How many miles can a certain model of Pontiac last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand Pontiac that’s, of course, a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at the most popular models but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average, a Pontiac lasts between 180,000 – 210,000 miles. The Pontiac Grand Prix is the most reliable Pontiac and can reach a maximum of 290,000 miles. The Pontiac Firebird is the least reliable Pontiac with a maximum of 170,000 miles.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below you’ll find an overview of the most popular Pontiac models. We’ve done extensive research to determine the average and the maximum number of miles the car will go for each model. Furthermore, you’ll find the average life expectancy of the car, the average reliability rating, and how much money you will have to spend annually on maintenance. Read on!
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Also read: Types Of Gas A Pontiac Takes (7 Models)
How Many Miles Can A Pontiac Last?
In order to answer the question of how many miles a Pontiac can last, we needed to do some research. For this, we’ve used the database of Autotrader.com. For each model of car that we’ve researched, we looked at several factors such as:
- Number of cars that the sample size consists of
- What the highest mileage was for that model of car
- How many of these cars had a mileage of more than 150,000 miles
- What the reliability rating for the car is
- Average annual spending for maintenance
Pontiac G6
Sample size: 517
A Pontiac G6 can drive a maximum of 280,000 miles. Pontiac G6’s are reliable cars with a total of 31,53%, reaching a mileage of more than 150,000 miles. On average a Pontiac G6 will last around 240,000 miles, giving it a life expectancy of 17 years and 8 months with an average mileage of 13,500 miles per year.
Looking at data from Repairpal.com, we can see that Pontiac G6’s are indeed reliable cars to own. The car gets a reliability rating of 3.9/5 stars. Furthermore, the maintenance cost is below average for a car this size, with an average annual spending of $426. The car does however seem to have some problems with the power steering system which may require replacing the steering column. This can be quite costly with an average price of $700 – $1.000.
Common Recalls
- Pontiac G6’s that are built between April 18th 2006 and June 30th 2006 had a recall for a sudden loss of power steering
Pontiac Vibe
Sample size: 263
A Pontiac Vibe can drive a maximum of 270,000 miles. Pontiac Vibes are reliable cars with 39,16% reaching a mileage of more than 150,000 miles. On average, a Pontiac Vibe will last around 230,000 miles, giving it a life expectancy of 17 years with an average mileage of 13,500 miles per year.
Looking at data from Repairpal.com we can see that Pontiac Vibe’s are indeed reliable cars to own. The car gets a reliability rating of 4.1/5 stars. Furthermore, the maintenance cost are below average for a car this size, with an average annual spending of $391.
Common Recalls
- 2003 – 2004 Vibes equipped with a front passenger airbag that was replaced during a previous recall where called in because the new airbag may not unfold during inflation in high temperatures.
Pontiac Firebird
Sample size: 185
A Pontiac Firebird can drive a maximum of 170,000 miles. Pontiac Firebirds are unreliable cars with a total of 3,24% reaching a mileage of more than 150,000 miles. On average a Pontiac Firebird will last around 130,000 miles, giving it a life expectancy of 9 years and 7 months with an average mileage of 13,500 miles per year.
Looking at data from Repairpal.com we can see that Pontiac Firebirds are reliable cars to own but they do have a low life expectancy. The car gets a reliability rating of 4/5 stars. Furthermore, the maintenance cost are average for a car this size with an average annual spending of $395.
Common Recalls
- Firebirds that were produced between May 26th 2006 and September 14th 2007 may have problems with the gasket of the oil filter which becomes more flexible under high pressure and high temperature.
Pontiac Grand Am
Sample size: 98
A Pontiac Grand Am can drive a maximum of 230,000 miles. Pontiac Grand Am’s are reliable cars with a total of 54,08% reaching a mileage of more than 150,000 miles. On average a Pontiac Grand Am will last around 190,000 miles, giving it a life expectancy of 14 years with an average mileage of 13,500 miles per year.
Looking at data from Repairpal.com we can see that Pontiac Grand Am’s are indeed reliable cars to own. The car gets a reliability rating of 3.8/5 stars. Furthermore, the maintenance cost are below average for a car this size with an average annual spending of $311.
Common Recalls
- Pontiac Grand Am’s produced between 1999 – 2005 may have the engine switch turn off on roads that are bumpy.
Pontiac Grand Prix
Sample size: 292
A Pontiac Grand Prix can drive a maximum of 290,000 miles. Pontiac Grand Prix’s are very reliable cars with a total of 52,05% reaching a mileage of more than 150,000 miles. On average a Pontiac Grand Prix will last around 230,000 miles, giving it a life expectancy of 17 years with an average mileage of 13,500 miles per year.
Looking at data from Repairpal.com we can see that Pontiac Grand Prix’s are indeed reliable cars to own. The car gets a reliability rating of 4.1/5 stars. However, the maintenance cost are above average for a car this size with an average annual spending of $462.
Common Recalls
- In Pontiac that are produced in 2007 the headlamp driver module (hdm) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.
Pontiac G8
Sample size: 111
A Pontiac G8 can drive a maximum of 180,000 miles. Pontiac G8’s are fairly reliable cars with a total of 13,51% reaching a mileage of more than 150,000 miles. On average a Pontiac G8 will last around 140,000 miles, giving it a life expectancy of 10 years and 5 months with an average mileage of 13,500 miles per year.
Looking at data from Repairpal.com an USnews.com we can see that Pontiac Grand G8’s are indeed reliable cars to own. The car gets a reliability rating of 9.2/10. However, the maintenance cost are above average for a car this size with average annual spending of $562.
Common Recalls
- In Pontiac G8’s produced in 2007 – 2008 the Steel cables that connect the seat belts to the driver seat and the seat of the front passenger may bent. This can result in the cable breaking during a crash.
Pontiac Solstice
Sample size: 264
A Pontiac Solstice can drive a maximum of 180,000 miles. Pontiac Solstices are unreliable cars with a total of 3,41% reaching a mileage of more than 150,000 miles. On average a Pontiac Solstice will last around 140,000 miles, giving it a life expectancy of 14 years and 5 months with an average mileage of 13,500 miles per year.
Looking at data from Repairpal.com we can see that Pontiac Grand Am’s are reliable cars to own. The car gets a reliability rating of 4.4/5 stars. However, the life expectancy of the car is below average and the maintenance cost are above average. The maintenance cost for this car are $486 per year.
Common Recalls
- The airbag suppression system sensor that’s responsible for deploying the airbag in a crash may get damaged in models that are produced in 2006 – 2010. This will result in the airbag not deploying in a crash.
Should You Buy A Pontiac With A Higher Mileage?
Another important question to ask yourself when you’re in the market for a used Pontiac is whether or not it’s smart to buy a high mileage one when the focus is the price-quality that you’ll get.
Overall we would consider a second-hand Pontiac a very reliable buy that already had a lot of depreciation. Given that Pontiacs aren’t the most popular cars globally, this means that a 5-year-old model normally already had more than 50% depreciation. On average, that means you still have an extra 5 – 8 years of life expectancy left.
How To Maintain A Pontiac So That It Will Reach High Mileages?
For a Pontiac to reach high mileage, regular maintenance must be carried out according to the maintenance schedule of Pontiac. Also, this maintenance schedule gives you a clear overview of what you can expect for maintenance when you’re buying a used Pontiac.
Below you’ll find the list of the general maintenance points that should be carried out for a Pontiac. Please keep in mind that every model of Pontiac is different and that they have different maintenance requirements.
- Oil change: Every 10,000 miles
- Tire Rotation: Every 10,000 miles
- Air Filter Replacement: Every 50,000 miles
- Spark Plugs Replacement: Every 100,000 miles
- Replacement Of Automatic Transmission Filter And Fluid: Every 100,000 miles.
- Coolant Replacement: Every 150,000 miles
- Cleaning Of Radiator Core And AC Condenser: Every 150,000 miles
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!