15th Sep 2008, 19:45

I own a 00 GP. The only repair I have done to the car outside what I would consider maintenance (brake linings, plugs, wires, tires, batt, alternator, belts, hoses, fluids, filters) has been a rack and pump. I would venture some of the tranny issues is a low tolerance for dirty fluid. My mechanic asked me to a "complete flush" back when it hit 50K even though it seemed clean, I agreed figured $80 is better then $2,000 and I did another flush at 100K it now has 120K and going strong. And I drive it anything but nice!

11th Jan 2009, 12:46

I guess I have just lucked out with my car...2001 Grand Prix GT 2 door. I have 96,000 on the car, and I did get the shuddering at 45 mph, but I replaced the cv axles and took care of that. I have no real complaints of the car, as this is my second one. My first one got totalled at 103,000 miles, so I bought another one. I love the car through and through.

18th Jan 2009, 13:31

I bought a 2000 Grand Prix GT with 150,000 miles on it. I got a pretty good deal on it, so that's the only reason I bought it.

I drove it for a about 5 thousand miles and the key thing started happening, where the key will not come out of ignition. It stopped doing it for awhile then started again, and has now stopped, so I don't know what to think about that.

Then my heater stopped working and it blew the resistor and was drawing too many amps from the battery, that was $350 to fix.

Now it has electrical problems, the car starts for like 3 or 4 seconds then shuts off. And thoughts on this? I haven't taken it in yet.

3rd Feb 2009, 19:40

To the comment above me about the engine turning off after 3 or 4 seconds--are you using a copied key? My dad and I discovered that a copied key he had made only works if you insert one side of it--if you turn the key to the other side, it works. There is also a Security light flashing on the instrument panel with the copied key.

18th Feb 2009, 21:36

Have a 2000 Grand Prix GT 3.8 L with 100,000 miles, had it since 34, 000 miles. I bought it because I owned two Buicks with the same 3.8 engine and ran both over 200,000 with just a few inexpensive repairs, alternators, struts, brake calipers. I have only put maintenance into the Grand Prix oil changes battery, brakes, tires, belt and trans flush. I live in WI and use fuel system cleaner as recommended, the kind with water remover. It starts on the coldest days. It's good in snow. The light went out in the radio/time display but I did not replace it. I am especially impressed with the 3.8 L engine's performance.

11th May 2009, 10:06

I have a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT with 96k miles. It's performed OK. We had the transmission solenoid replaced at 45k miles too, as it was shifting weird at about 45mph and at 60mph. Took the shop a long time to figure out the problem. We also had the common intake manifold gasket leak. This caused the actual manifold to warp, so gasket and manifold was replaced at about 45k miles, too. Luckily for us, GM reimbursed us (not a recall, but I think they wanted our business for future vehicles).

Recently, we had intermittent engine stalling with no codes or check engine light showing up. I researched the problem and took a chance on the crankshaft sensor and had it replaced. Luckily, I guessed right and no problems in the last year and a half. Right now, 3 out of 4 windows are not working. They gradually slide down as you are driving, but you can manually lift them up (so they did not jump the track). It would cost us $1800 to fix them right now, so I'm not putting that kind of money into the car (if the driver's side ever goes, I'll fix that). I found some cedar shims in the garage and wedged them into the track, which keeps the windows up for now.

Overall, we haven't spend a lot of our own money to fix the bad problems listed above (some of this was reimbursed to us), so I'm OK with the performance of this car. One thing I haven't been happy with was dealing with dealer service. We used a dealer for the transmission solenoid and intake manifold and gasket. I was lectured by the service rep about not maintaining the vehicle (how much maintenance is there at 45k miles?). I chewed him out and produced all the receipts for maintenance including oil changes, etc. and complained to Pontiac and that dealer. After that, had no problems with that rep. When we moved, I happened to find a very good independent service shop that works on GM vehicles exclusively (found the shop on cartalk.com). No problems whatsoever with bringing the vehicle in for service.

If I compared this car to a 2000 Honda Accord, I'd say I paid pretty much the same amount of money on service as an Accord. Don't forget that at about 85-100k, you need to spend about $1200 on timing belt/water pump replacement. Gas mileage isn't as good as the Accord, but you're talking about a 3.8L V-6 vs. an I-4 engine (which is the better fuel efficient option in an Accord).

23rd May 2009, 22:15

I have a 2000 GT with about 135k on it and the low coolant level light has just started to come on. I checked it and it was down about an inch, filled it up and it just keeps going down about the same level after a while. The heat gauge is fine, the rad isn't leaking but the coolant level light keeps coming on and the level of coolant keeps going down about an inch. Anyone know where the coolant is going and how to fix it?

21st Jun 2009, 12:56

About the low coolant level: I had the same problem (on a Pontiac Montana 2000). There is a sensor on the side of the radiator that can cause this warning. Fooled my garage once. Then they found it. The sensor is intermittent.

5th Jul 2009, 08:45

I have 2000 Grand Prix GT. Nightmare from hell. You name it, I replaced it. Now my car is hard to steer and the power steering pump is not whining. What could it be???

10th Jul 2009, 06:44

I bought my 2000 Grand Prix from my brother who babied the car. Since I have had it, the repair bills began. The service engine light is always coming on for something. This time auto zone said the code was reading O2 sensor. It wants to hesitate when I try to accelerate. My old man is a mechanic and said it could also be a throttle sensor. I never had these problems with any of my foreign cars. I will never buy American again. Any one out there have any ideas what I should replace? dcattell1@live.com