Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Pontiac Grand Prix - 2000-2005
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
Bottom line I still think the GP is a great car but with the experience I had I believe I made the correct decision to buy the Taurus.
To transulate--30= approx. 90 in the old method
;-)
The white 04 GPs here are bright white - not sure why it looked "dirty".
A guy I know from the local gym had a 1996 white Taurus. Last week I saw a new regeistration sticker on his car and wondered why. After checking it out for a minute or so, I realized he had bought a new Taurus in the same color! Looked identical except for the minor exterior mods they made on this model.
Actually, I thought the GTP ride was somewhat harsh even without the Comp-G. Maybe harsh is too harsh of a word, but I can definitely hear every "thump" each time I go over seems in the road or little road imperfections. Perhaps it is the type of tires that cause this, because my old 98 GP GT seemed quite a bit smoother and quieter.
I actually work in the plant that builds the 2004 Grand Prix's and can tell you that there is definitely white. You should check out the Orange Fusion Metallic - it is gorgeous.
;-)
I saw a white one on the road today. 04 definitely comes in white.
Positives: I thought the braking was very good. The handling was very good. The extra features in the GT2 like the radio controls in the steering wheel and the fold-down passenger seat were very nice.
Negatives: The cloth seats were, in fact, ugly. The back seat was small, the seat was too low and felt uncomfortable. I have two sons (ages 2 and 7) and I would like to be able to take this car on trips. The back seat right now is the biggest drawback to me. Also I thought the CD player looked cheap.
The engine exhibited characteristics of most fuel-injected engines. It revved a little high when I was accelerating on the highway and then the RPMs dropped down when I was cruising. I did not think it was that bad. My wife a 2002 Camry LE that has a 24 valve 3.0 V6. It rides smoother on the highway but the RPMs start to creep up once you get over 65. The Camry has a much nicer back seat. There is plenty of room for the kids. And there is a fold down armrest in the center of the seat that has a cupholder.
I really want to like the Grand Prix but I feel that it is too much money to spend on a car with some drawbacks. I am going to test drive a GTP at another dealership since this dealer did not have any non comp-g models. Maybe the GTP will drive so well that I will be willing to live with the back seat. Also I think if there was a $3K rebate on the grand prix I would be more likely to get just the GT2. The dealership told me that all they could offer was the $1,500 rebate.
I actually don't mind the seat patterns, but I'm pretty easy about that kind of thing.
Over all, the car is a great cruiser and it definitely handles better than a Camry. Quality and reliability are A-1 so far after a few months of service.
The cloth pattern still reminds me of something from the 80s.
The GP has the Camry beat hands down on handling. That is the main reason I want to buy it for my car. I do not drive much on the highway for my daily commute. The only time I would be able to cruise on the highway is when I am on a trip with the family. At this point I am wondering if I should wait until the 2005 models come out to see if the back seat improves.
2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav
I still have to test one. Wouldn't mind trying one this afternoon but I fear the dealerships are probably all closed due to the rotating blackouts we are having up here.
Oh fun! At least I didn't get trapped in a high rise elevator.
;-)
Are they giving $3000 cash back or is that with a loyalty discount?
Mine is simply a base unit. Of course the GT2 is fairly well equipped.
Had 12 hours of no power on the weekend. I understand the GM plant where the GP is made (Oshawa) is running pretty slow this week due to limited power supplies. Like Dindak said, the nukes are taking a week to get back on line.
If I realized how good orange looked back in April, I may have chosen that color instead.
I was told by a buddy that it would boost HP by up to 10% and yield better mileage. Figured that would be a good little investment. Do these things void any warranties?
On my GT2, I got the heads up display/enhanced driver info center, and the leather interior. The leather is gorgeous, and the HUD/DIC provides lots of gadgets to play with. It's almost like sitting at a computer while you're driving. Driving at night is the coolest experience - like being in the cockpit of a fighter jet, with all the red glowing instruments.
$3000 incentives includes $1500 rebate, $1000 Pontiac loyalty, and $500 bonus cash.
richm4: back in April the orange GP was not available. I think they began producing them in May. Two other colors - beige and graystone, are supposed to be available shortly.
One thing I am amazed it is the MPG for this car. The first tank of gas I just drove the car around town to break it in. Lots of stop and go only got me about 23 mpg. But yesterday I drove to Atlantic City and back. Driving between 45-60 MPH with a few stops here and there registered my average fuel economy at 32 MPG! That is amazing for a car and engine of this size. Even my Grand Am was not close to that. That is 4-cylinder car mileage territory. Although with a little more in-town driving that average will eventually go down.
Pontiac loyalty is going from one to another I'm guessing? I received a C$750 competitive discount in the mail last night but I'm not in the market unfortunately.
Gas mileage with 3800s is always good and often better than posted. Our 4 cyl Ecotec Alero does about the same on the highway as the 3800 though city mileage is better with the 4 banger.
It's good and bad. Good because the engine will breathe better when passing on the highway, for instance. Bad because the low-end punch of the good ol' Buick V6 we all love will be sacrificed a bit.
So, if your driving habits and patterns are on the highway, it may be interesting to you. However, even then I wouldn't think that it's worth marring the warranty for.
You will see improvement in power with a cone filter because there is no restrictive airbox around it.
With a drop-in, you are still limited to the size of the airbox's intake.
About shifting the power curve - I don't think it shifts. I think the car keeps on breathing well at low RPMs and breaths better at high RPMs. I think this just helps keep the power curve straight at the high RPMs instead of eventually dropping off.
However, if the cone-type results in a shorter total length of the path that the air goes through (as I believe it does), it'll change the induction tuning of the intake manifold favoring higher RPM at the cost of the breathing efficiency at lower RPM, thereby reducing the low-end torque.
In the last three months, about once a month when I start the car it will shake. If I give it a little gas the car will stop shaking and then run fine. This happens when the engine is cold and also after it has been driven.
Last week when I started it up it shook so bad I shut it off after about 3 seconds. After turning it back on it was fine.
Any ideas as to what this might be? I am obviously out of warranty and unfortunatley I do not have a dealer I trust.
As a side note: I used to drive a 99 Intrigue w/ 3.8 (the 99GP was my wifes car...she now has a 03 Envoy XL SLT). My Intrigue did the 'shake' three or four times in the last year I owned it. Seems like it might be something others have run into with the 3.8 Series II.