GTP Reliability?

Heres the scoop:

I am currently interesting in buying a newer GTP model in the summer and I want to do some research on the car. I was wondering how reliabile you guys feel that the car is. Is their a lot of maintence involved with the supercharger? Is the supercharger reliable? I want this car to be fairly reliable cause I plan on keeping it for at least 4 years or more.

What I'm looking at is a 98 or so with no more than 75k miles on it. How well do they tend to run after this mark, and for how long before any necessary maintence cost will come into effect?

Around how much is the insurance on one of these for an under 25 male per 6 months? I pay around 500 per 6 for my current car. I don't really want to spend anymore than 850 per 6.

If their is anything else that you feel you should mention please do. The more you have to say the more i'll listen.

Lets assume that the car hasn't been abused, and has been in good hands, and has been generally well taken care of. I wouldn't buy one that has been abused to much anyways.
Thanks for the help.

from what I seen they aren't bad as long as they are taken care of. The 3800 motor with the supercharger can go easily 300k miles if taken care of and oil changes done, along with supercharger oil (every 20k-30k)

75k is descent I know people over on clubgp that are running around with 100+ with mods done to them :)

I dont think insurance would be any worse? what do you drive now? I'd go for it being if the price was right. My friend just picked up a 97 GTP with roughly 60,000 on it for 6,000 one hell of a steal if you ask me, had a few minor things wrong with the interior :smokin:

I know his mom has a 2000'ish one.. and believe shes got 110,000+ on it still running strong with out any problems.

I would say if at all possible get a 98 - 2000, Especially if you plan to mod it. They seem to have the least complications. 01 Lost the Perf., Shift 03's are jus weird lol 97's have some first year quirks. This is jus my opinion of course.

As far as reliabliity, If Properly maintained you shouldnt have anything to worry about

I currently have an 88 firebird that runs great, but i'm looking for somthing a little more 'practical' for everyday use. My current car handles like a dream with the 1le package, but its not 'ideal' for everyday driving. You can feel every bump in that car times 5.

The GTP to me seems like the perfect balance for everything that I want. Its got 240hp on 4wheel disc brakes with a performance setting option just incase im in the urge to reach its limits. And its also well suited for everyday driving, with a comfortable and smooth feel of drivability. I've seen people talking about gas milage, and from what get of this, it seems to go from 21-23 combined mpg. And that is by far better than my current car, so i'm not arguing there (15-17 with my other car). But my main concern was reliability and maintence cost due to the supercharger, but from what i've heard: As long as its maintained, and the supercharger is well taken care of, there shouldn't be any problems for years to come. And if anybody is as strict about maintence as i am, then there shouldn't be any major problems in the years to come.
As far as modifications go, I haven't yet decided whether thats going to happen. I'll probably drive it around for a bit to get the feel of how it runs before I even consider making any modifications to it. I may throw in a KN filter and such, but nothing extreme. (no pulley changes, or new manifold, exhaust, etc.)
I'm sure i'll be pleased enough with its stock hp for a while, considering that 240 is already more hp than my current car has.

I'm really considering a 98 -00 model, because I do realize that the first year the car comes out always has some minors "quirks" that can be annoying. And I'm only looking to spend around 8k so that will pretty much rule out the 01+ models.

Does any of this sound pretty logical? Am I on the right track about this car?

The 2001 & 2002 can easily be upgraded to have performance shift, just by adding a ground to pin 21 with a re-programmed PCM. The 97's have first year quirks and the 2003's have the 2004 PCM, so I would avoid them.

Properly maintained the car will last for years. I have 62k on my 2000 GTP and my girlfriend has 50k on her 2001 GTP. There are guy in our club who race with cars over 100k miles.

My '97 GTP is knocking on 160k (30k are mine in the close to year and a half that I've had her), and she still runs like a dream. Then again, she's been very well taken care of, the guy I bought her from got her new and had every service record on the car, even down to the oil changes. Personally, I think the cars are very reliable. If you get a '97-'98, though, check with your local GM dealership and have them run the VIN and see if all the recalls have been attended to. The only three I can think of are the lower steering bearing, the oil pan seal, and something about the windshield wipers.

No need to go to the dealer for the recall info. Just go to the NHTSA website.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/

All a dealer is going to do is talk you into service you probably don't need.

So do you think I can find a well maintained GTP (98-00) with under 75k miles for 8k? I have been looking on ebay, and i've seen a few decent looking ones that were all around 7k (i've even seen some reserved at 4k, but with the price so low I kinda assume somthings not right). Should I try and not spend anything over 7k-ish on one, or would you think I would be getting screwed to pay over 8k on one?

I would use www.kbb.com to get some price estimates.

You probably can find a clean well maintained car from a private seller. Anything from a dealership you just don't know what you are going to get, as someone may have traded in their headache.

GTP's are very reliable cars as long as they are not beaten on and the owner takes care of them. The insurance rates are the same as a regular Grand Prix also , so dont worry about that. My 2000 has about 39k miles on it now and is modded fairly well and im still pulling a solid 17-30mpg. Def. go for a GTP , you will not regret it....

So do you think I can find a well maintained GTP (98-00) with under 75k miles for 8k? I have been looking on ebay, and i've seen a few decent looking ones that were all around 7k (i've even seen some reserved at 4k, but with the price so low I kinda assume somthings not right). Should I try and not spend anything over 7k-ish on one, or would you think I would be getting screwed to pay over 8k on one?

Well, my '97 GTP had 130k when I got it, which was about a year and a half ago. She was very well maintained, had every avaliable factory option (Leather, sunroof, power windows/locks, power driver seat, heated driver seat, am/fm/cassette/12 disc changer, all that good stuff), and she cost me $6800. If you can find a well-maintained '98 or up, especially a '00, for around 8k, I don't think it would be a bad deal, but you would want to know that it's a good car. In my case, I had a reliable source telling me that mine was a good deal. (My dad, ASE certified master tech, looked at the car before we bought it)

If you can find a well-maintained '98 or up, especially a '00, for around 8k, I don't think it would be a bad deal, but you would want to know that it's a good car.

Book price is even that cheap on a 2000 GTP! I paid $4,000 under book for my 2k GTP w/ 27k miles ($14,000) and that was a hell of a deal.

I just rolled over 146000 miles on it today and my car is running awesome still. I have 3.4 pulley, CAI, cat-back exhaust, 160 degree drilled thermostat, 8mm spark plug wires with auto lite platinum 104 plugs. still waiting for more money to come in to get a pcm and shift kit. I didnt start doing mods to it until it had around 130000 miles on it. And its a 97! but anyways i like GTPs And i trust them but like one of the other guys said take care of it and it will take care of you.

Mine is a 98 and i busted it. The car has been good to me even the torrid history the VIN had(it drowned on the dealer parking lot and the original engine, tranny and such lasted 70kmiles with just oil changes after the water dripped from the car interior). Now I have replaced the engine, superchager, PCM(ECU) and tranny with some minor twicks and I expect it to last at least 5 to 7 years.

my 98 gtp with 72,000 on the clock no problems at all,change that supercharger oil @ 30,000 as per manual..if you take to the stealership watch the price structure they will try to rear end ya... good car!!

98 GTP w/75000 miles

Very reliable. Just dont race it, and if you do expect something to break sooner or later.

My car has been down for 2 months waiting for parts and money for a tranny rebuild (#4) :evillol:

But I do race it, it's cammed, and I was beating the piss out of it testing a new PCM I had purchased.

Ive had no problems besides leaky valve covers, and that wasnt a problem till I switched to syn. oil. Fixed now, and has never leaked.

Everything that has gone wrong with my car is directly related to me :evillol: , and the fact that GM put a shitty transmission in.

Tim

my 98 gtp with 72,000 on the clock no problems at all,change that supercharger oil @ 30,000 as per manual..if you take to the stealership watch the price structure they will try to rear end ya... good car!!

I like your analogy on dealerships LOL. So, changing supercharger oil @30k seems to be VERY important which I do understand it should be. I'm begining to feel better and better about this decision I want to make.