Need opinions

[rwolak1]

I've been looking at GNs for quite some time now and am considering buying one. I've read a lot of the threads on this site and have a basic question:

Is it reasonable to assume a GN can be used as a "daily driver"? I'm not looking to race the car or beat it to death (I'm 69 and over that stage in my life). Just looking to use locally and possibly take on long trips. How reliable are the GNs for that sort of use?

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

thanx

 

[SHADOWII]

Hi and Welcome Pilgrim!
Although the gn's are 20+ yrs old, it is very possible to have a road worthy vehicle w/a few mod's to update your performance to keep up w/the modern road warriors. Just be knowledgeable about your choices or have a fellow gn owner go w/you to inspect the vehicle. what would be even better would be to know the individual you are purchasing from. I had an 86 that I put plenty of miles on dailey, travelling from 100 to 600 miles a day, to and from work.
from central tn to ohio to memphis to chatanooga and places in-between. And that at speeds exceeding 85mph for most of the miles, and I got tickets to prove it.lol I just kept the oil filter changes etc. The trans went first, then the interior went, then the body w/rust (northern car) is why I parted it.

 

[rwolak1]

Thanx for the response.

I wouldn't be using the car anywhere near as much as you (it would be a 2nd car) but would like to feel comfortable with taking it on a trip if i wanted to. I do the vast majority of my own work on my cars (with maybe the exception of tranny rebuilds) so, at least from that perspective, I keep costs down. Probably would keep the car stock unless the one I buy has a few mods.

In your opinion, what mods would improve driveability and reliability? From my readings it looks like a scan/data logging tool would almost be a must.

 

[87WE4BOOSTED]

In your opinion, what mods would improve driveability and reliability? From my readings it looks like a scan/data logging tool would almost be a must.

You're correct there. Given everything is up to par (Trans, Engine, Brakes, Suspension), a new fuel pump w/hot wire, updated Turbo Tweak chip, oil pressure gauge, water temp gauge is really all you need. I would buy all to have as spares or replace all the sensors too. This would be considered "Spring Cleaning".

GL!!

 

[SHADOWII]

The trans is actually the weak link even for a stock TR. As stated above, you can go on gnttype.org for the spring cleaning instructions. I would just add at least a stage-I, Extreme- Automatics trans, for reliability, to the above list. As you learn more about the vehicle, you will be able to make informed decissions on mod's as you replace worn parts like the turbo, etc. One more item for consideration, would be relocating the fuseable links attached to the starter, and placing them to the firewall above the valve covers or closer to the battery. I'm much younger then you at 64 and hate crawling on the grd to reach them for replacement.

 

[turbotroy]

Along with spare sensors, I would have a spare coil pack and module, cam sensor fix, ground kit, voltage booster kit (or 200 amp alternator). Caspers electronics will be your best friend when it comes to electrical on our cars. Welcome to the club!

 

[blackgn1]

x2 on the spare electronis. I have been on 6 hour trips one way. Never had a problem. Just needs to be gone through and have everything working properly. I would take mine anywhere right now.

 

[Nick Micale]

You asked for an opinion, mine is do NOT go on long trips or far from home unless you have a bag of tools and some knowledge about this 25 year-old, first generation computer and electronics, special edition car functions. Finding someone anywhere that can help you is rare, and critical parts are also rare, and non-exsistant in some areas.

It is something you never expect that will quit when least expected. I only trust my turbo Buicks to within "towing home" range.

A well-maintained GN just left for a long trip 2 days ago, and has had "issues" every day, and is now 1000 miles away not running well?

I love turbo Buicks, and building a "super" street T-Type for fun around the city, but for out of town travel, my new twin turbo V-6 F-150 works best for me!

 

[trbojo]

You asked for an opinion, mine is do NOT go on long trips or far from home unless you have a bag of tools and some knowledge about this 25 year-old, first generation computer and electronics, special edition car functions. Finding someone anywhere that can help you is rare, and critical parts are also rare, and non-exsistant in some areas.

It is something you never expect that will quit when least expected. I only trust my turbo Buicks to within "towing home" range.

A well-maintained GN just left for a long trip 2 days ago, and has had "issues" every day, and is now 1000 miles away not running well?

I love turbo Buicks, and building a "super" street T-Type for fun around the city, but for out of town travel, my new twin turbo V-6 F-150 works best for me!

this pretty much sums up my recent gripes about these cars being finicky old pieces of shit that people who still make parts for rape you for them, charge a fortune for diagnosis if you chose to go to a shop and consistently say "put a xfi on it and it will solve all your problems", when before hand they said "put this that and the other on it and you'll be fine"!!!! pretty sad when you spend a ton of money and still don't have a reliable car...........but when you gripe someone else says "you just gotta have patience man....."

 

[SHADOWII]

My 87 is highly mod'd and when I picked it up from my son's house in fla., I travelled back to home about 800 miles w/o problems other than gas mileage. But then it's not built for fuel economy, but for putting power to the grd!

 

[turbotroy]

Seeing how this can be a bit of an emotionally charged question, another way to phrase it might be: how long of a roadtrip would you feel comfortable doing in ANY 25 year old car. I've run mine cross country in the past, with a trunk full of tools, sensors, other spare parts, and the part of the buick manual that applied to TR's. Scariest was loosing a maf in west Texas and my other spare was in Tucson. Tapped on it gently and got car started. 25 miles later digital dash goes away. Luckily, I had just gassed up in el paso so I knew I could make it back to Tucson. Only fun thing about it was there were truckers rolling and got in with them and made it to Tucson in under 3 hours. Gf met me at ttt truckstop with the other maf, plugged it in, filled up car and drove home. Another time in Vegas the thing just dies on the strip in the process of a kill. Crank, but no start. Found a noid light at 11 pm on a Sunday, fp /inj fuse. Crashed it @ 35mph on a mountain road in Utah because powermaster went away with no warning.
X2 what Nick said; have a fun in town car and keep it within tow truck distance, or upgrade EVERYTHING you can think of and you will still miss something. How do I know this? Cheers!