I was looking for a 4th Gen, but a week ago I found out my friend, who owns a dealership, got this GTP. After driving it I was hooked. For an auto it feels stronger than my 5 speed Maxima was stock. Then there were all the creature comforts it came with, and with very little work you're in the 13's, and 12's are easy as well. There are even quite a few in the 11's, but I only want a consistent 13 second daily driver, so for now I am going with a smaller pulley, PCM,Intake and Exhaust.

I know its not a Maxima quality wise, but the 3800 series motor is very reliable and it takes well to mods. The ride was also surprisingly quiet, with a slight growl from the stock exhaust, and you can barely even here the s/c. It came loaded with dual climate control, leather, the Delco/Bose system, heads up display, and everything available except a sunroof. Driving this car is a blast, and pushing the go pedal brings a strong whoooooooooooosssssssshh.

Anyway, here are a few pics I took. Keep in mind it was not cleaned up.

BTW, I got it for over $3K under book.



http://www.imgmag.org/images/veetec/GTP1.jpg
http://www.imgmag.org/images/veetec/GTP2.jpg
http://www.imgmag.org/images/veetec/GTP3.jpg
http://www.imgmag.org/images/veetec/GTP7.jpg
http://www.imgmag.org/images/veetec/GTP4.jpg
http://www.imgmag.org/images/veetec/GTP9.jpg
http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/...5355915214.jpg
http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/...8185785330.jpg

 

congrats!

I've always like the car except for the goofy interior design but damn Pontiac is getting alot ncier!!

 

Good choice, right now i got my eyes on a 240sx so i can do a S14 silvia engine swap

 

I like the GTP's. Nice color choice to

Well let us know how it comes along

 

i always wanted a GTP... when i bought the maxima in 99 i was actually trying to buy a GTP, but they would not bugde on the price.


$25,999....


i walked out the door with the max at 21,000


if the pontiac dealership would have lowered the price i would be on the GTP boards..

 

@ teh choice of transmission

 

congrats

 

As long as your happy, I'm happy.

Some of us org members met at the strip a couple weeks ago. There was a guy with a nice 2-door GTP. He was a good guy, personable, and had purchased his GTP used (35k-40k mile range), a couple months ago from a dealership. He got the $700 extended warranty policy. The warranty has already paid for itself with the repairs that have been made. The first repair was to replace both valve covers. I was shocked to see GM use plastic valve covers! The second repair was to the power steering system.

He had a pulley and exhaust for sure. He may have had other mods but he was running the 1/4 mi 14.0 flat all day long. The fastest 4th gen NA max that day ran a 14.5 et. I like GTP's because you can make them fast for not alot of money and you can keep the stealth factor going. I just don't know if I could have one as an everyday car.

Best of luck!

 

I like it. The interiors aren't too bad, but I just can't get over the overall design and such. I suggest getting an extended warranty because it will pay for itself in the long run.

If I was to get a 3800 SC, I'd get the Regal GS. Talk about a "sleeper".


Dave

 

your gonna confuse all the newbies

call sign > VeeTec

drives a > Pontaic Grand Prix

posts on > Maxima.org

 

I confuse friends and neighbors, with as many cars as I have been through in the last couple of years.

 

So you too have moved onto a GM product?

 

dang it Warren...after all these new mods coming out for the maxima, you go and get a pontiac? Best of luck with it. We will have to go to the track together and run, as long as you are stock .

 

Good buy. A lot of American cars have forced induction, which is why I got into import tuning in the first place with my eclipse. Cars like the neon srt-4, and cobra are really making me look hard at what domestics have to offer, not that I didn't love pushrod LS1's, it just seems that domestic cars are offering more in the way of performance, modability, and price these days.

I got the max for insurance reasons, but the power was a bonus.

What's the insurance difference?

 

One of the few reasons i loveee my moms GS

 

Who wants to make a wager that Warren has a new car within 6 months?

When is the next track visit? I will be going to Steele here very soon one Sunday!

 

No doubt. I've never been a big fan of GM cars (I used to have a V-6 Firebird and it was a bit unreliable).Buicks are the ultimate old ladies cars. My grandma has a 94 or so Roadmaster, the one with the LT1 small block. It may have whitewalls, but it goes like only something with a smallblock can and that is fast!!!

 

I plan on going two Sundays from now, maybe even this coming Sunday.

I almost went this past day, but changed my mind. I cleaned the car up instead.

We'll have to all meet up.

 

i was hooked on the GTP for a while but the maxima is just a better car, looks and reliability.

 

good luck ... from what I hear they fall apart pretty easily with mods.

 

The only problem I have heard from the mods, is the transmission, but you can upgrade that as well, and get a transmission cooler.

Check out how easy 12's are, there are even those in the 11's.

http://www.clubgp.com/cgi-asp/qtrmile.asp

 

I am going when the weather looks good. Low low humidity, sunny, with low temps! Not sure what this weekend holds, but it is a possibility.

 

I'll post here a week ahead, hopefully you and Matt can meet up there as well.

 

I wouldn't call it exactly "easy" to get into the 12s nor the 11s with the GTP. Most of the guys running 12s have:

Rockers
Heads
Cam
revised SC
rebuilt tranny with improved gearing (stock gear is 2.8X)
ECU
Plus all the other exhaust work
+ many use nitrous

Overall, "most" of the GTP guys spend ~$5000+ to get into the 12s reliably. Higher 13s is easy, after that it's a bit of a battle. There are some that have gotten 12s with fewer mods than I listed, but they're rare. The 11-second GTPs have a TON of work and they aren't in the 11s reliably.

With a Maxima, all it really takes is a turbo and exhaust to approach 12-second 1/4 miles. Whether they prove reliable is another question though.

The GTPs downfall is it's 4T65E tranny that's rated to handle 280 ft/lbs of torque. What's the GTP out stock? 280 ft/lbs. That's not good and that's why the trannys are a bit fragile.


Dave

 

You don't need cams and headwork to see 12's.

You should upgrade the tranny, a 2.7-3.2 pulley seems to be the norm, CAI, Exhaust, PCM, transmission cooler, sticky rubber, among whatever other minor mods.

Most do not use nitrous at all.

You have to remember the motor is not that different from the old GN motor. They have the same bottom end, although the top end has been improved, better breathing. Instead of a turbo on them they have a big M90 s/c, and take well to boost, reliably.

I have been told that the 13's are easy as a couple hundred bucks worth of mods, and have seen that for myself.

I guess I'll find out though Dave, all I really want is low 13's.

 

I think Dave has forgot which track you will be running at Warren!

 

i know right