LS4 Performance Grand Prix GXP | Monte Carlo SS | Impala SS | LaCrosse Super

GXP VS Monte SS

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 06:38 AM
  #1  
avro206's Avatar
Thread Starter
On The Tree
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Default GXP VS Monte SS

Has anyone driven both of these cars? Do they feel different, could you tell blindfolded which was which?

Is the steering, suspension different? Enough to make them feel distinct from eachother?

I drove a Monte SS--sure it had power but everything else was bad. It just drove like something 20 years old--that was in great shape. Seats were super wide and flat too.

GXP prices are pretty low. Only exp I have with them is a base 3800--didn't like it. With more power, looks ect and two tone interior, maybe the GXP would work for me.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 08:14 AM
  #2  
Z28 Autobot's Avatar
TECH Apprentice
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by avro206
Has anyone driven both of these cars? Do they feel different, could you tell blindfolded which was which?

Is the steering, suspension different? Enough to make them feel distinct from eachother?

I drove a Monte SS--sure it had power but everything else was bad. It just drove like something 20 years old--that was in great shape. Seats were super wide and flat too.

GXP prices are pretty low. Only exp I have with them is a base 3800--didn't like it. With more power, looks ect and two tone interior, maybe the GXP would work for me.
yes and no...I had the opportunity to drive an Impala SS and a GXP..you comparing a 2 door to a 4 door for one thing. But besides that..the GXP is a little more tweeked for spirited driving.

Go take a spin in a GXP you will notice the options that make up the GP GXP make it a much more complete handling car.

Not taking away anything from the Impala or MC. as they edge out in speed. But on a winding road. It might be more fun.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 09:40 AM
  #3  
Bryan921SS's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 621
Likes: 1
From: Zeeland, MI
Default

2 Door FTW!!!


GXP's have more flashy bits....
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 10:31 AM
  #4  
bigboy3l's Avatar
Launching!
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
From: Phila, PA
Default

^^^What He said^^^

My opinion is totally unbiased
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 10:53 AM
  #5  
Heslekrants's Avatar
On The Tree
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Sherwood OR
Default

I'm a big Monte Carlo fan having owned 5 of them but from a driver's view the GXP handles & brakes way better than the MC or Imp SS. Another big plus is that you can run a 275/40/18 on factory front rims of the GXP.

Now if you swapped the GXP parts onto the MC SS then you would have a really nice car.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 10:59 AM
  #6  
DavidGXP's Avatar
12 Second Club
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,563
Likes: 0
From: Renton, WA
Default

i love my gxp i just wish it was a 2 door ( needed a four door). bigger brakes, wider stag tires with forged wheels, tuned suspension, touch sceen dvd nav with hud. suade inserts and very nice gauges with drivers information center. i blast through corners all of the time. people always bag on my car cause it's fwd and i do too, but once i get behind the wheel and start driving i could care less cause it works; the engineers did a fantastic job. id say you would get more personal value from a gxp.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 11:04 AM
  #7  
StealthV8's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Default

if you are good at launching you will notice the benefit of having the gxps wider front tires.. I believe the GXP only weights 2-300 pounds more, which is 2 tenths off the qtr. In a stright line its really a drivers race between all 4 models, in the corners the GXP and the buick version a better than the imp and mc.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 11:06 AM
  #8  
bigboy3l's Avatar
Launching!
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
From: Phila, PA
Default

My only issue with the MCSS is the interior I think is outdated. If it had GXP like interior it would have been even better. Or maybe I am tired of loking at it after two years of daily driving LOL.

Last edited by bigboy3l; Mar 17, 2010 at 11:20 AM.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-3

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-7

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

 Brett Foote
story-9

10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 12:28 PM
  #9  
Bryan921SS's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 621
Likes: 1
From: Zeeland, MI
Default

If there was such a thing as an 04+ 2 Door Grand Prix then that's what I would be driving....it is a real shame that Pontiac/GM didn't make a 2 Door.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 01:13 PM
  #10  
williamGT's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,467
Likes: 0
From: Yellowknife NT Canada
Default

Originally Posted by Bryan921SS
If there was such a thing as an 04+ 2 Door Grand Prix then that's what I would be driving....it is a real shame that Pontiac/GM didn't make a 2 Door.
Yeah I wish my car was a 2 door, but they stop making the in 2003
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 01:43 PM
  #11  
texasGXP08's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
 
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY
Default

I think it comes down to personal taste.

I liked my GXP for the suspension, brakes, and heated seats when I bought it. The one thing I thought was a gimmick at the time, was the heads up display. Now that I have had a car with it, I can't imagine not having it. It is one of those things were it seems like a minor perk, until you drive a car with it for a week, then go to another car without it and you are like "****..."

If you are set on getting a two door car, the Monte can be a nice value, as long as you are aware of the w-body platform performance limitations (GXP included). I may get flamed for this but if your are set on 2 door, also consider late model GTO, Camaro, or Trans Am.

With that, I must add that you are in the right freaking place for LS4 mods and info. The guys here are truly pioneering new stuff daily. FWD, tiny intake, and DoD be damned! I think the best stuff for these cars will come this year!
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 02:09 PM
  #12  
jabronie78's Avatar
TECH Regular
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
Default

I thought I read somewhere that the SS's were faster than the GXP because of a different final drive ratio. In fact I think there was a thread on.

I'll have to look for it.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 02:13 PM
  #13  
jabronie78's Avatar
TECH Regular
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
Default

Despite the antics of the overwhelmed tires, hard acceleration still leaves the driver giddy — at least for the first few runs. We certainly can't argue with this kind of performance from a family sedan that starts at $26,990 — there's that 0-to-60 time of 5.6 seconds, the quarter-mile turns in 14.2 seconds at 101 mph, and the ungoverned top speed is 154 mph. Much to our surprise, the SS turned out to be 0.1 second faster from 0 to 60 and in the quarter-mile than the identically powered but 132-pounds-lighter Grand Prix GXP we tested last fall.

The SS's quicker acceleration can likely be traced to its shorter final-drive ratio (3.29:1 vs. 2.93). It's also interesting to note that this level of acceleration is accomplished with a four-speed automatic — that's called making the most of what you've got. But despite this performance, the Impala isn't convincing as a sports sedan.


http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...a_ss-road_test
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 02:15 PM
  #14  
StealthV8's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Default

Originally Posted by texasGXP08

With that, I must add that you are in the right freaking place for LS4 mods and info. The guys here are truly pioneering new stuff daily. FWD, tiny intake, and DoD be damned! I think the best stuff for these cars will come this year!
i agree the best is yet to come.. As soon as the LS4's are cheap enough that kids under 18 can buy them and still mod them things will change fast. Thats what happened with the early w-bodies, and pretty much every import. only thing that will hurt us is the low production numbers.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 04:49 PM
  #15  
94ss06gxp's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 0
From: Mid MI
Default

just get a GXP
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 07:41 PM
  #16  
Mgpeagle's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,406
Likes: 0
From: Ain't tellin'
Default

I didn't know the GXP was 132 lbs. lighter. Cool beans... I have 3.29's.... : )

-Mike
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 10:58 PM
  #17  
GXP25's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,392
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
Default

That might have something to do with the back seat.
Reply
Old Mar 17, 2010 | 11:18 PM
  #18  
JP_GXP's Avatar
Banned
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 0
From: Almost Arkansas, LA
Default

I've been trying to tell you all that the GXP is only ~50 lbs heavier than the MCSS. The article states that the GXP is 130 lbs lighter than the ~3700 lbs ISS.

This is the third recent thread about which LS4 to get, just drive them both.

For the record, I vote GXP.




https://ls1tech.com/forums/ls4-front...8-ls4-get.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/ls4-front...fferences.html

Last edited by JP_GXP; Mar 17, 2010 at 11:36 PM. Reason: Added links
Reply
Old Mar 18, 2010 | 08:11 AM
  #19  
Heslekrants's Avatar
On The Tree
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Sherwood OR
Default

Originally Posted by JP_GXP
I've been trying to tell you all that the GXP is only ~50 lbs heavier than the MCSS. The article states that the GXP is 130 lbs lighter than the ~3700 lbs ISS.
My GXP weighs 3600lbs with 1/2 tank of gas.
Reply
Old Mar 18, 2010 | 10:57 AM
  #20  
jabronie78's Avatar
TECH Regular
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
Default

Yeah it weighs less and is still slower. huh.
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:22 PM.

story-0
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-3
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-4
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-5
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE
story-8
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

The world was a better place when it was still around.

By Brett Foote | 2026-01-23 09:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever

Slideshow: The 7.0-liter LS7 was designed for absolute cutting-edge performance.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-07 18:36:00


VIEW MORE