24th Sep 2008, 14:23

Well I own a 97 Grand Am SE, and it's great. It got caught in the flood; water was over the engine, and all I had to replace were the wheel bearings...

It has 120000 miles and its starting to die now (flood reasons), but to me the Grand Am is a good car.

5th Oct 2008, 00:07

As the for GM hater. GM is all I've ever owned. They are the easiest and cheapest cars to fix.

As for the Grand Am, I had a 94 with 3.1L. Bought at 100,000 miles. It now has 200,000 miles.

Never had one problem with the motor. Still runs like a champ.

The transmission is gone though, and that could be due to a chunk of asphalt I hit 3 years ago. Put a ding in the pan. Unfortunately there happens to be 2 oil transfer tubes right at the spot. One got caved in. Which could be why it quit or I would still be driving that car.

It doesn't have the th125 or whatever. But the other transmission, the 3t40.

But that car had one alternator, one waterpump. one heater core, and one fuel pump.

The car does get real hot in July. This year I changed the radiator and fan motor. That helped a little, but engine never blew a gasket.

Best car I've ever owned. Had it for 10 years, and now I'm looking for a used transmission.

As for the 2.4L, it's called a twin cam and not a quad4. That was the 2.3L. The 2.4 was redesigned, but apparently still has same poor qualities.

I now have a 97 Grand Am with a 2.4. Got it real cheap because #4 cylinder is dead. But now I'm having second thoughts as to rebuilding the engine. I have been driving with 3 cylinder and I am quite surprised it's still running. Most cars would have died by now.

Some cars can take a licking and still keep on ticking. Other don't do to well if not properly maintained. The key is maintenance folks. You take care of your car and it will take care of you. No matter what a junker it is. Most cars will have problems with the amount of plastic they are built with these days, but taking care of that engine and transmission will get you a long ways in miles. Some applications are very picky when not properly maintained.

Being a retired mechanic. I'll never sway from GM. 2 wrenches and I can diagnose and fix in 2 hours. Most cars require a full set of diagnostics tools and wrenches to fix. And usually require 2 weeks down time. An alternator requires 60 bucks and 5 minutes. Try getting one that cheap for a Ford. Or better yet, a Honda that requires pulling one of the axles out to replace the alternator.

Pull the brakes of an American car and the rotors slide off. Pull the brakes off on a Toyota or Honda, and you still need a wrecking ball to get the rotors off. But then, japan won't let them drive a car after 30,000 miles. So maintenance is not a priority for them. That's why Japanese engines are a dime a dozen in America. And probably the rest of the world. According to japan, engines start polluting after 30,000 miles and require new engines, but Japan has one of the world's worst pollution problems.

17th Jan 2009, 09:55

1997 Grand Am Owner.

My list of repairs in the last 2 years:

Heater Core...$380.00

Instrument Panel...$300.00

Intake Gaskets (designed to go out)...$1400.00

Window Motors (2) (keep a spare)...$75.00

Tune Up...$400.00.

Now the car won't start. When you turn the key, it will run for a second, then cut off. It's getting spark and fuel. A friend mentioned the Mass Air Flow sensor. If anyone can give me some advice on this problem, please give feedback.

4th Apr 2009, 22:59

I have owned many Pontiac's over the years, most recently a 2000 Sunfire. All have treated me very well, and most made 300,000 miles on basic maintenance.

As far as the no start condition on the 2.4 twin cam, try checking the ignition control module/coil pack. They are notorious for failure. Also CSM and crank position sensors can cause the car to run for awhile and die out of the blue.

All cars have their own unique problems, not just Pontiac. Many Fords have a lot of transmission problems, as well as Jeep and Dodge.. Chrysler's 2.7 liter engine has been said to be the worst engine ever built. General 3000 mile maintenance would prevent most car issues.

27th Mar 2010, 14:12

Another 97 Grand Am with all the same problems.

Replaced the water pump 2X.

Drivers side window motor 2X.

Passenger window motor 1X.

Rear drivers side window motor 1X.

New alternator.

New battery 2X.

Knocking in the lower part of the engine since we bought it. Mechanic says they are junk and we should get rid of it fast. I have always been a diehard GM owner, but this car is a piece of crap from the beginning.

19th Jun 2010, 13:02

This car is a piece of garbage, it is no surprise Pontiac is being phased out with other pathetic GM brands (Saturn etc...).

I am the second owner of a 1997 Grand Am SE, purchased with 109000km's, which in terms of vehicle life is 'young'. Within 15,000 km's, this car has needed a new alternator, belt tensioner, full exhaust system, batteries, you name it. Not to mention the check engine light is on...

This is by far the worst car I have ever seen in my life. I had a 1997 Acura Integra that was turbo charged, and I red-lined that vehicle every time I drove it, and at 180000km's when I sold it, it didn't have a single problem.

RIP Pontiac...

20th Jun 2011, 14:56

97 Grand Am GT 3.1 v6.

Just want to change the front brake pad but what are the tools I will need to do that? I also need details for the caliper.

27th Jun 2011, 12:23

1997 Grand Am SE.

It turns off every time I stop (red lights and stop signs). It turns off while driving slowly (less than 30 MPH). The fan doesn't work, the back windows don't work sometimes.

I bought it from my sister's fiance's step dad, and thinking that he would be a good man giving me a good deal on a good car I bought it. This car turned out to be a big mistake. I've spent $500 on it in just 2 months. My gas runs out fast because of how many times I have to turn it on.

The mechanic doesn't know what to do to it anymore. I want to sell it but who will give me my money back? I paid $1700 and I want at least $1000 back.