Used 1997 Pontiac Grand Am Sedan Consumer Reviews
Used Grand Am for sale
Best car so far I have ever owned
Kim, 06/25/2010
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
1997 Pontiac grand am is the first brand new car I have ever owned. I loved it and really miss it just had to get rid of it couple months ago. Only minor repairs, alternator. This car was bought for me but was a company car and at one time had to be used as a service vehicle to get to service calls. My brother drove it probably about a year and believe me my brother is absolutely hell on vehicles but this car really really held up. Like I said before best car I have ever owned.
I'll Miss Her
Brittany Henceroth, 02/17/2009
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I absolutely loved this car, it was my baby, my pride and joy. Mother bought it back in '02 and gave it to me in '07 as a graduation gift. We did spend X amount of dollars fixing the water pump, alternator, and the heater coil. Other than that, the car was everything I could have asked for. It finally broke 120k miles in the beginning of Feb, but on the 14th I lost control of it, barrel rolled it, and it was totaled. She was a very good reliable car throughout her 12 years she gave to me and the elderly couple that owned it before me.
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tater, 11/20/2010
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I have a 1997 Pontiac grand am se 4 door sedan, it has the 2.4 litre four cylinder. I bought it used with 130.000 miles on it to use for a work car, I drive 80 miles round trip to my job at a mine in Montana, I love this little car, today after work the snow was at the bottom of the doors and it was 12 above zero and my Pontiac never once hesitated, she has 172.000 miles in her and I will drive it until it won't go anymore. Have had minor problems but nothing major. And 36 mpg on the highway.
Meh
Mattbag, 06/28/2006
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Great looking car, however, my 4 Cyl manual engine seems to have no power at all. Acceleration is the worst I've seen. I don't know if it's because of some problem, but it's discouraging. Engine can sputter shortly after starting leaving you trapped in an intersection without any power. Good looking car though. No rust, however, Fog lights appear to be burned out and seem next to impossible to get to. Some underbody flaps near the engine are hanging down. I like the car, but I hate having to rev over 3.5 rpm to get any decent horsepower.
GET EXTENDED WARRANTY
Never again, 06/07/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Motor 3.1 has intake manifold problems, rebuilt engine at 46,000. altenator 50,000 replaced all window motors. Trans went out at 68,000 and now timing chain just broke at 85,000 and the radiator leaks. Also changing the back 3 plugs is a pain in the a$$.
good car
troy, 03/12/2010
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have had this car around for awhile. It has 240,000 miles on it,3.1v6. Had the water pump replaced at 230,000 and new intake manifold gaskets last week. Can't complain about that after this many miles.Basic maintenance items shocks struts, tune ups, fluid changes brakes etc. Still runs great and looks good.
Grand Am is TO EXPENSIVE TO OWN!!!
Angnwy, 08/07/2003
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
When I bought my car it had 16,000 miles on it by 30,000 I had to replace the ignition switch then few months later I had to replace the driver side window motor. Everything was fine for awhile then I had to replace the water pump due to leaking coolant. By 50,000 I had to replace the window motor once again. I replaced my rotors 2 times and the break pads on the front 3 times the drums in the back were replaced 1 time. My final straw was when the air compressor for the ait conditioner went out it was 360$ just for the part so I got rid of the peice of junk and I WILL NEVER BUY PONTIAC AGAIN!!!!!!!
not a quad 4
Lucifersinferno, 04/12/2004
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
this is not a quad 4, it is a 2.4l twin cam, the quad 4 was in the 95 and below grand am's, it was a 2.3 and said quad 4 on it, so they didn't put a quad 4 in another car, this engine is actually pretty reliable, granted, there are "those" cars that have problems from the get go, i love my GA and would suggest future posters to study up a bit on their car before writing a review.
Great car for 7 years
prm1967, 10/31/2004
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My 1997 SE V6 still runs strong and smooth. It has required extremely little attention besides synthetic oil changes every 6 months. Overall red paint still looks great. No gosh-awful chrome/aluminum/titanium interior trim that seems every nicer vehicle has to have these days!!
great economical car
supermom, 04/21/2005
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have 155,000 miles on this car and it still runs smooth. My family has used this car for years and now it is being passed down to my son who is off to college in July. We replaced the alternator and have had problems with the window motors. Other than that, excellent car and looks great!
Grand Am's a great car!
jer k, 03/30/2003
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a fun, reliable car. With 102,000 miles on it, and it still runs as good as new. I have never had any repairs done other than routine maintenance. Seem to go thru brakes pretty often, however. Very smooth, peppy V-6 and good ride for a small car. Everything within easy reach of driver's seat. Great versatility for a small car with rear-folding seats. 6 years old, and I get comments on what a great looking car I have... is it new?
Good inexpensive car
rockyb, 06/03/2003
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I only paid $13,000 for this car. The only problem was the alternator at 50,000 miles. otherwise problem free. Good on gas and plenty of power with only a 4 cylinder!? Nearly 7 years old and it looks and drives as good as new
231k, I made the car work!
Tony E., 10/14/2019
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Car was bought new (1997 Grand-Am SE, 4-door, loaded) and I end up donating it in 2014 since it was having too many problems after so many miles and year. The car did have a lot of problems at the beginning and I should have maybe returned it under the lemon laws. Either the dealership knew about the problems for that car and they didn't want to replace it or they were incompetent (all troubleshooting and part replacements was cover under warranty up to 60k). Engine and transmission: The car had lots of problems with the timing chain and had to go in several times to have a sensor and controller for the timing chain fixed. It was funny right after the warranty ran out and I had the 60k service and I picked up the car from dealership, the transmission blew on it (at 67k). Needless to say I never went back to the dealership. I found a mechanic who was very knowledgeable and managed to fix the timing issue. The car was notorious for blowing up the coil cover! This was/is a plastic piece and it would dry up and crack which would cause mis-fires and no-starts (from what I was told). Had to replace the catalytic converter convertor on it twice over its lifetime. Another problem with the car was the water-pump that would need to be replaces every 3 to 4 years. The water pump I got for the car had a life-time warranty, but the labor to replace it was huge. The water pump is located behind one of the front wheels (side mounted engine, I believe the pump was behind passenger side front wheel). The wheel had to be removed to get to the water pump (I think it was listed as 12 hours of labor in the mechanics book, PAIN TO GET TO) and timing had to be checked after replacement. I blew the head gasket on the car once also (I guess this goes down to wear and tear) Performance: I do have a heavy foot and I did a lot of mixed driving, the car would give 22 to 24 mpg on mixed driving (city and highway). Highway only, I would get 30 to 33 mpg (depending on traffic and terrain). I would go through tires every 15 to 25k miles, lots of wear on the front tires due to heavy foot. The driver seat became uncomfortable over the years as I gained weight and the seat sagged!! Cost: I paid 20k total for the car (loaded with all the options and lo-jack, included 2.99 interest rate and registration fees in 1997), over the life of the car I put in another 10k on major maintenance issues (tires, breaks, batteries oil changes and regular maintenance not included, guess that's another 10-15k over the life of the car), I guess I got my money's worth for the 17 years that I kept the car. If you want to buy this used car, beware you have to pay for maintenance.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Fun Alternative to Foreign Models
paddymac, 04/08/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great little Ride. My first choice was a Honda or Toyota, but opted for an American model becuase of the price options. Besides the fuel economy I love this car!
Loved the piece of crap
grand_dan_97, 04/03/2011
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I am the proud owner of 1997 Pontiac Grand-Am V-6. Its green, and has eaten a lot of green too. I have only owned the car for the last year, and i gotta say its a fun car minus the how badly it deals with harsh winters(body-wise). the engine and trans run fine. The ride is a bit rough, and there is considerable body roll when cornering, mine had ans still has no power steering due to a leak in one very awkwardly placed pressure line. The body is very nice, and has held up nicely mostly because its plastic. the frame is in a very bad way, but still holding even after being rear-ended by a '97 olds 88 a few months ago. Its a tank in the snow, and runs great, w/197k miles on it.
Love my Car!
MarieW, 06/10/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I had to replace my alternator at 58,000 that is the ONLY problem I've ever had. Bought it brand new and I LOVE it. My next car will be the same!
Emily Bahm
Emily Bahm, 08/04/2009
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great car have had it for four years. Drive from Philly to Pittsburgh a lot. Only had to replace heater core recently and a lower control arm.
97 Pontiac Grand Am GT Sedan
97 GT, 03/14/2010
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Bought this car in 2005 for my wife. The first 2 years it was in the shop 3 times for the water pump, brake fluid leak, and complete tune-up. Since 2008 i have been driving the car and my wife got the upgrade. Since i have been driving it the a/c compressor went out, the driver side mirror fell off (thank heaven for super glue 2 years and still holding), mirror control switch fell into the door, and the exhaust is leaking. My wife biggest complaint is the lack of braking power, meaning you have to push really hard not a big deal for me though. My only complaint is the lack luster V-6, very sluggish under acceleration unless hard on throttle. Overall we are pleased with the car 19 city 28 hwy
LOVED this car!!
t_zayas51, 04/02/2011
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my 1997 Grand Am SE v6 used in 2008 with 136,000 Miles on it. I loved this car, I spent two winters in wisconsin with -10 degree weather and it started right up every single time. Got pretty good mileage, 26+ as long as I drove properly. Sadly, I rolled it at 85 MPH with 172,000 miles on it, but walked away from that, so I guess it has pretty good safety as well! Only minor upkeep- oil changes, changed brakes and tires one time. Great pick-up for a v6 and never had an issue with it! I miss my Grand Am.
Worst Car Ever Owned
JRALS1, 08/18/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I own this piece of junk. I bought it in 9/2000 with only 47000 miles on it. It now has 65000 two years later and I have put well over 2 grand into it. The tranny went out, the shifter cable snapped, replaced the clutch(since the tranny was out), brakes twice, alternator, and all of the basic stuff. I don't beat on my cars too badly, it just has major problems, I wouldn't recoommend this car to anyone!!
One great Ride
Dave Sarasota FL, 10/01/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Looks great and runs even better... own since new... Normal wear and tear turn 70,000 never a major repair. great car...
I will buy another one
gs496isperfect, 10/19/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The 2.4 4 cyl engine gave us the balance between power and economy we wanted. The purchase price was $2000 less then what I had expected to pay. We still get an average of 31 mpg today four years later. It has 230,000 miles on it. Only problem we had was the water pump went out at about 75,000 miles. The 6 month warranty extension we purchased covered that repair. It still has great acceleration when we put the peddle to to floor to pass someone going 65 MPH. It picks up quickly, allowing us to get around the other driver without any delay. Everything is still tight and nothing has come/fallen off of the interior or exterior.
good car
grandamgt62, 02/26/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had mine for 2 years with no problems. Very reliable and fun to drive
Faster than a Civic
the mad hatter, 08/18/2003
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car used about 8 months ago and was skeptical at first, but i was very impressed at the speed of acceleration, and with only a 4 cyl. i did some research, some on the street ;) and some online, and have learned that it is faster, (stock times), than the civic si, and the neon r/t. i have added a cold air intake, 17 wheels, spoiler, and pacesetter headers, and i love this car. it was faster than civics and neons when it was stock and now it blows them away, this car has excellent performance for the price and class. the seats could be more comfortable, but all in all, this is an awesome car.
Good Car
Rume75, 09/12/2003
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
i just bought my car a couple of days ago so i only have a few coplaimants or wishes, I think they should have given the seats more cushion, i wish my car had cruise control
This is a real piece....
zorba, 10/08/2003
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Do not buy this car. It is a horrible machine. I think we've replaced everything on the car back the windshield. I would never suggest it to anyone.
Great buy
Ciesielski, 07/09/2005
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my grand am about a year ago for 4,000 it runs good and drives like a new car. It only has 66k and am happy that it will last
Got money? You'll need it...
MelF, 02/19/2004
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Up until last week I swore I would always stick w/ Pontiac. Then my water pump went and because the Quad4 engine is so insane it would cost me $800+ to have a $44 water pump replaced. As it is my husband has to completely disassemble the engine, jack it up, remove the timing chain, etc. just to get to the water pump. My landlord owns an auto repair shop and refuses to even touch my Quad4 setup. I'm getting rid of it within a month before I end up spending $1500 for a used head plus labor...
n/a
jose, 04/23/2006
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I drove between N.C and Wash DC for two years the car never broke and it has 115,000 miles still driving like new. I did not drive it for a year because i was serving overseas the only hing i had to replace was the battery and one rod. it is a great car.
Good reliable car
D'Arcy, 08/22/2006
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Almost 10 years old and going strong. Two engine gasket replacements, one on warranty were the only items out of ordinary wear and tear. Good reliable car.
My 97 Pontiac
Lloyd Sippel, 06/06/2004
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This car has been a good car with a few minor problems. I have had the following failures: Alternator, muffler,brakes, and loss of refrigerant in the air conditioning system.
Grand Am Review
M T Shipley, 12/14/2004
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Excellent selection for Quality, Safety, and Reliability. There are things I like about it more than other more extensive vehicles I have owned.
Less than I hoped for
Tim, 12/22/2004
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought a used 97 SE with V6 and low miles (only 44K). Maybe I picked a lemon, but I ended up disappointed. There were a series of expensive failures - power window rollers, starter, alternator. The shocks had too little travel, and bumps were bone-jarring. Then engine ran frighteningly hot in summer, and no cause was ever found. Gas mileage was so-so (24 city, 26 hwy). In fairness, there were some good things. The V6 engine is very smooth, if a bit underpowered for its size. And the car had surprisingly excellent handling on icky, icy Dallas freeways in February. Ultimately, lack of reliability became too much of a factor, so 2 years and 40K miles later, I went back to my old brand.
Unreliable garbage
cetdas760, 10/19/2005
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I replaced the electric motors in all four windows, the transmission, alternator several times, chews up front brakes and disks every 20,000 miles, fuel injectors clog, no seat supports, noisy, chews up tires, no turning radius, arrghhhhh!!!!
I won't buy same model & mfg as gm
Nizar, 12/03/2005
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The dealer said the muffler would never rust. But the truth I had changed both muffler & tail pipe after 6 years. The car was accelerating without even put my foot on the gas puddle (this means unreliable).
I'll never buy another one
mavispaul, 03/22/2003
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The transmission went out at 132,000 miles, had a new one put in and it started leaking tranny fluid 20,000 miles later. It had a coolant leak, the fan motor blew up on me, and the LCD display didn't work. After putting over $1700 into fixing it, I finally traded it off. Piece of crap, I'll never buy a Grand Am again, new or used.
Love my RED ROCKET!
emeraldz536, 07/01/2003
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I am very happy with my 97 Grand Am SE :-) It goes from New York to Ohio on a regular basis and runs absolutely great... Does great in all the snow we have in Northern NY too!!! Only major problem was the alternator at about 70,000 miles & the water pump leaked and had that replaced... Other than that it has been fantastic and I plan to run the wheels off it until it won't go no more... :-)
Nothing Special
Angela, 03/15/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Mediocre. Ok to drive and looks ok, but nothing to get excited about. Like 4 drs, not too small inside, gd size trunk, 4 cyl engine gd on fuel and has some zip, water pump went at 80,000mi and costs approx $800. to replace because of intense labor chg, replaced struts,lcd on stereo shot, otherwise mechanically ok.
great
lilmoe, 03/18/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
never had a problem bought it with 50,000 miles never had a problems it loves to be on the road
not bad so far
figgiedan, 03/21/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
had it for 2 yrs now - knock on wood..no issues as of yet -
Great car but a impossible to fix proble
gtowner, 03/22/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Baught the grand am gt used with 60000. I think that the car has superb handeling the 3100 is a powerfull engine, but there is a problem where I will lose all power while excellerating only happens once or twice a day but it drives me crazy.
Good car for many years
Whateverusay600, 04/22/2008
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I drove my 97 Grand Am for 7 years and it was very reliable, I did have problems with the window motor, brakes and a few minor things. Traded it in at 186,000 miles and it was really starting to make some scary noises. Cheap stereo system had to be replaced. Front wheel drive went through tires like nobody's business.
love this car!
alex phelps, 11/08/2016
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
i will say that the body style is pretty ugly. it could use a lot better headlights also.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Features of the car
Betty Waller, 03/18/2002
1997 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Driven only by me. Never had any problems with the car.