Replaced heater core twice... but looks like it had already been replaced before. I hate having puddles of antifreeze in the backseat.
Transmission pan was very loose, which caused me to lose all my transmission fluid, but easily fixed.
Water pump just went, and the car seems to heat up very quickly. Timing belt needs to be replaced.
Grand Am is a strong runner!
Good power to weight ratio, climbs hills with ease.
Seats are comfortable, but hurt your backside after long periods of time.
Stereo is great!! Bass is excellent!
Very sturdy car. I got into an accident and it held up great.
Not too slow. Can beat most cars on freeway. (its not the car its the driver ;) )
As far as I know the 1989 Grand Am used a timing gear not a timing belt and, according to most Internet sources this is far more effective and longer lasting, if noisier than a using a chain.
I own an 89 Grand AM. When it runs it runs great. When it's dead,theirs a reason for it. I have owned it for about 6 years. I have put a new alternator in it, a new starter, hearter core, muffler, muffler pipes (front to back), water pump, head, tranmission, raido (that still don't work), 2 new front speakers, and 2 subwoofers, and 4 new tires, agitation switch, a new battery, a used tail light, a used trunk lid. And it is not that bad of a looking car for what my teenage boys and daughter have put it thourgh. My brother had the car before me, and he had to put in a new head. It has a moonroof. The frist day my youngest son drove it to school he lost the muffler going over a very small speed bump in the school parking lot. It has been off the road more than it has been on the road, it's been in corn fields, bean fields, any kind of field, you name it we've been there. And the car keeps on ticking. It still needs a lot of TLC. Like a new tierod, shocks, bareings, oil change, tires again (it's been 3 years). I have put more into this car then whats its worth, so I guess I'll keep it for now. Unless I get the right offer. It's Gray in color, with gray cloth interior.
Sandy
sandyfarms1956@yahoo.com.
Good luck on the 2.3L if your alternator goes out, and you do not have enough money to send it somewhere to be fixed... luckily I am a mechanic, but still, it took me a whopping 8 hours, two of the bolts are nearly impossible to get to, and when you do get to them, you can't turn them, but about 1/100 of a turn at a time, I had the best results with stubby rachet wrenches, but these are not cheap either, the set I bought was the autozone store brand and it cost nearly 70 dollars. Now that I have fixed that, the tensionor arm completly broke off of the bracket that is attached to the ac... and the sad part is, it looks like more that 8 hours, yeah it is very fast for a car of its size and year, so fast I have broken 4 front motor mounts in the past 4 months, and I gave up on them all together and bought me a chain and a adjustable pad lock that won't break... but yeah, easily 0-60 in 6-7 seconds, which is kick butt for a stock car. I raced one of those new dodges with a hemi and beat him, among other decently quick cars such as a hyundia tiberon, and a Lancer turbo, who make the Lancer I do not know, but supposibly they are quote unquote fast, but like I said, good luck on repairs, and oh, if you break your timing chain... you have to take the exhaust manifold off along with the timing cover with has around 20 bolts of diff lengths so you better have a peice of cardboard around.
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