Third Time is a Charm!
Written: May 29 '05 (Updated Oct 05 '06)
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Pros: styling, 3.8 V6, good gas mileage, spacious and comfortable interior, cool dashboard
Cons: no steering wheel radio controls, depreciation is pretty high, rusty rotors
The Bottom Line: This is a great standard commuter or family car. Styling plus earned reliability make it a good buy.
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| JGLMac's Full Review: 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix |
(Latest update below, Oct 5, 2006; originally started May 29, 2005)
May 29, 2005
I bought my third Pontiac and my second Grand Prix. Its only been three weeks, although almost 1,500 miles, and I love it so far!
I was a Branch Manager with Hertz from August 2004 until May 2005, when I switched jobs to sell mortgages with Countrywide's Full Spectrum Lending. I had a different company car nearly every day. So I sold my 6 month old (to me) 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GT and never expected to buy another car.
But that changed, and I looked for 2003 and 2004 vehicles (because I won't pay for a brand new car). I looked at Chevy Impalas, Subaru Outbacks, Ford Escapes -- all cars I have driven constantly. I was looking for comfort and style -- my commute to Hertz was about 3 miles; my commute to my new job is about 40 miles. When it was all said and done, the past reliability of my 1995 Pontiac Grand Am, which I sold with 182,000 miles on it, and the 3.8 V6 my previous Grand Prix had, convinced me that sometimes its better to go with what you know.
I love the styling. I know some people say its a little outdated and bland, but its just what I was looking for. The 2004 bodystyle looks very sleek and smooth -- the trunk rolls over like a baby's bottom!
I also like the Widetrack. I think it gives it much better handling and a smooth ride. It's not Buick-smooth -- really, what is? But it's close. You can feel a few bumps along the way, but its not SUV or even Mustang rough. The car handles very well, even when I'm going slightly fast on the off ramps, on ramps, and curvy backroads to Foxwoods.
My highway commute from Massachusetts to Rhode Island is very nice, even with Mass's notorious potholes. And while it is wide, it handles well trying avoid those Rhode Island drivers -- seriously, you would think our great Mass skills would rub off on these guys and gals!
The interior is perfect for me. I opted for cloth; last time I had leather in the 2001, I didn't like the hot hot summers and cold cold winters.
This is not a BMW, but thankfully, it feels better than a Hyundai! The bucket front seats are very comfortable and give a lot of leg room. I'm only 5'10, but my brother and a good friend of mine both are over 6'0 and had plenty of leg room.
The back seats I have not sat in. It is tough to drive from the back seat. But I did go to Foxwoods with three adult friends of mine, and both said they had plenty of head room and good leg room -- not great, but good. They are not the tallest people either, maybe 5'6 and 5'8 respectively. So you'll have to be the judge of that.
The trunk is spacious and headroom is fine.
The dashboard says Pontiac. I think Pontiac has one of the best dashboards, but you either love it or hate it. At night, it lights up -- I did find the high beams blue light VERY annoying last night. The new side computer is kind of a gimmick, but it is cool. I do like how the mileage is removed from the dashboard and put over that way. Makes the gauges seem big, easy to read, and not cumbersome. You can turn off the computer display as well.
The CD and sound are factory equipment -- it'll do the trick. It does have equalizier buttons and presets. My only complaint is that the 2001 I owned had steering wheel radio controls, which I liked -- this one does not.
I opted for the GT vs the GTP because of the difference in price, and the gas mileage. I don't really need the extra HP. The 200 HP is sufficient for what I need, and my weekly 500 mile commute has come in at 27-28 MPG overall. The sticker advertises 20 MPG city / 30 MPG highway, so it is very close. I go about 420 miles on a tank, which is around 17 gallons.
Overall, I am very pleased. I think GM makes very good standard cars -- the Chevy Impala, Buick Century, and Grand Prix. I just think the Grand Prix is a blend of the other two, but with more style.
I would highly recommend it. I bought it used with 26,000 miles on it for $14,500. It was listed at $18,900, although the dealer is high priced and unpleasant to deal with. It is solid white (which I think is very nice) with black/grey interior. The 2005's are stickered at around $27,000.
Oct 5, 2006
It's now been 17 months since I purchased this car, and it has done me very well. Just about everything above remains true.
I had about 27,000 miles on the car when I wrote this review; now I have 62,000 miles. Since then, this car has ventured to and from my job, 50 miles a day, for the past year. It also endured trips on the Mass Pike, NJ Turnpike, and the mind boggling Garden State Parkway via 5 different trips to Atlantic City -- 300 miles each way. It has also done me very well on trips to Cape Cod and Mount Okemo (lots of trunk space and fold down seats for the skiis).
The power of the car remains very appreciated when I approach highways from on-ramps here in Massachusetts and in New Jersey.
My only gripe came when I changed the rear brakes and I had to change the rotors. GM rotors rust pretty bad, and a simple brake job could not be accomplished because a bolt had rusted on. I brought it to Firestone, which is fine -- that's why they are in business -- but the bolt cost me $43 for a new one.
But that's my only real complaint. I love the car, it remains very roomy and I love the car's width; great for control.
I see recent prices for '04 Grand Prixs with similiar mileage listed at about $12,000.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 14500
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: 2004 Grand Prix GT sedan
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Epinions.com ID:
JGLMac
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Member: Jeff N
Location: Auburn, MA
Reviews written: 30
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Jeff is a stand-up comedian, enjoys candlepin bowling and wrestling in his spare time.
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