Guys, I am literally at my wits end with my GXP at the moment.

I bought the car in Sept 2010 and have had more than your standard amount of trouble with the car. The most notable things being a collapsed lifter on the 1st engine....Yes I said first engine. After my father and I repaired that, the engine lost most of its oil pressure and ended up having to be replaced. Once again, my father and I do that. Now, my damn rack and pinion is leaking and I have to pay ~$700 to have that replaced.

All in all between all my wheel bearings, rotors, brakes, tires and just straight preventive maintenance I have over $4000 in the past year alone, easily.

Is that what your guys are experiencing?

I am beyond aggravated

/RANT

 

We've always said '05s have the worst problems.

 

Yeah you aren't alone...

In May I had almost 9k in warranty work done on our 08' GXP, they replaced the transmission (no engine braking in tapshift), all 16 lifters (tap tap), FR wheel hub, front right axle because they couldn't get the hub off of it (TC/SC/ABS issues).

Prior to this the front rotors warped BADLY and the pads needed to be replaced shortly after. Let's not forget we are on our 3rd set of tires, I just put new ones on. Car has 66,000 miles.

There is also a "DOD timing chain" noise which in the eyes of Pontiac is "acceptable". I'd like to see it pass vehicle sound specs in an anechoic chamber, sounds like a hobo on 5-fingered 10 speed with gears that won't shift is holding on to the car. There is an air leak in the right rear passenger window at low speeds and a wavering buzzer noise coming from the dash at least 25% of the time. Sometimes I'm not sure if it's the car or a city wide tornado drill. I also have a air vent that spins like the Wheel of Fortune when the fan is on high. Pretty sure it would lop off a finger if you stuck it in there.

All the bitching aside, I still love the car because it's unique, I honestly just crack jokes at it because sometimes it just seems like this bastard child of GM that doesn't get anything right. I do wish someone would have taken responsibility for their poorly designed trans though, I would bet they could have saved money across all of the trans warranty repairs just by making a few 'durability' upgrades. Not to mention I think they owe it their customers. GM folks usually stay loyal to the brand, I do, but repetitive crap happening to a relatively new car with no follow through by the company can really put a bitter taste in your mouth. If someone jumps ship and doesn't come back thats probably what like 0 to 5 potential car sales gone if they were to buy new never come back.

I've learned that the car requires a great deal of patience to own, if you can afford to upgrade some of it's less durable parts and have the money you can probably save yourself a headache in the future. I'm still holding out hope that I can own the car and be happy/not broke. Naive...maybe.

 

I won't get into my woes because I will just get pissed off. Trust me, you are not alone.

 

lmao ^^^ this!

 

Maybe y'all need to beat your cars more? In my 3 years only thing major was the trans, but we all know that story. And I drive it hard, drag, street, and autocross.

 

We've been lucky with ours, transmissions aside. Haven't had anything go wrong since the warranty expired 25,000 miles ago. We are getting a little vibration from the front end, so I imagine the hubs will need to be replaced soon, but so far, so good on everything else.

I do often wonder why so many chassis-related items go wrong on these cars. Since the basic platform dates back to the 1988 model year, you'd think all of those bugs would be worked out. There's just no excuse for hubs, steering racks, brakes, etc. to fail at such low mileage on a "proven" platform. Even though the trans problems are the most expensive and severe, it's at least somewhat understandable since the LS4 came near the end of the run.

 

I'm at 55K and have not had one problem other the going threw 3 batteries and having a few burned out bulbs on my heater/AC pannel. I did have to replace the front rotors at 30K due to warping.

I would have to say that you guys worry me though..

 

haha.

Wow, im definitely envious right now. If had one battery go bad and I immediately put in a Optima Redtop. No problems since, at least with batteries

 

im at 66k, orig trans, replaced water pump, replaced battery, front rotors and pads, my HUD black plastic bezel is cracked. Gonna be selling it to my GF in the spring so hopefully it keeps up without too many problems.

 

When this battery kicks the bucket it is Optima time. Just went for a drive and the car put a smile on my face. I'm so sorry for all of your trouble. Might have been a Katrina car?

 

I bought the car from a guy in Kentucky. His primary use for the car was driving from there to Detroit and back for business. That was it.

On another note, I just got the car back from being repaired and WOW what a difference in steering. My Magnasteer crap must not have been working because the steering is incredibly light at slow speeds and very crisp at higher speeds.

 

Sucks you guys are having all of these problems.

I bought my 2006 MCSS March 2009. I have almost 44,000 on mine. Only issues i have had are one TPMS sensor went bad and a seaping oil pan gasket which were both replaced under warranty. I did replace the front rotors and pads due to warping, but they were warped when I bought the car.

I read all of these horror stories and worry about mine doing the same stuff, but it keeps cruisin' along. It almost make me not want to come on this forum because it is almost always bad news and no one has any fun around here anymore, you know.

 

Haha, I guess we are all pessimistic

I truly love the car, the way is drives, the performance and even how it sounds is just exceptional. I suppose I just get irritated with the car when things break, but I have to remember that the car is paid of and these repairs equal what a couple car payments may be on a new car.

Honestly, I wouldn't own any other car......Okay okay I know, but I still love it!

 

Yea ive put about 2k in warranty work (HUBS, Sensors Front End Vibration) and 2500k in preventive maintainence. Although I put the best stuff in for maintainence ex $215
per tire, when buying tires and things of that sort.

 

With all the money Ive dropped into this car,it would be paided off but not as fun to drive stock.Sorry to hear about your ride OP,GL with your decision on keeping or ditching

 

I've only had mine for just shy of a year, but in that year I've driven it approximately 16k miles and it's been awesome. Only had 1 issue so far which was a waterpump, which was luckily replaced under warranty. Currently 65k and counting

 

Speaking of batteries mines about to go too, died a few times when dynoing. Problem is the negative terminal hardware that secures it to the battery fell off into the LS4 black hole sometime ago. In order to get a matching set I guess I have to buy the entire cable , anyone know what size that nut/3 piece setup is that slides down the T bar to squeeze the terminal connector around the terminal? I can't find a parts list that identifies it, I'm about to just throw something random in there and see if it works.

 

Thanks man! Getting rid of the car is out of the question for me. I really honestly love the car, I just get aggravated with the problems I have came across this first year.

 

I hear you on that