1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE Coupe review from North America

Head gasket blew just before I bought it and was repaired.

Manual window crank knob broke 1 out of three clips and will occasionally come off while operating.

I thought the transmission was going to drop out on me when I first stared driving because of terrible consistent with vehicle speed whine in first and second gears and load + or -. I got used to it. Previous owner bought the car when we were in highschool and never changed the clutch.

Like my previous 325i the sunfire has remarkably good handling and emergency maneuvering characteristics. My old car did it with slightly more svelte but a nod for the sunfire in this category. The base motor is a little noisey beyond 5.000 rpm, but in 20.000 miles and a year of spirited acceleration everything is holding together quite nicely. Respectable power output in all gears. The cruise control is very usable as a result.

Typical range is 440 miles per 12 gallons of petrol.

I recently purchased Assurance Tripletreds and that greatly helped roadnoise vs generic tires.

Very easy to hold speed in any gear. Very easy and comfortable shifting action. Very mellow and tolerant clutch action. The actual actuation range of the clutch pedal is at least 1.5 inches and can sync with proper gas input virtually anywhere in that range.

I suggest premium output headlights as the fixtures installed seem "eat" light.