2003 Pontiac Grand Am GT/SC-T review from North America
"Fun at a cost"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Front brake rotors/pads at 24,000 miles.
Many trouble codes (Misfires, Oil pressure sensor, Fuel problems)
Sometimes has difficulty starting, engine will "search" when idling.
Lower rear reverse lights fishbowl constantly.
Exhaust pipes gather surface rust easily, however is remedied by lightly sanding them down.
Lower Intake Manifold gasket leaking at 27,932 Miles.
Driven aggressively, gas mileage plunges very quickly (have recorded numbers as low as 10 MPG).
General comments?
This particular Grand Am GT is a dark forest green and has the SC/T appearance package.
The composite ram-air hood makes the car look fierce, even while standing still.
The 3.4 OHV V6 engine has the Ram-Air package, and different final drive gearing than the non-GT Grand Am's, this car gets up and goes like no other, but runs out of steam up top.
I don't like the fact that you can't turn off all of the exterior lights while you are sitting in a parking lot, etc.
Chrome factory wheels made by Enkei are very sharp looking, but get dirty and pitted quickly.
The factory exhaust sounds just right, with a nice low tone rumble at low engine speed and idle.
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| A nice first car |
|
| 2002 - Grand Am GT 1 Ram Air 3.6 V6 Sporty lemon |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2003 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.4 Ram Air V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 1 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 18288 miles |
| Most recent distance | 27932 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 12th February, 2008 |