1997 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2.4 from North America

Summary:

Not a bad car for the dollar, but if you can afford better buy better!!

Faults:

Power windows run really slowly now and do not have enough strength to open on a cold winter morning. Needed to have a new window motor put in.

The lowest speed on the ac/heater fan does not work at all.

Needed to replace water pump.

Wipers do not clean worth #$%&. I have tried four different brands and still little success.

The dash has started to rattle.

General Comments:

The Car handles real well on the highway and gets really good fuel mileage. I have averaged 37mpg on the highway and 25mpg in the city.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 24th June, 2003

30th May 2004, 08:01

Amazing, my little Sunfire, same year, pretty much the same mileage has had all of the same issues. But, for the buck and the fun it is to drive... after having it four years, I would have to say it is still worth it!

Not only that, but, it is so good on gas. In these days where our gas prices are becoming outrageous, it sure makes sense to drive a Sunfire GT.

1997 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2.4 Twin Cam from North America

Summary:

Attractive, quick, and fun to drive

Faults:

The clutch has a leak. I am guessing it's a seal in the slave cylinder. Requires me to refill clutch fluid every couple weeks. I hope to fix it soon when I don't need the car for a few days.

General Comments:

The car is pretty quick for a 4 cylinder.

Not many aftermarket parts for it, but the intake I bought for it really gives it more of a kick and sounds great.

Rear visibility is not that great.

Very reliable car. (Clutch problem is just a fluke)

Very fun car to drive, cheap to maintain, and moves pretty well.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th June, 2003

5th Oct 2003, 22:34

After driving it for two thousand miles, you judge this car to be reliable, because only a clutch broke? C'mon, get a grip on your steering wheel, drive it for a year, come back and leave another post, let's see how the car did.

1997 Pontiac Sunfire SE from North America

Summary:

I hate it!!!

Faults:

The brake shoes went out about a month after I bought it.

The battery leaked acid and caused me to have to call the dealer to have it towed and then it cost over $200 to have that fixed and for the towing. Then once again it wouldn't start so it had to be towed again for the same problem. Luckily it was still under warranty from the last time.

Then at 37,000 the compressor on the air conditioner went out and it was going to cost over $1000 to have it replaced. I didn't have the money to do it at that time so I had to ride for 2 years with no air conditioner and that is one hot little car. When I could afford to have it replaced it still cost $700.

Then not a month after I had the compressor replaced I had to put it back in the shop for brakes and a tune-up. This ended up costing $300. Not to mention that the spark plugs cost me $8 a piece.

Now not 2 months after I had all of that done it is in the shop as I write this because it jumped timing and cracked the heads, bending all 8 valves in the process. I don't know yet what that is going to cost or how long I will be with out my car. It's been in the shop for a week.

On top of all of this there are the 2 recalls that I have had to have done.

General Comments:

When I first bought my car I really loved it. But as time goes on I am really beginning to hate it. It's to the point that I can't afford to keep it anymore. On second thought, I can't afford to get rid of it either. So I am really stuck between a rock and a hard place with this car. I really have to say that Pontiac has taught me a lesson. I will NEVER own another one. I will also tell everyone that I know not to buy one of these cars.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 23rd May, 2003

24th May 2007, 00:54

Yeah, come on now. Brakes and plugs, I thought those lasted forever. And it is your fault that you paid 8 bucks per plug, not the cars.

18th Mar 2010, 15:18

Well not to defame Pontiac or anyone, I bought a 1997 Sunfire, and when I test drove it, it seemed to run fine, no sputtering or knock or anything, a little rust behind the drivers door, but hey it's Iowa.

On the way home, it stopped. So I towed it to a guy's house to see what he could do, and came to find out the timing chain was broken. Well that sucked.

So I found a new set of gears, chain, and guide for $40.00. Well thought that was a good deal, Oh and the gasket was $14.00. Got it put together and the darn thing wasn't building any compression, so you know what that means, bent valves, so the guy is going to pull the head and resurface it and put new guides and valves in for $225. plus parts.

So now after all that, I have a 1997 with a rebuilt engine for a total $1000. And the air conditioning still works and a kick butt after market stereo to boot.

So there are going to be things that go wrong with used cars. That's why they are cheaper. Make sure you do your home work, find out the cost on things that normally go wrong with the car and pay accordingly.

With the problems I had, you would think I would have gone back and demanded my money back, heck it died on the way home from buying it. But I bought it right, and can pay for the repairs and still be at a total of $1000. for everything. The retail on it is $2400.

A lot of people forget to research a car before they buy, and think life is over if they can't have it. Forget all the high pressure sales tactics and get down to business. A person or place that is selling a car is in the business to sell it for as much as they can get you to pay, and you should be getting it for as little as possible, and if you don't get that, you should be more than willing to walk away. There are millions of cars for sale at any given time. Don't be afraid, don't be nervous, be smart.

Hope this helps someone out there in the future be more knowledgeable about buying a car.