6th Gen Grand Prix (GTP) experts!

[CJL 10+ year member]

Im in the market for a 6th Gen Grand Prix GTP soon. To all teh experts, What are the things to look for when buying? Any year I should avoid?

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

Click to read more...

 

[brynm 10+ year member]

6th gen? I'd avoid the 97-03.

 

[99grandprixGT 5,000+ posts]

nothing wrong with the 97-03s from them i would just aviod the 97s. they change some things for the better in 98. the 3800 is a great engine.

 

[Jh8909 10+ year member]

didn't the 3800 series with the supercharger have a recall where something could catch fire?

 

[CJL 10+ year member]

6th gen? I'd avoid the 97-03.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eyebrow.gif.fe2c18d8720fe8c7eaed347b21ea05a5.gif

 

[CJL 10+ year member]

nothing wrong with the 97-03s from them i would just aviod the 97s. they change some things for the better in 98. the 3800 is a great engine.

I figured 97 would be it. I seem to found a good deal on one ,but its a 97. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

Do you what they changed for the better?

 

[audioatg 10+ year member]

didn't the 3800 series with the supercharger have a recall where something could catch fire?

There is a recall for the fuel pressure regulator on the 3.1 and 3.3. I think thats the motors but its for all those motors in any make model they came in not just the prix's. So like the century and regals so on and so on.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

didn't the 3800 series with the supercharger have a recall where something could catch fire?

Yup. They had a recall for the plug wire separators. If you had an oil drip they would catch fire. All they did is took them off and replace them. Took less than 5 minutes at the dealer. Ive had my 99 for 4 years. I got it my senior year in high school. ****** crapped out on me 20,000 miles after I bought it. I paid $350 for parts and had a ZZP racing ****** with 3.29 gears for about $1300 off of retail price on the transmission. Besides that I havent had a single issue with the car and its obviously now 11 years old. I just rolled over to 184,000 on the clock.

 

[sickofsoyo 10+ year member]

The engine fires are from bad valve cover gaskets, the wire separators are just a bs cover. The 97's have lots of issues, transmission being one of them, and the TB on the 97s 98s are different. You're better off going with 99-03. You can still get a good deal on those, and the aftermarket is huge for the 3800 engine with the supercharger. First modifications should be cold air induction, headers and exhaust (just a u-bend delete if too expensive, but there are ebay headers you can get for two hundo) and a tune. For tune ups, stick with stock wires, or prj wires, and I recommend switching to a colder spark plug with the blower. The 3800 Series II is a very good engine, and as long as you take care of the car, and follow all the maintenance intervals and such, will provide a long long life.

EDIT: Oh and make sure you replace the lower intake manifold gasket. They always go bad, and allow coolant and oil to mix, which can cause rod bearings to spin. Quick ways to check this are to look under the oil fill cap and check for white foam, and pull the dipstick and look for chocolate milk colored oil. replace the gasket with the GM metal version and you're good. Check out http://www.clubgp.com for more info //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif