On the road
The V6 is first and foremost torquey so it feels quick. As the engine speed rises, the 3.1L gasps for air and looses its steam. The tested car suffered
from a rough and erratic idle and hesitation possibly due to the common intake manifold failures. The 4-speed automatic transmission is agreeable although it is often reticent to kickdown.
The car's steering stunned me with its weighty assistance and better than expected precision. The brakes on the tested car were in rough shape. The front discs were warped, a frequent issue even with very little mileage. The long pedal travel was hampered by sustained vibrations and performance was poor. Some brake maintenance will clear up this situation.
The ride of the car is very stiff. It does not forgive the presence of bumps and ruts. Body roll is present; weight transfers are slow and hefty. In some instances, the Grand Am feels much heavier than it actually is. With the 16' wheels, the car is relatively stable at highway speeds.
Safety
The Grand Am had available driver side air bags for the first few years. Both front bags became standard in 1996. ABS brakes were the norm as of 1994. The overall NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) results were quite poor until 1996. The grades varied between 3 and 5 stars for the driver and passenger in frontal impacts. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) did not rate the 1992-98 style. It did although rate the 1999-2005 "Poor" in its category.
Conclusion
Although immensely popular, the Pontiac Grand Am was never able to measure up the Nissan Altima or Honda Accord in terms of build quality and
reliability. Because of its lower purchase, this second choice almost always ended up being the one that ended up in the driveways of new car owners.
The resale value of the Grand Am is generally low. This can entice people to buy but be aware that these cars are fairly maintenance intensive. Also, it will be useful to locate a parts retailer for reasonable pricing on some common replacement items. GM parts are typically very expensive.
Good stuff:
Steering
Low purchase price
Not so good stuff:
Cheap materials
Fit and finish
Tested model:
1997 Pontiac Grand Am with 105,000 km
Problem areas:
Leaky rack and pinion
Electrical failures
3.1L head and intake manifold gaskets
Quad-4 engines
Competitors of the day:
Nissan Altima
Ford Contour / Mercury Mystique
Honda Accord
The V6 is first and foremost torquey so it feels quick. As the engine speed rises, the 3.1L gasps for air and looses its steam. The tested car suffered
 |
| 1997 Pontiac Grand Am (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com) |
The car's steering stunned me with its weighty assistance and better than expected precision. The brakes on the tested car were in rough shape. The front discs were warped, a frequent issue even with very little mileage. The long pedal travel was hampered by sustained vibrations and performance was poor. Some brake maintenance will clear up this situation.
The ride of the car is very stiff. It does not forgive the presence of bumps and ruts. Body roll is present; weight transfers are slow and hefty. In some instances, the Grand Am feels much heavier than it actually is. With the 16' wheels, the car is relatively stable at highway speeds.
Safety
 |
| 1997 Pontiac Grand Am (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com) |
Conclusion
Although immensely popular, the Pontiac Grand Am was never able to measure up the Nissan Altima or Honda Accord in terms of build quality and
 |
| 1997 Pontiac Grand Am (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com) |
The resale value of the Grand Am is generally low. This can entice people to buy but be aware that these cars are fairly maintenance intensive. Also, it will be useful to locate a parts retailer for reasonable pricing on some common replacement items. GM parts are typically very expensive.
 |
| 1997 Pontiac Grand Am (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com) |
Steering
Low purchase price
Not so good stuff:
Cheap materials
Fit and finish
Tested model:
1997 Pontiac Grand Am with 105,000 km
Problem areas:
Leaky rack and pinion
Electrical failures
3.1L head and intake manifold gaskets
Quad-4 engines
Competitors of the day:
Nissan Altima
Ford Contour / Mercury Mystique
Honda Accord
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