PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

Hi Everyone,

I'm not overly active on the forums, but am very fond of Bonnevilles and found a GXP for sale at the local dealership. It has 43,000 miles on it, black and black with what appears to be every option. I took it for a quick test drive on my lunch break and it felt smooth. Are there any glaring details one should inspect before purchasing a GXP? The price seems right for the year and mileage but I would love to hear from the experts.

Thanks!

Off the top of my head...check motor mounts. Check oil cooler lines behind engine for leaks. Any sounds or vibrations at highway speeds, or while turning or braking? Any clunks in the steering?

Also make sure you give it a thorough test drive and "flex the muscle" of the car so to speak. Don't want to have a head gasket or tranny problem down the road.

Also may I ask what the price is?

Personally I wouldn't pay anymore than $10k maybe $11 if VERY nice.
As there is one for sale that I saw has 23k miles and they only want $12,500

Definitely love the black on black though

I plan on taking it out again tomorrow in better weather. It was pouring buckets when I test drove it on Tuesday and didn't have an opportunity to open the hood, or give it some gas. They're asking $13,800 and it appears to have every option- I was able to look at the original sales sticker. The original price was $39,000.

What kind of gas mileage do the Northstars average on the highway? The original sticker showed 17/24. I have a 1999 SLE with 146k and I average mid 20s with a mix highway / city. The best I've seen was 33.5 mpg, with a/c, three passengers + luggage driving through the Catskills!

You won't see that kind of mileage with the Northstar, but the consolation prize is that you can run 87 octane versus the SSEi's premium-only. I've squeezed 27.5 mpg out of mine with an easy right foot and light load. I would expect low to mid 20's highway in most cases.

As for problems, look at those typical to 2000+ Bonnevilles: gauge cluster and radio bulbs, gas door rust, vibrations/wobbles at highway speeds, intermediate steering shaft, stability system issues, and water leaks, to name a few. Have a look here: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=88 -- not all will apply since the GXP has the 4.6 Northstar.

Thanks Jerry. I immediately noticed a bulb behind the radio was out- the salesman scoffed it off.

I really loved my GXP when I bought it new, but honestly, it's the worst car I have ever had. Nothing but problems and lots of 'em.

I decided to stick with my 1999 SLE. I looked at two GXPs with similar mileage for their year. One had a horrible wax job and many scratches all around and the other had water standing in the trunk. I love the cars now that I've test drove a couple, but I think I may hold out until G8s are in the low teens.

If a G8 is what you're after, that may be a wise decision. My GXP is a stepping stone before I move into the G8 GT, and I'm only doing so because I paid about half of what it should have been going for at retail.

I've never owned a GXP, but I have had two Northstar-equipped cars. I routinely got 18 in town and 28 on the highway in my '98 Aurora, which had the 4.0L Northstar variant. My '97 Cadillac Deville Concours had the 300hp Northstar and got about 15 in town and 23 on the highway. That said, I'd say the sticker rating of 17/24 wouldn't be far off. I got my Bonneville and got rid of my Caddy because it was cheaper to do that than to fix the leaking upper oil pan seal.

jpp355 wrote:I plan on taking it out again tomorrow in better weather. It was pouring buckets when I test drove it on Tuesday and didn't have an opportunity to open the hood, or give it some gas. They're asking $13,800 and it appears to have every option- I was able to look at the original sales sticker. The original price was $39,000.

What kind of gas mileage do the Northstars average on the highway? The original sticker showed 17/24. I have a 1999 SLE with 146k and I average mid 20s with a mix highway / city. The best I've seen was 33.5 mpg, with a/c, three passengers + luggage driving through the Catskills!

Some GXP is really bad and some is really really good and dependable, and this is just what ive seen and heard from member from this and the other site on the GXP bonneville..... So it's really 50/50 chance if you get a good or bad one with all of the issues... I love my GXP, but the new charger R/T (burnt orange) is looking real tempting to do some trading....

Overall, the GXP is not a terrible car. I've owned over ten cars, imports and domestics and I can personally say that the other car manufacturers have their share of problems too. Remember, these cars are mainly purchased by car enthusiasts and can be considered as "limited production" based on how many were actually sold during the two model years.

Providing you're not in a rush, do your homework and if you can run the VIN at a GM dealership to check for a unusual number of repairs you should be fairly safe. If buying through a GM dealership you can consider extended warranty.

I've always taken the extra time to check and double check when used car shopping and it usually pays off no surprise repairs. It took me three weeks to decide before I actually purchased the GXP that I have today, the salesperson at the dealership had never seen someone so methodical and particular as myself about a used car purchase. It paid off for me.

Good luck and I hope this info helps.

Searching is your friend. This question gets asked a lot.

All I'll say, is that with 43k on it, you've got some safe time/life in it. It's not that it's a bad engine, just that it's a size 10 engine in a size 5 dress, so once age/mileage rack up, and stuff starts needing maintenance, it's going to be costly from the labor perspective.

Also, in the GXP section, read the fog light thread. I think this should be excerpted and put into every GXP owners manual. The fog lights on this car are the bane of every GXP owners existence.

On a GXP, look for stuff like;
- leaking coolant
- leaking/seeping oil from cam covers
- cracked plug/faulty coil modules (causing erratic, slight misfires)
- Any transmission service is going to be a fortune
- If you need to replace the starter, see the size 10 in a size 5 dress analogy. The starter is under the intake plenum...
- Look for water in the trunk in the spare tire well. That means the sunroof and/or the spoiler or 3rd brake light are leaking water.
- Brakes are expensive