Pontiac Grand Prix - 2000-2005

richm4 · July 2003

Has anyone noticed that the 2004 horn takes alot of pressure to make it sound?

I previously had a 98 GP and could very easily sound the horn with just a tap on the wheel.

ruski · July 2003

my 98 GTP's horn was the other way - it needed quite a bit of pressure.

regfootball · July 2003

"ALL-ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLD
The 3800 Series III features an intake manifold constructed entirely of aluminum, with the Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) system purge valve fitted directly on the manifold. Previous 3800s were equipped with an aluminum lower manifold and an upper manifold manufactured from composite plastic. The all-aluminum manifold is stiffer. Moreover, aluminum more effectively damps the sucking sound of air rushing though the manifold, and the new design contributes to an overall reduction in noise, vibration and harshness in the Series III."

hopefully no more blown intake manifolds........................

midlifecrisis · July 2003

"With over $2000 in rebates and all those additonal features, the 2004 sounds like more bang for the buck to me!!"

That's exactly why I went for the 04!

dindak · July 2003

Hopefully the new 3.5L will be of the same design.

gunit · July 2003

The Horn was always VERY HARD to press on my 1997 and 2002 GTP's... something with the hard plastic cover on the 1997-2003's...

gunit · July 2003

Regfootball, the intake manifold was always metal or aluminum on the Series 2 also, if you opted for the GTP L67. Another advantage of owning a GTP in that time frame, meanwhile the SE and GT 3800's had the plastic one.

gunit · July 2003

Montanfan, the 2004 GTP Comp G is around $31k MSRP, For 2003 they made the HUD an option on the GTP that was std on my 2002. $4k rebate on the 2003, plus you will get even more off so the dealer can unload them, you will probably get about $5k or $6k off that $30k.

2003 GTP about $24k when your done, you will never come close to a '04 Comp G for that price. But then you are getting an older car design that will depreciate faster and has a few less gizmos... there is PROS and CONS to both. I personally like the 2003 styling better, but my opinion. The 2004 is built on the same W body chassis that dates to at least 1997 in current form !! The body structure rigidty mhz is still the same as a 1997, not much improvement. Take another $300 put a pulley on that '03 and you will have yourself a car that will blow the doors off a 2004 GTP comp. Pulley adds 30-40 hp !!

The coupe was also $1k cheaper then the GTP sedan... even more bang for the buck

gunit · July 2003

Tek3, to already have to offer $2k in rebates on a newly re-designed for 2004 car isn't saying to much from a sales perpspective. I guess the economy is worse totday then in 1997 as well... but the Accord/Cam's keep selling like hotcakes

Back in 1997 they didn't offer any rebates, sales increases 50% that year. This year they are on the pace to do not much better then 2003.

Alot of those GT sales are to rental fleets already and company cars... I have seen alot of rental 2004 GT's on the road already....

Another reason I loved my GTP coupe, didn't have that rental car feel as opposed to driving a 4 door SE or GT

gunit · July 2003

The major reason for those new components and hence the 3800 seriers 3 name is more for EMMISSIONS standards that will take place in 2005 or 2006 then customer satisfaction, note they said these changes don't add much cost?? Notice the same tranny with not many improvements.

The new 3800 series 3 is still NOT as refined as its competition even with the new changes. Esp at the higher RPMs... My i30t at 6500rpm red line is smoother then a 3800 at only 3500 rpm. My i30 engine is older then my 3800. "The best V6 ever, Wards auto world, on the 3.0L V6 227hp" No vibration at any rpm and very smooth throughout.

I had to laugh at the change to 5W30 oil from 10W30, "to further enhance cold starting and prolong engine life..."

In cold conditions you can use 5W30 as a sub for 10W30 in your 3800 series 2 of 2003 and older. Read you owners manual.

If you want to do that you use a good Synthetic motor oil like Amsoil or Mobil 1 syn. Esp in very hot or cold climates or if you are hard on your engine, It's a proven fact your engine will last longer and start easier on colder morning/hot driving/ hard on the engine with synthetic oil then regular oil. You can also go further on your oil if it's synthetic. Though I do not.

I change my oil every 3 months regardless of mileage and only use Mobil 1 and the mobil 1 oil filter.

If its a lease I would use regular motor oil, for a keeper Synthetic. Esp in that 4565 tranny.

gunit · July 2003

I sat in and drove the new GTP, still a cheap interior and same W body/engine/tranny since 1997, yeah more sound deadening materials, thicker windshield/glass and added refinement, great near sports sedan in GTP form only. But does NOT match the build quality, esp interior or the refinement of the maximas out there...

I wish I could have the throttle response of the 3800 Supercharged with the refinement of the Maxima/I35 engine/interior.

I would wait until 2005 or 2006 when the fixes are out for the 2004. I got screwed twice with that on my '95 Aurora and "97 GTP. Not only do they fix things or improve them, they usually add more options or more equipment too.

gunit · July 2003

One last thing, How come Honda,Toyota & Nissan can redesign the Accord/Toyota/Maxima every 4 yrs, yet GM takes 6-8 yrs for redesigns?

Maxima ran from 2000-2003, redone for 2004
Camry ran from 1997-2001, redone for 2002
Accord ran from 1998-2002, redone for 2003
Yet the GP ran from 1997-2003, redone for 2004 !!

Worst offender here is Crapalier, oops Cavalier and Sunfire that still date to 1995 !!! Even with totally new front & back ends and new echotech engines, still a 1995 in disguise !!! Meanwhile the Neon, Civic, Escort have been redesigned since...

The previous GP ran from 1988-1996, 8 yrs...

wait too long.

Change the shape of the car every 4 yrs like the competition...

Sorry, the worst offender is the Crown Vic/Grand marquis, date to 1992 redesigns... with just dif front and back ends...

dindak · July 2003

Incentives are prevalent everywhere, even on Camry and Accord. GP could not go with out something. The "hot" new Mazda 6 has 0-60 also.

All new Cobalt coming next year to replace the Crapalier thankfully.

midlifecrisis · July 2003

"One last thing, How come Honda,Toyota & Nissan can redesign the Accord/Toyota/Maxima every 4 yrs, yet GM takes 6-8 yrs for redesigns?

Maxima ran from 2000-2003, redone for 2004
Camry ran from 1997-2001, redone for 2002
Accord ran from 1998-2002, redone for 2003
Yet the GP ran from 1997-2003, redone for 2004 !! "

They could redesign the CamAccords every year and I still wouldn't buy one. And you can't convince me that the CamAccords exteriors change that much during the redesigns. It seems that the only thing that changes is how much uglier their designs get. Every time I see the rear of my neighbor's 2003 Accord I want to hurl.

It's ironic that they keep redesigning the Camry when the average person who buys one is probably older than the people that buy Buicks!

perna · July 2003

For the last ten years, GM's dev money has all gone to trucks/SUVs. Their cars are PATHETIC - the point was hammered home when a coworker brought in his "new" Camaro with the 302. Why can't GM make cars like that anymore??

I bought an Intrigue, and while it was decent, they kneecapped that awesome engine with a ridiculous transmission. Not to mention the overall cheapness of the car.. when I dumped it, it had rattles galore and things were just falling off the car. I bought a closeout 03 Maxima, and I'm MUCH happier now. My mother in law, whose family are lifelong GM'ers, commented, "it feels like I'm in the cockpit of an F16!". Compared to GM cars, it sure does!

I checked out the 04 Grand Prix before I went "to the dark side", but GM still hasn't bought a clue yet. The interior, to me, still feels like the older Grand Prixs. I suppose this is great if you're a fan of the car... but the only GM make I ever really liked was Oldsmobile. Maybe the redesigned Buick Regal will be nice, but I'm 29 years old.

For the record, I always try to buy domestic, and still do feel a bit guilty for buying Japanese. Really, though, what are my options? A Taurus? Chrysler junk? The Big 3 just don't make cars like they used to.

I like to drive fast, and like tight-handling sports sedans. The 04 Grand Prix WOULD have been right up my alley, and SHOULD be. I just can't get over that interior, which is a shame since I really do like the exterior, probably even more so than my Maxima.

midlifecrisis · July 2003

"The Big 3 just don't make cars like they used to."

Thanks goodness - because those cars used to be absolute junk. At least GM is on the same playing field as the imports, even if they are still losing the game. Maybe they can make a late inning run.....

dindak · July 2003

I'm surprised to hear you put down the Intrigue so much. On the Intrigue board you used to tell us all how much you loved the car?

As for the Maxima, it's generally a more expensive car so yes it has a better interior. If I was buying today I would very likely get a GP (assuming it drives as well as everyone says) as it offers good value (I can't afford a Max) and I think the interior is just fine as a GT/GT2. In the GTP price range, I would tend to agree with you a little more that the interior could be better. GM should upgrade some parts for the GTPs perhaps.

midlifecrisis · July 2003

I may have been enticed more by a GTP if they had differentiated the car more from the GT2 model, especially in the interior. I realize that a couple thousand is a bargain to gain 60 HP and a supercharger, but that's about all the difference. To get the Comp G is another $1400 on top of that.

oldsman01 · July 2003

If GM would have priced the new GP in more real world values, they could sell them with little or no incentives. This was the case in 97 as I recall a fully loaded GTP was around $25K. As for Honda and Toyota not discounting, Honda does not advertise rebates, but they do often run some pretty cheap lease deals. And within the past couple of years, Toyota has been advertising discounts on the Camry as well as some of their other models.

Perna, I'm sort of with you on there not being many domestic cars in my price range that appeal to me(single 28 year old male), but the truth is there really aren't any cars from ANY manufacturer that do. The new GP has some appeal to me, but as I've said before even when fully loaded it lacks some features I want and lists for over $30K. For that kind of money, I'm going with a Cadillac CTS.

ruski · July 2003

you know what, I have heard many complaints from GM-haters that the Grand Prix's interior was like space shuttle with too many buttons.

To me, space shuttle is better than F-16.

Oh, and the Max has been reported to have some wild torque steer.

dindak · July 2003

I still like it on the GT models. It looks good and the plastics are nicely matted. It all feels good too, maybe not top shelf, but certainly not as cheap as some are making it out to be.

montanafan · July 2003

The difference between a GT2 and GTP is only $1,505 ($1,375 if factor in the GTPs standard driver's lumbar support), the remaining difference is the GTP's standard OnStar which every car should have.

If a 1997 GTP was $25K with no rebates, and a 2004 GTP Comp G with rebate is $29K, that is less the a 2% increase per year. And that excludes the value of the improved / new features on the 2004. Wish my cable, electric, heat, insurance, real estate tax went up less the 2% per year or had improved features.

regfootball · July 2003

"For the record, I always try to buy domestic, and still do feel a bit guilty for buying Japanese"

not sure why,

a) you should get the car that best suits your needs for the money REGARDLESS of the 'nameplate'

b) domestic or import is all smoke and mirrors today anyways. Many domestics are made all over in Mexico and other places, the new chevy equinox will have chinese motah! Meanwhile, Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords build near a million in the US each year. There are just as many if not more jobs created for US citizens building and selling Camrys as their are selling Centurys. The profits go to shareholders, not countries. Shareholders are from many different countries.

tek3 · July 2003

Final assembly is such a minor portion of what goes into producing a car. Don't forget the R&D, engineering, planning, administration, etc. that go into it. Not all profits go to the shareholders either, they also get plowed back into the company for R&D, etc.

montanafan · July 2003

Shareholders only get dividends. GM pays $2.00 per share in dividends on their regular 1 2/3rds par value stock, regardless of profits. Profits go to companies. Where the company is headquartered has implications on where any profits are taxed, and invested.

0.4% of the US population's health care costs were paid for by GM last year. The production of Camrys vs Centurys may equal, but with 2.5 retirees for each active worker at GM, the impact is much greater.

Agree wholeheartedly, buy the car/deal/dealer that feels best to you.

carguy58 · July 2003

To me it doesn't matter. I mean American Fortune 500 companies move more jobs overseas each year. Gm has rebadged Toyota's in the past. Mazda and Ford do parts sharing and so do Chrysler and Mitsu. It might have mattered in the 80's but with Chrysler merging with Mercedes and American Jobs moving overseas the lines are blurred to me.

oldsman01 · July 2003

The first time I saw a 95 Aurora(way back in early 94) I thought it looked like space ship both inside and out. In fact, when my father had one I often referred to it as "the ship". To me that was not a bad thing as the cockpit-like interior made driving the car feel like you were piloting something much smaller.

garyw · July 2003

I am in Portland, anyone in the Washington/Idaho area seeing killer clearance deals being advertised on the remaining 2003 GP's.

If so please let me know who....

midlifecrisis · July 2003

I love the cockpit theme in my car's interiors. That is why I can't buy a CamAccord. The interior is so bland and basic it makes me cringe.

I want to drive a car, not an appliance.

ab348 · July 2003

Dindak, go sit in an '04 GP. Tap that black plastic console material with you knuckles. Look at the black plastic surrounding the dash center stack (if it's a bright day better wear your sunglasses to cut the shine). See if the example you sit in has a rainbow sheen on that center surround reminiscent of gasoline on water like the one I sat in did. Revel in the look of the Uglycloth (TM Regd.) seats.

It's not as cheap as it's been made out to be... in reality, it's even cheaper.

midlifecrisis · July 2003

"It's not as cheap as it's been made out to be... in reality, it's even cheaper."

Oh my gosh - I better call my dealer and cancel my new GP order! Tonight I'll run down to buy a CamAccord because they have perfect interiors!

jmr001 · July 2003

"Dindak, go sit in an '04 GP. Tap that black plastic console material with you knuckles. Look at the black plastic surrounding the dash center stack (if it's a bright day better wear your sunglasses to cut the shine). See if the example you sit in has a rainbow sheen on that center surround reminiscent of gasoline on water like the one I sat in did. Revel in the look of the Uglycloth (TM Regd.) seats"

I have a 2004 GTP with leather. I like the interior. Granted, it's not the best in the world, but to me it looks nice, and that's all that counts. No rattles, nothing is loose, everything fits good. I live in Florida and have never have a problem with the glare or seen the 'rainbow sheen' on the center stack. The front bucket seats are very comfortable. They have done a good job of making the cabin more quiet. The ride is good considering I have the 17 in tires.

All in all, I like what I got, and look forward to driving it every day. It's almost a pleasure to come to work every day.

midlifecrisis · July 2003

You better be careful - they'll throw you off the board for making nice comments about the 04GP!

I echo your evaluation of the cabin. Very good and comfy - but not perfect. And it is a pleasure to get to work - it just sucks once you actually get there!

bobbyz34 · July 2003

For the most part I like the cockpit design, the position of all of the controls and the seat comfort. I like the multi tone interiors, getting away from being awash in beige or charcoal, or worse, burgandy or blue.

I just wish they would change the surface finish of those pieces of hard black stippled plastic on the dash and the small pieces on the doors as well as the airbag cover. The rest of the dash material is very nice.

Maybe someone will make aftermarket replacements for those, heck maybe even GM will make those changes for 2005 that can be fit into a 2004.

Even with my small gripes I still plan on buying one in the very near future.

oldsman01 · July 2003

My only problem with the new GP interior is the cheap looking cloth seats and the lack of upscale features such as automatic climate control and auto dimming rearview mirror. I've sat in an 04 GP a couple of times and the quality of the dash materials is far superior to the previous models.

jauto98 · July 2003

Hi all, been reading this board for some time. Finally was able to drive the 04 grand prix during the 24-hr test drive. Was a GT2 in Fusion Orange (got a lot of talk when driving around and at the gas station). Overall, I was impressed with the GP in terms of driving dynamics. Acceleration was smooth and plentiful, brakes were adequate and was a very stable and controlled drive. At one point I had to do an evasive maneuver to avoid hitting a tire stripe ("alligator") and switched lanes going 70. As for the interior, I was thoroughly impressed with the quality and the gap thickness of the dash. Although there was some hard plastic inside with a design texture that reminds me of styrofoam.

Some of the gripes I have with the GP was the seat comfort, or lack of. Front seat cushion seems a little long for my taste and the back seat was no better in terms of comfort. Your feet won't even go under the front seat and the cushions was very flat. Also, rear visibility was poor IMO as it was difficult to judge where the rear end was when backing up.

All in all, its a car I will be considering in the near future. Probably consider a GT2 with the InfoTech Package and head curtain side airbags in either graystone or polo green. Sorry for being so long.

ab348 · July 2003

Nothing wrong with multitone interiors if done right. Unfortunately Uglycloth (TM Regd.) is not the way to do it.

What's wrong with burgundy or especially blue interiors? I would kill for a blue interior in a new car these days. Gray just looks too much like a prison cell and doesn't go with many shades of blue paint very well.

bobbyz34 · July 2003

As far as multi-tone interiors, I was referring to how the dash can be the dark gray and the actual IP surround and center console, etc is black. And in the beige interior the dash is still black as well as the carpeting, beige flooring gets dirty easily.

I had a burgandy 85 Pontiac 6000 and everything inside was burgandy. Then a blue 89 6000 and everything inside was blue. I just don't think when the outside matches the inside color, except black, it looks good. I just prefer the beige, gray, or black interiors. Those colors go with any exterior colors and the latter 2 are easiest to keep looking clean.

midlifecrisis · July 2003

One thing I can't figure out is why I couldn't get the natural beige interior with the fusion orange exterior color....

ab348 · July 2003

Beige or gray doesn't go with any color though, that's the problem. There are certain shades of blue or green or teal that none of them go with. One of the reasons I dislike silver cars these days is that they all come with the same interior, usually gray, which I hate in an interior. In the past silver could be paired with black, white, blue, red, all sorts of interior shades. Not now. Same with the inexplicably popular champagne or sandstone color - beige only unless the manufacturer is really cheap and only offers a gray interior, in which case it doesn't go together at all. We need more interior color choices, not less.

richm4 · July 2003

I think the last generation GP had one of the worst interior color combinations around. For example, the beige interior had the grey steering wheel and knobs. Just awful in my opinion! That's one reason I stuck with all grey.

oldsman01 · July 2003

I'm with you on more interior color choices. Beige and dark and light grey seem to pretty much be it today. My old 89 Olds Touring Sedan was dark blue and had a navy blue leather interior with real wood trim(thats right, an Olds before the Aurora actually had real wood trim) and it looked very classy inside. And yes, a burgandy interior goes well with some colors also. I for one think that a luxury sedan like a Cadillac or Lincoln looks snazzy in black with a burgandy interior:)

bobbyz34 · July 2003

This question might have come up before but I can't find it.

I am trying to decide between the GT2 and GTP and I just wanted to get some ride quality feedback from others. I have my test drive tonight of both.

From the documentation it seems that the suspension is EXACTLY the same on the GT2 and the GTP (non-CompG). The only difference would be in the larger wheels and their effect.

Is the ride the same on those 2 versions of the 2004?

vcjumper · July 2003

Reviews seem to consistently indicate the GTP is the "just right" suspension, with the Comp-G being a bit too stiff and the GT/GT2 being too soft.

richm4 · July 2003

IMO, the GTP is much harsher than the GT2. I test drove a GT2 right after the debut and then had the dealer locate a GTP for me to buy since they had no GTP's without the comp-G available. I thought that the ride was exactly the same (thanks to the erroneous magazine articles). Plus I purposely didn't buy the comp-G because the magazine's were saying how harsh it was. They also said that the GT1 was the softest and that the GT2 and GTP were similar.

Perhaps it's the different tires, but the GTP ride is much harsher than the GT2. My car had 40 PSI in the tires when I drove it off the lot, which didn't help. I subsequently lowered it to 30, but the first impressions were lasting. What bothers me the most is that I can hear every little "thump" when going over seems in the pavement.

orwoody · July 2003

Just got my "voluntary customer satisfaction program" letter (i.e. recall) for my 2003 GT.
GM is offering to replace the throttle body fasteners and run cooling system sealant through the system....through July 31, 2005 on 2000-2003 GPs and Bonnies w/3.8L series II(L36) motor.
They also included a letter-claims form to those who had to pay to fix this problem - it is a reimbursement program.
I recall a number of posting about this subject;

regfootball · July 2003

don't see why, according to some folks (you know who you are) on these forums, there is not a problem with the manifold issue.

However, this recall from is pretty much an admission that it is a problem and not just here and there.

montanafan · July 2003

Yes I was happy to see GM admit that there was no manifold problem and the issue was gasket related. This program is a follow up to a TSB on the gasket leaks which specifically tells techs not to replace the manifold. Good we can end the speculation, now that it is in writing.

oldsman01 · July 2003

What exactly is the problem on 3400 V6s that causes the coolant leak. A co-worker of mine has a 99 Grand AM GT that she absolutely loves, but she says her low coolant light has been coming on. I've added coolant to it twice for her, but after a couple of months, it's low again. She says that she does not see anything leaking onto the garage floor. Is this the same problem that affects 3800s?

fantascp · July 2003

I also got the letter for fastner repairs this past Tuesday for my wife's 2003 GT- already called the dealership-car will be fixed this Tues-7/29/03.
Also having routine maintenance done- oil,filter and rotate tires.
Curious to see exactly what parts are being replaced.

I know I have not posted here since around Nov/Dec 2002- my last post was about the problem with the trans(with less than 2000 miles on the car!) and the side molding coming off the lower section of the right rear door- just like to say that since then, the car has performed with no further problems(which is what it should have been doing from day one)and now has around 8200 miles on it.
However,I still prefer the ride and handling of my
98 Bonneville SSE better than this 03 Grand Prix GT

Chuck.

Pontiac Grand Prix - 2000-2005

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles