looking for a newer car...need help

[TireFryer]

Our 2000 Olds Alero is a piece of crap car, which is on it's last leg!!! It has stranded my wife for the lst time in the middle of nowhere! So, I am getting rid of it and am looking @ 2 cars in particular, and was wondering if I could get some feedback from you guys on both these cars.

2000 VW Passat GLX AWD with tiptronic

OR

2000/01 BMW 5 series (probably 528 or 540)

any thoughts? experiences with these cars? opinions?

Thanx a lot in advance!

BTW, the purchase will be within in the next 2-3 days!

 

[jy211]

my mom had a 528, great car. Just make sure you can get an extended service plan...

 

[Captain Mark]

Just remember, the Germans have now taken all American products off their shelves. Maybe we should do the same. Just a thought.

 

[88 CuttyClassic]

my question is, how is a 2000 car already a P.O.S.? Cars are made pretty dencent in this day and age. You already answered it for me though by saying your wife drove it. I got my 83 Hurst off the original owner, his wife bent a wheel, lost a wing tip, dented the bumper and broke a grill.

 

[TireFryer]

actually, my wife is a great driver and actually takes pride in her driving and her car and how it looks! I have dumped over $3000 in fixing the "fuel system" problems the car has been having....drives fine, then stalls out and dies, and doesn't start again! that's why it's a POS! had to replace front brakes within 1200 miles as a BREAND NEW CAR...factory defect/recall. had to replace right wheel hub @ about 2000 miles factory defect/recall, then the left wheel hub @ about 30000 miles, and then the right side again @ 34000 miles, and the now the left wheel hub again...all of which the dealeraship says are defective unitS!!! WTF?@?@? anyways, anough of this crap with olds! I am out and will never invest in an olds every again! I joked with the tow driver to tow the car into the lake (since car stalled out about a mile from the lake, but he wouldn't!) damnit! hehe.. anyways, keep it coming guys...

P.S. I love american cars and what they stand for...the muscle cars but have nothing but headaches with these new age plasticised cars.... oh well, they aren't built like they used to! my father-in-law is still driving a 98 honda accord with over 210000 miles, on original engine! now that is reliability!

 

[88 CuttyClassic]

ya blame it olds! Cause everyother company never made a bad car. Sounds like you may have a Lemon thou. But you wanna support the sneak attack japs buy a "reliable" honda or an anti-american german car. Let olds die in peace.

 

[Little6pack]

The 2 german cars you mention are fine.
Except when & if they break down the bill will not make you happy. They can be very costly to fix.

Sounds like you got bad gas in the olds? As for the brakes those mettalic pads will eat rotors.

 

[kh440]

Don't overlook the Acura TL/Cl series--very nice, comfortable, all the bells and whistles and give the devils their due-Honda products run forever! BMW maybe better in the "kick in the pants" dept, but when they break, it will hurt you. VW isn't any cheaper as far as maint/repair costs and the Audi platform upon which it is based hasn't been too dependable.

 

[choppers4life]

the place where i got my dts has a few 01 dts's.
they have them priced at $21,000 or lease them 3 years 15k a year for $350 and zero down. for a $1,000 you get a cadillac certification that raises the warranty to 100k bumper to bumper.

thats at rinke cadillac in warren.

 

[TireFryer]

I put too many miles per year to validate a lease...usually 25-30K miles per year! I think I might actually be closing on the VW passat. I love american, but I want to have nothing to do with olds any more...other than a 442 convertible keep the info flowing, it is helping a lot! I did and am looking into the cadillacs, specifically the STS and the Eldorado. if I can find a sweet deal on one of these, it's a done deal! will keep you posted! the passat is a GLS model loaded with EVERYTHING, including tiptronic 5-speed, black leather, walnut wood and chrome trim, dual power seats, dual heated seats, memory settings, rain sensing wipers, Monsoon sound system with tape/CD/Radio as well as a trunk mounted CD changer, moonroof, and more..... slate grey metallic paint which is sweet! I think I am going to get antracite colored rims to match the paint or chrome rims down the road!

 

[88 CuttyClassic]

Originally posted by TireFryer
I put too many miles per year to validate a lease...usually 25-30K miles per year!

So you put that much on each year? So the alero has 75k-90k on it and you are complaining stuff is wearing out/going wrong?

I recommend a volvo s70 turbo. i drove my sister's a few times and the thing is awsome.

 

[TireFryer]

I am not complaining about parts wearing out...I was stating a fact that within the first 5000 miles, the car had already been to the dealership to have work done under warranty! 1200 miles for new brakes! a few more moles and it needed new wheel hubs?! something was wrong with the car from the getgo... I have had good experiences with GM cars, but this left a very bad taste in my mouth. that's all...not slaming anyone, only stating that I got a BAD ALERO out of the factory! I will buy GM cars down the road, like a VETTE but never a fleet car again, or cars that rental companies might use!

 

[TTA89]

Hey another newer GM car thats a POS. Welcome to the Club. My 98 Trans-Am is a POS also.

I will never ever purchase a newer GM car, there build quality is horrible.

I bought a New Lightning, never had a problem with a Ford.


Good Luck in your search, The BMW would be nice as long as you don't have to pay for repairs $$$

 

[kh440]

Bought my last new GM product in 98 (Tahoe LT 4x4), leaks from everywhere, brakes last 18 months, a/c had a mind of its own, and so on and so on. Bought a 2001 Expedition and much happier (sad part is I work at a GM dealership), I would also take a look at the Subaru Outback. I know it's a wagon, but you get AWD, a killer sound system (in the LL Bean model) and good reliability.

 

[choppers4life]

i haven't had any problems with my caddy but my navigator was a champ...