Should I buy this '99 GLS Coupe?

[bhaenke]

I'm shopping for a used Alero - first car for #2 son (he likes the Alero). After more than two months of searching for the right car & price from a private owner, we found a '99 GLS 2-door (3400 engine), sharp looking, price is right, and the son likes it... only (?) issue - it's got 100K miles... and after reading all the posts, I'm really on the fence. Other facts: seller is 2nd owner; mostly highway miles (1st owner traveled between michigan & NY, current owner made a couple of trips to FLA...); Alternator just replaced, brake work reportedly done recently (they work well); no reported major issues... BUT the intake manifold wasn't done (to the knowledge of 2nd owner - she bought it at about 70K)... The engine looks pretty clean, except there was a slight amount of oil leakage, noticeable at the right rear and underneath... on some sort of plate or pan under the engine... no standing drips, just a thin film. Could this be the intake manifold issue starting? (I haven't researched to know where that is, but I would think that would be near the front of the (transversed) engine). I did see a little oil around what I thought was the head gasket on the right side. What concerns me more is what I perceive to be drivetrain noise coming from the rear... an oscillation that increases in frequency with speed... rear main bearing or something in the differential? It doesn't seem like tire noise that I've read about (it's got low-profile tires). Also, when I come to a stop, this oscillating sound turns into a grind (may be two different issues)... but it's not the brakes because when letting off the brakes just before stopping, the grind continues, then dissipates as I accelerate. In all the posts I haven't read anything about drivetrain problems. My wife thinks I'm asking for trouble buying a car with 100K on it. My #1 son is a pretty good mechanic and we've done quite a bit of work on his 94 4WD Ranger and my 92 2WD Ranger (just changed the tranny on his 94... there was an unexpected expense - ouch), so I'm not afraid to take on some occasional mechanical work... but I already have one career and am not looking for another. Am I about to fall into the money pit? Pennywise and pound foolish? Would appreciate any words of wisdom. thx

[aleroaddict]

hey there,
I'm 17, and my parents bought me a 99 alero, and i love it, but it has 69,xxx miles...so...the leak you were describing is an intake gasket leak, which can be repaired by fixing the seals, which was done to my car just before we got it. I talked to a mechanic and he said that that was the most common problem that he sees in aleros. My alero is running great, and i haven't had any of the problems described, and treating the car nicely helps!! I would recommend the alero, but definitely not one with 100k, i'd say to keep searching because you can still get a pretty good deal on an alero with lower miles!! well, i hope i have helped!! keep searching!!
good luck!

[JTrujillo86]

I am 18 now, but I purchased my 2002 Alero when I was 17. I have the 3400 V6 with about 38K miles (seems high for an 02 but she was put into service on 9/13/01). I bought it used with 25K miles on it and the intake gasket had been done. The only reason it was done was because I purchased from a GM dealer and now (so I've heard) anytime they get a trade in with the 3100 or 3400, they change the gasket using the 'new' gasket material. They aparently changed the material in May of 02 and any vehicle purchased before that has the old stuff. The new materials are supposed last longer...we'll see I guess.

That is in fact the intake manifold gasket leaking at the front near the head. I had a Malibu when I was 16 with the 3100 engine and I experienced the same thing. It was about $750 at the stealership to replace.

As for the thin layer of stuff on the oil pan, I wouldn't worry too much. I had this on my Malibu and still sometimes see it on my Alero. I think it just may be oil blowing back from the filter after changing the oil...who knows.

Personally, I love my Alero. My Malibu was shitty though, and I am now somewhat wiery of American cars. The only thing that REALLY attracted me to my car was the low mileage. If I were you, I would never buy an Alero with 100K miles or more. There were plenty of issues with the 99's and there still may be problems waiting for you. Those problems include: alternators, intake manifold gaskets, valve cover gaskets, wheel speed sensors, bad rotors, warping dashpad (which I experienced and was fixed by the dealer) and bad blower motor resistors. If your son really wants an Alero, I would go with a 2001 or newer. They are pretty cheap now. You can get an 02 with 40K miles on it for $8500 here in Colorado, so you should be able to find an 01 for cheap. By 01, I think they fixed a few issues.

Good luck and keep searching!

Jeremy

[jamcllw]

How much are you paying for it? I know it's one of those question that some people don't like to answer but that would help in figuring out if it's worth it. If you have any mechanical experience those things that jtrujillo listed shouldn't cost more than $100 to fix. As far as the motor goes I wouldn't worry about it. GM 60 degree v6's are some tough motors. I know people that have the old 2800's and the 3100's with more than 250,000 miles on them and still going strong.
It really depends on how good of a deal you are getting. All those things that he listed above have happened to quite a few alero's with a lot less than 100,000 miles.

[whdream]

Don't DO IT!!!

I would not recommend buying that car to even my worst enemy. I am not kidding. I am currently driving the 99' Alero GLS, loaded. And I can't wait to get rid of it. Every problem you have seen on this board I have experienced one time or anything. Hey when i first got hte car I knew it was notorious for bad wiring. As per consumer reports..But come on this bad??

I would reccommend staying away. I think buying this car for a younger person would be silly. I am 26 and working full time and all of these repairs are tough to cover. Neve4r mind a new driver of 17, trying to covering these repairs.

[JTrujillo86]

Please stick with an 01 or newer...

Jeremy

[whdream]

Well I have to agree with JTrujillo86 and laugh too. Everything you listed for the 99's I have replaced. In the process of doing the right side wheel sensor. Which run about 300 bucks.
To add to it, I had a coolant leak and replaced the water pump/
Only buy a newer version Alero. Never buy old with high KM's.

[kwow]

I would be never recommend anyone to buy an Alero, especially a used one without a warranty. Look at all the posts on this board with problem after problem people are having.

[bhaenke]

Thanks to all for your replies. I decided there were just too many miles on the car. I found another ('99) at a dealership... looked good at first... test drive was fine. Fact is, upon really inspecting the car, the wear was all too apparent. My son happened to push on the passenger side outside mirror (something I wouldn't have done) and it practically came off! It's spring loaded, and part of the mechanism had broken, so it springs back into place even though it's sort of hanging there. Someone had tried to glue it. This was just an example. The more we looked, the more we found, and since the sales guy was touting the fact that their service department did a thorough inspection and fix-up, it reinforced my suspisions about buying used from a dealer. I ended up buying a white '99 Grand Am GT from a private owner. We just couldn't find the right Alero. I swore I wasn't going to go Grand Am after my first test drive from a private owner, plus they are "a dime a dozen" like everyone says. Well, I paid more than a dime ($6250), but it's a clean, sharp little car (owner put a few extras into it... plus he'd bought it used from a dealer, including an extended warranty, and had taken advantage of it... I have his service records). My son digs it and I'm a little envious myself. Thanks again to the respondents and to the forum. B. Haenke, Saginaw MI

[JT95]

I would not buy an Alero for my kid if I were you, especially a '99 w/ high miles. I bought a '99 w/ 120,000 highway miles on it this summer for a commuter car for work. The car was in great exterior and interior shape as far as being taken car of. (the fender had been hit in a wreck, but I replaced that.)

I've driven a lot of cars since I was 16 and I've always supported American cars, but the Alero is one of the crappiest cars to roll off the assembly line in years. It's a shame too, because they had such a nice little car designed and it should have been a good buy. The lemon-ness of my Alero ended up almost getting me killed. Seriously, don't buy ANY Alero for your son.

I just bought a '95 Subaru Legacy AWD wagon with 150,000 miles on it. The car is SO MUCH MORE better put together than the Alero and it's an older car. I'd rather drive my Subaru over any new car I've been in--it's that solid and that good. Go to this web site and ask any Subaru questions you might have. Get the kid an Imprezza if he wants something sporty and get a solid, reliable, AWD car that will be a secure drive:
http://www.ultimatesubaru.net/forum/...isplay.php?f=3