The Quad 4 engine was supposedly a super engine, techonologically
advanced and would be GM's answer to everything out there. About that
time I had bought a new '88 Cougar and a buddy of mine bought a Pontiac
Grand Am Quad 4 a month or two later. He rubbed in my face that the
engine in my Cougar was aging and that his car was much, much better.
Anyway, his car had engine problems galore, especially in the ignition
department. I think he was getting the coils replaced about every 3-4
months, all under warranty of course. He sold his car right before the
warrany on the car expired because GM never could get the ignition
system to work for more than a few months at a time. I think he also
had an engine replaced because of the crankshaft mains had cracked. (He
stopped bragging about his car soon after he bought it) I believe he
had his car's ignition system worked on close to 20 times.

300K miles later I still have my Cougar and I've yet to pull a valve
cover or oil pan off. Sometimes the "high tech" can come back to bite
you.