Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

xr8d302 · Dec 6, 2006

I have a chance to buy a very well priced 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP for a winter/daily driver, and, all brand wars aside, I like these cars for their wide stance and sleek lines....

Problem is, as many reviews as I've read, I'm still wondering if anybody on here has had any experience with them, and if so, could you tell me if there's been any problems with the supercharged 3800 after some decent mileage...this car has 120 k's on the odometer, but the owner has all the maintenance receipts and documentation

The car has leather interior, all the bells and whistles, heads up display, leather interior, etc etc etc

It could be a great all weather driver, that way the stang can hang out and get built....

opinions? experience?

TIA.... :Teh-Win:

urban96 · Dec 6, 2006

buy it and drive it till it blows up

trav_19 · Dec 6, 2006

3800 great engine supercharged im unsure i had the same question when i was looking at a 2000 gtp and no one had a straight answer for me...but if the price is right i would get it i agree they look nice!

drakesdad · Dec 6, 2006

I have a 99 and have no complaints. I prefer it on trips to the stang. And if you want to mod it just go to GTP world and check out some of the mods. Those cars can run low 13's pretty easy. Thought about getting the smaller pulley and changing downpipe on mine......one day...lol.......my co worker has a 98 and neither of us have had any major problem. That damn orange anti freeze ate the intake gasket away but that was a pretty easy fix to pull the S/C and intake off.....Let me know if I can answer anything else.

DJiCE · Dec 6, 2006

GM's v6 tend to blown head gaskets... I would stay away..

drakesdad · Dec 6, 2006

trav_19 said:
3800 great engine supercharged im unsure i had the same question when i was looking at a 2000 gtp and no one had a straight answer for me...but if the price is right i would get it i agree they look nice!

Aaron, I forgot to tell you that I agree with Travis.....the 3800 is a great engine....It holds up......and the last two winters in Ohio have presented NO problem for the wife............only thing I don't like................TORQUE STEER....

xr8d302 · Dec 6, 2006

Thanks Will, some good info there....I will have further questions over the next week as I go to do more deals with this guy...

the car's been sitting for a while on a flat tire, and I'm going to make sure that he replaces that before the sale, as well as the safety and etest...after that, I'm going to have a mechanic check it out for any issues resulting from sitting as long as it has (about 9 months, he picked up a company truck and uses that consistently)

It does have a small amount of surface rust in 2 area's, but that's nothing that can't be solved with a small trip to the body shop...

Everything does seem legit, I just don't want any unexpected issues to arise a week later, as would be the case with anyone

DJice, I know what you mean, but most of those issues dealt with 99-01 Malibu's and Impala's, and their minivans...

trav_19 · Dec 6, 2006

its the 3.4l you wanna stay away from its the head gasket problem engine, my uncle had so many of these to fix at gm but 3.4l not an option in a gtp so get it oh and the orange anti freeze is garbage my moms jimmy 96 first year of dex-crap same problem they told her they haddent worked all the bugs out of the system yet..i think its crap.

drakesdad · Dec 6, 2006

xr8d302 said:
Thanks Will, some good info there....I will have further questions over the next week as I go to do more deals with this guy...

the car's been sitting for a while on a flat tire, and I'm going to make sure that he replaces that before the sale, as well as the safety and etest...after that, I'm going to have a mechanic check it out for any issues resulting from sitting as long as it has (about 9 months, he picked up a company truck and uses that consistently)

It does have a small amount of surface rust in 2 area's, but that's nothing that can't be solved with a small trip to the body shop...

Everything does seem legit, I just don't want any unexpected issues to arise a week later, as would be the case with anyone

DJice, I know what you mean, but most of those issues dealt with 99-01 Malibu's and Impala's, and their minivans...

Is it a 2 or 4 door.................I have the 4 door and for some reason think it looks better than the 2.................but I'm a crack head anyway......

xr8d302 · Dec 6, 2006

apparently the dex cool stuff is actually quite efficient and does what it says they will....

unfortunately it does all that and more....the bugs have been fixed over the past few years, but this 97, unless already corrected, will have an eaten up intake gasket, more than likely...I'll have to ask the guy

and you are right, Trav, the 3.4 litre is the culprit

xr8d302 · Dec 6, 2006

drakesdad said:
Is it a 2 or 4 door.................I have the 4 door and for some reason think it looks better than the 2.................but I'm a crack head anyway......

4 door... they do look better

drakesdad · Dec 6, 2006

xr8d302 said:
apparently the dex cool stuff is actually quite efficient and does what it says they will....

unfortunately it does all that and more....the bugs have been fixed over the past few years, but this 97, unless already corrected, will have an eaten up intake gasket, more than likely...I'll have to ask the guy

and you are right, Trav, the 3.4 litre is the culprit

If it is Aaron you will have no problem replacing it.......After wrenching on the stang with no room I thought it was a cake walk....wasn't hard at all....

xr8d302 · Dec 6, 2006

all of this makes me feel alot better about purchasing this car, will!

drakesdad · Dec 6, 2006

xr8d302 said:
all of this makes me feel alot better about purchasing this car, will!

That's cool, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one with 120k on the clock........I had a 3100 lumina that ran into the 200k......it was a winter beater and this 3800 I feel is even a stronger motor....I've got 90K and the car launches, handles good, It has the typical Pontiac interior but I love the heads up display and the steering wheel controls...............I'm not a traitor ...I love the stang but there are days when I'll choose the GTP to drive....

Adam95GT · Dec 6, 2006

drakesdad said:
That's cool, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one with 120k on the clock........I had a 3100 lumina that ran into the 200k......it was a winter beater and this 3800 I feel is even a stronger motor....I've got 90K and the car launches, handles good, It has the typical Pontiac interior but I love the heads up display and the steering wheel controls...............I'm not a traitor ...I love the stang but there are days when I'll choose the GTP to drive....

LOL... my lumnia was complete peice of junk... my aunt gave it to me... they had a brand new motor installed under warnty becaust it threw a rod... the new motor had only 40k on it... and for some reason it had problems and it cracked and warped the block... i never got on that car at all either it was my first car...

The Green GT · Dec 6, 2006

My mom has a '99 Gran Prix but its the small V6 (3.3 I think?) and its an ugly bright blue color. Imay be getting it for free since she is getting another vehicle so i can drive it to school and stuff.

Therian · Dec 6, 2006

Aaron, is it 120k kilometres or miles? if it's the former, I wouldn't be worried at all...if it's the latter...I still wouldn't be horribly worried.

I had a 96 Buick Park Avenue (also 3800 SC) and I ran it to 220k kilometres before selling it. SC was still holding up and I had never had any engine problems. If you have most/all receipts, and the car has been looked after, you shouldn't have anything to worry about

Guero · Dec 6, 2006

Those engines are pretty long lasting. And they can be made fast super easy. The trannys do suck on those. When i had mine it blew with 140,000 miles in the tranny. I drove it pretty hard to. But some tend to last alot less. But if the price is right its good. It only cost me 700 bucks to rebuild the tranny. When i had mine, i loved the s/c whine, and my exhaust sounded alomost like a v8 under 3000 rpms. I use to love beating cars and getting a wtf look cuz they taught it was gonna be an easy kill!

The Green GT · Dec 6, 2006

Guero breaks any car he touches, dont listen to him...

drakesdad · Dec 6, 2006

The Green GT said:
Guero breaks any car he touches, dont listen to him...

You beat me to it Eric............................he just has a LEAD foot...

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