1995 Pontiac Grand Am SE 6 cylinder from North America

Summary:

I love it!

Faults:

Brakes replaced at least twice a year.

Radiator went at ±90,000 miles.

Driver's side power window replaced twice.

Heater core-but that was my fault (hit a tire tread in the road and it bounced up and knocked it out)

Alternator at ±83,000 miles.

Safety Switch on the transmission (not sure what that is called, but it makes your car to not start)

EVG valve at 168,000 miles.

General Comments:

Other than that stuff, regular maintenance on it. Now since it is older, it starts to shake when I hit 75 mph.

I think the car handles good in the snow, if you want the car to slide it doesn't do it, but every once and awhile it will fish tail.

I have enjoyed my Grand Am and probably will get a newer model in a year or so.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th May, 2005

1995 Pontiac Grand Am GT 3.1 Liter Gasoline from North America

Summary:

Good looking car, and a good value

Faults:

At 105,000 Miles the following was done to this car...

Head Gasket.

Struts and shocks.

Motor Mounts (and then replaced 3 subsequent times by reputable mechanics, seems they're just not strong enough)

EGR Valve and O2 Sensor.

Door Lock Actuators and Drivers power lock switch.

Fuses are constantly having to be replaced.

General Comments:

I really enjoy driving this car. It handle's great to be an aging American made car. It still gets looks on the road despite it's age, too. The factory 16 inch wheels still look brand new, as does the glossy deep green paint. The chrome dual exhaust with quad tips is still shiny, and makes just enough noise to give you some feedback when you press the gas hard.

It seems like this car slides on wet roads easier than other cars. I just put new Michelin Tires on this car and found that it still didn't fix the problem. Also, the brake pedal has a non-linear feel, it's mushy... and I find myself replacing brake pads once every 3-4 months.

This car rides LOW to the ground, I've had some problems going through even relatively small puddles. I lose power steering, and sometimes the alternator will stop working for a few seconds... maybe new belts could fix this. It also has a really rough ride despite having new shocks, struts, and tires, but this car handles great once again, so I wouldn't complain too much.

The V6 engine is still pretty powerful despite the high mileage, I never feel a lack of power at any speeds. The transmission still shifts smoothly, without a glitch.

I recently took this car on a 400 mile road trip and found the cabin to be pretty well designed... everything is in close reach. All the controls are really easy to understand, and the gauges are easy to read with a red glow at night. The seats lacked some support however, and the cup holders could have had more thought put into the design.

I've had some problems with this car, but I wouldn't part with it for anything.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th April, 2005

1995 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.3L Quad4 from North America

Summary:

Fun car, overall experience has been good, but not sure if would buy another Grand Am again

Faults:

The multi-function switch has "burned out" 2-3 times since I've owned my 95 Grand Am SE. When switching to high beam, the headlights would go out. Repeatedly switching between low and hi would eventually turn the lights back on. My workaround was to never turn the high beams on (keep on low). Since I never take this car out of town anymore, no need to have this fixed.

Heater core went out - 145,000 miles.

Alternator burned out - 75,000 miles.

Power door locks driver & passenger side went bad - replaced one time under warranty.

Water pump - replaced twice.

A/C stopped working at about 100,000 miles, had compressor replaced for $800. Thereafter, still did not cool adequately, but recharging with stop leak seemed to improve the cooling inside.

General Comments:

Current concern - the car knocks or rattles significantly at idle, especially after a cold start-up. Not sure if the rattle is coming from the engine, transmission, or exhaust system. Rattle goes away upon acceleration, and nearly goes away at idle after the engine is warmed up.

Has anyone had a similar problem or have a solution to the above? I'm hoping to get 200K out of this car, but anything major that needs to be done will grudgingly have to give it up for a newer model.

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

Review Date: 4th April, 2005

2nd May 2007, 22:15

Yeah the knocking is more than likely the engine. I had a 1995 grand am SE with a quad 4 and it lasted me till about 186,000 miles. After that, the head gasket went cause the head gaskets are made from aluminum. I wouldn't buy another car with a quad 4 engine again... but they aren't made anymore, so that's good.