Am Purchasing a '01 Grand Am GT-Please Help!

[texasmuser]

I just found this forum . . . am planning to pick up a '01 Grand Am GT (with 45K miles on it) tomorrow which I am purchasing for my daughter (her first car). I could really use anyone/everyone's help regarding two things. But first, let me say that the vehicle's CARFAX was spotless, and a local mechanic who I had check out the car said that it is in solid shape . . .
1) Is this a decent vehicle, or should I get out of the deal while I still can? and
2) the dealer is offering a bumper-to-bumper extended warranty plan, available for a one year term up to a five year term. Is this something I should get? If so, why? (what is most likely to go wrong with the vehicle (i.e., air con., transaxle, or what)?

Between my wife and I over the last 15 years or so, we've never owned (or for that matter, have never even driven) a car like this; we've had or had full size SUVs, pickups and Volvos . . .

I hope I've provided enough info., and will greatly appreciate all/any advice/opinions. Thanks!

[GTP Dad]

I have owned two GA's in the past and did not have any problem with either one. One was a V6 the other was a 2.4L. The V6 was a 94 with a 3.1 and was purchased new, it had 55K when I traded it. The 99 was purchased new with 89K on it when I bought it. Unfortunately it was totalled by my son.

I would recommend the warranty for the car just to be on the safe side since you don't know what maintenance was done on it by the previous owner. That way you won't lose anything if something was to go wrong. I would trust the mechanic that examined it and it sounds like it would be a good car for your daughter.

[doobiess]

only thing i will warn ya about on the GA specially the 3100,3400 engines is the lower intake manifold gasket because they are prone to leaking...

And also im willing to be you will have your brakes replaced alot but they are cheap though.. if you can do it yourself then even better

Also i havent said yet wether you found it but im not sure if i can advertise it here.. but the site i use for all my grand am info is
gaownersclub.com and that site will have alot more info and alot more posting so even if you just read the boards you will see whats going on. Also there are 11 000 members so there are alot of people with GA's that can offer help if needed

[Knifeblade]

Texas, you did a lot of research, and it sounds like you have a good ride. I suggest GTP's thought, get at least a one-year warranty, as the GA's do tend to have certain bugaboo's. {Not that other cars don't have their's}.

But, I can say, generally, the
GA is a decent, reliable ride, if looked after, and in most [although not all] cases easy to maintain and repair.

[texasmuser]

Originally Posted by doobiess

only thing i will warn ya about on the GA specially the 3100,3400 engines is the lower intake manifold gasket because they are prone to leaking...

And also im willing to be you will have your brakes replaced alot but they are cheap though.. if you can do it yourself then even better

Also i havent said yet wether you found it but im not sure if i can advertise it here.. but the site i use for all my grand am info is
gaownersclub.com and that site will have alot more info and alot more posting so even if you just read the boards you will see whats going on. Also there are 11 000 members so there are alot of people with GA's that can offer help if needed

Napolean Dynamite . . . GREAT flick! . . .

Thanks for your insight . . . so what does a lower intake manifold gasket leak, what causes it to leak, and most importantly, what does the average GOOD mechanic charge to fix/replace the thing?

Also, I posted my rather urgent (i.e., 11th hour) questions on the gaownersclub forum as you suggested. Thanks for that tip!!

[cficare68]

When it leak its leak antifreeze into the motor oil. Usually it is something that happens around 70-80 thousand miles on the 3400 engine. So sooner and some later. when mine went i took it to a mechanic (stay away from the stealership if possible) it cost me around 300 bucks to fix. Also (and this may just be my opinion) it seems that i have notice alot of people talking about wheel bearing going out here. I'm sure it will be a pretty nice car. I had a 99 GT ad my grandmother has a 94 GT. She has had any problems with her it has been a great car. Unfortunately i got rid of mine. It just cost me to much in repairs and everytime i turned around something went bad on it. But hey I bought a lemon, although most of the GAGTs i have seen are pretty reliable. I was just the unluckily one that got a bad apple