1994 Pontiac Grand Am SE review from North America
"Not bad. Not incredibly good, but not bad"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Alternator needed to be replaced.
The "Check Oil" light comes on periodically for no reason.
Front brakes replaced (pads and rotors)
The fan motor dies out every once and a while. I have to pop the hood and bang on it to get it going again.
Water Pump and the Water Pump Housing went at the same time. Good luck finding a Water Pump Housing. I waited 3 weeks to get one. It had to come from a Chevy dealership in the state of Tennessee!
The whole PCV Valve unit needed to be replaced as well.
General comments?
This car hasn't been too bad. I had a pre-purchase inspection and a compression test done to the vehicle prior to purchasing it, and nothing was found to be defective or in need of replacement. The stock sound system is really awesome.
But, I've heard that things can get pretty expensive when stuff starts to go wrong with this engine. I find even general maintenance is a little more expensive.
I've heard a lot of negative things about the Quad 4. My mechanic told me that it was the first GM motor totally engineered by a computer. He also said mine is in the best shape he's seen, and that most quad 4's have a lot of stuff wrong with them.
Recommended reviews
| Not much of a deal |
|
| A really great driving machine, wouldn't trade it for the world despite being temperamental. |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | Quad 4 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 4 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 213000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 235000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Mazda 323 |
| Date of Entry | 11th February, 2004 |