[mspainter]

What do you guys think? Here is the situation.

My dad works at a car dealership and he takes used cars in trade all the time because people cant always afford a new car without trade-in. Well he got a Pontiac last week that is looking pretty good to me. It is the 2dr coupe GT with the V6 engine. It doesn't have the whimpy 4 banger.

He brought it home to me and showed me today and told me that its going for only 2500! I was so excited that I was ready to get the checkbook! (Figure of speak, I moved on and now use a Debit card )Then he tells me that this is only a sample of what I can get for a good price. So he basically got me all worked up for nothing. I talked it over with my mom and she said that wasnt fair of him at all. She is taking my side of the issue so far. I want to buy this vehicle and keep it in the garage until I have enough money for 6 months of insurance on the thing. This means I have to get a job, which means I am no longer a kid once I buy this car. This thing marks the time in my life where I become Independent and its sorta scary. I am kinda afraid of college now.

But anyhow, what do you guys think about the car? It is an 02 with only 85k miles on it. for 2500 bucks, I am extremely excited. I am a little disappointed that it is an automatic, but you cant have everything you want on your first car.

 

[buddhaHybrid]

Wait for a manual and get some money so you aren't going to be in debt... It is a serious pain to pay off car debt and pay for gas at the same time (if you drive). I know this well after replacing my radiator and hosing and engine fan.

Waiting for a 'nicer' car is a good idea, they do keep coming so don't worry if you think its perfect (it is not), especially if you like manual cars. I don't know about you but I would never choose an automatic.

My 2 cents for yah.

 

[crustybug]

pontiac doesnt have a manual........unless its a sunfire. or a GTO.

grand ams and grand prix's (i have a prix) only have an available automatic, even on the grand prix GTP's. the grand ams have a 3.4l v6, which is a damn solid engine, and makes the little car haul some decent ass i suppose. I have a few friends who have am's and they like them. solid car, last a long time, and theres plenty of totaled ones in the junkyard because theyre everywhere. I'd go for it, the price is not bad at all.

I want to sell my prix after i get everything fixed, and id be looking for at least 4500.

 

[buddhaHybrid]

I mean, go for it if you don't mind automatic, but that is the bane of any sports cars existence.

It's not that much money to pay off assuming you have a decent chunk in your bank account. How much would the insurance be? 600 for half a year?

 

[bobide]

you don't need a nice car, this one is going to get beat up and hit and maybe even wrecked. It's a fact of life.

 

[mspainter]

That I do know. There is already a nice ding up on the front hood, although if you weren't opening the hood, you wouldn't notice it. Out of curiosity, I had to open the damn hood.

The money isn't that much of an issue anyway. I have around 3k chillin in my bank, and I don't need to pay insurance yet, because I am only going to stick it in the garage for a month while I work to save up. I would spent the additional money on driver's ed, and then by the time that is over, insure my car and apply for the test at the DMV. This would be in January.

 

[CGras90]

pontiac doesnt have a manual........unless its a sunfire. or a GTO.

not to sound like a jerk but I just checked autotrader and theres tons of Grand Am's with manuals

 

[mspainter]

After like '98 or some random year they stopped.

 

[crustybug]

well..............whatever lol

its fine though, youre no jerk

I just know that pontiac is kinda known to throw automatics in alot of their cars, and theres only a few that have a manual transmission.

Theres nothing wrong with an automatic at all. Theres a difference between the automatic in an AM GT and an automatic in a jaguar though. Ones going to shift alot faster and higher, ones going to be geared for performance while the other is geared for economy, and performance automatics even have those kickass paddle shifters.

Autos have come a long way since their creation, with faster, smoother shifts. Auto lag is pretty much a thng of the past in newer performance cars.

 

[terminator5047]

If its the 3.1 or 3.4 liter motor be ready to spend 1500 on a lower intake gasket, other then that they are solid motors. Pontiac's also have hub bearing issues.

 

[mspainter]

Yah its the 3.4L.

I haven't heard any issues with this lower intake gasket. What is it?

 

[mspainter]

I talked to a guy at the shop about the gasket and he said about 1000 bucks. This is at a dealership. I could always get it done elsewhere for less too.

My dad picked me up from school in this car today and I felt like he was rubbing it in. He was showing me how nice it was and everything, how the engine had some nice pick up to it.