1998 Pontiac Grand Am SE1 review from North America
"I love this car, I just wish Pontiac would take care of the little flaws."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The black paint between the door windows and the rear side windows (it's a coupe) is chipping and peeling.
The window regulator broke. You have to buy a motor/regulator assembly that costs somewhere around $200.
The power driver's seat doesn't work right. Motor works, but doesn't move the seat.
The volume on the radio gets a little louder when you first try to turn it down.
Water has leaked into one of the headlights.
The key-less entry remote stopped working. (It wasn't just the battery--I had to buy a new one.)
The same things seem to happen to a lot of these cars. Why doesn't Pontiac recall them?
General comments?
I like this car because I have always liked Grand Ams. This one seems to be a pretty good car, it just suffers from poor manufacturing quality.
The 2.4 liter has great power for a 4cyl. and gets good gas mileage.
The car handles well and rides nicely.
I couldn't stand the BF Goodrich Touring T/A's that came with the car. They were incredibly loud on all surfaces. New tires made a huge difference.
The seats are comfortable, and I like the color of the instrument panel lights at night.
Recommended reviews
| 1998 - Grand Am SE II 2.4 DOHC 4 cylinder You get what you pay for |
|
| A nice car if you have deep pockets |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.4 liter 4 cylinder. Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Most recent distance | 65000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 1st January, 2003 |