and keys into a bowl that was full of water. I quickly pulled them out and pretty much assumed they were toast...much to my surprise though they worked!
Anyway, feedback on my little issues would be great. Thanks in advance.
Jeremy
Jeremy
Brake bubbling is a new one?
Our Alero has had 1 issue, a fogged up headlight. The other issue now is a creaky driver seat. The car is amazingly rattle free though, I love that part.
Since it had gone past the 36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty, neither the dealer I purchased it from nor GM would fix it even though the cause of the defect was simply poor factory workmanship and materials used to manufacture the Alero.
The pictures of my 2002 Alero and how terrible the dash and door pads have come un-glued an buckled can be viewed at http://www.alero.info.
This is a site every one who owns an Alero or who is thinking about buying an Alero should see.
If a dealer who is trying to sell you an Alero will not give you a written guarantee the they will replace the dash and door pads in case you have the same problems with the dash and door pads coming unglued like mine has--pass it up no matter how good the car looks at the time.
Trust me, the dash and door pads will not hold up and will sooner or later look just like mine does right now on my 2002 Alero at 37,000 miles in 2 years. The defective dash and door pads had nothing to do with the miles the car has been driven.
I have an '01 GL2, Black 4-dr w/ the 2.4 and 5-sp. Love it, and have had 32,000 virtually trouble free miles (except for failed turn signal/hazard switch).
It DOES have Traction Control, even w/ the 5-sp. Like you say, it's not the best system out there, but it does kick in and is pretty effective w/ a manual tranny where you can start in 2nd or 3rd gear to further lower torque.
The dash is pulling away from the center vent in my Intrigue.
GM may (and I think will) fix it under "good will" but they don't have to. Let us know what happen.
:-P
I got the estimate back on my car today. Here's what they need to do:
1. Rear decklid - repair(re-align)
2. Rear bumper cover overhaul
3. Rear bumper cover - refinish
4. Replace 2 rear bumper cover retainers
5. Replace rear bumper cover absorber
Then on top of these charges there is the hazardous waste disposal, paint costs, and rental car charge. Total the estimated $742.76 USD. One again, I'm glad it wasn't my fault.
When I had first showed the estimator the scratches (or what I thought to be scratches) he immediately informed me that they were stress cracks in the paint and bumper cover. Interesting...
I really wish this hadn't happened, since the car has less than 30K on it. :-(
Wish the "Silver Bullet" good luck when she goes under the knife...err, I mean screwdriver.
Jeremy
BTW, It looks like my tires need just a bit more air in them. Even if I add a little to all of them, do I still have to reset the LOW TIRE PRESSURE light? If so, is the only way to do it by removing the fuse panel cover on the driver's side dash? I heard that another way was by using the reset button on the dash. Is this true?
Jeremy
Seat creaks when I sit down initially and move around more than a little. It sounds like an old door though not as loud. I suspect it needs some lubrication but it's hard to know where with the power seat mechanism under there so I will let the shop do it next oil change.
Do you have alloy wheels? If so, you may find that you need to air more frequently now that it is cold out. I know some people (including myself) have had issue with tires losing air more frequently b/c cold weather causes different rates of shrinikng in the wheels and tires - resulting in slight air leaks.
I've never heard that you could use the (odometer?) reset button on the dash to reset the tire sensor. If you find out how, let us know!
Traction control: on our 2000 Alero GLS (V6, auto) the traction control system comes on within a fraction of a second as does the light.
Tire pressure in cold weather:
http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/maintenance.html
I would definitely (for starters) looks at how the trunk lid operates and see if something is bent out of shape/misaligned or, even better, maybe it just needs to be cleaned and lubed. Having to slam your trunk like that is definitely not right.
Has anyone seen or heard of something like this with 3.4L V6 Aleros. Just curious of what might be to come. Then again, we've never had any warped rotor problems so it's a bit hit and miss on this stuff.
Jeremy
Today I got the windows tinted on the Silver Bullet...she looks sweet! I got them tinted as dark as legally possible. I got every window other than the windshield done for only $89.00. There are zero bubbles in it and it looks great!
Jeremy
Jeremy
How deep is the scratch?
jeremy
There have a couple of paint scratches on our Alero but I have not got around to touching them up. It's hard to see these things on your pride and joy!
;-)
Speaking of wheels, I need a balance and rotation. I noticed a little shim in my wheel while on a trip to Ft. Collins, Colorado today. There was only a bit of shake over 90 mph...oops...did I say that out loud? (I wanted to stretch her legs a bit.)
While on my outing, I realized that this car does an awesome job on the highway. The MPG is extremely impressive compared to city driving. I usually get about 230 miles per tank (I fill it up before my light comes on), and today while still having a quarter tank left, I have 210 miles on the tripometer. Hopefully that will come out to at least 25 MPG.
I was also curious, when you guys figure your MPG, how do you do it? What tank size do you use? I think the tank is approximately 14.1 gallons, but of course the light comes on long before the 13.5 mark. I usually do it with the miles driven divided by what it takes to fill it up. I run the engine on Conoco, Texaco, or Shell mid-grade gasoline, if that makes any difference.
Today I did notice one or two rattles. One where the dash reaches the windshield and the other near the upper door speaker around the A pillar on the passenger side (I think I mentioned this one before). I also noticed a little bubbling or ungluing on the passenger side door padding where it meets the window. Hopefully this will only be isolated to that one door. I'll be sure to get it all fixed before 36K.
Also, I know a guy who works at a Goodwrench service dealer. He told me that before the warranty runs out, to bring her in and tell the advisor that there is "some sort of oil leak," whether you actually notice one or not. He said that many GM vehicles develop any given leak before 36K and the techs are likely to find something that will be fixed on the dealership's dime.
I still haven't gotten the back end of the Silver Bullet fixed yet. The insurance company that is supposed to be paying for it is giving me the runaround and I'm getting pretty sick of it. When they called to take my statement, they tried to get me to say something that would point the finger away from their driver who hit me. Yeah right...I may be dumb, but I'm not THAT dumb. They also said an adjuster would contact me by Monday...still waiting.
On a lighter note, I was thinking about giving the car a true wax. On my Malibu, I used Eagle One Wax As You Dry a couple of times and got pretty good results. This time though, I think I will do it the hard way. I wanted to look into Eagle One Carnauba Wax, but we'll see what I end up using. BTW is it too soon to do a wax? I have 26.5K miles on it.
Anyway, everything is great here. I'm in love with the car still and hopefully will be for a very long time to come. I can still smell the new car smell...ummmmmm :-) I will definitely try to post photos of my baby.
Jeremy
Anyway, I was curious what brand and weight of oil everyone runs in their Aleros. In my Malibu, I used Valvoline 5W-30 Durablend, which is a synthetic blend. I was thinking, however, of switching to Mobil 1 pure synthetic in my new ride. I have always used and will continue to use Fram oil filters as well as air filters. Feedback on this topic would be great! Thanks.
Jeremy
Still no rattles but the seat belt mechanism makes a clicking rattle sound sometimes. Too minor to bother with it. Still have the sqeaky seat.
Merry Christmas.
The last time consumer reports tested motor oil (which was quite awhile ago) they saw no benefit in synthetic oil and recommended regular dino oil.
I also like Fram filters back from the days when I used to do it myself. Now I settle for whatever the quick change place has. If you do a search on Fram you can find some discussion boards giving them a bad rap. It seems when you dissamble them and compare some of the internal parts to other brands the Fram falls short. However, I see no evidence that Fram does not provide the filtration required by today's engines. The more expensive filters may be overkill.
About the oil, my grandmother used to have a Ford something or other when I was younger, in which the shop she did her oil changes at, used Pennzoil, the makers of Quaker State. At like 45K the engine went. When they replaced the engine, they said the failure was due to excessive wear in the cylinder walls. Who knows if that was the real reason, but that's why I stay away from Pennzoil and Quaker State, as does my family. I guess it also could have been because it was a Ford...
Jeremy
I checked the tire pressures (Michelin Arctic Alpins on steel wheels), and they were all 30psi so no problem there.
After we got back home, I brought it in and had the front, driver's side wheel bearing replaced. A quick spin down the highway clearly showed how much quieter the car now was and now you could hear the real tire noise - which is actually not nearly as loud as the failing bearing.
Damage (CDN$)=$295 aftermarket part+$58.40 labour
OEM part was $150 more, which I did NOT go with.
According to the mechanic I spoke to, this is a pretty common repair among Grand Am too (a fellow N-chassis!).
Okay, so to the list of "classic" N-chassis problems:
(1) wheel bearing
(2) warped rotor
(3) blower motor resistor
(4) intake manifold gasket
(5) fuel-level sensor in gas tank
Personally, I like long product cycles. At least I know what I'm getting into.
Jeremy
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Jeremy
Jeremy
Averaged 26 mpg or more for the distance. Was a program vehicle with 8000 miles when purchased and 34202 when traded in on a 2002 Buick regal with 8000 miles.
I will now take my wife's 2000 GX intrigue with 48000 miles and let her drive the fully loaded Buick with most every whistle and bell. However no heated seats.
Liked the Alero but the Intrigue is a much better ride. Fuel mileage was within 10% of being the same between the two.
Other than intermediate shaft and steering rack the Intrigue has been bullet proof.
Sitting in the two car garage and looking at a buick and intrigue one wonders, what's the difference? The ride is probably a little softer in the Buick. But, otherwise they are almost the same.
I just love the proven designs that are being discontinued.
I must find this Info. again as to where the Buick regal reliability was better than the camcords and the minima or something like that. This was supposed to have been in Nov. consumers Digest and the Wall Street journal.
Glad you like your Intrigue as much as we enjoy ours.
Jeremy
If you compare vehicles at:
http://www.jdpower.com/cc/auto/index.jsp#
With only giving weight to the longterm dependability, and list the Regal against the Accord/Camry/Altima it comes out looking pretty darn good.
As a make, Buick has done well based on 3-year reliability -- so why the heck can't GM put that know-how into ALL of their products ?
http://www.jdpower.com/awards/industry/pressrelease.asp?StudyID=7- 49&CatID=1
Are the Buick components really THAT much more expensive that a Pontiac or (now lamented) Oldsmobile ? As Honda and Toyota have shown, people are ready to pay for that and THEN some, although it takes a while to change a reputation.
Of course, it takes a while to lose 10 or 20% market share too.
Jeremy
:-(
http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/04images/05g6_1.jpg
Beautiful.
Jeremy