Can someone tell me if there is a structural difference in the replacement head light housing assemblies on a 2005 Bonneville GXP versus a regular Bonneville? GXP headlights are like 700.00 per pair in comparison to 300.00 per pair regular Bonneville headlights. I am debating buying regular headlights heating them in the oven softening the adhesive to remove the lenses and place them on my original housings. Thoughts? Thanks in advance

Nope. Just a smoked lens and use of HIR bulbs in the high beams.

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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

The outer lens itself is the same except the lettering for what bulb the headlight uses, that will not make any difference though. You can definitely swap lenses out.

I would recommend trying this first though instead of buying new headlights if yours are just oxidized and nasty looking... general-chat/topic37117.html

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Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

The lens isn't smoked.

GXP - flat black glare caps
Standard - chrome glare caps

GXP - reflector housing around blinker is glossy black
Standard - reflector housing around blinker is chrome

GXP - HIR bulb for high beam, low is standard halogen
Standard - standard halogen bulbs for low and high beam

GXP - reflector housing for high and low beams is a slightly darker chrome
Standard - reflector housing is bright chrome

The actual lens itself is basically the same between the lights with the only difference being the GXP lens has HIR molded in the bottom of the lens face for the bulb, which is something that nobody would ever notice.

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Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

This. Ryan and I verified it last summer!

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Jerry /// Past: 95 SSEi (June 2010 COTM) -- 04 GXP (July 2011 COTM)
91 Honda Civic Wagon DX 2WD (fuelly) -- 208,000km -- 92hp -- Autocross Warrior
09 Lexus LS460 AWD -- 94,000km -- Daily Driver
09 White Hot G8 GT -- 155,000km (fuelly) -- LS3 Cam -- GM LS3 CNC Ported Heads -- Kooks 1 3/4" Long Tube Headers -- Solo Catback Midsection -- Hooker Maxflow Mufflers -- Pat G Tune -- Rotofab Intake -- Tein S-Tech Springs -- GXP FE3 Dampers -- BMR Subframe Cradle Inserts -- BMR Subframe Connectors -- Forgestar F14 Gold 18x9 +40 -- Michelin Pilot Super Sport 245/45/18 -- Maverick Man Carbon Fiber Spoiler

It really didn't matter to me bc I'm tired of cleaning my headlights every month lol! And I'm going to get some standard headlights and if its that much of a difference and I can't deal with it ill just pop em in the oven and swap lens!

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2005 Bonneville GXP Fully Loaded

Don't waste your time, just swap the lens, but I really recommend trying what I posted above first.

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

What do you mean by "cleaning...once a month". Id hope you clean the car more often than that. It sounds like you need to wetsand them down to get rid of the damaged layer of plastic.

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02 SSEi-Turning money into tire smoke, very efficiently.

A month actually isn't all that long! Outside of winter months when road salt is down, It's been a month since I washed the Caddy. It just doesn't get dirty. Maybe a little dust on it, but...

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Unless your car sits outside and you don't have a Suburban to drive in the rain.

_________________
Will
88 Cutlass Ciera Brougham International | 120k mi | White w/ Dk Claret Int. | Roller to be S2 L67/4T65E-HD | 1 of ~5100 3.8 FE3 Int'l series
91 Riviera | S2 L67 Swap/4T60E | 127K mi | Antelope Met. w/ Tan Int. | Saved From Death By Crusher
92 Bonneville SSE | L67/4T60E | 77K mi | Med Slate Grey w/ Two-Tone Grey Int. | Low Miles Time Capsule
92 Lumina Z34 | LQ1/4T60E | 177k mi | Torch Red w/Grey Int. | Rusty In Odd Spots
99 Tahoe LT | L31/4L65E | 276k mi | Spiral Grey Metallic w/Grey Int. | Truck for Truck Things and Portable Concert Hall
03 Park Avenue Ultra | 212K mi | White Diamond Met. w/ Shale Int. | Southern Time Capsule
05 Acura RL | 155K mi | Carbon Grey Pearl w/Ebony Int. | The Super-Hooptie Daily

Sits outside 24/7. IT gets rained, hailed, snowed on, just like the van and the Suburban.

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

This info was helpful almost 10 years later. I am considering buying base model headlights for the following reasons:
1. The lenses constantly haze over, even after sanding them down and polishing them. The lens plastic seems to be failing as it is also filled with micro-cracks.
2. HIR lights (9011/9012) never really "took off". No reputable manufacturer makes low-profile 9011 LED headlights for the GXP high beams. I stuffed 9005 LED's in them for now, but the fit and beam pattern are not correct.
3. 05 GXP headlight assemblies are hard to come by, and are expensive.
So it seems that the base model assemblies are the best bet here; I can have clear lenses and LED's for low and high beams.

You can very easily replicate GXP lights by taking them apart and spray painting the glare caps and corner reflectors with black engine enamel. I've done it numerous times.

Keep your headlights waxed and/or sealed and they will last a lot longer before hazing over. I used TYC replacements nearly 4 years ago and they still look great.

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-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles