Faults:
First the cruise control stopped working at about 30000 miles only only 3000 miles after I purchased it. Luckily it was still under warranty.
Around 45000 miles the vinyl on the dash board began coming loose, as it was no longer sticking to the dash.
We noticed a knocking sound near the front passenger tire, which was later discovered to be a bad shock at 50000 miles.
The driver's side window with no warning stopped working all together at about 56000 miles.
To top it off at about 57000 miles and time to trade in the first and second settings of the blower for the climate control stopped working. In summer months this means either freeze with air conditioner blower on level 3 or 4 or sweat with it not on at all.
General Comments:
We my wife and I originally purchased the car we wanted a four door family sedan, but didn't want to settle for the vanilla, Taurus, Camry, or Accord. We decided to stick with a domestic car, and went with the Olds Alero.
This car was nicely loaded including lumbar, power seats, leather wrapped steering wheel, etc. It also had a fun to drive sporty feel to it, yet accommodating for a family.
Everything was good until the first incident, from there it was all down hill, and I have lost confidence in domestic cars.
General Motors boasted that this car and several of it's cousin's would drive 100,000 miles before the first scheduled tune-up. Giving buyers the false idea that besides oil changes their car wouldn't see a mechanic shop until the first tune up. Here is proof that this is wrong.
Several GM products like the Olds Alero can be bought at much cheaper price than other similar cars, well this is why. A word of advice spend a little extra money, you get what you pay for. Only in the case of the Olds Alero you will pay for it eventually over and over again as it returns to the shop over and over.
Oldsmobile Rest In Peace, it can't come sooner.
20th Jan 2004, 17:38
You car review was interesting... you may find it more interesting when the lower intake gasket fails on the motor. Watch the coolant level very carefully so that the gasket failure doesn't ruin the motor.