2004 Oldsmobile Alero

Terrible car

By charlieb on Tuesday, June 04, 2013

I owned and sold this car - My approximate mileage is 150,000

Pros: "none"

Cons: "unreliable"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"Beware of the clunker! I had this car for only 2 months until it did not start anymore. Also had problems with the steering making a strange creaking sound and AC not working. I would not recommend this car."

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Good solid car, mid size with good rear leg room.

By bill (WA) on Monday, May 27, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 120,000

Pros: "Just the right size. Good car for students"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"Has all extras except sunrooof. Good acceleration and 20+mpg. Rear seats fold down to increase cargo capacity."

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Best Car I've had

By Bean (IN) on Sunday, May 05, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 101,000

Pros: "Sporty, very reliable."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I rode in a co-workers car. He had two aleros because he was so pleased with them. When it came time for my next car I came across one for sale at a car rental place. It had 13,000 on it. I was a little apprehensive since people tend to be rough on rental cars. It has been totally reliable, never left me stranded any where. So far I have only had routine maintenance (oil change, 1 set of tires, just put on my first set of breaks). I invested in a tune up as a precautionary measure because I plan on keeping the car another couple of years. I don't smoke...the ashtray converts to a second front cup holder. I just discovered the back cupholder which can still be reached from the front. Sporty but practical. The front seat folds back, the back seat folds forward with trunk exposure; I have transported all sorts of large and odd shaped things over the years. Good visability (minimal blind spots)."

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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Wish they still made Oldsmobiles

By BK (CA) on Monday, April 29, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 150,000

Pros: "Good MPG, Smooth ride for a compact"

Cons: "Difficult to access parts for repair/replacement"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"GM should look at the cars that are still working well after many years of service and reincorporate those qualities back into all of their new vehicles. Oldsmobiles were worth their cost. The Alero is compact so some of the parts that do need replacement are difficult to access but overall my Alero has provided many years of excellent gas mileage while providing a pretty smooth ride for a compact car. I'll be sad when it can not be repaired/salvaged/replaced."

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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Very reliable, but a few nagging issues

By Gaff764 (MD) on Tuesday, March 26, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 110,000

Pros: "Pretty reliable, economical vehicle that is sporty"

Cons: "Coupes rust; rattles and cup holders stink"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"Bought this used with 65k miles in 2008. Two door coupe. Base Eco-Tech 4 cyl. is very economical. At 110K, still on my original brakes both front and rear and hoses. Had to replace the drivers power window switch, broken passenger window regulator clips (plastic), fix rear defogger (easy fix is on the internet), serpentine drive belt and clean the turn signal contacts to stop a nagging, random "click click" while driving. I have only three major complaints: my rear lower quarters (behind the doors at the bottom) are rusting out, the car squeaks from the front sometimes on turns, and there is an intermittent rattle in the passenger side dash area, which I need to investigate and fix; lack of cup-holders is a bit of a nuisance. Overall, these are good cars and very, very easy to maintain. These make good daily commuter cars...have a friend who has over 200K on his ,99 Alero sedan and he's had few problems."

4 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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One problem after another.

By Alice (OH) on Sunday, March 24, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 90,400

Pros: "fun to drive, nice interior design"

Cons: "not reliable, cramped rear seating"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"I bought this car as my first car from a local dealership and seemed to be a solid and semi-reliable vehicle. Yet, when I took it home and drove it for about 3 weeks, the problems came on in full force. It will take forever to list all of the problems with this vehicle that I have had to replace and/or fix since I bought it. Some of the things include: bearings (replaced twice), power window motor, numerous electrical replacements, excessive rust (despite keeping it clean and taking care of it), broken cruise control, tires won't stay inflated, and leaking pipes. Overall, the design of this car may have been what has caused some of these issues. With the tires not staying inflated, it seems to be only the front tires even when I have them rotated, so perhaps it's just the weight distribution of the car. The same cause for the rust, it is only in certain places, such as in front of the drivers rear tire, and along the bottom of the drivers door. Everything else is just pure crappyness for the car itself. I definitely would not recommend this car to anyone. Too many problems. I put as much money into this car as what I paid for it in repairs, so definitely not worth it."

2 people out of 2 found this review helpful

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