1997 Pontiac Sunfire review from North America

I hit a deer with it, so I had to replace the hood, right fender and right door. The water pump cracked shortly afterwards and I had to replace that. I recently replaced the gas tank, as it had a leak in the top quadrant (small, but I nipped it in the bud), the gas line (the smell of gas freaked me out more than a little!) and because the gas line was so close to the break line, they had to replace that as well, as they would have messed that line. I replaced the drive tires because...well...they needed it I guess. No real reason other than they were worn out.

The thermostat needed replacing once, but I figure that's normal, since this car is 10 years old. Keep in mind I live in Canada and only recently moved to the city, so all my driving has been country driving, which means I beat up the poor car with rough roads and salty snow.

The body has held out very well for it being 10 years old. All it needs is a rust patch up near the wheel well, which I will do shortly as it is a very simple job for a 24 year old woman to do. I give it oil changes every time its required and with Pontiac models that makes a huge difference in performance.

This car performs exactly how I expect it to: safe stops and quick acceleration. It is small, meaning in the city I can move around the traffic much better than if I owned a pick up truck. It's good on gas too, when it isn't leaking. I have a small oil leak because the bolt got stripped when I was putting the oil pan back on. I just keep an eye on the levels by peaking at the dip stick once a month or so. No big deal.

I remind myself that this is a Pontiac, and not a Honda or a Mercedes. It will never perform like a Ferrari, Lexus, or a Formula One Racing Car, so never expect it to do more than what it's given. It is a low-end economy car. Remind yourself of this if you choose to purchase one, because that is all you can expect of it.