new car time: Grand prix GTP, Maxima?

[buckyball2]

I almost bought a max last year when i signed up here. Then money got tight, so I waited. Now I'm ready to pull the trigger again. I still like the 04+ Max's....but they go for relatively big bux...when compared to: 04+ Pontiac Grand Prix GTP's. I can get an 05 GTP comp G package for under 9.5k. Loaded with everything...HUD, heated leather, climate control, 6 disc, sunroof, etc. The same year/mileage max would probably run me.....12K or so. Maybe more?

I looked at a few 03-04 Altima 3.5's too, but they seem way stripped down and cheap compared to a Max or GP.

Someone tell me what an idiot I am for looking at an 05 GTP. Please, before I buy one.

[Lytheum]

its gm?

no problems with the engine, but the interior wont be the best. a few friends have previous gen gtps and they are nice cars, but lack a lot in the interior quality dept.

if you can get past that part i say go for it.

[rteenie22]

gp...from my experience getting a few from auction..supercharger makes torque...that thing moves...but the ride is wobbly and torque steer that outta this world...hud is cool...rest of interior is CRAP...sound system isnt all that good....

[irish44j]

Personally, I would never buy either of those...

What is your budget? If it is $10k-12k as you seem to infer, you'd be better off finding something relatively new and inexpensive, like a couple-year-old Accord or Mazda3 or something.

[DaveVQ]

do you have to have an 04+ max? you could always go for a 5.5gen (02-03).

I would stay away from the GP...but something japanese at least, less headaches for the most part. (something Irish suggested)

[albundy]

Originally Posted by buckyball2

I almost bought a max last year when i signed up here. Then money got tight, so I waited. Now I'm ready to pull the trigger again. I still like the 04+ Max's....but they go for relatively big bux...when compared to: 04+ Pontiac Grand Prix GTP's. I can get an 05 GTP comp G package for under 9.5k. Loaded with everything...HUD, heated leather, climate control, 6 disc, sunroof, etc. The same year/mileage max would probably run me.....12K or so. Maybe more?

I looked at a few 03-04 Altima 3.5's too, but they seem way stripped down and cheap compared to a Max or GP.

Someone tell me what an idiot I am for looking at an 05 GTP. Please, before I buy one.

well do you really want that pontiac that was aprox same price as max when they were both new..and has depreciated much faster..so when you go to sell it it isnt worth scrap value

[Tatanko]

Originally Posted by albundy

well do you really want that pontiac that was aprox same price as max when they were both new..and has depreciated much faster..so when you go to sell it it isnt worth scrap value

Ignoring his OWN resale value down the road, your point raises another point: there's a reason the GTP is worth less now than the Maxima that was the same new Same goes for the previous generation. They aren't worth spit now, yet my '95 was valued at $4000 by the insurance company when someone hit it. Compare that to a '95 Grand Prix...it might be worth $500.

BUT...as someone who once considered owning a GTP, knows many W-body owners, and hangs out at ClubGP...they are still very solid, reliable cars. But they are boats, their handling is worse yet than the Maxima, and the interior is garbage.

[MorpheusZero]

Originally Posted by Tatanko

But they are boats, their handling is worse yet than the Maxima, and the interior is garbage.

I resent that.

[f550maranello2]

get the gtp.. is a nice ride... and they run mid 13's with just a couple of simple mods... motor and trans are just as good as the maxima imho....'

yea torque steer sucks but at lease when the car breaks you wont have to pay for real expensive parts like you would on the maxima...

[albundy]

Originally Posted by f550maranello2

get the gtp.. is a nice ride... and they run mid 13's with just a couple of simple mods... motor and trans are just as good as the maxima imho....'

yea torque steer sucks but at lease when the car breaks you wont have to pay for real expensive parts like you would on the maxima...

I am notrying to bash you..but..
I have no clue how much cheaper parts are for a pontiac, but i cant imagine they are cutting any super deals.

2nd off the vq has been rated top 10 for 13 yrs now, what engine that pontiac has can say the same or even half as many years?

And i cant say it enough and maybe i just dont see the other cars through the seas of pontiac grand prixs, sunbirds, gtps etc..but those cars are like # 1 straight to the "buy here pay here lots" and unless it is just around here those lots are generally in the bad areas..meaning junk cars

lastly i owned a few pontiacs in my day and they all were total crap..just point a-b cars.

JMO

[buckyball2]

Thanks for the replies so far. AFAIK, Nissan is not exactly renowned for their automobile quality. They rank right around GM the last couple of initial quality reports I read. A lot of people automatically associate the word Japanese with quality, but that's not based on data. Regardless of all that, resale value is based in large part on people's perception of quality, and as long as they perceive that Nissan has higher quality than Pontiac, even if they're wrong, the resale value of Nissan will be higher.

I've driven a GTP, and don't mind the interior at all. I'll have to find a Max to drive next.

[MorpheusZero]

Auto only would kill it for me.

[ChrisMan287]

Max all the way. No Ponticrap!

[Tatanko]

Originally Posted by MorpheusZero

I resent that.

Scusi?

Originally Posted by f550maranello2

and they run mid 13's with just a couple of simple mods

It's really not as simple and cheap as you make it sound, but okay.

Originally Posted by ChrisMan287

Max all the way. No Ponticrap!

That's not an ignorant statement or anything

[MorpheusZero]

Originally Posted by Tatanko

Scusi?

You seem to imply that the handlings of the maxima are bad or something.

[Cliff Clavin]

Sometimes you just have to look at a car and say "yeah, I can see myself driving that."

Personally, I can't do that with a Grand Prix. The lines and the styling don't work for me. It might be faster than a Max or have more options than some other car, but if I am going to spend more than a few thousand bucks on a vehicle, I want it to be something I like looking at.

There are people out there with 10 second Ford Pintos, but I would take my high 14s Maxima over one any day.

[Tatanko]

Originally Posted by MorpheusZero

You seem to imply that the handlings of the maxima are bad or something.

Who? Me? Nahh. I'll challenge a Lotus on a road course any day

Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin

Sometimes you just have to look at a car and say "yeah, I can see myself driving that."

I think you hit the nail on the head, Cliff.

[f550maranello2]

Originally Posted by albundy

I am notrying to bash you..but..
I have no clue how much cheaper parts are for a pontiac, but i cant imagine they are cutting any super deals.

2nd off the vq has been rated top 10 for 13 yrs now, what engine that pontiac has can say the same or even half as many years?

And i cant say it enough and maybe i just dont see the other cars through the seas of pontiac grand prixs, sunbirds, gtps etc..but those cars are like # 1 straight to the "buy here pay here lots" and unless it is just around here those lots are generally in the bad areas..meaning junk cars

lastly i owned a few pontiacs in my day and they all were total crap..just point a-b cars.

JMO

dude what are you talking about... the 3.8 liter is just as reliable as our vq is... iv worked on tons of gtps with that motor...

plus go to autozone of any parts store and look up any part and compare it with a part for nissan... it will be half the price..

im NOT backing all american cars but the gm 3.8 liter is a damn good motor.... and the gtp is a damn good car as well... drive one and ull see what im talking about too...

[f550maranello2]

Originally Posted by Tatanko

Scusi?

It's really not as simple and cheap as you make it sound, but okay.

That's not an ignorant statement or anything

yea it is that simple to make those cars run that fast... a regular gtp runs like a what 15.xx 1/4...

a pulley and removal of the stupid U bend it drops (in most cases) about 1.5 -2 seconds....

again this is one of the only american cars other than an fbody that i really like..

[Tatanko]

Originally Posted by f550maranello2

yea it is that simple to make those cars run that fast... a regular gtp runs like a what 15.xx 1/4...

It's "simple" compared to an NA Maxima maybe.

Originally Posted by f550maranello2

a pulley and removal of the stupid U bend it drops (in most cases) about 1.5 -2 seconds....

The u-bend delete doesn't actually gain that much power. You also can't just throw a pulley on, that will actually make the car SLOWER without quite a few supporting mods. But you did your research and knew all this before making your post right?

Originally Posted by f550maranello2

again this is one of the only american cars other than an fbody that i really like..

And yet you apparently know so little about it

[MorpheusZero]

Originally Posted by Tatanko

Who? Me? Nahh. I'll challenge a Lotus on a road course any day

Well if you had some wider wheels and tires... which I might be considering selling..

[f550maranello2]

Originally Posted by Tatanko

It's "simple" compared to an NA Maxima maybe.


The u-bend delete doesn't actually gain that much power. You also can't just throw a pulley on, that will actually make the car SLOWER without quite a few supporting mods. But you did your research and knew all this before making your post right?


And yet you apparently know so little about it

dude.. please. u have a talon hows the crankshaft looking...... plus i have a couple of friends with these cars and yea, ubend intake, exhaust and pulley makes it a mid to high 13 second car... all for under $1k... so yea id like to see a maxima do 13 for that much money..

[MorpheusZero]

Originally Posted by f550maranello2

dude.. please. u have a talon hows the crankshaft looking......

Most relevant, original argument ever.