1989 Pontiac Grand Am LE 2.3 DOHC from North America

Summary:

Would not do it again

Faults:

Two heater cores.

Replaced all accessories.

One radiator.

Top of head was not straight.

Went through two head gaskets.

Two starters.

Harmonic balancer fell off.

General Comments:

I also like the power to weight ratio. This car is light and is easy to maneuver in traffic. I also like the way it climbs hills. I think it has low gearing.

No problems with suspension, C.V. boots, body top just starting to oxidize in 2010.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 1st April, 2010

1989 Pontiac Grand Am turbo from North America

Summary:

I love it

Faults:

When I bought the car the Fuse for the dash blew.

The passenger door would get stuck down often.

The roof fabric was falling off.

The brake fluid kept getting air bubbles in it.

General Comments:

I loved this car. I did not take much care of it and I ran it into the dirt like it was made for off roading. This car had amazing speed for it's engine. It always started on the first time even in the snow and ice. The car did handle very loose and I felt like I was driving on a springboard.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th February, 2007

1989 Pontiac Grand Am 2D coupe from North America

Summary:

Very, very sporty and reliable

Faults:

Well, I was younger when my Mom got this car from my Uncle, who had driven through a hail storm. In all, it only died once, and that was my fault when my curiosity pushed me to move the shifter into reverse before my Mother had her foot on the brake! She got it halfway down the street, then it sputtered and died. We took it to the dealer and got the transmission repaired, $$$! When we got a bigger car, we gave this one to my Grandmother who used to drive from Kissimmee FL. to Daytona Beach FL. everyday! It finally died and no one could figure out why so she sold it. Surprisingly, I saw it just a few years ago in a Wal-Mart parking lot.

General Comments:

I loved this midgit mobile. I just wish I could have been able to drive it myself.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th December, 2005

1989 Pontiac Grand Am LE 2.5 liter 4 Tech from North America

Summary:

I love the car, buy one

Faults:

When I bought the car the coil pack was bad, but that was due to my cousins lack of maintenance. I replaced it and it ran fine.

I've also bought tires, and seat covers.

General Comments:

My first grand am had the quad 4 engine in it, I bought the car drove it 104 miles and it blew up. I do not recommend this engine to anyone.

I love this car.

It was wrecked 3 times before I bought it, so I replaced the front clip, and started driving it. no major shakes or rattles, even after knocking down 7 fence posts.

Drives like a dream, and blows away other 4 bangers due to my driving and the 5 speed tranny.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th October, 2004

1989 Pontiac Grand Am Turbo 2.0 turbo l4 from North America

Summary:

A fun, sporty migraine.

Faults:

Blew the engine up 3 months after I got it.

Radiator blew a hose.

Headliner fell.

Clear coat chipped off, then the paint underneath started to rust.

Exhaust refused to stay connected.

Valve cover seal blew.

It idled poorly.

Mileage amounts are educated guesses, as the odometer worked once or twice a month for random periods of time.

I forget the rest.

General Comments:

It was the first car I ever owned, and I think it was a good place to start, in that it was a cool looking car, fast, chicks dug it, and I learned more than I ever wanted to know about car repair. when it threw a rod and shredded the engine, I had it rebuilt. I would've exchanged the engine, which would've saved a lot of time, but the company couldn't find that engine anywhere.When i got it back, the company had tightened the valve cover too tightly, which bent the tabs that keep it from squishing the gasket out of line. I got rid of the cork gasket, installed a rubber one, problem solved.

The turbo version was the most powerful engine in the grand am line at the time, with 165 ponies, more than the six cylinder even. I beat a lot of cars off the line. when the turbo spooled up, you better be prepared.

The exhaust was a lame attempt at a dual exhaust: one pipe ran to the back into a muffler on the drivers side, then a pipe branched out of that into a separate resonator or something on the passenger side. looked nifty from behind, though. every single connection, from the manifold to the tips, broke apart at one time or another.

The dashboard electronics (Driver info center, gages, stereo) still work today as far as I know, besides the Odo, they were working when I sold it.

I always thought it was a fairly comfortable car, I'm 6' 3", and it was slightly cramped, but I'm cramped in a lot of bigger cars as well. (Malibu's, for instance.) the seat hugged you. The back seat was OK.

I think its one of the best looking small sports cars there are. The air dam in front with the fog lights built in looked nice, the slotted, body color matched rims were cool, the stripes on the taillights were sweet, and the color was great until it caught leprosy.

The headliner falling off was a pain. It was right over the drivers seat, and it would rub your hair until the static electricity made you look like one of those little troll dolls.

Overall, it was more pain than it was worth then, and its only sort-of fast compared to the cars around now. I liked the car a lot, which was the reason I stuck with it as long as I did, but in retrospect, I could've started off with a talon tsi or something, and had more power and less problems.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 9th March, 2004

10th Jul 2005, 22:43

Talon tsi? Less problems? hahahaha. Check out how the diff system seizes up and leaves you stranded. AWD problems like crazy. Oh, crank walk is not cool too. Melting turbos? Get a Talon!

4th Feb 2011, 15:18

My first car was a 89 Grand AM SE TURBO. Had it back in around 2001 when I was in high school. Had tons of fun with this vehicle. The review was pretty spot on. It ran like a champ when it ran, and I could dust most standard V6 cars at my school. Too bad the radiator had issues, and that caused it over heat and warp my heads. That was needless to say where it went from bad to worse. So true how they say you never forget your first car...