1999 Pontiac Grand Am GT 3.4L

Summary:

Great car for the mechanically minded

Faults:

The window regulator went out and had to be replaced.

The front rotors are starting to warp.

The controls to the radio seem to have a mind of their own.

General Comments:

These cars are beautiful.

Every car manufacture has small glitches that need to be worked out on all new production vehicles. I have been reading through the reviews and have noticed that the two most common problems found on this model are the rotors warping and the window regulators breaking. The window regulators are a pain to fix. But the rotars are simple. And if you upgrade to a performance, slotted rotor you would not have this problem over and over again.

I see other people comparing these cars with Honda's or Toyota's. Before you do this, look at the price difference. You did not pay for a Honda or a Toyota. You paid a considerably amount below the price of the fore-mentioned cars. I could easily, install a supercharger, performance exhaust manifold, performance muffler, new throttle body spacer, upgrade the rotors, upgrade the brakes and still be under the price of a Honda or Toyota.

Grand Am's are just plain and simply good-looking cars.

They hug the road on tight corners.

They respond immediately when you need to pass that slow driver doing 50 on the freeway.

They are comfortable to ride in.

And most of all, they are extremely easy to upgrade.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th September, 2003

16th Feb 2004, 21:16

Very well put, these cars are in a completely different class as a Toyota or Honda that costs $28,000. They are meant to be fairly high performing for a fairly low price. GA's are easy to upgrade, and it's funny how you really only hear bad things on these kinds of sites. I guess misery loves company. The Grand Am beats out comparably performing imports, and to beat it you have to spend 8,000 more on any import. So maybe those with problems should look up the import section of this site, and see that the import owners probably have the same things to say about their cars. Every car will have it's day.

15th Apr 2004, 08:01

I have a 1999 Grand Am. I love it. There's been very few problems with this car; it now has 92000 on it, and it still goes like it was new.

It has some minor electrical problems, but I would much rather have this car than a Honda or Toyota.

I agree 100% with your statement.

5th Jul 2004, 20:40

I agree completely!!

26th Feb 2006, 17:01

I own an Oldsmobile Alero (many trabsferable parts) and hear the same type of comments, some don't make sense like replacing the rotors every 6K. The engine,3.4v6 and transmission are very good with the exception of a lower intake gasket prob. on a higher percentage of these engines. Most probably last over 100k. Foreign cars are more money with more expensive parts. Treat it right and sure with some luck you will be OK. Most grand am owners like their cars despite some problems --happy motoring!

22nd Jul 2006, 06:40

I own a 99 Grand Am GT red with 45,000 miles on it. Absolutely the best looking car I ever owned. This car has been flawless inside and out. Highly recommended.

27th Oct 2007, 22:38

I just purchased a 99 Grand Am GT in red just 3 months ago, 99000 miles, and had some minor issues. But this car for the money cannot be beat, since its fuel mileage and looks are exceptional.

Buy American!!!

1999 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L Quad-4

Summary:

A regrettable purchase

Faults:

Chronic brake problems: rotors turned 3 times and pads replaced 4 times.

Taillight bulbs burn-out constantly.

Driver-side power window switch worn; takes numerous tries to get the window to go down.

Overhead storage bin broke off.

Radio display goes dark now-and-then.

Dome light fixture is loose and coming apart.

Vinyl door trim coming apart. Trim pieces in many other areas are coming apart/coming undone.

General Comments:

This car gives average performance, but the engine is very rough and unrefined. Gas mileage is terrible for a 4 cylinder motor. In spite of regular service intervals, the car has begun to burn oil at a fast rate.

Very poor fit-and-finish. The car has not held up well over time. The car felt fairly solid at first, but now a lot of durability problems have surfaced.

I was hesitant to purchase a General Motors product, but we got a good deal on the car when we bought it. In the future, however, I will return to buying an import like a Nissan or Toyota.

I would not recommend this car to anyone.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 25th September, 2003

23rd Feb 2004, 20:02

You put 98000 miles on a car over 5 years!! and you think it's a poorly manufactured car? not understanding that at all... I'm sorry, but that's way over the normal usage of anycar.

2nd Mar 2005, 17:17

I agree. I own a 99 Grand Am SE as well, and it has had nothing, but problems since 4 days after we bought it. I have been researching and found that many people with the Grand Am has the exact same problems. I as well will never again buy another GM product.