Is the fifth-generation Pontiac Grand Prix a future collectible? I have always felt this was a fantastic era of one of Pontiac’s most celebrated nameplates, with killer styling and a ton of technology features that most of the competition couldn’t touch. Still, it’s relatively unloved today, so low-mileage examples like this one here on Facebook Marketplace can be had for reasonable money. The seller is asking $10,000 on this 45,000 mile example but indicates he’s open to fair offers.
The looks were always the Grand Prix’s best selling feature, in my opinion, but just in coupe form. For some reason, the design didn’t translate as well to the sedan body. Perhaps it was too aggressive for the more conventional sedan proportions, but if you are looking for a modern hobby car, the coupe version of the Grand Prix is the way to go. There were also a variety of special editions and a very limited production model that featured a partnership with ASC McLaren.
The best part about the McLaren cars is that it was turbocharged, and that increased the horsepower to over 200 b.h.p. with the old 3.1L V6. This later edition of the Grand Prix had the larger 3.4L mill which developed a respectable 210 horsepower. So, by the time this final edition of the Grand Prix was rolling around, Pontiac finally had the looks, features, and horsepower dialed in, just in time for GM to kill it. The seller claims this one was grandma-driven, so hopefully the 45K on the clock represents gentle miles.
The interior certainly seems to validate the low mileage claims, with deeply-sculpted bucket seats in great shape and wearing attractive black leather upholstery. You could buy a Pontiac with a crazy amount of buttons and gadgets accessible via the steering wheel, but this one looks pretty nondescript by comparison to some “peak-button” era Pontiacs. The seller indicates he places a fairly high value on this low-mileage Grand Prix but he’s open to offers, so hopefully $6,000 or so will get a deal done.
I always loved these and the lumina and cutlass cousins. These days you don’t see many any more. Thesecare Nice mid size coupes and would fit in at cars and coffee or Radwood 80s to 1990s era car shows.
I get the appeal as I was a pretty hard core GM guy back then. I even bought a Lumina z34 brand new in 91. That car tortured me despite my attempts to enjoy it. And for that reason, I cannot manage any affection for luminas GPs cutlasses or regals of that era.
I think 95 was when gm experimented with making their own anti freeze. Caused problems with head gaskets
Correct, if you flushed out the Dexcool you wouldn’t get it all out, GM offered a intake gasket that was more corrosive proof , sure….
Yeah not every car is collectable. Especially cheap plastic disposable garbage with a poorly designed motor that every one I’ve seen had a intake manifold leak.
And I’m as GM blood as it gets but sorry this because I think it’s cool I’ll pay through the nose for a car is crazy .
Had a 1995, loved that car. My daughter used it as her first car after getting her license and put it in the ditch. Thinking seriously about this one
Ex and I had a 95 coupe with the NA V6. Super comfy, great cruiser. She totaled it. Bummer. It was a dark maroon. Very pretty car.
I could be wrong but it looks like a 94. I thought the body style changed in 95.
Headlights changed in 95
The new body style debuted in 1997. Except for the wheels this is identical to the 40k mile 95 GTP I owned for 10 years until I made the mistake of being bored with it and sold it 5 years ago.
Check the trunk-rear strut towersare rusted out. Had a Lumina great car but totally rusted out in the rear.
Andyinma-3.4 was a lousy motor-3.1 was great maybe not in hp but could get out of it’s own way!
One year…. and it may be the Grand Prix model…. the Pontiac steering wheel had to have the most buttons… ever on a wheel in automobile history. 😵💫
I remember seeing it in person, and couldn’t believe it. 😲
This one looks like a very comfortable cruising vehicle 👌
The Pontiac steering wheel with a dozen buttons in the center went away with the advent of Airbags in about ’91. These did still have a button on each upper spoke for radio and I believe climate control. I had a ’86 6000 STE that had about 8 radio controls on the wheel, that was a bit of overkill that later ones had to be impossible to master. I’d rather have the airbag than the myriad of buttons, interesting GM did not move away from the door mounted seatbelt that originated pre-airbag models once the bags were fitted.
Not super charged …so, it is scrap
Supercharger did not debut until’97 on the 3800. This gen Grand Prix never had a SC.
Ever wonder why many after market parts stores offered headlight wiring kits on these Pontiacs?
Many recalls to replace rear tail lights wiring? Fix the steering wheel gadgets that quit working.
Sorry do not miss this GM lemon brand for the 90’s up to shut down time.
My parents bought a 90 gp brand new. Black 2dr. Se model. A nice car and fast for the plain 3.1 engine. After 8yrs. And 175k miles they bought a 98 Pontiac transport. They gave me the gp as I had older gp collection. I drove it for a bit and needed to thin my herd. The 90 was rust free, clean, never damaged. Couldn’t sell it for $500. No one wanted it. I don’t think they will be collectible. Not yet anyway. My neighbor had a 99 olds alero with under 45k miles. It sat in garage for 10 yrs. After his sister passed away he put a new fuel pump in it and changed all fluids. Drove it for 2 weeks and the trans. Went out. Not collectibles, they all fell apart and are mostly extinct now.
Correct, if you flushed out the Dexcool you wouldn’t get it all out, GM offered a intake gasket that was more corrosive proof , sure….
The 3.4 Liter Twin Dual Cam was a very decent, little, Rev Happy V-6, if you replaced the timing belt when it was due. If I remember correctly, this was right at the advent of the Dexos and Dex-Cool (orange) coolant (which is a scourge and blight on the auto industry). IIRC, during a comparison between the SHO Taurus, Spirit R/T and Z-34 Lumina, the Twin Dual Cam held its own at a “buck and a half,” against Chrysler’s Turbo-3, 16-Valve, Twin Cam R/T 4-cylinder and the 3.0 Liter SHO-DOHC V-6.
The 3.4 is the only downer to this nice car.
A future collectable? I doubt it, valueable, no.
Absolutely a future collectible; Pontiac is long gone, and this is one of the more exciting later-year cars. How valuable will it be? Who knows, but I love these cars.
Better off collecting matchbox cars. Less plastic then anything after mid 70s
I really, really like this one. Would seriously consider trading my ’02 40th Anniversary Edition GTP Coupe for it
My ’95 GTP was the car that cemented my love of the Grand Prix.(I’ve now owned a total of 4.) Mine was a dark metallic green with all the bells and whistles. Absolutely a stunning looker and an extremely capable cruiser and street rocket for it’s day. The 3.4 DOHC engine was quite the revver. Unfortunately, mine met its demise one night when on I-95 around West Palm Beach the timing belt went loose. I got a flatbed tow driver to load it up and take it to my mechanic. When he went to unload it, he unstrapped the car and then decided he needed to reposition the truck. He got in, drove forward a few feet and stopped. My untethered GTP did not. It rolled forward, hit the tire bumper on the back of the cab, then, since for every action there is an equal but opposite reaction, it rolled backward and went off the back crashing the rear bumper first then the front slid off bending the chassis. My wife had to hold me back from taking a tire iron to the driver. Only car I’ve owned that I cried over.
I had a teal green 94 Grand Prix with the 3.1 V6 engine. Bought it brand new and had it for 21 years and 265,000 miles with very few problems. When I finally bought a different vehicle to replace it, I kept it in case we would need an extra car. I finally sold it when I started to have non-start problems and I didn’t want to put any more money in it. That, and the fact that after 21 years, both GM and the aftermarket were no longer carrying certain parts for it made it time to send it down the road. It was the best car I ever owned, and if I had room for another car, I’d seriously consider buying this one.
As basic transportation if it’s mechanically sound, there’s a deal to be made. Try getting good used low mileage cars out there with these features. As far as a collectible? Who knows? It’s a shame Pontiac isn’t around. They were evolving on the Euro scale (lighter, smaller sports cars). They could have gotten to next level. Or did someone decide that would cut Cadillac and Corvette sales? Oh, obviously. Anyone in GM can tell you the Cadillac and Corvette units are not team players. They use the GM network support but expect everything for their brand, everything else is lagniappe. Personally I’d have rather seen Cadillac and Corvette croak, or at least scaled back. They suck GM resources to their detriment of all brands. Just to sell a handful of heavy cars to oldsters and midlife crisis blue pills boys.
I had a Saphire Blue ’89 Chevy Van. Was repainted by GM 6 times due to pealing. And a White ’90 Grand Prix LE. The G.P. rear breaks quit working. The calipers were made by Nissan. Had to get a refurbished gauge cluster from Pontiac because the idiot lights glowed dim for no reason. Had to have the cassette player fixed. Of course. Drove and rode nice. Gave up and bought a ’94 Explorer V6. A dog if it had more than 1 person in it. Passenger seat always rattled, dash rattled. Stopping distance under panic breaking was horrible. Nothing built in the US in those years was any good.
Aaahh yes… Nothing like the little old lady from Pasadena car HhhhaaAa
She only drove it to church and doctor. BUT her grandson beat the balls off it the rest of the week lmao 🤣😂🤣😂.
Nothing like good ol’American plastic that pukes antifreeze.