1997 Pontiac Grand Am Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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User reviews for 1997 Pontiac Grand Am
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by Anonymous
Nov 29, 2014
good car ..but ..engine 3.1 v6 sfi ,, is not the best ... alots of 3.1 has head gasket trouble issus
and some prematured rust on the rear fender ,,good for traveling or go to work,, fun to customize. it ... medium cost on gasNov 29, 2014
by Anonymous
Aug 20, 2013
Until this problem with the lock cylinder, the care has been great . It only needs work occassionally and gets good gas mileage. The suspension has been good despite it's age.
Recent maintenance has included front brakes, tires, battery, plugs, and MAP sensor.Aug 20, 2013
by Anonymous
May 21, 2012
This is a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am, cheap work car, has new AC compressor however, still does not work, someone said something about an expansion valve? Have issues with the windows getting off track, however if you need an inexpensive vehicle to drive back and forth to work, it will get you there.May 21, 2012
User rating:
by Anonymous
Nov 29, 2014
good car ..but ..engine 3.1 v6 sfi ,, is not the best ... alots of 3.1 has head gasket trouble issus
and some prematured rust on the rear fender ,,good for traveling or go to work,, fun to customize. it ... medium cost on gasNov 29, 2014
by Anonymous
Aug 20, 2013
Until this problem with the lock cylinder, the care has been great . It only needs work occassionally and gets good gas mileage. The suspension has been good despite it's age.
Recent maintenance has included front brakes, tires, battery, plugs, and MAP sensor.Aug 20, 2013
by Anonymous
May 21, 2012
This is a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am, cheap work car, has new AC compressor however, still does not work, someone said something about an expansion valve? Have issues with the windows getting off track, however if you need an inexpensive vehicle to drive back and forth to work, it will get you there.May 21, 2012
by Anonymous
Nov 02, 2011
I own the 2.4L v-4 automatic edition. She has 162k+ miles. Have owned her since 15. Now 20. I have fixed many different things on the car. Nothing more than once, minus the brakes. Not a bad look. Pretty proud of my grand am, keep it cleaned and well maintained and it paid off. This car has a lot of power left. I think it will rust out before it dies. Upstate NY winters aren't fun for that aspect but I find if you are safely driving you can make it in some tough snow/ice. For a 2.4L it picks up and goes. I'm still able to max out at 115. It never leaves me stranded. Only twice, my starter went, and my ignition wouldn't give me my key so I had to leave the key in it causing the battery to die needing a jump. Pretty simple car to park. A bit longer than others. If your buying this car know that you will eat brake pads. Be sure to solve any issue/noise right away as this keeps the car at it's maximum potential. I don't like the handling. Taking slow turns is a must. My steering wheel always goes off to the right or left. Avoid pot holes at all cost.Small back seats make it not a family car. Passenger side is such a small area. Back seats don't go down. Bumpy ride. My transmission is in pretty good shape, little pull but nothing major. I do suggest this car to people. Be sure to maintain and it will give you the ride of your life.Nov 02, 2011
by Amber Z
Aug 13, 2011
I love the interior and the exterior of the car. Its performance was very good, as well. Cost to own this vehicle was very affordable. I also love to drive this car because it was a good looking car with a pretty good engine under the hood.Aug 13, 2011
by Anonymous
Apr 28, 2011
This is my 3rd Grand Am... have had nothing but good luck with these cars! Best of all, I only paid $400.00 for this one! Would be a great car for the daily driver and would recomend people to go out and buy one.Apr 28, 2011
by Seán G
Nov 13, 2010
Fast, but very plastic-like interior. Decent on gas. 2 months of owning this
car and very low maintenance cost. Overall car is practical. Easy to drive as
it is very low to the ground. Would recommend to anyone. Keep the
pontiac spirit alive!Nov 13, 2010
by Carrie F
Nov 13, 2010
Braking needs a lot of work done to it yet. I've been having problems with the rear drum brakes locking up when I barely press on the brakes. The front rotors must be warped because there is definite shake-age.
I have had more repairs into this car than you can imagine. It now has a new fuel filter, fuel pump, starter relay, I believe the 3rd relay is now replaced, new battery, ground wires had to be re-done and there is a shortage somewhere that I'm about to get looked at, It is now burning oil. I have had issues with the RPMs spiking and then the car shutting down.
The car looks fairly good. No vanity rust but the clear coat is peeling off at the edges especially.
Gas mileage is about 20 MPG. Typical maintenance.
The car is fun to drive on back roads. Things get really interesting when ya pull the e-brake at night... headlights turn off... found that by accident. Good times!Nov 13, 2010
by Dylan A
Oct 27, 2010
hard to find aftermarket parts for but other than that i love it not real fast but mins is lowered 4 inches so its fun to drive anyway lots of interior room for passengers and whatnot as well. i would definetly recomend itOct 27, 2010
by Dan D
Sep 22, 2010
its a fun car to drive easy 2 work on and parts r cheap hardley ever breaks down
change the oil every 3k and she runs great should easily get me to 300 thousand
miles before it bites the dust motor in it is a 3.1L sfi ohv V6Sep 22, 2010
by Anonymous
Jul 31, 2010
i love this plan to have for many years to come. this has top performance and a great gas miledge car. it is a must to buy! its always great to see alot of them around yet. thanks for lookingJul 31, 2010
by Steve B
Jul 26, 2010
Over all, the car is sporty, has nice curves and is fun to drive. I just think that for a manual tranny, they should have made the car a little wider, guys over 210lbs tend to crush their grapes while shifting.Jul 26, 2010
by Joel O
Jul 25, 2010
This car is just plan fun to drive and handles well. It use to be under powered but I changed that a few years ago. The car is now costing me more then it is worth but what should I expect from a car with 200,000 miles and is almost 14 years old. Jul 25, 2010
by Christian M
Jul 15, 2010
Nice 2 door gt but not as much power as the 3400 it had a 3100 which was always loud and humming however it made up for it with its amazing body style still love the mid 90s gts but the ride was rough was as rough as others but could use some suspension work.Jul 15, 2010
by Cornelius V
Jun 29, 2010
Its not bad its older with not alota of rust and the body is ok on it... interior is great and its great to drive. i love this car when it rains or snows cuz its funner than hell drifting lolJun 29, 2010
by Jim E
Jun 07, 2010
A decent car. Quality, for being plastic and sheet metal wasn't all that bad. The 2.4, 4L is pretty quick if you drive it right. The temp gauge is funky, the fan kicks on when the needle is about 80% of the way up, freaked me out when it first happened to me. if you can shine her up real nice, you can almost beproud of it.Jun 07, 2010
by Abigail H
May 01, 2010
My car is a hoop d ride. missing half the front bumper runs like crap has a cazillion miles on it and costs too much never buy one again. the only good grand am is the pontiac grand prix gtp 3.8May 01, 2010
by Jeffrey B
Mar 01, 2010
Well It work good when it works but other then that its a pretty crappy car. I just got it to get back and fourth and around. When my dodge ram let go I had to get a car and this is what I got.Mar 01, 2010
by Thierry B
Feb 12, 2010
Po de transmission manuelle dans le 3.1 déplorable pour les show de boucane. Sa pete tout le temps criss de gasket de tete. Dépasser kk1 sa jamais été un trouble parempe. Barré a 185 comme toute les v6 automatique.
mais cétait bien le fun a conduire.Feb 12, 2010
by Frank M
Dec 11, 2009
Good cheap car that is reliable, somewhat sporty, and cheap on gas and insurance. It does the quarter mile in 15.9 seconds at 83 miles per hour at Gateway International Raceway. Most of all the car is made in United States.Dec 11, 2009
by Ethan H
Aug 25, 2009
For a first car, I really enjoyed my grand am. The overall performance of it was pretty well up there but needed a lot of work done to the wheels for brakes and such. Gas mileage wasn't too bad, only had to fill up once I reached Calgary. It was my daily driver and it did the job well. Overall comfort wasn't too bad, cup holders weren't that big but I don't usually have pop or juice when I am driving so I am not complaining. Bought the car with 192,xxx km on it and the car was wrecked in a car accident from extreme weather conditions after owning it for about a year. I made the car my own by replacing the audio system with aftermarket hardware and added some extra bass in the trunk. All in all, I wished that I still had that car because it was a car that fit my personality.Aug 25, 2009
by Steve P
Jul 09, 2009
I love this car so much more that my previous car. It is better than the Celebrity in so many ways. Pretty good performance. Pretty good quality, a lot of new parts. Appearance it great with almost no flaws. Pretty good gas mileage and low maintenance. I love driving this car.Jul 09, 2009
by Jim W
Jul 08, 2009
My first car. This car lived a hard life and never left me stranded. This car was bought heavily used, then wrecked into a tree and then driven home from the accident. The V6 made it quicker than my friends cars, and the broken parts gave it personality. Jul 08, 2009
by Shaun S
Jun 25, 2009
drives amazingly, good on gas, plenty of power for a small car, many of upgrade opportunities, handles great on curvy roads, and is one of the funnest cars i have ever drove in my life, great car for anyone, overall an excellent car.Jun 25, 2009
by Paul S
May 18, 2009
Check engine light coming on for an evap code was annoying. That was the cannister and the vent valve. Then it was the minimum air rate that was too low causing small evap leak. So i set that and all is well. Paint is still origional with 260,000 km's on it. So is the complete exhaust system.May 18, 2009
by Travis W
Mar 23, 2009
This car has had too many problems since I bought it. The performance is okay, although currently the braking doesn't really work at all. It has average acceleration and speed. It isn't anything special, but it gets the job done.Mar 23, 2009
by Lauren Q
Dec 17, 2008
It was ok for a first car but it was not that great. It drives well and the newer versions are better looking and drive better. The braking was horrible but the acceleration was good. The appearance was alright. the gas mileage when i got it was ok, better than most cars its age. Dec 17, 2008
by Logan J
Dec 12, 2008
its a decent car that will get you from A to B bit if it isnt taken care of it wont last its pretty good on gas and i dont mind the power it has so hey go for it plus big trunkDec 12, 2008
by Chris A
Sep 26, 2008
its a 1997 grand am gt green in color with factory 16 inch rims. The car has pretty good handling and power with a pretty good sound system. It could use a newer paint job and bigger rims. I would like to lower it sometime soon and get it to handle better.Sep 26, 2008
by Nick B
Aug 29, 2008
Hey, for what it is with 132k miles, it aint all bad. It's a beast when it comes to accidents (I should know, I've gotten into 3 of them0 and it just won't die.
Decient on the gas mileage and power, but I'll be looking for something that's got a little bit more under the hood for the next one. It's great for just a one person car, but anything more that 2-3 people can get kinda crammed.Aug 29, 2008
by Shawn K
Aug 05, 2008
acceleration could be better ... overall speed is not so great. one thing i like about it is the hand E-brake and also the front wheel drive is good for getting unstuck but not so much for drifting which is so much fun. I would like a new car but this one will do for now. it is a grey-blue Aug 05, 2008
by Nick H
Aug 03, 2008
After my Neon experience, I began looking to a manual transmission. My red Grand Am GT was perfect (except for the 2DR style). It handled great and lasted forever. Upon my return from Iraq, the A/C shot craps and I had to decide if I wanted to fix it or trade it in. It was low maintenance and fun to driveAug 03, 2008
by Anonymous
May 22, 2008
I bought this as my third car, compared to my two last ones it is the best car i've ever owned. Not fun to drive in the wind.May 22, 2008
by Edward D
Apr 21, 2008
its been in the family all its life, never abused... even though shes a 97, she still has alot of power in her... i wouldn't trade this car for anything in the worldApr 21, 2008
by Kelsey F
Apr 20, 2008
Nice car not fast enough for my taste though.Apr 20, 2008
by Anonymous
Mar 09, 2008
This has been a great car for all types of travelingMar 09, 2008
by Ricky M
Feb 10, 2008
I've had this car for about 2 years and when I first got it I loved it. It had exhaust installed so it had a decent quiet growl and also had good acceleration. I've read that it gets about 18mpg City and like 22mpg highway...but the way i drive it gets like 15/20 instead (light turns green and i'm gone). I really want to get a new car and I'm currently looking for either a truck or sports carFeb 10, 2008
by Thomas D
Jan 25, 2008
Right now, it's grounded. It has a possible broken head gasket. I gotta wait 'till I get some extra money to take it into the garage and get it fixed. I bout the car the end of summer 2006. It was it good condition, though I had to replace the ignition moduale shortly after I bought it. It didn't cost much to certify. It has a little over 300000 clicks on it now. If I can get the problem fixed, I'd say it's a good first car.Jan 25, 2008
by Adam R
Jan 08, 2008
Gets you from point A to B with no problems.Jan 08, 2008
by Anonymous
Nov 28, 2007
appears to be a good car-but have not had it longNov 28, 2007
by Anonymous
Sep 26, 2007
My 97 Grand Am ran good and in 5 years, it never really gave me any problems. Then I sold it and in less than a month, they tore it all up.Sep 26, 2007
by Anonymous
Jul 26, 2007
I like this style of car it is sleek and low to the ground it has a lot of potential to be the car I want. Jul 26, 2007
by Anonymous
Jun 13, 2007
I bought this car used for $3500. Now 2 months into owning it, I have this issue with the cylinder 3 misfire.Jun 13, 2007
by Anonymous
Apr 22, 2007
awesome sporty little gt car thats fully loaded good looking pretty quick and has room for my three kids.it also has goodyear eagle gt 205 55r16'sApr 22, 2007
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1997 Pontiac Grand Am Pricing
Original MSRP
$15,259 to $16,499Price range
N/AAverage price on CG
N/AYoY price change
N/ATrims & specs
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt-only · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-only · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: leather
Tires and Rims
Wheels: alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Rear Seats
Type: bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: leather
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent