What do you think the odds are it's salvagable?

[axisg]

what he said ^^ . When running its a $2000-$3000 car. IMO it is worth much more as the sum of its parts if you have the time.
Surely you could part out the seats, HUD, and SC parts on a Wbody forum and pick up another running driving Wbody with money to spare. Buick Century / Lesabre with the 3.8 are dead reliable as long as the rocker panels are intact 🙂

 

[transman]

The inlaws were filling me in on a car they've got and need help getting rid of.

It's a 2003 grand prix gt, series 2 supercharged, hud works, power heated leather, etc.

The bad news: their son in law was driving it, it had that core failure where some anti freeze and trans oil mixed.

From what I understand, runs fine, trans works but has started to slip some.

It's not been parked about 10 months.

Best case would've been new radiator, and flush and fill all fluids plus new trans filter as soon as after it happened. (Even better is the dummy didn't keep driving it after the failure.

Now, almost a year later, do you think it's salvagable? I'd think the antifreeze/water would separate out and sit in the bottom of the pan, not inside the trans after this time. It's got bumps and bruises (their daughter doesn't give a ______ about someone else's car so... yep. They're looking for help in trying to dispose, and I'm wondering if $150 in parts and fluids and turn this into a 1200 beater or first car for some kid that won't conk out a month later.

Transmission friction plates and water/antifreeze do not mix. The water/antifreeze mixture effects the adhesive on the friction plates. Down the road, and how far down the road, the transmission will fail and need an overhaul.
The fact that you say the trans is already slipping tells me the frictions are already starting to come apart. A filter and oil change will not change the fact the transmission is on it's last legs.