2000 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2.4

Summary:

I love the car

Faults:

My car recently jumped time on the the rear cam, due to the stock chain tensioner losing pressure. I did drive the car like this for a few days; it ran great while driving, only when stopped it was sputtering up, but every time I started the car, the traction light would come on till I drove for about 2 to 3 minutes, then it would go off.

Now that I've got the timing all fixed, I was driving it for a couple days, till 2 days ago I went on the highway and the traction light came on, and has been on ever since, and I can't turn it off with the traction switch???

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 13th September, 2011

2000 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2.2 SFI

Summary:

The toughest car ever built, and very cheap to keep parts on

Faults:

The only thing that went wrong with this car is the headlight harness just went, but I can rewire that myself because I'm a mechanic.

I put brakes, tires and control arm bushings on it. I put a couple of fuel pumps in it too, but they were used, so there's not really any time limit on them as expected.

I also put a new Flowmaster muffler on it, because the old one rotted out at roughly 500000 kms.

Other than oil changes, that has been the biggest reason I ever put it up on the hoist to work on it.

General Comments:

Well I owned this Sunfire since it had 312000 kms on it, and have no complaints for something that has the original engine in it to this day, and used to be a taxi and was beat on all of its life.

The body is still in mint condition for something that has been around salt in the winter in Pei, and never even started to rust. I'm a country boy that runs everything I own to its limit, and further like ex/ plowing over the bumper in snow drifts and holding it at 6000 rpms every time I pull out of everywhere, and mud bogging, and it loves it.

Sure, there's a lot of little stuff that goes wrong with it, but it gets a royal torturing, and I still wouldn't think twice on taking it across Canada if I had to.

If they ever continued making another Sunfire like that one, which I know GM will never do, I would buy it in a second. I'm sure I can get over 1000000 kms before I junk it guaranteed... oh, and by the way, I still get over 40mpg easy on the highway for something with 580000 kms on it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd January, 2011

2000 Pontiac Sunfire 2.4

Faults:

I own a 2000 Sunfire with about 143,000 miles. Very basic model, no power anything.

ABS light is constantly on, brake light is constantly on, engine light is constantly on.

Service engine light turns on when the car is driven out of park with the headlights off. If the headlights are turned on before shifting gear, the light won't come on.

Also, the headlights will flicker every time the car is turned on unless the headlights are on.

Turn signals blink for a few times, then quit when idle.

Brights won't turn on, washer fluid is filled but won't squirt out, radio has to be manually turned on and off - even when car is not running.

Twice now the car has stalled when reversing. Took the car to a shop and had it scanned; they said that the computer could not communicate with my car's computer.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 9th September, 2010

10th Sep 2010, 12:32

Does your cars serial number start with 3?

Maybe it only understands Mexican, as a lot of Sunfires and Cavaliers were built in Mexico.

19th Jan 2013, 15:59

Actually they were built in Youngstown, Ohio.

20th Jan 2013, 20:49

First off, all the lights you mentioned (ABS, brake, service engine and check engine) are virtually meaningless, and can pretty much be ignored if the car runs OK and isn't using excessive fuel or losing power. The lights are used basically to generate revenue for shops and dealers. They come on for any or no reason. I had a brake light on for 18 years on one of my cars with never a problem, and the check engine light on one of my current vehicles has been on since 2006.

As for a shop not being able to communicate with your car's computer, I suspect an incompetent shop. Auto Zone will gladly run your computer codes for you at no charge.

The drive train in your car is a very solid and reliable one, that should easily be good for well over 200,000 miles. I've seen these cars go over 300,000 with very few repairs.