• The site migration is complete! Hopefully everything transferred properly from the multiple decades old software we were using before. If you notice any issues please let me know, thanks! Also, I'm still working on things like chatbox, etc so hopefully those will be working in the next week or two.

Make my car as fast as a Maxima

D

Daveliz99

New member
Hello everyone, I've been reading from here for a while, but haven't posted much.

I have a 99 4dr GTP. I got it a while ago, and it's been sitting in the garage waiting for a transmission rebuild almost the whole time I've had it. It sucks really.

I did a few things to it before the trans started slipping: I put on a junkyard supercharger and changed the s/c oil, blower motor, fixed the water leak into the floorboard, brakes, and more.

It's been so long since I've driven it though, I've really forgot what it feels like. I just remember I liked it because I liked the size, it was kind of powerful and handled good compared to my truck.

Since we are on the Noob question forum, here is my Noob question:

My wife has a 2005 Honda Accord with a 3.0 V6. I don't remember my GTP being as fast or handling as good as her Accord. My friend has a 2005 Maxima, and I know my GTP wasn't as fast as his maxima. So the goal is to be at least as fast as the Accord, and preferably as fast as the Maxima; handling included. Maybe a nose faster than the maxima, for the haters. I've read the thread about safely modding your 3800, and if following the steps in the order they are given in the thread, where would be a good place to stop, considering my goal?

With regard to handling, I hope to change to KYB AGX struts, with either Votglands or Eibach springs, add the GMPP swaybar kit, and maybe upgrade trailing arms. It has a bushing or two under it now that were going bad when I parked it, my plan was to find and replace the bad ones while I pull the struts and other stuff mentioned together, and then replace the rest of the bushings all in one weekend when I do struts etc. (Wouldn't that be nice) Does anyone think that those mods will put the handling on par with the Maxima?

Thanks for the help guys, I've enjoyed the forum.
Dave
 


all 3 cars should already post almost identical 0-60 and 1/4 mile times....downpipe/headers and pulley drop and you'll be quicker than both....hell, a box tune and you'll probably be quicker than both if you're not willing to drop crazy money on mods....
 
believe it or not....prior to buying the Prix, the 3 cars I was willing to buy at the time were 03 + Accord, 04+ Max, or the GTP.....GTP was only car I could find within a reasonable driving distance for under 10K and under 100,000 miles....
 
camopaint0707
Re: Make my car as fast as a Maxima
what is your budget to beat the maxima

I don't guess I really have a set budget, however, that DOES NOT mean money is no object. I'm sort of trying to set a budget by deciding what it will cost, then viola, budget set. When it comes to mods, $1000 or $1200 isn't really that much money and more than likely that will be about all I could squeeze out for mods, not maintenance.


vandezand
Re: Make my car as fast as a Maxima
http://www.grandprixforums.net/safel...0-a-67580.html


if you haven't already, read this

In the original post I said I did read that already. Maybe my question could be better stated this way: Using that thread as a guide, where could I stop and expect to achieve my goals. I was hoping some of the more experienced members would have some insight. All help is much appreciated.
 


Rodguezsciii,

Thanks for the input. Like I said, it's been a while since I drove the Prix, but I don't remember it being nearly as fast as the Maxima. Just getting there would be good enough for me.

Believe it or not, I also considered Accords and Maxima's before I bought my GTP. I needed a 4 door car that would be big enough to get the kids in the back seat without them having to touch each other, big enough to take a road trip in, and still fun for dad when the wife and kids aren't with me.

Also needed to have cheap parts in stock at Autozone and Advance. Since I've had previous cars torn apart with no money to fix them or the parts on order, I made a list of every car repair I could think of that I had ever done, and searched for those parts on their websites. The Grand Prix had the lowest price parts across the board and had more of them in stock. So, the search was on for a GTP.

Just wish I had bought a different one.
 
you could absolutely make your car faster than both with headers and 3.4-3.6 pulley drop and tune.
i think refreshing the old struts and replacing those old junky bushings and the GMPP handling kit would really wake up that car in terms of handling.
struts would be the biggest factor.
heres a handling thread. it has some reviews of some products you might wanna check out.
http://www.grandprixforums.net/upgrading-your-suspension-39418.html
 
Thanks Ctracer. I hope so man, that would be great. Since my GP went down I kept driving my 98 F150 4X4. That thing sucks so bad, except when you need a truck. Since we got the Honda, I got my wife's old Volvo V70 and it's so worn out I think it's going to fall apart. Cant wait to get the GP back on the road FTW!!
 


Thanks again camo. If I don't have to spend that much money I won't, and may not be able to anyway. I figured it would probably take that though. Also, what cam would you go with, and what kind of gain would that likely get me?

Everyone so far has mentioned headers. It's been a long time ago now but GTPeddie used to have a link in his sig that let you hear what his exhaust sounded like, but the link isn't there anymore. I liked the way his sounded, does anyone know what he has/had?

Everyone also so far has mentioned a tune and a pulley drop. Is it enough to send it in to ZZP or somewhere and have them tune it for you when you buy the pulley or does it need to be done different than that?
 
Well I plan on going with a VS cam. Also what kind of race are you doing? Specifics help. But honestly a 3.4 pulley, tune, headers, tune up, you should be good.
 
Then I guess that's the plan then.

I won't be doing any real racing at all. I may take it to the drag strip once to see what I can get with it, but other than that, probably more "speeding" than "racing".

Maybe a little racing. I have a friend that would be pissed if I outran his mustang with two kids in my backseat.
 
If you do any racing with your kids in the back seat... I will find you and and beat some wisdom into you... :)

But I assume you weren't being serious about driving like an azzhat with your kids in the car... right?
 


99PontiacGTP said:
If you do any racing with your kids in the back seat... I will find you and and beat some wisdom into you... :)

But I assume you weren't being serious about driving like an azzhat with your kids in the car... right?
Click to expand...

Yeah, sorry bout that, lol. Anything that has two kids in the backseat and can outrun a mustang sounds like a sleeper for sure, and that's the image I was going for; a sleeper. I didn't mean for anyone to take it that way.
 
Dave.. I know this sounds backwards, but there was a discussion posted where a member called KYB and found out the GR2 struts are better than the AGX's for lowering even the .9 that vogtlands lower you. A local buddy has a set of AGX's and he's replaced most once on vogtlands. I have the GR2's and 60K miles later..they still soak up the bumps very well.
 
Thanks for the info Bill. Do you have votglands with your GR2's?

You're right, that does sound sort of backwards from what I've read elsewhere. And it puts me in sort of a weird spot, thought I had that part figured out. I'm almost positive that I once read a post from Bio248 that he had Eibach's and GR2's on his, but he would rather have AGX and Votglands. I've read a ton of his posts and figured he knows his stuff, so that was one of the reasons I decided on that. On the other hand, I've read a ton of yours too, and you know your stuff as well. So now i'm like uhh, check out my sig bro.

So just so I don't misunderstand, do you mean the GR2's are better because they last longer (60k Miles), or they ride smoother and more factory like, or they are better for performance and handling? From what I had read, it was my opinion that the GR2's were more akin to original equipment and offered marginal improvements in handling, but the AGX was a performance minded deal. So that's another reason why I wanted the AGX.

Truthfully I'd rather have Eibach's because of the reduced wheel gap, but I'm worried about the tracks close to my house. They're pretty rough, and plus I think that the lower you go, the more your header selection gets limited, is that right? (I need to read the header thread and bio's lowering thread again).

I know for sure one thing about the GR2's is better, the price.

Thanks for your help Bill, and thanks to everyone else who has weighed in here as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top