Opinions on GXP Bonneville - Looking to Buy
 

Well, I love my '93 SSEi but looking towards trading up to a GXP.

Since I have no clue on the GXP's a few questions:
1.) Any paticular year to stay with or away from?
2.) I'll want to drop it at least an inch. Anyone done this before? Which Kit?

Thanks,

-TJ 8)

Interesting we are working on something right now for dropping it you can chip in too if you would like basically what we are doing is chipping in $20-40(depending on how many people we have) to have a expermental drop on a GXP. Anyways I love mine when its outside of the Shop. haha. I have had problems with mine and others the same. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't have bought anything else, but that is because I had my heart set out for a GXP ever since they were introduced.

So there is no lowering Kit avaialable for the GXP?

ReallyaGXP is looking into that right now http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...360&highlight=

There isn't any aftermarket support for this car whatsoever!

Maybe not in your area http://www.drdavidhamilton.com/image...0whistling.gif

well ok but There are a few things we can throw at it and make work...

like brakes.

and maybe lowering springs

Re: Opinions on GXP Bonneville - Looking to Buy
 

The 04 are and 05 are basically the same, just fewer made in 05. Plus there are still a few new 05's left that you could probably get for a good deal. My mom went from a 95 SLE to the 05 GXP and loves it. I always loved the look of the 92-95 bonnies, but the 04-05 GXP looks great too. I actually preferred the seats in the 92-99 SSE-SSEi with the lumbar and the regular leather in the others rather than the 00-05 Bonnies. The way they adjust, i just can't get comfortable. I like how the backrest is attached to the bottom cusion on the older models rather than being seperate like on the new models. Also, the inside seems smaller and less head and leg room. Besides that, the dash is similar in style to yours. I love the exhaust and it has decent power and it does not feel like a boat like the older ones do. I like the look of the leather and suede seats. I think the gas mileage sucks. I think we got 24 on the highway once. If you are looking for more performance, look at the Grand Prix GXP. Thats what I have. The seats are much better, the HUD has more features, it's quicker gets better gas mileage and has almost as much interior room and trunk space - plus the rear seats fold down. Granted it doesn;t look as nice as the Bonnie, but its more of a drivers car. Just my $.02

????????? ;) Sure there is.
Jet Chip makes a Power Control Unit that piggybacks the non flashable PCM of the GXP

They also make a high flow Maf sensor
http://www.jetchip.com/products.asp?...&model=591#591

Put the two together to accommodate this:
STS Turbo's universal turbo that will fit the GXP
http://www.ststurbo.com/universal_system

That'll get Ya in the 400HP + range.

Or go with this kit from Zex like I did.
http://www.compperformancegroupstore...NITROUSSYSTEMS

It's $50 bucks a bottle for juice but it makes the Northstar growl.

So you going to go for that turbo venom? ;)

Wow... I just want to lower it a little though, not go with power mod's. Would be kinda cool though to see a Turbo GXP creepin up on a C6, LOL... :P

By this time Next summer my GM factory warranty will have expired and I'll be all over the BullyDog remote turbo set up.......

nothing against the GXP, we love ours, but I just saw a new 05 SLE at a dealership in Burlington NJ. I just made a post in the 2000-2005 section. Its white tricoat with taupe leather, the premium package - sunrood, 17" chrome wheels, monsoon and XM. It has the same body moldings as the GXP and is missing the HUD and the GXP style spoiler, oh and the V8, but it sure gets better mileage. Just throwing that out there.

I would like to add I am not affiliated with the dealer in any way nor have i even been inside and talked to anyone there. Just driving by and stopped to look at a NEW 04 Grand Prix Comp G to see if it really was new, and it was.

With all the potential mods listed above, it would be a good idea to point out that without PCM support, some of those mods are not worth your time or money.

Until the PCM is cracked, and is available at an affordable price, any kind of forced induction other than Nitrous is impractical.

Well Mr. Wren you are correct to a certain point... You can add the stage 1 Remote STS turbo pkg with ease and likely the stage 2... But who wants that right Lets get into stage 3... Thats where Nelson performance comes in http://www.nelsonperformance.com/tuning.htm. as of right now working with the programmers at Squires and Nelson we think that the lucurne pcm can hold all of the pretty information that the pontiac PCM holds with out the lock code.. Now if there is away to rewrite the GXP pcm information to a blank then we have an In and if anyone can do It im sure Nelson can. This is something that is going between Nelson and squires at this point but I will be in touch with Scott this week. We have already learned From Venoms experiance with the Go Fast Gas that a 100 shot is vailid and does not send the PCM in to a stupid fit. so all is promising\..

As far as the lowering springs go My friend was seriously injured in a boating accident but should be back to work with in the next 2 weeks. I guess him and his buddies learned that you should drink and boat or boat at night with poor lighting.

Not sure where I read it but I thought the GXP was dropped 1 inch from the factory compared to other bonnevilles?

Tjnapster, I Love my GXP for the styling , uniqueness, the smoothness and better accelaration of the Northstar over the 3800. (I'm not talking 1/4 times which dont even account for a tenth of a normal persons use. ) From 40MPH to close to 160MPH the 4.6L's 300 Lbs of torque gives an exhilarating ride. Test drive one and see what I mean. (Pete, the Fake Canadian has been in my car and was amazed at it's nimbleness in a second gear WOT kickdown) The car has it's share of problems, but they were addressed with some arm twisting at the Dealer. But that is the rule of the thump for American Made Cars these days across the board. (I'm keeping the Venom but looking Across the Atlantic for a daily driver)

Vince, Sorry I didnt see Your guestion till now. :oops: As Will stated correctly, the Locked PCM is a big problem. The "piggyback" that JetChi[p sells will not adjust fuel pressures, injector settings, shift points, or cancel either rev limiter. So I am leaving the turbo issue closed for now. I cant see the N* responding to anything over the 6-8 Lb mild boost the expensive stage 1 rear mounted turbo kit might deliver, so why bother. I am a light year ahead of that already with NOX. The only alternative is a Marelli Custom PCM used by Mallet and RSM racing and that will set You back thousands of Dollars for the PCM electrical alterations, And programming.

As I mentioned in the thread started about lowering the GXP,.... Changing the springs in the back Will Not lower it. You cant over ride rear ELC with springs, it's a pipedream.It is going to take alot more work, research, and Money to lower the back than stated. I can drop mine on it's tires but that took alot of work, fabrication, and $3000 plus labor of which I got alot of "gratis" from a shop that specializes in such things, who sponsored the Venom.

I really like my GXP although as many other have said, it hasn't been without its problems. I'm not too worried about performance upgrades (or lowering for that matter), but I do like toys.

The '04 and '05 GXP are virtually the same car. The only difference (according to a GM Production Bulletin) is that the '05 has Gen 6 OnStar. This means that you lose the rear glass mount antenna since it's integrated into the roof mount antenna. The roof mount antenna is much more esthetically pleasing than in 2004. In addition, the '05 OnStar is already dual mode (will work with analog and digital cell networks). The '04 is analog only and will need to be upgraded if you want to use the service beyond December 31, 2007. The Gen 6 OnStar also has improved hands free calling features.

Of the common Bonneville problems, I've had water leaks and the standard clunk of the intermediate steering shaft. Both these have been resolved. Problems I've had which don't seem to be as common include fairly major transmission work and replacement of a failed electronic compass module.

I love the styling of the GXP and have received many compliments from people just walking past. For what I want, the performance is more than adequate. It's very comfortable and a great highway car. Fuel economy isn't what I'd like but after all it is a V8. The suede inserts are nice but have been a bit of a challenge to keep clean. My opinion is guarded about overall reliability but as many other have said, I can't see myself in anything else (at least not by choice).

Had to post this here BUT I have a way around the ELC... it has been done and will be done again..... I will tell you it involves a litle machining of the leveling rod. A friend I just spoke to today has just done this to a 07 STS V and has done it to several other caddy's at his shop... Guess where I'll be going as soon as he finds me some rear springs...

You should have posted this in your own thread. I think a rod with a turnbuckle in the middle of it would work even better. You can have some adjustment leeway. Possibly you could even find a turnbuckle the diameter of the existing rod and cut the OEM rod and thread it. I have seen Lincoln Towncars that have airshock leaks and they really sat low. I really dont think you even need to replace the rear springs,.... just shorten the ELC rod for the drop you are thinking of. I cant drive mine slammed except in a straight line. . I am not trying to put a monkey wrench in your plans R GXP, I'm just trying to get you to go a different route that seems more tenable. Let's put this discussion back on track in it's proper thread .

Moved reply back to lowering the GXP thread.
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...t=lowering+gxp
Sorry for the hijack tjnabster.
;)