1997 Pontiac Sunfire Consumer Reviews

I have owned a 1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2.4 Lt , 4 speed AT for over 21 years. Yes,the same car for 21 years and going strong. It has over 287,000 miles on the original motor. I change the motor oil every 3,000 miles and spark plugs about once a year. The only major repair was a 3-4 shift solenoid that ran about $700 a few years ago. Alternator replaced twice, starter motor once, other than that nothing has ever gone wrong with it. Original everything, no modifications. It is fast and handles extremely well, even in adverse weather. I have driven on roads that were like a sheet of ice with no problem as long as you use common sense. I do not even want another car, in fact I plan on getting a custom paint job this Spring, as the clearcoat is starting to peel after 21 years parked outside in the weather in WA state. Then it will be ready to take on another 20 years.

Have had this car for 20+ years, bought it with 30k miles and now has almost 197k. 2.4L a strong little engine w/no major problems. Had to replace convertible top - normal at 24yrs - and the AC compressor just died. Overall a dependable inexpensive FWD performer. Still waiting for it to wear out!

I sure wish they still made this car. I bought it new and almost 20 years and 200k miles later it has never given me a problem. Even though it went through many northern winters, there is very little rust on it. Most of the parts are still original. I haven't been great over the years about regular maintenance but it hasn't seemed to matter. Gas mileage used to be great (starting to go down now. ) It is fantastic on snow and ice; I have a truck but usually just drive the car in the snow. I've taken it on long road trips. I have back problems and some small cars are really uncomfortable, especially since I am tall. But even though I have the cheap, manual seats, they are comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. I wish GM would consider making this type of car again; forget the bells and whistles and bring back the reliable, inexpensive daily drivers!

Overall, I'm very pleased with my 1998 Sunfire! It's incredibly reliable for its age and has never left me stranded. Parts are cheap and easy to get, and it's very easy to work on. As far as value goes, don't expect to pay much for one nor get much by selling it. They are dirt cheap cars, so if you want a reliable car for less, it's a great option. I've seen these cars exceed 600,000 miles. As for performance, they certainly aren't fast, but steering and cornering are excellent, and I've never had a car that drove better in the snow. I've never gotten stuck and is very easy to control. Stay away from the Sunfires with traction control though. The ones with no traction control drive much better. As for styling, this was one of the selling points for me. For a 90s compact, it's quite sporty looking. Just beware of the headlight design that makes night driving difficult. As for quality, these cars just keep running. As I've said, I've seen Sunfires and Cavaliers (same car) go over 600,000 miles. The interior is a little plasticky and rattley, which is the only reason I didn't give five stars for quality. As for comfort, the cloth seats are surprisingly soft, and are great for road trips! Again, the car has a ton of road noise and rattles, so comfort isn't quite 5/5. Overall, I definitely recommend this car.

The car rattles when windows are down, the radio is poorly done, the trip reading never resets, the engine cooling system water pump is hard to repair, and the auto transmission fluid level can only be checked by a mechanic (no dip stick), etc. It is working as a good car for the kids to use, would not have it as a main use car. Has been sort of reliable though, just waiting for the other foot to drop on maintaining it.

This is my first car ever and I got it 4 years ago and its still in working condition. I live in WI and it can handle slick roads fairly well, which is important. Miles are extremely high since it was a traveling car for the previous owner and I rack on about 50 a day with commute. It is smaller, so it is not a car for taller people as I am 5'2 and fit perfectly whereas my boyfriend 6ft struggles a little bit. In the recently years things have began to go on it, such as brakes, battery, just little things you can expect with so many miles. This car is so tough it went 2yrs with out an oil change(not recommended but I was a stupid teen) and still ran beautifully. I would definitely buy this car, it has a little "kick" you wouldn't expect it to have. Just now the computer is getting messed up, and its time to retire my favorite and only car.

I have owned this car for the past 13 years. I have put over 240000 miles on it and out side of normal maintains have only had one issue. At around 170000 mile mark it blew a spark plug out of the #3 cylinder. $150 for a shop to helicoil in. I have replaced brakes multi times, starter once, alternator twice, but am still on the original clutch. I get between 32 - 36 mpg. Have Loved my Sunfire!

I have has this car since 2012. It a good running car I do a oil change every three thousand miles. A tune up every year it has new front brake. Replace the front driver seat it has a new windshield tank it has a CD player and radio with remote. Does have a dent on the front bumper not very big. Looking to sell for around 1,100.00 hope to hear from you soon.