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Oldsmobile Alero

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Comments

  • theworldizmyntheworldizmyn Member Posts: 16
    (in case you don't know what I'm talking about, I was asking about the Alero, if it was a good family car or not)
    I'm pretty much leaning towards the Alero either '99 or '00 Alero GLS. I want the v6, because I'll feel more secure when I need to get out of a tight situation while my child is in the backseat and my fiance sitting next to me. I want to ability to move QUICKLY!!
    On the other hand, about 25% of my choice is to go for a Malibu. Just because of more space, apparently. I'll have to look into it more.
    Anyways, I've heard that the Malibu is roomier and has a better highway ride. On the other hand, I've heard the same for the Alero, and that the Alero has a more fun ride on the highway then the Malibu. I've also heard that the Malibu has a bland interior, as opposed to the Alero. I don't want to start any fights, but I want to know what's-what with these two cars.
    Very Kindly,
    The World Is Myn
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I drove a Malibu rental and I thought the V6 was very smooth. In fact, I thought it was smoother and more quiet than the 3.4L in the Alero. I had a 3.1L in my old Cavalier and it was bulletproof for 8 years. Don't agree with the "buzzy" comment at all.
  • dr_cmbdr_cmb Member Posts: 8
    I looked at the Malibu last summer when I was buying a new car, and I stepped in and stepped right out. For starters, I could barely see over the steering wheel. (Granted, I'm short---Mr. The World is Myn: has your wife done a test drive? ) Then I thought the interior was really cheap looking. The Alero is just a nicer car, IMHO. I've got the V6 and it drives very well---smooth and quiet.

    I admit I know nothing about the child seat issue, except that I remembered reading other comments about the shortcomings of the Alero in this area.
  • hengheng Member Posts: 411
    Could have been the particular rental I had. It also was a green engine.

    Bottom line: test drive any vehicle under consideration before deciding.
  • rdeschenerdeschene Member Posts: 331
    Honestly, I think you're at the point of needing (wanting? :-) to take an Alero V6 and a Malibu V6 for a test drive. When it comes to these subjective points, the only truly important opinions are those of the people who will be driving your car: namely you fiancee and yourself.

    Personally, we rented and test-drove a Grand-Am, and I drove a Malibu and an Alero before deciding on a car. All were V-6 BTW. In the end, we did decide on the Alero - firm, comfortable front seats; direct steering; good handling and power and hwy fuel economoy; adequate rear seat and trunk room.

    Tell us about your test drives,
    Rick D.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Sorry if we confused you. Welcome to the World of car shopping!!!!! So many cars to choose from and so many things to consider. Your best bet is to test drive a V6 alero and a V6 Malibu, if they are your final choices, and see which one you liek better. My driving is primaily on the highway so I preferred the Malibu. The Alero may fit your driving habits better. Also i'm 6'4" tall and like the addtional room in the malibu. You may not need that room. Buy whichever is best for you and your family. But make sure you test the car under the conditions you will drive it most. make sure your family is in the car for the final test drive. This way you'll see if oyu can live with this car for the next 4 or 5 years.

    Good luck and keep us informed.
  • jpelderjpelder Member Posts: 235
    The Malibu is definitely larger...trunk is 3 cubic feet larger. I was surprised at how sporty the Mailbu handled, and the engine is perfect! However, road noise is more intrusive than with the Alero. Plus, for the money, alero offers more...like a better stereo, fold down rear seats, rear cupholders...little things like that. I agree with the person above about the interior. Malibu interior is very spartan..alero is nicer.

    If this car is to be your main family vehicle, I think I may pick the Malibu. I am going for the Alero, but I already have a truck and a van so space is not my main concern.
  • mirthmirth Member Posts: 1,212
    My wife previously leased a Malibu V6 for 3 years, and now owns an Alero V6. Two times in the last six months of the lease, the Malibu broke down and left her stranded. I don't remember the details of what went wrong (we were just dating at the time), but it cost her abut $400 for each visit.

    IMHO, the Alero is quicker and handles better than the Malibu. It's almost 2 years old now with 28K miles, and other than oil changes it's only been into the dealer once to replace a door seal. I love this car now but maybe in a couple of years I'll be cursing it. I think dtownfb has it right that American cars are hit or miss.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Older Malibus had some quality problems. The newer ones seem fine from what I hear. My mom has a early 99 Alero which I advised her not to get. Fortunately I was wrong and it's been three years of trouble free driving.
  • mirthmirth Member Posts: 1,212
    Yeah, her Malibu was a '97.
  • jpelderjpelder Member Posts: 235
    I learned today that Oldsmobile will start manufacturing 2002 aleros with 5 speed this month. THat is why they haven't been available yet. I will let you know when I can drive one with the 2.2L. I ordered one today for delivery in 5 weeks.
  • sam775sam775 Member Posts: 22
    Was the 8 speaker 200 watt audio system available for 2001 models or is it just for 2002? Also, if anyone could let me know how does it sound compared to the 6 speaker set-up?

    Some time ago I was debating between an Alero and a Cirrus. Well, my Cirrus has been totaled by a reckless driver and now I'm looking for a new ride. Liked the Alero then, still like it now. I was wondering about the audio option since they have cash back for $2K on 01 models and just $1K on 02 models. If the system is available for the 01 I will try to find one with the options I want. Thanks.
  • tuckbartuckbar Member Posts: 1
    I just bought an 02 Alero GL2 last week (my wife has a '99 GL1) and I splurged for the 6cyl & the 200w stereo. WOW! what a difference in both. the stock stereo in my wife's car sounds very good, but is not very loud. the 200w sounds slightly better but doesn't distort a high levels. Also the base stereo has a 2 band EQ (treb. & bass) but the 200w has a 3 band EQ (treb, mid, & bass)

    I couldn't pass up the $1500 owner loyalty, $1000 rebate, $950 on the GM credit card and getting the car at invoice. In the end I paid $16,932 for a car with a $22,010 sticker! and they give a 5 yr 60k mile warranty!

    splurge! get the GL2 with the sun & sound pkg. you will LOVE it!
  • theworldizmyntheworldizmyn Member Posts: 16
    Is there anyone, which I'm assuming that there are, who has put mods into/onto their Alero, and has had a great car ever since? How much have you put into the car, and are there any types of car kits for alero's? What kind of mods have you done to your engine, and are they worth it? Please note if you have a V6 or 4cyl. and what package you have. Also what you whould recommend.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    I didn't put anything on my Alero and it's been a great car from day 1!

    Sorry, couldn't resist... ;^)
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    A guy 6 doors from me bought a new 02 Alero last week. I was walking down the street and saw him washing it so I asked him how he liked it so far. He has a automatic GL with the new Ecotec and the nice aluminum rims. He said he was happy so far and was just glad to get rid of his old Hyundia Sonata which was burning oil and had a lot of problems.

    I told him I was thinking about getting one so he gave me the name of the guy he bought from. Perhaps he will be my Alero buddy now. ;-)
  • jpelderjpelder Member Posts: 235
    WOW! I got to finally drive an 02' Alero GX sedan with the 5 speed manual and sport package. It is sweet! Much better than with the automatic. The 2.2L does very well. Try to drive one if you can...they are rare and just began production in November.
  • fclspatfclspat Member Posts: 61
    My mom owned a Malibu for a couple of years... wrecked it... and bought an Alero.

    What most are saying is on the money. Malibu has a v6 standard and has much more rear seat room (which is important w. an infant). The Alero is much more fun to drive and more sporty.

    Both cars are/were trouble free.

    I have an infant and have an Alero (in addition to a GMC Yukon). I must admit, the Alero has a very low roofline throughout and you have to be careful not to bump the baby's head on the rear door.

    IMHO, if I did not own the Yukon (which is the car my daughter is in 90% of the time), the Malibu may be the better choice... even though my 5spd Alero kicks butt and is a BLAST to drive.

    As for the American car reliability thing.... Mom has owned a Prism, Malibu and Alero. My wife owned a Cougar. I owned a Lebaron... not to mention the Yukon and Alero (and a 1963 Mecury)... all of these cars were problem free (except for a head gasket on the Cougar when it was 8 years old).... You can keep your rice burners, I'll keep America Rolling!
  • tschen01tschen01 Member Posts: 2
    I am in the market for a mid size sedan and am considering the Alero. Around KC where I live there are a lot of mid size sedans because people are trading in with the financing deals. I have a couple of concerns though. I know depreciation happens, but will the value of my Alero, if I buy one, fall through the floor when Olds is discontinued? Just how bad is the water leak problem and any other problems? I spoke with one dealer who said there was a recall because they had problems with a cylinder warping or sometimes collapsing in the V6's in the 2000's. Any truth? I know every make and model comes with it's quirks, but because I am looking at a mid size and the market is flooded, I want to make a good decision.

    Thanks,
    Troy
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Depreciation : Not a big issue as it's a twin of the Grand Am. I don't think it will be any worse really.

    Water leaks : Have not heard of any in 2001/02 models.

    V6 engine : Generally very reliable, sounds like a isolated incident.

    My mom bought a first year 99 GL V6 and it's been a fantastic car, very reliable. I don't think you will go wrong buying one.
  • jpelderjpelder Member Posts: 235
    Is anyone else out there having trouble getting an Alero? I want to order one to get just what I want, and my 3 dealers refused to take my order because they are closing out Oldsmobile on Jan 1. Another dealer said he needs to find out what his allocation is, before he can special order one for me. I will need the car by January, and since it takes several weeks for an ordered vehicle, I am concerned that I won't have one in time!

    By the way, I also heard that 2002 is the last year for the v-6 alero. I was hoping they would mate the 5 speed with the 3.4 for vrooooom! Rats!
  • mlm4mlm4 Member Posts: 401
    A lot of people are associating depreciation with the pending demise of the Oldsmobile brand, although I have yet to see any evidence that this has been (or will be) a factor. In fact, because the Alero is relatively popular, the loss of this model may drive up values of used ones (this is what happened when Isuzu changed the Trooper from a modestly priced truck into an expensive "luxury" SUV in the early '90s). The Alero is a good car (by GM standards), and we love our '01 GL2. We have a water leak in the front passenger footwell when the car is subjected to a typical Florida deluge (but otherwise it doesn't leak enough to be detectable). I found a GM TechNote article that indicates this could be caused by an improperly installed water dam under the hood (I posted the link on this board a few months ago). The dealer had to order a part and then ordered the wrong one, so the car has to go back for a third time -- hopefully it will be a charm, but they don't seem to know what they are doing.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    It's almost impossible to predict the depreciation. Yes, Olds will shut down and it doesn't help, but, the Alero is a very good car that's fairly popular. So many factors...

    I've had an Alero V6 for 3 years and have had no problems with it. Yes, a leak developed in mine too, but it was fixed in an hour by the dealer.

    About the 3.4 V6, yes, it had a lubrication problem in cylinders 5 and 6, but it's been fixed a while ago by reworking the lubrication channels and using tougher piston rings.

    Then again, there are fewer and fewer Olds dealers these days... :^(
  • chevynutchevynut Member Posts: 16
    Where do I find the paint code on my wife's 2001 Oldsmobile Alero GX. When I find it how do I read it?
  • adrianoadriano Member Posts: 3
    hello from France
    Here in France Oldsmobile Alero is called Chevrolet Alero because nobody know oldsmobile, you have just 2 versions 2.4l and 3.4v6 sedan and is sold just in GLS version with automatic or manual transmision, the 2.4l cost about 147000francs (22000 dollars), i think is expensive because here at the same price you can buy a Mercedes or BMW, from 1999 till 2001 just 450 Alero was sold, people are afraid to buy Chevrolet because the spare parts are expensives and difficult to find,and many people and newspapers say that american car are bad quality, you ve just 20 garages that sold Chevrolet in France, the engines are too big for french people (2.4-3.4)because here the gasoline is really very expensive about 1 dollar for 1 liter(in USA is about 0.30 cents for 1 liter), the 60% cars solds in France are diesel and people that buy gasoline cars the maximum power is 1.5l-1.6l. i buy Alero and for the moment i am happy just i am afraid about rotors, the problems is that here you should buy GM spare parts because you can not find aftermarket parts for this type of car!!
  • mlm4mlm4 Member Posts: 401
    The paint codes can be found on the Service Parts Identification Label which is on the underside of the spare tire cover in the trunk. The paint code is just below the long block of three-digit codes which are the RPO codes for the car, and I think is a five-digit code beginning with a "W". This is the code the dealer will need to match the touch-up paint.
  • mlm4mlm4 Member Posts: 401
    Bonjour. I agree with you about why GM cars are not popular in France: they are expensive, difficult to find service for, and the engines are too big (and no diesel offered). German cars like Mercedes and BMW are offered in Europe with smaller engines and fewer features than in the U.S., therefore they are less expensive and competitive with cars like the Alero. On my most recent visit to Paris I only saw a few Jeep Cherokees, Chrysler minivans and Chevrolet pickup trucks, but not many. I did not see any Aleros. Enjoy your car!
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    No offense, but French cars were very unsuccessful in this market due to terrible reliability. As a matter of fact, premium European cars, such as BMW, MB, etc, are the only surviving European cars in this market. Not because they are more reliable than domestic ones, which they are not, but because some people oblige to pay more for some snob appeal... ;^)
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Very true, European cars as a whole are 2nd to last in reliability, just in front of the Korean cars. Co-workers with BMWs are in the shop with big bills all the time. They are very nice cars, just not close to Japanese or even American quality.
  • alerogrrlalerogrrl Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Alero GLS. By and large I have had no problems with the car except for a persistent and very annoying problem. As the car is driven, there is a rubbing noise coming from the front end. It is not the brakes because the noise occurs whether or not the brakes are being used. Plus the noise slows when the car slows, and speeds up when the car speeds up. We tried all the usual remedies, including rotating the tires and having the rotors turned, and when that did not work, having new brakes put on. The noise kept coming back, but the dealer kept telling me there was nothing wrong with the car! I finally told them to stop insulting me and to keep the car until it was fixed. (Surprise, that did the trick!)

    The dealer ended up calling Oldsmobile, and when they described the problem, Olds said they knew what was wrong. Would you believe that the problem was solved by removing and cleaning the rims????? I was skeptical too but it worked -- for a while. The noise came back in 2 weeks, and again they removed and cleaned the rims. This time it only worked for a couple of days before the noise came back. The dealer referenced a technical service bulletin that Olds was preparing to release, but hasn't yet.

    My question is this: Has anyone else experienced this problem, and if so, do you know how to fix it permanently? I do not want to take my car to the dealer every 2 weeks for as long as I own it. Any ideas/suggestions are welcome!

    Thank you.
  • tschen01tschen01 Member Posts: 2
    I am finding a lot of 2001 alero's coming in off lease programs with low mileage and the dealers seem to be very willing to negotiate. But almost all the GL's are the 4cyl. Will I regret the 4 if I get it? I drove the GL with the 4 and then drove a 01 Malibu with the 6 at the same dealer, about the same milage. Hard to compare because of weight and size difference and the fact they are different cars, but the 4 in the alero seemed to have just as much zip. I have yet to find a GL that has the 6, guess I can test a GLS.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    I had a GL V6 for 3 years. It was a very, very quick car. I loved to show off its taillights to BMW 3 series owners (at least until the 330 came out)... ;^)
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    If you like the car and could care less about depreciaiton (i.e.: you plan on running it into the ground), by all means buy it. It's a nice car with average reliability. The Alero and all other Olds have taken a depreciation hit. That happened last year after they announced Olds was being discontinued. That is why Olds was offering a $1500 customer loyalty rebate to those current owners of Olds (this amount about the same as the depreciation) If you plan to only keep the vehicle until the end of the loan period, I would definitely lease it. If you plan on holding on to it for 7-8 years or longer, then buy it.

    Other then the brake problems (warping) they had when the Alero first came out, most problems have been hit or miss. The leaking problem should be relatively easy to fix. Unfortunately you still end up with a wet carpet.

    Test drive it and see if it fits your needs. GM has said that you can service your vehicle at any authorized GM shop after Olds is gone. And parts will be available for the next 15 years.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I agree the depreciation on Intrigue and Aurora will be a little worse, but Alero should see virtually no difference in depreciation vs. Grand Am as they are virtually identical internally and can be serviced at any Pontiac dealer. Intrigue and Aurora have unique engines and drive trains and hence are a little harder to service.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Good point Dindak. But the depreciation for the Grand AM is not good. Mainly because they sell so many to rental car fleets. personally, I liked the Alero over the Grand Am. Much better styling (although this is subjective).
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    On a not subjective note, I preferred an Alero GL '99 over a Grand Am SE '99 because it had, for the same price: 4-wheel disk brakes, better interior materials, rear seat head rests, leather appointments.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Oh I didn't say the Grand Am was good, I just said Alero was no worse. If you want really bad, buy a Hyundia or a Kia.
  • adrianoadriano Member Posts: 3
    i am not offense i dont like french cars but i can say that in the last 10 years they changed and the quality is comparate to WW, the probleme in Europe we have not an NHTSA so we can not know the real reliability about a car!!, i dont know why in europe all newspapers say that american cars have very bad reliability and poor quality comparate to europeans cars
  • adrianoadriano Member Posts: 3
    i think in europe the people that drive in amercian car is because they whant drive"different"
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I agree. My uncle in the Netherlands has a neighbor with a Chevrolet mini van and he said the same thing. He wanted something different and bigger than what European makers had. European press is misleading people if they are saying American cars are unreliable because the hard data does not support that claim. I know that VW has improved dramatically in quality, but I also know they have a lot of problems. Just last night on TV they were reviewing a Beetle and mentioned that they have a problem with premature clutch wear on these cars.
  • mlm4mlm4 Member Posts: 401
    Today the dealer (actually the subcontracted "leak doctor") installed the new water dam in our Alero. I can't tell if they actually did anything because it is hidden underneath the beauty panel at the base of the windshield, and we probably won't know if the problem is fixed until next summer when the frog-stranglers return.

    We also asked the dealer to fix an intermittent problem where the turn signals do not activate. When it happened, a few forceful presses of the hazard lamp switch would bring them back to life. The service advisor acted like he has seen this before, and he said in every case he replaced the hazard switch and the problem did not recur. So he replaced the hazard switch, and we shall see.
  • bigcheezbigcheez Member Posts: 11
    I am debating between these 2 cars. It has been a long time since I owned and Olds. 1976 Cutlass. almost 20 years ago. I haven't driven either yet.
    Would like to take advantage of the 0% financing on American makes(probably GM, or possibly Dodge)
    I currently own 96 Intrepid with 128,000 miles.

    I assume the Intrigue is bigger and possibly has more hp.

    Any advice would be appreciated.

    thanks.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I have an Intrigue and my mom has an Alero. The Intrigue has the best engine, a 3.5L DOHC which is well worth the extra price of admission. Other than that, the main difference to me is space. Alero has less, but it still a decent size. With the deals, you should be able to get an Intrigue GX for not much more than a V6 Alero and I personally like (and need) the extra room.

    Let me know if you have any specific questions. I have decent experience with both cars. Either way, you won't go wrong.
  • mirthmirth Member Posts: 1,212
    My wife has an Alero and I'm considering the Intrigue for my next car. The Alero V6 is pretty spry with 170HP and 200 lb-ft of torque. It's pretty roomy and comes with a lot of nice features (traction control, keyless entry, 60/40 folding rear seats, cargo net, passenger reading light). The Intrigue is basically the same except it has 215HP and 230lb-ft of tourque (of course, it also weighs 200lbs more). It's a little bigger and also has stability control and automatic dual climate control.

    I guess it depends on whether you want to pay more for more power and roominess, but the Alero is a great car.
  • belleybuttonbelleybutton Member Posts: 1
    Hello Alerogrrl,
    This is my first time to the board and I'm unfamiliar with auto terminology. I own a 2000 Alero GLS (I think that's the model the works minus a spoiler). About six months ago I had a clicking-like noise coming from the driver's front about where the tire is. We brought it to the dealer and was diagnosed as a strut problem. They ordered a part and the noise was gone. Perhaps this could be your problem.
  • bigcheezbigcheez Member Posts: 11
    Mirth mentioned stability control.
    I currently have traction control, what is the difference?
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    Take a look at the Intrigue's web site, where you'll find what each one does

    HTH
  • mirthmirth Member Posts: 1,212
    This is an oversimplification, but basically traction control keeps your wheels from slipping, especially from a stop. Stability control keeps your car from skidding to the side on a turn.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Mirth is right. It's called PCS on the Intrigue and it's an option generally only available on luxury cars. Intrigue is the only mid-size sedan that offers this feature and if you can afford it, I would get it. Last year they were offering it at no charge on the GX model as a promotion. I wish they had that when I bought my Intrigue.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    All things considered equal, I would get the Intrigue simply for the space. Also this is the last production year for the Intrigue (unless GM moves it to another line) so you should be able to get a great deal on the car. You might see that the Intrigue will cost about the same as a V6 Alero.
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