Comments: 1-15, 16-30
No failures/breakage. I had to replace the gas cap/intake due to a factory error.
The cost of this car is astonishingly cheap compared to similar imports. The performance rating is realistic in that I can actually get a 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds unlike my Honda civic/accord friends.
Although the seats arn't overly comfortable I did take my car from Iowa to California without any aches and pains. The only thing I regret was not getting Cruise Control with my car.
The shifting is effortless and very sporty as the clutch catches on a slight release instead of all the way out like a Ford Focus (2001). Great for racing and passing in traffic if need be.
The biggest advantage of this car is an accurate MPG rating. In Iowa with 1.5 hour drive to work I got 42-47mpg. In the city here in California I get 30-35mpg depending on how many times I race/drive hard (late to work). Great for college students who need to save like myself!
Being my first car I am completely satisfied. Pontiac is exceptional in how they build their cars with a quality focus especially in recent years (2002+).
NEGATIVES:
Like other reviewers the ceiling of this car is very low and unless I have the seat further back I hit my head (I am 5'11). Also because this car is low to the ground I find it difficult to get in and out.
The inside is full of cheap plastic and the seats are cheap cloth. I have not noticed any abnormal wear/breaking because of this though.
Just to let the review above know, the stock Sunfire only has a 140 Hp Ecotec 4 Cylinder Engine, Although its peppy, its no Porsche, especially stock. 7.1 seconds eh? bull 7.1 seconds to 60 km/h. And also 42 mpg, isn't even close to a Sunfire its more like 22 in town and 31 on highway.
Cheers Enjoy!
I am the reviewer with the Black Pontiac Sunfire 2004.
To help the above reviewers: Now that I live in California I am getting on average 30mpg in the City. In Iowa where the roads are FLAT and often you have a backwind going 55mph (the MPH where cars get the BEST MPG) - I was getting on average 45mpg. Obviously if you are going 80mph stop and go in traffic you won't be getting as great mpg as constant 55mph for 1.5 hours on the way to work..
Yes, my car has a 140hp Ecotech. To prove both you wrong on the 0-60 time go to: http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/new/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/38429/ There is quoted, "Other details aren't available yet, but one source pegs 0-60-mph acceleration at around 7.2 seconds."
I've actually gotten 7.1 seconds with a friend timing me. Sure I burn the clutch a bit, but the time is correct.
-Paul.
I believe those times are close to what the Sunfire GT would get, although it's off by about a second or two. No way are those times for a 2.2 litre.
You above commenters are not worth reading. You base your sad assumptions on NO FACTS.
I have several friends with sunfires (2000-2005) as well as owning one myself (2004). I constantly get 32MPG in the city. You know how? By treating the Gas like an egg. By not driving like a F1 racer like most of you guys do.
As for the 0-60... That is correct. The "OFFICIAL" 0-60 is 7.2 seconds. 99% of the time Car & Driver has been able to get faster 0-60 than manufactures'. So don't bag on this guy for telling the TRUTH because that is what he is telling.
You guys are just jealous that a $11,000 car is faster than your $20,000 japanese import AND gets better gas mileage. So unless you have proof like this reviewer DOES... your words can be regarded as trash.
I don't think anyone has taken the time to get a 0-60mph on this car. It wasn't designed to be a rocket, but rather an economy car. Let me say that again: Economy car. I believe the automatic hits 8.0 0-60mphs and the manual may or may not add a second to that due to gearing.
What people don't realize is how this small engine can output 140hp. Engine technology is becoming very advanced these days. These 2.2L Ecotecs are receiving a lot of publicity due to the fact that GM Performance teams have managed 240horsepower on the Ecotec engine with stock parts.
This is a great engine that will reward you with super gas mileage if you drive it right. Save your 0-60mph for a car that was meant for it...
I have the 2003 Sunfire with the 2.2 liter Ecotec motor.
My average mpg is 29, which is great in my opinion. I had it on cruise control from Arizona to Nevada and hit 380 miles and the tank would only take 10.3 gallons. It was filled when I departed. That is almost 37 mpg all freeway miles with the cruise control at 70 mph.
I added a cat back 2 1/4 inch exhaust and a drop in K&N on this car. It breaths a hair better and is less restricted on the exhaust. I would say about 7 hp total was gained across the RPM band not on the max output, yay.
It is an automatic and I have had great results in up and go. It is a very responsive motor and I attribute a 2.2 liter engine of today being so much better than a 2.2 liter from the 80's and 90's from the technology of using lighter and stronger components, with the state of the art car computer running it and the gearing and axle ratio is a lot better. Since the parts are stronger and lighter and the car breaths a lot better, my Sunfire 'does' get 0-60 in a hair under 8 seconds. It is not a race car as it stands, but it can surprise a lot of unknowing drivers.
I had given a Spec V a hard time a day ago. He only creeped ahead bit by bit, and I had been driving all day. If I had not, I bet I would have hung with him or passed him. I know my car and the up and go was not at it's best that day from the heat outside being around 100 degrees. He may of just started up his car and ran nice and cool, so who knows.
All I know is, the Ecotec engine can be modded to over 1200hp. That is with turbo, NOS and so on. They drag race Cavaliers and Sunfires with kick butt results. When my warranty is gone, I am getting a CAI, DIS-2, dual Accel coil packs, Magnecore upgraded sparkplug wiring, header 4-2-1 configurated, and the 2 1/4 high flow cat. This will get me a hair under 7 seconds 0-60 I am sure.
The Ecotec motor, along with its gearing and state of the art technology makes this car. It used to be about the liters back in the day. Rotary engines are proof of small liter high output performance, it is all technology.
I own a 2003 Sunfire and here is the reality:
With the automatic I get an average of 29mpg.
0-60 was about 8 seconds stock.
After the catback exhaust and drop in K&N it is about 7.7 seconds 0-60.
I went from Mesa AZ to LV Nevada and I did get 37mpg.
I went from Mesa AZ to Prescott AZ and I did get 36.5mpg.
That is 99% highway miles with mostly the cruise control on.
I hate to say this, but the 2.2 2003 and newer Ecotecs are faster than the older 2.4 GTs are. I have raced a few of these GTs and never has one beat me in the 2.2 Ecotec.
The older GTs have either worse transmissions or axles or whatever to make them not as fast. Bottom line is the new Sunfires are all GT grade and there is not 10 second + 0-60 snail model like they had in 2002 and earlier. Plus the suspension is a lot better. I know because I was test driving both GT and base Sunfires at the Auto Show in Motion of 2001. Major body sway on the old Sunfires.
The new ones are much better overall. The newer Sunfires could be perfect with just a strut brace added.
Wow, wow, wow. Just stumbled onto this and had to put my 2 cents in. 2.2 ecotec sunfire 0-60 in 7.2 sec. Give your head a shake and as far as you link to consumer guide that gives those specs, re-read the article, they're talking about the Solstice not the Sunfire.
We're not talking 0-60 in 4 seconds like an EVO. It's 7+ seconds to get there. It's not difficult, I had an 89 Accord that could do close to that on a Carborated engine. I have a 04 Sunfire coupe and no I haven't tested it, but the time sounds about right.
Your 0 to 60 in about 7 seconds is correct. I had a Sunfire with an ecotec and used a beltronics Vector FX1 Accelerometer to measure my 0 to 60 time, it was 7.1. I actually took my car to the track and to my surprise it was very accurate, my 0 to 60 time at the track was 7.1, so I know it works. I find the ecotec slower than the old 2.4, so I bought an older Sunfire GT and did a 0 to 60 in 6.8. I had to redline it and shift hard, but I was impressed with a 6.8. I threw in a Centerforce stage 2 clutch and did a 6.6. The imports are OK, but they lack torque and the gears are spaced more evenly to allow it to gain much higher top speeds than the Sunfire, but for a quick rip to 60 miles per hour if you own a Sunfire GT you are probably going to take the lead. If you aren't going from a dead stop, those imports will dominate for sure.
I am the guy who posted the original comment back in 2005... I can't believe it has been that long.
Well, I still have the 2004 black Sunfire coup. It has 113,980 miles on it as I type this. I got a nice job with a 2 hour drive each way (job pays for gas). I love to drive so it works for now.
Major Problems: No major problems after 113,000 miles.
I replace the spark plugs, power steering fluid, tranny fluid all by myself. It hasn't been to the dealership once since 2005.
Small Problems: Paint is severely fading on the roof and on the hood. Plastic parts inside are falling apart and rubber is drooping down (simple fixes with glue). The right strut is creaking whenever I take a right turn at slow speeds. No Electronical failures yet.
Praises: Excellent MPG and good engine torque (perfect for zipping around slow drivers without killing mpg). Ever had to park in a tight space downtown Los Angeles? Having a small car helps.
Complaints: Brake rotors warp so badly in this car... I'm changing them every 35,000 miles along with new pads. For all my highway miles, that is sad brake life in my opinion.
I still get about 36mpg on the I-210 averaging about 75mph. The engine is SOO smooth and Blackstone UOAs (used oil analysis) are showing the engine wearing excellently.
I smile at my 0-60 comment back then. Oh how a speeding ticket changes those days. <cough, cough> I agree with one of the commentors: Save the 0-60 for the racing cars, lol. Fuel is too expensive these days anyway.
I know the car will make it to 200,000 miles. Whether or not I want to keep it till then will be another question. This thing is cheap, but it is a solid car in my opinion. Nowadays you can buy a sunfire for so cheap it is ridiculous so if money is an issue, I'd get one (new).
Thanks for all the comments and hope you have a wonderful 2008.
Sunfire 2003 I blew my motor at 185043 after 150000 things just started to break dayley.
I own a 2003 sunfire, 2.2l ecotec, and it's an automatic, 130 000 kms, love the thing to death... although there are a few things that are wrong with mine... the engine started making a rather loud (when its cold, partially normal) tapping noise at about 100 000 kms, as the car warms up the sound lessens, but is still present. I did notice the rotors do warp quite badly, but when I replaced mine they were worn so bad that there was barely an inch of steel left on them :P. recently a friend of mine designed an air intake for it, I haven't tested it out to see how quickly it does 0-60. oh and 1 more thing, the check engine light has been on since day one, and everything checks out as perfect...;) enjoy!
OWN A 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE 2.2L ECOTEC:
The very fact that people are commenting this late in the game is surprising. I have a 2.2L Ecotec Sunfire unmodded (but will be soon, just ordered AEM CAI and Flowmaster Muffler). From what my friends (and the manufacturers) are telling me, any slight change in air pressure towards the engine will make the check light run every month, but I'm sure careful maintenance will be key. The above comments are correct about 0-60 in 7.2 and the comment about Sunfire GT is right as well. THE ECOTEC IS FASTER! I chose this car because it acts a lot like my Honda Accord (1988 LX-i). The gear shifting is just as smooth (it's an Auto, but I've driven a manual) and the suspension hits curves almost the same way. GM/Pontiac has built upon the engine here with optional replacement intakes and even an optional supercharger made mostly with Chevrolet Cobalt parts. Here's my pros and cons for this car...
PROS:
- Suspension build is great for this engine
- Quick acceleration for a medium/heavy body
- Easy shifting (manual)
- Factory customizable
- Affordable price
- 4 spd auto is just as good as the 5 spd man.
CONS:
- Auxiliary instruments (stereo, instrument panel) seem to be erroneous at stock. Had to get them replaced.
- Heavy rear end... drags the car a bit for a FWD
- Front brake drums can barely handle the weight
- Limited interior space
- Feels like a heavy rev limiter on the engine (can barely get it to red line in the automatic, but who really wants to do that?)
- Stock exhaust pipe is crap -_-'
Other than that, I've put it through the test. This is definitely NOT a great downhill car, but still good against those curvy roads. I say this for the sake of the brakes. They wear out sooner than my Honda did. As for the speed, the quick acceleration goes a long way. The part about gas guzzling... well, this 2.2L will EAT IT if you're constantly going above 3000 RPM. I keep mine under 2300 as much as possible to sustain that average 31 MPG.
I am looking into purchasing a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire. I would say it looks pretty sporty. Put some nice dark tints and some nice rims, and there you have yourself a cheap but good looking vehicle.
The interior is alright, but not the best. The car has a 2.2 eco-ec engine, which is good, the trunk space is good, and the 0-60mph is 7.2. I looked it up and most of the guys above too.
And the guy is right, you are just jealous of a Sunfire being able to produce that. 140hp is very good for a 4 cylinder.
The first thing I may do when I get the car is take it up to 140 kmh on the highway to get a feel. And then install my nice Kenwood deck inside. With possibly my amp and subwoofer. But definitely sporty looking.