I think I bought a lemon...

[Chris]

So, I've been getting more and more depressed about my GP purchase (2002 GT) lately. Now that I've spent a lot of time reading up on my car and seeing literally hundreds of these on the road... I can't help but feel I ended up with a gimp of a car.
Every damned car I see looks sweet compared to mine. Hell, I even saw four of them parked at a Tim Hortons in Newcastle and they looked like some of the nicest ones I've seen, even on these forums. They're everywhere here... and I have been comparing some things (obviously not the SD hoods and other mods, but standard stuff).

Yes, I know my car needs to be washed... it's on my agenda for today.

First off is the antenna that I posted about a few weeks ago... I haven't seen another GP on the road YET that has one. Every car I've seen has the built in one in the windshield (as does mine I think, but I can't figure out where to hook it back up, nor am I ready to deal with the damned hole that'll be left in my quarter panel).



Then there is my steering wheel. Maybe I'm wrong, but I didn't think GT's came with a steering wheel of this type:



This has got to be the most austere steering wheel I've ever seen. Every other one I've looked into has had a more squarish airbag area, different spoke pattern and controls on the wheel (I thought audio controls were standard in GT's).

Anyway... this leads to my drivers seat:



Again, I may be wrong, but I thought that power seat adjustments were standard equipment on GT's of this year? I can see a plug underneath just hanging around - I assume for the power seat connection.
Again, every other GT I've seen the inside of has had these controls...

This got me thinking that maybe my car had been in an accident and had the front seats and steering wheel replaced? I haven't purchased a report on it up to this point (and besides, what would be the point now that I have it? Except to piss me off of course )
This train of thought was spurred on by my examining the passenger side airbag cover... It's not what I'd say is exactly fitting. The cover is a bit warped at the edges and the back area (towards the windshield) is raised enough for me to be able to fit my finger tips into.
I've looked specifically at this point on other GT's I've come across and they look as tight as possible.
When I was getting my recalled retainer fixed yesterday there were three others waiting to be picked up and I checked all of these things.





And last but not least...
I was going over my car checking out the paint condition, getting ready to fix some chips and such. I notice that my left rear quarter panel has been repainted. It doesn't look like very high up (as in still below the gas cover). It looks like there was some rust at the top of the wheel well that was bondo'd or something.
There is a lot of overspray on my drivers door and even on the roof that needs to come off. It's not the kind of thing you notice until you're about ready to claybar the surface.
There is also a great line inside the drivers side, rear door frame, next to the quarter panel latch. It goes down the entire thing and the paint ridge is large enough to feel (poor masking job). There are also some clear coat drips near the seams here and there. I suspect a Maaco job - which reinforces the whole accident thing too...

So, when I'm looking at my paint, I notice my front bumper, passenger side, is all spiderwebbed. There is no paint chipping, but I'm not sure I can fix it with a polisher or if it needs to be totally repainted.
Perhaps someone with greater painting knowledge would care to chime in...




So... yeah... that's my rant for today.
I know with a bunch of money and a hella lot more TLC I can get this thing back up and in non-embarassing condition.
Can someone please put my fears to rest regarding the seat and steering wheel at least? If they were at least options when the car was new, it would put me at ease about the rear left repaint... hoping it was only a bit of rust.

Cheers All,
Chris

[99prixgt]

Not all GT's were equiped with power seats. 97 gp's had that exterior antena like you have. The square center steering wheel like I have is standard on all GP's from 97-00

[Chris]

Thanks for the reply... any idea if these were options/standard on 2002 models?

Cheers,
Chris

[stlmo_gtp]

i have a 98 and i definatly don't have a steering wheel like that idk why all the others that i see have those type here is what mine looks like :

[Lawngoose]

i have that steering wheel on my 02. no quarter panel antenanna, just the one in the rear glass

[J GTP]

I would keep the external antenna. I think the one in the windshield is kinda crappy. I get a lot of static on most stations. If I jump in my mothers car, with a normal antenna, they all come in fine.

I was thinking that it might be a cool mod to get one of the powered antennas that raise up and down. I'm not sure if it would fit, but you could prob find one cheap at a junkyard. IIRC, the Olds Alero's and higher end Ford Taurus' had them.

[Chris]

stlmo_gtp, yes, that's the kind I've been seeing.
So, perhaps it's the case that unless you purchased the stereo controls option you received the plain wheel (albeit with different style airbag too). Maybe it was an interior package option that included the power seats as well.
My stock stereo was the high end version though, the cd player with equalizer - I figured the controls on the steering wheel would go hand-in-hand with the upgraded stereo.

Lawngoose, were you referring to my wheel or the one directly above your post by stlmo_gtp?

I have considered getting a new antenna - something like the shorty or fin style to keep it down...
The one that's on there now is so damned chunky... it looks like a marine aftermarket antenna, heh.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Cheers,
Chris

[stlmo_gtp]

it's weird because i have that steering wheel but the basic stereo, you would think that it would have made more sense to give that steering wheel to cars with the upgraded unit

[TehGTP]

im pretty sure that steering wheel you have is of the 97-98 variety.
as far as your seats go...well i assume you just have the most base model GT offered.
i assume you dont have HUD and a sunroof and standard stereo option?
do you have rear defrost?

i dont quite know what to say about your antenna though...for your year you should have it on the back glass i would think..

my 01 is a premium optioned car with EVERYTHING except the special edition option which was all visual enhancements.

[ohioGTP]

i have a 97 GTP and it has the radio controls in the steering wheel....

[The Guz]

That steering wheel was standard on later years. I believe somewhere around 01 or so. As someone stated you might have a very low end model GT. You can always upgrade the interior to leather and power seats. The rear antenna is not a big deal. I prefer the look of the shorty antenna myself than the one you have. It does look like the bumper was hit since the paint is cracking like that. Good luck with the car. Mod it correctly and to your liking. Then you can have one of the nicest GT's in your area.

[BwolfGT]

Seems like you did get ripped off...I have a '98 GT, and my seats are power, heated, leather (the heater/leather I think were options though), and I have that more square steering wheel with the audio controls like STLMO's, the built-in antenna, and a sunroof. So I'd think your 2002 should have all those things and more?
Get that history report maybe it was in an accident. Or you got lied to about the year ha.

[Lawngoose]

Lawngoose, were you referring to my wheel or the one directly above your post by stlmo_gtp?

I was referring to your steering wheel.

PM me your vin, and i might be able to check some resources for you.

[beast55]

wow thats weird my car has everything urs dont mine has radio contols on steering wheel power seats, no antenna, etc

[Chris]

Thank you all for replying!

i assume you dont have HUD and a sunroof and standard stereo option?
do you have rear defrost?

LOL... yeah... I have rear defrost. :P But no - no sunroof or HUD.

As I mentioned previously, I had the CD player with optional 5-band equalizer controls, which was an upgrade option I think.

wow thats weird my car has everything urs dont mine has radio contols on steering wheel power seats, no antenna, etc

I could have sworn I read that the standard equipment for the GT's included the things mentioned by you Beast55.
I could see the SE version (which I've seen some around here too) not including many of these things, but the GT's and GTP's included them.

Could be wrong...

Does anyone have links to the original car options or ordering info, pontiac pr release info etc?

Cheers,
Chris

[TCO]

The rear antenna was only on early 1997's and thereafter they were in the rear window. It is possible that your seat and wheel were replaced because I can't imagine Pontiac running wiring all they way to your seat and putting in a regular seat.

[Chris]

So, I found this:
2002 Pontiac Grand Prix Standard Equipment and Specs

Not sure about the accuracy, but it reads pretty official.
Note that the base 2002, GT standard equipment includes power seats, and the antenna in-window.

In the available options section, it looks like I have at least a "1SA" GT Base Equipment Group - minus the steering wheel with controls (and the aforementioned seats and antenna).

I have a Frankenstein car!

I suppose I can find and replace these things to get it back to where it "should" be, LOL.

Cheers,
Chris

[TCO]

It would be tough to get rid of the antenna that you have now because you would have to weld in a new plate, bondo it, smooth it, and repaint it.

[1998xGTP]

It does look like the bumper was hit since the paint is cracking like that..

It looks as though it was either hit, OR it had a bra and saw a lot of sunlight. I have taken of the covers and had spider-cracks and a ton of paint fade exactly like that.

Off topic, where about in On?

[BwolfGT]

It's almost like someone took a 97 SE and sold it you as an 02 GT ha