Topic: 97 Pontiac Grand Prix

[Snowman]

I remember my dad taking my 1981 Z-28 for a spin when I first bought it……after driving around town like a mad-man he came back laughing….This is a sports car?...my poor old Buick will beat it”…I was devastated…..I had the car one year then got a Mustang.

[mcp]

Thanks for all the comments, and insight.  My family has been a loyal GM customer for as long as i can remember.  However, for my next car i can honestly say that i will not be buying a domestic car.

We always had a buick, olds, or chevy in the driveway growing up, so when it was time to buy my first almost new car, i decided to go with the Pontiac GP.

Just to add some fuel to the fire, i forgot that i also replaced my Alternator, and battery in the GP.

I will be driving the GP until at least next spring, and then seriously consider buying a new/used car.  

Hopefully between now and then, nothing major goes wrong (knock on wood).

Thanks again!

[dash]

Mcp, I have owned both Domestic & Japanese, and I say you have had a reasonably reliable car. My boss just spent 2k on his 01’ Sienna’s A/C, I spent $700 last year on my 98 Sienna’s a/c, so no car is perfect.  
Personally, if I was buying new it would be most likely a Japanese car, used maybe a domestic, yes the Japanese cars are more reliable and better built in general, but at what cost? On used there is roughly a 50% premium price on Japanese vs Domestic comparing similar cars.  
So it is good that you want to explore different auto mfgs, they all build good cars now, just some are better then others, and you will have to pay for the quality ones.

[johngenx]

My neighbours had a 96 Dodge Intrepid that they spent about $4000 a year keeping on the road.  Trannies and AC repairs were frequent and expensive.  We had a clean 1997 528i that we decided not to keep and they bought it.  It's been "expensive" to keep up, in MY opinion, but compared to their old Dodge, it's been super-cheap.  They're VERY happy.

Everythings relative, eh?

[mcp]

I think the thing that disappoints me most about the GP is, the car isn't even 10 years old and i've replaced a lot of stuff.  

Consider my previous vehicle, an 86 Olds Cutlass Supreme (v8, 305).  I paid 2 grand for it, it lasted 5 years, and all i replaced was a fuel pump.  

Of course i busted the frame doing something stupid which resulted in my purchase of the Grand Prix...

In the end i sold the Olds to a guy who wanted to part it out for $300, more than i paid for the fuel pump!

I don't think i would ever truely give up on GM vehicles (Pontiac GTO, G6 GTP), but i would like to try out a japanese car (Honda/Toyota) and see for myself.