1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP review from North America

Valve cover gaskets.

Oil pan gasket.

Serpentine belt.

Fuel pump.

Blower motor (AC & heat).

Basics; Battery, spark plugs, etc.

Performance; This car is no joke when it comes to performance. Stock, this car can run 0-60 in a matter of six seconds without the use of 10 gallons of gas. To make it faster, all you need is a cold air intake, a smaller supercharger pulley which generates 25-50 more horsepower, and if wanted, an upgraded PCM which raises shift points, lowers engine temperature, etc.

Gas mileage; This is probably one of the only cars that requires premium gas, but does not demand a lot of it. I have used ultra 93 ever since I bought the car, and have consistently got 20 city and around 30/31 highway.

Comfort; I compare most other cars such as Camaros, Firebirds, and Mustangs to my car, and find that although the GTP is not exactly a performance/sports car, the ride is phenomenal with its sport suspension and quiet cabin, with lots of room to fit five people comfortably. Long highway trips are extremely nice with this car. There is no road noise that you hear in other sports cars or even compact sports cars.

Daily driving; This car is very practical for anybody! I would consider it a crossover between a sports car and a luxurious car. Although city mileage is in the lower 20's and upper teens, it still beats the mileage of a Lincoln and a Corvette. Passing power is amazing without having to drop a gear. The boost from the supercharger comes into play before the car drops down to the fourth gear on highway.

Reliability; Owning this car for over ten years has brought me minor problems such as valve cover gaskets (they all eventually go bad), oil pan gasket (which was only $20), and the fuel pump, which wasn't a whole lot to replace. It has never had a problem starting up, nor any funny noises coming from the engine compartment.

Exterior; Pontiac really made a difference when they redesigned this car for 1997. The aggressive styling looks amazing from the nose to the rear spoiler. The paint and trim are better quality than most of the other competitors, and don't rust like others either.

Interior; The bells and whistles this car has are very nice. It features leather seats, driver's heated seat, a heads-up display (windshield speedometer), premium sound system, CD player, and a dual climate system.