LS4 Front-Drives 2005-2009 - looking at ls4's

there are three in my area... we're gonna go drive this impala tomorrow.

06 ss Laser blue, has 90k miles on it. car fax was in the front seat when we looked at it today, spotless. dealership got it in september, they changed the battery, front pads and rotors and did an inspection on it. that was all that was on the car fax. it's up for 12k. i realize 90k isn't much for the ls engines, but is there anything in particular i should look for?

also this car is going to be my wife's (don't worry, she's a gearhead too) daily driver, these cars ok in the snow?

thanks in advance, i hope to be joining in here with one sooner than later.

nick

I would look hard at the tranny and wheel bearings/ball joints. With that many miles if it hasn't been worked on it would be amazing. I don't know if anyone here is over 100k miles yet. Rear laterals could have some bending too.

In all honesty I would stay away. Mine has only 22K miles and has gone through three steering shafts, is on its second set of front hubs, has had the emergency brake adjusted no less than 8 times, a significant oil leak, and the tranny still sounds like someone put pebbles in it just like it did from the get go. All in all, the LS4 is a real jewel of a motor; too bad it's held hostage in a crappy FWD rental car chassis just like the old 3-liter Yamaha V6 Taurus SHOs of yore were in the late 80's and early 90's (and I owned one of those, too!)

For the kind of money you are contemplating I would look into a used Hemi Charger, and yes, they are available with both AWD and the Hemi motor. I have an '06 Hemi Charger R/T with the R&T Package as well, and it is as solid as the day I picked it up. My Charger has over 50K miles and all I've done is regular maintenance and synthetic oil changes. It is also dead stable at 145+ MPH with passengers and their luggage. :D

That is kinda high, I can only think of one LS4 that I know of that has near that 105K miles, guy's never had a problem with it. I bought mine in June 08 with 10K miles, put 22K very rough miles on it and my only problem, aside for new brake pads, tires, and battery, is a dead LED in the AC controls. I'd look for one with less mileage. I've heard they're good winter cars, too, no snow here, lol.

I drove a Charger Daytona the day before the GXP, the only thing I liked about it was the RWD. IMO the GXP is a better car. The GXP is the performance-minded LS4 model, though, Manual mode with paddle shifters, staggered wheels (8" in front, 7" in rear), cross drilled rotors, slightly lowered, etc. Impala SS may be a different experience.

I've only heard of a handful of people who had serious problems, the majority of LS4 owners don't/won't experience those problems.

However if it's in your budget look into a G8 GT.

And why would you know that it was stable 145 with a car full of people and luggage??? Seems safe... :eyes:

I actually have to agree with Buickracer. If I had it to do over I would not get the GXP again. I don't like the transmission in these cars and should have learned my lesson from my GTP a few years ago. The trans shifts like garbage and always feels like it's on the verge of going out. Mine has a lot of lag between gears and sometimes makes me think the trans is actually going to drop out of the car on downshifts. There are too many people with transmission problems for me to think it's just a fluke. They used a transmission made for a much less powerful engine and hoped it would hold. They were barely good enough in the stock GTP.

I actually have to agree with Buickracer. If I had it to do over I would not get the GXP again. I don't like the transmission in these cars and should have learned my lesson from my GTP a few years ago. The trans shifts like garbage and always feels like it's on the verge of going out. Mine has a lot of lag between gears and sometimes makes me think the trans is actually going to drop out of the car on downshifts. There are too many people with transmission problems for me to think it's just a fluke. They used a transmission made for a much less powerful engine and hoped it would hold. They were barely good enough in the stock GTP.

Agree'd... I have a 06 Impala SS, and i would not do it again. The transmissions are garbage. they were in my 95 Z34 monte, they were in my 01 GTP, and they are in this car. And honestly, I dont even beat the cars.

the car is fun and pulls decent for what it is, but the aftermarket possibilities are quite slim. I agree with the above posted, Get a G8 GT, but your budget seems to be around 15k? and i dont think it will buy a G8.

good luck in your search though, dont let anyone single person discourage you, you may end up finding that you love the car.

I'll probably get flamed for this, but for $15,000, you should be able to pick up a 05-06 Subaru Legacy GT. 4 doors, AWD, Turbo, better resale, and a huge aftermarket. 250hp and 250 tq. all changed with an Cobb access port and boost controller!


Just my $.02

I have no regrets with my 06 GXP other than the fact it's FWD. Good for a daily driver in WI but not for performance. The tranny's aren't that bad if you drive the car decent or have a shift kit in and tuned. You can do a lot to make these tranny's feel better than stock. $12000 seems pretty steep for a 90K car. Do some searching. I paid $12000 for my 06 GXP with 46K and it needed nothing. In the 12K I have put on it, I did do a steering shaft and a hub but overall the car isn't that bad.

I'll be honest here... besides my gripes for lack of seat bolsters my Impala has been pretty good. I'll be the first to admit I beat the living crap out of my car on a daily basis and besides the typical set of W-body front hubs my car has been dead nuts perfect for the past 33k ass-raping miles. No typical I-shaft noise, no brake problems and no trans issues. Maybe I got a middle of the week car?

[QUOTE=JP_GXP;12438439] IMO the GXP is a better car. The GXP is the performance-minded LS4 model, though, Manual mode with paddle shifters, staggered wheels (8" in front, 7" in rear), cross drilled rotors, slightly lowered, etc. Impala SS may be a different experience.

QUOTE]

i agree, i like the GXP better than the imp SS. but its all in what you like .

Great daily driver with performance. Being a dad it's a good fit. Hoping to get me another Camaro soon for my weekend car! Really the call is yours. I'm happy with mine so far.

love my 05 gxp, 96000 kms, driven hard and no problems.

i like my monte. ive got 37000 on it and the only really problem is the iss other then that the car has been reliable and i too beat the piss out of this car on a daily.

In all honesty I would stay away. Mine has only 22K miles and has gone through three steering shafts, is on its second set of front hubs, has had the emergency brake adjusted no less than 8 times, a significant oil leak, and the tranny still sounds like someone put pebbles in it just like it did from the get go. All in all, the LS4 is a real jewel of a motor; too bad it's held hostage in a crappy FWD rental car chassis just like the old 3-liter Yamaha V6 Taurus SHOs of yore were in the late 80's and early 90's (and I owned one of those, too!)

For the kind of money you are contemplating I would look into a used Hemi Charger, and yes, they are available with both AWD and the Hemi motor. I have an '06 Hemi Charger R/T with the R&T Package as well, and it is as solid as the day I picked it up. My Charger has over 50K miles and all I've done is regular maintenance and synthetic oil changes. It is also dead stable at 145+ MPH with passengers and their luggage. :D
How hard do you drive your car? Are did you get one thats has troubles

My car is broken more than it is working...I still love the car but i WAY over paid for it. 700 a month for a GXP is a rip off considering i paid 650 for my m3 every month. I WOULD NOT BUY IT. But if someone offered it to my for 250 a month i would be happy with it.

i beat the shit outta mine most of the time and no issues. it is a good family car and can haul a lot of groceries lol.

My car is broken more than it is working...I still love the car but i WAY over paid for it. 700 a month for a GXP is a rip off considering i paid 650 for my m3 every month. I WOULD NOT BUY IT. But if someone offered it to my for 250 a month i would be happy with it.

damn thats a hell of a payment...i got mine new when the they had 0% for 72 months and my payment is 416 a month.

90k is a ton of miles for one of these cars. And that price is outrageous. I bought my 2006 SS loaded with 30k miles for $13,800.

I'm sure you can do better.

Yea I've seen newer lower mile cars for that much. I had my 07 SS from new til 27,000 miles and in that time it gave me no problems. Just had to have the ISS replaced under warranty but that's a common nuisance problem with these cars. Was a decent car for what it was with good power. I wouldn't get one again though, although I don't regret having it while I did because it served me well. Just didn't fit my needs anymore.

I bought my 06 impala ss with 62000mi now it has 73000mi and havent had any problems. Its my daily driver ,put about 250mi a week on it and stomp on it just about every day.

I have a 07 GXP since new.

All driver side barrings had to be replaced like 2 weeks after i bought it. Ive had Zero tranny issues though (shift kit,tune,and trans cooler).

I had oil loss apparently a sensor was leaking where it plugs into the engine somewhere.

Other then that i drive it into the city daily (1hour each day) all year round no issues. Cant say much for impalas cause i don't own 1

It currently has 89km on it.

I have had a number of issues with my car but that was when it was under warrenty over 30K ago. It has been very good since then which makes me think the dealer has been messing with the car on purpose. Through all of it, the constant has been the driveline that has been steadfast. I only had to replace the battery a few thousand miles ago. Try not to go to the dealer if you don't have to. I've drag raced the car and I will get on it from time to time and it does get stuck in traffic and the transmission doesnt seem to care, consistant, smooth shifts under low throttle and under moderate and high, a good tug. I like it very much actually. I like a smooth transmission but only if I can feel it shifting; tells me it is working. Driving these cars is very different from most because of the loose converter and electronic throttle, use the converter to accelerate yet hold the same engine speed, and use cruise for the electronic throttle and let the computer handle it all. BTW ever since I packed the steering shaft with synthetic chassis grease, done before my warrenty ended, the problem has been gone.

I didnt like the way my tranny shifted so I just put the zzp shift kit in. Its cheap but it did exactly what i wanted, now i can feel the car shift with a light pop. I just rolled over 50k and have had very few minor problems. ISS, hubs.

And I do go to the track and drive her hard every now and again.

Driving these cars is very different from most because of the loose converter and electronic throttle, use the converter to accelerate yet hold the same engine speed, and use cruise for the electronic throttle and let the computer handle it all.

Not to hijack the thread, but your comment reminded me of something I wanted to mention about the converter.

I HATE having a looose converter on a daily driver. On a 1/4 mile car, it makes sense, but I hate the sloppy feel you get from a loose converter on the street.

Has anyone thought of going with a tighter converter? Are there even any options that will bolt to our cars? There has to be some improvement in feel and MPG by going this route.

Any thoughts on that?

The only reason I can think they went with that converter was to purposly take some of the response out of the driveline and to aid in DOD engagment smoothness. But also we are running with a taller final drive so its not a bad performance move for torque multiplication and keeps the economy at cruise when locked. But I would like to also say that the percieved shift feel is a result of the converter being so loose as it absorbs the loading. In respect if you test drive our V6 counterparts you will feel the shifts more promianatly in with thier setup for which a 3500V6 comes with an awful 1200 stall I belive. I'd like ot think that maybe they put a more civil stall converter on a 3900 V6 car which, in theory, should be transferable.

How hard do you drive your car? Are did you get one thats has troubles

Actually, not much at all, as I mainly use it to see business clients with lots of city driving. I have spent most of my tuning time on the transmission, getting the upshifts where I want them, and the downshifts where I need them. I wish there was a way to decrease the shift delay like you can on the G8 GTs (I've seen the programming in HP Tuners for those cars.)

i have had no real problems so far but looking back i would wait for something on the zeta platform its the mods you can get those g8s into 12s pretty easy

The only reason I can think they went with that converter was to purposly take some of the response out of the driveline and to aid in DOD engagment smoothness. But also we are running with a taller final drive so its not a bad performance move for torque multiplication and keeps the economy at cruise when locked. But I would like to also say that the percieved shift feel is a result of the converter being so loose as it absorbs the loading. In respect if you test drive our V6 counterparts you will feel the shifts more promianatly in with thier setup for which a 3500V6 comes with an awful 1200 stall I belive. I'd like ot think that maybe they put a more civil stall converter on a 3900 V6 car which, in theory, should be transferable.

I'd be very tempted to try the 3500 converter. I'll bet there's a real reduction in trans temp by going the tighter route.

Any place I should be looking to verify fittment?

I'd be very tempted to try the 3500 converter. I'll bet there's a real reduction in trans temp by going the tighter route.

Any place I should be looking to verify fittment?

Well all I know is that our converters are of a larger size...The 3800SC used this size as well....I cannot say for sure, but I never heard of the 3800s using a different flexplate with a larger converter. So I think it is just as simple as getting a converter from another car and installing it. I'd like to think the LS4 uses the 3 bolt flexplate mounting. I will venture to say that the pilot hole on the crank maybe bigger, which would mean th epilot on the converter would be bigger. V6 models have thier own size...with that said it might not be that easy afterall. Keep in mind our gearing is tall so a loose converter does help out in that regard...In theory...Honestly I think the LS4 wouldn't care if you had a 2:1 fdr or a 5:1... it'll smokem either way...I really think they ran with this converter to mask the DOD engagement.

Well all I know is that our converters are of a larger size...The 3800SC used this size as well....I cannot say for sure, but I never heard of the 3800s using a different flexplate with a larger converter. So I think it is just as simple as getting a converter from another car and installing it. I'd like to think the LS4 uses the 3 bolt flexplate mounting. I will venture to say that the pilot hole on the crank maybe bigger, which would mean th epilot on the converter would be bigger. V6 models have thier own size...with that said it might not be that easy afterall. Keep in mind our gearing is tall so a loose converter does help out in that regard...In theory...Honestly I think the LS4 wouldn't care if you had a 2:1 fdr or a 5:1... it'll smokem either way...I really think they ran with this converter to mask the DOD engagement.

Your theory makes sense. There's absolutely no reason to equip a car of this type with so much stall unless it masks some sort of drivability issue (in this case, DoD engagement).

Now, I know we got the 258 MM converter, and I think the 3800 converters are 245 MM. Based on what you've said, the pilot hole could be the issue, and it seems that could go either way, since the LS4 has specific crankshaft that may or may not accomodate a standard V6 converter.

I've got a buddy who owns a trans shop and I think I'll be giving him a call!