Used 1996 Pontiac Sunfire Consumer Reviews
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1996 Sunfire Droptop,still a fun car
PaulCollen, 03/29/2003
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Convertible
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
The 1996 Sunfire SE Convertible equipped with the 150hp and 5spd is such an underappreciated sports/economy convertible. It performs well in summer and handles the New England winters. The power top stays true and fit. The engine still gives great performance for a 4 cyl/150 hp. The gas mileage remains good at about 22/29. I wanted a car that was fun, good styling, convertible. My wife said it needs 5 real seats. This one more than fit the bill of fare. The trunk space is also quite generous. There are many other cars manufactured with stylish appeal. Some better. But for the dollars and sense of this rag top it was just right for me.
96 sunfire died a few times still running
shawn beauman, 09/27/2010
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
7 of 12 people found this review helpful
i bought this car a month ago from my uncle he works on cars all the time he is not a mechanic but he is just as good as one. anyways the 1st day i got this car it died on me it would not start but the lights and the radio still worked (weird) and it had plenty of gas (half a tank) in it so i took it to cole muffler and they charged me about $400 just for a new starter and a new battery i got ripped off don't go to cole muffler they are (expensive) i only paid $850 for the car itself but i had to pay! $400 to get it running again and a week later it died on me again but after having it towed to cole muffler (again) it started without having any repairs done on it it has been over 2 weeks now
Saved my daughter's life
lisa hayes, 06/24/2003
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
We purchased this car for our daughter. Little did we know it would save her life. She was hit "head-on" by a drunk driver. The driver of the other car was in a Nissan Sentra and was killed in the crash. My daughter received only minor injuries. The investigating officer told us the car save her life because the front end of the car "dropped" which allowed the car to bow upward instead of into the driver/passenger area. Also, both airbags deployed and her seatbelts worked just as they should. We are planning to replace the car with another one just like it. My daughter says she won't drive anything else!
Owned for 18 years, 265,000 miles,still love it
Kathleen Robb, 04/21/2018
updated 11/02/2018
1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
As long as you change the oil every 3,000 miles and keep it maintained, it will be the most reliable car you ever had. Sporty and quick, handles extremely well on icy roads as long as you know how to drive with common sense. Very precise steering, handles extremely well in sudden maneuvers as long as the driver can. I have owned this car for over 18 years and plan to drive it for 18 more. It is the most reliable car I have ever owned. I would recommend using only AC Delco brand or GM approved/stock parts when replacing anything. Trust me, if it says AC Delco, they mean it and it is worth it. I also only use premium unleaded gasoline everytime I fill up.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Inexpensive Sports Car
Deimos, 06/20/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I got this car instead of the Grand Am which had the exact same engine and tranny because it weighed less. I haven't been disapointed in it. I have the 2.4 motor that even after 120000 miles will cruise at 95 and get 28 to 29 mpg all day. I haven't "babyed" this car but have (as always) done my preventive maintanence. It still looks good and drives well. There have been some repairs to the A/C but over all it has been the sporty American-made small car I wanted when I got it.
I Love Muffie
peanut, 03/07/2010
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My Sunfire will be 14 years old in June. Has 175,000 miles. I love my Muffie, a name given to her because the muffler rattles. This little noise and squeaking dashboard don't bother me. Muffie still has original exhaust and muffler! Other than brakes and tires,only things I've had to have replaced are fuel pump and AC condenser. She just started showing a little rust two years ago. This car has the best speed and pickup of any car I've ever had. I love the the stereo system. My goal is to make it to 200,000 miles. Wheel wells are getting rusty. I hope they hold up. Muffie still looks stylish for being almost 14. I don't feel like I'm driving around in an old, ugly car.
A great car
HappySFOwner, 06/28/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I've had my Sunfire for 6 years now. I haven't had any major problems with it and it still runs like a dream. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a sporty, affordable compact.
Bang for the Buck
mikey235, 07/16/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My wife and myself purchased the sunfire 4 years ago and have ahd nothing but fun driving ever since, just regular maintenence, and regular washes, keeps it running and looking great,
small cost big fun
Elias Fernandez, 08/23/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car has a solid 2.4 liter which has more horspower and TONS more torque than all the rest in this price/size range. After market is heating up with release of 2.4 Supercharger jit from GM.
Let me stand next to your "Fire"
MopTop, 12/03/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
What a fun car! This is my first acr and the funnest car that i have ever driven. It is large enough to be comfortable for a guy 6 foot tall. And comfortable it is! Trust me. though it is only 150 stock HP it is very light weight, so it is very quick, especially with the sport 4 speed automatic. I kick every thing from honda's to BMW's. My friend even beat a Honda S2000 in it the other day. I love this car!
Reliable Transportation
CLO, 08/17/2005
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Overall the Sunfire is a good car. Nine years old and 90k miles and it still runs reliably. It's not as peppy as it used to be - especially when the AC is on - but it still gives enough to merge on the highway. One major engine problem and a leaky sunroof that shorted out the airbag have set me back $2k the past 3 years. Dashboard squeaks annoy me. Gas mileage is good.
Good on gas but poorly built
HATE THIS CAR, 01/12/2004
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Yeah the guy that got this car 150000 miles without anything is lucky. I have already replaced about 7 sensors the fuel and water pumps. Tuned up 2x. In the winter snow always goes in the car. It also is annoying to clean the front lights too. The brakes go quickly. Have replaced many times. The front end shakes if you go over 50mph. This car is good though if you want to get 30+ per gallon. And the handling besides shaking is very good. Have no problems driving but mechanically this car in my opinion is a lemon.
Nothing fancy, just does it's job
Notagirlyman, 08/31/2004
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Purchased this car used with 96,000 miles on it. It was fast for a 4 cyl. at first, but the engine has lost it's pep now at 123,000. I can still get her to go sometimes, but only when she is in the mood. I drive this car about 50 miles everyday and she has been solid. Only little nagging problems, nothing major. The biggest problem was the fuel pump went which cost around $300 to replace. The brakes seem to go quicker than most cars. Don't worry though, when they are going they will let you know in surround sound before their performance suffers. Handles well in snow (if your an ok driver). Would buy again.
96 Sunfire Lemon
sunfire owner, 09/03/2005
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car has been nothing but a headache since the day I bought it. The battery constantly goes dead (even when it's a new battery), it's constantly being "fixed," and the frame is easily dented. I have yet to find a mechanic who is able to find out why the battery constantly goes dead. I've had almost everything replaced in this car to no avail. It's a lemon, I'm always afraid it's not going to start. My advice: don't buy!
Constant problems from day one - LEMON!
leahjane10, 05/06/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
Rattles in the dash and trunk that no mechanic could figure out and/or fix, replaced wiper motor twice, horn fuse busted within 10K miles, I am on my THIRD HEAD GASKET (Pontiac has had to pay for each), alternator went early, engine mounts replaced at about 45K miles, rear defrost broke by 75K miles, sometimes have to stop the car when it snows since the wipers (no matter if they are old or new) don't apply enough pressure to clear, have been driving for 2 years with an "unfixable" loose/rattle noise from the back, air conditioner doesn't cool car when hot out until you have been driving for 15- 20 minutes (been checked), sounds like a diesel!
Good car, good gas mileage.
angellynne, 08/14/2013
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had this car for 4 months+ now, and it's a good car. When we got it, the brake system was all messed up by some fake mechanic and "couldn't be fixed." Took about 3 days and a new ABS module to fix it. It's my everyday car, and gets 30mpg, sometimes more. I'm not sure if it has any mods or anything on it. If you have someone in the passenger seat or a large cup in the cup holder, good luck shifting into 5th gear. The interior is rather small. The seats are okay but I wish they had an adjustable height. I think I'm just spoiled from my last two cars (upper-class sedans). This one has manual windows, locks, etc, the AC doesn't even work because the fuse is missing, but its a great car.
Just Keeps on runnig
Chuck, 08/30/2009
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I didn't buy this car as a sports car. I mean I had a Corvette that I traded in on a Iroc-Z Camero that I sold to buy this car. So no its not fun or full of performance but it did exactly what I bought it for. It gets great gas mileage and runs and runs and runs over 280,000 miles. Yes it has had to have some new parts Starter,alternator,coil packs,etc but, all parts were fairly inexpensive and ridiculously easy to replace. As far as I am concerned this has to be one of GM best cars ever produced. With the push for high mileage cars this is one GM should be bringing back.
Good car, except for power windows
bunday, 11/16/2009
1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had one of these for 13 years, and could drive it for more. Basically a very good car. My main complaint is the power windows, the part for this were a faulty design, I have replaced the regulators on both sides 3-4 times for approximately $300 or more each, i.e. I've spent far more on power windows over the years than anything else. Also the paint oxidized so I had to have a new paint job at 11 years. Yes I also had to replace the water pump and part of the AC, but I lived in CA & TX these are expected to be strained so I write those off as normal wear. Otherwise, good design, quite zippy & fun to drive! For long time I got approx. 30mpg on the highway, which was most of its use!
Pontiac Sunfire
bob12345678, 08/29/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Very dependable. Safe, and fun to drive. Not expensive and lasts with out any major problems if you take care of them.
What a Fun Car!!!
Iggy, 09/11/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This is a great car to drive! It's handles great, it just has no get-up- and-go (but I have a led foot!) I also have the 5-speed and just love shifting gears! I have had no major mechnical problems, it's just a great little car!
Maybe, maybe not...
Sol-Luna, 11/09/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This car is wonderfully fun. It is uncomfortable for tall passengers. I enjoy the ride...but it becomes very uncomfortable if used for long trips. The stereo quality is poor but can be easily changed after purchase. Small and economical. Have had problems with the brakes. Has visited the shop numerous times including all of the recalls. It is a good car in some ways...a bad car in others.
Great Car
SunfireGuy, 04/26/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have to agree with the reviewer above. The car has been great for us. We bought it brand new and it still looks that way. We have only had one mechanical problem and that was to get a new alternator. That's it. We have never had any other problems at all. the car starts up today just as good as the day we bought it. We just passed 100,000 miles and it is still going strong. I must agree that the front cupholder is the biggest disappointment in the whole car. Trunk space is bigger than it looks. The styling of the car still draws attention. We always referred to the styling as a "baby Firebird".
96 Sunfire
NathanJ, 10/27/2003
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my sunfire used with 89,000 miles, since it has lasted a year and now has 100,100 miles on it. It's not fast, but it has a great fuel economy, but this car is terrible in winter. The interior also squeeks and rattles a lot, and it never sounds like your door is closed, easily customizable.
gt..hellz yea!
pontie, 10/22/2003
1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
i love this little car, especially becuase no one thinks that its fast. cars expect to leave you in the dust, but the gt always shows up the competition!
Great Car
megan christine, 11/13/2003
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had no problems with this car at all. It now have 150,000 miles ans still running strong. I have now upgraded to a 2002 sunfire and they are just great cars
Sunfire
Happy Sunfire Owner, 07/10/2005
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Purchased this Sunfire in Sept. 2004 at 10,700 miles. Have had no problems with this car. It runs like a champ. I have done regular maintenance on he vehicle. New Tires, replaced brakes, flushed cooling system, replaced exhaust system. It has passed stat emissions test.. I intend to keep this car. I like it as much as I did my "79" Pinto and "83" Mustang.
clink squeek chub chub
k8j, 03/26/2004
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Reliable for six years, always did oil changes and tire rotations on time. Replaced spark plugs twice,??? Three recalls on parts. Every month or so, I hear a new noise. The dash started rattling 12000 into my brand new car and has never stopped!No one can fix it, they say that is how it was made (three said that). IT is sooo noisy from all the different noises combined. it looks nice but you always have to have the music on (coming from the only (one) speaker since the other one is blown!
Dam I so wanted to have this car be fast
Esporam, 06/22/2004
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Now look, I'm pretty fair in judging cars. I have had this one for almost 4 years. I will trade it in this year. I though to myself when I bought it that it would do some of the things my old Prelude did. I loved that Prelude. So I expected the normal for a sports car. What I got instead was the opposite. I expected it to be a quick car. It's not. I expected it to be horrible in the snow, It's great in the snow. Go figure. I would not say it's fun to drive, but dam it's reliable. People always ask me why I am getting anotehr car. I always respond "I want something faster, but I can't complain this car has been good to me."
I hated this car
DESIREE, 07/12/2004
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My car was messed up from the very start. I was always having it break down on me and I spent lots of money trying to keep it running. I took car of the car, but I guess that it wasn't mean't to be!!
I'd Buy Another One
kitty11002, 07/12/2004
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Bought this new and have never regretted the purchase. It is not perfect but the cost was affordable, I get terrific gas mileage, my mechanic husband says it's easy to maintain. I have not had any major problems & it runs great. And I just love the way it looks.
Good Car, Great Gas Mileage
Rob, 06/16/2005
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Since I have purchased this car, I have had a few problems (alternator, brakes, etc), but nothing major. This car gets amazing gas mileage on the hwy (35+ mpg) and is also good in town. I have had fun driving it around town, it handles pretty well, still looks nice. When I purchase a new car next year, I plan on buying another Sunfire because I loved this one so much. At 130,000+ miles, it is still running without a problem!
premature death
Fox Terrier, 03/24/2003
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My 96 Sunfire had a 2.2 in lne 4 cyl. that ceased at 91000 thousand miles. I changed the oil every 3000 - 4000 miles. Other than the car quiting too early it ran good and had good gas milage. I replaced the rear brakes once and the front 3 times. The air conditioning and heater fan switch only worked on high around 80000 miles. The air conditioner always blew ice cold air.
Great to start with
Bobbybass85, 04/21/2007
1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This was the first car I bought on my own. Let's say lesson learned. The car had 65k miles on it when I bought it and it ran darn near perfect for a year and a half, only needing new tires. Ever since then I've had to do major repairs on the car every spring. I've had the fuel pump, spark plugs, alternater, and more small parts than I thought you could put in a car break. Aside from that, it's fun to drive, a little sluggish, but fun. My only other complaint is the cheap plastic on the inside and the deafening squelch that comes from the A/C
A Tank (kinda)
canada2015, 02/02/2015
updated 10/03/2016
1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We purchased a 1996 sunfire coupe black with the 4 speed automatic in 2010. The car was nothing special but for 3 years it withstood a 45 km commute five days a week for 3 years. Then it withstood a year of intense new driver city driving. It was rotting out, the exhaust broke off so we sounded like the god of thunder for a year and a half and it was GUTLESS, You had to nearly floor it in the last year of its life. We got it with 220 000kms and when the fuel pump finally went at 305 000kms we scrapped it. Overall it was fine. The transmission had been rebuilt prior to us buying the car and in 80 000kms it had four oil changes within four years. Really not to much to complain about.
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- Interior
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- Reliability
Fun with good mileage
elbs, 04/24/2003
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This car is fun to drive. It has plenty of pick up (it is a 5 speed) yet it gets great gas mileage (28 city/33 highway). I will admit that you feel every bump in the road, but you do in a $50,000 Corvette too. It was a real bargain when you add in the $$ saved with the gas mileage.
Almost 250k and still running strong!
RevJoel, 06/29/2007
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This vehicle was a gift to my ministry from a good friend whose son ran it into the ground. I just rolled it over 227k and it still runs great. I do have a rattle in the rear left corner and as best I can tell, is coming from the struts. Cupholder really needs to be used for an ashtray. Gotta hold the drink in my lap in order to shift into Park. This car will probably run well into the 300k range if the tranny hold out. The previous owner had some work done to it about 40k ago and it shifts hard once in a while. The headliner is coming down a little in the back. Quick fix with hot glue.
Theirrrrrrrr Greaaaaaaaatt
FRY, 05/13/2003
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
The Pontiac Sunfire is the most reliable car I have every driven. I have had mine since I was a Senior in High Scool. My car is now 7 years old and I have never had a problem one out of it. They are great!!
Amazing reliability
revjcannon, 03/19/2002
1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 4dr Sedan
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My wife and I have had our Sunfire for 6 years and have put over 150,000 miles on it. The vehicle has averaged 30mpg in rual hilly areas with the 3 spd automatic. Which is better than the sticker said. In all the miles with rough weather and gravel roads we have never had a single mechanical problem. The only complaint that I have about he vehicle is the lack of a decent cupholder in the front seat and the vehicle is a shade cramped for a large man like myself (6' 260lbs). I dno't think a normal size person would have any trouble at all. I recommend the sunfire to everyone I know looking for a small car.
My first ride & pride! My Sunfire Grand Tourismo
Dustin Speicher , 11/02/2022
1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My very 1st car was a '96 Sunfire GT coupe, with Dual Overhead Cams, Dual Exhaust connected to a 2.4 litre that was perfect for a 17 year old me that was able to either make a tank of gas last a good while or if I wanted to get from point A to point B in half the time I could as my little white Sunfire was much quicker than anyone could have thought. Most of my friends were driving Honda's with their V-Tech's, so I had my friend who was efficient in metal work create me this aluminum plate that fit snugly on the cylinder head cover with the word's P-Tech written across it, which I painted V-Tech red. I was then able to sneak into their Honda themed meets since I looked so official. Anyways, I obtained the car in 2006 & the story behind it was that it was owned by 1 previous owner whom happened to be the daughter of a Pontiac Dealership franchise owner & she maintained all of the paperwork from all of the maintenance. She even had the window sticker still from when the car had been first driven off the lot & it had the MSRP of $19,995, which I later found out was because I had the absolute most expensive model of Sunfire with all the bells & whistle's & options possible. Made sense considering the back story, but it was still incredibly awesome to be 17 years old in my decade old car that had power everything, steering wheel controls for the stereo, & even had a FOB remote that had a trunk open button. Pretty impressive for a 1996 model. That car was put through a lot & managed to successfully handle everything I put her through, including driving from Pullman to Seattle in a blizzard so bad that we were the only ones of the highway for the first leg of the trip. It was essentially a complete white out that you could barely even walk through & there was my car chugging along with my drunk friend's, one passed out in the back & the other up front annoying the crap out of me. We made it back home with relative ease, & after the many years since then & having owned & driven countless cars since then only now am I able to truly grasp how impressive that performance really had been, back then I had no idea since that was my first car I had no perspective & just thought that all cars could handle such a trip, especially with such a new driver behind the wheel. That trip alone definitely proves for me now the dependability factor that car commanded, & I miss that little White 1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT Coupe. The funny thing is my car now is a 2.4 litre, & is an ACTUAL V-Tech Acura TSX, yet for some reason I remember my Pontiac being just a tad quicker & snow capable. If you're ever in the market for a first car for your teen, but don't have the largest of budget's to spend, or perhaps you're teaching them the value of a dollar & making them pay for their own vehicle definitely consider this very modestly priced option as it will do everything you need it to do safely, & even quickly if you're nice to her & take care of her as you should with any old lady. I'm certain this is a car that will provide them with all the same nostalgia inducing memories that it has done for me. It's a good car & that's why I gave it 4 out of 5 star's!