New guy and potential Grand Prix buyer (GXP or supercharged)

[Tyler33]

Hey everybody I'm looking to possibly get back into a Grand Prix. Right now I have a 2011 F-150 Supercrew Ecoboost and it's killing me on fuel cost so I'm going to go back to a car since I drive about 24k miles a year. I had a 97 GT for 7 years so I was looking at Grand Prix's and a few other cars but the GP is a lot of car for the money and that's what I'm after. I'm thinking somewhere in the 04-08 range and I'm debating between the supercharged 3800 or the GXP. This will be my daily driver all year round and I may throw some mods at it just for fun (basic bolt ons for the 3.8, probably just exhaust and intake if I go 5.3). I like the more aggressive looks of the GXP but having staggered tire sizes seems like a pain and I've read the transmissions are overly stressed. On the other hand the GTP/GT is a little bland looking and possibly slower than my truck (stock). The most important things to me are - fun to drive, reliable, comfortable, low maintenance costs, good mpg, and appearance.

What do you guys think? I noticed the supercharged version went away at the end, does that mean the 5.3 is a better option? I was thinking the SC motor would be the safer route because it has been around longer. And does the GXP ride pretty rough since it's more sporty? What does it take to get the supercharged 3.8 to run like the 5.3? Thanks!

[dmahlikGT]

Welcome to the forums man and back to the grand prix scene. Well some factors come into play, you are right as far as our trannys being weak but as long as you take care of it youll be ok. Between the GTP and GXP its a toss up but the GTP does have more aftermarket support so if you ever were bitten by the mod bug you can continuosly mod a GTP. The GXP on the otherhand basically all you can do is intake exhaust and a tune and call it day unless you wanted to turbo it of course. But you want to keep it DDable its your choice really. If it were me id take the GTP(obviously,i have one lol) just cuz its a lil better mpgs wise and can be modded more if i wantd to. But that V8 GXP sounds nice,real nice.

[txslow6]

Hey everybody I'm looking to possibly get back into a Grand Prix. Right now I have a 2011 F-150 Supercrew Ecoboost and it's killing me on fuel cost so I'm going to go back to a car since I drive about 24k miles a year. I had a 97 GT for 7 years so I was looking at Grand Prix's and a few other cars but the GP is a lot of car for the money and that's what I'm after. I'm thinking somewhere in the 04-08 range and I'm debating between the supercharged 3800 or the GXP. This will be my daily driver all year round and I may throw some mods at it just for fun (basic bolt ons for the 3.8, probably just exhaust and intake if I go 5.3). I like the more aggressive looks of the GXP but having staggered tire sizes seems like a pain and I've read the transmissions are overly stressed. On the other hand the GTP/GT is a little bland looking and possibly slower than my truck (stock). The most important things to me are - fun to drive, reliable, comfortable, low maintenance costs, good mpg, and appearance.

What do you guys think? I noticed the supercharged version went away at the end, does that mean the 5.3 is a better option? I was thinking the SC motor would be the safer route because it has been around longer. And does the GXP ride pretty rough since it's more sporty? What does it take to get the supercharged 3.8 to run like the 5.3? Thanks!

You already know which way you should go if these 2 are part of your criteria. Probably why you are asking what it takes to run like a 5.3. Not much....

[Tyler33]

Thanks for the comments. I read some more on here and I'm sorta leaning toward the GTP now (actually 06-07 GT). The GXP's look awesome but I like the idea of a sleeper more. How much power would I gain with headers, intake and Overkill PCM?

[blueguy]

25+ WHP?

Click the link in my signature to read more about the 3800 modding process.

As well, the GXP still had a mod market, they are just limited.

[REDCRAPGP]

Love the looks of GXP more then a GTP and who doesn't love a LS Motor but that being said GXP seem to have way more trans problem even though all the platforms share the same ones and often need a trans cooler. There's a bigger aftermarket for the 3800 but there's a light market for the LS. I would base a lot of it more on price..and check out what both the GXP and GTP sell for.

[Tyler33]

Yea it is tempting to get a GXP, throw on a flowmaster muffler and K&n filter and just call it good. It sounds like it would take close to $1000 to get the GTP up to GXP territory for power (reliably).

[REDCRAPGP]

Won't even take that much to get it to compete with a Gxp basic mods will get in there. Who doesn't love a blower whine.

[02 WS6 TA]

LSx in a wrong wheel drive. Woo-hoo.

[Tyler33]

Yea unfortunately snow and ice for 1/3 of the year makes wrong wheel drive a necessity.

[Tyler33]

OK so I can get an 06 gxp with 63k miles for $11,500. What do you guys think? I haven't found a comparable S/C model for that kind of price and mileage.

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

Go for it, haggle the price and snag it.

I'd rock one.