1999 Pontiac Grand Am SE2 3.4 litre V-6 from North America

Summary:

Fast and comfortable, but crummy brakes

Faults:

It already needs an alignment.

The front rotors were warped after 6000 miles.

General Comments:

It is really fast and handles well. The steering is too light at high speeds. The governor kicks in at 3400 rpm in 3rd gear at 112 miles an hour, which is ridiculous considering I got beat by a Hyundai Tiburon!!! I easily can outrun most cars up until that governor kicks in. If I can find an after market chip for it I will be one happy guy!

At 7k miles it got in a mess with a deer at forty miles an hour in an offset crash and came out in relatively good shape.. I cannot say the same for the deer.

The transmission is flawless. Smooth quick shifts and always feels like it is in the correct gear.

The brakes are horrible and are an insult to a good car.

The stock stereo is great with tons of power.

I want a manual transmission!!! The manual tranny is available next year on the 2001 four cylinder engines.. WHY NOT THE V-6?!!!??

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th October, 2000

1999 Pontiac Grand Am GT 3.4 V6 from North America

Summary:

Can't tell you -- the rest may be removed too

Faults:

As with all Grand Am's I have had dealings with, bad brakes!! The rotors had to be replaced at 12,000 miles.

The engine on a cold start had a loud knocking noise. I carried the car back to the dealer, and was told that it needed new pistons. Yhe cylinder bore was to large for the piston. The fix was to put a new set of teflon coated pistons in the engine.

After a few miles the noise is back. When I talked to the dealer again he said that he would only do what Pontiac said. As to this date it has been nothing. When I was told that my wife should bring the car back, I asked for a loaner, I was told it was not possible. Or not until the problem, if they could find one, was found. We live 28 miles from the dealer. I asked to talk with the service rep. from Pontiac and was told that he never came to the dealership, and would not return my call.

Also the brakes are grinding again. At this time we are looking for a dealer that is crazy enough to trade with us, because who really wants to trade for junk?

Just because you buy a good looking sporty little car, don't always think you'll get a good one. What I see is $23,000 after financing. Hope to get just payoff.

Sure hope the Pontiac rep sees this since he can't return calls and the people who build these cars don't care about you after the sale.

For the record I was a service manager at a Chevrolet dealer for five years and tryed to talk my wife out of buying a GM car anyway. They were junk then and still are.

If you want to know more send self stamped envelope to:

P.O. Box 776 Cedar Bluff, Alabama 35959

Would love to hear more about your problems with the Grand Am too. Thanks!!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 28th September, 2000

27th Nov 2000, 12:52

I am looking into buying a new Grand Am, I have been reading many different reviews and some are awesome and some are incredibly bad, can you explain to me why some of the Grand Am's are horrible and some are perfect cars?

31st Dec 2000, 11:56

I also purchased a 1999 GT - the car is a piece of junk! I don't know where to start....

1. When starting it rattles (valves) for 45 seconds - dealer said it was normal!

2. Brakes - I took it to the dealer who denied the problem. Another dealer said I abused the car! Dealer finally stated that GM was aware of the issue and recommended replacement of pads and rotors (prior to this they said it was a cavitating power steering pump - and replaced it! That, of course, was not it and now the P/S pump has a slow leak....). Pads/rotors replaced - now when I apply brakes lightly in rain I hear a fast wah-wah wah-wah sound - Dealer yo-yo's can't understand it....

3. Front end - clunks when turning (usually right) - Dealer Said? Loose carriage bolts (?). Replaced the front rack. It still does the same thing....

4. Driver's seat cushion - separated from the frame! Dealer? Finally replaced the seat (after 4 visits!)

5. Transmission - first to second shift has a momentary "drop-out" about 75% of the time - Dealer? Nothing wrong/normal... I even see the tach needle drop when this occurs!

6. A/C mix control - fell off in my hand... Dealer replaced...

7. Sunroof/interior light rattles - Dealer? Said it was fixed (lied) - I finally fixed this myself - I was an A & P mechanic (now in network telecommunications) so I am very familiar with mechanical things....

8. Handbrake - this took 2 dealer visits to do correctly!

9. Passenger door panel developed bubbles under the vinyl and separated from the window trim - Dealer? Replaced.

10. Seat belts installed backwards (connector faces the wrong way when the belt is deployed) - Dealer? Replaced - this took 2 visits! 1 - replaced only 1 belt, wrong webbing style (from a Bonneville) 2 - Replaced both, I had to reassemble the door panel and fascia myself (at the dealership!!!!) because they could not figure how the snap-together panels fit.... (This is unbelievable, but TRUE!)

11. Leaks at the bottom rocker panels of both doors at the speaker and the rear edge - Dealer? Couldn't find anything wrong... It still occurs - but not as frequently.

The above is not in chronological order.

I'm shopping for a V6 (VTEC) Honda Accord now. I will NEVER OWN A GM CAR AGAIN! NEVER!