Hello Everyone, my name is John and I'm obviously new here. I've recently been looking at purchasing a 2006 Monte Carlo SS. The car has the sideways mounted 5.3, car is black on black with 18,000 miles.

The guy is asking 17,995 for it. I offered 15,500. Is this out of the ballpark? I know typically these cars don't seem to hold their value too well. I looked at KBB before and thought that was fair. The car is almost perfect, everything is exceptionally clean.

What should I look at when making a deal with the guy? Are there specific problems I should be aware of? I live in Massachusetts, and would be driving this car year round. Any problems I should be aware of?

Any input would be appreciated.

 

The weak point is the transmission, so get the car warmed up completely and make sure that isn't slipping at all. But with such low miles it should be fine.

Check the tires also, at that mileage on the original RSA's they could be getting pretty down in treads.

 

I agree completely. It also seems that more and more people are having trouble with their TPMS. Good luck with the purchase and make sure you post some pictures if you decide to get it.

 

I think your offer of $15K is good. I got mine 2 years ago for a lil over $16K with 16,000 miles on it. Mine was also certified used.

 

Interesting. A dealership is the only way to certify it, right? This is like a small town one in the next town over from me.

Do you have an SS?

 

Welcome!

 

Good call Greg. I was also going to mention the Tire Pressure Monitoring System.

From what I've been told by 2006 & 2007 owners, the TPMS uses a sensor inside each of the factory rims. This is different than the older (and more widely known) TPMS system used on most pre-2006 GM cars. The older system used the anti-lock brake system's wheel sensor located in the hub instead of inside the wheels. Some 06 & 07 owners have had problems with the TPMS. That required servicing by the dealership.

Other than that and what's already been mentioned, you should have a good car. With lots of power when you want it. And definitely a great ride year round.

In my opinion, the 06 & 07 V8 SS Monte's, sadly, were over looked by people. It has a more up to date interior than the 2000-2005 models. And of course, the VVT V8 engine.

Your offer sounds good to me. Good luck!

 

Thanks for all the input. I don't mind the "boring" interior, simple is fine. It has a sun roof and that works for me. The other car I'm looking at right now is a 2010 Hyundai( I know) Genesis Coupe Track Pack. It's a nice car too, very sports, but it seems to have grinding issues with the transmission.

How common are transmission problems with these automatics? Is there a fix for it? I'm looking for an everyday driver, and not something that has a lot of problems. I know the TPMS can be deactivated. All the reviews on the SS, people either love them, or hate them for all the problems. :/

 

I think they seem to be good reliable cars. Good luck with your purchase and if you dont like the deal don't be afraid to walk away.

 

Some people have been lucky, some people not so lucky with the transmission.

You could install a trans-cooler to help prevent any problems. The bad thing is just that the 4t65e-hd that is in the car has a max power of around 300hp and that's what the car has.

Best thing you can do is make sure you keep the fluid and filter fresh, and not drive the car hard in overdrive. The trans-cooler can help too because most problems are due to excessive heat.