If you have good reflexes and can pick a good light, you will suprise the hell out of alot of people in this car. I know I spent 4 summers educating the people of my hometown on that one. Amazing excelleration through first and second gear, average through third gear. Good looking car, has the abitity to corner very hard if you can manipulate the breaks on this car. I really get a kick out of hammering it into corners and scaring my passengers. At least I did on the first motor. If you are a little psycho like me the 2.4 does some amazing break stands. Here is how to do it ( my best one was over a 200 foot long strip of rubber, With 2 hands pull the parking break up as far as you can......break to the floor, drop it doen into 1 and just let her rip. You can shift at about 6500 into 2 and you will keep going. Enjoy......Damm restrictor, stops me at 170km, I know the car has so much more. If you know a solution to this please email me.

Above average front break wear, blew water pump at 110,000 km ( 10 k out of warranty ) if this happens to you , you are looking at 8 hours labour to fix this. at 121,000 km my baby blew up.....6 grand later I dropped a fresh crate motor into her, this onr I am treating with respect.

As a wide eyed 19 year old I bought this car brand new and drove it off the lot. I instantly fell in love with the preformance, I instantly found out that it was restricted at 170km/h. I beat on this car for three and a half years, I threw everything at it for 121,000 Km before it finally let go. This car can take a beating, I can't imagine how long it would have lasted if I had respected it. All I know is I will find out, I have 23,000 km on the new motor and it still runs great. Of course I havn't abused it yet and I don't plan to either.

Similar Products Used:

In a class of it's own when it comes to Mid-size coupes.

Damn sharp car IMHO. Loaded for the price. Decent ride, decent handling, decent power. Nothing that sticks out, but for the price, hey, it's an awesome car.

Brakes don't stick at all. Heaven forbid I ever have to stop in a hurry someday.
Lacking "refinement." But, for $20k, you're not paying for refinement.
Not the best quality (it's this little thing called American construction)

For the money you can't beat a Grand Am. You get a car loaded with bells & whistles, performance, and looks, all without the price tag. It's quickly becoming an "enthusiast" car too. It's gained a LOT of aftermarket ground in the last half a year.
Check out www.gapower.com & www.grandamgt.com to see what I mean.

Also, if you're into aftermarket, check out the Grand Am Upgrades list: http://www.insubordination.net/

Similar Products Used:

None

Very dependable, comfortable car to drive. If you take GOOD care of it, it will take care of you.

Exterior of the body rusts too easily. No air bags either. But the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

This will be more of a comparison between two Grand Am's. My '89 Grand Am LE had the 2.3 Quad 4, 5-speed. I got it with 89,000 miles in November 1996, and by August 2000 (when I was hit broadside, totalling it out), it had just turned over 200,000 miles. I know a LOT of people had trouble with this engine (head gaskets, ignition, burning oil, etc., but I did not do much to it for repairs. Yes, a lot of the miles were on the highway, but it still had the original clutch and head gasket! It used about a quart of oil in 3000 miles ever since I bought it, and just started leaking oil from the timing cover about a month before it was smashed up. It always started very well, even on Wisconsin's coldest winter mornings. I took great care of it (consistent washing, polishing, routine oil changes, etc). The interior was very comfortable, but the exterior's paint and metal quality were not the best. It had a lot of surface rust (the whole car had been repainted by the previous owner). If the metal GM used that year was galvanized, it would have really helped. But I miss my little Pontiac. The thing was still getting 35-36+ mpg on the highway! The air conditioning was still cold! No pwr windows or locks, but the windows and locks still worked nicely. One thing I thought was neat with the Quad 4 (meaning 4 valves per cylinder for better performance, versus 2 per cylinder on a standard 4 cylinder engine) was that the spark plugs were down inside the ignition cover with no wires. Just your ignition module and coil packs connected to four insulators going right to the plugs. They were a snap to change. I would certainly buy another one up to 1991 if I found one in good condition and I knew it was taken care of. The newer ones seem to have a cheaper quality body integrity and interior. I had a '97 GT for a few months and didn't like it as much. The door panels had too much plastic and not enough fabric. The seats aren't as nicely designed. The fact that the front stereo speakers are in the doors causes them to be more vulnerable to have wires coming loose. I also don't like it when you can hear the stereo that much more easily from outside the car because the speakers are in the doors. Also, the front wheels collected too much brake dust. I never liked it's daytime running lights. If it's not plain daylight out, as soon as you turn on the key before starting it up, the headlights are on. And even if it is bright out, your "low intensity" high-beams are always on. I see a lot of cars on the road that are less than a year old with these DRL's with one light already burned out. Nor do I like the automatic door locks. I once backed it out of the garage, left it running, shut the door, and all the doors locked on me. And every time you want to get out of the car without shutting it off, you've got to unlock your door first. However, I do like the ABS brakes and the airbags in the newer ones (worthwhile safety features and saves on the insurance bill). I would recommend the '89 Grand Am to anyone (probably the younger bunch) because I've had such a good experience with mine. I really want to find another older one like this, but I may have to go South to find one in good shape.

It's my first car, and it's been a great one. I love the power. It can outrun all of my friends' older teeny tiny compact 4-cylinders. Since it's my first car (I bought it off of my Grandpa at 44,000 mi.), I have been very, very careful with it. Mine is loaded with power everything except for seats, and I haven't had any major problems with it other than the expected things that come with owning a car that old. I get about 24mpg, which isn't bad, considering the size of the engine. The handling is pretty good, and the acceleration is great. The ride is fairly smooth. A very nice car for my first driving experience. The two door model I have is much better looking than the 4 door one. My engine sounds pretty good too, I have to say!

The paint job is probably my biggest complaint. I keep the car outside so I wax it with really expensive race-car quality way, which has kept most of the body looking beautiful and new, but the plastic stripping on the doors started to peel about a year ago, and I had to touch it up. The radiator tends to blow hoses easily, the rotors warp constantly, and the alternator had to be replaced at low mileage. Also, the dash sqeaks, which has recently began to drive me INSANE! The plastic interior seems a little cheap, but all in all, it was a great first car. Still in mint condition at 67K!

I would recommend it, especially as a first car. My grandpa owned it before me, and only sold it because he bought a new Grand AM. I don't think it's the perfect car for someone my grandpa's age (80), but he seems very pleased. For a teen, it has great get-up-and-go, and I've found it to be very versatile. I've raced in it and won (Don't tell my parents!), off-roaded, and currently drive it about 51 miles a day to college and back to my home. I'm currently thinking about selling it and buying a little Honda Civic just because the Civic is brand new and I want a smaller engine that get gas mileage in the 30's to save me some money since I'm driving so much between school and home. Otherwise, I would probably keep my little white Grand AM until it dies!

Similar Products Used:

None

Aggressive stance, premium sound system, low end torque.

Lets see: Terrible customer service at GMAC, shoddy build quality, side body cladding was disgusting, automatic transmission has serious lag, original equipment tires and wheels were pathetic in design and quality, and finally the interior design. The first couple months I owned the car both windows fell off their track, which prevented them from moving up and down, as they were both stuck inside the door. This problem grew larger when my local dealer decided that both windows would need replacing (due to new window design) and since the Grand Am was a new model the parts were on back order. In reality what he told me was that I would have to drive around for over a month in the winter with my windows being held up by packaging tape. What a Joke! GM repeatedly failed to mail my lease invoice on time and tried to slap me with a late fee. The side body cladding was chipped in numerous places. The automatic transmission on this vehicle is a complete waste of the cars low end torque; I often found myself shifting the auto trans in to a lower gear!

The Grand Am, in all trim levels, has serious baggage behind its aggressive appeal. The cars build quality is just plain bad. For the auto enthusiasts; this car has many cosmetic tuning possibilities but the lack of a manual in the V6 is a tragedy. If GM ever had the brains to build the Grand AM SCT concept, they may put a halt to the shafting they are getting in the tuner world (Europeans and Japanese are cleaning house). The SCT had the V6 with a 5 speed and a supercharger, producing 240bhp and 285 ft/lb. Great concept but the current Grand Am just doesn't cut it.

Similar Products Used:

None

Pretty reliable car. I just sold it, and after having driven it myself for 3 years, and my parents for 5 before that, there was nothing major, other than the unavoidable stuff that happens to older cars. Changing oil yourself is a piece of cake. GM has the oil filter INSIDE the oil pan, so you don't need any special wrenches, etc. Ingenius idea - why aren't all cars like that? GREAT gas mileage. I like the body style - kinda squareish, not like all these newer cars that are totally rounded - i.e. Dodge Intrepid. Every see the back end on one of those new ones - yuck. Everyone says that this car goes through brakes, but I managed to get 3+ years on one pair. I don't drive like a maniac though.

Not much. As far as repairs go, by the time I got it, you had to expect some things to go wrong. Had a problem with engine killing after getting off highway and coming to a stop, etc. Fixed by disabling the overdrive mechanism of the torque converter in the tranny. Result: gas mileage not quite as much, but still great - I got 27 MPG for the rest of the time I had the car. Radiator fan motor broke, and I went YEARS without fixing it. Tried replacing sensor, etc., but it was actually the motor. Got a used one, put it in myself. $30 later, like new. The best thing is though, the thing is capable of surviving without it. As long as you're not stuck in traffic on a hot summer day, you're fine. If you are, turn on the blower on hot and high, and open your windows. Air conditioning broke at about 12 years. Could have gotten fixed for $600 (new condensor), but I decided it was too much to stick into an old car. Some may dislike how loud it is. My uncle once asked me if it was supposed to sound like the engine was actually INSIDE the car, but it didn't bother me. It's not excessively loud, more like unique. I liked how it sounded - it sounded like MY car. These are only minor problems and at more than 10 years old, they are to be expected.

If you can find one of these in decent shape, I think there's a good chance you'll be happy. At this point, they are all old, and most of them look like trash. I took good care of mine and guess what - no rust. GM seems to have a problem with consistency. Like you can read lots of reports of 100% satisfied owners, and then 0% satisfied owners. Where as most Toyota, Nissan, Honda, etc. owners are 100% satisfied. I think this car really likes to be taken care of well. You can get 200,000+ miles on a GM quad-4 if you're nice to it. But be aware that now, 13 years after release, anything can go wrong with a car, so you have to expect little things.

Similar Products Used:

Got a '97 Grand am now, and I am having engine light problems. On the '88, I never had a problem that couldn't be fixed. Apparently, nobody knows how to fix this engine light problem on the '97. If I could buy a brand new '88 model or a brand new '97 model, I'd get the '88 any time.

Style and power

I have had NUMEROUS problems with this car
1 - brakes - after being accused of abusing the car by Bell & Bell Pontiac in Myrtle Beach, SC (I am a former Aircraft mechanic and truly "baby" my vehicles), the rotors and pads were replaced
2 - The front rack and pinion gear assy was replaced due to a clunk when turning (this has returned)
3 - Power steering pump replaced (not required!) Dealer stated this wqas the cause of the clunking when turning (pump cavitation) now the P/S pump has a slow leak....
4 - Door panel replaced due to weak adhesive
5 - Seat belts replaced - this took 3 trips to the dealer! Why? The first one was mismatched (from a different model). When I picked up the car I had to reassemble the panels at the dealership! They couldn't even figure out how to reassemble the panels correctly!
6 - Front seat replaced - cushions had shifted away from the frame - Now the 6 way seat is loose (the dealer said that it has a "certain amount of play!" What a crackhead yo-yo!)
7 - Leaks at the speakers (esp the passenger side) flood the rear floor and the front passenger floor - Dealer could "not find" where the leaks occur.
8 - Trans shift from 1st to 2nd has a "drop-out" - Dealer "could not duplicate...." This is even apparent by observing the tachometer!!
9 - Sunroof headliner has (had) a rattle that the dealer said was fixed every time I took it in. I finally took the Interior light assembly out and repaired it myself!!
10 - I'm tired of listing the faults; there are more....

This car is garbage. Do NOT buy it!! If you want to drive one - RENT ONE!
The dealers I have been to (and I tried to find the right word) completely and totally SUCK! I wanted to buy American - Never again until Honda buys GM (and fires the management responsible for these POS CARS!) DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!! YOU WILL REGRET IT!!

Similar Products Used:

1996 Camry - boring but I had it for three years without ANY problems....
Maxima - Great car - No problems

comfortable and dependable, no serious problems until 60 k

check oil light comes on often. we had the sensor replaced, but this did not fix the problem. This car sounds like it is falling apart on the inside. Many squeeking noisis in the dashboard and below.
The most serious problem is that we now hav a cracked cylinder head. I understand that this is a common problem with the 92 and 93 quad-4 single overhead cam engines. We have the same quad -4 in the 94. We did purchase a 6-year extended warranty that just expired in may 2000. Now it is December 2000 and pontiac states that nothing can be done for us.
If anyone has had a similar problem with a 94 grand am quad-4 SOHC please e-mail me with your story. I am filing a clain with the BBB-AUTO LINE.

I am convinced that pontiac does not stand by their product once a warranty has expired. No one has even offered to look the car over. Dealership assistance very unsatisfactory. Don't waste your money on a pontiac product. I do not recommend a pontiac to anyone!!!

Similar Products Used:

98 pontiac - fine for now but only has 45k. This one will be up for sale asap also.

Body, sleek styling, factory speakers, gauges

motor, and wheel wells

I bought this cra for $600, and 5 days later blew a rod in the 2.3L Quad 4. (quad 4 must be French for peice of s**t) So a month later i found a used motor, and had it put in at the tune of $1100. Now, a month later, the motor is about to blow. I do not push the motor hard, I drive at reasonable speeds. I shall end with this, DO NOT BUY A PONTIAC GRAND AM BETWEEN THE MDEL YEARS OF '89-'91. THE MOTOR WILL NOT LAST!

Similar Products Used:

None

This car is the next best thing to a sports car. It drives and handles
great and the 3.1 V6 gives it the perfect acceleration. The two-door style
and the added spoiler gives the car a sporty look that no other passenger car can top. It's engine hasn't given me any problems yet and is one of the quietest cars i've ever heard. You sometimes don't even know its on!!

The only weakness i can find in this car is probably the spare tire storage. I think it would be better if it came from underneath the car instead of in the middle of the trunk. Its tough for anyone who wants a sound system in their car, but if you're creative you can figure it out.

I would recommend this car to anyone whose looking for a sporty looking car thats affordable. The gas milage is decend for a V6 and its not a "gas eater". Its perfect for a teen like myself because its the best of both worlds. Its sporty looking, but not too sporty such that you have to worry about a little scratch here and there. Its an ideal car for anyone.

Similar Products Used:

grand prix, new style cougar(a few ways)