we had ours fail pretty early (77k miles). $%*@ing factory defect!

But the people you'll see on this site isn't even close to 1% of the bonnie population. People on site come here so they can mod, get more power, or to fix something that broke. Compare GM trannies to chrysler trannies and then we can have fun. I believe they put the tranny at the limit of the engine, because they're not exactly performance cars that most people modded up back in the day. But we learned better.

Not going to stop me from getting some MSD wires when a set of TOGs go in in the spring. I agree about the rest of the list.

As for tranny coolers, I think in the dead heat of summer they can be helpful, but in winter, I bet that the trans never gets into correct operating temps. my 2 cents

My take on this?

Larger plug wires will benefit you ONLY if you have hotter coils, and hotter coils are a benefit. Greater mid-high range power. I can't speak for the 97+ SSEi coils, though, as I don't know how 'hot' those coils are.

Tranny coolers? ZZP has limited, if any experience with the 4T60. The GP as they know it came out in 97 (3800 powered). They don't support much in the way of the Series 1 or the 4T60 tranny. After running a trans cooler (duals, actually) for as long as I have, and the aftermarket temp gauge in the pillar, my suggestion (and I'll be changing mine before next winter) is to get a thermostat controlled unit. The duals really run it TOO cool in the winter, but I still think even that is a benefit for the summer, anyway. I know the Rat sells this tstat controlled cooler. That'* probably where mine will come from when I get the change done.

Manufacturers do NOT want your car to last forever. You'd never buy another one that way. They DO want it to last longer than their 'average' competitor, and they DO want you to come in for regular service. Some service departments play this game fairly, others take advantage of it. Just something to think about.

Great thread, guys. One of the all-time classics.

I understand fully how they can't let cars run forever. But a transmission has metal on metal contact, and can't last that long. Getting 15-20 years out of an automatic transmissinos is good, even better for those of us on this board.

I was talking to my dad about cars one day, and he told me about his old Chevelle with the 350 back in the 70s. He said that there was one point, where the Chevy 350'* were built so well, that they never broke down, and could be rebuilt over and over again flawlessly, because the engine was so well built. GM couldn't afford to keep producing engines that dont' break down. They can very easily make an engine that will never break down, but it'* just not good business.

Sorry to disagree but that just isn't true. Perhaps your Dad heard of the terrible problem that Chevy had with their camshafts. My 70 Camaro'* cam went out at 114,000 miles( or at least that was when I changed it, who knows how long it had been bad) and my son'* 79 went at just under 100,000 miles. It was a very, very common problem and GM got a lot of bad publicity about it.

isnt the 3800 a little more complicated though?

I bet in 10 years they will be paperweights. Series X anyone?

My tranny was rebuilt before 95K miles. I have no idea when it failed, but I bet if it had another tranny cooler installed by the previous owner I'd still have the original tranny. But at least I have an SRTA Rebuilt for GM so I should be fine for a long while hopefully.