Is something wrong with my 99 GT?

[BleakGT]

I got into a little accident with the gas pump the other day (see my thread in main....lol) and I got a 04 GA SE for a rental.

I am noticing things on the SE that are better than my 99 GT - most importantly the steering. It is ALOT tighter, I mean ALOT. I didn't think there was a difference in the R&P steering from a 99 to a 04....do you think I should have my dealer look at my steering being that i just only hit 50k on my car?

I also notice that the ride is alot smoother on the 04. Yes, i know it is an 04, but again, my car only has 50k, there shouldn't be that much of a difference, only thing I can think of is the tire differences, maybe my low profiles on the GT make you "feel the road" a bit more?

Any suggestions?

[4kQuad]

Guess........
There is rubber bushings and what not that help hold/stabalize sway bars and what not.

Grab your front tire at 9 and 3, push/pull try HARD to move the tire. It shouldn't move any more than your back tire. If you can move it, that is where the extra play is coming from.

If it's solid......keep looking.

[sunrunner_pei]

They changed the steering resistance after the '99 models. Newer ones are much stiffer, when packaged with the V6. I noticed a huge difference when I moved to the '03 from my '99.

The ride difference is a combination of the tires (15" vrs. 16") and the softer shocks on the SE compared to the firmer ones on the GT.

[BleakGT]

Actually the rental I have is the SE with the Ecotec, but I am sure they probably stiffened the steering for all models.
So basicially there is probably nothing wrong with my car, just the newer models do in fact have a better steering package....

[sunrunner_pei]

The steering itself is pretty much the same, AFAIK, they just have a different restrictor to stiffen the feel.

Your GT should have 'variable effort' steering, which is lighter at slow speeds and stiffer as you get to highway speed. The Ecotec, IIRC, does not have that feature, which too could lend to a stiffer steering feel.

[Gimli]

I don't think they had VES (variable effort steering) on GAs until 2002.

[RocketFast321]

my 2001 owner's book says
"Variable Effort Steering (If Equipped)"
I think my car does not have, but i could be wrong

[BleakGT]

I just looked in my owners manual and it does say, if equipped, variable effort steering. I would imagine that mine is equipped being it is a GT model.

[EKling]

I Own a 2000 GT while my friend owns a 2001 SE And I too have noticed these things. His steering is very much tighter then mine and when I drove it last night I could barely turn the thing because I am so used to mine but my car also handles better and is more comfortable for me because it does hug the road. The bumpyness in the GT is due to the sport suspension. The springs are harder and the GT sits lower then the SE which explains why the SE is much smoother. As for the steering I have no clue My GT has wider tires on it then most GT's have and it is still easy to turn but I like how my GT drives. I ain't liken my friends SE anymore. Infact he drove my GT last night and he don't wanna drive it anymore because he is jealous. :)

[Pte Socks]

ahh but one thing ive noticed between se's and gt's is the body roll. The roll on my car is huge, so id probably take the sport suspension over the regular.

[sunrunner_pei]

Originally posted by Gimli
I don't think they had VES (variable effort steering) on GAs until 2002.

My '99 had it, Ben. I've even still got the brochure around here somewhere. It was packaged witht he 3400 V6.