are these cars just crap?

[99prixgt]

You could be a Taurus owner and have the dooming prospect of the transmission wadding up the gear train and pooping it into the pan.

I have a taurus, the car is good. My last one, the trans went at 140k.

You could be a Ford Contour/mystique owner and face the possibility of the car having every problem under the sun.

LOL! i had a mystique, holy **** ive never spent so much money repairing basically everything, then the motor took a poopie

My car, the real only major thing i replaced was the transmission. It lost 4th, i could have fixed it on the cheap but i really wanted a tep trans with upgrades, i even tried killing the old trans (when it was still in the car) i couldn't do it, i beat it for 4 months. Oh and replacing the lifters (127k) when i added the m90. My car now has 150k and going strong. My high compression L36 has seen 15* of knock on the dyno and street more than "just once"

[randybill]

instead of complaining, i'll list what problems i've experienced with my 155xxx mile 2000 grand prix. i'll list what i've done to fix those issues to help others out.

1. ignition key getting stuck in ignition
1a. fixed with some zip ties after i tired of using a screwdriver to take the key out everytime i used the car
2. taillights and brake lights had no power but the cal light still activated
2a. fixed by replacing faulty hazard button
3. rear passenger side window stopped working
3a. fixed by replacing regulator due to the original cable wore through the plastic. imho- the factory should have used a pulley instead of just wrapping the cable around a piece of nylon/plastic
4. intermittent stalling P0102 code tripped
4a. fixed by replacing the maf twice since the replacement maf's were bad too!
5. driver side window only rolls down
5a. metered out wires- reversed voltage with test leads to roll window back up- conclusion- replace switch (looking for used switch)
6. heater blows cold
6a. not fixed yet... replaced heater core and heater hoses something else is still clogged. ***update 10pm cst- heater fixed. the return on the engine was also clogged http://www.grandprixforums.net/heater-core-41629.html
7. wheel bearing noise
7a. replaced driver side wheel bearing

[mechguy]

Wow, great thread.

When my 03 GTP breaks, which is rare, I fix it myself.

I have a buddy with a new VW something or other turbo, with a 6 speed dsg trans. The trans has already failed twice under warranty which without warranty would cost thousands. He says it shifts like somebody learning to drive a standard trans.

That's a new car.


Edit: A family member has a VW diesel, still on warranty. They told him the turbocharger is almost finished. The car has less than 90k miles.

[gtpinsc]

the fact that all issues we have are so easy to diagnose and can be fixed easily keeps me around. ive owned some sort of 3800 for the past 8-9 years.. only major issues were 3 trannys in gtp.. one motor in gtp.. lim on gtp... all gtp issues were caused from me beating on it... killed a trans in my 97 GT.. and my old bonne had like 300k on it when i sold it... never had a major issue with that one. nothing major on the 05 GP "yet"

[Slowpoke]

Wow, great thread.

When my 03 GTP breaks, which is rare, I fix it myself.

I have a buddy with a new VW something or other turbo, with a 6 speed dsg trans. The trans has already failed twice under warranty which without warranty would cost thousands. He says it shifts like somebody learning to drive a standard trans.

That's a new car.


Edit: A family member has a VW diesel, still on warranty. They told him the turbocharger is almost finished. The car has less than 90k miles.

Like this?
http://www.grandprixforums.net/bad-car-day-42819.html

[mechguy]

Like this?
http://www.grandprixforums.net/bad-car-day-42819.html

Yup.

Hey, that was a pretty smart post for a Ford guy. An especially smart post for yourself.

[matt5112]

oldish thread.

[Slowpoke]

Yup.

Hey, that was a pretty smart post for a Ford guy. An especially smart post for yourself.

The dumb ford guy huh? Untwist your panties there champ, I was just messing with you. You don't see the irony?

[Big Dave]

Wow... There are so many things to whine about... Ok... First, I think this just happened:
OP: If a site exists to solve problems with a car it must mean cars break! I want to go back to my moms safe safe womb!
50% responders: Nuh uh... My car is perfect because i'm romantically linked to it... Marriage takes compromise!!
Other 50%: Well you know it's all relative to time, or the aurora borealis, or swamp gas on a weather balloon... After all you can't beat a dead horse in a drink...

It looks like this whole post was meant to make the poster feel good about turning his back on his current car... He thinks he wants a new one... What he really wants is a magic carpet free of any need or responsibility... Something that will actually run forever and be the coolest thing at his dorm... The idea that all cars are made of metal and fire by primates frightens and confuses him...

Defending the car or going off on some tangent about how much better it is than another car is not helping at all... OP doesn't care... Cost benefit of fix vs. replace? Waste of time... It made a noise and the response was to go on the inter-webiverse and bark in the dark about how only this kind of car would ever do that right, RIGHT?? In a panic situation, hearing that a car that isn't in your driveway eating your money works fine is like showing the food network to starving children...

So my answer to this question is yes... These cars suck... If you will sleep better at night having something different go for it... I promise you this car will break down, over and over, at the worst possible time it could do so... This is because it is a car... They only break in response to use...

So find a car that someone says is perfect, avoid doing any research on it at all, buy and drive it, and hope for the best... Every car that exists has people that swear by them and people that wouldn't bother to set one on fire... By the substance, and very existence of your question combined with the population you asked it of it can only be concluded that you can't live with this car...

P.S. Mine has 200k on it and runs fine... But mine is mine... And mine only needs blah blah blah... ... ...

[Poil336]

[ZR1Vette09]

The dumb ford guy huh? Untwist your panties there champ, I was just messing with you. You don't see the irony?

Yeah for a Ford guy, you're alright

[MrPoopyButthole]

Buy a 2004+...it has way less problems not that 97-03's have alot of problems either.

[blueguy]

Yup.

Hey, that was a pretty smart post for a Ford guy. An especially smart post for yourself.

You sure that isn't a self portrait in your avatar? Why the knocking on a guy who knows plenty more about a platform he doesn't even own? Pot; meet kettle.

[Teardrop]

Seems I read these GPs have a habit of losing 4th gear?
Well now THAT is something to look forward to.
Don't know if mine has ever been fixed or not I have had it maybe 6 months of it's 17 year life.

[mechguy]

You sure that isn't a self portrait in your avatar? Why the knocking on a guy who knows plenty more about a platform he doesn't even own? Pot; meet kettle.

He poked a couple of times, so I jabed.

Just send a PM if you have an issue to discuss.

[Slowpoke]

He poked a couple of times, so I jabed.

Just send a PM if you have an issue to discuss.

I see what you did there....

[siLversLeigh]

the only thing GM messed up on the GTP was w/the eaton blower, more specifically the lack of a BF interchangable hub setup.

should've been factory option

[Slowpoke]

the only thing GM messed up on the GTP was w/the eaton blower, more specifically the lack of a BF interchangable hub setup.

should've been factory option

+36


Becca, you're doing it wrong.

[SDGTP99]

^^^That and the 97-03 GTP should've come with larger front brakes.

[Aeroheadcww]

I think maybe the whole concept of "this is a known issue" is what has you mislead. I don't think that when this phrase is used that it means that it was a problem when it rolled off the line. Rather, I think it means that it is a common wear item, or weak point after modding.

All cars have things that go bad, I had a 1989 Buick Reatta that was as predictable as the sunrise, if I listed in order the things that went wrong with it then I bet 90% of the Reattas out there followed in the same order and age. Point being, saying "it is a known issue" basically means that you should expect it to fail after a certain amount of time, as with any vehicle. It doesn't mean it was a crappy car, it just got old and wore out in a highly predictable fashion.

Also keep in mind that a lot of the posters here have heavily modded their GPs. An unmodded GP will likely never have any major failures in the drivetrain. But then if you are pushing 300+ HP on a pre-03 tranny then it is a "known issue" that the 4th shaft is weak. Not that it would ever fail in stock configuration but any builder needs to address weak points when modding.

Just an added point, in my mechanical engineering program in college, the manufacturing advisors who worked with Toyota told us that it is common industry practice to engineer a car to last 7 years. Anything more than 7 years should be considered a bonus. They made no mention of design milage. Basically what this means is that blower motor brushes, for example, are designed to last through 7 years of average use. Plastic trim clips and dash panels will get brittle and crack after 7 years of UV exposure and heat cycles. This is common practice for most vehicles sold in the US, not just GM. Just something to consider.