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Well I saved my pennies and I save my dimes (giddy up giddy up 409) and I knew one day there would be a time (giddy giddy up 409) that I would get my four oh nine!!

Sorry about the nod to the beach boys, but that song expresses my excitement in this area, I have been saving for a while now and I almost have enough for my next toy, love the Bonnevilles, but I wanted to go from my SE to either a SSEi or a GXP, and I just wanted everyone's opinion as to which one is prefered. I really prefer the styling of the GXP more, the fog lights on the SSEi has always been a bit of a turn off for me, but I cannot deny just pure power they have. I have yet to test drive a GXP, mainly because I cannot find one for sale within a decent distance of me. Please let me know the pros and cons you all have found.

With my SE I have found and fixed most of the standard stuff, Sunroof drainage, PCS solenoid, Vacuum leaks (this one still evades me), fuel lever sensor, the splice that controls the power windows/locks in the back of the car, engine mount, and I think that is it, other than those really quite minor things, i have loved this car, my wife hates to drive it, but loves the ride, she likes her little Sunfire.

There was one other thing, dont think I ever mentioned this on here, but when I first bought the car there was a horrible rattle coming from the rear passenger side, mechanic thought it was a broken shock, that didnt fix it, he had no other ideas, so I went down a list, loose exhaust, no, something in the trunk, no (although I did find a nice pair of vice grips back there) finally I decided to check the brakes, maybe one of the clips had come off a pad and it was the pad clattering against the rotor, when I go to take the caliper off I realize, there are no pins holding this thing on! the weight of the caliper and the brake pads were the only thing keeping the caliper on, somebody was watching out for me there, I am just thankful that it was not a front brake, that would not have gone well. Needless to say that was the cause of the rattle. $7 later, no rattle.

Here are a few threads that will give you some insight:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=30841&hilit=gxp+ssei

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=28921&hilit=gxp+ssei




If you want a better GXP, try this:
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=28945&hilit=gxp+ssei


Hope those help!

Not another!

Simple: SSEi

Iknorite?

This topic has been discussed several times. Use the search function and read those threads, and go drive some cars. That's about all I can say without my post being dissected by the sticklers.

Just know: After having both in our stable for going on 3 years, I still prefer my SSEi as a daily driver.

CMNTMXR57 wrote:Not another!

Simple: SSEi

Yup, this!

SSEi. After driving both my SSEi, and my fathers Lucerne CXS (basically the same as a GXP.) The SSEi is by far the more fun one to drive.

Well, just to play devils advocate for the OP, I would buy another GXP in a heartbeat. But that is because I know them, know the issues, and know how to work on them (the biggest issue against them). And of course it would have to be a low mile beauty.

But for practicality, reliability, ease of servicability, and efficiency, the SSEi is a no brainer.

Having had many 3800's (both NA and S/C), and the Northstar, I can't really say which is a "more fun" DD. Both have plusses/minusses.

I personally would up GXP no question. I like everything about it better then the SSEi especially the body styling. I don't care if the northstar has had gasket issues, it would still be my choice.

To get a very nice gxp 10k ....for 10 k you will have one of the nicest ssei's and last you a very long time....Is it the power that you want or the looks ....if looks find an 2005 SLE looks like a gxp with a better engine...of course that's what I wanted and I was unable to find a low mileage one after looking for months until of course after I bought the gxp....

99BonnevilleSE wrote:SSEi. After driving both my SSEi, and my fathers Lucerne CXS (basically the same as a GXP.) The SSEi is by far the more fun one to drive.

Sure, if you don't take into account suspension and brakes and going only in a straight line I'm assuming you haven't driven a GXP to compare with the handling on your 94. The 95 (and an 01 SSEi I've driven) were wallowly boats in comparison.

A low miles, well-maintained Northstar - get all the service records - owned by a meticulous owner is probably your best/only ticket. Otherwise you will likely run into the same problems as you would on the SE, if not worse. It's still a 2000+ Bonneville and still is susceptible to some of the problems you've had.

crash93ssei wrote:I personally would up GXP no question. I like everything about it better then the SSEi especially the body styling. I don't care if the northstar has had gasket issues, it would still be my choice.

You haven't owned a GXP then, have you? If you had, you'd see things the other way.

7tcatvert wrote:To get a very nice gxp 10k ....for 10 k you will have one of the nicest ssei's and last you a very long time....Is it the power that you want or the looks ....if looks find an 2005 SLE looks like a gxp with a better engine...of course that's what I wanted and I was unable to find a low mileage one after looking for months until of course after I bought the gxp....

I don't know that I would necessarily say that the 3800 is a "better" motor than the Northstar. Both have their plusses/minusses. But to say one is better than the other is a little mis-leading.

CMNTMXR57 wrote:

crash93ssei wrote:I personally would up GXP no question. I like everything about it better then the SSEi especially the body styling. I don't care if the northstar has had gasket issues, it would still be my choice.

You haven't owned a GXP then, have you? If you had, you'd see things the other way.

You're right, I haven't owned a GXP, but my mind still wouldn't change. I have had more issues with my '03 then just about any car on this board but I still love the thing (even though I hate it ) The only thing I would go through win a GXP that I haven't been through with my SSEi is the engine issues, and it don't scare me at all. I can swap engines and if I had to I could do head gaskets on it (yes I know it is DOHC)

7tcatvert wrote:To get a very nice gxp 10k ....for 10 k you will have one of the nicest ssei's and last you a very long time....Is it the power that you want or the looks ....if looks find an 2005 SLE looks like a gxp with a better engine...of course that's what I wanted and I was unable to find a low mileage one after looking for months until of course after I bought the gxp....

I like the looks of the GXP over the SSEi, just dont like the fog lights close together for some reason, but if I had to pick between power and dependability, I would have to go with dependability. I know my way around an engine bay, but I wouldnt be able to do more in depth things like head gaskets and what not. Plugs, wires, alternators, starters, anything outside of the engine, no problem, but getting inside just scares the heck out of me

Looks like I am in for a tough one, but I think ultimately due to cost, and more readily available with fewer miles, think I will end up with a SSEi or SLE, just one question, were the SLE's supercharged at all?

The SLE in 2000+ was never supercharged from the factory, only the SSEi was.

crash93ssei wrote:

CMNTMXR57 wrote:

crash93ssei wrote:I personally would up GXP no question. I like everything about it better then the SSEi especially the body styling. I don't care if the northstar has had gasket issues, it would still be my choice.

You haven't owned a GXP then, have you? If you had, you'd see things the other way.

You're right, I haven't owned a GXP, but my mind still wouldn't change. I have had more issues with my '03 then just about any car on this board but I still love the thing (even though I hate it ) The only thing I would go through win a GXP that I haven't been through with my SSEi is the engine issues, and it don't scare me at all. I can swap engines and if I had to I could do head gaskets on it (yes I know it is DOHC)

I was just being a smarta$$..

So, just out of my natural curiosity, I went on AutoTrader and looked up GXP's, just for old times sake, looked at most of the 58 or so examples nationwide, and comically, there is one issue that a couple of them all have.

Anyone care to guess??

Curb rashed wheels?

Nope! One of the biggest threads in the GXP section.

Fog lights out.