Used 1996 Pontiac Grand Am Consumer Reviews
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Typical GM experience.
Kanchou, 03/06/2002
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
While the interior stuff is nicely located, the seats aren't good for entering and leaving the vehicle. Trunk space is cramped compared to others. Engine response is good when traction control is off. When turned on, there is a noticeable help with rain/ice slippage. Several components around the engine required awkward maintenance; Various sensors, valves, a lead pipe from the AC. . . but the engine itself, as well as transmission were strong. This I've come to find typical in GM engines.
96 Grand Am disappointing
Ken Stufflebeam, 02/22/2006
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought this car for my teenage sons to drive, 98k, SE model, 4-door, 4 cyl, auto. Thought it would be economical and practical transportation. Trans failed at 108k, no heater now - core failure, many repairs required, gas mileage not great for a 4 cyl, 21 city 26 hwy, squeeks, creaks, rattles. In all fairness it was worn out when I got it and you get what you pay for.
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grandamgtlover, 11/15/2011
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 2dr Coupe
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
This car is AMAZING!! I painted it and it looks like a race car! my car is so fast! I have a cold air intake and dc sports racing exhaust with a cat back. It sounds great. I run a 11 second 1/2 mile! It tops about 105 due to rev reduction. Trans spinns great!
Third time is a charm???
meaghanmcb, 12/30/2002
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is my third GA and I was hoping third time's a charm. This car was fun to drive, BUT repairs were often, costly, and repeated. I replaced alternator twice in 18 months! Had to replace fuel line, brakes, struts & shocks, gas cap (twice-????), 2 fuel injectors at once, then another, window motors... I did routine oil changes, tune-ups, etc. Normal wear-and-tear expected, but... Very high maintenance in my opinion. I would recommend this car only to someone who needs a cheap car for in-town driving--with my experience the GA's go down hill after their 4th birthday :)
My grand am gt
maddy, 12/07/2002
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I recently bought a used 96 grand am gt, so far it has been ok other then my alternator is already going out...but I also have the 95 grand am gt and we have replaced the alternator once, the heater core, the brakes, the thermostat 3 times, and just recently the water pump. but other then that (which is a lot) i have had no MAJOR problems...I love the new look of the 96-98 model grand ams...and it handles well..
My 1996 Grand AM GT
BLHall, 07/06/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
No major problems. Great Car!
Decent for 13 year old car
md, 02/24/2010
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought this car for $600 last January. I took it to a mechanic before buying it so that I would know there were not any major issues and what to be prepared for in the future. The transmission, motor (although it does need a new motor mount)and other major components seem to be doing well. In the past year I have had to replace the tie rods, CV joints ($500) heater core (300) and serpentine belt. I do not feel that this is to much work to put into an other wise reliable car for the cheap price I paid. I now have 188,000 miles and expect it to continue going strong. I think people who have had back experiences with this or any car did not do their homework or mechanic check before buying
Used GT
GM User, 06/05/2002
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought my wife a used '96 Grand Am GT with 42,000 miles. I thought that was low milage considering we bought it in '02. I went ahead and purchased an extended warranty, thank god. After owning the vehicle for one week we had to replace the Window motor driver side, the head gasket, the O2 Sensor, and the Alternator. Granted, we purchased used so I don't know how the vehicle was being maintained by the previous owner. But I've heard similar problems with this model from other owners.
Total road warrior
Jordan, 03/28/2006
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have had my car since august 2005 and it has been so much fun. it is so great for having fun in whether it be street dragging or what ever it still got the job done in the end it has great low end and high end torque and everything is original except the alternater t-stat battery and starter and of course maintanance stuff. but if i was given the opportunity to buy another one it would be sooo worth it and i was 18 when i bought it on my own and there is not a day where i would go without it. and it handles so quickly and well at 90 mph and when going that fast you look at the road and your doing 110 mph without even knowing it. IT HAS A GREAT SOUND SYSTEM.
every pennies worth
Bryan Mirzaian, 01/12/2010
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My dad bought me this car 10 years ago for little more than $6k with 67k on the odo. 10 years later,I still (hard) drive it daily with over 200k miles. @ 178k pulled a 16.07 sec 1/2 mile having less than $180 in performance parts,& that was with almost a half sec crap start! I use full syn oil, changed timely,& replace the usual parts when they fail. Parts failure is inevitable with any car, its the nature of the beast! But have never had to crack the motor open & thats the more pertinent point. Cost of ownership has been very low.My quad4 motor began smoking V6 GA`s with a $25 cone filter, so not sure why one would choose the heavier V6 that has more moving parts to potentially fail.
bad idea
kps, 10/02/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I paid six tousand for the car and put in 4000 worth of engine repair work into the car
my grand am
squeakers, 02/28/2007
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
my mother bought this car one year after it came out, in 1997, it is now 2007, when i got my license she gave me this car, and it still runs like new..even though it has almost 300,000 miles on it...in a few months i am going to be trading it in for a new one, because the quality is outstanding....
Decent Car, has some repairs
tito12384, 11/12/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car was pretty good to me. Bought it off my brother with 97k, who bought it 2 years before with 70k. Overall was a great looking car until I totalled it (just over 104k). When I bought it, I had to replace the fuel tank, which had a leak. Then found a rusted hole in the firewall, which was a pain to fix. Never had electrical problems. My brother had to replace the fuel injectors shortly after he bought it, and ever since then it kind of hesitated when first started. After about a minute it was fine. Has good acceleration for a 4 cyl. Fun to drive. The ets button definately needs to be in a better place, very easy to hit with either hand or knee.
Worst Mistake Ever
theman6945750, 01/26/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car as I was graduating high school, and now I wish I never bought the car. I have had the EGR valve replace, Transmission clamp, fuel injectors, axle, and many other things at an inflated price. It has cost me more to keep it working then I wish I would of ever thaught. I will never buy a GM again.
Fun at a cost.
JasonUtah, 01/26/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Nice car to drive. Handles well. Comfortable. Nice features. Good engine and smooth transmission. Lots of untimely repairs. Two major and costly warranty repairs. 3 alternators, 2 window motors, 2 fuel filters, 2 O2 sensors, driver side control arm, fuel pressure regulator, starter motor, and the big bad water pump that costs about $550 to repair. Just hope the thermostat never goes out. Thats in the water pump.
so far so good
gt lover, 03/05/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
the fuel pump went day 9 master cylender went day 60 a replaced by dealer warrenty at a cost of $1700 other than that it has been a good car 27mpg 32mpg
I love it
dpitt, 02/23/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love my car - Canadian. I now have 202,000 kms on the original transmission and motor. Sure needs regular maintenance - hard on brakes. But very reliable and well worth it!
After 8 years of ownership...
Dyzzispell, 03/02/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The way I rated the car was based on where it stands now after 8 years. It was very reliable for me overall, but now the mechanical problems showing up are hard to diagnose and treat. Also, dash lights began burning out after about 5 years.
Unreliable
maliki304, 01/09/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This has been the most unreliable car I have ever owned. In six months I have had to replace many things such as struts, washer pump, battery, alternator, along with several other lesser things. I will not buy another GM vehicle.
used to love this car!
disppointed, 03/10/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This was a great car until it turned over 75,000 miles. Have had some very expensive repairs in the past few months (EGR, fuel injection system) and at 80,000 miles it just doesn't drive so well anymore. I am going to sell it ASAP before it costs me anymore money!
180,000 miles on my GT
mike6t8, 05/20/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We bought our black 4-door GT in October of 1996 and put 180k on it! Yes, we've had a few problems but I think every car in this price range will have problems after a while. I think the car has been great to us and I may put another 20k on it before I get something else. We've had the typical problems that other Grand Am owners claim plus the trans went out at 150k. It was costly to replace, but overall I feel we got our money's worth on the car in the last 8 years. It DOESN'T smoke or use any oil like most other cars driven this much.
Cars likes and favorites
Pollys288, 02/07/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I am very impressed with this car and how it handles, I need to know more about ABS and automatic transmissions.
Love My Grand Am
Benzcrazy1, 06/01/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my Grand Am in January of '04 (My First Car) with 63,900 miles and now has 66,920 and hasn't given me one single problem. I have had to change the Serpentine Belt (I didn't like the squeaking noise). I had the transmission serviced, oil changed, and new fuel filter at 66,033 miles. Hope to get have a long life with this car!
This car SUCKS!!!
jgonzfe, 07/15/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Terrible car. I have never seen so many problems in other cars. Buyers beware!!!
Commuter Car
Mark, 02/28/2009
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Bought this car from my sister with 140,000 on it, it currently has 155,000 on it and runs great. I drive to school 30 miles every day and 40 miles to work on the weekends. Going 60-65mph on highways and taking it easy in town i am getting 28-31mph consistently. I can go from 300-350 miles on a tank of gas..i have NEVER been able to get more than 12.5g of gas in the car even with the gas light on, great on gas if babied and not bad looking for the year/price
It's a sweet car!
Marie w, 09/13/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I got my car 8 months ago, it's been a pretty awesome car. It's got great pick up, and is pretty solid. I've had to put a new condenser cord in. but that's with any older car.
Problem after Problem
tpdixon, 02/10/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My alternator had to be replaced twice in less than two years. The brakes barely last past a year. And the worst problem I have had that has yet to be fixed by the dealership, when I try to turn the car off, the key gets stuck so my lights and battery stay on (but the motor is off), and it stays that way for about 15 minutes before deciding to let go. I took it to a pontiac dealership and they charged me $213 for the problem NOT to be fixed and refused to give me my money back and I have taken it back several times and they still cannot fix the problem.
The Things We Would Do Differently
KDidles, 09/27/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've owned this car since January of 1997. The car has had chronic electrical problems for the past eight years. The power windows stopped working in March of 1998 and rather than fixing the problem, the dealership let the problem remain until after the car was out of warranty then stated "oh, your windows don't work." We have gone through 4 factory radios all of which were replaced for free because they were defective. The car has also had chronic water pump problems. What would I have done differently? Never bought this car. This vehicle invokes a love/hate relationship but it seems as if the hate part is a lot stronger
Great Car
Mary Todd, 10/30/2005
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car new and have had very good luck with it overall. Gas mileage averages 33 MPG. It always starts and runs very well.
Grand AM GT 6cyl
amanton74, 09/30/2002
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Good for 4 years, then fuel injectors started breaking left and right. Constant electrical problems. AC compressor failed. Now having constant misfires.
GREAT COLLEGE CAR
Mark Pellicane, 12/15/2009
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
why is this car rated for 23mpg??? it all depends on how you drive, i average between 27-32 mpg. my parents bought this car when my sister went to college in 2002, it had 55,000 miles on it. i have since bought it from her and not attend college, the car just rolled over 170,000 miles and still averages between 27-32mpg, very reliable and still runs great, friends in their new cobalts and ford rangers race me and are left in the dust. the 2.4L engine runs great and doesn't burn a drop of oil. ALL parts for this car are very cheap. yeah the window motors stink but this car is 13 years old what do you expect???
Nothing but problems
minnesotagirl , 10/02/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This car looks so sporty-sure hope it will help it sell fast!!! Bought it one year ago for 3000.00, have put in over 1500.00 with another 1000.00 needed. AC compressor failed, water pump, power steering lines and hose, intake gasket, plenum gasket, valve cover gaskets and o-rings, alternator all needed replacing. Now has some suspension problems. Need I say more?
My Review
ChrisGAGT96, 01/07/2009
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
After having this car for a little over a year, I find that it can get some attention with the right mind put into it. Although where the car does lack the edge most of the same year cars in this year range have, It still has a kick to it like no other. The Sporty appearance of the 2 door GT is very noticable; mix in a 5-spd and 2.4l, and you have yourself a combo. As far as performance parts go, there are really none available, which is sad because the engine is a sound one. For the daily driver this care is a phenom, great gas mileage, and hopefully minimal problems make it great for point A. to B. driving.
Still going
jddkkd, 09/16/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've owned this car now for 7 years and 140,000 miles. The last 2 years it has been driven by my teenage daughter. She shows it no mercy, but it keeps going without problems. Only major repair of note was replacing the water pump at 75,000 miles. (rather expensive repair for a water pump). Car is excellent on the ice and snow. It has never failed to start or died on the road. Very inexpensive, reliable transportation.
'96 4dr Grand Am GT, 2.4L, 5-speed
RavynX, 10/03/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've had this car now for almost 4 years; I purchased it back in 2000 @ 72k miles (it's now at 115k miles). It has basically been my first car ever and it's been a blast for this first 2.5 years. That's when trouble started to hit near 90k miles. I've replaced the transmission AND then fully rebuilt it a year later; also master and slave cylinders went out on me recently. Coolant leaks and water pump failures. Replaced the alternator twice already and many more repairs. I've basically spent over $5000 in repairs this year. I'm planning on selling it for a more reliable car in the next few months. Other than that, it has a great ride, nice sound to the 2.4L engine, and good seats.
Fun to drive for price
ragu, 03/22/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
1st new vehicle I purchased and overall was a great car for me. Will be selling with 116K miles driven, sorry to see go. First weekend I had the trunk seal failed and rain water filled the trunk (defective seal). Also had problem with driver side mirror adjuster breaking (twice) early on. Lastly, transmission had a pinhole in it, luckily under warranty and was replaced for free. Great value for the price. Even though I had those problems, I was happy with the car.
money pit
MsLundquist, 01/24/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
we have never had a worse car. constant breakdowns, new transmission, suspension problems, window motor, leaks of every kind...i could go on and on. This car is truly terrible
Little Issues but still runs.....
Robert, 02/11/2010
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I got this car from my uncle that originally got it from my grandma. I dont know what he did to it but he got tired of tryin to fix the car so he gave it to me. All it needed was a new waterpump. I also put in a new thermostast and got the radiator flushed with it. All i really need to do is get my two front door motors and regulaters replaced and my a/c, but this car drove tho, Spite its little flaws it still drove, and cranked. Now at 104,998 it runs great just got to put in the windows and a/c, and i may need to change the radiator soon too. Cuz it does get a little hot in the summer, but then again i had to change the temperature senor cuz it was'nt reading right so i may not.
Never again!!
tallwen, 07/12/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I started to have problems with this car from the very begining. We have replaced the altranator 3 times, water pump twice, had a new head gasket put in, and several other small items. Every year it is something else. They look great but they have many problems. (like coolant mysterously leaking) I will never buy a pontiac again.
Go for the GA
wuphat, 02/09/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've had this car for just over 4 years now and have had only one thing go wrong other than routine things like brakes and such. The tumbler on my ignition went out but was covered under warranty. That was almost 3 years ago. Other than that this car has been nothing but reliable. I will certainly be buying another GA in the future.
I love my grand Slam
ii good, 04/23/2002
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Treat this car with care and it will love you back!!!
A HORRIBLE CAR
Sandra Poppell, 04/29/2002
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car, a demo, from a dealer with less than 3000 miles on it. This car is on it's THIRD totally new, transmission at 62,000 miles. All of the window motors and door locks, the coil housing unit (twice), the catalytic converter (twice), power steering unit, water pump and both oxygen sensors were replaced within three years. There have been numerous repairs to gauges, fans, and pressure lines. I've had the car towed twice this year because it starts and then chokes off immediately. They can't find the problem. I got a recall notice today from GM stating a "starting" problem that could cause fire. Great!! I wouldn't recommend this car to anyone.
Don't Ever buy Pontiac
Rodney Rollins, 02/17/2005
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Car was a disaster from the first year owned. 12 visits to the shop for brakes, mirror knob kept falling off, and visor. I have gone thru 3 radiators, 4 alternators, 2 starters, then it was determined there was a recall on the starter switch, after years of turning key repeadetly on to start, it is determined to be a fire hazard, and needed immediate recall. You think that might have something to do with all the electrical problems. 1 month after fixing the switch the starter went out again, and Pontiac refused to believe the faulty starter switch was to blame. I have since had the seat fail (my wife who is 120 lbs drove this car), and finally the engine gave out at 106k miles.WONDERFUL
GOOD VALUE FOR THE PRICE
tonytone, 11/07/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've had a very good experience with my Grad Am. Bought it with 30,000 miles on board. Other neg. reviewers must have driven the car too hard. I've enjoyed the Power,the Styling,the Reliability. Only had typical American car problems.(replace d altenator,water pump,)Interior is cheaply made,but,holds up very well to usage.
POS
King1, 08/26/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
POS...Miller Lite..it's it and that's that.
5 Speed, 4 Cyl, 4 Dr GT - Water pump!
GMUser, 11/11/2003
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
OK, overall I have enjoyed this car which I bought new, but the mechanical reliability is questionable. The worst design flaw is the water pump it is driven from the cam chain and requires a MAJOR stripdown of one side of the engine to replace. For a water pump!!! They cost over $500 to replace and last about 40000 miles - Pontiac this was not a smart idea.
A Great GT
biggercarrot, 07/15/2002
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Looks sharp! Handles well in snow. Throw on 4 Blizzak tires and 7 feet of Buffalo snow won't stop you.
well-well
jules, 05/13/2005
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
American car, American quality but 28 MPG is impressive. In average $100 maintenance per month and you will spend it all for sure. I have 140K miles but still running well. Forget regular gas, it doesn't like it.
Don't buy this car
wgowern, 06/29/2005
1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My car had 3 recalls. The dealer didn't have the parts for one of them & I had to come back. The car failed less than a week after purchase(new). It was an electrical failure in the steering column. It was fixed and the same failure occurred less than a week later. There was several other failures (mostly electrical) over the 7 years I owned this car. Most of the plastic parts cracked or fell off,the dash panel cracked & the mirror fell off. Finally the computer failed and various other electrical components burned up (real smoke). The car repairs would have been much more than the car was worth so it went to a junkyard at 37000 miles. In a word it was a pile of junk.
nice ride!
GA driver in GA, 11/01/2004
1996 Pontiac Grand Am GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
only bought the car two weeks ago for $1900 with 98k on it. have had good experiences with pontiacs in the past. previous car was a 90 model w/ 170k on it.pick-up is greaT. HANDLES EXTREMELY WELL. paint is excellent. shifter is kinda funky. 5 speed w/ four cylinder will be a gas saver.150 ponies is good for a GM 4 banger.clunking from drivers side front, probably suspension or cv joints.