Ah, no I've not left it manually in third, I always use D when im going that fast

Silver, the comment I made about not experiencing any problems refers to the automatic transmission in the "D" position. I don't even think I am willing to try leaving it in 3rd to wait for a 108 mph governor.

I don't even understand why it matters. This seems like a ridiculous complaint to me. Bonneville’* are not made for lapping a track, they are touring cars. I couldn’t care less what the 3rd gear indicator on the console is governed at. I know if I leave the car in overdrive (“D”), at WOT, 3rd gear will redline before changing to 4th. That’* all I really care about. Why leave it in 3rd on the console anyway? The transmission will act the same by just leaving it in 4th and flooring it. This seems like a valid complaint for a manual transmission but certainly not for an automatic.

Am I the one that is missing something here? :?

Achem...yes you guys are missing something.
Between the 108 mph 3rd gear limit at around 4000 rpm, and the 128 mph limited top speed in 4th gear, the engine will accelerate slower than if the transmission were allowed to stay in 3rd gear until 5500 rpm like the 1st to second shift at 5500 rpm.

Once I was doing about 110 mph cruising in 4th, I matted it to pass another car, it downshifted into 3rd gear and the limiter came on so it slowed to 108. I had to lift the throttle so the trani would stay in 4th gear to get it to over 125 mph.

Yes there are a few stretches of unpoliced deserted highway around here where those speeds are normal.

....and speaking of using the gear selector....Don't you ever down shift to use the engine as a mild brake during high speed manuevers?
I find it difficult to maintain 115 mph in hilly terrain through mountain valleys without using 3rd gear. Puts you closer to the peak power rpm.

Anyone who owns a 2000 SSEi and doesn't understand what I'm talking about has never driven it faster than 108 mph ........in 3rd gear with a stock PCM that is.

Thats a valid point SilverBullet.
Looks like a custom pcm is order?

By the way there is a new programmer on the scenehttp://www.c-ya-racing.com/prod01.htm

Knew you were looking for a chip for next spring? check em out.

I have a friend with a 2002 Max and he kills 97-03 GP/GTP'* on the daily...
But when he ran into a 04 GP GTP he had met his match. He said that the GTP seem to still have power at 120 mph. This he said while his Max was not able to catch the GTP.

i give it to the GTP. Just becuase it'* a pontiac.... and it'* domestic.

Id give it to the Maxima. Those things can pull for being N/A. I wonder if we can get a local group buy for the C-ya racing programing?

Well, I can’t say that I have ever been cruising at 110 mph (177 km/h) and found the need to pass anyone. As an aside, I am from Ontario so this mph business is a bit foreign to me. Nevertheless, the one time I got all the way up to 125 mph (201 km/h) I did so from a standing start and cannot remember when the transmission shifted into 4th gear.

I wish that Toronto had a few stretches of unpoliced desert highway where those speeds were normal too!

To answer your question Silver, of course I use the gear selector to manually select 3rd gear. The only problem is, I don’t think I have ever selected 3rd gear at speeds over 100 mph. Thus, I am unaware of this problem that you speak of. At the drag-strip I leave my Bonne in 3rd, but I never exceed 100 mph there either.

Additionally, I am sure that I would find it hard to maintain 115 mph (185 km/h) in hilly terrain, without manually selecting 3rd gear, as well. Unfortunately, I have never had such an opportunity. Even driving up to Mt. Tremblant, the fastest I usually get to cruise is about 93 mph (150 km/h).

In essence, I wish that I had the opportunity to have the problem that you speak, of but not the problem itself.

Hear hear

Best I did was 230 kph on the QEW westbound in Mississauga at 3 am..other cars = pylons

Nice....