1997 Pontiac Grand Am LX review from North America
"Costly to maintain"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Replaced alternator twice. Someone at the dealer's told me the original alternator had a design flaw which caused it to overheat. Once they installed the "redesigned" alternator, I never had any more problems with it. The engine mounts had to be replaced after 40000 miles. Brakes and rotors went bad more times than I remember. Now there are issues with the heater core and power steering system. Oh, and don't forget the transmission went out too. Plus, the electric locks stopped working, the fog lights stopped working, and the passenger side seat won't lock into position. It slides back and forth...
General comments?
Replaced alternator twice. Someone at the dealer's told me the original alternator had a design flaw which caused it to overheat. Once they installed the "redesigned" alternator, I never had any more problems with it. The engine mounts had to be replaced after 40000 miles. Brakes and rotors went bad more times than I remember. Now there are issues with the heater core and power steering system. Oh, and don't forget the transmission went out too. Plus, the electric locks stopped working, the fog lights stopped working, and the passenger side seat won't lock into position. It slides back and forth...
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| Driving Excitement Pontiac - Yeah Right |
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| Its holding up admirably considering how hard I run it |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 1500 miles |
| Most recent distance | 116341 miles |
| Previous car | Pontiac Grand Am |
| Date of Entry | 21st June, 2003 |