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Pontiac Grand Am

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Comments

  • rpm9rpm9 Member Posts: 73
    Hey spectre3, the Mustang GT isn't a bad car at all, but inside, there is a serious lacking of design creativity and interior room. And the back seat has no other function but to haul anyone who's under the size of a five-year old. Furthermore, it sucks more gas and is more expensive to insure. Overall, you get more bang for the buck in a Grand Am. But one thing I have to admit about the Mustang: Chicks dig 'em!
  • spectre3spectre3 Member Posts: 67
    actually, the insurance difference here in indiana wasn't that great.. 99 ga to 00 mustang gt. if we need to accommodate several persons, we take one of the other cars, so it is no big deal.

    design is a matter of taste. it was definitely a change from 93 mustang (plain)styling.

    btw, that 99 ga never got 25 mpg on the highway. the mustang does. the ga should have done much better, but the service at the local pontiac dealer said that it was normal and there were no problems.(ha) the biggest reason i had for unloading the ga, is we have no competent pontiac dealer in this town... unfortunate.


    as far as the styling goes i think the ga's big buggy eyed dash is ugly also,, but, to each his own.
    the interior quality of our ga was poor. right hand door panel never stayed tight, numerous rattles and squeaks(and leaks) they could never find, and a possessed radio that worked when it felt like it.

    if i had bought a two door alero, i might have put up with the problems we had with the ga. they are much sharper autos...(on the outside).

    yep, the chicks dig a gt's alright ;)
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    A Mustang GT that gets 25 mpg? Do you drive on the interstate at 35 mph? Stick or auto? That doesn't sound right. I average 24-25 mpg with my 1999 GA GT auto, and that's in mixed driving. I once got 27 mpg on a long trip.
  • spectre3spectre3 Member Posts: 67
    yep, not a typo.

    its epa rating is 17 to 24.

    i run mobil 1 synthetic oil, that has helped all of my autos mpg somewhat.
    yes, it is an automatic.
    yes, it is interstate driving, 70 miles per hour.

    about 6 years ago, i owned a 90 mustang gt with the old 5.0 liter engine and the 5 speed transmission. i bumped up the initial timing advance, removed the intake air silencer, ran synthetic fluids and platinum plugs. it regularly would get 28 on the interstate at the same speeds.

    if i would quit fiddling with the cruise the 00 gt might do a bit better.

    i would have been quite satisfied with your ga's hiway mpg, if our car would have achieved it.
    our pontiac service department wouldn't do a thing to correct whatever its problem was.
    i got tired of burning vacation days to take it in to the shop!!
  • jalsinghsjalsinghs Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I bought a 99 V6 Pontiac Grand Am with around 27k miles on it about 2 months back. I had driven a Grand am earlier and was very impressed with the way it handled and decided that i had to own one.

    Before buying it, i had put it through a 100 point inspection at my neighbourhood AAA grage. The report came straight A's except for an air filter and tire rotation issue which I duly took care of.

    But there have been a few glitches that have emerged and was wondering whether I could get some help from the board.

    1) Sluggish- Though a V6, the car seems to be more sluggish on the road than the V4 I had driven. The power is there..but it's just not peppy.

    2) The Power Steering. Its supposed to be variable....but there are times when i am trying to park and I have to virtually struggle with the steerng.

    3) BRAKES- They make me feel very insecure...is there a way to make them firmer??....tighten them up or something?

    4) Hazard Indicator- My hazard indicator, blinks for like a couple of seconds before it just goes blank...and takes my indicators with it. I usually have to wait for a few seconds to get them back online.

    Apart from the above it is a great drive
  • nerssnerss Member Posts: 43
    The hazard light intermittently flashing sounds like a short in the switch or the lights, the steering can be hard to steer on some models. (Have the mechanic remove the reducer or filter on the power steering system to allow better fluid flow) The sluggish V6 is probably related to the design of the car and motor. It strikes me that the engine doesn't create enough HP to overcome the extra weight of the larger V6. I have tested the I4 and the V6 and the I4 felt nimbler and quicker on its feet. In relation to the brakes are probably worn if the miles came from city driving. When you have them checked out make sure that they (the mechanics) reveiw the service bulletins and check to confirm if the brakes have received the upgrade. My mechanic put a size larger rotor on the car due to warping from the extreme heat caused by thediminuitive size of the smaller rotor.
  • dcwong1dcwong1 Member Posts: 54
    Are the regular headlights that poor in night that it seems like every Grand Am I see in the Midwest (especially in Chicago) always has their foglights on no matter what time of the day it is? It could be in the morning with the sun out and I still see the foglights on.

    I've rented Grand Ams before and found them pretty fun to drive but the foglights were worthless to me. It is recessed so deep inside the chin spoiler that it makes the lights useless. The output is one of the worst I've seen. It is more fad than function.
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    I have to disagree about the foglights. The foglights on my 1999 Grand Am GT are excellent. They provide a huge amount of additional light along the pavement just in front of the car. Last night I was driving in heavy fog with my family van and wished I was driving my Grand Am instead.

    The foglights are on a switch and can be set to come on automatically with the regular headlights. That is probably why every Grand Am you see has the fog lights on as well. I leave them on because they are very functional.
  • lrymallrymal Member Posts: 105
    Regarding the fog lights... I think they are very good for the purpose they are designed. Here on the Texas coast at night, they easily assist in the "pea-soup" weather we get. I mean, when the visibility is only about 100 feet, you really appreciate them during nightly fog.

    Regarding the driving lights... They reak. They have this laser-edge type aim, with little fade at the edge of the beam. Sounds great for the straight-away, but they are terrible when going around curves and up/down hills. Give me old-fashioned lights with a gradiant fade at the edge of the beam!

    I have found that they are adjusted too high from the factory. Low beams are fine. They do a marvelous job. But, the high beams are actually suffering from a weaker output. If you don't have the lights adjusted just right, you'll find the high beams reaching out and touching someone, but with a much weaker illumination. The solution is to re-aim the lights down a bit until the high beams not only illuminate the distance, but also illuminate the sides of the road when you go around the curves.

    Anyway, the high beams are my major sore point. A friend of mine at the local GM dealer sez that the lights are one of their major warranty issues.

    Read a complaint by a reviewer *somewhere* that the Aztek suffers the same problem.
  • kingbobkingbob Member Posts: 6
    Will be buying a new car soon and was hoping someone could help me make a decision between the GP or the GA both GT's . The cost difference is about $2,200. Any thoughts? Thanks again.
  • spectre3spectre3 Member Posts: 67
    there is already a ton of "thoughts" on this thread about the ga.

    if the problems & complaints don't scare you off,

    then go for it....
  • whackowhacko Member Posts: 96
    You ever notice that Pontiac cars are the most overstyled, overstated, and obnoxious looking cars in the market. Kind of makes me wonder if the owners are the same way?
  • mfuller1mfuller1 Member Posts: 17
    I, too, was disappointed with the brightness and range of the driving lights on my Alero. The foglights work great to brighten things up, thus I always have them switched on. Some of the inadequacy of the stock lighting has to do with the reflector design, but I think some of it is attributable to the bulbs. Check out www.autobulbdepot.com for PIAA low and high beam driving lamps for the GA and Alero. They're kinda pricey, but the difference in brightness and range is incredible, and they're DOT legal unlike some other brand of high-output bulbs.
  • ronmendelronmendel Member Posts: 12
    My GA could use brighter driving lights, as well.

    Are those PIAA bulbs as easy as unplugging the stock bulbs and just plugging in the new ones?

    I looked under the hood and cannot even get to the bulbs. Can you tell me what I have to remove to get to the bulb sockets?

    Thanks!

    -Ron
    (GA 2000)
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    That's very good whacko and spectre3. Go to a Grand Am forum and whine about how bad the car is. People here are either considering or have already purchased a Grand Am. Your posts are of no use.

    Kingbob - I too contemplated the GP GT vs. the GA GT. the price differential is as you mentioned. However, the GA GT comes with more options in the GT model than the GP does. For instance, the GA GT has a power sunroof. This was a big requirement for me. So to get the GP GT with a sunroof, it was about $3K difference.

    The GP is a bigger car with a bigger bulletproof 3.8 liter engine, but I like the GA interior better. Especially the seats. And the 3.4 liter GA engine hauls!

    Either way you can't lose, it's just how much you want to spend.
  • hengheng Member Posts: 411
    I have a 3.4 Alero and a 3.8 GP. The GP is larger by a bunch. Across the front doors the GP is 4 inches wider (I measured it). Rear leg room also much greater. Trunk is much larger.

    Styling is up to you. I do call the Alero the mini GP because it has almost all the same features. Engine/transmission response of the 3.4 Alero is very similar to the 3.8 GP (awsome!). The Alero may get 1 or 2 mpg more than the GP at highway cruise. You definitely hear the 3.4 engine at highway cruise. The 3.8 cruises as if it weren't there.

    You should drive them back to back, then decide.
  • spectre3spectre3 Member Posts: 67
    whine??

    since when is it your place to determine where i can post and when??

    I am a former ga owner and my comments reflect my direct experiences.

    you on the other hand must claim an extra exemption on your tax return for being blind.

    any poster considering a ga can & should read the whole ga thread and examine ALL comments good and bad, then decide whether to buy a ga.

    I believe you perceive any negative comments about this auto a personal slam of some kind. grow up.
  • lrymallrymal Member Posts: 105
    Posted a message 12/21/2000, more about driving lights. It never showed. Regarding the "whine" messages. C'mon guys, take this stuff privately. Don't turn this list into a flame-infested group like so many other internet groups are. Please???
  • kingbobkingbob Member Posts: 6
    How much over or under invoice should a savvy person pay for a new GP or GA? Chevy Malibu people quoted $100 over cost. But not to crazy about the looks of the Malibu, but does seem to be alot for your money. Any thoughts on how the Malibu stacks up against Grand Am?
  • ronmendelronmendel Member Posts: 12
    I just bought a new 2000 GA for 500 under invoice plus a $2000 Pontiac rebate currently running. That worked out to $4500 below sticker. Since there were no changes from MY 2000 to 2001, I didn't mind buying a 2000 and saving big time.

    Year-end is the very best time to buy a car and the GM dealers are hurting real badly right now. Go in and make a killer offer and walk out (leave your cell number) if they resist.

    -Ron
  • rpm9rpm9 Member Posts: 73
    I love my 00 Grand Am SE/V6 so much that when I finally have a child, he or she's first name will be Grand and the middle name will be Am. And I will move my family to Pontiac, Michigan. Happy Holidays everybody!
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    My "whining" comment was more directed towards whacko. His or her slam comments were uncalled for regarding Pontiacs and their owners in general, which is really of no use to anyone in a Grand Am discussion.

    And Spectre3, the "problems" and "complaints" didn't scare me off, because I know to take everything posted on forums with a grain of salt. But thanks for the reminder, I do have to make an appointment to go see the eye doctor. When I get my eyes fixed, maybe I'll suddenly hate my Pontiac because it's so hideous and have to sell it immediately.

    See - everyone can be sarcastic. Has that helped anybody on the forum? Doubt it.

    Hey - tax time is just around the corner. I guess I better go figure out all my exemptions now.

    Lyrmal - no flamefest intended. As a matter of fact, my original message was to try and quelch the "slam" type posts that were not constructive (pro or anti-Grand Am) in nature. Obviously it backfired. My apologies.

    Ronmendel - You hit the nail on the head: Be willing to walk out of the dealer. As long as you stay on their salesfloor, they figure they've got you right where they want you. Make an offer and tell them to "take it or leave it". Make them the desperate ones. It works wonders.

    Rpm9 - welcome to the family of Grand Am owners.

    And to everyone else - thanks for all the useful posts that have helped me gather a great deal of information on purchasing and maintaining my car. Being informed is definitely the way to go!
  • spectre3spectre3 Member Posts: 67
    well, when you get your glasses, maybe you will direct your sarcastic remarks to where they were intended.

    now back to reading the useful comments here.....
  • fedgirlfedgirl Member Posts: 1
    Sorry for the long posting; I have a question. My 99 Grand Am GT Coupe recently has had problems with both the driver's side and passenger's doors. The doors have been rubbing/grinding up into the front quarter panel of the car. This just started right before Christmas, when temperatures here in Chicago plummeted below zero. I took it to the dealer and today they told me first that this problem occurred because I "over extended" the doors when I opened them (they're saying I opened them too wide). Then the Service Manager told me that this problem could have occurred because snow and ice got up "under the door" and is causing the door to grind up against the front quarter panels. The service department used a "fender spoon" to dig the doors out and smooth everything over (temporary solution). However, they are telling me it's going to happen again (they must be psychic) and that I will need to take it to a body shop. I told them I expected this to be covered under my 3 year/36000 mile warranty and they said "no, this is either an act of God (snow up under the door) or my fault (they still think I over extended the door) and these incidents are not covered by the warranty. Has anybody else had this problem? Suggestions? Comments? Thank you!
  • spectre3spectre3 Member Posts: 67
    that sounds like something our pontiac dealer in Indiana would tell me...

    in our case, they accused my wife of using her ga's brakes too much, causing the rotor warp every 5k miles :) .

    if it isn't really snow and ice rubbing in there, the doors alignment needs to be checked.

    if an adjustment is all that is necessary, I would hope the dealer wouldn't charge you to make a minor adjustment while your car is under warranty.... especially if they want your future business...

    my 2 cents,

    have a nice day..
  • midlifecrisismidlifecrisis Member Posts: 391
    My suggestion would be to get your car to a different dealer for a second opinion, if you can. Don't even mention that you were at the first dealer. See what the second dealer has to say. Dealerships can be as different as night and day. I finally found a Pontiac dealer that is very cooperative. My Ford dealer on the other hand, is less than helpful. But that situation could be reversed in the next town over. I've heard stories about how some Honda and Toyota dealers are a nightmare to deal with. It all depends on the people and their management philosophy.
  • rzepa2rzepa2 Member Posts: 24
    Just rxed recall notice that my 1994 Grand Am can start
    a fire becuase of high currents. The GM states that this
    is possibility but is not aware (if I remeber correctly)
    of any such instances. Well, it did not take long when
    searching thru nhts web side to find few exact symptoms
    (as stated in the recall) which ended in fires, one actually
    burned the guy's house. What really makes me mad that they told
    us to wait till march to have the car repair because of the
    parts shortage.... Anyone else concern with that ??? What are
    we to do - wait til march and hope that there will be no fire ?

    I am really glad that I traded (well got $500 for it) my piece of GM [non-permissible content removed] 1991 Cutless for Toyota Avalon. In a year or two, the 1994 Grand Am piece of [non-permissible content removed], so called GM engineering.. will be gone and wife will drive Accord or Camry. Don't mind paying extra, just don't want my house to burn.
  • jenib6jenib6 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know of any problems with either one of these cars. I had a rental of the Sedan V6 and the brakes were making noise. It was a smooth ride but with the past problems in 99 with the rotors I would like to know if anyone has had the same problems with the '00 version.

    Thank you
  • lrymallrymal Member Posts: 105
    I have a '99 GrandAM SE with the V6. No problems with the rotors at all. No shudder, no chatter. Car nearly has 50k.

    Perhaps the fact I have the rear drums rather than rear disks may be a reason, I don't know.

    My rotors are not the better ones, either. But, car has a good, controlled, and fast stop from freeway speeds. So, I never pressed the issue.
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    What kind of noise the brakes made?

    If this was a loud "crackle" noise just after the starting engine, this is normal. The computer just tests ABS in such a way.

    Any case, the warped rotors do not make any noise (at least till the pads wear out completely and start scratching metal to metal). The symptom of the warpage is the brake pedal pulsation, mostly at highway speed: 70 mph or so.
  • jenib6jenib6 Member Posts: 2
    The brakes were making a screaching noise as if they needed to be replaced. I know that it was a rental but from others stories this is a concern. I was hoping that someone had purchased a '00 model and if they could tell me if they have had the same problems.
  • melhandleymelhandley Member Posts: 2
    I drove a 99 Grand am SE for 4 weeks as a rental car while my Honda was in the shop. I fell in love with the car and am looking to buy a Grand Am. Here is my question... I test drove a 2001 Grand Am GT and SE today but after reading about the break problems from the 99 and 2000 I am having second thoughts..which makes me sad b/c I love the car. Has anyone experienced problems or know the rep for the new 2001 model? Thanks.
  • melhandleymelhandley Member Posts: 2
    Hey Jeni...I turned in my Grand Am SE 99 with 43,000 miles (rental) today b/c the breaks were rubbing too! Hence, my worries about buying a 2001....even though I really love the car.
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    Yes, the 97-99 Malibu, Cutlass, Alero, and GA used to have brake rotors prone to warping (the cars share the same underbody and a lot of parts). If I remember right, Consumer Report reports than as much as 15% of the cars had this problem.

    Later GM changed something with the rotors (either design or manufacturing process) and it looks as currently they do not have much problems. Additionally, GM replaces the brakes under warranty now, if they have problem. Did not at first.

    I bought a used 98 Malibu with warped rotors when it had 15k on odometer. Had to replace them at 23k. No problem since, now at 38k+.

    Any case, at worst this is one-time problem, costing about $300 ($450 at dealer) if you pay yourself. The aftermarket rotors usually have a lifetime warranty. Would you buy GA, if it cost $300 more?
  • nerssnerss Member Posts: 43
    The brake warp problem on my fiancees 99 GA was solved by bringing it to a reputable Pontiac Dealer who knew that the solution was to put new pads and a size larger rotor on the vehicle. He also stated that the problem was more prominent in GAs that have full disc brakes instead of a split of disc and drum. The GT comes with 4 wheel disc while the SE comes with the disc/drum split. We haven't had a problem since and that was almost 15,000 miles ago. I love driving her car and would recommend to anyone looking for a good sedan.
  • whackowhacko Member Posts: 96
    A friend of mine who was in the market for a new Grand Am was also concerned about the brake rotor problems that he had heard about. He amazed me because he came up with a great solution where he didn't have to deal with any potential bad rotors on the GA. It was real simple. He went to his nearby Pontiac dealer and bought a new Grand Prix instead. Case solved.
  • yurakmyurakm Member Posts: 1,345
    GP definitely is a better car than GA. It is also more expensive.

    What about buying RR?
  • photodoctorphotodoctor Member Posts: 17
    I recently purchased a 2001 GT. (1000 miles to date). Love the car - hate the mileage! I drive conservatively. I'm wondering.....
    Does the mileage improve with age?
    What has been your experience ????
  • lrymallrymal Member Posts: 105
    Mid-20s should be what you might expect with combined city/highway. High 20s, low 30s for freeway.

    City might be about 20. Watch your tachometer and you'll notice that it reads about 2000rpm at 70 miles per hour, and about the same rpm at 30 - 40, I think. That can really affect the mileage.

    Wouldn't worry much about being conservative. It really doesn't make that much difference. I'm serious. Maybe in the old days with high-winding 4 cylinders or big boss v-8s would net a difference due to the fact they are on opposite ends of the power range. But, mid-range motors like the 3.4 really is happy with hard or soft driving.
  • rpm9rpm9 Member Posts: 73
    I drive a 00 GA/SE coupe V6 with less than 2500 miles and it seems that the steering seems a little "floaty". I don't know if it's just me, or if it's just the characteristic of the car, or if something is really wrong -- but the steering to me seems like it can at times be difficult to keep at a straight line and that it kind of sways on its own, therefore making it an effort to try and control the car. Does anyone out there experience the same thing with their new GA? Could it be an alignment problem already?
  • szerfasszerfas Member Posts: 53
    rpm9,

    If your ride is seeming floaty I would check tire pressure. I know this is a simple suggestion but I would deffinetly not think of the ride of my car as floaty. Mine is a 99 SE1 V6.

    The only thing that I can comment on in the steering is that V6 does have quite a bit of torque and sometimes if you are accelerating fairly hard you can feel some torque steer.

    If none of the above is the case then an alignment might be just the thing. Maybe your car did not even come aligned correctly. Now while the miles are low is good time to have that taken care of. Later they will say it was "your" abusive driving or some other excuse.
  • mfuller1mfuller1 Member Posts: 17
    The Magnasteer power steering that GM uses is horrible. Way to light for a sporting car like a Grand Am with a V6. It'll get better with age, though. But I agree with szerfas. Check your tire pressure (I think you need 30 PSI); if that doesn't help, you might need an alignment. Or the front sway bar may be loose.
  • lrymallrymal Member Posts: 105
    > but the steering to me seems like it can at
    > times be difficult to keep at a straight
    > line and that it kind of sways on its own,

    My '99 was very "twitchy" on its front end. I took it to the dealer and it was within specs. To make a long story short, I sold the B.F. Goodrich tires that came with the car and replaced them with Goodyear RS-A tires and the floaty feeling totally disappeared. Even could release the steering wheel and the car would drive in a straight line. I put over 40k on the Goodyear tires and replaced them just recently with Michelin XGT-H4 tires and those make the car even tighter feeling and road noise is much less.

    Anyway, if you have B.F. Goodrich tires on your GrandAm, you might investigate replacing those.

    Ummm, to cover all bases here, yes, the inflation pressure was correct on the Goodrich tires. I am not kidding when I say that the car is very tight on handling and corners incredibly well. Mine is a SE, not the GT and it honestly corners as well as the GT, and with less harshness. -- all because of the tires.
  • sunfgtsunfgt Member Posts: 40
    I recently drove a rental GA SE down to California and back. It was a V6 sedan with 15" mags and all the options (SE1 ?). Overall, I really liked the car, but there were a few small things that really annoyed me.

    Starting with the engine, it has plenty of power, especially down low, and it only pulls 2000 rpm at 75 mph, which made for great freeway cruising. It is also very smooth and (too) quiet, which also contributes to a relaxing trip. It keeps its smoothness even near redline, and it idles so quietly that it's hard to tell that the engine is running when stopped. Tranny also shifts quite smoothly, but seems to like to downshift a lot when pushing the accelerator down a bit at cruising speeds.

    Suspension is much softer than what I'm normally used to, which is good for a long trip and for the poorly funded portions of the interstate. However, the downside to it is poor cornering (not that bad, but considerably worse than what I'm normally used to). The big problem is with the BF Goodrich tires, since they are only 215 and 15". I'm sure if going to 225 and 16" would make things better. They also seem to make the car really skittish over wet roads, even though there was not that much water on the road. Steering is also way too light for my tastes.

    Build quality was good; I didn't see any large gaps, but I also didn't go measuring them with a micrometer. No squeaks and rattles, even though it was a reasonably used rental car (20+ K km).

    One thing I really disliked was the lack of a dashboard gear position indicator (possibly a casualty of the dual hole styling). I had to look down to see what gear I'm in; not a problem if you drive the car day in day out, but annoying for me. I don't really see why there is no dash indicator; all the cars I've driven have one, from Cadillacs to BMWs to Trans Ams, and yes, even my cheap Sunfire has one.

    The other thing was the automatic headlights. Yes, this is a good feature so that you can never end up driving at night with your lights out, but there was no way to override the feature and turn it off. Once it was on, twisting the knob to any position produced no change. This was especially problematic during a stretch in the Bay area with very dense fog at night. I wanted to run only on parking and fog lights, but there was no way to turn them off. Adding fog lights didn't make any difference, since there was already a huge white wall in front of me.

    As I said, I do like the GA and would consider buying one. But if I did, it would have to be in a fog-free place, and I would have to get the GT. The GT would fix the handling, and it would probably also come with a louder and better sounding exhaust and engine since I like hearing those sounds.
  • eanne1017eanne1017 Member Posts: 1
    I don't know about anyone else, but I have nothing but problems with my Grand Am. I have a '99 SE2 and have had the car for almost 2 years. It just seems that it's in the shop more than it is on the road. I have had to have the radio/cd player replaced twice.... the motor in my driver's side seat replaced.... tail light replaced.... then in the past two weeks I have had to have the battery and alternator replaced!! then when I thought my winter break couldn't get any worse, I was leaving the bank one day (a very cold day I might add) my window wouldn't roll up. I then i had to drive 30 minutes to the dealership where the service man said "uhh, you better not try to roll your window down because it could end up falling inside your door and breaking." i didn't even know what to think of him. he thought it was a big joke! all i can say is i can't wait to get rid of my car. i am tired of taking it in all the time. i was just wondering if anyone else has had any of these problems with their cars?
  • whackowhacko Member Posts: 96
    I guess you learned your lesson. Never buy another Pontiac Grand Am again. Besides, their reliability record is questionable and the quality of workmanship isn't up to standards as compared to other cars in its class. Furthermore, the new design of the GA is overdone and overstated. Deep down within, it must be kind of embarrassing for the driver inside. And let's not forget, Pontiac is the same car company that designed the Aztek, which is quite possibly the ugliest car ever designed in history.
  • dick59dick59 Member Posts: 9
    I have owner my red 4-door GT-1 fro two years now and have 18,000 miles. It performs like new and has been maintenance-free. The drive train is excellent with always available brisk acceleration and an-always-in-the-right-gear transmission. The audio controls are state of the art and exceed any others that are available. The car is solid and rattle free. I've driven it for several hours at speeds exceeding 100 mph and the car is strong and holds the road well. I feel Pontiac has really put together a solid car and it is a real bargain compared to European counterparts. The brakes do shudder when applied above 90 mph and since that is rare for my driving habits, I don't complain. Below 85 mph, they are perfect. My gas mileage averages 21-22 in city/freeway driving and seems to be improving. The electric seat is very flexible and gives good back comfort.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I have a 99 SE1 4 door V6 with 42,000 miles, trouble free, except for the front brake rotor problem. I solved it myself with Raybestos rotors and Brutestop pads. I didn't bother with the dealer since they were out of stock with the improved OEM rotors. Rotors were $50 each, pads about $45. I considered Powerstop cross drilled and slotted rotors but decided the extra cost wasn't worth it.
    I did the same with my daughters 95 GA a couple of years ago which solved the front brake problem.
    BTW folks, if the dealer is telling you they are replacing your stock OEM rotors with larger or thicker rotors, don't believe it. You can't change the size of the rotor that easily. What the're doing is using a rotor of higher quality, i.e., harder material. You can go to almost any auto parts and get replacement rotors for $20 each, but the're inferior, softer materials that wear faster and are prone to warping, even though they perform adequately for braking.
    I average 32 mpg highway (usually 80+ mph, Arizona, California desert highways), and about 25mpg around town.
    I still have the original BFG tires, but they will need replacement soon and I'm going to take others advice and get Goodyear RS-A's or Michelins.
  • szerfasszerfas Member Posts: 53
    Mine has been almost totally trouble free. Only problem I had was an oil pan gasket that leaked and needed to be replaced. I am still not sure if the dealership is guilty for this one. I have almost 20,000 miles and the car is about a year and half old. I have a tick or two coming from the interior but other then that everything seems solid. Despite not that many miles I do give mine a good workout both pulling a trailer and also being the main gear/people hauler on outtings.

    I have been happy with the performance from the V6, the acceleration is very good and responsive. The transmission seems to be well matched. This car by far has been much more fun to drive then any of the other several cars I have tried in its price range.

    My only complaints I can think of are with the dealership itself. Glad I do not have to seen them too many times. GM/Pontiac has a lot to do here. Big surprise!

    Happy Motoring!
  • lrymallrymal Member Posts: 105
    If the alternator goes, then a warning light will show up on the instrument cluster. Reading the manual will reveal that the battery will be heavily drained of power and can result in its being damaged. My manual sez to get to the shop as soon as possible to keep the battery from being hurt.

    Power windows: my biggest fear is of the glass being down and it no longer come up. Nearly every car in years past which we had, all the way back to my dad's cars that had power windows, suffered some power window failure. My '99 GrandAm nearly has 50k on it and so far, no problem yet. I have read that if the gear ribbon tape is stripped (typical mechanism for today's power windows), then the glass can go down and there is nothing for the gear to grab hold of when you press the up button, hence a glass jammed in the down position. The mechanism is not made by General Motors and is used by every manufacturer.

    Regarding the radio. Mine works perfectly and it survived our 115 degree summer in 2000.

    I dunno. I hate to see a "lemon" type failure of a vehicle. It just happens and is not fun. Can be terribly frustrating and expensive. But, I'm hard on my GrandAm and it has been a delight.

    Whacko, dude, for those of us who haven't learned our lessons for buying a GrandAm, give us a driveable recommendation and solution. We need enlightenment. ;>)
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