2005 Pontiac Grand Am SE 3.4 Litre V6 from North America

Summary:

I love this car, and would definitely buy another Grand Am

Faults:

Dealer replaced rotors at 218,000 kms before delivery of the car.

No other complaints.

General Comments:

I love driving this car daily. It is the best car I have ever owned. Even though it is high mileage, it still runs and handles like a brand new car. All the maintenance has been kept up on the car, and you would never know that the car had so many kms on it.

The interior is flawless, and I love the round vents in the dash. The three cup holders are placed in odd locations around the automatic gear shifter. The seats are very comfortable, and the car is easy to drive.

I would not hesitate to take this car on any long trips.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th November, 2010

2005 Pontiac Grand Am from North America

Faults:

My Grand Am 2005 is so poorly built that I get embarrassed and never know what to expect with it. I'm afraid going to get stuck driving one day with nothing but the steering wheel and the 4 wheels.

The first week I purchased it, the A/C knob broke, then the front window brackets you could say started coming off. To make it worse, the hub cabs fell out.

Then this week the side button to push for the gears popped out. I don't know what's next, but I am so disappointed that I don't ever plan on purchasing a Pontiac again.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 23rd April, 2009

2005 Pontiac Grand Am SE V6 from North America

Summary:

Nice drive, but unreliable and not impressed with GM's attitude

Faults:

Intermittent starting problem since purchase from GM dealer. They could not find the cause.

Lower intake manifold gasket and oil pump drive shaft oil ring replaced at 27,000KM.

Warranty expired June 2008. Front struts had to be replaced at a cost of 700.00, Aug 2008, 44500 Kms. Phoned GM customer service and basically was told too bad, as that's the chance you take purchasing a used vehicle, even if it was from their lot with low KMS.

Still have intermittent starting problem, which I'm sure will cost a bundle when it finally goes.

General Comments:

Would never recommend a GM product nor ever purchase one again, no matter how good the deal. It's too bad as the car is nice to drive, but I feel nervous driving a car with 46K KM on it, and it is not reliable. Tried to sell it but no one wants it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 1st January, 2009

2005 Pontiac Grand Am SE V6 3.6L from North America

Summary:

Fantastic car for the casual driver

Faults:

Around 30,000 miles, my power steering container lost air pressure, making an uncomfortable vibrating feeling when I turned my wheel. The power steering system had to be replaced. This was covered by my warranty and quickly fixed by my Pontiac dealer.

At 40,000 miles, my car would not start due to a misalignment with my ignition slot and my starter. Alignment was done by my dealer at my cost. My warranty period had ended and I paid from pocket $700 for parts and labor.

Most recently, my car has started to violently vibrate when put into reverse ONLY. This occurs when I first start my car and am backing up at a slow speed. I still have yet to fix this problem, but it does not immediately affect my driving experience.

General Comments:

I purchased this car from a Pontiac dealer in August 2005. The car had only one owner and was used primarily as a demo car. There were no accidents and there was slightly more than 18,000 miles on the engine at purchase.

In March 2007, I had XM radio installed through a separate receiver to my CD player & radio. The company did a good job, but the installation damaged the player, burning out the back light to the display screen. My dealer told me that the player was unable to be repaired and must instead be replaced. I got an estimate and was given a check for the amount.

While many say they are rather uncomfortable, I have had no problem with the seats in my car. However they are quite stiff and probably not recommended for those who want a little more padding in their seats. I do not notice a problem with this.

I enjoy the air conditioning vents which allow anybody to get cool air from every conceivable angle. The air conditioning quickly cools down the car in the hot summer within 30 seconds of starting the car. I also like the unique all red back lighting on the dashboard.

I am not entirely fond of the placement of the cup holders. There are 3, one large cup holder in front of the parking brake and two smaller behind the holder in front of the brake and automatic shift. You cannot shift your car in reverse if there is a cup in the left holder. You also will have a problem with the parking brake getting in the way with the right holder. The larger holder is well placed, however.

The light in the glove compartment shorts out often and needs to be touched to reconnect and turn on again.

Gas mileage is pretty close to estimations projected by Pontiac and can stay accurate if the car is well maintained.

I plan to use this car for a few more years until I save up for something that I enjoy more. I recommend it for anyone who needs a pretty reliable starter car.

I will definitely buy Pontiac again.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th September, 2007