2003 SSEI good car?

[daman]

looking at this car has 119,000 on it any major problems with this model,been GM all my life owned Bonneville's before and been great cars just wondering about this year and model in particular?

[daman]

anybody?

[Tech II]

Well, being an SSEi, it's loaded? SC'er, leather, dual power seats, auto A/C, moon roof, premium stereo, SW controls, auto level, power everything?

Engine is solid....have seen leaking nose cones on SC'er, and some with noise......

How was it driven?...these are usually driven hard......always the potential for P1811, P0742, etc., on the transmission......

Because of the electronics in all the systems, diagnostics and repairs will be expensive.....

Being a 9 year old car, how is everything underneath? Car from a salt area? Brake lines, fuel lines, exhaust, etc.

What's the asking price? Dealer or private? Anything this old, I would pay to have a garage give it a once over, before buying....

[daman]

Originally Posted by Tech II

Well, being an SSEi, it's loaded? SC'er, leather, dual power seats, auto A/C, moon roof, premium stereo, SW controls, auto level, power everything?

Engine is solid....have seen leaking nose cones on SC'er, and some with noise......

How was it driven?...these are usually driven hard......always the potential for P1811, P0742, etc., on the transmission......

Because of the electronics in all the systems, diagnostics and repairs will be expensive.....

Being a 9 year old car, how is everything underneath? Car from a salt area? Brake lines, fuel lines, exhaust, etc.

What's the asking price? Dealer or private? Anything this old, I would pay to have a garage give it a once over, before buying....

Thanks tech for your post,it's at a dealer haven't looked at it yet from the pics it's very clean no issues with it he says but I'll be the judge of that when i give it the once over,yes loaded right up, all electronics work just wondering how solid the trans and the sc'd 3800's were I've owned many N/A 3800 and they've been bullet proof.

new tires and breaks with 119,000 miles he said he'd take $5,000 out the door which is a real bargain.

[Jrs3800]

If the car was taken care of as good as it looks in the pictures for 5k I would jump on it... Its was also the last year for an SC Bonneville..

So far most of the 03's seem to have done pretty decently...

I am not a fan of the 4T65E nor in the way its controlled.... Too many controls in my opinion... If you bought that car one of the first things I would do is install the TransGo Shift Improver Kit for it.. And if they haven't been done I would also update to the GM aluminum lower intake gaskets...

They do have a few issues, but overall seem to be pretty decent cars..

I bought my 03 SLE in 09 with 50,000ish miles on it for 7k... Was too hard to pass up.. In that time I have done the general items, oil changes, trans fluid and filter as well as a shift kit, upper intake replacement and aluminum lower gaskets...

The single largest problem I had was that the ABS/TRAC pump went bad( internal short ).... Replaced that with a used part 20,000 miles ago.. Also replace both front wheel hub assemblies( common problem )

Overall its been a good car.... Currently at 86,000

[daman]

Thanks,so why the shift improver? in stock form it don't shift smooth/good? was there a big problem with the LIM gaskets on theses like the older ones?

found a V8 GXP too but i think I'll pass on that insurance would be a killer i bet haha..

[Jrs3800]

Most will install a Shift Improver to help aid or part correct for a failing PCS.. It does help as the shift improver will quicken the shifts and keep them from feeling ultra soft( Like a serious amount of time to complete a shift)... I hated that on mine and the kid did quicken up the shifts... The improver in no way will make it harsh or abrupt, but will firm them up like they should have been in the first place.. it will still shift good but it'll do it quicker...lol

All of the bonnevilles using the series II 3800 had the Nylon Gaskets, these were always a problem with the series II's.. Most series III's used the newer aluminum gaskets.. Its preventative most of the time and highly recommended..


as for the GXP.... The N* seems to be hit or miss in the Bonnevilles... some seem to do ok others seem to be complete money pits... and on the road with 3.71 gears the N* will do 24-25 most of the time... On the same stretch the SC Bonneville will do 27-30.... My opinion is that the 3800 SC has a lot of grunt, and more than most of the time we are running in traffic, heading to the store... Going out and about where that Idle to 3500 Rpm grunt is where a lot of us are a lot of the time... Nice to know that SC is there tho and very much loved to be modified...lol

Are you looking for a daily driver or just another car?

[daman]

It's going to be a daily driver for the wife,,how hard is the kit to install?

thanks for your posts!

[Jrs3800]

Its not hard to install... Drop the trans pan, yank the filter... and then you remove the accumulator body and the springs and the like get replaced with limiting spacers for the pistons... This should be #1 on the list to do... Only thing is to make sure you get all of the accumulator tubes back in the proper place...lol

[daman]

Yea haha,,with the wife driving see any problems with leaving the trans the way it is? and living a long healthy life? i always service stuff on a regular bases.

it has 119K on it, plan on hanging on to the car for many years..

[Jrs3800]

I would install the shift improve kit at the least, this should help the trans last even longer as there will be less slip between gears...

It could live a long life without it tho...lol... so this one is your choice...

You do remind me tho, Mine is due for a fluid and filter change...lol

[daman]

Good idea get it done!,,anyway where does one get this kit and how much?

[Jrs3800]

Online mostly... The kit can be found for $60-$70 iirc...

Should be TransGo 4T65E...

[daman]

Ahh ok noted for future reference,,thanks Jr for all your posts/help but we didn't get the car come to find out he was hiding it had a rebuilt(salvage)title, i asked just before leaving to go down and look at it,oh well keep looking....

[Jrs3800]

OOooooOoOoo.... Ouch...

Sorry to hear that... Mine was a one owner clean title... garage kept and very well maintained... It was the reason I bought it...



Too bad GM doesn't build em anymore... Its had its quirks, but over all, its been a good car.. starts every morning without question... I keep waiting for one of the window regulators to quit...LOL... I know its coming...