ehh no i beg to differ on that one, the GXP is suffering from tired technology, if it had come with a LS3 and the 4t80 then maybe we would be talking a different story here, but as it sits stock, the GXP is slower then most hyundais and kia's out on the road right now, and getting worse gas mileage for that matter.

Dont get me wrong, love my car, but I acknowledge the fact that its always going to have its limits and be relatively slow compared to whats on the streets these days. As i begin to move into a different class of cars with the rest of my friends, the more expensive imports, bmw's audi's, saab, volvo, etc, it becomes more and more evident just how aged the GXP is compared to whats available. For ***** sake for an 07 i still dont even have a USB or AUX port on the radio. My friend has a 06 saab aero with a 2.8 turbo V6 and aisin 6 speed auto, and its faster then my GXP stock..... picked it up for $1000 dollars not running. Any one of the tune packages that vtuner sells for this car puts this car in territory the GXP cant even touch let alone the trans be able to handle reliably. If I happen to come across a newer model of that car like 08+ with navi, id drop the GXP in a heartbeat.

I have a friend who just put a tune only on his girlfriends GTI, 320+hp to the wheels. The amount of money required to dump into an LS4 car to compete with whats available these days is absurd unless you absolutely adore your car.

 

For some people, cost effective spending is a higher priority over just dumping a ton of money into a car they like. The FWD LS4 platform is just bad, all around in terms of its design, compared to other cars. When you love your car enough, you can justify dumping the money into it like what you did with yours, as I have done in the past with other cars, but for other people that don't have that attachment, looking for a better platform to start with is the way to go.

I have to ask though, since you brought the subject up, with the 17 grand you have into your car, what kinda times you running at the track?

 

Everyone does has a different budget to work with correct... hp per $ is not a stat I watch too closely... or fuel mileage... I don't desire USB ports and I also don't use automatic car washes either. As well, I didn't look at the car as tired technology. The platform has its limits and I am approaching its limits, but that is find for now. I believe a cars style or what have you chooses you... you choosing the "best car on paper" to mod and then learning to love it sounds like a guy trapped in a loveless marriage.

apples and oranges.

In October of 2013 for that entire month, every 11 minutes average a new C7 was sold... Those people never even once looked at a kia 0% flyer.

Similarly, there is no way in hell I personally would ever drive a modified Hyundai or Kia no matter how fast or cheaply they can be modified. At the end of the day they are small cars... they sound small... and don't look threatening at all no matter how many custom wraps, stickers, or plastidip you throw at them.

I'm not saying my car is the fastest on the planet... but most certainly it is a sleeper and most certainly it looks unique... And besides, a sleeper just has to be faster than 99% of the cars it meets. I'm confident I am... if one day a hyundai beats me on the road that will be fine.

But yeah if $17,000 is too much to buy a car and mod it yet you still want a modded car then yes go get a kia or a saab like you said if you can find them... go that route.

But this thread regarding TEP or the transmission.... yes its a weakness but there are things that you can do....

Billet 300M input shaft
new Forward apply and manual low band
Billet 3rd gear apply piston
All new solenoids
Line pressure booster kit
Shift kit
New TCC apply valve update
Updated separator plate with modifications to clutch feeds
Upgraded torque converter
Borg warner high energy clutches
Updated replacement drive chain
New USA made filter, all new gaskets and seals

typical recommended build from cartuning...

I have not ran at the track but I suspect 12 seconds or under is possible based on what I've seen from other ls4 turbo setups. It's not the car that makes the time its the driver and I'm still searching for the proper way to launch balancing the wheel spin, the exhaust cutout etc etc

 

Sounds like a real nice build you have. I think the phrase you wanna play you gotta play works well regarding these platforms. The transmission is a sore subject for some, me included. Seems there are problems even after spending good coin to get them worked for some. Some can be contributed to that persons driving habits, some are just component failure. It just seems like a high risk. There are lots of people out there willing to tear into the motor, swap out heads, cams etc. I haven't read many threads about anyone who even attempted to rebuild this transmission. That leaves a lot in the air. Paying a shop for labor, or even to R&R this as that doesn't look fun either. As you said, its all what you want. GXP's are kind of unique in my biased opinion, like my car but its no love affair. Trying to figure myself if any future mods are worth the effort and return. Either way a transmission is in my future, whether its 5 grand and stout or 2500 and stock will be the question .

 

It's more the front wheel drive thats the sore subject. Had this car been RWD like the G8, it would have been as popular as the G8. LS4 FWD cars are the retarded older brother of what was to follow for the v8 mid size family sedan.

 

Not so sure these cars were supposed to be mass produced anyway. GM in general was having a hard time selling anything. And although the G8 is a bad *** car, those sat on dealerships until they were given away too. Same thing that is happening with the SS now. You paid a grand for yours, you stole it and can walk away ahead or at least even except for the hard work. To a drag racer this is probably not the best platform, but they are unique.

 

I'd drive a Vette... BUT... but its actually a tad showy to me... when you are seen in one it inspires certain negative looks in a way by others. A vette is about I'm better than you I think... and I don't really feel that way. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable in it from that perspective.

That's why I like the modded GXP.... corvette performance but doesn't cause too much jealousy among those around me.

I'm not sure what my next "summer" car will be... nothing has really inspired me as of yet.

 

corvette performance is not the word i would have had in mind for these cars lol

 

For most people who own vettes OR GXP's... neither will ever find themselves on Laguna Seca or anywhere near ANY racetrack... or a drag strip.

Most of the time, owners are just driving around on the streets.

And a modded GXP on the street(or highway) can easily perform much like a vette.

I was referring to a stock vette VS a modded GXP not a modded vette vs a modded GXP

BTW I think on a drag strip no slicks straight ahead race from a sit I'd match up good with a C6 Z06.

 

Sorry but i beg to differ, W-body cant hold a candle to the design of the vette. Not to mention the fact that the only way your getting C6 performance is through a turbo, which your maybe one of 5 people who have done that. As good as the W-body suspension is, its designed around the "mid size family sedan" platform, with that purpose in mind. In fact GM's performance division even admitted that they were trying to overcome huge limitations with the W-body platform when they were handed the design from GM and told to build a performance car out of it to compete with a BMW. The corvette is built for one purpose and one purpose only, to go fast. The GXP is a family car with a big engine, its built for the purpose of seating 4 old people comfortably on their drive to the casino.

 

So what is the G8 that you love? A family car with an even bigger engine. Still 4 raisins heading to the casino ?. I think you are missing the point Red Zone is making, and in my opinion his car is every bit Corvette performance. Lots of horsepower, lowered and modded suspension, big brakes. Yes he made it that way, it wasn't designed to be that way, he improved on that. That's hot rodding. Sounds like he has a good idea of its drag strip limitations, but my guess if that's what he wanted he would have done that to the Corvette. You are looking at these car from a drag racers perspective, in my opinion if that's what you needed you chose wrong. This platform wouldn't even be in my top 10 if I was a drag racer.

 

I would say, the G8 is a v8 rwd family sedan, much like the chevy SS. Although admittedly GM has improved the suspension design since the W-body which makes them a much more desirable car from a handling perspective. I don't think im missing the point, im missing the logic he's using that's all. They are not comparable car's IMO, one is a purpose built race car and the other is a modified sedan. Even with a turbo, your still not gonna be able to hold a candle to a corvette, so I don't know why you would even make that comparison. I didn't choose the GXP because of being a drag racer, although admittedly that is what I do for fun. I chose the GXP because I wanted a badass v8 car, but the luxury of a family sedan, something that a F-body or a corvette, something purpose built for racing, would not have been able to provide.

 

hey your not heading to the casino are you? :p

 

Not every Corvette is a z06 or a specialty built supercar from one of the many dealers out there , and for sure his car would completely throttle most stock vette's. He has both cars, and unless I'm reading more into his post he didn't build the GXP to be a corvette killer, just a fast street car. He didn't say anything about a road course or slalom racing where the Corvette would claim easy victory, but in a straight line my money is on his GXP. More than likely it is a sub 12 second car, its a bonus he could bring 4 friends with him to the race

 

Your nit picking now, which generation of corvette do you want to compare? lol If you want to say a C3 isnt a specialty built supercar, then by all means i would agree with you on that fact, but if you want to compare modern generation corvettes, ever since the introduction of the C5's hydroformed box frame, the corvette has been a specialty built supercar from the factory. The C6 and C7 models only further improved on this supercar grade technology. The aluminum aeroframe design is only rivaled by "actual" supercar's built using the same technology. The W-body on the other hand....is not. lol Is he a sub 12 second car, probably, is it fantastic that its capable of that, yes of course. Can you compare the two car's and say they are one in the same? No, because they aren't. The only thing that makes people try to refute this argument and argue on the w-bodies behalf is fanboi syndrome and love for ones car. The arguement that a grand prix is no different then a corvette with 4 doors is the same as the cobalt guys saying that the suspension of that car bordered on being as good as porsche 911. Both statements that make me giggle, but cry on the inside that people actually can believe that.

 

Carried over from TEP trans thread

 

 

Good job. I will keep poking spawne32 here

 

Good lord spawne32, talk about nit picking. The way you are carrying on we are all driving something from the Beverly Hillbilly's (its before your time but I am sure you can google it). I was more referring to the tuner cars(Lingenfelter, Callaway, Hennessey and the rest as the specialty built supercars, the rest are plain Corvettes. How many Corvettes put down at the wheels what his does that isn't "special". How many run a sub 12 second factory quarter mile. I could be wrong and if so I am sure you will correct me but I would be willing to bet the cost "might" be a little more than 17k also. I love Corvettes, big fan and hope some day to get one. I'm no fanboy, you can read my hate posts every time I have to work on mine but they are decent cars with a weak transmission. You don't think his car would match up well against a Corvette, I think it would not embarrass itself if the challenge arise in most areas, and flatten them in a straight line. Most Corvette owners also have deep pockets when it comes to their rides, so no telling what is even stock or modified these days. At the end of the day the Pontiac is a Pontiac and a Corvette is an icon. He has both, lucky bastard

Woa, just realized he doesn't have a Vette too, guess I got a little confused with I'd and I . LMAO!
My post stands anyway, doesnt change my mind.

 

I'm with you bro I'll keep my impala I have more than 17 in mine but I'll blow thedoors off a c6 vett street or track. When I pass by in my 4 door they be like wtf I spent a 100k. I could really go on and get in on this but not tonight