1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT review from North America
"Great looks, great drive, too many defects"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Entire cooling system had to be replaced, passenger window motor, ac compressor, cat converter.
I have learned after the fact that the orange anti freeze (Dex Cool) required on this car is only meant to be mixed with distilled water, regular tap water added causes advanced corrosion.
There are many sites that talk of a class action lawsuit against GM, but I have yet to see it.
General comments?
My Daughter bought this car on her own at 20 years old! I thought she had made a good decision after checking the car myself. It had low miles, good condition, one owner, great looks, and drives like a sports car.
Two weeks after the purchase it started loosing water.
And then the cooling system started breaking down, one component at a time. After replacing most of these parts myself and seeing the corrosion first hand, I searched the web for info on the antifreeze and found the culprit.
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| Driving Excitement Pontiac - Yeah Right |
|
| Its holding up admirably considering how hard I run it |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 1997 |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.4 liter twin cam Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 1 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 77115 miles |
| Most recent distance | 83583 miles |
| Previous car | Chevrolet Malibu |
| Date of Entry | 23rd July, 2006 |