Pontiac Grand Prix - 2000-2005

yurakm · October 2000

Congratulations!

szott · October 2000

OK. Only one complaint about the new car. It's sooooo smooth I didn't realize I was going 70+ when I passed the motorcycle cop on my way home from the dealer! I got lucky, he pulled over to talk to another cop on the side of the road. Whew! How would that have looked? 30 minutes after driving off the lot I pick up a ticket?

Power, handling, great looks...what more could you ask for?
I had to stay kinda low-budget with this car but it's still great. I spent most of the weekend in the garage and/or driveway staring at it.
It's the 2001 GT sedan with package 1SB, upgraded to the high-polish five spoke wheels and sunroof.
I wanted the HUD and the Bose upgrades but I'm on a budget with the first kid arriving any day now. I went with the cloth interior instead of leather on personal preference. I'm just a cloth interior kind of guy. That and the fact that my wife absolutely hates leather interiors.
I installed the child seat Sunday. Oh well, I had one full day without the child seat...then reality struck.

graphicguy · October 2000

Good luck with your new family, too.

hi-polished wheels look nice on black. You're right...leather is a personal choice. I know people that hate leather. I like it, though.

From what I understand, the standard stereo is pretty nice also.

The car's a blast to drive.

tsjay · October 2000

Got your pics, and I really like your car!

I wouldn't call that car "low budget" by any stretch of the imagination. They don't give those things away, and the sunroof must be nice. Mine doesn't have one, but I would have liked one.

I did get leather, but I could have just as easily gone with cloth. I like leather, but I don't absolutely have to have it.

Mine doesn't have the Bose option either, but it does have the premium Delco system with equalizer and sounds pretty good.

Keep us posted on how things are going.

tsjay

ruski · October 2000

Passed an RX-7 with a coffee can exhaust on the way home - he was stuck behind some slowpoke in the left lane. A few minutes later, when traffic got really light and I was cruising minding my own business at 80mph, I see two pop-up headlights on a low hood closing in on my 6 quite fast. I thought it was some Corvette. So I figured let me gun it anyway just to show that I have some serious HP under the hood. So I gun it, he stays right on my tail. We went up to 110mph like that (nice to be able to see that ib the HUD) I then moved over and slowed down to 80mph. Funny thing, he slowed down too and moved right behind me. Time came to pass someone, so went into the left lane and gunned it. He gunned it too but without extra momentum (like the prvious time) he could not keep up with me as well as the first time. I did not want to get any tickets, so I moved over and slowed down a bit. This time he went flying by in the left lane really fast, went up about 1/4 mile and slowed down too, letting me catch up. I caught up and passed him but it seems that he was not interested anymore. We took the same exit and then parted.

I still can't figure out if he was just toying with me or his RX-7 was not much stronger than my GTP.

ruski · October 2000

sorry about your uncle.

Why wouldn't you keep both?

or keep them both for a while and then you might figure out which one you like better.

However I have had my GTP for 3 years and my 300M for 2 years and still have not figured out which one I like better.

graphicguy · October 2000

Thanks!

Just posted in the 300M topic, too.

My wife has an Avalon (99). I have my GTP (2K). Wife doesn't want the GTP (she absolutely loves her Avalon). We have two teenagers (both want the GTP, but they don't have licences, yet). I don't plan to "give" either of them a car, let alone a ticket magnet like my GTP in the hands of a 16 year old. I'm a big believer in letting them "earn" a car when they get old enough to drive.

That said, I have no need for 3 cars with only two drivers.

GTP is paid for as is the Avalon. I'm not certain what the tax ramifications are with inheriting the 300M (if any). That may be my deciding factor.

Although, I've only driven the 300M to my house from my Uncle's garage (about 30 miles), I'm very impressed by it. The sticker was still on the window. From what I can tell, it's the base model (if there is such a thing with a 300M), with the only option being "special red paint". It also has "chrome wheels" which look factory installed, but it's not listed on the sticker as an option (are chrome wheels optional on the 2001s?). It has an Infinity stereo with CD. Again, was this aftermarket since it's not listed as an option on the sticker?

In the brief drive, this car is very luxurious yet sporty and rides better than my GTP (by a wide margin). It's quieter and much bigger that the GTP, too. Not as fast, however.

Fit and finish all look top notch. Materials all look and feel much better than anything I've driven recently (including my wife's Avalon, which stickered at about the same price). Drives great for a "big car" (or any car for that matter).

No wonder all the car mags have fallen all over themselves about this car.

What kind of MPG should I expect on the 300M? Maintnenance? Any problems I should be aware of?

Again, opinions are welcome for those that have compared the two.

yurakm · October 2000

Another possibility is to make your decision not on the technical merits, but on the emotional ones.

While driving the inherited car, you will more often remember your uncle. And, probably, your kids too.

Judging by the will, this is what your uncle would like. Why else he bequeath you not a percentage of his estate, but a specific thing, a car?

kazz · October 2000

I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your uncle. He sounds like a good guy.

I test-drove a 300M (with the performance package) before I settled on the GTP. It was a great car, IMO. But, it was a) a lot more ($6k) expensive than my GTP, had 4 doors (I like coupes), and it felt a little "mature" to me. Now for you, if it's paid for, the price is not an issue. You have a family, so the sedan part is probably a good thing. And, really, that "mature" bit is just another way of saying "personal preference," so it doesn't matter much.

I guess the bottom line is that it is a more expensive, more luxurious car. It's newer than your car, with less mileage and more life left on the warranty. I don't think I'd ever feel short-changed having a 300M.

Good luck,
Kazz

ruski · October 2000

chrome wheels are an option on 300M
there are two kinds of Infinity stereo - standard 9 speaker (200-something watt) and optional 11 speaker with 320 watts.

What kind of suspension does your 300M have? Is it regular or Performance Handling Group package? PHP is only $500 more, it adds bigger brake disks, better brake pedal feel, stiffer steering, stiffer suspension, and better cornering. Tires are also rated for high speeds and electronic speed limiter is removed. If your 300M has the PHP it will be specified on the sticker.

What does your wife think of the 300M compared to the Avalon?

Mileage: I drove from Fort Lauderdale to Sarasota (3 hours on highway) and fuel economy was 23mpg, shown on the trip computer. I had wife, kids, and luggage on board and maintained 85mph.

300M is quite fast, not off line but at high speeds.

I say - make it 300M vs Avalon instead of 300M vs GTP.

toon1 · October 2000

I'm getting between 25-26 mpg highway driving. Is this about right? Usually travel between 70-80mph, using 87 octane, with just me in the car. 6,800 miles on the car. I need to fill up today and going to try upgrading the octane. Think that will help?

teo · October 2000

How the South African Chevrolet Lumina SS looks like???

http://www.chevrolet.co.za/

5.7L Generation III V-8, RWD, 6-Speed Manual.....

This MAKES ME SICK!!!!!!!

WHY GM NORTH AMERICA KEEPS DENYING TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC ACCESS TO THESE FINE PRODUCTS????

WAKE UP MR. RONALD ZARELLA!!!!

graphicguy · October 2000

yurakm--I'm beginning to agree with you about the emotional ties to the 300M that should be taken into consideration. That should be over and above the GP vs. 300M comparison.

kazz--thanks for the condolences. I appreciate it. The GTP is paid for and, of course, so is the 300M. My GTP is a 4-door, too and I dearly love it. That said, I really like the luxury of the 300M. Although, not as fast, the 300M is no slouch in the performance dept (I was reading the owners manual last night and it said to not go over 55 MPH for the first 300 miles for break-in). I've not really wound it out, yet. I can tell by the way it handles that this is much more "european" in the handling dept.

You can call me an "old fart" for liking the 300M. I can take it;-)

Ruski--The only option listed on the sticker is the extra charge for the "red inferno pearl coat" paint. I'll assume that either they swapped wheels from another 300M (for the chrome) or that they are aftermarket (they don't look aftermarket, though). I'll have to make a trip to the CP dealer to see for sure. No PHP is listed on the sticker. I'm very pleased the way it handles and brakes with the standard set up, though. I'll also assume it has the "standard" stereo (it says Infinity on the speakers) since no option for the stereo is on the sticker. The standard stereo is still better than the Bose in my GTP.

About the Avalon vs. the 300M...that should be the real comparison. My wife won't part willingly with her Avalon, though. The Avalon is not my cup of tea. But, it's her car, not mine. she doesn't like the "infernal red" color of the 300M (her avalon is white pearl).

sunfgt · October 2000

I'd have to agree that it would be more a matter of 300M vs. Avalon. Yes, they are both different types of cars with different personalities, but I think that the 300M does almost everything an Avalon does and more. For sure the 300M outperforms the Avalon in every way possible, but I found the 300M to still be very quiet and well-mannered, even when pushed to redline. The only advantages the Avalon has is size and even more quietness.

Why not let your wife take a spin in the 300M?

graphicguy · October 2000

No comparison between the 300M and the Avalon.

You're right...two different cars for about the same price.

Differences:

Avalon
--smoother riding than 300M
--Quieter than 300M

300M
--better interior materials
--thicker sheet metal
--much better handling, braking, steering, suspension
--much better acceleration
--much better stereo
--much better looking
--better paint (optional paint)
--better ergonomics
--more features

My wife really is a "Buick ride" type of person. She would really be happier in a Park Ave.

Suprisingly, she paid $29K for the avalon...about the same price as the 300M (or an I30, TL, A4, new C-Class, 323i, etc.) With the exception of the C-Class or the 323i, I believe the 300M is a better car. She just likes the Avalon.

ruski · October 2000

my wife still misses our 96 Buick Riviera (what a smooth ride that was). However she likes the 300M a lot, and ours is a harsher riding PHP.

tsjay · October 2000

Hello, Toon

I believe your car will get better gas mileage than what you have seen so far. My 2000 GT sedan has checked as high as 31.5 mpg for it's all time best on a trip from Illinois back to my home in Kentucky. I had to drive the speed limits to achieve that kind of mileage, though.

I think your car may still be "breaking in," although a lot of people will tell you that 7K miles is enough to break in an engine. I believe my car was still improving in gas mileage up to about 10K miles.

Be sure your tires are up to recommended pressure and that you have good wheel alignment. Drive a nice steady speed- I always use my cruise control, but I don't have many hills to go up and down on my route to and from Illinois.

I probably average 29 to 29.5 miles per gallon on my trips. I was purposely trying for a record when I got the 31.5. I do remember getting 30.9 and twice getting 30.0 on some other trips. I also remember getting 29.9 twice before ever breaking or achieving the 30.0 barrier. Those 29.9's were frustrating, since I was hoping to hit 30.0 or better.

I am speaking of actual manually calculated mileage, not the indicated mileage on the onboard mileage computer.

Let us know if you get an improvement. I don't think the 89 octane gas will help. The GT's are designed for 87 octane.

tsjay

ruski · October 2000

=Australian Holden Commodore.

http://www.holden.com.au/sc01_home/
http://www.hsv.com.au/

kazz · October 2000

We are car people. We look at numbers, handling, price and style, then ooh and ahh over the rides we love. Graphicguy's wife isn't that way. She doesn't like the color of the 300M (even though it's an extra $$ option!). I doubt that anything said will sway her to trade her beloved Avalon for the 300M, even though there's not a person here who can't say why it wouldn't be better to have a brand-spanking-new 300M over a used (how used, BTW?) Avalon. She likes what she likes. Doesn't help graphicguy with his dilemma, tho.

96gs · October 2000

Wow, that Lumina SS was nice. I would love to see that offered in the US. I really don't know why they can't bring that to production in the US.

toon1 · October 2000

Thanks for the info. I drive 60 miles each way to work everyday on fairly even terrain here in VA. I do tend to "keep ahead of the flow" with regard to speed. Believe it or not, I filled up yesterday with 89 octane and, based on my computer, I jumped up almost 2 mpg. All of the numbers I've used are computer based.
The specs. say it is an 18 gallon tank, but I find that hard to believe as everytime I fill up, I am on "E" and the low light has been of for 30-40 miles. But, I usually only get a little over 15 gallons in the tank. What do 'ya think?

tsjay · October 2000

I have noticed the same thing with mine. You get plenty of warning before you run out of gas, but I wish they had made it more realistic. Some day a guy might count on all those extra miles and end up running out of gas.

I always re-set my trip odometer when I fill up, and knowing the approximate miles per gallon I can count on, I know pretty well how far I can push a tank of gas. Of course, there's that mileage computer that will tell you how many miles you have left, but I don't trust that thing as much as the manual calculation.

As far as the 89 octane thing, keep me posted as to whether you really get better mileage. You would have to go through a few tanks to be sure that the apparent improvement is real. It could be some other factor if you just see it on one tank. Everything I've ever read on the subject says that you are no better off with the 89 octance if your car is designed for 87, but the "experts" don't always have everything right.

I think you might be better off doing manual gas mileage calculations rather than depending on the computer in the car. Some of my very best gas mileage figures from manual calculations were higher than what the computer was showing. I don't know how the computer is programmed, but it may put more weight on the most recent miles rather than give a true average for the whole interval since the last re-set. Sometimes it is almost on the money with the manual calculation, and sometimes it's off by a mile or two per gallon.

tsjay

yurakm · October 2000

The gauge shows an empty tank when about 4 gallons left not only with GP, but also with my Chevy Malibu. And I had read the same complaints on the Ford boards.

I have read somewhere, that the modern cars need to have at least a couple gallons in the tank. Allegely, the fuel pump require it for cooling or lubrication or somewhat; otherwise it can fail or wear early...

By the way, it makes a good sense to refuel often, at least in our places. You never know when and where the traffic will be jammed in CT. It happened with me to get into a jam about 0:30am, in a relatively quiet place, when entered I-91 from I-84. There is no uncertainty only with the I-95: the jams are granted here.

And the gas runs out very fast in the jams.

toon1 · October 2000

My salesman told me when I bought the car that you could expect about 40 miles left when the light comes on. It will begin to blink when you're just about out.(yea I know it blinks when it comes on). Of course, I called him about another matter Monday and the sales manager told me that he was no longer with them, because of all things... he couldn't tell the truth!!

republican · October 2000

I am thinking about getting another Grand Prix. My 1996 has been a good car but it is beginning to leak oil around the valve covers and my oil pump is about to go to. I was wondering if anything new is going to come out on the 2001 Grand Prix.

sunfgt · October 2000

I also find my gas gauge to be "faulty", even after it was fixed. It appears that the gauge has a fudge factor built into it to persuade you to refuel before things start getting dangerous. I've noticed that my level drops really fast at first, but in the last 1/4, it moves down very slowly. I'm guessing that most people would refuel once it hits 1/4 or lower, but I think there's more like 3/8 still left, so there's a safety margin of 1/8. I wouldn't try to find that margin though, not unless you've got a gas container in your trunk

sunfgt · October 2000

If you can't persuade your wife, I'd say keep the 300M. It'll do eveything the GTP does, except that it is a bit slower. Also, since your uncle decided to give it to you, I think he'd want you to drive it.

ruski · October 2000

300M is not slower. It is just not as quick from 0 to 60mph.

republican - 2001 Grand Prix is alrefy being sold. Check the Poniac web site for what's new.

greywolf · October 2000

That Lumina SS is nice....

Why isn't it here?

Blame the SUV people....GM is going where the money is being made.

sunfgt · October 2000

That was what I meant. 300M feels fast, but I'm sure it doesn't compare with the GTP on launch. I'm sure 300M has a higher top speed anyhow, especially with the removal of the speed limiter with your PHP package.

sunfgt · October 2000

Don't they realize that there's a lot of money to be made in the sports sedan field? I've never seen an ad for GTP, by GM or by a dealership. That means that GTP sells too well for GM to waste their advertising money on it. I have seen GT ads, but the GTP is a complete bargain for only over 1K more, so I can see that people would spend a little more and add the P, leaving behind a lot of GTs.

ruski · October 2000

actually the top speed of 300M is pretty much the same as the top speed of GTP without the speed limiter.

graphicguy · October 2000

kazz--up're right...we're car people. And, as such, we like to look at performance capabilities as well as how the car looks/feels/drives. My wife looks only at how the car rides and how many "doo-dads" the car has. She would be happy with a 100hp, 4banger in the Avalon as long as it "floated" over bumps. The wife has a '99 Avalon. A lot of her love for it has to do with the fact that it's the first car she bought herself without me "tagging along" to help her buy it (at her request). She picked it out, negotiated the deal. This sounds sexist, but in all the years we've been together(going on 15 years), she always asked me to help her pick out a car and help with negotiations. She did the Avalon on her own and has a sense of pride in it. She's had some re-occuring brake problems with it, but loves it all the same.

ruski--my wife looked at a Park Ave. (really wanted a Riv, but they didn't make'em anymore). The one she wanted was $35K. We have a rule in our home...."no cars that cost over $30K" (used to be over $20K, then $25K). We can afford more expensive cars, but believe that past the $30K mark, diminishing returns kick in.

sunfgt--the GTP is faster off the line than the 300M. 300M has a great, smooth kick at highway speeds. It puts power to the pavement in a much smoother fashion. Top end on both is pretty comparable (but who ever goes over 110 MPH anyway in this country).

I've decided to sell my beloved GTP and keep the 300M. This is as much for emotional reasons as anything else. I don't think I'll be disappointed with the 300M. I've only driven the GTP once since inheriting the 300M. I'm surpirsed at the thoughtfullness of some of the features I'm finding with the 300M (stereo controls on the back of the sterring wheel instead of cluttering up the front...why didn't someone think of that before).

I'll miss the way the GTP gets up and hauls with little provocation. I'll miss the HUD. Stereo is better in the 300M. 300M is beautiful both inside and out. My 300M had a little sticker on the door that said the quality control people had pulled mine off the line to test it, making certain it was screwed together correctly (and it is).

Thanks to all for the advice. I'm selling my 2K GTP (with 1SC, Bose, hi-po wheels and all zaino'd up). It has 34K miles (I drive a lot). Put a "for sale" sign in it yesterday and put an ad in the local paper that ran this a.m. Asking $21K (will take $20K). Already have 3 people slated to come take a look at it today. It's a great car that someone will get a good deal on. I'll hate to see it go.

ruski · October 2000

so where do you live?

tsjay · October 2000

Toon:

Have you tried actually calculating your mileage and comparing that figure with your onboard computer gas mileage? If you do this for a few consecutive tanks, then I think you will really know what your mileage is.

I forgot to mention in my earlier posts that I use Mobil 1 full synthetic oil in my GT, and I honestly believe this helps my mileage by a mile to the gallon or maybe a little more. I used regular oil for the first 5K miles (changed it once about 2000 or so and put regular oil back in it that time), then at 5000 I had Mobil 1 put in it. I have been using 5000 mile oil change intervals with the Mobil 1, since almost all of my miles are highway miles.

I started using Mobil 1 on my '94 Z28 Camaro, and I KNOW it helped my gas mileage on that car, since I had been checking it on each fill-up. It also gave me a quieter cold start on that car.

tsjay

yurakm · October 2000

Recently my wife and I have bought a Regal GS. Basically the same engine as in your GP GT. Will change oil for the first time soon, probably tomorrow, at about 2k. The next time, at 5k, we plan to switch to Mobil-1.

May I ask you, please, what grade of Mobil-1 do you use? 5w-30 or 10w-30?

tsjay · October 2000

Hi Yurakm.

I use the 10W-30 Mobil 1. Look at your owners manual and go with whichever viscosity oil it recommends for the expected temperature range where you live. In my case, living in Ky., the temperature range my car will see fits the 10W-30 category. I suppose a guy could switch to 5W-30 in the winter months, but I don't know yet if I will do that or not. I would definitely do what the owners manual recommends.

In the Grand Prix owners manual it says that 10W-30 is recommended unless the car will see temperatures below 0 degrees F. It hardly ever gets below zero here. The owners manual also indicates that 5W-30 is not recommended above 60 degrees F. According to that, I could use 5W-30 during the coldest part of the year around here, so maybe that's what I'll do next time I have it changed (I'm due in 2000 more miles, which for me is only about a month's driving).

tsjay

tsjay · October 2000

Yurakm:

I just looked at your profile and saw that you live in Connecticut. I suppose that means you will see lots of temperatures in the single digits and even below zero. You might want to consider getting a block heater for your car.

I think you can hook it up to a timer so that it will start heating your engine coolant for you an hour or two before you start the car. Your car would then warm up immediately, avoiding a lot of engine wear (I have heard that 80% of all engine wear occurs during cold starts until the engine gets up to normal temperature.), and your heater would work as soon as you get in the car.

At any rate, I think your owners manual will tell you that 5W-30 is what you need for the winter months where you live.

By the way, congratulations on that new GS. Those babies are nice!

Hope this helps

tsjay

graphicguy · October 2000

We live in OH. Sold the GTP yesterday to the first person who showed up. There was actually two people who showed up to look at the car at the same time. One person saw the "for sale" sign in the GTP window, the other responded to the newspaper ad.

I told both that I was asking $21K. Both drove the car and wanted it (see what a good Zaino job will do to sell a car). I had it spotless...newly washed with a Z6 wipe down.

Both asked what I would take for the car. To be fair, I told both that they could put their bid in an envelope and I would accept the best bid. I opened both bids with everyone present. All agreed that was fair. 2nd guy bid $19.7K. First guy to show up bid $20K even (which is what I wanted). 1st guy took it. He gave me $500 in cash, went to the bank. Came back with a cashier's check for the rest. We went to the notary...got the title transfered and he went on away happy. If there wasn't such great deals going on with new GTPs, I probably could have gotten a grand more.

A 3rd person showed up in the early evening...told him it was sold.

Still will miss the GTP...great car!

yurakm · October 2000

Thank you so much for your congratulations, and for suggestions!

My car manual also recommends switching to 5w-30 for the temperature below 60F, and not to use 10w-30 when it is below zero. In the 0-60F range, the both grades are OK for the 3,8l GM engine.

Then enters the New England climate. At summer, the 10w-30 is no brainer. But, with the Connecticut winter, it is impossible to predict, if there will be several days above 60 or several nights below zero. Even while, most probably, 95 percent of time the temperature will be in the 0-60F range, where the both 10w-30 and 5w-30 are OK.

This is one of reasons why I tried to break-in the engine while it is still warm outside. I put 2k miles in three weeks. Almost all with the longer weekend trips, including one to the Niagara Falls.

The winter is the main reason, why I want to switch to the synthetic oil. I also planned to change oil for the first time after 2k, and go to synthetic after 5k. But, with the winter pending, I started to think about switching to Mobil 1 even sooner, with the first oil change.

My car is not equipped with the engine block heater. I believe, the heaters are very unusual in CT: they are probably available for the build-to-order cars only. The winter is generally mild here, not like Maine, or Minnesota, or Canada, or Russia.

Any case, we are renting an apartment, in a 6-building complex. Almost 500 apartments here, with even more cars on the lots (mostly two-car families). Would be impossible to connect the engine heater(s) to electricity.

tsjay · October 2000

Hello again, yurakm

I think the 5W-30 will be your proper oil for the winter. You may have a few days (VERY FEW,probably) during the winter months when it will get close to 60 degrees, right? I'm sure a little driving when the temperature is in the sixties with 5W-30 won't hurt anything. Remember, it's when the engine is below normal temperature that most of your wear will occur, and that's where the 5W-30 will help you in the winter.

I don't know what kind of neighborhood surrounds your apartment complex, but if there is a residential neighborhood nearby, you might find someone with a garage that they would rent you. Then you could buy an aftermarket heater of some kind. Parking in a private garage would probably save you some knicks and dings on your car also from stupid people who throw their car doors open against the car parked next to them.

tsjay

greywolf · October 2000

I think you are being to extreme recommending a block heater for someone living in CT. If they lived in Maine or North Dakota, then you would have a point.

CT just doesn't get that kind of extreme cold. When I talk extreme, I am talking about winter temps that dip below zero on a regular basis.

You could probably count the # of times that happens in CT on your hand each winter.

I think engine wear isn't a major factor when it comes to the 3800. The 3800 is probably the most reliable-under-abuse component of the GP. I don't hear to many stories of cars dying because of the 3800...even when they are poorly maintained.

tsjay · October 2000

I guess CT winters are not as severe as I thought.

I have never been there, but I had a mental image of a very cold winter season.

A block heater still might not be a bad idea, if for no other reason than quicker heat from the heater for the comfort of the driver and passengers and a quicker defrost of the windows. It would be up to the individual to decide if it's worth the trouble. I probably wouldn't do it myself, since I have a garage and don't have to worry about icy or frosty windows in the mornings.

Later, greywolf

tsjay

tsjay · October 2000

You're awful quiet lately. Can't you stay out of that GT long enough to tell us how you are liking it now that you've had it a few days?

Let us hear from you!

tsjay

yurakm · October 2000

Thank you!

I agree with greywolf:

Probably about a million cars are in use in our state, year round, and nobody even mentions the heaters. I think that, would they be really useful in CT, the dealers would sell them. And many families would not buy the cars without heaters.

I live in CT for five years and did not saw a single advertisement of an aftermarket heater. Not like alarms, stereo subwoofers, etc. No demand.

The oil change businesses do not offer 5w-30 oil in our town, only 10w-30, year round. Most simply have no other oil: "bring your own and we will gladly put it in".

Looks like I am just became too much excited with the new toy.

tsjay · October 2000

Yurakm:

If you are going to use Mobil 1 oil, you will be much better off buying it yourself at a Walmart or some other discount store rather than buying it at an oil change facility.

Those oil change businesses charge MUCH more for Mobil 1 than what you can buy it for yourself. You can get it at Walmarts around here in Ky. for about $4.25 per quart. You can still have the oil change business change your oil- just take your own oil with you, and they will knock something off their price for the oil change, since you brought your own oil (they won't knock off much, though)

I still think you would be ok using 5W-30 in the winter months, but it may not make all that much difference. It depends on your weather, of course. I think even in a normal winter you are closer to the 5W-30 temperature range than the 10W-30 temperature range.

Like I said, I would go with the owners manual recommendations.

tsjay

yurakm · October 2000

Thank you!

heng · October 2000

are not as severe as in upstate NY. I run 10W-30 (non-synthetic) all year round. No problem.

Then you don't have to change oil when the weather changes.

toon1 · October 2000

Thanks for following up. You were correct, the octane thing was a fluke. When I posted last, I had just filled up with the higher octane and checked it on my way home from work. At that time, the computer was showing 27.8. By the end of the tank, I was back to 25. something. I haven't tried the manual calculation yet.
The car had about 3,500 miles on it as a demo when I bought it. I wonder if the salesman driving it "broke it in" properly and if that would have something to do with it. The tire pressure is okay and I had it aligned right after I bought it because it was pulling to the left. So, I am still getting about 25.5 mpg according to the computer. I know I am getting less than 400 miles per tank, so depending on the tank size, that's about right. I'll keep watching it and let you know.!!

wka · November 2000

I'm looking at buying a new 2001 Grand Prix GTP. I think I'll like the super charger even though I'll have to burn premium. So far I really like the value of the Grand Prix and feel like I'm getting a lot for my money. Good safety specs, nice feel, interior is good and low maintenance features. I'm tempted to get the GT and not have to worry about premium fuel. Anyone feel the GT is a better value?

Pontiac Grand Prix - 2000-2005

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