So not that I have the money but I'm thinking of getting a 3rd vehicle. I love my truck but lets be honest she loves to hog her gas, my Monte is basically my baby I don't like to leave her alone in parking lots and hate putting lots of miles on her, and sadly my fiancees mother will not give her a car until she is done with college which is may 2013, so that said I was thinking of getting a third car as sort of a DD. I am thinking of getting a 2nd job and it would really open up my options to have a vehicle that gets more than 15 mpg average lol, so I've been looking around and I really like this car I found it's a 1999 Grand Am GT with 109k black and 2 door ( I use to own a 2003) and really loved it. I am also looking at couple Buicks, Park Avenue, Riviera, LeSabre pretty much any of them with a 3800 V6. And of course been looking at Monte Carlo SSs. Does anyone have a DD that they really like? Just thought I'd start a thread to have somehting new to look at lol.

 

Dude, my previous car was a 99 Grand Am GT that I bought new in 99. The 1999 model year GT's were plagued with problems. Avoid it at all costs. Mine was a big money pit. And it wasn't modded except for custom seat covers.

 

Taz, was your '99 Grand Am a 3400 powered car?

I know the 4-bangers are problematic, but the 3100/3400 drive trains have been pretty solid over the years. The 3400 is a bigger cylinder bore, same block as my 3100 in my '94. I would ONLY mess with a getting a Grand Am if it is a v6 and well taken care of.

 

I used to like my Saturn... Just too small for me now
Got as much as 34mpg, and used to do 30mpg all day long city and freeway mix,
Now I may as well be driving somthing larger somthing just isn't right only getting 25mpg now a days but can't find what's causing it

I LOVE our intrigue, wish I would have got a 98-99 with the 3.8 but it's roomy and decent mpg,

 

I just bought a 94 grand prix and it's a pretty nice car. The gas mileage is pretty good and the interior is roomy and comfortable.

 

I just bought a v6 Camaro to rock as a DD, it's been pretty fun

 

Yes. My 99 Grand Am GT was 3400 powered. Biggest money pit of a car I ever owned. In the 8 years I owned it, it cost me $10,000 in major repairs. Mostly engine repairs. No accidents. No mods. Never raced. And according to the Grand Am forum I used to be on, I wasn't alone.

 

I've owned a couple old Buick's with the 3800 (Regal & Riviera). Both were rock solid. Great engine. People seems to love or hate the Riviera body style. I like it - unique. I think all the 90's era Riv's came w/Supercharged 3800.

 

WOW, that's odd. I recall you mentioning before it was a money pit. 1999 was the first year for that generation Grand Am (not sure if that was the first year for the 3400 though). So, that being said, that may have a LOT to do with it. Based on your info, perhaps '99 is the year to steer clear of.

My step-mom and step brother both have '00 Grand Ams with the 3400's in them. Both bought in '03 (I think 60,000-70,000 miles on them). Today they have between 150,000-200,000 miles. Outside of the normal brakes/tires/oil changes, smooth sailing for the most part. One has had a cracked coil spring on the front a few years ago, fuel pump died earlier this year and a power steering line leak. The other had the common intake gaskets and a pair of front coil springs crack at one point.
I also know someone with a '03 Alero (Grand Am with Oldsmobile logos) and she put 100,000 miles on the first engine (accidentally cooked it) and then 200,000 on a salvage engine/original trans. Her son now drives it. Both engines were also 3400's.

So, they aren't all bad, but I think there is something to be said with your experience Taz and research, obviously, the '99 had big issues. Maybe the GM auto workers were a sleep at the assembly plants that year....

 

Taz some people just have that luck. I'm usually that guy that everything goes wrong.lol