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- Dublin, OH
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- autoshopper.com
2003 pontiac grand am review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Leaner, trimmer and more contemporary. introductionthe pontiac grand am's flashy styling is toned down for 2003. Pontiac calls the grand am 'sports car excitement with room for everyday life.' it is practical, particularly in sedan form. Obviously, this combination appeals to a lot of people because the grand am is one of the 10 best-selling vehicles in the u. S. the grand am has long relied on overstated styling to make a strong first impression. It shouts pontiac excitement with its road-hugging lines and extroverted styling cues. There's no confusing this car with other compact cars and, at a quick glance, it could be mistaken for the bigger pontiac grand prix. for 2003, however, pontiac has stripped the aggressive body cladding from the sides of the grand am along with the ribbed bumpers. All grand am coupes this year are gt models (se coupes are history). hot rodders should not despair, however, as gt models come with aggressive body cladding, a ribbed bumper with large intakes and integrated fog lamps. More important, the gt models come with a cold-air induction setup (more horsepower) and a sports suspension. An optional composite ram-air hood and spoiler 1100) indicate the gt's intent in no uncertain terms. . lineupas mentioned, the pontiac grand am is available in two body styles. Grand am sedans provide slightly more rear headroom than the coupes, and two more doors, but otherwise they are functionally identical. se 17,030) comes with air conditioning, power door locks, six-speaker audio with compact disc and graphic equalizer, aggressive p215/60r15 tires and many other standard features. A five-speed manual transmission, built in germany by getrag, is standard. Standard power is still the 2. 2-liter inline-4, but a 3. 4-liter v6 is optional 715) that generates 170 horsepower. A leather-wrapped steering wheel connects to speed-sensitive power steering. Improved interior amenities include adjustable lumbar support for the driver, and eight-speaker monsoon audio with steering-wheel-mounted controls. Gts also come standard with 16-inch wheels and tires. Manual transmission is standard, automatic is optional 825). gt1 coupes and sedans 22,325) come standard with the automatic transmission and add a power glass sunroof, six-way power driver's seat. options are available, including the se2 solid value package 1345), which dresses up the interior with leather-trimmed seating, steering wheel and handbrake handle, six-way power driver's seat, a power glass sunroof, monsoon audio, and 16-inch wheels. Gt and gt1 can be equipped with leather seats for $595. Pontiac claims xm's sound quality is close to that of a compact disc. onstar, gm's satellite-based customer-service system, is standard on all grand am's except the base se. Among other functions, onstar allows customers to call for directions or emergency road service. We found the previous design heavy on the ribs. Stripping off the heavy body cladding showcases the grand am se's sensuously curved sheet metal. the grand am's wide track and long wheelbase add to its aggressive appearance. (the track is the distance between the left and right wheels; the wheelbase is the distance between the front and rear wheels.) a high hip line and arching roof contribute to the coupe-like appearance of the sedan. Body-colored door handles and side moldings support the sporty theme. The twin-port grille, cat's-eye headlamps with round driving lamps, and that wide-track stance makes it clear this is a pontiac. Pontiac is arguably gm's most clearly focused brand. gt models still wear their elaborate cladding, destined to attract attention everywhere they go. Pseudo-aerodynamic ribs are everywhere: starting at the front bumper, wrapping around the front fenders, sweeping back along the doors and rear fenders and finally around the rear bumper. The rib motif is echoed through the side mirrors and the optional rear spoilers. The air dam on gt models scrapes on abrupt driveway transitions. small round reverse lamps positioned on the edges of the rear bumper complement the standard backup lights, directing light at 45 degree angles from the side and rear of the vehicle. The extra lighting should help illuminate ditches and other obstructions when backing up at night. Also, we would have preferred more side bolstering on the seat back to better hold us in place. We wonder how the cloth fabric will hold up over the long haul. It's hard to get out of the back seat of the coupe. However, the spry will a find a surprising amount of legroom in the rear seat of the coupe, along with reasonably good headroom. Shoulder room and hip room are more limited. grand am drivers benefit from features designed to make their lives a little less hectic. The ignition switch is conveniently located on the dash, making it easy to get going in a hurry. Automatic headlights can be set to switch on at nightfall. The headlights will automatically turn off 20 seconds after shutting off the ignition, giving the driver some time to unlock a house or garage door. Battery rundown protection automatically turns off all accessory lights after 20 minutes, in case they were left on by mistake. a delayed locking feature can be programmed to automatically lock the doors within seven seconds of closing the last door. That eliminates the need for trusting passengers to lock their doors and permits quick retrieval of forgotten items. When the driver removes the key from the ignition, three chimes indicate the system is activated. It locks the car seven seconds after the last door is closed. If a door is opened before that time, the timer stops and starts over when the door is closed again. Exterior lights flash twice and the horn beeps to confirm that the doors are locked. A related system automatically locks the doors when the shifter is moved out of the park position. The doors automatically unlock when the shifter is placed in park and the ignition is turned off. In any case, the inside door handles are easy to grab. the interior features a sporty retro dashboard and a cockpit designed around the driver. Circular hoods shroud the instruments, while ventilation ducts remind us of sports cars past. It's an attractive look that adds to the grand am's appeal. Instruments are large and easy to read and are warmly illuminated in red light. Audio and climate controls are angled toward the driver for easy access. Big round knobs adjust heating, ventilation and air conditioning. All-aluminum construction contributes to its ultra-light weight of only 305 pounds, while twin balance shafts are designed to provide smoother operation. It still doesn't feel like the smo. Power Locks✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Bucket Seats✔ Cruise Control✔ Leather Seats✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Aluminum Wheels
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