Used 1999 Oldsmobile Alero Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Just the facts..
I bought the car as a commuter and daily drove it with 2 passengers for 3 years. I drove it on vacations and cross country. It handles well, (better than an Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, (my car pool partners vehicles and got better mileage) I see no difference in the quality and reliability. Its north of 89,000 miles now and is my daughter's college and roadtrip car. Zero problems in 5 years...
scrap metal
50,000 highway miles and nothing but problems. This is a great vehicle if you know a great mechanic! It rides like a ratteling peice of scrap metal too. It great to note that in a few years when Olds stop making cars it wont be worth anything either. GM should get it's act together. !
- GLS CoupeMSRP: $6,9951,670 mi away
Functional
This is a pretty dependable car. In 80,000 miles, theonly problems I've had were with the power steering. Both times were covered under the initial 36,000 mile warranty. Other than that, I've only replaced the brakes and tires. The car handles very well, but gas mileage has decreased over time. My only complaint is that the resale value is horrible. You can't get anything for the car, so you probably have to drive it forever.
This is a good car
Decent car. Good power. Smooth ride. 44,000 miles and no problems. Rotors did warp, but replacing them with good rotors and good brake pads solves the problem. If you buy cheap parts, well then, you get what you pay for. Reliable so far, and probably will be in the future. No mechanical problems either.
loved it
The Oldsmobile Alero is a fun car to drive. It "fits" my style...the stereo is set at an angle so tuning in is easy. I feel safe in my car, it's a sturdy vehicle but as stylish as a European import.
I have had the worst one ever made .
It has been in service more than I have had the chance to drive it.
This Car is a Piece of Junk
All of the windows have fallen out of their power window track at least once. The battery leaked at 30K miles. The Low Trac light always comes on when backing up. The hazard light switch disappeared into the dashboard. The doors sometimes fail to unlock with the key fob. The plastic interor pieces are multi-colored and snapping or breaking off. I'm praying that it will hold together long enough for me to trade it in on a Nissan Altima (V6). In the past year it has began to consume oil and anti-freeze. And, the power steering pump is slowly leaking which means, just like all the other GM cars I've had, the rack will go out at 80K.
Why Can't they Build a Decent car?
I ordered my Oldsmobile Alero in 1999. The first couple of years went okay, but in the third year I had to replace the alternater and soon after that my front brakes went. My rear view mirror completely fell off when I was driving and since there are wires connected to it I had to drive with the mirror dangling from my windshield. I can only use my air / heat on the 3 and 4 settings so the air literally sucks the tears from my eyes. Whenever it rains heavily my driver's side floor becomes completely saturated & I have a puddle of water in my car. Finally, on a day we had a snow storm, the driver's side window fell into the door. These things happened after the warranty expiresd and I wasn't offered an extended warranty..hmm, I wonder why?
I love my Alero!
I really like my 99 Alero..but i am a bit worried aobut what i have read regarding the brakes..cause i noticed the brakes in mine didnt seem to be very good when i first tried it out, but I just fell in love with the outside design of car. I have the gold edition, 4 cylinder and i think its beautiful and fun to drive. I think Oldsmobile means good quality too.
1999 Alero 4 door / 4 cyl GL
I've had this car longer than any other vehicle I've owned, and still love it. Yes, there've been issues w/the front rotors but was handled under warranty and haven't had the brakes touched in over 20k miles. And the blower motor resistor has been replaced twice (1 under warranty, the other out of pocket). The cup holders aren't the best, but hey this isn't a luxury car either. I won't be looking to replace this vehicle for another 3 years, and wished the Olds Alero would still be around then.
alero
i drive 60 miles round trip to work five days a week and have never had any trouble except for a flat tire, its a great vehicle but i need to get another car because of the amout of miles i have put on it, i would recommend this car to anyone, it gets at least 30 miles to the gallon and rides great, i love this car and hate to think of getting a new one but i know that i need to. its just the right size for me (one passenger usually) but its also great for the family, there are 4 of us.
DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF CRAP!
These are just SOME of things that put this car in the shop in the 1st 40,000 miles: Brake rotors resurfaced at 10K and 20K miles. Low speed fan motor replaced at 20K. Low speed fan resistor replaced at 30K and 36K miles. COMPLETE ENGINE REBUILD NEEDED AT 38,000 Miles - Right after warranty period was over. $4,000. Fog lamps and headlights/taillights failed. Now the front left end is loud, grinding and vibrating - maybe a joint or something - not waiting around to find out. Drove it to a Kia dealer (just made it) and traded it in for $5,000. Bought a Sorento SUV. One sentence on the Alero - WORST CAR EVER!
COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
IN 99 PAYING OVER $18K FOR A CAR YOU WOULD EXPECT ALITTLE BETTER, BUT NOT BAD. DID HAVE ALOT OF PROBLEMS: LIGHTS ON REAR VIEW MIRROR WOULD'T GO OFF, FAN WOULDN'T WORK UNLESS ON HIGH, ROTORS AND BRAKES SHOT AT 18K MILES. BUT MAYBE MY FAULT FOR BUYING FIRST YEAR MODEL. VERY BAD RESALE VALUE. ALMOST HAVE TO GIVE AWAY. IF YOUR BUYING GET THE V6. THIS IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THE CAR!!
Excellent Car!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love hauling my family around in this sporty car. The styling is great. I love the fact that I can wok on my car with minimal difficulties.
junk
No reliability. Many problems. Rotors warp in 10,000 miles. Steering problems like crazy.
Best Car I Have Owned
The Alero is a great car. Without a doubt I am off the chart when it comes to miles driven/year. I bought my Alero with 23000 miles and within 12.5 months have 60000 miles on the odometer. If anyone can give an evaluation of a cars durability I can. When I bought the car the rotors were slightly warped. The dealer fixed the problem before I picked the car up. I only mention this because others on this site have mentioned rotor problems with this car. The problem has not returned in 36000 miles. No other problems
Good American Car
I have a GL3 sedan. I was surprisingly pleased with the engine and transmission performance of this car. I have almost 40K miles and encountered several problems. Front brake pads/rotors were replaced 3 times; engine coolant leaked 3 times; emergency brake doesn't engage; fan didn't work on low settings; glove compartment light mechanism broke; radio antenna came lose; sensors freeze during cold; power window motors are too weak in frozen weather. This car fish-tails too easily in emergency maneuvers and cornering. The resale value is horrible.
Best and Worst of Both Worlds
The car is a bit of a heart-breaker. It's a beautiful car both inside and out. It does handle well and got though the past winter (2002-2003)ok. The engine is the albatross around this car's neck. A manifold seal has failed twice causing damage to the engine.The car is showing the same symptoms at this writing. Also, the power windows have gone off track at least once. If I had to to it again, This would not be the car I would choose.
Reliable and surprisingly long lasting
This car now has 208000+ miles on it and it still runs great. All of the motor mounts have been replaced, but it still vibrates like crazy when its in drive and the brake is on. I am afraid it may be the transmission, but at least I get a full-body massage at every stoplight. The interior keeps threatening to fall apart. I keep making small repairs to the brackets that hold the driver's side mirror adjustment and the ash tray beside the steering wheel. The trac-off light is quite a pest though and it [the car] sometimes hesitates or skips when the driver accelerates. Very good handling and pretty decent spunk to the engine. Overall way worth the money, I would recommend this car to anybody.
Looks and muscle aren't everything.
2 years ago this was exactly what I wanted: green,sleek,V6,alloy wheels and CD. Then problems started: first the heater/AC blower went. Then the blinkers cut out part of the time. Then the front rotors warped, were resurfaced under warrantee but warped again even worse and had to be replaced out of pocket. Acceleration, ride and handling are good but compared to my fiancee's Jetta the brakes and steering are terribly numb and disconnected. Seats are comfy at first but after an hour my butt hurts. Overall, looks great inside and out but after a couple years the car grates on me. My next car will be an import, probably a Mazda.
Love it
I bought this car new and love it as much today as I did on the test drive. I'm now at 119,000 miles and the only repairs I needed was to replace the bearings in the front (common with this vehicle) twice within the first year under warranty. Other then that it is a great car that is very fun to drive.
Look further
I bought my 1999 2 door GL model used in 2002 because it was sporty, yet sophisticated. Since I have bought this car, the manifold gasket has had to be replaced twice (I am waiting for it to go out again this winter. This resulted in coolant leaking into the oil.) Also, the driver's side automatic window motor had to be replaced around 50k miles. I have had the front brakes and rotors replaced twice, the rear once. The trunk sometimes takes two tries to close, and it leaks. Brake pedal is too stiff. If you are looking at this car, I suggest to keep looking, or else buy an extened warranty. I bought one with the car, and I have used every penny of it!I am heading to the Volvo dealership next.
Sleeper Olds
The V-6 has plenty of torque and just begs to be wound out to the redline. But, the 170 HP peaks at 4800 RPM. The same engine in a Chevy Ventura Van is 185 HP at 5200 RPM. It's too bad it doesn't come in a 5-speed transmission though. The wide tires give the car a very firm feel. But the car has very soft suspension and a lot of sway in the corners. I'm sure this keeps the less experianced drivers from loosing it in the corners. The brakes are extremely inadequate. Performance brake pads are a manditory minimum upgrade. Overall this is a very fun car to drive though. It's almost a great sports car.
KICKS!
This is an awesome car, turns heads, cause it's red and sporty! Excellent body and interior, the GLS is the ONLY way to go!
Road hugging
Love my car
Leased Alero
I leased my Alero in July 99. It has the GL1 package and have found it to be a good solid car but nothing exceptional. The heat and a/c did not work on the 2 low settings after a year but other than that I have had no major problems. The gas mileage is not that good - I drive in the city mostly - around 18 miles to the gallon with the 4 cylinder. Resale value poor.
A fun car overall
This has been a fun car to drive, however, the reliability of the vehicle is questionable. In the two years that I have owned this vehicle, there has been approximately $4000.00 in repairs that have been necessary on internal components.
1999 Alero - lemons
If you like to fix cars this is the car for you. I owned this car for 2.5 years and replaced the radiator, water pump, tie rod ends, battery, & rotors. On occasion the transmission didn't engage right away, this always made me nervous. The final straw was when the valves started to go. It made a loud tapping sound in the engine so I traded it in. Don't buy one of these lemons!
GLS is the best
This car is fabulous. It handles beautifully, its comfotable, sporty, and fast. NONE better...
GM could have made this a better car
For the price I paid, this is about what I expect to get back. It car will do the job get from A to B nicely. Howver, comparing to Camry and Accord I also drive, it does not give me the same level of confidence at higher speed (or more aggressive driving style). Although this car looks sporty, you will definately feel the body roll on turns. The brake is just poor. In all, I am more willing to drive my 84 Dodge Colt at 100 mph under strong cross wind then this Alero (under the same condition).
Terrible Car!!
Purchased in 2000 this car has been a very unreliable automobile. Luckily, still under warranty, it has been in the shop 24 times! Engine, Head Gaskets, Water Pump, Alternator, problem with low tire pressure light, still is on to this day (can't find a problem) just to name a few... this was all at 42,000 miles!! Good job GM!
Mel's Alero Review
If you are looking for a reliable, comfortable, good looking, decently priced car the Olds Alero is definately an option. I absolutely loved mine. Unfortunately I was recently in an automobile accident where the car rolled. I will say that the Alero held up to my standards and kept me safe. If I would have went with a smaller car or a different brand, I don't believe I would have survived. Another car would have flattened in that situation. I am highly considering purchasing another Olds Alero. It looks good, drives good, and is a safe sturdy vehicle.
great car
It's an all around great vehicle and fast being a V-6.
Junk
Garbage. Power windows broke. Rotors warp every 10,000. Trans problems. Steering column problems.
Reminds me of a T-bird
I bought my Alero GLS 2dr with sunroof, leather, 17" aluminum wheels, and sport tires. It reminds me alot of a Ford T- bird because of the sound of the engine. Personnally though, I like a quiter ride like my 94 Grand Prix which I think rides smoother. Still the Alero has more power and performance capabilities.
solid car
I have put 80,000 miles on my Alero and have had no problems with it at all.
Sexxy car
this car has good looks, and is a fun car to drive.The preformance from the base 4 cylender is above average but not quite a super star. Handles the road well, engine noise is a little louder than expected.
First Olds Buyer
Nice car, the V-6 has good power. I have taken several long trips in this car and its gets very good gas milage. Air conditioner is a little weak. The only problem that developed in 30,000 miles was a slight anti freeze leak which was a big job but was covered under the new car warrenty.
Very fun!! I love mine!
I've loved it, it's great for families, or people just starting out! Tons of space. Had a few problems, but normal things that any car would have! Very cheap in price, but pretty good quality.
Underrated
For me, this car is near perfect. Nicely balanced between performance and economy. Good acceration, decent handling (though a bit below the Mystique I owned previously), good gas mileage, seats four comfortably yet is small enough to maneuver easily in city traffic (and fit in my 50 year old garage!). One of the best cars I've owned in over a half century of driving. Too bad they have been discontinued.
great potential, but falls short
Very high feature content at a great price. I bought a left over '99 GX in 2000. I have 32K miles on it and the only problem were warped rotors that were replaced under warranty. Bottom line, for what I needed; a new, stylish, cheap commuter car that I will likely run into the ground it's perfect. A fully loaded model would not be a good value.
Great Little Car
I just bought this car with 43,000 miles on it and so far i love it. The turn signals don't work all the time unless they have been "warmed-up" and the two back speakers have been blown out but other than that it has been great. The placement of the cupholders is not the greatest but everything else inside the car is fine. Legroom in the backseat is standard for the midsize type of car but could be better for 6 foot adults. Great first car.
A sharp car to drive
I bought my car from a private owner. It handles great and sure is fun to drive. The leather interior is so comfortable. The only complaint, I don't get to drive it as often as I'd like to.
Not your Grandmas Olds
So many reviews I read give this car a poor review and I don't see why. I guess those that don't have a problem don't write reviews. I think this is a pretty good car. It has the potential to be great. A larger engine would be nice. In all I think that it is a pretty good car.
Extremely Safe
I unfortunately do not have my car anymore, as I totaled it on August 11, 2001 in a rainstorm. When I had it I loved it!! Everyone who rode in her loved the comfortable ride, even from the back seat. It was great for long trips. I had the full package and wouldn't go for less. I disagree with Edmunds review in the fact that mine had side air bags. None of the airbags deployed, but that was only because we did not take any direct hits to the sides or front. I hydroplaned into a cable barrier in AZ (taking out 300' of cable and 7 poles). It smashed the front and passenger side windows when we went under the cable. We were TOTALLY UNTOUCHED inside the vehicle.
I like my Alero
Leased it because it was cheap and seemed solid compared to the imports in the same price range. I have 30000 miles on it and not a problem. 4 cylinder has adequate power for the gas milage it gets. I just bought a new 2002 Alero because of the rebates and incentives. If it wouldn't of been cheap I would of gone with an import only for resale value, not because I like them better than the Alero.
Problems never end
I do love the look of the car, but I have had to call AAA four times in the eleven months I have owned the car. It's either the alternator, battery, electric system or emissions problems.
Love my Alero
Ths is my first car and so far i love it. Performance is great, once u break it in...looks.. it looks really nice.. black coupe.. its hot
Alero
Its a very good vehicle
'99 Alero
This car has been great engine-wise, but began having interior problems less than 3 years after purchase. Dashboard is peeling away and molding on driver's side is warping. If you are thinking about purchasing this car, be sure you don't live in the Southeast because you may end up experiencing the same type of interior problem. In my experience, Oldsmobile will not repair the defect for free because the mileage was over 36,000 (although it hadn't been 36 months) and I got the short end of the stick. I wouldn't want this to happen to someone else.