Faults:

About two weeks after I bought the car, the oil pump failed on me. Though the oil gage was reading funny, the motor had plenty of oil in it, and I could hear no ticking or other loud noises. I continued to drive it for another 80 or so easy miles. Unfortunately, that was all it took to ruin the motor. I had a newer motor put into it since, and it's on this engine that the majority of the miles I've added to this car have been put into.

The serpentine belt ripped apart on me, groove by groove. Apparently, it was a cheap belt that someone had installed in the car before I owned it. I bought another belt, but the store only had the cheap version in stock. Guess what? That one broke on me as well, maybe a month later. I then replaced it with a good belt, and still have not had a problem with it. I really did get what I paid for then.

General Comments:

This car is low to the ground, but won't bottom out on bumps and potholes. The low center of gravity, along with the stiffer GT suspension, helps it handle as effortlessly as it does.

It's a comfy ride, with good seats and all the radio and A/C controls within easy reach. The backseat offers more space than other sport coupes that I've owned, such as the Firebird.

The trunk has plenty of space for all my tools, camera gear, luggage, and whatnot.

And though the motor is tiny by my standards, and great on gas, it can be insanely zippy at times. Not fast, but still zippy.

Faults:

Brakes went, but dealer replaced them for free.

Rotors also went, but dealer also replaced those.

General Comments:

Extremely comfortable car.

Very fast with beautiful responsiveness.

Speed Limit is not always easy to abide by when you're in this car.

Faults:

After jamming up a mountain to get to a ski resort and immediately waiting in the drive through, my heater core dumped its coolant at about 85,000 miles. I guess it was my fault, but the connections are cheap plastic (I know, I replaced the thing myself). That would be my best car repair achievement to date.

The alternator had to be replaced at about 75,000 miles.

The battery had to be replaced at about 95,000 miles.

Disks and drums were replaced at about 100,000 miles.

I still have not replaced the struts.

Like all other Grand Ams, my passenger window usually does not go up or down. Actually, it seems to have 3 stop points that require force while pressing the button to get past. At the stop points it makes a "ratatatata" kind of noise. If this specific noise is familiar to anyone else could you please notify me at betzel@ucsd.edu?

The car seems to get terrible city miles, but terrific highway miles. There is sometimes a 100 mile difference in miles per tank between the two! I guess Grand Ams were made to tour America though.

General Comments:

The AC still works at 113,000 miles!

I like the acceleration; I'm glad the car is still in the household so I get to drive it!

The seats are very comfortable. Too comfortable when your are driving while tired.

I like all of the little compartments.

The engine start in about one second.

Add in a performance air filter, personal oil changes, a CD changer and you get one fun ride!

Faults:

I had a computer controller go out that caused my lights to fail, this happened 3 times.

At 59000 miles the car threw a rod for no apparent reason.

I bought a replacement engine at a huge cos, and now at 85000 miles that engine has thrown a rod also.

The second engine appears to have lost a lot of oil in about a months time which caused the rod to be thrown, we think it leaked into the cooling system?

Motor mounts X 2.

Transmission mount.

Alternator.

Battery.

This is the worst car myself or anyone I've known has ever owned.

General Comments:

Overall a big piece of crap.

Money pit.

I paid 5000 when I bought it and since then I have put over 4000 into it in repairs.