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Planning on a Grand Prix for first car...?

J

John11

New member
Hi everyone, Im John and I'm new around here. I;m 16 (turning 17 in 10 days on the 15th) and right now I'm saving for my first car. Right now I drive my dads 2004 F150 Supercrew, which I an technically free to drive through my senior year next year, but honestly, gas is was too much $$$ in the thing and I have a major car obsession and really want my own car! I have pretty much settled on a 1999-2003 Grand Prix 3.8 based on their lifespan and mileage. Budget is around $2000 or under (all my money, nothing from the parents) and purchase time will be April-June sometime. Is this a good first car idea? I want either a GTP or GT, although around here with my budget it will be a GT, which I'm fine with. Any opinions are welcomed, thanks!
 


is there any way to increase your budget a little? with 2k you are going to buy a car that will likely have some problems and then youll spend some time and money fixing them.
if you can, get a GTP.
 


Welcome! I think a GP is great for a first car as well. It was basically my second first car (only had my first car for 7 months). It served me quite well for 3 years with no major problems whatsoever.
 
redcompg posted a great link ^. GP's are great cars for the most part, my first. You gotta look them over real well though because every now and then you can get one that's an endless money pit, usually because the previous owner didn't fix anything unless it rendered the car undrivable. If the owner looks like that kind of person, or you can tell they don't take care of it, don't buy it. Also take a good test drive and make sure the trans shifts well AND make sure it goes into 4th. Don't confuse torque converter lockup with 4th gear. Any GP for 2 grand will need some work, luckily parts are cheap and they're easy to work on.
 
If you get a GTP make sure you can afford to put Premium in it. Or expect to have engine problems down the road.
 
buickman104 said:
If you get a GTP make sure you can afford to put Premium in it. Or expect to have engine problems down the road.
Click to expand...

If it is left stock you will NEVER kill a gtp by running 87 in it. My ex girlfriend had a 98 gtp that her parents drove off the lot in 98 and passed it down to her. I never really asked what fuel she ran in it untill one day I filled up for her while she was in the car (-15F outside) and then was confused / a little mad that I put premium in. She had no idea why you would ever need premium until she got on it and noticed an immediate and very real power increase. Asked her parents later that week and they said they never put premium in it either. That thing had 238,000 miles on it. It didnt even have 4th gear for the last 40k. Engine was absolutely perfect.
 
There's a reason GM recommends 91+ in the GTP. Just because yours ex didn't blow it up doesn't mean that it will never happen. Better to be safe then sorry plus the price difference isn't a lot. Eat McDonald's one less time a week and you can afford premium.
 


frosty said:
If it is left stock you will NEVER kill a gtp by running 87 in it. My ex girlfriend had a 98 gtp that her parents drove off the lot in 98 and passed it down to her. I never really asked what fuel she ran in it untill one day I filled up for her while she was in the car (-15F outside) and then was confused / a little mad that I put premium in. She had no idea why you would ever need premium until she got on it and noticed an immediate and very real power increase. Asked her parents later that week and they said they never put premium in it either. That thing had 238,000 miles on it. It didnt even have 4th gear for the last 40k. Engine was absolutely perfect.
Click to expand...

That's cool if you stay out of boost...

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3
 
Seriously? Regular tank of gas. 87 octane. Just speaking. $3.50 a gallon let's say at 14 gallons. that's $49 for regular fill up

Same 14 gallons at $3.70 for your premium, $51.80. There's is a $2.80 cent difference per TANK.

Big deal.
 
I was in the same situation. Make sure you look at the problem areas, I'm sure they won't be as bad as the ones here further north. If I were to do it over, I would get a GT, then turbo or top swap it down the road. Insurance is wayyyyy more for someone our age when having a GTP compared to a GT.
 
^ shouldn't be.. Then again it depends on your insurance company.. Mine was maybe $2-3 more for a GTP vs a base model and I got the car when I was 18. Biggest thing for me is he's young and a topswap or turbo may be to much work for him for awhile not to mention his parents may not be on board with him tearing his motor apart to do a topswap.. Then goodluck explaining how it's basically the same thing as him buying a GTP instead. Trying to save him the headache with sourcing parts etc.
 


Decent.

Just check for rocker rust and rear strut tower rust. Rocker rust isnt as big an issue most of the time, unless they are just plain gone and you don't want any strut tower rust because the strut can pop through into the trunk.

Surely the test drive would bring up any major issue like abs light, check engine lights etc etc, weird steering feel and making sure it had all 4 gears.

And the headlights are all fogged up, needs replacing.
 
My last 3 cars have been Grand Prix`s loved every one of them.My first one 1989 I got 300,000 miles out of it, my second one a 2004 got totaled in my drive way that car ran great also.Now driving a 2008 sorry they dont make them any more.
 
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