Sadden

If you feel you can afford it then go for it

bigboymike68

Thats all I do before someone test me. I just point at the badge and they back off. I LOVE my badges

04BlackGXP

Awesome, I think that I will! A bit off-topic, but how easy is it to fit these cars with projectors for HID's? I searched for about an hour today and couldn't find any solid retrofitting walk-throughs. If someone could point me to a thread, that would be fantastic!

Thanks in advance!
John

lVloses

iTrader: (1)

When it comes to lighting Sadden knows just about everything it seems like. Wish he would do a write-up for retro fitting some HIDs. (Hint hint)

04BlackGXP

Yeah, I saw the thread about his headlights. Did I read correctly that there was a grand in parts PLUS a grand in labor?

I was just wondering if Morimoto (sp?) projectors dropped in with just a bit of cutting. The aftermarket assemblies are cheap (~$200 a pair +shipping) but I've read on here that they're **** covered in **** with **** filling.

John

lVloses

iTrader: (1)

I believe that was including his LED bar in his front grill. Yeah the Morimotos are like $300 + whatever a new housing will cost you. But that's the way you go if you wanna do it the right way. If you wanna use some cheaper HIDs that don't focus the light then you can pick up a pair for $100

As far as dropping right in I would like Sadden to write up a How-to on them, including the specific package he used. After he gets back from Jamaica of course

04BlackGXP

Sorry to keep bumping this thread, but is there anything I should look out for on a test drive (I.e. noises, rust/wear patterns, etc.)?

lVloses

iTrader: (1)

I'd do the usual when buying any car. But make sure you get it up to highway speeds and see how well it shifts and holds gears. Check under the hood to see if anything's leaking. Check the fluids, when I got mine the transmission fluid was shot.

04BlackGXP

I just got done driving the ss. It's nice, definitely nice. I might be in love...

I checked the tranny fluid. It was red but definitely had a brown look to it.

The whole car felt very familiar-- it felt comfortable and like I was driving a much nicer version of my Bonneville. I did take it on the highway-- no shifting issues at all and it tracked straight as an arrow. They put two brand new rs-a's on the front... Hurray... Fresh crappy rubber is better than worn nice rubber I guess.

I didn't like the sound of the exhaust as much-- rather generic sounding and the rev limiter prevents any drive-by surprises for innocent by-standers.

When I told them that I wanted the car from Jersey, I also told them that if it had been smoked in, I wasn't interested. My girlfriend is extremely sensitive to if a car has been smoked in in the past. She can't breathe in cars that have been smoked in. This car has DEFINITELY been smoked in. And that's a huge bummer for me because I desperately want the car. They are going to work on it, but does anyone have a solution for this? I'm pretty much convinced that I want it as long as they can get the smoke out.

lVloses

iTrader: (1)

Good luck getting the smell out. One of our cars didn't have any smoke smell when we bought it but come a hot summer day and you'll notice it pretty badly. Only thing I can think of to get rid of the smell permanently is to reupholster everything and replace all of the carpets. Even then though if you turn on the ac or heat you may smell it :/

04BlackGXP

I don't know. I've found ashes in the rear ashtray of my Bonneville and that car smells fantastic. The dealer said that they have an ionizing process that they can do.

04BlackGXP

Just as a follow-up, they ozone bombed the car and got the smoke out. Literally, it's gone.

Cam01Z28SS

I know you must be wishing to drive something newer but as the owner and driver of both an 08 Impala SS and a 05 Bonneville GXP I would rate my GXP the much better vehicle and after reading this you might wish to pass on a W body Impala SS . I have two cousins who bought new Bonneville GXP and they have had such good experiences that I started to look for one too, only thing it took me a while to find a low mileage one, but early last year I found one with only 22K on it and from a 1 owner in like new condition.


I have driven my 2008 Impala SS over 20,000 miles over 3 years and the problems started building with the miles, so far no problems or issues with my 2005 Bonneville GXP or the Northstar, and of all the actual owners of Northstars that I have quizzed they all rate it highly, especially the newer Northstars of post 2003 that have had all the engineering improvements. I did a lot of research between my two GM sedans and my Impala is being sold this weekend with 39K. And yes the new owner knows about the oil usage and does not care.

My Impala SS needs premium fuel to get slightly better mpg’s over my GXP but when I burn regular it gets worse mileage than my GXP and premium runs about .25 or .30 cents more per gallon so the edge goes to the Pontiac on that one.

The 5.3L in the Impala ss started using oil at an alarming rate and it seems it is primarily a result of the DOD or AFM system and GM has a long TSB on this, if you care to check on it. Mine now burns about 1 qt in 1100 miles of highway driving and I had it checked at a dealer for excessive oil consumption but in town driving it only used 1 qt every 2300-2400 miles so it did not get the GM fix or rebuild. My Northstar so far does not use oil between 4,000 to 7,000 mile OCI's and neither does 7 other owners that I know of who drive one.

At 35k my Impala SS had to limp into the shop for transmission work as the 4T65HD was slipping and it was repaired before the warranty expired. So far the 4T80-E in my Bonneville has been great and I now have 35K miles on it.

Last year when I was researching each of my sedans I had my two buddies who work as service advisors at two different small dealers perform some background service checks (both in warranty and out-of-warranty cars) between the Northstar vehicles from 04 to 09 and with the W bodies cars with the LS4 from 05 to 09. I had them check about the transmissions that needed service (internal problems not normal maintenance) and also excessive oil consumption (over 1 quart per 2000 miles) and to give me a ratio between vehicles and it was amazing how bad the LS4 was with DOD and with the 4T65HD.

W bodies with 4T65HD needing repairs - 74 - vs – 3- H-K bodies with 4T80-E needing repairs

5.3L LS4 excessive oil consumption 41 - vs – 2 with Northstars excessive oil consumption

I plan to keep my Bonneville GXP in my stable and sell my SS

Other pros to the GXP over my Impala SS

More supportive and comfortable bucket seats as the GXP gives lateral support. THE impala does not and you sit on them rather than in them and I had to get sheepskin seat-covers on the SS to help prevent excessive sideway movement.

All the dealers and independent shops I quizzed rated the Nortstar to be a better smoother engine.

Much more reliable transmission as two transmission shops I had visited each were working on a 4T65HD and told me any car over 60K (with a 4T65HD) was on borrowed time for tranny work.

Better gauge display with oil pressure and voltage readouts

HUD (head up display of speedometer in windshield)

A real Drivers cockpit style angled controls

No sun reflections from shift display – (I had to use black tape over chrome to prevent sun-blindness)