Is My '90 Turbo Worth Saving??

[jaysin]

Hey guys, I have a 1990 Grand Prix Turbo. I had a problem back in 1999 with the acceleration. I bought a new car and the Turbo has just been sitting for 5 years. I love the car to death, but just haven't had the money to fix it; laid off - had a baby etc. I guess I'm just asking for opinions on whether or not I should restore or get rid of it. I'm just afraid that because it has sat for so long that there will be many more problems in addition to the original problem!! Just looking for some opinions from fellow lovers of this great rare car!!!!

[91oldscutlass]

Well I am a firm believer in saving cars that are worth saving. Its a turbo car so I would save it.

[99RegalGS]

TGP's are nice cars. If you can you should try to keep it.

 

I'll suggest that before you start it that look at all the hoses, wires, spark plugs, etc. also put fresh oil in the engine, and put some in each cyliner also.

 

There are probably a few more thing you will have to do that I didn't say.

 

Also do you have any pictures of the car?

 

And if you do not decide to restore it I would be interested in it.

[LukeZ34]

Sounds like you had/have a cracked crossover pipe. That can cause a large number of problems.

[god910]

I wouldn't restore it. I would give it away. Gimme your addy and I will be there this weekend.

[90lum31v6euro]

TGP are nice, if you do sell it, throw a price out there, and i might match it to take it off your hands...

[jaysin]

It's the red TGP with the tan interior. It even has a spoiler, which I've never seen on any of the TGP's I've come across. I just don't know if I could bring myself to get rid of it!! I just know it'll be a long road to restore it.

[z34_nut]

Lemmy get this straight

 

your the original owner?

 

its been in storage for five years? or sitting outside for five years?

 

whats the condition?

 

whats the milage?

 

i know that all of us will try and help you out, but be carefull TGP's can be money pits. i Know if i owned one i would be in debt, i also know, if i coudl get my hands on one, i would sell my car in an instant.

[jaysin]

It's been outside the whole time the body is in great shape, never been in an accident. it may need a paint job. i'm the second owner. it has 140,000 miles...i know...it's alot!!! like i said i love the car and it would be painful to let go of it.

[z34_nut]

on 3.1's i dont care about milage, just check up on the famouse x-over pipe.

 

on my 3.4 i gots 225,xxx miles, and proud of it! course the question remains...can a 3.4 live this long with the tranny? i'm suspcious about it being the oringinal motor and tranny, well anyway

 

how many miles were on it when you baught it?

 

and trust me, i think TGP's are gonna be money cars in about 10 years. just my prediction.

 

why do you want to sell it? are you in a money crunch? dont sell it unless you need the money to make a morgage payment or sumthing.

 

either that, or i'll trade yeah

[99RegalGS]

The car was probably better off not being on the roads if they use salt in Chicago like they do in WI.

[jaysin]

honestly I don't want to sell it! BUT, i live with my girlfriend...enough said huh she has bugged me forever to get rid of it. usually i just ignore her and move on to another topic

[99RegalGS]

If you don't want to sell it keep it. TGP's are great cars. Maybe if you get it running she will stop complaning.

[Cheesy411]

Fix it, make it 10 times better then it was ever then go eat some ricers and killem with a kickass car. Dont get rid of it, There 1 of a kind.

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Either fix it, or sell it to someone who loves TGPs and would charish it (not just someone who will customize the hell out of it and drive it into the ground).

[digitaloutsider]

Shit, I'd marry, cherish, and sing to a TGP.

[Gearhead43]

If you wish to restore it, First, educate your G/F about the rarity of the TGP.. Second, restore it taking your time. Do like the other guy suggested, and also look into getting a Jeff M Crossover, and 160 TG Chip.. 2 must have for the TGP owner. And before you do any thing besides changing that dammed joke of a crossover, I would have the Turbo oil supply and return lines cleaned out. The oil return line has a history of clogging up and shooting oil back thru the turbocharger.. If you HAVE to sell it, Contact me at Gearhead43@prodigy.net.

 

 

I take good care of my GP's Just take a look here:

 

http://pages.prodigy.net/gearhead43/DavesGP/

 

[jeremy]

I would sell it......

[god910]

Restore the damn thing. Tell the old lady to piss off. I have 3 of them, and if my live in G/F told me to sell them, I'd stick it in her ass. There is more than enough help to get it put together HOW YOU WANT. Obviously you don't "need" to drive it. So take your time. Everytime the woman pisses you off, go grab a wrench. There's lots of stuff that needs done that is free (labor) since it's been sitting so long. Take it apart clean it and put it back together. (I don't care what it is. Clean it.) Get that fuel out of the tank. (Hint on that: disconnect the fuel lines, and hotwire the pump, and drain the fuel that way (NOT all over the floor though )) Drop the tank and have a rad. repair place clean it out chemically. That should keep you busy for awhile. 8) I'm only going to say this once. Injectors. Get new ones. TGP #1 000.00 miles before I had to replace injectors. TGP #2 17.60 miles before I had to replace injectors. TGP #3 Well, it's a parts car that I am saving. BUT!!!! I bet it needs injectors.

 

The fuel HAS varnished from sitting so long. IF you do decide to start it up, there is a LONG list of stuff I would do first. So let us know so we can keep you from toasting that motor. (Or at least beating it up bad.) HTH.

[no1kicker]

Someone said keep it; you said maybe.

 

Someone said sell it; you said "well I don't want to".

 

There's your answer. 8)

[z34_nut]

Someone said keep it; you said maybe.

 

Someone said sell it; you said "well I don't want to".

 

There's your answer. 8)

 

if you dont understand, it means your keeping it.

[Jeorge]

I would Restore it or Sell it to someone that would restore it.

 

My G/F asked whats so great about my STE and I told her they only made 1000 of them and she was like so....so then I told here you want to see whats so Great about this car....she said Yeah....well when I passed 80 MPH she paniced (shes not the Sharpest cookie nor the best Driver) and said okay thats enough I told her you wanted to see whats so Great hang on..she did and when my needle went to the bottom of the speedo SHe about blacked out and I backed off and she said holy SHIT this car is Fast I said DUH.... Stupid women........LOL....

SHE will not even get into the VR to bad Eh...be Funny when I passed 180 in that thing LOL...

[z34_nut]

I would Restore it or Sell it to someone that would restore it.

 

My G/F asked whats so great about my STE and I told her they only made 1000 of them and she was like so....so then I told here you want to see whats so Great about this car....she said Yeah....well when I passed 80 MPH she paniced (shes not the Sharpest cookie nor the best Driver) and said okay thats enough I told her you wanted to see whats so Great hang on..she did and when my needle went to the bottom of the speedo SHe about blacked out and I backed off and she said holy SHIT this car is Fast I said DUH.... Stupid women........LOL....

SHE will not even get into the VR to bad Eh...be Funny when I passed 180 in that thing LOL...

 

we need spell check and grammar check please

[RareGMFan]

Dont get rid of it, There 1 of a kind.

 

Actually, they're a little over 7,000 of a kind, but anyways....

 

I would keep it and work on it at your own pace. Every week, do a little more. That's easier sad then done (*sadly looks at his untouched TGP, and then at the TSTE that still needs a lot of work*), but you can do it. I've noticed, when you car doesn't operate at 100%, it feels like the end of the world is near. But there's nothing like working on your car, getting in it to test drive it afterwards, and being like "oooooohh yeah. THIS is what it's all about". It's very uplifting when your hard work pays off, and a car is up and running correctly.

 

Me and a couple other TGP guys live in the Chicagoland area. I'm in a SW suburb. I'm sure me and ShuGTXturbo would be willing to give you a hand and advice if you need it, as we are working on our own TGPs. We're going to try to put together a Chicagoland TGP club. Possibly even do meets and mod days and such. We gotta' stick together and help one another out, because unlike the '97 & up GTPers, we don't have the vast array of information and following available to us. Mod days to aid each other is extra crucial for us.

 

As was said, unless you REALLY need the money, I'd hang on to it if at all possible. I know it's hard to imagine now, with the state it's in and all, but once they're operating well, these cars are addictive. But watch out. You may dump your g/f for the TGP after you get a taste of what it's REALLY capable of. :shock:

[RedZMonte]

no job and a kid. I would post it and get rid of it. Sounds like more important things in your life need money. Its just a car.

 

but at the same time, if your not hard up for cash... it has sat for 5 years, it probibly won't hurt anything where its at for when you have time/mula to fix it.. Just make sure some critter doesn't make a nest out of it or it will be a REAL big head ach.

 

 

RedZ