Are 2004 Pontiac Grand Am GTs reliable?

Question

I am looking at buying one and the carfax report checks out, but was curious as to what kinds of problems they have. Can anyone help me out? Also, are they good in snow? Thanks!

Answer 1

CAR people will tell you the knocks on Pontiac are overblown.  Magazines like consumer reports tell their customers what they want to hear - that American cars are c**p and Japanese/European cars are superior.  It simply isn't true.

Answer 2

Here are some things that may prompt concern with a Pontiac Grand Am.

(1) The 1998-2003 Pontiac Grand Ams are on Consumer Reports' 2008 list of Used Cars to Avoid.

(2) The Pontiac Grand Am has a 5-year Reliability Percentrank average of .14, on a scale of 0.00 to 1.00. This puts close to the bottom, likely among the 10 or 15 worst. For reference, the Pontiac overall average is .24, General Motors' overall average is .31, Honda's overall average is .84, and Toyota's overall average is .89.

(3) The Pontiac Grand Am is on AutoOnInfo.net's list of the contenders for the worst model ever made, based on its multi-year reliability since 1987.

(4) The Pontiac Grand Am is on AutoOnInfo.net's list of Automobiles with a Worst Engine (with a score of -.88 on a scale of -1.00 to +1.00).

(5) The Pontiac G6, the Grand Am's successor, is on Consumer Reports' 2008 list of the Worst of the Worst.

(7) The Pontiac G6 is on AutoOnInfo.net's list of the Worst Automobiles of 2008 with a Composite Reliability Score of -.83 on a scale of -1.00 to 1.00.

(8) The Pontiac line has the second largest number of entries on Consumer Reports' 2008 list of Used Cars to Avoid, after some correction is made for the size of its offerings (the number of entries on the Used-Cars-to-Avoid list divided by the number of Used Car Reliability Verdicts). The Pontiac line has a score of -2.2 by this quality measure, the Hummer line, -2.0, the GMC line, -1.9, the Chevrolet line, -1.3, the Saab line, -1.1, the Cadillac line, -.9, and the Saturn line, -.9. For reference, the Five Best have scores of 0.0: Toyota's Scion line, Fuji's Subaru line, Honda's Acura line, Toyota's Lexus line and Toyota's Toyota line.

(9) The Pontiac line has the lowest 5-year Reliability Percentrank average of all of GM's lines with a 5-year Reliability Percentrank average (the Hummer is too new to have a 5-year average). The Pontiac line's 5-year average is .24, the Oldsmobile line, .26, the Saab line, .26, the Cadillac line, .27, the GMC line, .28, the Saturn line, .30, the Chevrolet line, .32, and the Buick line, .49. For reference, the Hyundai line has a 5-year average of .41, Nissan, .70, Subaru, .77, Honda, .84, and Toyota, .89.

(10) The Pontiac line has the third lowest 1998-to-2007 Used Car Reliability Verdict history of GM's lines. By this reliability measure, the Pontiac line has a score of -.51 (on a scale of -1.00 to +1.00), the Hummer line, -.88, the the Oldsmobile line, -.58, the Cadillac line, -.44, the Chevrolet line, -.28, the GMC line, -.23, the Saturn line, -.17, and the Buick line, -.05. For reference, the Hyundai line has a score of +.20, Honda's Acura line, +.67, Toyota's Scion line, +.72, Toyota's Lexus line, +.82, Honda's Honda line, +.83, and Toyota's Toyota line, +.84.

(11) With regard to durability, AutoOnInfo.net's detailed studies indicate that the Pontiac line is the worst of GM's lines. The stats suggest that a typical 7-year-old Pontiac product is as troublesome to own as a typical 36-year-old Toyota and a typical 51-year-old Honda.

Answer 3

I agree with Chris.  I bought my 2004 Grand Am GT new and have never had any trouble at all with it.  It starts everyday without hesitation and that includes temperatures over 100 degrees and as low as -20.  Mine is at 72,000 miles and all I've ever put into it is tires, oil changes and a tranny flush...... oh I forgot, I had to replace the fuse for the cigarette lighter as well.  The GT's have a different engine and transmission than the regular Grand Am's.

Answer 4

no pontiac grand am is reliable. I work at a used car dealership and we are always having problems with every one that we get. The transmission is cursed or something. Over heating, constant blown head gaskets, etc. Plus the interior is the cheapest plastic you can find. You can break so many things so easily just by trying to change your stereo.  

Answer 5

Well, Pontiacs may not be the hottest cars in the universe, but you should use some common sense. If you need to replace an engine, say, there are probably a zillion of them in the junk yard and the cost of replacing one should be (hopefully) dirt cheap. I say that if you want a Pontiac, you should get it.

Answer 6

Now for an answer from someone who knows. I have an 04 gt, and it has been great! No problems. I am approaching 70,000miles. The car is solid quick, and get good mileage. Dont believe Natalia. Her comparisons are crazy. Comparing it to a 51 year old honda. There is no 51 year old Hondas on the road so how is this valid?Consumer reports give the 04 gt above average for all catergories but brakes. I have a 2006 gto as well, and anyone who says Pontiac makes bad cars is just crazy. I will always drive gms not some g*y little Honda Fit like Natalia drives.