1990 Pontiac Grand Am LE review from North America
"Excellent power and cab, too many small problems"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The Transmission fluid pan had to be replaced because it leaked.
The Speedometer didn't work when I got it, and the Odometer runs about 5x too fast (1 mile registers about 5 on odometer.)
The car started backfiring at about 75,000 miles; had to replace the engine coil, plugs, and wires.
The dash lights didn't work when I got it, and for some reason the fuse blew out right after I had them fixed -- trying again with a bigger fuse (10 instead of 5 as marked on fuse box.)
Drivers side window (manual) comes out of track.
Engine mounts are bad, so it rattles when switching to 3rd gear at low speeds.
General comments?
2.5 L engine is sweet, and doesn't get bad mileage, although I don't know what mileage I'm really getting.
I can out-accellerate a Buick Roadmaster at 50 and up, so I'm pretty happy with performance.
Turning is pretty good, and the hand brake is helpful for making curves.
I picked it up for $1000 plus like $400 in repairs ($140 for transmission pan, and $160 for coil, wires, and plugs).
I was really happy with the cabin size, I'm 6'6", and I'm not cramped driving it!
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| A hunk of junk money gobbler |
|
| 1989 - Grand Am SE 2.5 liter straight 4 High mileage High reliability Aging Gracefully |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1990 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5L tech 4 distribuless Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 58000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 82000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 8th October, 2003 |