thinking about getting a 95 pontiac grand am SE

[ASDadam]

The 3.8 has alot more horsepower and tons more torque. I got around 29 mpg on the highway and aboout 23 in the city with rough teenage driving. For the performance and gas milage its an awesome engine if you could find it.

[Kai]

I own a 92 Grand Am, and my brother owns one from... 92-6, I can't remember.

They can have problems with the electrical systems, which can set you back a couple hundred. I haven't had said problem with mine, but my brother did with his. (Also, alot of people I've seen online did.)

I have 150k on mine, and it's still running fine. It has alot of quirks, but it is a point a to point b car.

If you get it, make sure you take care of it... It can eat oil as it gets into the higher mileage.

About the Camry, they are insanely reliable cars. They "need" suspension tuneups now and then, as Jet-Xino will tell you. They can keep kicking up into the 300k mile range, easily. Great cars.

I know someone who bought off Ebay, and had no troubles. If the guy has good feedback, and a warranty, I wouldn't worry about it.

[impostal22]

Originally posted by Kai
I own a 92 Grand Am, and my brother owns one from... 92-6, I can't remember.

They can have problems with the electrical systems, which can set you back a couple hundred. I haven't had said problem with mine, but my brother did with his. (Also, alot of people I've seen online did.)

I have 150k on mine, and it's still running fine. It has alot of quirks, but it is a point a to point b car.

If you get it, make sure you take care of it... It can eat oil as it gets into the higher mileage.

About the Camry, they are insanely reliable cars. They "need" suspension tuneups now and then, as Jet-Xino will tell you. They can keep kicking up into the 300k mile range, easily. Great cars.

I know someone who bought off Ebay, and had no troubles. If the guy has good feedback, and a warranty, I wouldn't worry about it.

thanks for the tips kai :)

edit- i was reading about the camry on auto.consumerguide.com and it says the v6 camry gets erally bad mileage (18mpg), but the 4 cylinder gets like 27mpg...anyone know how well the 4 cylinder performs on a camry?

[Kai]

PM Jet-Xino.

He drives a 4 cylinder.

[Fred]

3.8 in a grand Am? or are you talking about the grand prix?
I don't think there's enough room under the hood to sandwich in a 3.8.. its tight enough as it is.

My bro's GA's V6 is a 3.1 liter.

---Fred

[Mateo]

I too drive one, get 25-30 mpg, and there are a lot of domestics I like, Im the guy who loves Plymouth HemiCudas, Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, etc but face the facts: that import sedans lately are built better than domestics, period. Ask any automotive expert, compare a Camry with a Taurus, an Accord with a Mailbu, and 9 times out of 10, they will go for the import. Now I think the newest generations of cars coming out of America are playing catch up. The new Cavalier is way better than the previous, the new Pontiac to replace the Grand Am is very nice, and Ford's newest stuff is also very nice.

Most people would say V6>V4, but in the Camry's case, the transversely mounted 4 performs about the same as the 6, just not as much torque. My friend has a V6 Camry which I drove and it felt exactly the same. Don't ask why, but they do and more +5-10mpg to boot. They have a lot of space inside, have nice features standard like power windows, locks, seats, etc. The ride is very smooth, the gas peddle and power steering is very responsive, and interior and exterior are very well done.

When people rate engines by litres, it means how big the engine is. More litres=more HP and torque.

[Zumina]

is it the SOHC or DOHC four? My sister has the former and it is rather difficult to work on. For example, replacing the thermostat requires the removal of the transmission mount and transverse motor mount. However, it does get great gas mileage and is rather comfortable.

[skife]

I've got a 94' G/a SE 2 door coupe with a 3.1 v6

she has held up damn well to my beating on it and forgetting to change the oil.

Performance: this car is a boat, according to the door stickers mine weighs 3795lbs dry weight.
It takes corners pretty well and is fun to drive, i get probably 20-27 mpg around there somwhere, when you get more than 2 people in the car you can feel the drop in power by alot

things that have went wrong with my car
the windows dont work, well they do but come off the tracks because of somthing that is messed up inside, majority of the people i know with a 2 door 92-95 grand am have this problem
I've also had to replace the airconditioner pump, The blinker switch, my fog lights dont work umm....

I think we've hit 3-4 cars with this, including me rearending some forign peice of crap at like 25, brakes locked up and stuff it wasn't pretty, it only cracked my front lisence plate cover but scratched the hell out of their trunk and stuff.

Umm, if you've got anymore questions just ask, i've been with this car for like alot right now.

[Mateo]

Originally posted by Zumina
is it the SOHC or DOHC four? My sister has the former and it is rather difficult to work on. For example, replacing the thermostat requires the removal of the transmission mount and transverse motor mount. However, it does get great gas mileage and is rather comfortable.

I believe its the DOHC, and do the thermostats go out regularly on that model?

[impostal22]

dunno why i didn't do this earlier; here's the url:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2466295852

[Zumina]

Looks like a SOHC to me. No, Tstats don't go out regularly, but the car in general is a nightmare to work on.

[joez]

sorry for the hijack, but it is needed

I think we've hit 3-4 cars with this, including me rearending some forign peice of crap at like 25, brakes locked up and stuff it wasn't pretty, it only cracked my front lisence plate cover but scratched the hell out of their trunk and stuff.

two unibody cars hitting at 25 mph with no damage


Grand Am's can be decent cars, but they are hit and miss. If you do get one, stay away from the V-6, it was a beefed up 2.8 which was without question the second worst engine GM ever let out of its factory doors (first being the 4-6-8 offered in late 70's early 80's caddy's). The 4 cyl are OK motors, you have to keep up with rigorous maintinence, they like to eat spark plugs and distributors, rings and valve seals, and they have electrical demons. Dont expect blinding performance from them, but they do scoot right along. Are they up to par with the import competition in terms of longetivity and reliability? No. They will get you from point A-B, and maybee even C, but thats about it. Just read through consumer reports, Grand Ams are right there on the "do not buy" list of cars.

The main reason GM kept pontiac arround is that young people who buy cars based on looks like the pontiacs. GM already had 2 companys that were distinguished as "old people-mobiles", so they got rid of one of oldsmobile and kept buick and pontiac.

[impostal22]

ya...i'm starting to lean more towards a camry...but all the ones on ebay are MUY ESPENSIVO!