Pontiac GTP - What years to avoid??

[my92gt]

I remember seeing somewhere (here maybe?) that there were a couple years of GTP's to avoid.  What years and what are the problems they have??  Thanks!

[Gravel]

lets see, when did they start selling them? and when did they stop? I would go with all those years.

[Mr. White]

lets see, when did they start selling them? and when did they stop? I would go with all those years.

Yep.

The 2008 looks very promising though.

[my92gt]

LOL - That was kinda my thoughts too, but a guy I work with just bought one.  He got it really cheap, so I'm wondering if it's not going to be plagued with problems. 

[Gravel]

I know of a few people who have liked them, and a few who have hated them.. I guess just like any other GM out there, some are built on good days, and some are built after the assembly line went on a binge..

On a side note, they are a fun as hell rental car!!

[Chris Wilson]

lets see, when did they start selling them? and when did they stop? I would go with all those years.

My sentiments exactly.

[MdniteDrftr]

One of my friends has one. Its either an 00 or an 01 and he hasnt had any problems with it...yet.

[floydwall888]

One of my friends has one. Its either an 00 or an 01 and he hasnt had any problems with it...yet.

Same here. I actually love that car. My old man went out and bought a new I think '99 Boni SSEI and I feel in love with those 3.8's. Nothing like smoking the tires for 3 blocks with the boost to it's limit...in a family car

[Mr. White]

* Mr. White waits for Donna to deify that particular vehicle

[KC LX]

One of my friends has one. Its either an 00 or an 01 and he hasnt had any problems with it...yet.

We liked my 98 GTP so much we got another one.  It's MFE's DD, a 99 with ~ 85K.  There are standard problems, just like the standard no-tech OMG U GOTTA put $200 STBs in teh car to make it stable around the turns guys at www.clubgp.com.  But he'll also find some info over there about the front passenger floor leak fix, how to upgrade the front brakes, add cheap STBs to make it a little better.

Have him check out the GP board and there's also local ones.  Good cars for us, mine's at 131K.  Best car I've ever had, but the line up includes:

- 79 4-cyl Mustang
- 82 Isuzu I-Mark (good God, thank you Jesus for the 83 that was in the junkyard to pick parts from)
- 91 Taurus
- 93 Escort
- 96 Contour

[TireSmoke]

i love bonnies w/ the 3.8.... sooo *** damn fast!!!

[Gravel]

- 79 4-cyl Mustang
- 82 Isuzu I-Mark (good God, thank you Jesus for the 83 that was in the junkyard to pick parts from)
- 91 Taurus
- 93 Escort
- 96 Contour

Quite the bench marks you got going there....

[TireSmoke]

my favorite beater so far was my old 89 Mazda 626 turbo.  It had that nasty 2.2L ford turbo motor that was found in the 89 era probe GT's.  I swear that car would run high 14s...

[MFE]

Most of the people who bag on them have never owned one or worked on one, they just jump on the internet rumormongering gangbangery that says they're junk.  Everybody says the transmissions are s***, but I don't see it.   It's a GM automatic, and much stronger than the version they put in n/a cars.  They live a long time and when they go it's a $2000 check.   The engines themselves are practically bulletproof, a low-tech, high-tolerance, low-revving hunk of good american iron that's totally understressed.  

They are not high-dollar cars so high-dollar behavior and amenities shouldn't be expected.   They're cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, easy to modify, and comfortable.  Well, all except the godforsaken HVAC controls which I still f***ing hate after 2 years of driving one.  That and the fact that the doors don't unlock until you put the car in park :grr:

I'd stay away from a 97 only because it was an odd year, the first of that body style and a lot of things changed in the engine bay between 97 and 98.

Common failure areas:

- Fuel pump circuit resistor.  Car will start but not stay running.   Easy preventive maintenance or fix.
- Rattles and squeaks.  *** damn.
- Cowl molding weatherseal deteriorates and allows water into the passenger front floorboard in rainstorms.  Takes 20 minutes and $5 to fix/improve for good.
- Tie rod ends.  You get lots of warning as they deteriorate, piece of cake to change, and at least they last longer than a Taurus' ever would
- Front wheel bearing assemblies, again, lots and lots of warning when they go, not hard to change, absolutely must get a made-in-USA replacement or the new one will likely be worse than the failed one.

Nice things about them:  Pretty fast for such a large car, and easy to make faster.   Damn good brakes are $100 away with a trip to the junkyard and some bigger rotors.  Comfortable even for the tall.  Heated drivers seat.  Heads-up displays.  Quiet and comfortable cruiser that'll make mincemeat of a passing situation.  Damn good in the snow.  Yes, it's wrong-wheel-drive but there's so damn much weight over the front wheels it'll holeshot practically any non-DR 5.0 you throw at it, which I must say...is damn fun.  

Special note for those whose lips move when they read:  "Deification" appears relative to the onslaught of aforementioned rumormongering gangbangery.   It's a cheap American car that holds 4 and gets out of its own way...and a relatively good one for what it is.

[MFE]

I forgot one important downside:  The online community for the GTP is more chockful of overconfident, no-tech, "I mean, think about it" a**hats than for practically any car I've ever come across.  It really is remarkable.  Probably says something about the kind of owner that gravitates toward them but I don't care

[Gravel]

I just don't like cheap American cars....

[TireSmoke]

I just don't like cheap American cars....

you love paying $500 for a replacement import alternator, or $300 for a replacement import water pump, $250 for a replacement headlight? 

I'll stick to my $69.99 replacement parts on my american cars....

[BadAndy]

my favorite beater so far was my old 89 Mazda 626 turbo.  It had that nasty 2.2L ford turbo motor that was found in the 89 era probe GT's.  I swear that car would run high 14s...

I miss my '86 TurboCoupe Tbird

[Mr. White]

The 2008 should rip. Just wait until 2012 and pick one of those up.

[Gravel]

I just don't like cheap American cars....

you love paying $500 for a replacement import alternator, or $300 for a replacement import water pump, $250 for a replacement headlight? 

I'll stick to my $69.99 replacement parts on my american cars....

I don't know what the f*** kinda imports you think I like but it cost me 200 bucks to rebuild my last honda engine... 

[hrtatack1]

lets see, when did they start selling them? and when did they stop? I would go with all those years.

yup

[KC LX]

Most of the people just jump on the internet rumormongering gangbangery

Got another 2007 QOTY nomination for you, Posh.

Quite the bench marks you got going there.

That's why I qualified my statement.

How many others are driving a loaded, leather, power everything, drive it on the street or open track, give mustangs, camaros, etc. a run for their money car?


















/waits for the civic owners' chirps

[KC LX]

Common failure areas:

- Rattles and squeaks.  *** damn.

Not in my car - but mine was a former GM employee's car.  MFE got the 'where the f*** is that noise coming from?!' edition.

Special note for those whose lips move when they read:  "Deification" appears relative to the onslaught of aforementioned rumormongering gangbangery.

Oh my. 

You continue to be underutilized in the creative area of your company.

[Mr. White]

* Mr. White farts in the general direction of this thread

[KC LX]

How's dat civic?  Nice vinyl interior?  Bench seat maybe?

[Gravel]

Giving Mustangs a run for their money on a road course is not much of a feat... Granted there are some fast track Mustangs out there, but they are not stock mustangs..

[Mr. White]

[lipsmoving]Nice cloth buckets that recline, no squeaks or rattles. Brake job only necessary repair in 90k+ miles over 2 1/2 years.
37-40 mpg. Gets out of it's own way, but not much else[/lipsmoving]

[KC LX]

I didn't say on the OT - however I was giving a WRX, 300M and a Camaro a hard time.  I'm a novice and that mom-mobile is the opposite of a track car.  Even with the STBs, yo, they're mad stabiLizing stuff!  I mean, think about it! 

I finally had to let a subie past me, driving the mustang, because I couldn't shake him.  Then I saw his plate:  TRK JNKY

[KC LX]

37-40 mpg

I guess I'm not a total hippy:  I find that I don't give a flying f*** about great gas mileage.  I put in premium fuel, stop on it when I want/need to.

[Mr. White]

Like I said, drive 200+ miles a day and see how little it matters.