Used 2001 Pontiac Grand Am Consumer Reviews
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My very fist car (Grand Am Se 2001 4 sp auto)
I bought this car used in January 2012 for $ 950 and 176660 miles. It was what I could afford. The turn signal switch worked when it wanted to, so I went to Freight Harbor Tools and purchased my fist tool box and fixed it. The AC started working after the Ac relay was replaced under hood and has never quit working. As a maintenance tip, I run the AC for several minutes in winter time for proper system lubrication. Replaced tranny fluid at 182 K. Right after that I made a trip from Phoenix to Kansas City and back (2460 miles) and got 32 mpg. I replaced the factory fuel pump at 210 K ( $ 58 on Ebay). After several ten minutes waiting for passlock system restart, finally I bypassed it with a resistor (you can look it up online). Breaks were replaced with ceramic pads (do not used semi-metallic ones ) and it´s been two years now and no problems. I went ahead and replaced timing chain, water pump and thermostat as a preventive maintenance last year at 218 K, but I was not having any problems with them. Never had random lights on dash but whenever I see Service Vehicle Soon, it means there is a blown bulb or fuse. My only complaint: rough idle but with almost 223 k miles I guess it has given me a lot for the money. Update: I gathered the resources and replaced all the mounts, even the ones that look "good" : end of the rough idle. Before that , I replaced the front wheel hub and that eliminated the ABS light and the wobbling. The a/c quit working. Before you do anything crazy, go ahead and check the pressure switch in the line on top of the radiator. It was that simple. My friends who have newer cars say mine cools the interior faster than theirs and it is true. At 246k I had the tranny rebuilt (it was the original one) because it was slipping between 3rd and 4th gear, but drivable. Now it is almost 255k miles 6 month later. The enigne is still good. I put synthetic oil to cope with the Phoenix heat. No favorite brand: I just go to 99c stores and pick whatever synthetic at $2.99, not bad. I don't drive like I stole it, specially when first start it. I guess all of this makes possible to keep the car. Update: Justo hit 281000 Miles on the dame engine. Not Bad at all. Still powerful when needed and good on gas at the dame time. Un fact some people have tried to race me. I installed an aftermarket Muffler back in 2014, that is not loud and gives the car some attitude. The xenon lights that I installed back in 2013 are still working ( I could not take yellow bulbs any longer in the headlights) This car is good if You are mechanic inclined, specially if bought with many miles on ir. 8 years later, no car payment and 114000 added miles, so no regrets.
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Would Buy Again if they still made Pontiac
I bought this car New in 2001. It's an SE not a GT but there wasn't a choice for a 2 door SE, 6 cyl 3.4. It is now 2015 have 123k miles. Two repairs while under warranty, one was an oil leak and one was the ignition switch. Very little maintenance over the years other than oil changes and brakes. Did not do any of the other recommended maintenance. Replaced the alternator, tie rods and a sensor. Replaced the original battery at year 8 and still driving on the second. Starts right up with no hesitation. Still has speed and handles well. I am getting 26 miles/city more than when it was new. Biggest annoyance is the power Windows. Both had to be replaced and you have to replace the whole thing window and all. Over $300 per window even though the glass was still good as well as the motor, just the clips broke. Less than $2000 in repairs over 15 years. Not bad at all. Best car I ever had. Biggest complaint would be the rust (seems like all of them rust in the same place between the doors and the back tires). Started about year 7 and is pretty bad now. I do have to say I live in Chicago and the car has been outside it's whole life and I did not rust proof or undercoat and I probably haven't washed it in the last five years. Other than that area the paint and body has held up good. Time for a new car as I know I have some major suspension work that needs to be done. I'm hearing some mighty loud and strange noises when going over bumps in the last year. The service engine light goes on and off and the air conditioner blows hot this year. Leary to put any major money in a 15 year old car. All in all considering the original cost of the car, loan interest , repairs and maintenance it's has been an average of somewhere between $1600 & 2000 per year for this car, so tops $166 a month (not counting gas of course) to run this car. In all that time it only didn't start once (ignition switch) I was driving when the alternator went out so with some fancy driving I was able to drive home the 5 miles. The battery I replaced before it totally died but was taking a couple tries to start so I had some warning and after all it was 8 years old. As a woman it's reassuring to have a reliable car. It actually makes me sad to get rid of it. This was my first new car purchase on my own about a year after my divorce. It's almost like one of my kids, no wait way more reliable this both my kids combined.
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13 years and counting
Bought mine new in 2001. I've taken decent care of it, oil changes, minor repairs. It's never broken down or had any major issues. Has the same issues as other Grand AM's. Side passenger mirror just fell off, AC has been broken for a couple years, fan speeds 1 and 2 don't work, side mirror control broken. The car itself is no longer waterproof. The factory battery lasted 11 years. Took it on a road trip this summer and actually got really good mileage. To recap, it's been paid for since 2005 and has never left me stranded. ***Update*** After a year of taking up space on my driveway I decided it was time to part with the old girl. My only regret is not getting the windshield replaced which would have addressed the water issues. The car still fired up on the day kidney car drove it into the flat bed for recycling in 2017. This is not a story of a car that wore out; but a story of an owner who neglected a masterpiece. I'm left now with a donation receipt for $25 and 16 years of memories. Fairwell Grand AM.
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5 Years Strong
I have run this car in all conditions (snow, sleet, high heat, many rough dirt roads, hard driving, easy driving) and it's responded to the challenge. The 3400 V6 is more than adequate for a car of this size and weight and it and the tranny are such that you get nice punch and grip as you take off. I have 120K, but can go to 200K easy IMO. Normal problems did originally get to me also (lower intake manifold gasket (1x @ $150), tire grinding noise (all 4 tires w/ Warranty), blower resistor (1x @ $20), left and right wheel hub assembly (1x each @ $130 each), IAT wiring wiring issue causing hard shift into drive and park (1x @ $90) and EGR valve (1x @ $90). Battery finally just failed at 12
take care of it, it will return the favor
I have come to love my Grand Am. I have also come to believe that if you take good care of it, it will repay you. Got it from my mom in 2006 with 25k on it. It had been parked in her driveway collecting waterstains and mice. Initially I named it the lemon (I never liked it, but my husband did) after getting new tires, new fluids, getting rid of rabbits chewing wires and some other normal things, I made a deal with it. It takes care of me and I take care of it. Yes, they have quirks, but if you take really good care of it, it will run like a champ. It thinks it's a sports car. I drive it at least 51 miles everyday. It now has about 145k miles on it and still gets 26mi/gal
Satisfied owner
Purchased the GT sedan in 03'and have no regrets! GT looks great and performed well on the road, which is a must for my lead foot. No major repairs until this year (2010) at 160k miles-so the car is unexpectedly reliable.
good car but had little problems
I got this grand am With 130,000 miles on it.now it has 174,000miles. had it for 3yrs. i had to change the thermostat just once cause it was heatin up a lil. i change the oil every sungle time. i changed the sparkplugs on my own and the only tIhng i hated was the clicking noise from the hazard signal button. i changed that but still clicks a lil. sound system is great. I never had problems with the intake maifold gasget cause i changed the anntifreeze in the car. its been good to me but im gettin a new car now
Worst Car I EVER HAD!
I purchased this car from a Pontiac dealership in 2006 with 57k miles on it. I was in love! However within the first WEEK of having it, the Security system failed. Since Ive had this P.O.S., everything imaginable has gone wrong, Security/Passlock failure, Intake Manifold Head Gasket, Power seating failure, Side mirror falling off, failing brakes, interior knobs falling off, AC failure...and the list DOES go on! I was horrified but the recalls and complaints online!.... Would NEVER buy anything from Pontiac ever again!
2001 Grand Am GT
I bought this car in August for $7500.00. By the month of October the pwr window regulator went out. The Tranny went out at 114,000 miles in febuary. $2800 to repair. other than these fixes its a fun car but buyer beware.
2001 Grand Am SE
I would never buy another car like this. I have had problems with the fuel pump ( 2 times) and the security light 2 time too. I haven't even had the car for two years. Dont ever buy this car
Great first car
I have a 2001 se 3.4 and its never let me down. I've had it for 3 years, and my mom had it for about 4 years before that. It has 242,000 miles on it and it's still going strong. It gets 30 mpg highway too. I've replaced the coolant temp. sensor a couple times, brake pads and shoes, tires and a radiator hose since I got it, and no major repairs were done while my mom had it. Besides the rust behind the doors, it looks great as well.
One Headache After Another
I've had more problems with this car. It is infamous for having coolant problems and can only be fixed by replacing lower intake manifold (not cheap, have to take apart entire engine) which I experienced, constantly leaked coolant and it you didn't add it would overhead in a 5 min trip, and on top of it the temperature gauge refused to work. Grand Ams also go through wheel bearings like theres no tomorrow, I replaced them at least 5 times. Minor things like the sunroof shade was stuck open, power window broke twice, has some of the hardest to find, and most expensive tire size. It is also one of the worst cars in the snow and living in Buffalo in the winter doesn't help things.
Poor Quality
I would not recommend this car to anyone. It had a water leak in the passenger side that shorted out a computer that cost 500 to fix. 3 out of 4 power windows broke, and the passenger mirror fell off when I scraped snow off it. The security light came on and I had to have a new ignition cylinder put in-another 300. I traded it in while it was still running. Just to be clear I changed the oil regularly and kept up the maintenance. Poor Quality--I can see why Pontiac went out of business.
Nice car but...
I've had my GT about a year and half. I was very happy with it for the first year, but lately I've become a little disappointed. The brakes have a terrible feel (which the dealer tells me is normal), I've had gas guage sending unit and turn signal switch replaced, and had the computer updated for a problem with the starter. All this as I inch closer to the end of the warranty. In spite of these issues, the car has plenty of power (especially in the 3000 RPM range), handles well and is comfortable to drive. If only they would add the supercharger they keep teasing us with...
Great Car!
This car is great. This is my 2nd Grand Am and would highly recommend this car.
Wish I'd never seen this car
When I bought the car, it was just a few months old. It had been a fleet car and had only 11,000 miles on it. The main problem I have had is with the electrical system. It has gone out countless times at almost $400 a pop to get it fixed. The dash warning lights all come on at any given time, but then I can shut it off and restart it and they go out. The passenger side mirror fell off. The brakes need replacing every year. The drivers side power window went out. I was driving down the highway at 70 mph. and it just quit for no apparent reason. Of course it had no power steering or brakes, so that was fun trying to pull off the road. Also my CD player went out within a year of purchase.
Don't buy it
I've had this car 6 years, and I've had ALL 4 power windows stop working (won't go down or up), I had 2 repaired and gave up on other 2. I got it with 32k miles, it has 84k now, at about 60k miles, the transmission failed. Had to have it rebuilt for about 2 grand. Ignition switch failed. Power steering pump failed 2 times. Power steering rod failed. Brakes had issues at about 75k miles, and again are grinding and just don't sound/feel right. Air conditioning still works, but speed settings 1 & 2 don't work, only 3-5 work. Rear view mirror fell off (didn't even touch it), had to re- adhere it. It's still fast, still fun, but I don't know what's gonna happen next. I'm selling it soon, finally.
car
I HAVE LOVED THIS CAR AND WOULD BUY ANOTHER ONE
Junkyard Special!
I bought this car for $6995.00 in 2007. Within the first 3 days I had the car, the computer went out on it. A few months afterwards, my transmission started messing up. After that, it blew a head gasket. Then the power-steering went out. Then whatever turns the belt under the hood blew up. This car is a piece of junk, and Pontiac should be sued for all they are worth!
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Overall I am very pleased w this car
I rented it
One of the worst rentals I have ever had. Please heed that this car only garnered 1 star rating for safety from NHTSA and got a "Poor Safety" rating from the insurance institute.
Love This Car
I bought this car with 75K miles a year ago, and I travel to work 40 miles round trip daily and often across the state. It's always been very reliable and comfortable to drive. Very powerful! The only part I really didn't like was that the turning signals didn't always work, but they were covered under a recall, and were fixed free of charge. Corners and handles very well, and hasn't let me down in the snow yet. Heat, A/C, Cruise, Power Locks and Windows.. all work great. The gas mileage isn't too bad considering the get-up-and-go it has. Most costly fix was the headgasket after I first got it, which was $600, and the hubs ($400).
Why did I buy this car??
Bought this car before I checked safety rating and I would never buy another because of it - what was GM thinking?? The car is generally ok - but I hate having to sink money into a car that is less than 2 years old - had to replace fuel sender already and $75 for emission updates?? What is that all about? One good thing it gets great gas mileage.
Ok car for the price.
The major complaint I have is all the repairs I've had to do to it. Luckily they've all been under warranty, (which is about to expire). I've had the fuel delivery system replaced, the front tires replaced, the battery replaced, and the computer reprogrammed. It does drive nice, and the repairs haven't been too major. It does give a pulsating vibration during idol if you use regular octane gas; the higher octanes generally help remove this. I do wish they offered a manual in the GT; it would have been a nice option. I've also gone through a set of brakes on the front end.
First Car :(
After one month I noticed a gas smell. Took it to the shop and had a gas leak. Both side mirrors fell off and many electrical things broke inside (seat adjustment, side mirror adjustment). A year later the car just plain quit working. Needed new fuel injection, fuel pump, and fuel filter. Then I totaled it. Sad ending to the pony. I loved the vehicle but too many things went wrong with it.
Say no to Pontiac!
When I saw this car on the dealer's lot I fell in love with the style in and out. Also the gas mileage was impressive but little did I know this would be the worst running vehicle I had ever owned. Bought with 10K by 28K ABS system failure, serpentine belt, valve lifters, and engine overheating made me have to say bye-bye. Of course GM did it's damnedest to make sure they fixed nothing, solidifying my decision.
Total Poor Quality - Beware!
This car has given us nothing but trouble. It is poorly made in every regard. Parts have fallen off the car such as the interior door panel reflector and the wing type material above the window. The front hub bearing had an issue, the fuel pump went out, the electrical is very messed up and lights fill the dash at any given time whether or not there is an issue. The repairs it would take to make this car drivable far exceed its worth. Mechanics will tell you how many issues GM's motors are having. Just DON'T DO IT.
Impressive
I have to admit that I have a 2002, but as soon as I drove home I fell in love. It has good pick up, nice comfort in the back, plenty of trunk space. I was overall impressed. I did notice that the pain on the front has chipped off from objects hitting it off the highway. I guess I didn't expect for it to be like that. I do think it is a good car over all. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone.
Trouble From Day 1
I bought this vehicle brand new and it has been nothing but trouble since I drove it off the lot. The warning lights on the dash light up constantly and randomly. You never can tell which lights or group of lights will come on. Of course the dealership never found a thing wrong. It's most recent behaviour is to either stall of have the engine nearly choke off each time you step on the accelerstor. I've had the system gone over with a fine tooth comb and you guessed it. Nothing so far has corrected the problem. This was the first time in my life I had both car payments and repair bills. This vehicle is a true piece of junk. Always has been and always will be.
All right, I suppose.
This was my 2nd car, and it was average. Got it used in 07, with about 79,000 miles. The interior is a little cramped despite being a larger coupe. The exterior is sporty and attractive. However, the car never ran too great. It didn't have much kick in terms of acceleration. It's not a very good shock-absorbing car; you can feel every bump. The nagging issue: no matter how many times I reset it, the check oil and ABS lights would not stay off. I took care of it, got routine maintenance, and didn't put a whole of of wear and tear on the car, but I don't think it would've lasted long if I was putting 10,000+ miles on it.
Maybe I'm the only one
I bought it and when I accelarted, it would hesitate at high RPMs the dealership ran a check, nothing but 2 years later it now may have an engine problem. I've dumped lots of money into small mechanical problems and the car still is having same issues lots of lights on dash, other owners told me same. Never stranded but always at mechanics. My passaenger and driver door have come misalligned and hitting the fenders for no reason. This all stinks because I really am comfortable driving it because I'm petite. it really is the small problems that have given me the headaches. Oh and the clicking noise coming from hazard button, wheel barrons replaced many times but its easy to find parts
AMAZING first car.
If you're thinking of getting an affordable car, then I would definitely put a Pontiac Grand AM on your list. This car is a speed demon, just to warn, the acceleration takes some getting used to at first, but once you've driven it enough, it gets easier. This car is a champion to me, and I've only had it for 2 days. If you can find one for a good price tag, then its a steal. This is the perfect first car, it is sharp and not tacky or too sophisticated at all. Runs great, sounds quiet, handles well and easily. Shocks absorb any road divots or potholes, just be on the look-out for them though, never know where you will find one, especially in states with a lot of un-paved streets. A+ car!
Engine Problems Beware
When I bought this car I thought that I was getting a pretty good vehicle. Well that was until the engine started leaking antifreeze from the head gasket, which is pretty expensive to fix and if done wrong could cause more serious problems. The type of antifreeze that they used in this vehicle caused corrosion and ate away at the gaskets and seals in the engine. Most of which are quite expensive to have replaced and/or serviced, but in order to maintain this vehicle you end up sinking hundreds even thousands of dollars into it. Also, if you are ever in an accident, regardless of the severity, this car will fall apart. It has a horrible build quality.
My Granny Ammy
This car is just simply awesome words can't do my baby justice.!!!!!!!!!!!! The engine is great good trans very good performer and reliable too!!!! My 1999 Grand AM went 92,000 Miles with no problem and pured like a tiger at the time or trade in
Fun
This car has been very good to me, I bought it used, being the second owner. All I have had to do to the car, is a new battery and new tires. Its fun to drive, gets pretty good gas mileage too. Sound system is great, pretty much enjoy the car overall.
electrical
An excellent vehicle for good acceleration and power but have had numerous problems with the anti theft system, tire wear is below average, thermostat problems and just replaced alternator at 140,000 mi. It also goes through brake pads quite frequent. Gas mileage not bad for a v6 with power if it was only more reliable.
starter sucks
They should have done better in this one!
Good first car
This was my first car that I bought used for $4000 with 107,000 miles. There were a few things that were problematic to begin with -- the driver's side window was difficult to roll down and the air conditioning only worked on speeds 3-5. Eventually, the entire AC system failed and had to be repaired, which did restore the 1-2 settings. About a year after purchasing the vehicle, I had to replace both the alternator and the battery. In the past year, I paid over $600 repairing the ignition switch and the security lock column, only to find that I needed to repair the computer system due to an engine leak, meaning another costly repair, so at 124,000 miles, we finally parted.
Overall a dependable car
I bought mine almost 2 years ago in March 2007. It had 80k on it when purchased. I drive almost 55,000 miles per year for work. And I've gotta say this has been a dependable car. I'm currently at 192k on it and I had to replace the fuel pump 1 time. Other than that it has never left me stranded. And that is very important for my job. On the highway, I regularly got around 30mpg, which is hard to beat. The only recurring problems I've had is the TRAC light coming on, and a strange clicking sound, which I'm told is tied to the ignition system. The security light did come on around 180k but has stayed on with no problems. I've been very impressed with it, it's done the job for me.
junk
Had trouble from the start. security light shuts down the engine. car wont start. tow about 17 times since I bought it in June 08. fuel went frame squeaks. not dependable
Best I've owned
I have not had any repairs outside of normal wear and nothing prematurely. It holds the road well and it never lacks power. With good tires well balanced, it's smooth far beyond the legal limit. I've only undercoated once, and the body is still solid. I purchased this car, off lease, just over a year old. I typically only keep a car 2 - 4 years, but I've had this one 5 years and don't have any plans to trade yet.
Looks don't count
I bought this car without doing a lot of research first, mistake ! I wanted it because of the sporty look. It has been one headache after another.I have had to replace the water pump, the brakes multiple times, the traction system is junk. Little things like heater knobs have broken off, heat only works on high, both rearview mirrors have broken off for no reason and the turn signal switch went bad. My mom's full size truck gets better gas mileage! I am doing a lot of research for my next car!
2001Grand Am SE 2.4L
I have never had any serious mechanical problems with this vehicle. I bought it pre-owned certified with 56,000. It is now up to 98,000 miles and I have only spent 700 in total for repairs, spanning five years. The only problems I had was the ignition at 98,000 miles and my power windows broke. The key to this vehicle being very reliable is preventive maintenance. If you know nothing about cars and run it into the ground like a Honda you will have problems; however, if you do the normal maintenance such as tune ups/oil changes every 5k miles, fluid flushes, and belt change you should have no problems. If you buy this vehicle and no nothing about how well it was taken care of beware.
Pure JUNK
I bought this car used. I guess that was my first mistake. I have had numerous problems. Fuel leaks, brakes, water outlet valve keeps blowing apart, over-heating, now it has been in the shop for a month, replaced fuel pump and filter ($350) and it still won't start. Now while at the shop something with the security system is locked up. The security light is on and the car will do nothing. Anyone wanna buy it? Real cheap!! Pay it off and it's yours!!
2001 Grand Am GT
I really like this car. It handles great, has good acceleration, and is comfortable to drive. I only have 7400 miles on this car right now, and there is nothing to complain about. I would recommend getting the GT rather than the SE.
loved my car
Great car. My dads a mechanic and said it was known that almost every one will blow a headgasket mine did that was the only problem with it \, decent on gas if u drive without a lead foot, wasn't that great in winter I recommend putting studded tires on it, controlled way better in snow with them. Very sporty! My inside was loaded very Nice leather, car would heat up really quick in winter that was a plus! All in all love the car
Torn between giving a good or bad review
I Bought my Grand Am in 2004, with 38k miles on it. I recently traded it in last week with 103k miles, and the dealership gave me $900 trade in value on it. I never really had any MAJOR issues, but had tons of minor issues, like 2 electrical issues, Drivers side power window broke, Both rearview mirrors broke, Oil change light constantly on (even right after an oil change), Trac system light comes on whenever I turn a sharp corner, Dials fell off, radio volume faded in & Out. last problem I had was everytime I stopped at a red light, the car would putt, like it wanted to stall, So I got a tuneup, hoping it would fix the problem, which it didn't. Overall I loved the car, but It had to go
I love this car
This car was previously my mother's car, but when I turned 16 I took over the ownership of the car. At first I did not like the look and feel of the car but it grows on you. I have made several modifications to the car (grille inserts, cold air intake, decals). I plan to convert the car to rear wheel drive, put the LS9 engine in, and put in a 6 speed manual transmission. I also want to customize the interior as well. I get great gas mileage (average 28 in the summer). I had to replace the water pump and intake manifold gasket each once but I've had no problems now for about 20000 miles. Everything breaks eventually, just spend a little extra money and time to take care of the car. I wash mine 1 per week.
Very Decent Car!
I bought this car about a year ago and it had about 157,000 miles on it. The lady I bought it from used to drive down gravel a lot and I had to replace a hub and an outer tire rod... security light came on and cause my car to not start for 10 min each time as well as my idol staying at 1200 rpm but fix both problems by pulling out the ignition and cleaning the sensors. Excellent sound system and got 37 mpg believe or not the last road trip I made. It's had its ups and down and have put about $700 into it but only bought it for $1500. Take care of it and it will treat you right... if you don't, it will let you know. Mine now has over 170,000 and still runs like a champ.
Not Too Bad
I am reading about the repairs that people are having done. When the gasket went out due to the type of antifreeze, my mechanic fixed it for under $500, I have had the car into the shop a few times in the five years I have been driving it and it hasn't cost more than $500 each time. I have driven 75K miles on it and am now selling it, but only to get a car with less mileage. Just maintain it well. I have no problem with how it was built or how it runs. The antifreeze problem was unfortunate, but not expensive.