Just curious to know if anyone knows of changes that were made from the 2004 Bonny GXP to the 2005 model. Being stationed in Germany, I don't get alot of the
info right away. I try to scan websites but haven't seen anything thus far. BTW, I have 4700 miles on my Silver 2004 now and it'* still a blast to drive over here. I've gotten it up to 140 mph on the autobahn and it ran super smooth. Mileage isn't the best but that'* due to mostly city driving and those 140 mph bursts! Brake dust is very annoying but that'* a minor issue for me.

the only changes that i know of are that the SLE will look like the GXP minus the spoiler and the exhaust tips.

no changes for the GXP that I am aware of

yeah, those cars do like to emit the brake dust. When it comes time for new ones be sure to get true ceramic pads -there'* not nearly as much dust, and it sn't noticable -I've had them on my 1994 SLE and now my 1998 SSE and have never noticed a brake dust build up with my eyes, but there is a little if you run your finger(*) across the rim.

B.O.T. -Haven't heard of any changes between the two years.

You are so right about the brake dust... I am looking to rpelace the front pads with ceramic early because they are so bad... two days three days max and the whole car looks like it needs to be detailed!

Well, now the Germans are getting a little arrogant! I had my brakes looked at by a German friend who works for Mercedes. He looked at the pads, the rotor, and calipers and said if these brakes were on a German specs car it would be deemed unsafe! This is the new GXP! He said for a car to have a V8 and 18 inch wheels, it would be mandatory to have cross drilled rotors....PERIOD! No if ands or buts. He said the type of pads on there were almost forbidden in Germany because they are too dangerous and heat up too fast. He then took my car out, with me in it.....slammed the brkaes at 75 mph and we both noticed shuttering. You could hear the vibration and he said he could feel the pedal getting sloppy. I told him that was probably the ABS kicking in and he said that was BS. He said he knows ABS and that he didn't hit it hard enough to trigger it. He then tested it on a machine and said the back brakes on my car were not being utilized enough. He said for a car that big, that heavy, front wheel drive, 18 inch wheels and a V8 should have much much bigger rotors in the rear wheels and provide more braking. He said he saw more braking on the rear wheels of a Ford Fiesta! I thought the brakes were good but I guess for a German car they aren't. He then showed me an a 6 cylinder diesel Mercedes with smaller wheels but a bigger rotor than the GXP'* and cross drilled and the car had less HP. He said "Now that is a break system." This guy knows quite a bit about American cars but I told him in America we don't have unlimited speed limits like the autobahn and don't need the brakes like they do. He understood but still couldn't understand how the flagship car for a GM company could have worse brakes than most German cars! I think this guy is full of crap and I told him so. He is a friend and I know he meant well but I would like to know what the deal is here. Any comments?

Well, this IS comming from a guy whose country likes to overbuild their vehicles. When it came time to do a clutch job on my 89 Jetta, I found that the axles actually bolt into a flange in the transaxles, instead of sliding into the differential like I am used to seeing. I do agree with you on the speed issue, how US cars have speed limitations and all, however I do see his point as well. With you being in the service, I assume you got yours through the Exchange service, which brings new US-Spec vehicles to overseas military bases (or you shipped yours there), and it is usually assumed that you would ship this vehicle back to the States when your tour was done. I am wondering if GM exports the Bonneville to other countries, as it is usual practice for THOSE vehicles to be brought up to the receiving country'* specs...i.e. a Bonneville (or perhaps under another name) meant specifically for the German market that passes T.U.V. specifications (which are WAY more stringent than D.O.T., which is what your mechanic friend is used to).

Don't down your German friend...he more than likely knows what he is talking about.

So put some better rotors on. Tell the guy that it'* not something to get so upset about. And be on your merry way. I've never met an unconceited German.

Sure? I know our crash regs are VERY stringent, along with emissions compared to other countries. Our headlighs SUCK compared to euro beams as well.

I posted the exact same thread in a topic specifically related to the brakes and I've posted some responses there. Check that one too. It'* the "GXP Brakes...Germans Giving Me Crap!" topic. And yes, my car is American specs but because I work at the embassy here and we have to use German plates vs military ones, I had to take it to the German TüV and it passed with no problems whatsoever. Like I said in the other thread, he is comparing my car with ones costing 2-3 times as much. It'* like comparing apples to oranges. Give me another $50,000 for upgrades and the Germans will shut up! In my opinion, the Germans build their higher end cars with such precision that the slighest problem can create an avalanche of other problems. There is no room for small problems or deviations. And what the Germans pay for maintenance is unbelievable! An oil change costs $130 here! Most Germans leave their filters on for at least 2 oil changes.

$130 (LOL) and that'* Dino Oil too I bet.....well....maybe not!!! I remember my 75 Scirocco had a gas filter that was the size of a Fosters Beer Can. And the Oil Filters they specify seemed to be a little bigger than most. I'd say they were almost the size of the AC-Delco PF52'* some of us use on our GM cars. So, I would believe it if I heard that they replace their oil filters once a year whether they need to or not. It'* also possible that they just traded in their 70'* VW Beetle which had no oil filter. So they're saying "Oil Filters, what'* that" in German, of course.