Olds Alero V6

[danss]

Hi, ppl!
I'm new here, but already wanted to ask a question... :-)
Who and what thinks about Alero V6? Please say your thoughts: good/bad and why (in general).
Thanks a lot ;-)

[Philo]

Originally Posted by danss

Hi, ppl!
I'm new here, but already wanted to ask a question... :-)
Who and what thinks about Alero V6? Please say your thoughts: good/bad and why (in general).
Thanks a lot ;-)

Do you have the 3.5 DOHC engine? The only problem I have with them is that they are not free-spin engines (if a cam chain breaks, get out your wallet because the valves that are left open will impact the pistons). It cost me $2800 for a new engine, with GM paying the other $2800. It was off warranty, so I was lucky GM was willing to kick in anything.

They are high revving engines, but have good power. My car is the Aurora, and it gets slightly less mileage than the Bonneville we had before. The Bonneville has a 3.8 pushrod engine. The 3.8 is a much better and far more rugged and torquey engine.

[danss]

Thanks a lot, Philo!
It's nice to know something new!

[mdunlap13]

Overall good vehicle. They should be losing value do to Oldsmobile throwing in the towel. They have said that they will continue making the parts, however. The only thing that disturbed me about the car was the engine noise. It sounds like your strangling a cat above 3000 rpm.

[danss]

I did not pay attention to that, but in any case how often would you push above 3000 in the city :-) ...

[Philo]

Originally Posted by danss

I did not pay attention to that, but in any case how often would you push above 3000 in the city :-) ...

It is very easy to go over 3000 on a normal start. Remember, this engine uses lower gearing to aid in getting the power to the ground. The redline on this engine is about 6500.

[danss]

Yea, I guess you are right.

[amac209]

i think those are nice cars to drive lots of pickup. but they warp brake rotors way more often than any other car.

[danss]

Why is that?

[amac209]

i think it's because they are too thin. most of the alero's i've done work on were rental cars so they had to put up with more abuse than most cars however i don't think any of them got more than 16,000 miles out of a set of brakes. the other thing i don't like about this car is the low tire pressure warning light they always come on when there's nothing wrong with the tires but i could live with that it takes 30s to reset it. if i was looking to buy a midsize car the alero would be one of my first choices it's one of the nicest driving cars in it's price range and very fast, lots of power.

[danss]

Thank you for the info, Amac!
You said that Alero would be one of your first choises, would you mind sharing about other your choises, please?

[amac209]

well the main reason i'd get an alero is i work at a chevy dealership in the summer so i'd get a good price and i get part very cheap. the other car i like a lot in that price range is the Toyota camry toyota has one of the best reputations for reliability mainly because they have an advanced manufacturing processes. Honda accord is right up there with torota. i havn't had good experiences with dodge cars but if you find one you like with a good waranty go for it. the ford taurus is a nice powerfull car but kind of hard on gas. make sure you test drive a bunch of different cars get one that you feel comfortable in, handles well, easily reach controlls, good visibility, smooth ride, enough interior& trunk space, good fuel economy, you might also want to look into crash test ratings. good waranty, also look at resale value. i personaly would stay away from kia/hyundai/daewoo from my experience these cars are cheaply put together and there aren't many aftermarket parts available. they do have a big warranty and i think it's going to put them out of business in a few years... just make sure you do your homework before signing on the dotted line. you should buy a copy of Consumer Guide Auto. it lists all the pros&cons of every new car available in the U.S.A. but don't buy something just because they give it a high rating get one you really like and feel comfortable driving. i hope all this rambling helps you in making a decision.

[danss]

Thanks a lot, Amac! That's should give me a head start! ;-)