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Thinking about buying a "97 GP GT but....


jasond

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The hud only works some of the time, and the DIC only lights up when the fan speed is on setting "2". Are these common problems? The car only has 91,xxx miles and is in great shape otherwise. Thanks, Jason

 

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He means is the climate control digital.

 

If it's digital, it will show the outside temperature, and the inside temperature when it is turned on or when you change the temperature setting.

 

If it's not digital, it'll just be knobs you turn to designate the temperature and fan speed.

 

 

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Digital will have a digital display...I don't know if that could be the cause of the problem but the digital climate control is notorious to have issues in the second gens.

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The climate controls aren't digital, they were just traditional knobs. The DIC wouldn't light up unless the fan control was set on "2", and then it was faint. When I left on the test drive the HUD was on also, but sometime during the drive, it went out. It was off when I returned. The car is beautiful, but these issues are nagging at me.

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Bot of those are minor problems really. Neither the HUD or DIC work correctly on my car. As long as the car is mechanically sound and in good shape i would get it, the HUD and DIC are really just luxuries which can always be fixed down the road.

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True, they are just luxuries, but how expensive of a repair am I looking at further down the line? I don't want to be making car payments and trying to pay for repairs. The only mechanical faults are the ac compressor is being replaced, and the abs light is on. I was told abs repairs can be expensive. I currently have a '94 with a ton of miles, and have been looking for a second gen for some time. Thanks again, Jason

 

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If you plan on making payments for a 1997, dont bother. Atleast get a 98+ and you will be much happier. I went through the same route as you. I now own a 99 Regal GS.

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get a 98+ GTP.....skip the '97s and the GTs, especially if you have to make payments....although my best advice would be to bank a little cash until you can pay for one outright...paying a car not on a 12 year old car isn't that smartest financial move....and it shouldn't take long to come up with enough $ with as cheap as they are now, even the GTPs can be had at a very cheap price...

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as far as 97's go. They are ok, i have never had any problems because its a 1997. But, It locks and unlocks the doors when it feels like it. and that’s about it. But has not did it since i fixed the water leak. Id buy a 1997 again given the price is right.

 

Ill tell you some differences

 

1997

No Traction control.

performance shift light in DIC, And button on Shifter

early 1997’s have a different sunroof.

Different supercharger (little but different)

Different DIC, No “Tac off” button.

Different Transmisson.

Different Coolant reservoir.

 

There is more But im sleepy

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True, they are just luxuries, but how expensive of a repair am I looking at further down the line? I don't want to be making car payments and trying to pay for repairs.

 

You're looking at a 12+ year old car. I can GUARANTEE you'll need repairs down the road, no matter HOW mechanically sound it seems right now. Parts break when a car gets that old, there's no way around that. Do you have a car to drive right now? Because honestly, if you have to make payments on a '97 GP GT (which shouldn't cost you more than $3k even for a fully loaded one in absolutely MINT condition), then you can't really afford a car, period. I'm not trying to be mean, that's just the truth when it comes to finances.

 

And yes, the HUD issue is probably nothing more than the photocell soldering problem:

 

http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.asp?m=3367&appid=&p=&mpage=1&key=&language=&tmode=&smode=&s=&cookieCheck=167909369#3367

 

The ABS may just be a problem with a speed sensor (either one is bad, or there's a short in the harness, etc), which will mean replacing a wheel HUB since they're built into the rings on those cars, or there could be something much more expensive at fault. Have it scanned to pull an ABS code. As to the DIC issue, I don't see how that would be related to the HVAC, but I don't know enough about how the electronics are run. I'd suspect the bulbs in the unit are just bad. Is the whole thing dim, or just a certain part of it?

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