1998 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Supercharge from North America - Comments

I have two 1997 GTPs, one at 170k and one at 126k. I have to say that despite a few little annoying quirks, this is a great car! I haven't replaced anything, but normal wear and tear items (brakes, struts, tires, etc...) on either car. I AutoX / drag race one of the cars, so it does get a good workout on a regular basis!

I have a 04 GTP with 51K miles. It is by far the best car I have owned. Sounds to me that some of the people that have problems with these cars just don't know how to take care of them. With TLC your car should last well past 150K miles.

I love my 98 GTP. Only problem I have is it's so fast and I can work on it myself. Also if you want to put a smaller pulley on a lot more is recommended than a aux transmission cooler (try ClubGP.com).

Bought the car (99 GTP) at 57k miles and now has done 120k miles. I have had the following problems:

Fuel Pump resistor, Brakes absolutely suck (gone through 3 sets of pads so far), tranny, power steering pump, struts (norm maintenance id say), bearings, key stuck in column syndrome!, Stupid hvac system whines and screams sometimes and a few other things. The good thing is if something happens, it won't really kill the bank account and parts are plentiful, but it is annoying when things do turn up. Overall it's a good car, I think at this point all the kinks are worked out of it and its on free miles now... well lets hope. I think if anything major goes in the next little bit...she'll be gone!

It is all too true. Most of the Complaints I have seen here are related entirely to poor maint. I have a Modified 2000 GTP, and I can't believe how well it runs with the beating I give. I've flushed the ATF, and coolant, Brake fluid, and do oil changes regularly. The car is amazing. It doesn't matter what car you buy it won't last vary long if you don't know how to take care of it. Also a good thing to remember, that money you spent on the car isn't meant to be the only investment. You kinda have to spend some ALONG the way to get a positive result! And spend it before the Sh** hits the fan.

I've got a 2000 Grand Prix that I bought used earlier this year. Haven't had any real serious problems with the car, but the driver's side regulator did go out about a month ago. The one thing that is annoying though is the little intermittent buzz that comes from underneath the center of the dashboard. I would LOVE to know where this is coming from so I can fix it. I have a friend who bought a 2000 GP as well and his car does the same thing.

I like my car, but I do believe that GM and several of the other manufacturer's (foreign included) have ignored potential problems with their lines of cars. They ALL need to have a better way to channel customer service. Going to the dealer and having the dealer charge you an arm and leg to fix it when it is a problem the manufacturer knows about is just plain WRONG! Its no wonder that so many people remember their cars from the 50's and 60's with fondness. They were simple and you could diagnose and fix them without ruining your bank account.

I bought a 1998 GTP bout three months ago and had some small issues blower fan was out radio display in op heads up display intermittent supercharger rattle, but all and all it has been a good car I am a ford automotive tech so believe me its not just these cars all cars fall apart.

I just purchased a '98 Grand Prix and man, has Pontiac come a long way since my 1985 T-top, which I still have. It's black and looks hot; I believe I'm in love.

...got a great deal because the girl I bought it from didn't know what she had. She even 'threw in' 4 brand new tires, because she didn't need them. I'd have sold them separately. I've noticed moisture inside the mis-aligned headlights, but with some caulking, I should be able to solve the problem. Also drivers-side rear window is inoperable and drivers-side door won't lock, But hey, that's what sunny days with a couple of buddies are for, eh?

I'm glad I've found this space. I now have a heads up on some 'stuff' that may be coming and solutions to other minor problems I've noticed.

The gas gauge going crazy and fuel pump problems are common among GM cars with the pump and gauge in the same unit. I've been told this is from overfilling the tank, so when the gas pump at the station clicks off the first time, HANG IT UP!

I bought a 98 GTP sedan this past summer (payed 1500cdn). I got it with 130000 miles and the old man let it sit on the grass during the last winter, with little to no rust. I might want to add that I live in Canada so my car has seen extreme weather conditions during its life including salted roads. The only things I had to fix were the four worn out rotors and the O2 sensor. I needed a car to get to work and I figured I would save up for an import as I drove the GTP. My point is that for the past 8-9 months I've been pushing it HARD and it still performs beautifully. I was so impressed that I plan on putting the money I had saved up for that import into the car and make it better than it already is.

P.S. I'm sorry for the people that got lemons, but every car maker produces them. Imports are no different except that they produce fewer lemons. This comment comes from personal experience.

I am looking at purchasing a GTP 1999 with 104/k miles for my 16 yr old daughter. I had a dealer do an inspection on the car and he went on and on about NOT buying a supercharged GTP for a teenager! He talked about intake leaking a little bit and oil in coolant (looking a little milky). At first these were just minor problems, by the end of the conversation he scared the heck out of me. The problems that are on this site do not address engine problems. Any comments or suggestions. This car is being offered for a good price and is in excellent shape.

Run far, run fast!!! That is the infamous GM Intake Manifold getting ready to fail and suck large quantities of money from your wallet. Heed your mechanic's advice. GM V-6's of the mid to late 90s are infamous for this. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!!!

I just bought a 1999 GTP about two weeks ago, as a daily driver for my wife. It's fully loaded, with 62k miles. So far, it's been a fantastic car. The only real problem is the windshield rubber has popped over on the drivers upper corner, exposing the window channel.

We went for a drive yesterday on the back roads for about 4-5 hours, and it was a blast. I can't wait for spring, when we are going to join the local SCCA, and take the car racing.

Unless they've been racing for the last five years, have the experience and are mature enough to handle the power, giving a 16 year old a car like this is just asking for trouble.

This is a fast car. I've seen first-hand how quickly kids can get in over their heads. I have 18 yo and 16 yo sons, and a 14 yo daughter (going on 25, lol). I've already told them that they will not be allowed to drive it alone (only with my wife or myself). It's not that I don't trust them, I do. They just haven't had the training or experience to recognize the situations where a car like this can get them into trouble. I plan on getting them memberships in the SCCA, and slowly giving them experience on how to handle this car.

My advice, pass on the GTP model. Find a lower power SE or GT. Good luck, be safe.

I bought my 1998 GTP 5 months ago at of all places a Public Auto Auction in southwest VA. This has so far been a great car, as soon as I drove it home, it still had the power and feel as if it were a newer vehicle, this car is equipped with the Supercharger, and man what a boost it has. I paid $3,170 and so far its money well spent, it still looks nice inside and out and does turn heads while cruising down the streets. Oh and the mileage reads 135,066, I also did a little research after finding prior owners info on some papers in the glove box, and decided to call her and find out more about the car, I was amazed to learn it was her car since new and she had used it mainly on the Interstate for traveling to and from Fl from Va. so the Hi-Way miles is a good thing, she also supplied me with all the service records and it was routinely maintained and taken care of. When I asked her why she decided to trade it, she just wanted something new she said, and they gave her $2,850 as a trade in so she got burned by this dealer, I was lucky to find such a gem, and they are out there, but the key is to make sure they were well loved by the previous owner (s).I did a bluebook value and average retail is around $6,000 to $7,000 for the car, I was offered $5,500 by a co-worker a few weeks back, but will not let this car go. I will continue to take care of it just as the lady who owned it before me did. Plus the Supercharger is a rarer option so it adds to the value.

Hello fellow Grand Prix Worshippers. The wife and I would be grateful for your help. We recently were offered a 1999 Grand Prix GTP Supercharged 3800 with 99,000 miles on it. We just love the performance of the engine as well as the style and interior. The question that we have is that sometimes when we are driving up a hill or in another situation where the car is shifting and is in the 35 to 45 mph range, you can notice the tachometer fluctuating slightly and feel the car gently being a little hesitant. It happens just briefly then smooths out and goes back to normal. It doesn't do it every time and when we called a dealership mechanic, they claimed that it was called torque converter bog and of course that they would be happy to check it out for $90.00. Not fix it, just check it out. We read where this transmission might have problems with a pressure control solenoid in the transmission, but wondered if this could be the beginning of a serious problem. It was a dealership trade in so we are getting the car without a warranty and are very concerned. If anyone has any info on this problem, we would be so happy to here from you as we really love the car and for $4700.00, it's hard to pass up. Thanks for any help and thanks for your time.