1993 SE starts but will barely go

[CharliesMom]

When you press the gas it barely goes. It shifts gears but the engine is gutless, won't hardly move. We took it to a shop, they say the idler pulley needed replacement, they wanted too much money, my brother said he would do the work. I got a new serpentine belt and idler pulley. When he got to work on it there was no problem with either.

Now what do I do? I paid $1300 for this puppy in July, just paid $700 to replace a water pump. What might the problem be?

My son and his Uncle say it isn't the fuel pump is good. My son says it shouldn't be driven until fixed.

[GTP Dad]

Does the engine rev when you press the gas or does it not want to move? If the car moves ok and the engine does not rev then I would say you need a new catalytic convertor. If the engine revs but the car does not move then the transmission is probably bad.

[CharliesMom]

turns out the car is a total lemon. Took it to a new mechanic, who says "why did you buy this car?" The list of things wrong with it means I've been had. Sigh. Anyone in the market for a 1993 Grand Am SE for parts?