94-96 Grand Prix Common Problems?

[03ls]

Hey guys, I dont know if any of you could help me out, but i am considering a 94-96 Grand Prix SE. I was wondering if these come with the 3.4 or the 3.1 V6? And also, if these generation GP's have any problems that i should look out for. Thanks for any input.

[richtazz]

The 3.1 is the standard engine, and the 3.4 is optional. The 8th digit of the vin will tell you which it is (3.1 is letter M, 3.4 is letter X). The 3.1 has the infamous GM intake gasket issue, but is very dependable other than that. The 3.4 DOHC is a tempermental, problematic, POS in my opinion. If this car is your daily driver, and you don't want to be constantly working on it, go with the 3.1. Other issues are turn signal switches, transmission solenoids (including the shift solenoids and TCC solenoid), hub bearings and rear strut/spring issues. The list sounds worse than it is, as I had a 91 GP SE 3.1 that had 240k and was still running perfect when I decided to upgrade to my current 99 GP. The guy that bought the car is still driving it, as he lives near me and I see him on my way to work on occasion.