One of the heads went on me friday evening. I was driving and I accelerated fast because I was trying to get over since the nissan sentra lady wouldn't let me over and I noticed alot of white smoke came out the back, then like 30sec after(est) I started getting a strong coolant smell. I pulled over and looked under the hood and the upper radiator hose popped off. So lucky me I was near a autozone and just got two clamps and put them on there real tight just so I could get home(I was only like 5minutes from home). My car isn't even paid off yet I have until December of this year to pay the car off(1700 left to pay on the car).

I don't know what I want to do. I have put alot of money in this car and it seems like something is always wrong with my gp. It does have 186,xxx miles on it and I figure the car would last me until summer of 2010 since I keep the car up real good in maintence.

I have a few options, I get a loan from my bank(Navy Federal Credit Union), Contact Ed but if I can get a engine and transmission and both installed for no more than 4,000 dollars, or just let my car sit to December until I pay it off and trade the car in for and nice used car for like 2000-3500 dollars. Like 80% of the people I asked think I should get rid of it because I've put alot of money into the car but I love my baby.

What do ya'll think I should do.

That's tough choice. I love my summer car. I don't have any payment on it. It was already paid off like 3 years ago. I think you rather have no car payment but more than $4,000 for repair them. I think it is best to get other car. Maybe get other gp?

I dont want another car payment but I will have a payment either way because I don't have no money saved and I would have to get a loan to fix the gp if I decided to keep, so I'm screwed either way.

I understand. No car payment is really nice. Good luck whichever your choice.

So a radiator hose came off. You sure the smoke out the back wasnt the steam pouring out from under the car? You sure there is engine damage?

Yeah, I don't see the problem, elaborate.

If it is indeed toast, I had the same problem in the late fall and got a new motor and transmission from Ed with 38k on each and had them installed with the grand total right at $4k. Without the Tranny it would have been about a grand cheaper. (well 900 or so.)

You should of just crashed, like you mentioned in the other thread!

JK, don't take this offensive.

Yah, how do you know if the motor or heads are shot?
If you like the car and what not, then spending money on another car with problems you don't know about is not good idea. Where you can have new engine in your car and you know its history.

I'm confused? A hose popping off doesn't mean that the motor is toast.

well if it comes down to it, i would sell the body for the car with the burned up motor, mention it has good trans. still and get what you can. then use that money get larger loan and buy an 04 or newer gp

Does the car start back up? If you put the hose back on and put coolant back in it, you should be good to go and will be able to keep it with no issues.

If it doesn't start, then yea, you'll need a new engine.

It all depends on the overall condition. If there is no rust and all the issues were with the engine, I'd go for a new engine and keep driving it. Else, I'd get rid of it only if the problems wrong with it are too great.

My mechanic use some type of device and put it down into the engine and there was pressure being build up from the heads and the pressure is what keeps blowing the hose off the radiator.

Thats what the guy told me, maybe not in those exact words but I tried to sum it up best as I could.

Herc, I thought the same thing about what you said but the white smoke covered the whole intersection.

I just feel that its too much money. I need another motor, tranny(been slipping for the longest), and some suspension work done to the car.(still on the stock suspension at 186,xxx miles)


I went to look at some cars today and seen a nice 2001 buick park avenue with the 3800 engine and has only 72,000 miles on it for 3700.

here is MY thoughts on this. your car has 186K on it. Dropping $4,000 (not counting suspension work) into it on a motor and trans will make it reliable again. HOWEVER, you will never get that money back out of it. No matter what, if you decide to get a different vehicle later on, everyone will be going by the KBB value.

My car has 160k on it, and I am hardly getting any replies on my for sale ad, at a price of $3450. WITH brand new struts at all 4 corners. And I even have the leather interior.

I'd say cut your losses, and go for something else. Even if you buy another grand prix, just get something with lower mileage.

You COULD do new head gaskets, but I have to wonder if that is worth it either. I know the bearings are not to fond of coolant instead of oil, or mixed. And then you'd still have an engine with 186k on it, and a slipping trans.

I know the die hard prix guys are like NO NO NO Fix that thing! but you have to do what makes the most sense, and to ME fixing it is not the way to go.

whatever you decide, I hope you get something figured out asap!

with the way the car market is these days you could probablyget someone to discount a car enough to cover lumping what you owe already in with a new loan for newer car and then just sell the GP for whatever you can get.

186k is lot of miles so at this point youhave to ask yourself is the rest of the car in good enough shape to invest in a newer engine/tranny. I'm sure I'll eventually get to this point with my ride and it will be hard decision to face given how much time and money I have invested in the car. I've often thought about just going ahead and selling it now while I could still get some change for it but then I'llbe back to square one with the mod bug...dont know if I can take that or not.
Good Luck and hope you get things worked out.

GrandPrix's are a great car. The 3800 is a solid motor. But the problems you have stated just happen to be the 3 most expensive part categories on any car.

For the amount you stated you could buy another grand prix with much lower mileage than yours.

My 2 cents