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What do you NOT like about the '97-'03 G.Ps?

Purple Plazma

Purple Plazma

New member
We've just done the what do you most like thread, how about all the negative issues. My first G.P was purchased brand new in '98, was a 2 door GT and I only kept it for a bit over a year due to financial issues. Never had any problems with it that I remember.
My current one, another '98 2 door is a GTP and I bought it with 79K miles on it. I've only driven it about 375 miles. And damn, has it got some serious issues! Engine and trans seem to run normally, but the leaking into the interior issue and especially the rust/rot issues damn near made me want to part it out. The center arm rest squeeks when ever I rest my arm on it, the base o.e.m. cd player needed to be completely reconditioned, the headlights are all cloudy ( as is the case with most modern vehicles these days:th_thumb-down:), and the supercharger is very noisy until fully warmed up.
My current '96 Buick Roadmaster with just 82K miles on it's LT1, has had very few issues. Some interior trim, water pump, heater core, and fuel pump issues come to mind. NO rot at all, rides great, plenty of oomph for a 4500 pound barge with tall gearing ( ran a 15.54 @ 88.6 m.p.h. all stock except tire size).
I prefer G.M vehicles over most others, but when it comes to this generation G.P. :th_scratchhead:
 


the only thing I dont like about my GTP is front wheel drive lol... I have a small oil leak but thats easily fixed and it dont even drip it just kinda catches dirt and makes my engine look dirty... just cant wait to get the engine mods started, can never have enough HP and the grand prix shoulda came with more :p... my buddys stock supra will beat my GTP and thats not cool, he dont know that yet though, I have him convinced I will win, but due to a blown headgasket on his car he cant prove me wrong lol..

I like custom mods (im a welder with lots of spare time) so maybe in a year or two when i buy a new vehicle, i will be the first to convert a grand prix to rear wheel drive? :D please tell me its not already done... that would make it so lame! hahah
 
Only one reply (not counting my own of course),so you all mean to say that all but the 2 of us like EVERYTHING about these cars? Seriously? Have you owners looked underneath the rocker mouldings and the underside of the rocker panels? No one has any leak or squeek issues? Amazing. :th_scratchhead: :th_confused:
 
I like the modern interior of the new ones, not so much in the 97-03's, and i really don't think the body is as aggressive looking as the newer ones.
 
the sock headlights suck the big one and the paint on em isnt always the best. ive seen some that look amazing and some that look terrible. i know that is also a matenience thing but still not to impressed
 


:th_laugh-pointup: lmao, hence then engine sideways...genius.... Anyway they rot pretty easy in ohio weather, and like to chip pistons, and the oil pan is a MAJOR pita. Atleast theres tons of em in the boneyard to jack parts from!
 
Pittman06 said:
:th_laugh-pointup: lmao, hence then engine sideways...genius.... Anyway they rot pretty easy in ohio weather, and like to chip pistons, and the oil pan is a MAJOR pita. Atleast theres tons of em in the boneyard to jack parts from!
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right! I hate salt btw O_O my worst enemy
 
That GM never puts any quality into anything they build. When I bought my GTP, I knew exactly what would be wrong/go wrong with. Never fails. Radio display doesn't work, had to glue the weather stripping on(which GM never glued in on over a million cars) to stop the floorboard from being full of water. Had to replace head gaskets, intake gasket, sc gasket, valve cover gaskets, speakers, and of course, my headlight lenses are glazed. I wet sanded and buffed them, still didn't help much. Still, I buy GM and american cars to spend my money where I earned it. May not be the best, but we need to keep the last of our good paying manufacturing jobs here! I live by that and will die by that. Even new GM cars aren't much better. You think they are until you work on them every single day. They just look like they a lot better quality.

For instance, on a new malibu, in order to replace the s**t quality CD players they use WHEN they fail, you have to pretty much remove all the trim on the dash, from side to side, even as far as dropping the glove box completely out. not just popping the lid out, you have to remove ALL the screws in the frame of it, just so you can remove the dash piece that covers the radio and hvac controls! WTF?

Oh and Cobalts! WHEN the dash vents break..... You have to remove BOTH a-pillar trims, unbolt the pass. side airbag, remove the far front dash panel with the defroster vents, then remove all the trim that seperates the upper part of the dash from the lower part, after that you have to remove the trim that surrounds the radio and hvac controls, and unplug the 4way hazard switch which is the biggest b***h to do cause the release clip is on the TOP of the switch, not the side where you could easily get it. Next you have to remove all 12 screws that hold on the ENTIRE dash pad and jockey the airbag around so it fits through the opening of the dash pad. Finally you can pull out the dash pad and pop out your broken vent and pop in your new one! WOOHOO! Have fun putting it back together!!!!!!! Jesus Christ! lol Repeat steps in reverse! But........ I still buy american made stuff. There sure isn't any problem with how it was assembled. They just need to fire their engineers and hire some that have PUT CARS TOGETHER AND WORKED ON THEM! Not some scrote bag fresh outta college who has never touched a wrench. Sorry, I just want to be able to say that GM makes the best cars on the planet. I love my GP and the 2000 T/A I had, and both 2500HD GMC Duramax diesel trucks I've had. Just wish they actually put quality into them.
 


Ummmmmmmmmmmm headlights, all plastic ones haze. When you wet sand and polish, you need to apply clear coat to prevent them from hazing again.

That weather stripping has a metal clamping device in it... which rusts and fails. Originally it would have stayed...

Cars are designed to go together, not come apart.

Just sucks when the parts aren't designed to last.
 
if parts were designed to last forever no one would ever make any money! And 1/2 the people on here who work in shops would be cut in half. Our poorly made american crap is what puts food on the table for a lot of us (and pays to fix our poorly made american cars that we buy to keep the cycle going) so its kind of a give and take. That and i can't stand most of the foreign crap thats in the same price range. You can pick up a 100k GTP, loaded and in pretty good shape for the same price as a 95 4 cylinder camry with no options...yay fun car right there. Thats all i'm saying about that. There affordable, most of the time pretty damn fun and keep our economy goin, and thats why i buy american!
 
Headlights suck, tail lights are ass ugly (imo), Grand Am GT got the sportier look though we're the ones packing the actual (stock) power, and the public eye (normal aka stupid people) tend to respect them more regardless. Like all GM's, button paint tends to rub off, crack, peel, or such other. A/C compressor tends not to last long enough but is a super pain in the ass to get out.
 
matt5112 said:
Ummmmmmmmmmmm headlights, all plastic ones haze. When you wet sand and polish, you need to apply clear coat to prevent them from hazing again.

That weather stripping has a metal clamping device in it... which rusts and fails. Originally it would have stayed...

Cars are designed to go together, not come apart.

Just sucks when the parts aren't designed to last.
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Doesn't matter when they are way too far gone like mine and millions of others. Needs a durable UV protectant clear finish applied to it.

Like I said, a premium all weather adhesive lasts more than a 1/16' piece of standard non coated steel exposed to the elements (good for 2 years or 1 harsh winter). sorry if i didn't use the proper grammar.

Exactly. If you use better plastics, and use less or non corrosive metals such as stainless steel or aluminum, you will have a part that is DESIGNED TO LAST! Build all your sheet metal out of aluminum and tell me when it "rusts through". You wont live that long. That's overkill, but just an example of what i mean. All aluminum would be too expensive.

HAHAHA, what car doesn't have to come apart after its made? NONE, unless your car burns to the ground or totalled after it rolls out of the plant! It's a machine..... they break!
 
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JoelW98GTP said:
Doesn't matter when they are way too far gone like mine and millions of others. Needs a durable UV protectant clear finish applied to it.

Like I said, a premium all weather adhesive lasts more than a 1/16' piece of standard non coated steel exposed to the elements (good for 2 years or 1 harsh winter). sorry if i didn't use the proper grammar.

Exactly. If you use better plastics, and use less or non corrosive metals such as stainless steel or stainless aluminum, you will have a part that is DESIGNED TO LAST! Build all your sheet metal out of aluminum and tell me when it "rusts through". You wont live that long. That's overkill, but just an example of what i mean. All aluminum would be too expensive.

HAHAHA, what car doesn't have to come apart after its made? NONE, unless your car burns to the ground or totalled after it rolls out of the plant! It's a machine..... they break!
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Parents Acura... 2001, 310 000 KM's and all they've done is plugs/wires and engine oil and air filter.

Nothing else besides the brakes and shocks have needed replacing.

If only GM could make a car that would last that long... :th_thumbsup-wink:
 
matt5112 said:
Parents Acura... 2001, 310 000 KM's and all they've done is plugs/wires and engine oil and air filter.

Nothing else besides the brakes and shocks have needed replacing.

If only GM could make a car that would last that long... :th_thumbsup-wink:
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agreed! other carmakers do it. why doesn't gm? Ford got tired of rear hatches rusting through on explorers. So..... they started making the hatch out of aluminum. I think it's the explorer they did that on. One of their suvs anyway. problem solved. :th_scratchhead:
 
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JoelW98GTP said:
agreed! other carmakers do it. why doesn't gm? Ford got tired of rear hatches rusting through on explorers. So..... they started making the hatch out of aluminum. I think it's the explorer they did that on. One of their suvs anyway. problem solved. :th_scratchhead:
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Ford focus

Tell me it's list of problems.
 
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