1999 Pontiac Grand Prix GT from North America - Comments

I would like to start from the beginning. We had 1995 Honda accord ex, car had 180k miles on it and I was driving it pretty rough at times. Yet it had never stranded me or needed maintenance outside of the regular service. Still car was getting old and mileage was high, so we decided to look for the replacement. Our targeted area was American (we tried to go against the myth that GM/Ford make B.S) cars. We looked at few mustangs- didn't like them. Than we looked at the 1999 Grand Prix GT coupe. After a test drive we were in love with the car. 300 miles later shot started going off. It started when I was backing up from the garage and shifted from R to D, car started jumping and rattling like crazy. Check engine light came on, we took it to the nearest shop and they said we got random engine misfire. Car was left at the dealership... they found that Head Gasket was blown, than spark plug wires were bad ($1600). Well not even 1k miles after that I pull up into the parking lot and hear the buzzing sound and steam is coming from under the hood. Bam the elbow from water pump to the engine cracked open. Car left me stranded there for 3 hours while tow truck arrived; shop repaired the damage at no cost.

Now to the rest of the things that is going wrong.

-random oil smell from under the hood when car was running for extended period of time.

-Brakes are squeaking terribly.

-Transmission shifts rough at times.

-While idling engine vibrates extensively.

-Speakers fading in/out.

-Fog in the headlights.

-Driver's side door panel and window are rattling.

-Car gets 14MPG at best.

This car is a coupe and with the bra on it looks extremely aggressive.

Power is inadequate for the FWD car, every time I need to make a quick turn or while starting in the rain uphill tires spin like crazy. Traction control is not efficient at all.

Handling is not that great. Car has extreme under steer at higher speeds, I tried to turn an off ramp at 50 MPH... I wasn't turning at all.

Acceleration is great through all gears, but what good is it if I am scared to floor it because my mind keep showing me images of something breaking.

Ride quality and comfort are pretty nice.

Car gets a lot of looks.

I would not recommend this car to people who need a reliable transportation. It's a one time rocket.

IT would have been the BMW/Mercedes killer if it was reliable. Great performance and looks are overshadowed by poor reliability and quality.

I can understand your frustration about the head gasket and water pump and being stranded, but I find your review rather harsh considering you have not owned the car very long and you bought it used not considering abuse from a previous owner. The moisture in the headlamps is probably because a lamp was changed and not replaced correctly. You also contradict yourself in saying "Power is inadequate for the FWD car, every time I need to make a quick turn or while starting in the rain uphill tires spin like crazy. Traction control is not efficient at all." and then "Acceleration is great through all gears".

If you are spinning out as you say and only getting 14 mpg, you are sticking your foot in it too hard. I consistently get 26-28mpg in a supercharged car with 155k miles on it. I've got better traction than our 4wd SUV. These cars are not agile BMW's and Honda's and are not intended to be. You say it is not reliable and haven't even got 2000 miles or 3 months with it? Sounds like you didn't evaluate what you really wanted before you bought it. You can't drive a 6 cyl auto mid-size like a 4 cyl standard compact.

Well now its 2k miles since I had the car. It still gets no better than 14 MPG, I don't drive it on the freeway and I live in the area withlots of hills (possible reason for terrible gas mileage), when it is driven on the freeway gas miliage gets much better. Nothing broke since the last review, but transmission started shifting rough at times. I am still not satisfied with the car... I drove few more GM cars during on my christmas vacation. Malibu, Monte Carlo and 2005 GTO, none of them impressed me. 2004 Monte Carlo is a piece of junk, 11 seconds from 0-60, malibu feels extremely cheap, GTO nothing special. I am not looking to buy american car anywhere in the future, in fact pretty soon Grand Prix will be replace with either WRX or Lancer Rally Art.

I love my 99 Pontiac grand prix. It has 110,000 miles and everything works and looks and runs like new... for the money this is the best gutsiest, fastest, best handling best looking car anywhere.

I believe there is something inherited when it comes to initial preference of what a car "should" or "ought" to be. I have a 99 GT Coupe I bought used at 86K in 2004. After only two days, I blew the head gaskets, but that was my $1,600 fault. I failed to check my fluids before driving off the lot. Then, only three months later, I almost threw a rod and simply replaced the 3800 with 98K miles for a rebuilt Jasper. That was ANOTHER $4,000. Then, exactly two months later, the car was stolen, my $3,000 aftermarket stereo system was boosted, along with serious damage that still isn't finished almost a year later. Sounds like a bad car huh? This lady (the car) did me wrong, at great expense, three times, and I still love her.

The point of my story is that if the car doesn't REALLY fit something you expect in your idea of what a car "should" or "ought" to be, any imperfection, which is INHERENT to anything man-made, WILL seem bigger than it really is and consistently disappoint you. Overall, I paid $7,200 for the car, $1,600 for the first break down, $4,000 for the rebuilt engine, and $500 deductable when it was stolen. $13,000 for a used 1999 GP GT w/100K miles in 2006 is a lot of money to pay, I'll admit, but this machine fits what I expect in a car. It's sleek, sexy, ballzy, and has the most comfortable back seat an American coupe can offer. If you don't LOVE your car, she will express her anger. If you don't name your car, she will know she means nothing to you. Thank her when she saves your butt or when she "arrives" you. I guarantee you'll notice a difference in your autos to come. Take a trip through the owner's manual, determine what "suggestions" are overkill, but don't ignore the reasoning. Why? Because there's good reasoning in it. Pontiac is America's BMW. (Notice the heritage of red gauges, split kidney grille, and the fact it's the performance division of GM). I live in Germany today and have had the opportunity to operate nearly every 2005-2006 model BMW. BMW's manufactured for Germany are not as plush as the ones sold in America because BMW WON'T sell an American a BMW without leather; and with that feature comes other amenities American's regard as luxury. There are plenty of BMW's here that DON'T have power windows or many of the other features American's have come to EXPECT from BMW. Take Pontiac for what it's worth: a reputable American company bringing to Americans what a very reputable German company is bringing to Germans: Style, Performance, and Function.

I have a 99 pontiac grand prix gt it's a four door, but it's a family car sometimes I'm rough on it and sometimes I'm gentle, but either way the car has never let me down it has 110 thousand miles on it now and is still running strong getting 28 mpg and rides like a cadillac never have I felt that there was no power there when I go to pass a car shes quiet and efficient I love the car its sporty yet luxury.

I bought a 99 GT about 4 1/2 years ago for $9,000. It was sporty looking, drove well, and had plenty of power. For 4 1/2 years I drove it putting about 50,000 miles on it, and not much else in terms of upkeep aside from oil changes.

However, last week, while driving back from a long trip, I was traveling along at about 90 mph, and floored the car to get around some traffic. Sadly, that was the last time I'll ever put my foot to the floor in that car. 83,000 miles, and the engine is blown. I'm not very happy about that, but otherwise, it was a great car, except the leaky sunroof.

I have a 1999 Grand Prix GT with 194,000 miles on it... bought it a year ago with 180,000, installed cold air intake and have a heavy foot... and I use 89 gasoline and mix in racing octane booster...haven't had any problems in the engine or tranny... struts are starting to go. I love this car so much I'm looking for a supercharged one. would recommend it to any and everyone.

I had a 98 Grand Prix GT (Red) Coupe! I loved the car. I bought it with 125K miles on it in 2005 and had it til Nov. 2007. (Ended with 171K miles and still ran like it did the day I bought it) In 2 years the only problem I have had was the Mass Air Flow Senser (90$) went and the Main power Fuse went (4$). I don't consider either of those big issues! I did have trouble finding someone willing to do a tune-up. I loved the car, it really was a pleasure to have and never let me down. I recently got rear-ended in it though, I was devastated. It was the 1st car I got that I wanted, and I wasn't disappointed after I got it! But I replaced it with a 99 Grand Prix GTP (RED) Sedan. (I'm hoping this one turns out just as great!!)

The issues I see people having seem more like people aren't keeping up with there car's maintenance. Most aren't serious issues either! Stop complaining and start taking of your damn car the way it should be taken care of!

14 mpg is not accurate at all... the order of your problems seems to me part of your coil pack is not sparking, that would explain the missing, the brutal mpg, and the rods blowing out if not noticed, head gaskets blow if you drive it hard, over heating the engine making causes the head gasket to wear out quickly.

I am new to this posting group, but I had to chime in. I have a 1999 GTP. Bought it in 2001 for half of new value ($15,000) with 59,000 miles on it. I now am looking for an a new car... if this one would ever DIE and give me an excuse too!!! I have 230,000+ miles on that darn thing and it runs great! I had the transmission replaced about a month after I bought it under the after market warranty. It was my first automatic and I honestly now think it was just my imagination of a problem. Anyway the things that are bad now are: Heated drvier seat broke, cruise control, windshield wipers don't "seat", heads up display is out and a home repair on the driver master window switch. Yep I am happy! Looking forward to 300,000! I'll have a sign on the side of the road!!!

To the original poster...

It's unfortunate you had such bad luck with your car...

Most likely the head gasket was bad when you bought it and you didn't know it... When head gaskets go bad they often "lose" coolant into the oil long before you see any symptoms... Sometimes a head gasket can go bad for months and have no other issues besides needing to add coolant..

As far as the shop "fixing it for free"...the shop only does that for 1 reason... If it is their fault... I don't care how good of friends you are with the owner or who you know... Shops fix cars for free ONLY when it is a comeback.

As far as your misfire it is possible that the shop didn't properly time your engine... the gas mileage would also show that... Or you have a dying MAF or 02 sensor.

Sounds like you got screwed and bought someone else's race car, and took it to a incompetent shop.

If they told you the spark plugs were going to cost that much, they ripped you off. The plugs went bad in my Grand Prix GT and I got them repaired for under 50.00, labour included.