Hey Zach, it’s me Ishva just wanted to say I’m glad you got to enjoy my car and that this version of the Grand Prix and it’s siblings got some more attention. That I really enjoy all of your content man keep up the good work 👍
And some other things I forgot to mention about the car if you hold down the button for the HUD at night it puts it into a thing called stealth mode where the light on the dash are completely turned off and only the hud is on, plus there is a second 12v outlet in the center console with little slots in the console so the charging cables can navigate out of it. (I also have a correction (due to my own fault)to make on the rear wheel size because I had forgotten at the time when I told you what size they where but they are a 225 not a 235 before other people start correcting)
@@Ish_the_drift_boi if you live anywhere in Southern Illinois and would like to see what your gxp would do against a 04 gtp I let me know we can get something goin👍
unless you are pretty much everything including cams or a full stack intercooler dont waste his time my 3.2 e85 plogs downpipe intake 80 lbs injector 07 gt got walked by my dads bone stock gxp and we also have a .550 lift cam build with a nice combo and it should be around 400 crank 300-330 wheel range on cam but no dyno @@six2161
My mother had a 05 Pontiac Bonneville with the 3.8L v6. That car was a war horse. She bought it with 145,000 miles and managed to sell it with 325,000 miles. Big kinda floaty vehicle that was probably the most dependable shes had.
My friend had a 2001 Bonneville SSEI it had 22’s & that thing rode like a DREAM. I drove it once & i was blown away how smooth & responsive the car was even w/ rims & beat in the trunk & still shift smooth.. before this i wudnt even LOOK at a Pontiac 😅😎
The 2004 to 2008 Grand Prix and especially the GXP sedans are exquisitely designed and still look better than many current sedans. Too bad the performance models had weak transmissions and the interior materials could have been made from better materials. But the car is lovely and I wouldn't mind owning a GXP or even a GTP.
@@trentdaddydolla647 I see 04-08 Grand Prix sedans quite often in the Ohio Valley to this very day. Carfax had about 12 of them for sale near me, most of which are 3.8 base models. Sadly, the 88-03 Grand Prix sedans and coupes seemed have nearly disappeared 😢
@@hakeemsd70m that up north. Down here in the south all of them are dead🤣🤣the weak electrical system shows up alot more in this Louisiana heat. Every grand prix it's either a no start or alot of issues dealing with the electrical system. Nice body but crap internals
I like that its front wheel drive. Its very unique. Not many cars were ever made in FWD v8. Also this setup makes it the perfect drivetrain donor for mid engine cars like the Fiero and MR2
@@nathanm8242 So sad how GM finally gave what enthusiasts wanted (Big RWD V8 sedan) and nobody bought them. Almost bought an 09' SS MT, but the dude wanted 50k!
Had the chance to own a beautiful Maroon 2005 GXP. Loved the car, thing that suprised me the most was the handling. Those bilsteins are amazing. Eventually got bored of the 4 speed auto and sold. it. Imagine how much personality this thing would have had in a stick shift! The car had enough personality that it does creep back into my memory on occasion. I miss the old girl.
I had a 06 white with tan interior GXP even with 230,000k miles it still ran and shifted great. Yes the handling on these things are crazy! I’ve never took turns as fast in any other car as that car. It just would grip and hold on. The brakes as you said were also very very good. Loved the car a ton loved the way it looked the way it handled the way it performed. Definitely getting another one.
Got one exactly same as video but 2006 black on black .I bought mine as is from a dealer $ 1200 did brakes touch up some minor sratches paint correction and mother wax oil under coat repainted brakes red added led headlights dyed front leather seats repaired heads up diplay (which is made by sayko japan) repaired rack seal replaced front valve cover gasket replaced plugs air filter modded stock air filter to flow better . Cleaned engine added 2 rv transmission coolers I knew working 10 years at a small town gm dealership doing auto body paint and mechanical and detailing undercoating while going to school was better than school sports lolol
I love seeing someone your age figuring this all out. Sadly I've seen this writing on the wall for a long time. I went from being an early BEV adopter to now hating BEVs and loving my ICE. I recently bought an LC500 over a 911, M5, E63 mainly due to the 2UR-GSE and everything else. Its the slowest of the bunch but I have a motorcycle for that. The LC500 has an old school charm and feel to it. Long hood, rear wheel drive, big v8... its like a best friend the others left me less. Thanks for the vid. You should do a first gen Q45a if you can find one.
Didn't mention Stealth Mode with the HUD 🙂(it's the "document" looking center button of the HUD control wheel where, when pushed, the cluster lights go dark - center stack stays lit - so all cluster info is coming form the HUD - fun to use that at night on a dark stretch of road 🙂). Also, for the folding front passenger seat, it's for giving more room when putting the back seats down and having long items (e.g., snow skis) coming in from the trunk (and not having to sacrifice your arm rest between the front seats). Regarding the fix-a-flat in lieu of a spare tire, yeah, you're hunch is correct - it's because of the differing tire aspect ratios between front & rear. I've been heavily into the Grand Prix world for over two decades now but the one thing I didn't know (and surprised me) was the OEM 4T60-E HD Hydramatic trans could be swapped with the Bonnie GXP's 4T80 Hydramatic 🙂. Keep up the good work! 🙂
@@davidbegaye6277 gotta upgrade the trans if you want it to last..gm really crapped out with the transmission on a lot of the Pontiacs with the 3.8 5.3 and supercharged 3.8. The trans are junk in all of them unfortunately..
@@hakeemsd70m not only that but GM had the bright idea to use the same transmission from the 3.1 and 3.4 v6 motors..they didn't make as much torque as the 3.8 especially the supercharged version and gm didn't upgrade the trans to handle the extra power.. anything more than very gentle acceleration and they will go out around 80k miles...and for some reason people seem to drive the hell out of the gran prix and the Bonneville tht had the same 3.8 and some Bonneville had the supercharger also..if gm would have beefed up the tranny they would have been great cars .I know several people that have gotten over 250k out of the 3.8 in the Pontiac but they would need a trans by 100k or less. My girlfriend had a 02 or 03 grand prix the motor made it 400k but it was on its 2nd or 3rd trans . I k iw a few people who have had the trans upgrade to a stage 1 and there great after tht..it's what gm should have done.. and the grand prix with the 5.3 v8 was the same way if you drove them hard at all the trans would give out around 60k to 80k regardless if the fluid n filter was changed or not.. too much torque for those weak transmissions..if you got one and it needs a trans get it built to at least a stage 1 and it will last a lot longer..
@@hakeemsd70m100% agree hada 2004 gt v6 put 408000 on it change trans fluid once a year suctioning warm out dipstick tube used trans max fluod 6-7 quarts and 1/2 bottle of lucas . Now i have a 2006 gxp 5.3 same as video colour and condition but cleaner engine bay lolo love the car 32 mpg highway imperial gallon at 70 mph or 120 km . They handle and brake great . Ps add a big transmission cooler and do a fluid service once a year
my parents used to have an 08' BMW 550i SMG and yeah we thought it was fast. One time on the turnpike we pulled up next to one and just wanted to do a roll from like 75 mile an hour and the Gran Prix just took off when we got close. :) The next day at work a customer showed up with the same kind of car a Pontiac Gran Prix GXP and it was a runner from one of the local dealerships. Had to has the guy, hey does that thing out there move or what? He was like oh it goes
I had on 08 Lacrosse Super, which was the Buick equivalent to this car. It was a lot of fun and like yourself, nobody really knew these high performance W bodies came with the V8, which gave off major sleeper vibes.
I'm sure this is held back by the 4spd with acceleration as well. But GMs fwd transaxles aren't the most stout, I can imagine the torque steer and wheel spin tore these things up over time. We have a bankruptcy era GM, a 2012 Malibu 3.6 LTZ and although that V6 is nice, you can definitely see the cost cutting and over engineering. None the less, it'd be cool if they still did fun stuff like this.
@@bobthbldr3 I think youre wrong but we can agree to disagree. I read obsessively about this car. Wanted one so bad. I knew all the specs. But for some reason I still liked the 1997 to 2003 body style more. I had a 2002 gt and I absolutely loved it. I miss Pontiac. Old car memories
I was shopping for one of these or a 2005 Bonneville GXP about 7 years ago and I did a lot of research. If you think about it, understeer is when taking a corner the front loses grip and wants to slide straight ahead. With oversteer, the rear wants to slide out. By putting larger front tires on (and wider rims) you get better traction at the front than the rear which should make the car more neutral. From what I've read, torque steer can be corrected by changing the length of the half shafts that drive the front wheels, from one side to the other, which sort of changes the leverage. I couldn't find a nice GXP but I ran across a 2005 Bonneville SLE in excellent condition. It has the appearance and some of the same features but with the 3800 V6. It was an awesome driving car but I got carjacked about a year after I bought it. I think they thought it was a GXP.
Sweet, I had an '06 Grand Prix GXP, silver with black interior and factory NAV. Miss that car. Man it's too bad the last Pontiac's we're some of the best!
Great review on a car that didn't get much attention. I have a 2008 GXP just like the one in the review and I love it. What brand of after market mufflers are on this car?
Just as a heads up, the Malibu is still being sold. My mother just bought a new one. That said, it’s future is on shaky ground. Great review on this Pontiac!
Gm didn't use the 4T80E behind the LS4 because the bell housing pattern is different and there is no way to mount the starter. Ls4kings UA-cam channel has videos on how he modified the 4T80E to work. Lot of fabrication though.
@@joshcrose6588 I don’t know why, if they already were developing an engine for this, to just make it use the North Star bolt pattern instead of the standard LS pattern.
This one was interesting, I also had no idea a V8 FWD Grand Prix existed. Pretty cool though. I also recognized the park in the background of the b-roll footage in the parking lot being Mather Wood's Forest Preserve!
This is a damn cool car. They are not easy to work on, but that's to be expected. Driven these before as I worked at a Pontiac dealership, and they perform well.
The 84 through 87 (2 door) were the best IMO and this version 2nd. When I was 25 years younger I had an 86 I kept for many years and put that car through hell. I currently own a 08 GXP Ugliest Grand Prix has to be the 86 and 87 2+2 aerocoupe. That thing was FLUGLY but I would love to have one today..
I bought a brand new 06 GXP in the Fall of 05. It was so much fun and deceptively fast. It was burgundy with black leather and the only option it didn't have was NAV. For the staggered wheel setup...yes, the front tires were larger but I think you meant to say wider. The front alloys were actually an inch wider at 8 inches wide, the rears were an inch narrower at 7. The front and rear alloys were both the same 18 inch diameter. For the 05-06 cars, GM used the terminology of Displacement On Demand and black center caps with the red Pontiac arrow. Starting in 07...like this car, GM changed to Active Fuel Management for the same system and silver center caps.
yes before there was throwing mp3 on to thumb drives, you could burn them to CDs .. ! Think if it as a 700MB round thumb drive that plugs into that slot :p
I enjoy driving mine. They set out to make a four season car and they accomplished that. The government told Gm to get rid of Pontiac due to slow sales. A GP refresh certainly would have helped sales. These cars are becoming collectable and for good reason. They are fun to drive. Has anyone located Bilstein rear shocks for their car? The fronts are available but not the rears.
It's crazy how far engineering has come in the past 20 years. My 2024 A4 Allroad can 0-60 in 5s flat, albeit with Quattro, with 261hp 273lbs torque & weighs 3800lbs. It does have VAG's I'd say best in class DSG (sTronic for Audi), but these GXP's with the LS were great for the era, minus the transmission that couldn't handle the power thru the front wheels. In fact they should have just been RWD from the jump. I think I saw something forever ago showing these originally were supposed to be RWD, but something down the line pushed it to what ended up in production. Modern equivelant timed cars would all be turbo 4cyls which is funny to me, similiar powertrain output modern V8 vehicles would be in the low 4s or better now, but still for the mid 2000s these were still great. Not even 5 years later when GM would switch their 3.6V6s to GDI, those got up to 303hp as well, & the non GDI 3.6 of the 2007-2012 was making 265hp or something like that. We used to have an 2012 Malibu 3.6V6, wasn't GDI so like 265hp or whatever, but it had a way better transmission their new for the time 6spd auto, & best I got on that was like 6.2s 0-60. I also had an 2006 Sonata 3.3V6 back in the day with 255hp, & that thing was honestly quick too for the time, like 6.5s 0-60s, but it really shined once you got into high speeds, it could just keep pulling but that was also just Port Injection or whatever they were using back then. Wish we had more V8 & V6 cars these days, it's a bummer. But that turbo 4 in my A4A is quick asf man I love that powertrain, but you gotta pay alot to get it lol
I'd love to find me a decent condition Grand Prix. Always had an eye for them. Having occasionally driven it's 1st gen sister lacrosse, it has a strong pull for even the base 3.8 liter 200hp. BTW have you done the Buick Lacrosse Super?
In 2012 GM came out with a GDI V6 with very similar power #'s. I got a 2012 Impella with one. I also got a Pontiac G8 with the 6.2L LS3 V8. Love it. If I had this GXP, I would upgrade the back tires to the same size as the fronts.
Nah if anything you put fatter tires on front, remove some camber from rears and get softer rear shocks. Gxp is a heavy beast that tends to understeer bad under high power in turns. But can do highway s-curves at 120+ np
these fwd ls cars always sound good for some reason... gm seemed to suck with any 4 speed trans at the time. and to the owner if you see this, if you plan on keeping this car. GET RID OF THE AFM. my caprice is on the operation table because of it.
@@Chitown_capricekid Thanks! All the cylinders work all the time on my supercharged 3800 Series II. There are aftermarket attachments that turn off the AFM.
Complete with the Cadillac Northstar. Great cars, I absolutely love the final gen Y2K Bonneville. I feel like the Grand Prix GXP is more sought after, though.
The next best thing to an FWD V8 is an FWD twin-turbo V6 such as the Taurus SHO. Also if you want a fun-to-drive comfortable little sedan with V8 power and 4 cylinders efficiency, consider buying a used Mercedes Benz CLA 45 AMG.
Over all,Pontiac styling has always been my favourite of GM's North American designs! I was sad when GM scrapped the Pontiac brand! They should've scrapped Buick,instead,in my opinion. Even Oldsmobile had better styling in its last decade.
This car seemed to slip under the radar. I'm sure many people would see this car and just assume it's another mundane V6, but no, this one packs a FWD V8 punch. Damn, this should have received more orders, sleeperish looking 340 hp V8 FWD American sedan.
Good old GM, throwing a 300HP V8 onto a front-wheel-drive platform. Even though this was a slightly more exciting Impala SS it still looks sporty. I really like the engine turned gauge surround. A HUD is interesting in a Pontiac. That's a lot of climate vents. This looks like a pretty decent survivor, there are no Pontiacs left where I live except for the odd G8 or GTO. We all wish Pontiac and Oldsmobile hadn't been killed but off I wonder where they would fit in GM's lineup today. GM just had too many brands making similar cars and they needed to trim things down. I heard that GM almost killed Buick instead of Pontiac but left Buick alive because of the Chinese market and because it had cars which GMC didn't. Saab probably could have survived if GM hadn't sucked the life out of it, today it would probably be like Polestar making quirky EVs.
I had an aftermarket CD player in my 02 Focus that MP3 capability...yes, it would just play MP3 files from a CD. The benefit was that you could pack a LOT more music on a CD than you could by "burning" a traditional audio CD
Loved your video it was awesome the reason I was watching it was that Rainman Ray was doing some work on this particular model on his channel and I just wanted to see the car in a little more detail. It's awesome I love it.
That passenger seat is a fold down table top. The designer paid tribute to the old business coups and for salesman that live on the road can fold the seat down and eat
FWD V8 was done way before this car came out! 96-99 Ford Taurus SHO. They front passenger seat folding forward was a trend GM, Ford and possibly Chrysler were doing in this era to increase interior cargo room from folding the rear seats down and using from the trunk going into the interior. Example enough room to haul a carpet through the trunk to the front dashboard or pair of skis ect. Lol was really useless now that most ppl have trucks or SUVs now but then it came in handy you didn't have either one to haul things that were long in length. But I totally agree this era of cars were odd but cool from the Big 3 American Automakers.
MP3 in this case does mean MP3 CDs. The letters are where the tapes would go if equipt. A good auto detailer can fix that paint issue. Probrably cheaper to get a clean one out of an auto wrecker though.
Biggest problem with GTP and GXP Grand Prix's- not a case of IF the transmission is going to fail but WHEN. Transmissions are absolute rubbish which is the only reason why I never purchased one. Sold my 02 GTP because I didn't want to fork out the big bucks for a proper rebuilt.
I remember reading that the 4t80 transmission from the Northstar powered models wouldn't fit in the W-body for being the reason for using the 4T65HD. Has anyone actually swapped a 4T80 in one of these? We lost more than V8s being used outside of trucks, SUVs, Conversion Vans, and sports cars, we lost cars with personality. The Impala was designed for mass appeal making it more the experience of an appliance whereas this was designed more as average person's enthusiast car. They were reasonably reliable, fun to drive, a bargain for what you got, and had more interesting interiors and exterior styling. They actually still had the supercharged engine in this generation selling along side the GXP until they dropped it for model year 2008. In this generation of W-body car, the supercharged engine was exclusive to the Grand Prix as the Lacrosse used the high feature 3.6 as the top engine (until the Grand Prix was dropped then they gave it the LS4 as well) and Chevrolet had the 3.9l V6 as it's top V6 (and shared the LS4 )
People have done the 4t80 swap. Most guys do it for turbo setups. If your only gonna make a little more power it’s better to just build the 4t65 with triple edge performance parts
@@Acobolan interesting. I guess GM didn't use it in the factory either for cost reasons or some other reason (crash test?). A real shame they didn't use it from the factory.
Search here on UA-cam for ls4king Monte Carlo ls4, it took over 600hp and lots of hard passes down a drag strip until the 120k mile 4t80 gave it up under the ls4. I got a Gxp sittin in my driveway waiting for that $4k mod.
HEY BUDDY ITS NOT WEIRD ABOUT THE PASSENGER SEAT FOLDING FORWARD,, ITS MADE FOR IF YOU HAVE A KAYAK YOU LOWER THE BACK SEATS AND WALA THE KAYAK NOW FITS IN THE CAR,, KNOW YOUR FACTS
I currently have a G8 GT that I'm trying to baby. I would love to have a grand prix gxp as a daily that I can love but not worry about as much but still be fun.
These comments made me realize just how much I love the Grand Prix. I hope someday to find a really clean 02-03 Grand Prix GT or GTP. An 07-08 GXP would be super cool too.
You didn't mention the problems caused by the cylinder deactivation system. I looked into buying one of these around 2015 but did some research and decided to pass.
I bought a 07 gxp in 2009 Didn't realize until years later how great this car was... Wish i would have kept it a bit longer, she was beautiful. Traded her in for 2011 Cadillac DTS loved her too till she blew up at 92,000 miles 😭 another great v8 vehicle though
Hey Zach, it’s me Ishva just wanted to say I’m glad you got to enjoy my car and that this version of the Grand Prix and it’s siblings got some more attention. That I really enjoy all of your content man keep up the good work 👍
And some other things I forgot to mention about the car if you hold down the button for the HUD at night it puts it into a thing called stealth mode where the light on the dash are completely turned off and only the hud is on, plus there is a second 12v outlet in the center console with little slots in the console so the charging cables can navigate out of it. (I also have a correction (due to my own fault)to make on the rear wheel size because I had forgotten at the time when I told you what size they where but they are a 225 not a 235 before other people start correcting)
@@Ish_the_drift_boi if you live anywhere in Southern Illinois and would like to see what your gxp would do against a 04 gtp I let me know we can get something goin👍
unless you are pretty much everything including cams or a full stack intercooler dont waste his time my 3.2 e85 plogs downpipe intake 80 lbs injector 07 gt got walked by my dads bone stock gxp and we also have a .550 lift cam build with a nice combo and it should be around 400 crank 300-330 wheel range on cam but no dyno
@@six2161
Got almost the exact same car but 2006 .I put the largest transmission cooler i could fit and changed filter and put in synthetic trans max fluid .
Just bought mine last week, I definitely need to put a transmission cooler in then upgrade to a 4t80e eventually.
My mother had a 05 Pontiac Bonneville with the 3.8L v6. That car was a war horse. She bought it with 145,000 miles and managed to sell it with 325,000 miles. Big kinda floaty vehicle that was probably the most dependable shes had.
I had a 99 Booneville one my fav cars I ever owned easy to work on and extremely reliable...
My friend had a 2001 Bonneville SSEI it had 22’s & that thing rode like a DREAM. I drove it once & i was blown away how smooth & responsive the car was even w/ rims & beat in the trunk & still shift smooth.. before this i wudnt even LOOK at a Pontiac 😅😎
My parents had a 97 Bonneville. They drove it for 20 years and it was a tank
The 2004 to 2008 Grand Prix and especially the GXP sedans are exquisitely designed and still look better than many current sedans. Too bad the performance models had weak transmissions and the interior materials could have been made from better materials. But the car is lovely and I wouldn't mind owning a GXP or even a GTP.
These grand prixs had mad electrical issues. I had three😅😅
@@trentdaddydolla647 yea I had 2 and they had electric issues and one had trans problems
@@cgivo1991 yep and that's why you don't see not even one still on the road
@@trentdaddydolla647 I see 04-08 Grand Prix sedans quite often in the Ohio Valley to this very day. Carfax had about 12 of them for sale near me, most of which are 3.8 base models. Sadly, the 88-03 Grand Prix sedans and coupes seemed have nearly disappeared 😢
@@hakeemsd70m that up north. Down here in the south all of them are dead🤣🤣the weak electrical system shows up alot more in this Louisiana heat. Every grand prix it's either a no start or alot of issues dealing with the electrical system. Nice body but crap internals
Imagine how fun these cars would have been if they were rear wheel drive (both this and the Impala SS). As an aside, it sounds pretty good.
Yeah that WAs Holden 😕
I like that its front wheel drive. Its very unique. Not many cars were ever made in FWD v8. Also this setup makes it the perfect drivetrain donor for mid engine cars like the Fiero and MR2
And the Buick LaCrosse rwd
Nobody bought the actual RWD cars they gave Pontiac at the end
@@nathanm8242 So sad how GM finally gave what enthusiasts wanted (Big RWD V8 sedan) and nobody bought them.
Almost bought an 09' SS MT, but the dude wanted 50k!
Had the chance to own a beautiful Maroon 2005 GXP. Loved the car, thing that suprised me the most was the handling. Those bilsteins are amazing. Eventually got bored of the 4 speed auto and sold. it. Imagine how much personality this thing would have had in a stick shift! The car had enough personality that it does creep back into my memory on occasion. I miss the old girl.
I had a 06 white with tan interior GXP even with 230,000k miles it still ran and shifted great. Yes the handling on these things are crazy! I’ve never took turns as fast in any other car as that car. It just would grip and hold on. The brakes as you said were also very very good. Loved the car a ton loved the way it looked the way it handled the way it performed. Definitely getting another one.
Did the transmission or engine ever give you issues?
Yes my 2006 gxp agrees , bilsteins they are super expensive to replace if you can find them
I have an 08 GXP, she'll be mine til my dying day!
Got one exactly same as video but 2006 black on black .I bought mine as is from a dealer $ 1200 did brakes touch up some minor sratches paint correction and mother wax oil under coat repainted brakes red added led headlights dyed front leather seats repaired heads up diplay (which is made by sayko japan) repaired rack seal replaced front valve cover gasket replaced plugs air filter modded stock air filter to flow better . Cleaned engine added 2 rv transmission coolers I knew working 10 years at a small town gm dealership doing auto body paint and mechanical and detailing undercoating while going to school was better than school sports lolol
@@nicholasking4676 Mine is also black.
Bro, I had one of these in my early 20s and it is still the best car I've ever owned. I would still be driving it today if I could 😂
I love seeing someone your age figuring this all out. Sadly I've seen this writing on the wall for a long time. I went from being an early BEV adopter to now hating BEVs and loving my ICE. I recently bought an LC500 over a 911, M5, E63 mainly due to the 2UR-GSE and everything else. Its the slowest of the bunch but I have a motorcycle for that. The LC500 has an old school charm and feel to it. Long hood, rear wheel drive, big v8... its like a best friend the others left me less. Thanks for the vid. You should do a first gen Q45a if you can find one.
That's what the mY tEsLa Is FaStEr!!!! crowd doesn't get. Performance and enjoyment is not just about 0-60, it's about the whole experience.
You got the LC500? Damn, you own Tesla stock or what?
Agreed, would love to see a first gen Q45 review, one of my dream cars rn.
Early to mid 90's Infiniti are so dope. Always liked Nissan stuff over Toyota and Honda.
I've driven an 04 GT2 since 2006. Its showing age but has been a very reliable daily driver. Never knew they made a V8 model. That's wild and rare.
Another thing is the rear doors open a full 90 degrees which is very nice
If these cars were available with RWD and a manual transmission, they would be worth bucko bucks right now. Still a really cool car though.
Another weird quirk that I don’t see often is the rear doors open a full 90°. I guess to get in easier or to fit large objects easier
Yes I liked this a lot, I’m a larger guy and the back seats are definitely not made for larger people
and the front seat folds......don't really see that feature anywhere
Didn't mention Stealth Mode with the HUD 🙂(it's the "document" looking center button of the HUD control wheel where, when pushed, the cluster lights go dark - center stack stays lit - so all cluster info is coming form the HUD - fun to use that at night on a dark stretch of road 🙂). Also, for the folding front passenger seat, it's for giving more room when putting the back seats down and having long items (e.g., snow skis) coming in from the trunk (and not having to sacrifice your arm rest between the front seats). Regarding the fix-a-flat in lieu of a spare tire, yeah, you're hunch is correct - it's because of the differing tire aspect ratios between front & rear. I've been heavily into the Grand Prix world for over two decades now but the one thing I didn't know (and surprised me) was the OEM 4T60-E HD Hydramatic trans could be swapped with the Bonnie GXP's 4T80 Hydramatic 🙂. Keep up the good work! 🙂
I LOVED this specific car. I almost bought one as my 2nd car, but the 4spd just steered me away. Still like seeing them out on the road occasionally!
They rock, great daily if you want something practical but not boring, I put a stage 2 tranny in it at 150k and it’s bulletproof
@@davidbegaye6277 gotta upgrade the trans if you want it to last..gm really crapped out with the transmission on a lot of the Pontiacs with the 3.8 5.3 and supercharged 3.8. The trans are junk in all of them unfortunately..
@@jdubskiwright2380 The transmissions went bad because most people never changed the fluid after 30-40K miles. Most never changed the fluid at all...
@@hakeemsd70m not only that but GM had the bright idea to use the same transmission from the 3.1 and 3.4 v6 motors..they didn't make as much torque as the 3.8 especially the supercharged version and gm didn't upgrade the trans to handle the extra power.. anything more than very gentle acceleration and they will go out around 80k miles...and for some reason people seem to drive the hell out of the gran prix and the Bonneville tht had the same 3.8 and some Bonneville had the supercharger also..if gm would have beefed up the tranny they would have been great cars .I know several people that have gotten over 250k out of the 3.8 in the Pontiac but they would need a trans by 100k or less. My girlfriend had a 02 or 03 grand prix the motor made it 400k but it was on its 2nd or 3rd trans . I k iw a few people who have had the trans upgrade to a stage 1 and there great after tht..it's what gm should have done.. and the grand prix with the 5.3 v8 was the same way if you drove them hard at all the trans would give out around 60k to 80k regardless if the fluid n filter was changed or not.. too much torque for those weak transmissions..if you got one and it needs a trans get it built to at least a stage 1 and it will last a lot longer..
@@hakeemsd70m100% agree hada 2004 gt v6 put 408000 on it change trans fluid once a year suctioning warm out dipstick tube used trans max fluod 6-7 quarts and 1/2 bottle of lucas . Now i have a 2006 gxp 5.3 same as video colour and condition but cleaner engine bay lolo love the car 32 mpg highway imperial gallon at 70 mph or 120 km . They handle and brake great . Ps add a big transmission cooler and do a fluid service once a year
Love that freaky GM period too. Love these GXPs. Very cool. Had a black 2003 Bonneville SSEI. Awesome car, fantastic interior.
Man I want a 98 bonneville ssei so bad.
I’m super excited that you’re always genuinely super excited about all the cars that you review
my parents used to have an 08' BMW 550i SMG and yeah we thought it was fast. One time on the turnpike we pulled up next to one and just wanted to do a roll from like 75 mile an hour and the Gran Prix just took off when we got close. :) The next day at work a customer showed up with the same kind of car a Pontiac Gran Prix GXP and it was a runner from one of the local dealerships. Had to has the guy, hey does that thing out there move or what? He was like oh it goes
I had on 08 Lacrosse Super, which was the Buick equivalent to this car. It was a lot of fun and like yourself, nobody really knew these high performance W bodies came with the V8, which gave off major sleeper vibes.
I drive a 2008 gp and it’s literally my baby I love that car
the front seat folds down that way so that you can fit long items in through the trunk, through the 60/40 rear seat and onto the front passenger side
it also is for use as a desk or sorts.
I'm sure this is held back by the 4spd with acceleration as well. But GMs fwd transaxles aren't the most stout, I can imagine the torque steer and wheel spin tore these things up over time. We have a bankruptcy era GM, a 2012 Malibu 3.6 LTZ and although that V6 is nice, you can definitely see the cost cutting and over engineering. None the less, it'd be cool if they still did fun stuff like this.
The larger tires up front was for torque steer prevention
No it was to prevent understeer and from what I read back then from the road testers it worked pretty well.
@@bobthbldr3 I think youre wrong but we can agree to disagree. I read obsessively about this car. Wanted one so bad. I knew all the specs. But for some reason I still liked the 1997 to 2003 body style more. I had a 2002 gt and I absolutely loved it. I miss Pontiac. Old car memories
I was shopping for one of these or a 2005 Bonneville GXP about 7 years ago and I did a lot of research. If you think about it, understeer is when taking a corner the front loses grip and wants to slide straight ahead. With oversteer, the rear wants to slide out. By putting larger front tires on (and wider rims) you get better traction at the front than the rear which should make the car more neutral. From what I've read, torque steer can be corrected by changing the length of the half shafts that drive the front wheels, from one side to the other, which sort of changes the leverage. I couldn't find a nice GXP but I ran across a 2005 Bonneville SLE in excellent condition. It has the appearance and some of the same features but with the 3800 V6. It was an awesome driving car but I got carjacked about a year after I bought it. I think they thought it was a GXP.
Wow the info center is very informative. .Trans fluid temp! That is crazy
My old next-door neighbor had one of these and she completely ran it into the ground it was a good car too until she got behind the wheel.
Sad that so many people used and abused these Pontiacs this way. A moment of silence for all the fallen, misused Grand Prix and Bonneville models.
Sweet, I had an '06 Grand Prix GXP, silver with black interior and factory NAV. Miss that car. Man it's too bad the last Pontiac's we're some of the best!
Great review on a car that didn't get much attention. I have a 2008 GXP just like the one in the review and I love it. What brand of after market mufflers are on this car?
There the ZZP Grand Prix catback system and it’s stock sizing 2.5”
Just as a heads up, the Malibu is still being sold. My mother just bought a new one. That said, it’s future is on shaky ground. Great review on this Pontiac!
He sleep on the NorthStar built right
All this car needed was the 4T80E instead of the 4T65-HD and this car wouldn’t blow up the transmissions so often 🤦🏻♂️
Gm didn't use the 4T80E behind the LS4 because the bell housing pattern is different and there is no way to mount the starter. Ls4kings UA-cam channel has videos on how he modified the 4T80E to work. Lot of fabrication though.
@@joshcrose6588 I don’t know why, if they already were developing an engine for this, to just make it use the North Star bolt pattern instead of the standard LS pattern.
One of my favorite 2000s cars. This car looks the best in bright red or either metallic blue.
This one was interesting, I also had no idea a V8 FWD Grand Prix existed. Pretty cool though. I also recognized the park in the background of the b-roll footage in the parking lot being Mather Wood's Forest Preserve!
I kno I smack alot of people out the road
This is a damn cool car.
They are not easy to work on, but that's to be expected.
Driven these before as I worked at a Pontiac dealership, and they perform well.
Nah they’re super easy to work on
All those cars needed the 3.8 & 5.3 was the 6 speed auto treatment ‼️
These were def the best looking and coolest version of the Gran Prix ever made in my opinion.
The 84 through 87 (2 door) were the best IMO and this version 2nd. When I was 25 years younger I had an 86 I kept for many years and put that car through hell. I currently own a 08 GXP Ugliest Grand Prix has to be the 86 and 87 2+2 aerocoupe. That thing was FLUGLY but I would love to have one today..
@@willie0704 Yeah That bubble back window was hideous looking on those years,lol!!
Interesting fact, this drive train is a popular swap for Pontiac Fiero's
That would be insane lmao
GM, Ford & Chrysler have discontinued sedans in favor of crossovers/SUVs but sedans are not extinct as the foreign automakers still make them
Incorrect on GM's current sedan production. They offer the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac CT4 and CT5
Nobody ever mentions that the front end is 3-5 inches wider then a stock Grand Prix. It was to accommodate the V8
I always liked the Grand Prixs, cool fast performance sleeper cars!! Most people had the V6 one.
The passenger seat folds for for storage. Even some mew gm cars do this still
I bought a brand new 06 GXP in the Fall of 05. It was so much fun and deceptively fast. It was burgundy with black leather and the only option it didn't have was NAV.
For the staggered wheel setup...yes, the front tires were larger but I think you meant to say wider. The front alloys were actually an inch wider at 8 inches wide, the rears were an inch narrower at 7. The front and rear alloys were both the same 18 inch diameter. For the 05-06 cars, GM used the terminology of Displacement On Demand and black center caps with the red Pontiac arrow. Starting in 07...like this car, GM changed to Active Fuel Management for the same system and silver center caps.
yes before there was throwing mp3 on to thumb drives, you could burn them to CDs .. ! Think if it as a 700MB round thumb drive that plugs into that slot :p
Miss my 2004 Gran Prix. Only a v6 but made it to 270k before the transmission committed unalive
I enjoy driving mine. They set out to make a four season car and they accomplished that. The government told Gm to get rid of Pontiac due to slow sales. A GP refresh certainly would have helped sales. These cars are becoming collectable and for good reason. They are fun to drive. Has anyone located Bilstein rear shocks for their car? The fronts are available but not the rears.
Summed up so well: ‘How can you not like this car?’
It looks great in black. Sounds really good too.
It's crazy how far engineering has come in the past 20 years. My 2024 A4 Allroad can 0-60 in 5s flat, albeit with Quattro, with 261hp 273lbs torque & weighs 3800lbs. It does have VAG's I'd say best in class DSG (sTronic for Audi), but these GXP's with the LS were great for the era, minus the transmission that couldn't handle the power thru the front wheels. In fact they should have just been RWD from the jump. I think I saw something forever ago showing these originally were supposed to be RWD, but something down the line pushed it to what ended up in production. Modern equivelant timed cars would all be turbo 4cyls which is funny to me, similiar powertrain output modern V8 vehicles would be in the low 4s or better now, but still for the mid 2000s these were still great. Not even 5 years later when GM would switch their 3.6V6s to GDI, those got up to 303hp as well, & the non GDI 3.6 of the 2007-2012 was making 265hp or something like that. We used to have an 2012 Malibu 3.6V6, wasn't GDI so like 265hp or whatever, but it had a way better transmission their new for the time 6spd auto, & best I got on that was like 6.2s 0-60. I also had an 2006 Sonata 3.3V6 back in the day with 255hp, & that thing was honestly quick too for the time, like 6.5s 0-60s, but it really shined once you got into high speeds, it could just keep pulling but that was also just Port Injection or whatever they were using back then. Wish we had more V8 & V6 cars these days, it's a bummer. But that turbo 4 in my A4A is quick asf man I love that powertrain, but you gotta pay alot to get it lol
I'd love to find me a decent condition Grand Prix. Always had an eye for them. Having occasionally driven it's 1st gen sister lacrosse, it has a strong pull for even the base 3.8 liter 200hp. BTW have you done the Buick Lacrosse Super?
In 2012 GM came out with a GDI V6 with very similar power #'s. I got a 2012 Impella with one. I also got a Pontiac G8 with the 6.2L LS3 V8. Love it. If I had this GXP, I would upgrade the back tires to the same size as the fronts.
engineers say it prevents understeer?
Nah if anything you put fatter tires on front, remove some camber from rears and get softer rear shocks. Gxp is a heavy beast that tends to understeer bad under high power in turns. But can do highway s-curves at 120+ np
Keep that G8, it's a future collector classic like the Grand Prixs.
This is the channel I have been searching for.
these fwd ls cars always sound good for some reason... gm seemed to suck with any 4 speed trans at the time. and to the owner if you see this, if you plan on keeping this car. GET RID OF THE AFM. my caprice is on the operation table because of it.
AFM?
@@stephendavidbailey2743 active fuel management. Cylinder deactivation. The main killer of any newer gm v8 lol
@@Chitown_capricekid Thanks! All the cylinders work all the time on my supercharged 3800 Series II.
There are aftermarket attachments that turn off the AFM.
@@stephendavidbailey2743 their are, but even after a while a lifter or a few is bout to collapse. Or chew up the cam. Or even both
@@Chitown_capricekid YIKES!
Had a gt, and am always on the hunt for the elusive gxp.
There was also the bonneville gxp v8 front wheel drive
Complete with the Cadillac Northstar. Great cars, I absolutely love the final gen Y2K Bonneville. I feel like the Grand Prix GXP is more sought after, though.
@@hakeemsd70m definitely also more common
Is beautiful, Pontiac did the best they could !
The next best thing to an FWD V8 is an FWD twin-turbo V6 such as the Taurus SHO. Also if you want a fun-to-drive comfortable little sedan with V8 power and 4 cylinders efficiency, consider buying a used Mercedes Benz CLA 45 AMG.
Over all,Pontiac styling has always been my favourite of GM's North American designs! I was sad when GM scrapped the Pontiac brand! They should've scrapped Buick,instead,in my opinion. Even Oldsmobile had better styling in its last decade.
Its a great looking car, even by today's standards..
Its a lot of cars i want but this is what i always wanted, a grandprix GXP is actually a great looking car, definitely my favorite
You also want to keep an eye out for the Buick LaCross Super, same engine, very rare
Great review, love your commentary.
This is the version for pontiac as the chevy impala ss also having the 5.3 being fwd
You've got a great voice and style for doing these videos. Keep at it
I saw one of these in my apartment parking lot and had to look it up. Glad zack got me 😂
you're the next doug demuro. great stuff.
This car seemed to slip under the radar. I'm sure many people would see this car and just assume it's another mundane V6, but no, this one packs a FWD V8 punch. Damn, this should have received more orders, sleeperish looking 340 hp V8 FWD American sedan.
I had 2007 base version before I got on a accident and man that thing was my baby I had it all backed out it was slick!
Good old GM, throwing a 300HP V8 onto a front-wheel-drive platform. Even though this was a slightly more exciting Impala SS it still looks sporty. I really like the engine turned gauge surround. A HUD is interesting in a Pontiac. That's a lot of climate vents. This looks like a pretty decent survivor, there are no Pontiacs left where I live except for the odd G8 or GTO.
We all wish Pontiac and Oldsmobile hadn't been killed but off I wonder where they would fit in GM's lineup today. GM just had too many brands making similar cars and they needed to trim things down. I heard that GM almost killed Buick instead of Pontiac but left Buick alive because of the Chinese market and because it had cars which GMC didn't. Saab probably could have survived if GM hadn't sucked the life out of it, today it would probably be like Polestar making quirky EVs.
I had an aftermarket CD player in my 02 Focus that MP3 capability...yes, it would just play MP3 files from a CD. The benefit was that you could pack a LOT more music on a CD than you could by "burning" a traditional audio CD
Man I feel old
Loved your video it was awesome the reason I was watching it was that Rainman Ray was doing some work on this particular model on his channel and I just wanted to see the car in a little more detail. It's awesome I love it.
that passenger seat worked with the rear pass thru. pontiac also had it in the torrent
That passenger seat is a fold down table top. The designer paid tribute to the old business coups and for salesman that live on the road can fold the seat down and eat
My dream car is the Pontiac Grand Prix GXP
Love my Daytona grand prix's
I will forever love gxp gtp g8 ❤️
Love the V8, but I prefer the '97-'03 models. They looked a lot better. Interior were WAY nicer. And ya can't beat the whine of the Supercharger!
I don’t know about the interior but those models looked a little meaner
The '04-'08 models had way better interiors, however the '97-'03 was sexier in its exterior appearance.
FWD V8 was done way before this car came out! 96-99 Ford Taurus SHO. They front passenger seat folding forward was a trend GM, Ford and possibly Chrysler were doing in this era to increase interior cargo room from folding the rear seats down and using from the trunk going into the interior. Example enough room to haul a carpet through the trunk to the front dashboard or pair of skis ect. Lol was really useless now that most ppl have trucks or SUVs now but then it came in handy you didn't have either one to haul things that were long in length. But I totally agree this era of cars were odd but cool from the Big 3 American Automakers.
MP3 in this case does mean MP3 CDs. The letters are where the tapes would go if equipt. A good auto detailer can fix that paint issue. Probrably cheaper to get a clean one out of an auto wrecker though.
My 06 GXP is going strong at 191k!
Biggest problem with GTP and GXP Grand Prix's- not a case of IF the transmission is going to fail but WHEN. Transmissions are absolute rubbish which is the only reason why I never purchased one. Sold my 02 GTP because I didn't want to fork out the big bucks for a proper rebuilt.
Great car and review. I wonder if the MP3 plug in is in the center glove box? It is on my Gen1 Crosstrek.
Miss mines 😢 i had a burgundy one i loved that car 🤞🏾 at the time i had the cleanest souped up gxp in my town 🔥🔥🔥
I remember reading that the 4t80 transmission from the Northstar powered models wouldn't fit in the W-body for being the reason for using the 4T65HD. Has anyone actually swapped a 4T80 in one of these?
We lost more than V8s being used outside of trucks, SUVs, Conversion Vans, and sports cars, we lost cars with personality. The Impala was designed for mass appeal making it more the experience of an appliance whereas this was designed more as average person's enthusiast car. They were reasonably reliable, fun to drive, a bargain for what you got, and had more interesting interiors and exterior styling.
They actually still had the supercharged engine in this generation selling along side the GXP until they dropped it for model year 2008. In this generation of W-body car, the supercharged engine was exclusive to the Grand Prix as the Lacrosse used the high feature 3.6 as the top engine (until the Grand Prix was dropped then they gave it the LS4 as well) and Chevrolet had the 3.9l V6 as it's top V6 (and shared the LS4 )
I don't know what bellhousing the SSEI used but the 4T65E that came in the GXP's have the V6 bellhousing.
Furches performance stuffs the 4t80 in these ls4 w bodys.
People have done the 4t80 swap. Most guys do it for turbo setups. If your only gonna make a little more power it’s better to just build the 4t65 with triple edge performance parts
@@Acobolan interesting. I guess GM didn't use it in the factory either for cost reasons or some other reason (crash test?). A real shame they didn't use it from the factory.
Search here on UA-cam for ls4king Monte Carlo ls4, it took over 600hp and lots of hard passes down a drag strip until the 120k mile 4t80 gave it up under the ls4. I got a Gxp sittin in my driveway waiting for that $4k mod.
Love Grand Prix ❤
They should’ve kept working on the fwd v8 for the big family sedans
This could have been the strong competitor to the Charger!
The passenger seat folds down all the way and turns into a desk/2 cup holders. Great for work on the road or meals on a trip
HEY BUDDY ITS NOT WEIRD ABOUT THE PASSENGER SEAT FOLDING FORWARD,, ITS MADE FOR IF YOU HAVE A KAYAK YOU LOWER THE BACK SEATS AND WALA THE KAYAK NOW FITS IN THE CAR,, KNOW YOUR FACTS
I currently have a G8 GT that I'm trying to baby. I would love to have a grand prix gxp as a daily that I can love but not worry about as much but still be fun.
A lot of people miss that the wheels/tires are reverse staggered
I have been driving my 2002 Grand Prix GTP since new and I have never experienced torque steer. Heavy under steer, yes.
240 hp. 280 torque
I noticed it a little in my 05 gtp comp g (260hp) but it is much more noticeable on the gxp version.
These comments made me realize just how much I love the Grand Prix. I hope someday to find a really clean 02-03 Grand Prix GT or GTP. An 07-08 GXP would be super cool too.
Hillarious i found your channel yesterday and thought to myself 🤔 Grand Prix... low and behold.
You didn't mention the problems caused by the cylinder deactivation system. I looked into buying one of these around 2015 but did some research and decided to pass.
"Mac and cheese styling"
I love it
These are the kind of cars the owner put caliber covers on to give the appearance of a BBK.
I bought a 07 gxp in 2009 Didn't realize until years later how great this car was... Wish i would have kept it a bit longer, she was beautiful. Traded her in for 2011 Cadillac DTS loved her too till she blew up at 92,000 miles 😭 another great v8 vehicle though
I would like to have this, a 2004 Impala SS, and a 2003 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi. And I kinda like the Buick LaCrosse Super and Lucerne Super.
2007 Chrysler 300 and 2003 Seville STS also good from that era. I had both of those back in the day. Also had a 1997 Bonneville SSEi
Does the exhaust stick out further on the driver side than the passenger?
Very clean example. Mine has a few thousand less miles but has a few rusty spots unfortunately
These cars look so good 🤤
I had one of these and I loved it!!!