Here’s how the Pontiac Grand Am tried to be a blend of the Grand Prix and Trans Am
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มิ.ย. 2021
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In this episode I provide the history of the Pontiac Grand Am, which had two short runs in the 70's, but came back in 1985 to become one of Pontiac's best selling models until its end in 2005, where it was replaced by the G6.
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Most of the gt models looked way cooler than a budget car had any right to.
My 04 gt is blacked out and it’s so badass
Most definitely
I had a 78 with a 301 HO
@@uraniumpotato8958 nice i have an se1
@@uraniumpotato8958 you have any other plans you want me to bring
The Grand Am was an amazing car. I bought a 2001 Grand Am GT back in October 2000 and drove it for 18 years. It gave me very little issues.
My pops had 1999 model lasted forever
Sad when you see the big sendoff olds got when it was killed off while pontiac barely got a wave goodbye, despite beating olds in sales for decades. It goes to show how much gm top management hated the brand.
Olds sold one million cars in one year during the 1970s, Pontiac did well but never matched Olds in year to year sales. Pontiac outlasted Olds because of their mote consistent product lineup.
@@jamesschuck1210 It reminds me about how when Chrysler got rid of Plymouth, it went out with a huge send off but when Ford got rid of Mercury, people (including me) barely even noticed
We sure got some weird option mixes for the 2010 G6 run in the rental fleets. 2.4l Ecotec base models with mismatched GXP front or rear bumpers, heated 2 tone leather with manual climate, and Chrometek wheels, without remote start. The build out using the last remaining parts to fill generic GM rental orders was a fun time during the bankruptcy years, especially.
I think it just shows how desperate they were for government money. The company was pretty much finished by the late 2000s, the entire company. Decades of cheaply made, poor quality vehicles left the company a shell of it's beloved 60s and early-70s self. It literally came down to either junking Pontiac or GMC...and they would have been insane to junk a truck division, that's the only real cash cow a lot of American automakers have today. Pontiac was the sacrificial lamb...but I think nixing the more "niche" brands leaves GM with a very bland lineup. Why not spend a bit more for a Toyota? Condensing down to 4 marquees doesn't change that equation.
I had an ‘01 Grand Am SE V6 when I was in my early twenties. Funny how you can miss a car that at the time was nothing special. For some reason I miss the red backlit instruments and switches.
That's one thing I like about my 2003 Grand Prix GT. Those red gauges at night look really cool and pop.
Still drive a 5th gen Grand Am today cars held up pretty well I also like the red dash lights don’t know why more car companies don’t do that so sick at nighttime
I loved those gauges.
What I like about this channel is it brings up cars that we all remember and not just cars auto journos loved. The gA was everywhere but journalists hated it so it was never written about in mags back in the day.
I hear he gets his video subject list from the Cash for Clunkers buyback log. 😛
As a kid, I've always wanted a Pontiac Grand Am.
I was obsessed with Pontiac as a kid and wanted one as my first car, mostly because they were inexpensive sporty cars that actually looked good (at the time at least) I still remember the day my mom told me Pontiac was gone, which only made me want one even more. Still to this day I have yet to own a Pontiac but I plan on someday getting a gto or trans am to fulfill that childhood dream.
The G8 is the one that is going to be the most valuable in the future.
You can do it, dude. I finally bought my dream car, a 2002 v8 Trans Am, back in January and it has been nothing but good to me. Just keep saving and you'll have one before long!
I hope someday I have enough to afford my dream car garage, a 2000-03 Bonneville SSEi and either a 1989 Trans Am or 2002 Trans Am Ram Air.
If they looked good at the time, they look good now.
Get a Trans Am while they're still cheap! They're fairly reliable especially with an LS1 and are probably the best horsepower per dollar deal on the market right now, but prices have been rising in the last 5 years. I got a clean 98 one a year ago with the LS and 157k on it for 8 grand.
I like the 2000+ models, they perfectly embody the early 2000’s
Grand Prix GTP for life babyyyy
I want to laugh... But I drive a 99 blazer 🤣
They're a "frosted tips" and "limp bizkit cds in the sunvisor" kind of car
The original 1973 Grand Am had one of the coolest body shapes of a car I've ever seen! That "A"-body looks like a flying saucer on wheels! I'd be proud to be seen driving a car like that!
had one . 73 with the 400 engine . miss it. Damn telephone pole $*&^)
I remember in the early 2000s Grand Ams were absolutely ubiquitous - I could never go anywhere without seeing them.
That's definitely isn't the case now, as I'm sure at this point the majority of them are scrap, but you'll still see the odd Grand Am here and there.
My parents had 2 grand ams one in 2001 and it was silver. Then when they traded it in we got a 2004 it was burgundy. Great cars, I learned to drive with a Grand Am!
I had an 88 with the quad 4. The thing I remember about that car, besides the headliner hanging in front of my eyes, was the factory radio kept my radio station the whole way on a trip I regularly made, and it was the only radio to do so through several cars. 📻
Imo gm had the best factory radios by far. Every single thing about them was much, much, better than anything else. Reception, Bass, CD player, cassette player, looks, display brightness.. everything.
I remember ford's being the worse. All my friends that had ford's in the 90s could never see the display.. and the speakers sounded like garbage
@@ohioplayer-bl9em they definitely were better when new. But I swear, GM radios don’t always seem to age well. The buttons rub off completely, in almost all of the early 2000’s GM radios Ive owned. Doesn’t happen as much on my Ford Focus, or an F250 we had, an didn’t rub off at all on our Toyotas. They sound the best for a factory system, though.
GM radio receivers are awesome, better than most aftermarket upgrades if you’re running factory or mid-level aftermarket coax speakers. Not enough power for most really nice speakers, though.
Lmao yeah my grandma has a preference for Buicks and I'm so used to that hanging headliner. They must've had a shit way of applying it. Because every gm car I saw had a messed up headliner
@@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney I wouldn't say better than aftermarket, as those have better EQ tuning, and more features, but yes, decent sound quality, and great *for a factory system*
I would love to see a episode on the 2000-2005 Pontiac Bonneville, by far the most underrated Pontiac of the 2000s. Perfect blend of space,style, and power. And the g body platform was a absolute tank!!
Agreed, the final Bonneville is one of my all-time favorite sedans. My dream is to find a clean example of a 2000-03 SSEi.
i love mine, too bad Gm cheaped out on the quality of the trans and interior etc
Having worked for 2 Pontiac dealers in the 80's and 90's I drove many different Grand Am's and even owned a 73. Currently looking for a second generation to turn into a weekend toy.
I rented a 2000 Grand Am and really liked it. Almost bought one.
I got a 1999 pontiac grand am se 3.4 v6
Mines a 2000 grand am se1 3.4, not bad cars. I mean, mines a rusted out beater, and my dash is lit up like a Christmas tree, but she’s still going!
@@GHOST_V3II I have a 2004 V6 runs great um the materials kinda are starting to go but I’d expect that on a 17 year old car. Engine transmission run great so that’s a plus
I own a 2007 Grand Prix GT: The last of the supercharged 3800s. I’d love to see a video on the GP or the 3800 in general, given it’s been in literally a zillion cars.
I too own a supercharged Grand Prix, a 1999 GTP coupe. Love to see a show dedicated to it ( or my '94 Regal, perhaps my '94 Caprice Estate wagon as well!).
I had a buick park ave with that engine. That was a BIG car and moved well.
I think the supercharged 3800 is a really cool engine on its own. But then ZZP gets in the game and it becomes awesome! I went down a TH-cam rabbit hole recently and they're still advancing that platform. Want a 500hp 3800? Just takes a call and a credit card haha
I have a 2005 Grand Prix GT, NA 3800 and it can pull when needed. The amount of torque steer with just 200 hp is kinda hilarious imo. I hope someday to find an '03 GTP, because I like that generation a lot too.
as a kid, i had a 1999 (or 2000) pontiac grand am coupe and now i have a 99' grand prix
Grand Am enthusiast community is still going strong. *source used to own an Alero, basically the Olds version of a Grand Am*
I would think the 1985 Pontiac Fiero, the famous and unique mid-engine sports car, would be a prime candidate for the show.
That was just a one a done thing they had couple different models most improving on the engine from a inline 4 to a V6
I had an 04 for my first car with a 3.4 v6. That motor never quit.
Funny you say that most say it blows head gaskets but mine is the 3.4 and it’s still going no issues
@@ryans413 right, one of GM most failed motors.
@@taurussho86 Really cause mine still going. Just do your maintenance they are actually pretty reliable and simple motors
@@ryans413 that don't prove shit. Chrysler 2.7l is by far the worse mass produced engine in history, but I bet I can find one that still runs.
@@ryans413 was intake manifold gasket they cheaped out on, other than that it was Bulletproof.
Awesome! I was actually going to request this! My first car was a 1993 Grand Am I bought as a junior in high school in 2002. While we all love our first cars, that thing was a pure piece of junk that I got ripped off on 🤣.
I learned with that car the sinking feeling you get in your stomach when you go to a junkyard to look for parts, and you find they have two rows of cars stacked high of your particular model. Not a great sign of quality or reliability!
I remember there was a guy in the late 2000s with an L67 swapped grand am gt that hurt alot of feelings on the streets in our area
Bahahahahahaha! That’s fucking great
Imagine the look on the guy's face after being smoked by a Grand Am, Great cars! I currently own a white 2008 Pontiac G8 with 65K miles, a 2004 white Grand Am GT coupe with 108K miles, & soon a yellow 2009 G5 with 110K miles. I love driving Pontiac Excitement!👍
I previously owned a 1997 Grand Am , & the original owner of a 2004 Oldsmobile Alero!
Hello from Phoenix Arizona!🔥
You're videos are a huge shot of Nostalgia us Gen X kids need!
5:52 The under-Achieva! 💀
Pontiac Bonneville, if you haven't already covered it. I had a 1987 model that ran really well, even though it was eaten up with rust.
When I was a kid, my mom had a 92' in turquoise and a 96' in metallic pea green. The 92' was pretty bulletproof with the V6, but the 96' even with the same engine was cheaper made and failed us several times in the most random dire circumstances. My mom hated the 99' redesign, so we ended up getting a minivan. Lol. Single mom and only child 🤷♂️ my mom never thought things thru that well sometimes lol. Yet, I drive a 13' Yukon XL for mostly me, myself and I 🤷♂️😎 thankfully mines paid for, but my mother could never understand the concept of negative equity. She just knew that if a dealer asked for a down payment, they were trying to scam her and she "never made a down payment on a vehicle purchase". She'd much rather roll over negative equity from one loan to another, trading in every 3-4 years lol. I find that hard to believe with 500-something credit score. It'll catch up with you eventually 🤣🤣
When I was a kid in the mid 2000s I thought the grand am was one of the coolest cars
SAMEEEEE
My dad had 2 of the boxier variety from the 90s, so any time i heard that name i thought it was cool
Had a brand new 2004 2 door GT when I was 16. Fun car
Tanner Dunn you could get a rear wheel drive Trans Am, GTO, G8 in rear wheel drive. Though i admit I had a 06 Grand Prix GXP and it was front drive and it wasn't good. Car looked awesome but oversteered like a mffr
Tanner Dunn the Trans Am and or Firebird were built in house and rear wheel drive. I agree the G8 n GTO were Australian imports but your original statement was that front drive ruined them. It sure didn't help the cause but thats when front drive became popular and thought to be safer, by those that can't drive. If you can drive and enjoy it rear drive is the best. I also had an SSEI, GTP, GP GXP, GTO, older Grand Ams n Grand Prixs GTOs and the 2004 GT I previously mentioned. I was a huge Pontiac fan its a shame really
I don't know why I have such a special place in my heart for these simple, regular cars of my childhood. Grand Am, Lumina, Stratus, Taurus, etc. Just something about them that feels like a comfort blanket of nostalgia, filling in the cracks of memory. Suppose people older than me feel the same about Cutlasses.
I thought I was the only one. I also feel this way about the 2000 Impala, Intrepid, Grand Prix, Bonneville, and Intrigue. Great cars.
My Grandpa had a blue 1990 Grand Am sedan. It smelled like cigarettes, had massive pieces of paint missing off of the hood. Was the last car he regularly drove before had to give that up.
I'd love to see an episode on the Saturn SC series! I had 1997 SC-2, dark green w/tan interior, it was the first or 2nd year of the 2nd gen SC cars, before the little half door was added behind the driver door. Those cars were everywhere in the late 90's.
You should do the GM minivans (Dustbusters/Montana’s and Ventures)
the cheese wedge
@@JDMHaze they're so unloved in the US, but they're superloved in europe XD
@@TheChill001 If I'm not mistaking they were the first minivans with the. Power sliding doors that you could also open with the remote
@@TheChill001 as well as in China.
I had 3 Pontiac Grand Ams and liked them all but my favorite was my black 1997 2 door. Miss Pontiacs so much.
My '73 , 2 barrel small block all white California Canadian 2 door had the best suspension !
The Poly wheels and opulent bucket seats really made for a sporty driving experience .
I had a 2000 Grand Am GT coupe in red as my first car I bought and owned. The Grand Am will always hold a special place in my heart because of this, thanks for a great video.
I wanted a black GT soooo bad as a teen I could taste it. It was so cool looking.
And now that I know Jean Luc promoted it... I gotta get one.
I had a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero- and ran a website for it. We had several combined car shows with Gran Am owners in the early to mid 2000’s. I have great memories of the community we formed. Cheers for doing this video.
I had 2 Grand Ams in the '90s: a '93 Grand Am SE Coupe and a '98 Grand Am GT Sedan. Both cars had the 3.3 liter V-6 engines and 4 SPD automatic transmissions. Loved those cars.
I'd like to see a review on the Pontiac Grand Prix (if you hadn't already done one).
You're 98 was actually the 3.1L
Pontiac Grand Am: the official car of Nova Scotia Canada
I am Nova Scotian and I can confirm that.
Along with the Sunfire and Alero are the cars of small prairie towns. Even in 2021 I still see high school kids recieving 2003 Grand Ams as their first cars.
Lol
In 1973 I ordered a new Grand Am from Dave Waite Pontiac in Indianapolis. Sitting in the sales office we checked all the boxes for the good stuff like the SD455 and 4 speed manual Trans. It was a black coupe with red leather inside and all the options, the wait time was to have been about 6 weeks. After 9 weeks I got the call the my car was at the dealership , imagine my surprise when my car came with a 400 and auto Trans, and the factory was no longer taking special orders. Needless to say I was pissed, so pissed that I bought a 1973 MGB roadster in British Racing Green and tan leather the very next day, but I still think of that Grand Am that could have been. By the way a few years latter I bought a 1976 Tans Am Aniversary Edition black with the Hurst T tops, 1 of 643.
So many kids had a Grand Am as their first car. It's like part of the 16 year old starter kit.
No joke. I got my '87 SE in the summer of '96 just before my 17th Bday. The original owner took very good care of it. Had 147k on it and still looked and ran as if it were new. The Buick 3.0 was a dog and a gas guzzler but man I drove that car everywhere for 4 years nothing more than new stabilizer bar links
Is love to see a video about the Mazda 626! It’s still around after 40+ years! I had a 1988 626, and I lived that car! It was innovative with things like oscillating vents and 4 wheel steering and turbo models with peppy engines. Lots of history to work with, and variations in other countries (also known as the Capella)
Remember the Mazda Milinia?
Back in the 2000's my wife had a couple Grand Am's, a Quad 4 and a 3.4 V6, her mother also had a Malibu then a Grand Prix with the 3800. I happened to really like them. They were pretty quick for what they were.
A friend had one of these in the 90's. I recall it being very cheap feeling inside. Huge panel gaps and hard plastic. It was inexpensive fun as it sold like crazy. Agree the G8 and S8 were missed opportunities. They seem to be great cars. Thanks for video.
Material is cheap but if you maintain it it holds up
I’m lucky enough to have in my possession a very nice, high option 2009 Pontiac G6 GT, with full GT trim and a 3.5 litre engine. I have it chipped and running no resonator, use only 94 octane available at PetroCanada and it’s a bomb. Wish it had a manual trans, but hey, at least it has the “Tiptronic” select transmission, too bad only a 4 speed. Love this car and will keep it together as long as I can. Why GM cancelled/killed Pontiac, many drivers will never get, but to me, GM wanted Buick to go on with Grandads more expensive land yachts.
My mom had a silver 2001 Grand Am GT. On the body cladding, there were silver plastic letters that spelled out "GRAND AM."
As the loving child I was, realized you could pop off the "GRAND AM," carefully cut the "AM" from the "GRAND" and then separate the "A" and "M." My Dremel tool helped sand the edges down a bit, smoothing them off...right before I reattached all the letters but inverting the "A" and "M." A few months later, I get a very animated phone call from my even more agitated mother demanding that I fix her (now) Pontiac "GRAND MA" back to the original spelling.
I never did.
The name Grand Am could be condidered as a mixture of Grand Prix and Trans Am, but I believe it goes back to the old Grand Am racing series, hence the earlier use of the name.
Ummm the "Grand Am racing series" didn't even start till 1999 so how could a name first used in 1973 be related to that? There was however a "Trans AM road racing series" which has been around since the 1960's for which the Trans Am car was it's namesake
If you take the M and A turn them around put it all together you get Grandma lol
Request the gran prix from the 1970s up until the end of production
Btw- I always like the shout outs to the Canadian market oddballs!
How GM has messed up soooo many models and brands over the years, it's amazing 🤯🤯🤯
Cough Mercury, certain pontiac models were way too far ahead for its time
pretty much what killed them. They were basically competing within the inside, The imports crept up on them and took over.
@@RC_928 Too bad common import cars were so boring to look at. At least Pontiac had some style.
American auto makers are required to pay their union workers bank. On the other hand Asian automakers have gotten corporate welfare for about 40 years (Toyota has been heavily subsidized by the Japanese government), and they hire non-union workers in the US at less inflated wages. Simply put, Asian auto makers can put more capital towards quality materials while staying on budget.
I like the way you always include movies of the day that features such vehicle, which brings me back fond memories.
The '99 GT was my first car I purchased. Loved the hell out of it. Fun to drive.
I used to play music in a band with a guy that had like a 2002 Grand Am GT. We had to stop somewhere we hadn’t intended to on the way to a studio date, and to make it up, we just hammered down and got there. That car was rock-solid when we set the cruise control at 110, haha! It had the nostril intakes and stuff, and it ran pretty good. If you could’ve had it with a stick, it would’ve been a fun car.
One of my buddy's from high school had an '86 SE coupe, white body and wheels with red interior. He had it modified and that thing was flat out fast! It kept up with Dodge Daytona turbos and such. His was also one of the 1st cars in town with a serious stereo in it. This was in 1990, and he had a high powered head unit, amplifier, CD player, and lots of speakers! He took the rear seat back out, put a plywood panel covered in red padded vinyl in it's place, and had 2 15" subs mounted in it. He even mounted tweeters in the headliner. Unfortunately, the car was totaled on a rainy night when he wiped out on a traffic circle. It was a sad day when that legend was gone.
I’m from Scotland but in 1993 when I was visiting family in Canada one of the family had a grand-am it was a nice car to be driven around in I have family in the USA too greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 i remember it was the first car that I was in that had a heads up display
My mom had a '90 or '91 Grand AM, great car. She also had a '85 Sunbird. But here's one for you to try and do, the Pontiac 6000. Good luck on that one.
Honestly, I'd like to see your take on the Astro van.
Woot
My first car was a 1987 Pontiac Grand Am LE 4dr Sedan. My dad first bought it in May 1987 brand new off the showroom floor, and he passed it on to me in the year 2000. He had to replace a transmission and a motor when he had it, and when he gave it to me back in 2000, I had to replace the motor, and in 2002, replace the transmission as well. These cars were known for brake issues an electrical failures, but all and all it was an awesome first car.
First car was so close to being a Grand Am, I remember looking at a ton of used 85-87 coupes at auctions and in the classifieds. Ended up buying a Fiero instead. But when the 4th gen Grand AM GT came out I really wanted one and that didn't go away even with the 5th gen ones. A Girl I worked with got a GT with the RamAir package bought for her by her rich daddy, I was so jealous. I think I was even brought home from the hospital in a Grand Am when I was born, dad had a '74 that I have vague memories of being in (including a traffic stop for speeding when we were driving through the rockies on a road trip)
My mother used to own that 80s model.
Edit yeah I remember that hockey stick speedometer.
I loved the 1999 Grand Am Sedan. The movie Lethal Weapon 4 made me fall in love with it.
Yoooooo I just about lost my mind. Right in the beginning, there is a photo of a 85 grand am with minisota collectors plates. That's my car! I bought it two years ago and that photo was taken right when I got it home!
I got an 02 GT Coupe new off the showroom floor. Had some intake manifold issues before 30k miles then a truck hit it and totalled it out.
You should do the history of the Nissan Maxima and Toyota Avalon/Cressida
I owned both a 3rd gen and 5th gen of the Grand Am. They were damn good cars.
How was reliability and did they have the 3100 or the 3400 motor?
I daily drive a 5th gen Grand Am 164,000 on the clock and it’s going to reach 200,000 no problem the cars held up pretty well it’s a 2004 model so it’s 17 years old it’s got no rust just little surface rust no major rust. Paint is pretty good some spots starting to go but it’s on the bumpers which are plastic so I don’t care too much can always be repainted the body is still good paint there has held up. Engine and Transmission are rock solid still shifts through all the gears like butter and engine still has lots of power with no noises it’s silent
@@ryans413 Thanks very good information
owned both a 92 achieva and a 93 grand am gt coupe such great memories you should do Bonneville next
I had an 05 Grand Am GT!! It was my favorite car thus far!! I miss it so much!!
My roommate’s mother had purchased a 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix Special Touring Edition with a 3.1 Liter V-6 engine, a 4-Speed floor shifted automatic transmission (4) power options seatbelts integrated into the doors (front only, unsure of the back), leather interior, am/fm stereo cassette, trip computer and headlights integrated into the grill.
Loved and miss my 89 Grand AM. I have owned 3 Grand Am a 89, 91, and a 96. My favorite by far was the 89 grand am with the quad 4 in it. Its funny and sad that the Pontiac's were selling but better than the Buick's, Oldsmobile's, and Saturn's at the time they shut them down but they still shut them down. All you see now days is Pontiac tech in all these Buick's and Chevrolet's. The Pontiac I wished I could have owned was the Vibe.
I have own the 1 Pontiac Sunbird, 3 Grand Am's, and 1 grand Prix. Whats so odd is that all my Grand Am's were bought with more than 90- 110k mileage and I put about 50k on each be for I blew head gasket in each of them on them. The Sunbird my first car ever I dont even remember it was stolen right after I paid it off. The 99 Grand Prix I bought with 60k on put about 70k on it through a rod in it then bought a Dodge Caravan. Had kids then. But them Pontiac's cornered so well and loved their performance why they ran.
My very first car was a 90 Grand Am SE with the HO Quad 4 and 5 spd! I absolutely loved that car and greatly miss it to this day and wish I could find a 91 SE like it in decent shape. That Quad 4 was a hell of an engine and I don't care if it wasn't silky smooth like Honda's 4 cyl, because it produced more power any others of that time and pulled hard to it's redline! Sadly, mine had an early death at 44,000 miles when it was totaled in an accident. The 91 model had standard ABS, which the 90 models didn't have and a feature that may have helped me saved mine.
My favorite generation of the grandam was definitely the 1996 model. My least favorite was all post 1999 grand amModels because they took that cheap plastic body clapping to an almost cartoonish level. They looked more cheap than they looked sporty and Either reminded me of a rental car lot or a white trash trailer park. Unfortunately all Grand am and its twin cousins suffered from cheap plastic interiors that leaked like crazy. Every one would get the distinct mildew smell Not too long after being on the road
99 or 98 is when they switched my 99 looked just like a 2004 my 96 was clean I liked it alot but 99 was way fn faster both gts had 4 gtz since I was 18 im 40 now
I loved my 96 Grand Am GT. That thing was fun to drive, but my ex wanted a Buick so I ended up with my other favorite car, the Regal Gran Sport that car was awesome.
I had a 4-4-2 Cutlass Calais (Quad 4, 5-speed) that was a genuinely fun car, maybe an episode on those things is in order?
I had an '89 Cutlass Calais International with the Quad 4. It was a pretty spunky little engine, but it was surrounded by the usual 'engineered to fail' GM crap. After 4 years, virtually everything had failed on it. Last GM product I ever bought.
@@BigRaku Those were pretty much the worst GM products ever made. I’ve had almost nothing but GMs (started buying 5-speed Ford Focuses for work commuters a few years back once the low mile 3800 Regals started getting expensive), I’ve had dramatically less and cheaper to fix vehicle problems than almost anyone I know. GM generally builds a solid product. Like any other manufacturer, you have to get the good models. If you get the junk, you’ll have a bad time.
Punchiest version of the Quad 4 and a Getrag with LSD. Yet it remains unknown, and despite being able to make power, the Quad 4 is a flawed design. (Had more power than the VTEC which came out a few years later, but too many things to go wrong unfortunately.) Finding one in a good driveable condition these days would be rare as hell.
@@pauljs75 Yeah, I bought mine in probably 2004 and blew it up in probably 2006, and even then it was a rare car. I didn’t blow it up doing anything stupid, by the way, it was just a Quad 4. Sigh… if ONLY the Quad 4 could’ve been just a little better designed! It was a runner. Even by todays standards, for a naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder it made good power and had a great, useable power/torque curve.
@@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney I had the Skylark of the second gen N-bodies with a more tame base version of the Quad 4. And still problems. (Of which I ran into two.) Head gasket issues, heads had a tendency to crack between valves and spark-plug, IDI (ignition) modules tended to fail due to heat or moisture problems, and eventually the timing chain would stretch or its tensioner would fail. Kind of a shame to have all that act up, as some parts in the bottom end were known to be robust.
I used to drive a silver 2002 Pontiac Grand Am (SE1 or was SE2 trim). I thought it looked quite sporty for a sedan that used to be a rental car. The red back lit instrument cluster and gauges looked awesome. It sure made night driving a lot easier on my eyes. Though I have to say it didn't age well after 11 years of owning it. If there was one car I wish you can make a video about, I'd say the good ol' Chevy Celebrity would be a great candidate.
the funny thing is about the grand am every person in my family had one at some point lol i do currently have a 2016 chevy SS (basically a 4 door corvette) i absolutly love the V8 manual beast the aussies got sports car rite in my book its not just a car you can enjoy you can haul your buddies or family along for the ride i used to have a G8 but it got totaled after a chick in a small car tboned me sad too i loved the agressive look it had the benifits of it didnt stop at power it was extreemly roomy inside and a big trunk too fast and practical family car i love the thing
Was a teen in the 80’s and remember when the GA came out. Even today I think the 80’s model was a very sleek and sharp looking body style. Would love to find a Turbo SE in good shape.
Yeah I remember that commercial when I was 10. lol It is so catchy and hard to forget.
It's just a classy looking car.
I bought a 2005 Grand Am SE back in December 2008 from Carmax and it was my favorite car I ever owned that was until I let my younger brother borrow it and he wrecked it just 3 months after I paid it off. After owning 2 crappy cars a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire and 2007 Honda Accord (salvage title) I'm currently driving a 2003 GMC Sierra which I've had for a year as of today.
I had a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am GT. Build it up to the SC/T specs With the spoiler and the hood. The SCT model that was shown at Sema and elsewhere was to have a Eaton supercharger in it. I was able to snag one of only 12 that were made for the 3400 series engines. Pontiac was looking at renaming the whole entire SC/T sport version as the next GTO. You can check out an article in car and driver magazine if I remember correctly. This was before they decided to go with the Holden platform for the GTO.
I absolutely loved my Grand Am and it’s styling. I never really had a problem with the car at all until 2016 when I was riding down the road and the hood popped up at 80 miles an hour, smashing my windshield, obliterating my sunRoof, and denting the body between the sunroof and the windshield. So insured‘s totaled my car out.
Haha I loved my 89 Pontiac Grand Prix. The quad four was a potent little monster.
Amazing just how out of touch some executive board members are with reality. Pontiac was a respected performance name and Oldsmobile was the poor man's caddy. GM had an old expression that almost destroyed them. " What's good for GM is good for America: Really a shame when they shut down Pontiac and Saturn,
With all the EV tech coming in these days the Saturn name would of been a perfect fit. Heck the Chevy Volt would of been more interesting as a Saturn.
I bet if GM brought Pontiac back they make tones of money again go back to at least the 4th 5th gen and bring back Grand AMs Grand Prix Trans AMs too start
Currently owned and still in daily use is my 1994 Buick Regal sedan with just 102K original miles showing. Although it's body is a bit beat up after taking multiple strikes from a rare tornado in my area just outside of Philadelphia, PA about 4 months ago, it still soldiers on. 3800 V6 with 170 hp. Great in the cold white stuff with appropriate tires up front and decent enough oomph to easily contend with this congested area's traffic. Not my only car, but the one I rely on the most for a wide variety of day to day use.
I owned a lot of these cars, I owned a 1993, a 1999, and a 2001 Grand Am and a also a 2006 G6.
My dad had a early 90’s one and a 99. I thought it was a cool car.
Subaru SVX or Justy would be awesome
A video on the box cars?
Soul, Element. xB, Cube and Flex?
And how the Soul succeeded where the others failed.
that's a good idea, however the flex reminds me of the Toyota Venza, because it was somewhat a niche vehicle that came just a little too soon.. in the flex/Venza every person I ever met they owned one love them and regretted ever trading or selling them
I had a Silver 1999 SE2 V6 Sedan that was rear ended and totaled out in early 2008. It was probably one of the best cars I ever had and I still miss it to this day.
Love your work mate, I have binged everyone of your episodes. Keep up the amazing work and thank you.
I graduated from High School in 2002. You couldn't escape Pontiac's at that time, especially the Grand Am. We had a really nice road that all the kids took 'laps' on. A friend and myself would sit at the Dairy Queen and count the Pontiac's as they drove by.
Love my 03 grand am with the 3.4 v6, runs so smooth and I love the now classic-looking interior and just the sound of the engine when it starts up, so cool 😎
My mom had a 1986 Ruby red Cutlass Calais. It was a nice looking car. It had the anemic iron duke four banger.
I bought a 2003 Grand Am with the Ecotec for $100 a few years ago.
Car ran absolutely perfect, even after sitting for years.
I put it in a local derby and it still ran perfectly at the end of it. Even though it was rusted and destroyed
I had an 04 as my first car, it got totaled and I still have it, it held its own again other taildragger sedans on back roads. Not fast on the highway but very balanced for high speed back roads and rally driving.
Your videos are getting better and better! Keep up the great work! And I hope you do one on the Pontiac Fiero!
I drive my 03 for 250k miles. That v6 was such a great engine! If I could set cruise to 80 mph, I’d get like 35mpg. I miss that car!
I had a 91 and a 2001. Fun Cars. 80's Pontic commercials were the best. Young, sexy people go out to party, jumping in a sporty Trans Am, Grand AM or Sunbird GT. Even the music was awesome. I still watch those commercials sometimes. I need to go watch one now.
Being a Pontiac guy great video keep em coming 💪💪💪💪
Very popular cars from 85-05. We had a new 1999 loaded coupe that I used for commuting and it was excellent in the snow,comfortable, good mpg and handled too. Other than the dreaded intake manifold gasket on early 3400’s (covered under warranty), the only problems were the front rotors that constantly warped due to being under engineered for the car and the ignition key tumbler seized up….
Miss my first car, a two tone red 1989 Chrysler LeBaron 4cyl turbo with sunroof, digital display plush red interior, had so many great memories in that car. Would love to see an episode on that.
Since you already did a video on the Ford Thunderbird, how about do a video on its sister car, the Mercury Cougar?
God my parents had a '81 lemans couple with the small block 305 V8 engine which I thought was great until my mom got into a accident
I learned a lot from this video. Thanks for sharing, I appreciate you. Look forward to others
These were all over my high school parking lot in the mid 00’s. Ironically, you don’t see much anymore. yet much older Camrys and Accords are still around.