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Pontiac Grand Prix - 2000-2005

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Comments

  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    According to http://www.autonews.com/html/main/fp/grandprix.htm, the new design will debut as the 2003 model year.


    HTH

  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    As long as this stuff is so cheap, I may just buy some. And if I happen to need washer fluid and don't have any around, I won't worry about putting plain old water in there.

    I have a couple of coupons from the dealership for a Fall and Spring Checkup. Maybe they'll top off the washer fluid then. I thought they said I'd be getting a couple of free oil changes too but don't see the coupons--maybe it's in their computer.
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    It will be interesting to see what the 2003 Grand Prix looks like. Since coupes have always been considered sportier, that's odd that they would discontinue the coupe. I don't know if GM loses money by making the same car in 2 and 4 doors, but they've been doing it for years with various cars.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    Car manufacturers never lose money, in spite of sometimes saying so. What one must read is that they're not making as much money as they had planned to with this or that model. I think that in MBA parlance this is the return of the investment.

    They whine when the return is less than what they might get by putting the money spent in development and marketing in a money market account...

    I think that this is the case of the coupe Grand Prix, even though the sedan is IMO pretty mean looking in the GT trim.
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    I guess "losing" money was the wrong way to put that.

    As far as sporty goes, I think the sedan and coupe are both sporty looking cars in the Grand Prix. I was just thinking that your sports cars, like the Corvette, are always 2-doors. That's why I said coupes are considered sportier.
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    Chrysler being the exception....
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    the new body design pictures were posted a few days ago on www.gp-owners.com but then GM came after the guy who smuggled them in and the thread was killed.

    The guy apparently went to a GM presentation and snuck in a camera and took pictures of the car as it was projected to a screen.

    The pics were small and grainy, but that could not find the fact that the design was extremely ugly. Think of a Taurus front end and sides with enlarged Sunfire tail. Most people on the board were disgusted when they saw that.
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    Do you remember when this current body style of Grand Prix came out? I had a neighbor who had a friend visit her with a Grand Prix and I really liked the car. It seems this was around the mid to late 90's. When I decided on a Grand Prix, I had wanted one like hers but they weren't making them like that anymore. It could be that the styling was the same as the current GP but they discontinued the color. It was red but not Bright Red or Redfire. Different colors can make the same styling look different. And I was always looking at the car from across the street so never got a close view.

    My neighbor moved so I can't ask her. That's just something I'm curious about. I really LOVED that car. It doesn't matter since the car is no longer available. It could be the car was used as well and it dates back before the mid/late 90's.

    2003 - It's a shame if Pontiac doesn't come through with a sharper looking design for the Grand Prix (although I like the current design). They've given the Bonneville and Grand Am a much sportier design so they need to keep pushing forward with the Grand Prix design as well.
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    If memory serves, the current body style was introduced for the 1997 model year - so it is just finishing its 5th year. That's a pretty long time to have a big seller around without making any major changes.

    I remember that the previous body style was fairly sleek but understated looking - far less muscular and sporty than the current one. I think it too had been around for about 6 or 7 years when it was finally retired. I still see the odd one around and, yes, they're mostly that slightly orange-tint red. The style is now somewhat dated but far from out of place on the roads - pretty good considering that it would have been introduced around 1990. I actually drove one some time ago and rented a '97 when they first came out - I thought that it was "quantum leap" ahead of the previous version (bigger, more powerful, nicer interior and exterior, more features, etc....)
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    I'm guessing the Grand Prix I liked so much was a '97 or '98. This neighbor moved a couple of years ago and the car in question would have been one of two years old prior to that.

    Some of the older Grand Prix's I see around town have vertical and horizontal lines going through the taillights (versus just horizontal lines in the newer models). I know the car didn't have the vertical and horizontal lines.

    With all the talk about washer fluid, I checked mine and there's a place on the container with a few lines and I assume the washer fluid should fill up to somewhere between those lines. I may run the Walmarts today and buy some.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    Yesterday I stopped by a Buick dealer to buy some Dexcool coolant fluid.

    As we all know, by only using that fluid to top off the engine coolant, the system will have to be flushed only every 150000mls or 5 years.

    As it has been said here, whenever the oil is changed the service guy may replenish the fluids under the hood, including the coolant. However, if serviced at somewhere else other than a dealer, the coolant will most likely not be GM's orange fluid, but the regular blue one.

    Well, if you're like me who doesn't take your car to a dealer to have the oil changed, keep an eye on the guy so that he won't do something wrong like this when he's working in the engine compartment.

    HTH
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    Yesterday I stopped by a Buick dealer to buy some Dexcool coolant fluid.

    As we all know, by only using that fluid to top off the engine coolant, the system will have to be flushed only every 150000mls or 5 years.

    As it has been said here, whenever the oil is changed the service guy may replenish the fluids under the hood, including the coolant. However, if serviced at somewhere else other than a dealer, the coolant will most likely not be GM's orange fluid, but the regular blue one.

    Well, if you're like me who doesn't take your car to a dealer to have the oil changed, keep an eye on the guy so that he won't do something wrong like this when he's working in the engine compartment.

    HTH
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    Good advice! I'm supposed to get two free oil changes so will go to the dealership for the first two oil changes. I hope they can work on a car better than they can wash one!
  • theicemantheiceman Member Posts: 736
    Whatever you do, don't confuse your coolant overflow reservoir with your windshield fluid reservoir. The former has min. and max. demarcations and is positioned towards the back of the engine bay (i.e. near the windshield). The windshield reservoir should not be so marked and its opening (black cap with a windshield "glyph") should be nearer the front of the car. Whatever you do, do not put windshield wiper fluid in the coolant reservoir. The other way around isn't much fun either.

    If I'm stating the obvious, please forgive me - it's just that when you stated that you could see two lines, well.....

    Cheers!
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    I could do some serious engine damage if I got those two mixed up. And I'm not the most engine savvy person in the world.

    With the windshield fluid reservoir, I thought I saw some small lines that you would almost need a magnifying glass to see. Those lines were so indistinct that they probably didn't mean anything but I thought that was where to fill the fluid up to. I guess I just fill the fluid up to the cap.

    I went to K-mart and they had Turtle Wax and Penske washer fluid for $2/gallon. One of them was the bug remover washer that you mentioned.
  • tom18tom18 Member Posts: 89
    currently looking for a good end of year deal on the 2001 4dr CT - anyone recommend any dealers that will give the best price this time of year beyond invoice and the current 2k rebate in the Mid west near Wisconsin ? Did you all just go to your nearest dealer or are there some out there that got treated well and will share your good fortune ?
  • tom18tom18 Member Posts: 89
  • tom18tom18 Member Posts: 89
    that is end of year GT - sorry
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    I imagine the best way to find this out is old fashioned leg work. There's a web page called

    www.gmbuypower.com

    and it will give you dealer inventory for the dealerships in your area for the GT with colors, options, etc. and that could save you a little time.

    I went to one place where the sales manager came in at such a high price that I just laughed in his face and walked out. The other places offered fairly competive prices.

    When I bought, there was also a $750 dealer incentive that they will usually pass on to the consumer as well. Edmunds will give you that information when you look under New Cars.

    Hope this helps - I can't recommend dealerships in the Wisconsin area as I live in Louisiana but that GM Buy Power ought to help you with a lot of the leg work.

    Good luck!

    P.S. I just looked up Edmunds and I was calling that a dealer incentive - they referred to something called dealer cash. Guess that's the same thing - not to be confused with dealer holdback.

    Not a single dealer that I went to would let go of their dealer holdback but if they try to stick you with advertising fees, just tell them that that's what the dealer holdback is for.
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    is also available at www.dealernet.com

    at the bottom, there is a link to search autos
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    When I looked at the New Cars with Edmunds earlier today, I noticed that they had the 2002 Grand Prix's listed. I only looked up photos and colors and it looks like they're making changes with colors for 2002. The Navy Blue is being replaced with Blue-Black and the Arctic White with Ivory White. They are also adding Cherry Red and getting rid of the green. It will be interesting to see what the Cherry Red and Blue-Black look like.

    I imagine if Edmunds has this on the internet that the brochures are out by now.
  • tom18tom18 Member Posts: 89
    thank you ruski and stnel for your response - I have done leg work in my area have used auto buytel and gm buy power - however in my last purchase involving an expensive truck - auto buytel was $500 over invoice at that time of year (2000) and the vehicle was in such high demand that a six month wait was required at local area dealers after all legwork was completed - I turned toward the pick up town hall chat sight for the particular vehicle and found those within a 200 mile radius of my location to share their dealers who dealt at invoice and could get the vehicle in less than 12 weeks despite the holidays and factory shut downs for a time - even though every local dealer assured me the vehicle wasn't available at the lower price nor could be gotten any sooner than 5 to 6 months - I found that the town hall was much more informative than any dealers that I met in person and that the communication on the chat site provided me with a very satisfactory deal and the best new car (truck) deal that I have ever made. Now it is possible that none here has had that kind of dealer experience (I hope not). Pontiac is currently offering a $2000 cash rebate (not interested in there finance package) and a upromise incentive - it seems obvious that they have not sold all of their vehicles. Oldsmobile's situation is further showing that there are too many cars out there to command the prices being asked in my opinion. I think things have been changing for GMC and the old days of just working to making you pay more for the product are not so easy - more people are becoming more informed and product loyalty is slipping for informed shopping - competition seems to work. I have brought my search again to those of you who feel that you found a dealer that was dealing - hey the American way - can any of you respond ? - as we on the net become aware of the game as informed customers we can get honest best prices not only for windshield washer fluid at Walmart but for nice cars like the Pontiac GT - thanks
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    Best of luck to you! You must have a different approach to car buying than I do. I will say that if you poll 20 people that went to the same dealership, half of them will be happy and half of them won't.

    Again, good luck!
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    I hear a lot of people on Town Hall using Mobil One but does anyone use Havoline oil? I've always used Havoline but was wondering if Mobil One was a better way to go. I've probably got another 4 to 6 weeks before I need to get it changed. (I thought I was supposed to get 2 free oil changes from the dealership but it turned out not to be the case.)
  • pt2001pt2001 Member Posts: 5
    Although my sticker says the car has "integrated fog lights", the lights that I would think would be fog lights are white, not yellow as I'm accustomed to seeing. Also the salesman insisted it didn't have fog lights because they weren't yellow. Haven't had an opportunity to use them in the fog yet, so I'm wondering if anyone knows what's going on.
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    My fog lights are white as well.

    Whatever happened with your windshield? Did you get any results from a glass place?
  • pt2001pt2001 Member Posts: 5
    I was going to wait till I (hopefully) had this resolved, but it's taking a bit longer. The guy at the glass shop was very helpful. He's going to try to get me 2 more PPG windshields from different manufacturing runs and one from LOF. Then I can take a look at them and decide if I want one of those put in. So I presented this to the dealer serice manager and he agreed to do it. It is kind of an odd thing, some people notice the distortion as bad as I do and others see it a bit or not at all. Anyway, I'm hoping by Saturday this is resolved.
  • looking25looking25 Member Posts: 19
    I have a 1998 Grand Prix GTP with dual-auto climate control. Lately it reads the outside temp somewhere between 32-42 degrees - When it's actually 80-90's. Therefore, it think's it's cold out and won't kick-on the cold air conditioning when I set it to about 70. It actually blows out hot air. Just what I need when it's already 90 degrees out. Anyone else experience this? Taking to the dealer on Thursday, but classic ... my warranty ran out last month...
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    This is just a wild guess but could it somehow be getting Celsius and Farenheit mixed up. Although 32-42 Celsius would equal 96-116 Farenheit so that theory doesn't really compute (42 Celsius would REALLY be hot--not cold). If you have to program Celsius or Farenheit into your car's program, you could go on and check it just the same to see.

    I don't have that feature in my car so I don't know how it works but just a thought.
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    Sounds like your service manager is willing to work with you on this matter. That's one good thing. I hope this other glass works out.
  • greywolfgreywolf Member Posts: 51
    This is a common problem with the air temperature probe. The sensor is located in front of the radiator on the passenger side. Can't miss it. Lay on your back in front of the car and skooch under. It's a little plastic thing about the size of your finger attached to a standard wire clip thing. It comes right off, usually still attached to the wire, and then you can remove the sensor from its plug.

    Order one of these for $3.83 (number is 10248414) from www.GrandAutoParts.com.
  • looking25looking25 Member Posts: 19
    Thanks Greywolf ... I will check it out tonight. I can handle forking out $4 :-) ....

    STNEL - there is no celsius reading/switch I know of for these. But could be a possibility ..
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    I guess that celsius/fahrenheit idea was a little off the wall. Sounds like Greywolf has the right idea.
  • ken1776ken1776 Member Posts: 41
    Hi, I'm the happy owner of a 2 week old 01 GT. Love the car, BUT, am I suppose to have a light go on in my trunk when I open it? Don't see one in an obvious location. No big deal, but I do find it odd that it would not have a light.
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    You should have a trunk light. When you open your trunk, it's right below the back window. It's a pretty small light but you should see the wires.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    I read on Road&Track about the new Grand Prix and it's touted to be a "transvestite" of a car and a truck!!!

    Further, Pontiac will stop making sedans! Will it try to allure buyers from GMC looking for "excitement"?

    I wish it was just a nightmare... I'm afraid that soon the only remaining sedans will be imported. :^(
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    Will Pontiac continue making the GP coupes or will they discontinue the Grand Prix altogether in a few years? I hear they're discontinuing the Bonneville in a few years. The Grand Prix and Bonneville have always been big sellers where I live. I don't know about the rest of the country though.
  • tpkentpken Member Posts: 1,108
    that both will be dropped. Kind of hard to believe that Pontiac will soldier on with the likes of just Montana, Grand Am and Sunfire - oops I forgot AZZZZtek - that one will surely pick up the slack!

    Ken
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    The picture of the future "Grand Prix" in R&T looked like a mix of the Moon rover and the Aztek...

    AFAIK, there's no substitute planned for the Bonnie.

    :^(
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    I looked at Road and Track Online and couldn't find a picture. Was it in the current issue of the magazine? Looks like I'll be going to a newsstand to try and find it.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    A 2003 replacement is already on schedule. Look for DOHC engines and possibly RWD.

    I think Evandro is confused with the upcoming 2002 Pontiac Vibe, which is a sportwagon/hybrid type of vehicle and it is a spin off of the all new 2003 Toyota Corolla. It is built at the GM/Toyota NUMMI Fremmont, California plant and it is built along side the '03 Corolla and the Toyota Tacoma compact pickup. The Vibe uses Toyota mechanicals (Current Celica engine)but it has all the Toyota quality at a Pontiac price.

    The Vibe is set to replace the archaic Pontiac Sunfire after 2002. The Chevy Prizm (Current Corolla model) has been discontinued to make room for the Pontiac Vibe production.

    After 2002, the Pontiac Firebird/Trans AM will be discontinued. Look for the Opel Speedster (Lotus Elise spinoff) to replace it at your nearest Pontiac dealer:

    www.opel.com (Then click on Speedster)

    The Grand AM is set to be redesigned for the 2004 model year and it will be moved from the N Body platform to the all new 'Sigma' platform which will be used first by the 2002 Cadillac CTS.

    The new '02 Aztek will show up in November and will be slightly redesign. The future of this mounstrousity is uncertain however. Very likely the Vibe will take over the Aztek lineup.

    The Bonneville will be discontinued after 2005 and no replacements are planned. It is likely the H body platform will be discontinued as well after that year.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    Stnel, it's on the printed magazine. I tried to find the picture on their site before posting but had no success.

    Teo, I wish I'm wrong, but the magazine article posted a picture not of the Vibe, but of the new Grand Prix, though I'm not sure if it was the one for 2003 or later.

    But what has surprised me is that it also stated that Pontiac will drop all sedans from its line-up. :^(

    The Opel Speedster as much of a replacement of the F-body as the Mercury Cougar was for the Tbird-based one... It's got Saturn's engine! 8^O It may thrill Europeans, but Americans yawn at it. :^)

    I thought that the Sigma platform would be RWD, in which case I think is unplausible for the Sunfire...
  • hammen2hammen2 Member Posts: 1,284
    I think the "Speedster becoming a Pontiac" is dead. The new Grand Am is on the Epsilon, not the Sigma platform. The Bonneville was to be supplanted by a sport wagon called the "Banner", but that has recently been axed (and maybe was what Road and Track was saying would be the new Grand Prix). The Buick Signia (sister car to the Banner) is dead as well. Expect many changes in GM's current plans from 2004-onward, now that Bob Lutz is running GM's product development (he can't do anything about the 2002 and 2003 cars, but 2004 onward he'll have tons of impact)...


    See http://www.autonews.com/html/main/futureproduct.htm for more info.


    --Robert

  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    I hope that Lutz reviews ALL GM plans! They may have got mesmerized by the huge profits made with trucks (remember when trucks were cheaper than cars?), while foreign brands have almost displaced the Big 3 in the car market (what's a Hyundai?). Now that they are attacking the truck market (Toyota has more truck models than GM!), guess whose truck those car buyers would buy? I just hope that the Ivory Tower, I mean, Renaissance Center gets some fresh air... ;^)
  • hammen2hammen2 Member Posts: 1,284
    GM's auto lineup is really hurting right now. You can tell by the incentives. 0.0 (36 months) or 0.9 (48-60 months) or $2000 cash back on Grand Prix's. And the GP, to me, is one of GM's best current cars, one out of about 3-4 I'd consider for my daily driver (and I'm a long-time GM fan whose dad worked for/ mother-in-law works for GM).

    My wife is looking at picking one up to replace her '96 Lumina. We test drove a black GT Sedan with the 75th Anniversary package + 1SD option package. The handling was nice, the acceleration just OK (I drive a 98 Aurora so I'm used to the V-8), but there was something wrong with one of the pulleys the serpentine belt was riding on (it was squealing something fierce). Whether this robbed it of power, I don't know.

    The dealer's checking that out right now, and, if they can fix it, I'd have no mechanical worries with the car (since we'd still have the 3/36 warranty). Unfortunately, the interior is so cheap and plasticy, and I worry about how well it holds up over the long term. Any '97-'99 model year owners care to share their experiences? Anything break off, or rattle? My '91 SE (older bodystyle) had much higher quality switchgear than this new one...

    --Robert
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    Was the picture of the 2003 Grand Prix in the September issue of Road and Track? I saw an article on 2003-2005 cars but couldn't find a Grand Prix in there. I was wondering if you saw it from a previous issue.
  • evandroevandro Member Posts: 1,108
    I'm not sure which month, but the latest one with a spy shot of a yellow, next generation Acura NSX on the cover.

    The supposedly Grand Prix is a greenish "moon rover". Right below it there's a smaller picture of the next Regal as well...
  • stnelstnel Member Posts: 338
    I'll have to look through the magazine again. I probably overlooked it. There was a yellow car on the cover so it sounds like the right issue.
This discussion has been closed.