1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GT review from North America
"This car is very sporty looking, fun on the curvy roads, but a nightmare on long road trips"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The power steering was defective from the time the car was driven off of the lot. Who has ever heard of power steering so strong that the wheel can be tossed in either direction, spinning freely until it comes up against the stop? It took 4 tries for the dealer to correct this problem.
The climate control system is filled with "bugs" that the dealer insisted were intentional. For instance, while the air conditioning is off, the car blows cold air on my foot on a 90 degree day. Something is running that shouldn't be, but apparently this was not a symptom of something serious enough to be covered by the warranty.
The air conditioning started leaking condensate into the car at about 35000 miles and had to be replaced -- probably because it had been running continuously since the car was new.
The torque converter clutch stopped fully engaging at about 55000 miles.
General comments?
The cars that I test drove all seemed to perform fine. However, this has not been true of the one that I ordered. I have never driven a car that can handle curves so well, but cannot hold a straight line. The most relaxing driving is generally on the interstate. But this car is literally all over the road at high speeds, requiring constant and complete attention to prevent drifting out of the lane.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 7 miles |
| Most recent distance | 60000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Beetle |
| Date of Entry | 1st May, 2003 |