Well, it may be time to sell or retire the Bonneville. I'm going to look a mechanic-owned GP GT tomorrow.

At 156,000 miles, the owner is selling it well below book value. I talked with him briefly, and he does know what he'* talking about. He'* replaced the front wheel bearings, all four brakes, and installed metal LIM gaskets.

The bad: the driver'* window doesn't work, and the passenger one is off-track. He'* throwing in new motors and regulators. It also needs a new exhaust gasket (the donut in front of the down pipe), which is also included.

Anything else to look out for that'* GP-specific? I know I'll be plugging in my code reader and looking for transmission codes like P1811.

sounds like you're looking at 97-08 then....

rockers, the lack of them, is pretty common.

check rear strut tower area for rust.



that'* about the only GP/ 2nd/3rd gen W-body specific stuff i would look for. i don't think the trailing arm mount area had nearly as many issues as the 1/1.5 gen cars do.

Correct, this is a 1999 coupe.

What rockers are you talking about? Not the ones under the valve covers, I assume.

The rocker panel under the doors like to rust out.

that'* an understatement.

Well, I checked it out. A little surface rust on the dogbones, but the body is just as rust-free as the Bonneville. No rust on the strut towers, rockers, or under the fuel tank door (that I could see).

No long-adapt transmission DTC'* (or any at all), and it drives pretty well for a stock 3800. I can tell from the way it goes in and out of gear that it needs a tranny mount (front?), but for what I'll be paying… well, it'* no Bonneville, but I'll have some fun with this one.

I like dd'ing w bodies better than the h just because i like the handling better. the bonnie is my wifes really she dd'* it but we take that anywhere else because of the room. if im by myself though i like driving the w'* much better, its got a better riding position and comfier seats too.

Well, I pulled off the engine cover, and there'* a sparse dalmatian pattern of what looks like old oil drops all over the top of the engine — from the MAP sensor all the way to the throttle body. The UIM looks to be brand new. Has anyone ever seen that on a car?

The only real underhood fault I noticed was a melted dimple on top of the MAF sensor… but you know, it'* not like I have a spare one under my bed or anything…or one I can borrow from the Bonneville.

All the fluids kinda suck (and ugh, the beginning of Dex-rot!), but that'* nothing I never went through before with the Bonnie.

if they didnt have the cover on and had a leak of something, could be all over. cant say ive seen it before but i clean my engines with simple green and a hose a couple times a year so i can see a leak should i have one. plus a clean engine is a happy engine