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Should I Buy a GTP or GXP

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onebadcaballero

New member
Hey guy's I'm a first time poster but I've been on the sight numerous times. So I'm ready to buy a new(ish) car and I've decided I want an 04-08 grand prix but, I can't decide to go gxp or gtp. Either way the car has to be low mileage (less than 60K) and around $10k.

-The GXP: I was dead set on a gxp but after reading about transmission issues I've kind of been scared to commit on anything high mileage. I figure if I get a low mileage (less then 50K) gxp and slap a large trans cooler on it and change the fluid/filter every 20-30k miles I should be ok but I'm not 100%.

-The GTP: I haven't heard nearly as many reliability problems about gtp gearboxes even though they're near identical.

Either way I'm gonna daily drive the thing and put about 7,000 miles a year on it.

The GTP I was looking at
Car 1

The GXP I was looking at
Car 2

Thanks for your input.
 
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GTP's are exponentially easier to modify because they came supercharged. Also they're usually cheaper to begin with.

The transmission is the same in both cars. They both have the same issues... they're just magnified in the GXP because in stock form they make more power/torque through the same transmission.
 
I'd say, go with the GTP every time, unless you MUST have a V8.

With the prices I have seen on GXP's, you could probably build a 400+hp Turbo GTP for less money. The insurance for the GTP will be cheaper. The GTP will be better on gas. I would also imagine an L67 will be cheaper to maintain and last longer, all else being equal.

As for the transmission... yes, it has to deal with more torque, but also, I've heard many times that the aluminum block LS4 transfers heat to the transmission more readily than the iron 3800.

I'm not saying the GXP is a bad car at all, but for 11K ... you can almost get a real muscle car with RWD. The GXP just doesn't seem like a good value.
 
Are you going to mod?

What is your driving style?

How mechanically inclined are you to do your own work on your car? Or do you take it to a mechanic shop to get the car serviced?

What kind of MPGs are you expecting to get?

Do you mind the cost of Premium over regular?

My point is with 10k you can buy many cars out there! I have even seen some First Gen cts-v cars with the 395HP LS6 engine for 10k. So don't limit your options as much. It is more important to know what you expect out of the car and we can let you know the short coming from personal experience of owning these cars and working on them.
 
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It is true I can get more car for the money but I don't think I'd like to pay the insurance on something with 400 horsepower (I'm 23). Also I'd ideally like to find a car with less then 60k and I don't think anything with and ls6 or ls2 is gonna be around my price with that mileage. Right know I daily drive a 1962 c10 shortbed steps side with a 327 m21 4 speed and 3.90 gears, so in all reality any variant of the grand prix would get at least double the mpg I'm pulling right know. I'm fairly mechanically inclined (a couple motors swaps, built a couple small block chevy's, rebuilt a manual tranny once, basic stuff), never have and never plan to take any of my cars to a mechanic. Premium, midgrade or regular gas is fine. If I could pull ~20mpg city and ~30mpg highway that would be cool. Realistically I know these cars are nose heavy front drivers and are gonna handle as such but I don't need a race car. I'm just looking for reasonably peppy ride, with a relatively roomy interior, pulls decent mileage and not too high insurance. If I got the gxp I would do and ls6 intake manifold with matching injectors, 3" down pipe with no cat, crane quick ratio rockers, and a tune all going through stock mufflers. The gtp would get some rockers, colder plugs, a 3.6 pulley, a down pipe 180 degree t-stat, and a tune. Basically keep em' looking and sounding stock. Hope this answers your questions. Thanks for the responses, I look forward to your input.
 
Good luck getting better mpg with a gxp i dont care what the factory rating was.

gtp all day everyday cheaper parts easier to work on easier to find go fast parts.

plus how often do you see used go fast parts in the classifieds for a gxp? <<<<<< that should be reason number one not to get a gxp... well at least it is in my world. HA!
 


industrialfish said:
The LS4 has DoD and doesn't require premium fuel, and has a higher EPA est MPG.

Other than that, get a GTP
Click to expand...

Bro the ls4 most certainly does require premium fuel. I ran 91 and even 89 for awhile until I knew and saw more KR then I would of liked. Premium fuel...not really much of anything

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I can say for a fact my step mom's LS4 pulls 30 mpg at 75 mph. My GTP doesn't do that. At least stock it didn't. It might now with the intake/exhaust mods. Regardless. I'd go GXP if you don't want to mod. I think you'll like it much better in the end. They sound infinitely better. They're decently quick. Good on fuel despite what people say. And yes, slap a big ol trans cooler on there. Beings your'e looking at low mile cars I don't think you have to worry as much. It's not really hard parts that fail on GXP's, it's clutches burning up I think since they get so hot.
 


Yea oil cooler, transforming shift kit, and every other year do a tranny fluid pan drop. And a catch can. All cheap things I consider maintenance and you'll be set

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I havent done any research but the LS platform has been around for a long time, i would think there would be lots of mods available or maybe I'm wrong?
 
There's a good amount. But this ls4 isn't the most used block by far. Ls1 or 6 is what a lot choose. But honestly...nodding this ls costs about the same, actually a little cheaper, than other ls

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