Faults:

Goodyear RSA tires replaced under warranty. These tires for many Grand Am GT owners have been the source of particular grinding noise. Replacing the tires solved the problem. By the way if you car warranty has run out the dealer I understand are still obligated to replace the tires.

The front rotors are warped. This is a common problem on many front wheel drive vehicles. My 1996 Bonneville had the same problem.

General Comments:

Good get up and go. The 3.4 is not the most refined engine, but smooth enough overall.

GM could design the front suspension better to filter out impact noise on bumps. Test drive a Jetta and you will experience a very refined and composed suspension system.

Road and wind noise are well hushed. My Bonneville was a little better, because the 3.8 SeriesII engine is very quiet.

The build quality is much better than Grand Prix which is rife with lots of hard plastic. Check out Grand Prix console and dash... the Grand Am is by far better.

Handling very quick response, however somewhat twitchy. The handling isn't as fluid as some of its competitor, but it is able to hold its own out there.

Faults:

The car was perfect and ran well until reaching about 16K - 20K miles, that's when it all began.

First it started with the rotors, that they were out of round. They first that for free.

Than the power steering rack had to be replaced - thank god I had an extended warranty.

Than the lower head gasket had to be replaced because it was always leaking antifreeze eveywhere, and always adding it.

Than one day it wouldn't start - the fuel pump has to be replaced.

Now when your on the highway it won't shift into it's last gear causing the gas mileage to go way down.

Last, but not least it has a misfire, and the electronic control module has to be replaced, what else is new I told them.

My best comment to you it don't buy one of these or any GM for that matter, and if you already have one, GET RID OF IT NOW BEFORE IT'S TO LATE!

Faults:

At 34,000 miles after about 14 months (2,000 before expiration of warranty), the engine started grinding while driving and the Check Engine and Track Off lights came on. It turned out there was a hole in one of the cylinders. The dealer couldn't explain why there was a hole, or why it took almost a year for the hole to become a problem.

Exactly 11 months later, the engine had the same problem. Another hole in another cylinder. But because the car is no longer under warranty, it is going to cost big bucks to fix it.

The check oil light also comes on (and makes the ding noise) every 500-600 miles or so after an oil change.

General Comments:

For a 2000 Grand Am being only 2 years old, there have just been too many problems in too little time. I shouldn't have to add a quart of oil every 600 miles (but now that we know holes keep developing in the cylinders, this may contribute to the oil problem).

My girlfriend has a 1991 Honda Civic and it ran beautifully for more than 240,000 miles before the original transmission finally gave out and she just got a new one (another Honda). Looks like I'm going to have to get a new car as well, and I promise you, it won't be a Pontiac.