Hey Guys I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT.
Regular 3800 motor. I think it still has the original
serpentine belt. I have 82,000 miles so I think it might
be a good idea to replace it. What belt brand do you
recommend??? Whats the best place to pick one up???
Auto Zone??? Any other tips or steps to replace this
belt???

I find it hard to believe that has a original belt on it...

I change mine every year to 18 months.

Matter O Fact... I will changing mine early next week.
Once they split, crack and/or start to feel like plastic than rubber when you scrape your nail on it... they come off.

Pretty easy to change though... should take 10 min. or so
As for brand... which ever... a belt is a belt IMO

Autozone sells the dayco one which is pretty nice. It's like $35 or so. Oreilly has the better one made by gates. You can't go wrong with either one.

I don't blame you for replacing the belt...My 01 Monte Carlo had the original belt after 108k ish miles. No cracks even! But just to be safe, I went ahead and replaced it.

I've always ran Napa belts after having some trouble with Dayco belts wearing out quickly on my Grand Prix. I went through two of them, said forget this, bought a Napa belt around 150k miles and it's now at 201k, with no cracks.

Napa belt is made by gates.

Lol, Repost: Serpentine belt replacement

This dude posts like Bill Bradley. Anyone remember him?

http://www.grandprix.net/forum/ubbthread...3764#Post143764

LMAO!!! Yeah, I remember that bot.

Sounds like a waste to me.

They should last alot longer then then 18 months. You should get 30-50k out of them.

Seems like a waste yes.... but like i said... they get cracks and feel like plastic, I pull them... beats paying a tow bill
I never had a belt that long, always went to autozone to buy theirs... may be the cincinnati winters, dunno
Now i have a gates (napa) belt and will put it on wednesday after work.

Only time I've had a serp belt fail on me was because an idler pulley bearing froze up and shredded the belt. My car spent most of it's life in Maine. Sure there are some minor cracks and what not but nothing to worry about. I still think you change them prematurely. They feel like plastic because it's the heat the distorts the rubber a tad. Again nothing to worry about.

I've had a GatorBak for YEARS, and it's still not showing any wear or age, other than some of the printing on the back being gone.

I try to stay proactive than reactive....

Well it is your money but I still think it's a waste. I could see doing it every 30-40k but not yearly.

Gates all the way.