Bonneville SSEi or older SHO?

[minge]

I need a cheap daily beater. As long as it gets better then 20 MPG is one concern. Trying to find something under $3000 that isn't a total turd or bores me to death.

Can find 97-99 SSEis pretty cheap and a couple 2000 SSEi for right at $3000. Very comfortable, lots of features and a blown V-6.

The 91-95 SHOs are great too and closer to $2000. I know the automatics had issues but I would get a stick.

95-99 Maxima is also a consideration but they usually have very high miles.

At any rate I want a larger car to be comfortable. No Accents, Cavaliers, Escorts or Civics. Something mid to full size.

Yes P71s are nice but only the pre 99s are in that range and I really don't want a rubber floor, holes in the trunk, no arm rest and the other little things that cop cars lose.

Any other decent cars come to mind? Over 20 mpg and decent power with comfort?

you really ought to consider an older camry or honda civic or accord, they will run 300k to 400k miles for nothing

[A_A_G]

I have also run across a couple 2000 Maxima SEs in my price range. The 3.5 is pretty nice too. I just feel like I am sitting too high in the 2000 Maximas.

The 3.5 was not available in the Maxima until 2002

[JC316]

you really ought to consider an older camry or honda civic or accord, they will run 300k to 400k miles for nothing

Pisses me off when people say that. They think that just because it's a Honda it will run forever. Got news for you, they will only go that far with proper maintenance and the same can be said for just about any 4cyl shitbox running around. Most of the time, they get sold to a mexican that doesn't know how to speak english, much less know how to do proper maintenance.

Truth is that I see more Honda Accords with bad transmissions than any Ford/GM/Toyota out there.

Then you have to worry about timing belts and water pumps every 60K miles, not to mention the fact that the fucking A/C compressor lasts about 150K.

[Vertnut]

Pisses me off when people say that. They think that just because it's a Honda it will run forever. Got news for you, they will only go that far with proper maintenance and the same can be said for just about any 4cyl shitbox running around. Most of the time, they get sold to a mexican that doesn't know how to speak english, much less know how to do proper maintenance.

Truth is that I see more Honda Accords with bad transmissions than any Ford/GM/Toyota out there.

Then you have to worry about timing belts and water pumps every 60K miles, not to mention the fact that the fucking A/C compressor lasts about 150K.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but the two Accords in my family are nothing like you describe. I just traded in a '98 V6 with 176k on it for a new Mazda3 (for my daughter), and I never touched it other than regular oil changes and brakes. It never got the belt changed at 100k, or the major service. 2 years of high school and 4 years of college (there's not a flat spot on it and it was filthy) and they gave me $2k for it. Our other Accord is an '05 V6 with 187k on it (I'm the original owner). It has been through 4 sets of tires and 3 sets of brakes. I did have the big service done at 100k ($750), and the valve cover gaskets replaced 3 weeks ago. The V6's are supposedly not as reliable as the 4's, too. I guess it depends on the particular car.

[slostang281]

I can't speak for the Bonnie but I can speak for the L67 3800 SC. They are good little engines and there is plenty of performance parts for them. Make sure the blower is full of oil and they have issues of spinning a rod bearing. That's the issue with my wife's 2002 GTP right now. The oil pressure spring gets stuck due to mileage and doesn't provide enough oil to the bearings. The 4T65E HD transmissions are great and many people are running 12s or quicker on stock trans so you don't have to worry about the trans going out.

[JC316]

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but the two Accords in my family are nothing like you describe. I just traded in a '98 V6 with 176k on it for a new Mazda3 (for my daughter), and I never touched it other than regular oil changes and brakes. It never got the belt changed at 100k, or the major service. 2 years of high school and 4 years of college (there's not a flat spot on it and it was filthy) and they gave me $2k for it. Our other Accord is an '05 V6 with 187k on it (I'm the original owner). It has been through 4 sets of tires and 3 sets of brakes. I did have the big service done at 100k ($750), and the valve cover gaskets replaced 3 weeks ago. The V6's are supposedly not as reliable as the 4's, too. I guess it depends on the particular car.

Shocked that the 98 hasn't needed a transmission. You are ditching them about the right time, it's after the 175K mark that they start going down hill. The 4 cylinder is the crappier motor.

Common problems that I see on the 1990-1999. Just about every Honda that has passed through the car lot has needed one or more of these problems fixed.

Transmission failure when equipped with the "Sport" transmission
Water pump failure
A/C compressor failure
Leaking O ring on the distributor, which in turn frys the distributor.
Radiator fan failure
Leaking Rack and Pinion.

[LaserSVT]

I can't speak for the Bonnie but I can speak for the L67 3800 SC. They are good little engines and there is plenty of performance parts for them. Make sure the blower is full of oil and they have issues of spinning a rod bearing. That's the issue with my wife's 2002 GTP right now. The oil pressure spring gets stuck due to mileage and doesn't provide enough oil to the bearings. The 4T65E HD transmissions are great and many people are running 12s or quicker on stock trans so you don't have to worry about the trans going out.

Good to know. It seems I have read a bit about people installing ported oil pumps in them..... actually that may be the LS2 GTO I am thinking of..... crap, been reading too much.


Anyway, I like having something a little different. Guess thats why I am attracted to the oddball SSEi and SHOs.

I was just thinking of a 87 or 88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe. $2000-$2500 should get one in nice shape. There is a nice one in Dallas with many new parts that looks clean within my price range.

[Murph Tang]

Good to know. It seems I have read a bit about people installing ported oil pumps in them..... actually that may be the LS2 GTO I am thinking of..... crap, been reading too much.


Anyway, I like having something a little different. Guess thats why I am attracted to the oddball SSEi and SHOs.

I was just thinking of a 87 or 88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe. $2000-$2500 should get one in nice shape. There is a nice one in Dallas with many new parts that looks clean within my price range.

As a multiple SHO owner I love them. However you would need to find one someone that did the maintenance otherwise they are a pain. I have one daily that has 200k and gets 26mpg. One I play with on road courses with 200k and loves to go around twisties. I have one I Lemons race with and I have one that loves to play with crotch rockets (then I get to relax in cold ac.)

Gen 1s 89-91 have more styling. Motor is what I love. Harder you drive it the more it goes. They after all are just big motorcycle motors.

PS: run on premium.

[mystic96]

We've had a '99 GTP that has been in the family since it was new. It was my mom's daily and eventually I took it over and used it for my daily until the trans finally died on it late last year. I think it's up around 175k miles...

We replaced the trans in it but it still has a couple other sensor issues that are throwing a check engine light on, and since I've got a new daily, I don't really bother with getting it fixed, so it just sits at my parents.

Anyways, it was a great car. These L67 blown 3.8s are damn near indestructable. Just don't go crazy with the boost and stuff, just like anything else. The weak link is definately the transaxles on these cars. We were lucky to get 175k out of ours, especially with how I used to beat on it when it was new.

For as cheap as these cars are, and as plentiful as the aftermarket and the salvage markets for these types of cars, I'd highly recommend getting one for a cheap daily.

[4EyedTurd]

Why are you selling your Mark8? Saw it posted on cl

[LaserSVT]

I need cash.

[slostang281]

Good to know. It seems I have read a bit about people installing ported oil pumps in them..... actually that may be the LS2 GTO I am thinking of..... crap, been reading too much.


Anyway, I like having something a little different. Guess thats why I am attracted to the oddball SSEi and SHOs.

I was just thinking of a 87 or 88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe. $2000-$2500 should get one in nice shape. There is a nice one in Dallas with many new parts that looks clean within my price range.

It's probably the LS2 you're thinking about. The only thing they do is replace the oil pump gear, pressure spring, and a machine cover if you're running a double roller timing chain.

http://www.zzperformance.com/grand_prix/products1.php?id=900&catid=109

Read up on forums if you're really serious about it. I love the wife's GTP and really want a Bonnie but there's not any around here. www.clubgp.com is my forum of choice right now, www.3800pro.com is okay but I can't get a response over there.

[Z06killinsbf]

My neighbor is selling his 04ish Civic blk/blk mild mods but needs a/c work. I think he's wanting $3k for it. Not a bad looking car IMHO. 5 speed too.

[MstangsBware]

My vote goes torward the L-67 being I have been messing with them for many many years swapping them into Fieros...Very reliable, can make decent HP for cheap, parts are cheap and so on.......The 65e-HD is known to fell between 125-170K as most other GM transmissions do. The motors can go on forever if properly taken care of....The only other issue with the Bonnies/GTP/Regals are the window motors felling but that's a pretty simple fix....If just looking for a daily then I would grab a Regal or Bonnie being most have been taken better care of and are very comfortable....


I like the SHOs also but they look like a bitch to work on......I like that they come with the 5 speed......Went to a dyno day with a group of them a long time back and have to same some where throwing down some HP.....

[svauto-erotic855]

I have had Turbo Coupes and SHOs. The 87-88 TCs are good cars but they have a few bugs to work out. The SHOs don't age well and a full engine gasket set is $500. Don't be afraid of a 95' or newer Maxima even if it has high mileage; they are great cars.