1999 Pontiac Grand Am SE from North America - Comments

I bought this car in early July, and I couldn't have been happier. All I have ever wanted, for as long, as I can remember, was a Pontiac Grand Am.

I had only had the car for 2 weeks when I went outside, started the car, and put it in drive - but nothing happened. None of the gears worked. I initially assumed that the car was out of transmission fluid (thankfully, it wasn't - the transmission is under the engine and everything, so only a mechanic can handle that function). I had the car towed to a mechanic and learned that there is a pin which controls the gears so that when you move the shifter, the trans-axle works in unison, and that pin had broken. This cost me about $300 to have repaired.

Last week, I was driving and the battery light came on. I took the car to Pep Boys, got a new battery - and the car wouldn't start. I called Roadside Assistance to find that once a new battery is installed, the car must sit with absolutely no activity (no door-opening, no NOTHING) for 20 minutes. Great. After all this, I found out that the alternator was done (which usually happens around 75K, so watch out). This was an additional $300.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my car. She is absolutely beautiful and rides like a dream. There are just a few small complaints that I have to address: the positioning of the transmission - whose bright idea was that? Everyone who looked under my hood thought I didn't have one.

The resetting of the battery - isn't there a better way than sitting still for 20 minutes? I was in a parking lot at closing time, sitting in the dark, waiting for my car to reset herself. Can you say DANGEROUS?

Wow! Who's brilliant idea was it to put the transmission under the motor? Well if thought about for more than 5 seconds anyone with a clue would realize that if the transmission was on TOP of the motor the motor would then become underneath the transmission. This in return would pose the problem that the motor would be harder to work on and the car would have trouble moving! Not to mention if the transmission was on top someone of your intelligence would never figure out how to fix it anyway. So don't bash an idea so though out until you think things out first.