2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT review from North America
"A quick quirky car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The barrel for the key is sometimes unforgiving about giving you your key back, we've had it replaced before, but the problem persists.
When we got the car, only fan speed settings 3-5 worked, in the last 3 months, it has diminished down to just fan speed 5. We were told it may be the switch on the fan motor. We haven't really looked into it.
What we believe to be the water pump has started squealing, the sound goes away for the ride after revving it past 3000.
Had to replace discs recently and get realignment because of a scraping noise from the front left wheel well while making a left turn. It was a warped rotor. and the car needed a realignment anyway.
Heater bypass hose cracked and caused quite a scare. Classic white smoke coming out from underneath the hood. $5 for the hoses, but enough coolant was lost replacing the part to merit a flush.
Car burns oil in summer months (I live in WI).
Both front and rear bumper covers have been damaged. Very costly to repair. Also, be careful where you park, the bumper is lower than it looks.
Volume control doesn't always work properly on the head unit, but all steering wheel controls work properly.
General comments?
In my opinion, the car has performed beautifully for one with over 160k.
The interior is very accommodating towards the driver. The passenger seats are also adjustable, but not as much as the driver seat. The seat heater is also very nice in the winter.
The stereo sounds very nice for a stock system, its not the BOSE system or anything, but it gets the job done, the 7 band equalizer is also a very nice addition.
Performance isn't top of the line, but its plenty for a commuter to have a little fun between home and work. It has its quirks, like the shifting pattern being a little off for casual driving, like the shift point just before 40mph. I sometimes have a slight problem with firm shifts, but it doesn't bug me too much.
Handling is very good, I've taken off ramps at 70 and never felt like the car was going to slip or tip.
All in all, a good car for the money. It has all the usual quirks of any newer computerized car, but it makes up for it in looks and performance.
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| 2002 - Grand Prix GTP Coupe 3.8L SC It's horrible, but I would love the car to death if it worked properly.. |
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| Reliable, but SERIOUS flaws |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 2002 |
| Year of manufacture | 2002 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8L N/A Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 147000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 168000 miles |
| Previous car | Pontiac Grand Prix |
| Date of Entry | 13th June, 2008 |