Jamz Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 If your looking for a daily driver don't even consider a 3.4.... The ex owner of my 3.4 was a AC delco representative , used his car everyday since 1992 , 316000 km on engine and tranny and still never opened , never got a prob with the engine . 500 km per week since 1992 . Thats cool with me . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 does it still have the valence? Yea no kidding, seems a magnet to curbs Not sure if GM still has these, I bought 20 of them to sell someday when I get done inventorying $75k worth of TGP/TSTE Parts :shock: Must be I am obsessed with the TGP though can’t imagine I would need that many parts my 3 cars Jeff M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ritchierich1 Posted February 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 Yes. It does have the valence. However some yellow is showing. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 Yes. It does have the valence. However some yellow is showing. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Hey, you got a PM Later. Jeff M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 Anyway, I went to look at the car today. Has 84,165 actual miles on the car. Nobody was there so I couldn't test drive it though. Interior looked very good, only saw a tear in the rear cloth underneath the back window. There was a few scratches on the drivers side, around the front of the door. Also, there was about a five inch long dent on the passenger side fender. A 90 TGP in MINT (no blemishes in or outside the car) will go for around $3000-$4000. Lower miles are a plus...but make sure you run the VIN with carfax to ensure there is no roll-back! Look at the cross-over pipe and see if it has a metal shield all the way around it (original GM cross-over = BAD!) or if you can see a stainless steel wire mesh on either side of the turbo flange (Jeff M cross-over = VERY GOOD!). Look at the firewall under the brake master cylinder...if it is wet or damp then most likely the PMIII is cracked and will need to be replaced. If when you turn the key on (not started)...listen for a motor to be running. That motor is the PMIII hydralic pump motor. If it has been sitting without the key turned on then most likely it will run for 10-15 seconds. Anything longer than that suspect the accumulator is bad or going bad (as Jeff said $100 and you are done). Anything less than 15 seconds then most likely it is ok. Once the car is started and running...Look to see on the dash if the yellow "Anti-Lock" light is on or flashing along with the red brake light on constant. If the anti-lock is on or flashing...there will be issues that need to be addressed if you want the ABS to work. If the ABS is not working then you don't have ABS...does not mean you do not have brakes! There are many things to look at and too much too list. If you have any sense of what to look for on any car when you buy it you will be fine. If you are new to the car buying world...FIND SOMEONE WHO KNOWS!! Nothing against you...but as it was said, these cars sometimes take a handful of cash to get them back to reliable if the previous owner(s) did not keep up with the maintenance. When I bought my first TGP it took just shy of $1000 to get it to pass Colorado Emissions standards. Now I was new to the TGP's and did not take the advice that Jeff M, idbeast, and Chris A had given. If I had listened to them and knew then what I know now about the cars...it would have cost me $200 and been just fine!! You have alot of us on here who have been new to TGP's and have lived and learned. If you have any issues or concerns do not hesitate to post them here or at http://www.tgpforums.com There is a wealth of experience with these cars...but you have to give very good descriptions of what is wrong and what it is doing as we can not see or hear it first hand. Good Luck and if you buy the car...HAVE FUN!! 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 U have 20 valences for the original TGP's Jeff?????? ull have to save one for me, arnt they more square than the 91-93 GTP valence ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 [The ex owner of my 3.4 was a AC delco representative , used his car everyday since 1992 , 316000 km on engine and tranny and still never opened , never got a prob with the engine . 500 km per week since 1992 . Thats cool with me . My first 3.4 went at 122... my other 3.4 went at 101k mi I'm not thrilled. JeffM, Thanks for the car compliment. It would be even nicer if it ran like it should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 My first 3.4 went at 122... my other 3.4 went at 101k mi I'm not thrilled. What was the engine failure on both 3.4's? Timing belt? 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 On the 92, the pulley broke on the TB just after 100k, and the pistons broke through, and has caused a disgusting amount of damage, 60% of which I have yet to diagnose. I dont know why the pulleys went, the belts had recently been changed, so that 3.4 was shot early in its life. On my 95, the belts went, and have caused some sort of engine damage... which is partially my fault becuase I didnt get the belts changed. However, it has been plauged with other problems before I had the belt problem, a slew of mechanical issues, the list goes on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 U have 20 valences for the original TGP's Jeff?????? ull have to save one for me, arnt they more square than the 91-93 GTP valence ones? Yep, might be 25, that was 3 months of work with the local dealer getting me hooked up with all these parts, spent 1 full month alone (some "days" were 3 days long before I crashed) just going through my parts book deciding what parts were required for owner to keep their cars running down the road (electrical, mechanical, vacuum hoses etc etc), then less likely needed parts and a 15 pages of Excel Spread sheets, what a huge job that was, have pile of records of all that was bought, somewhat have an inventory system that will need to be made better before I officially announce this pile of parts So yes, they are the proper rounded TGP versions, not too sure if the 91 was the same and when it changed but these are 1989-90 TGP Style, and 5 complete Aero Packages, I better shut up before I make more emails than I can already handle Will have no problem having one for you, just let me know when you need it, got one packaged up really well already. Jeff M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 Let us not forget, if WE know the OEM Priced Crossover Pipe is $1,600 and the ABS Unit (most times just the $100 Accum) OEM priced is $3,200 and the sometimes nuisance gauge cluster lights OEM to Fix is around $400 (Shawn Linn shows a near no cost fix ) and the seller/dealer does NOT know these alternate fixing options then we have the upper hand to chew that price down!!!!!!!!!! I did this to a pristine 65k mile TGP I bought back in 1996, the used car dealer started at $5,000 and after I told him the stalling was the $1,600 crossover and the ABS Light (and it WAS just an accum ) was $3,200 and the false Check Gauges Light was a $425 dealer fix, he was begging me to buy it since it sounded like I was the only customer he was going to find that would take it off his hands, for $3,000 8) So use what you know to get what you want for a better deal, sweeeeet. Jeff M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 As far as the valence goes, there have been posts in the past about the TGP vs. 91-93. The conclusion = they're the same, but the 91-93 had a different support bracket(better/updated) and held the valence up a little higher or something to that nature. Maybe someone here could take a picture of the mounting on a 91-93 for comparisons sake. Prospeeder, look for my post in the "whatever" section here w/ the pictures of the blue 91-93 GTP, now look at the valence on your car or another TGP...you'll see they're identical, but the 91-93 usually appear to be held higher/tighter(the TGP ones seem to hang a tad lower in the center and sag over time..probably start sagging only when you curb it ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 Then I probably ended up with the later version, GM drops older designed parts, especially after as many years ago when the TGP was made 8) . There is also an added brace that GM came out with to help hold the front up over time, its a flexible type plastic that won't break off if you bend it by hitting the curb, got a pile of those/forgot. As for the TGP ones often hanging lower than other later model cars, that is because of the tremendous air down-force from these cars being so much faster , and driven faster on the highway 8) Jeff M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbtk2 Posted February 28, 2005 Report Share Posted February 28, 2005 EDIT, the TGPs are awful to work on, i mean, the battery is under the windshield wiper resivoir Kinda like every other 1st Gen. Because it takes a whole 15 seconds to unplug the two plugs and take the nut off and set it off to the side. You guys really need to work on other cars if you think a w-body is hard to work on. 3.1 w-bodies are about the easiest kind of car to work on for pretty much anything IMO. Tough? The 3.1 is a breeze compared to other motors I've seen. ditto! althought TGP and 'daily driver' don't really mix in my mind... I've always had a TGP as a daily driver, except over this winter while I had my Calais. Other than that, every car I've owned has had a LG5 in it. They are plenty reliable if you know where the problems are and you keep an eye on them and keep them maintained. Just don't beat the crap out of it too much or you're likely to be putting many trannies in it. Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 I take it TGP trannsmissions are very good, i havent herd many compain about them, how much would u sell the Valences for Jeff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 TGP trannies are good if you do not do High Speed top gear runs and/or have a larger than stock tranny cooler on them. 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 Transmission cooler is somthing id look into, there only about 60-70 dollars and u can install them urself, and they double the life of ur transmission, or more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam S. Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 I take it TGP trannsmissions are very good, i havent herd many compain about them, how much would u sell the Valences for Jeff? Nope they are not, I've just change to 5 speed let's see how that holds out. Adam S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
god910 Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 I take it TGP trannsmissions are very good, i havent herd many compain about them, how much would u sell the Valences for Jeff? Nope they are not, I've just change to 5 speed let's see how that holds out. Adam S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Dubya Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 TGP trannies are good if you do not do High Speed top gear runs and/or have a larger than stock tranny cooler on them. 8) Hey Kenny.. did everyone ever come to a consensus on what tranny cooler is best to use? I am going to upgrade mine this year and was wondering.. I know you don't have much experience with the auto.. but hey its a shot in the dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 I would think anything other than the puny stock one would be good. I have never researched tranny coolers...but something like a e-350 Econoline van cooler would be nice!! 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 I take it TGP trannsmissions are very good, i havent herd many compain about them, how much would u sell the Valences for Jeff? Nope they are not, I've just change to 5 speed let's see how that holds out. Adam S. Hey how about this scenario, the TGP came standard with a manual tranny and after 12-15 years some were failing, and now a few owners are swapping to an auto and since have not had any problems in the last few years Jeff M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
god910 Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Who hasn't had a problem w/ a 5 speed in the last few years I can send pics of my chunky spider gears if anyone wants to see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skalor Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 I haven't had any problems with my 5 speed since I've done the swap over a year ago. Then again, I'm using a getrag 284. I completely agree that the auto tranny shouldn't get a bad rap for failing after 15 years. I wasn't too surprised when the tranny went in my second TGP. The clutches were just plain beat and it was slipping on the 1-2 shift, so I put on an adjustable vacuum modulator to firm it up. Then one day the clutches completely exploded. There were pieces of the clutch discs in the pan, but then again it did have around 123,000 on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ritchierich1 Posted March 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Well, I finally got a chance to look at that Grand Prix this morning. It had the original Xover Pipe on it, looked like it had a new alternator on it. There was oil around the distributor, so I figure an O-Ring needs to be replaced. Finally, when the dealer when to start the car, it slowly cranked, and then just died. He wouldn't come down on the price at all. $3,000. I told him good luck selling it. I was very, very disappointed. Looked like it needed too much work for me. I even offered him my 94 Regal, which has about $7500 in it, and a rebuilt tranny about 1500 miles ago. He said he wouldn't make any money that way. Oh well. Thanks for all your input. I will keep looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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