I don't mean to offend, but I like my new GTO

I've had it for almost a month and just had to put in my $.02. Keep in mind that I'm over 50, so I know what a 'goat' is. This car is, most assuredly, NOT a ripoff of its namesake (technically, the original name as used by Pontiac, was just a name - Pontiac had no interest in homologating the Tempest. But that doesn't diminish the legendary status that it rightfully attained). The 2004 version is a true performer that would serve its ancestors proud! I'd almost forgotten what torque felt like. And passing with confidence is no longer a distant memory. And oh, that wonderful sound that only a V8 can produce! I never thought I'd live to see the day when factories would actually build cars like this again! It's unpretentious in its styling (that's a good thing, IMO). It doesn't shout "LOOK AT ME!" (unless you get a red one). I don't need for it to blow the doors off the Mustang or the Camaro sitting next to me - he and I both know that it can. In short, it's everything it's cracked up to be. And at under $24,000 after incentives (employee pricing), it was almost a steal! I think that many of the naysayers are simply waiting for somebody to talk them into buying one. I say go for it!

(although I'm still puzzled at how it can weigh over 3700 lbs)

-Mike

Reply to
Mike Hartigan
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Mike Hartigan said

< And

I considered getting one and parking in my garage... next to my '69.

However, I didn't want to offend it. ;-)

Now if they did a retro look like the T-Bird did.... maybe.

YGMV ;-)

Reply to
none

I think for the most part most car enthusiasts were disappointed by its looks and said it shouldn't be wearing a GTO badge. I didn't think much of it when I began to see ( on the lot) them at first, but the look has kind of grown on me. I thought it would of made a greater addition to the Pontiac line up if it was called by some other name. Monaro for instance.

But after its been out many months now & so few have been seen on the streets of Chicago, what a pleasnt surprise to Mr, Altima, Mr Maxima to see a non descript car with a throaty rumble leave them behind when the light turns green.

To date I've only seen two on the road. A purple one driven by an old man and a blue one that turned right onto the main road about two blocks ahead of me. The car fishtailed as it roared around the turn, them suddenly in an instant it was six blocks away from me. I knew right away what car had turned out onto the road. GTO !

I only wonder if GM will use that same engine in another new RWD GM car in the future. Be nice to see a 350 V8 RWD Impala, Bonnville, Grand Prix, LeSabre & Park Avenue again.

========= Harryface =========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE 3800 V6 ( C ), Black/Slate Grey _~_~_~294,824 miles_~_~_

~_~_~_~_U.S.A._~_~_~_~_~_

~~~The Former Fleet ~~~

89 Cavalier Z 24 convertible 78 Holiday 88 coupe 68 LeSabre convertible 73 Impala sedan
Reply to
Harry Face

ohhhhhh....RWD Park Ave......(drooling) That could put the Ford Crown Vic to shame.

GW

Reply to
Geoff Welsh

Geoff Welsh said

I'd like to see a 396-BB in the Buick RoadMonster.

Just like the old days. Excessive power -and- body roll.

It couldn't get any better. ;-)

Reply to
none

Frankly, that was my reaction, too. I recall thinking that it looked like just another Pontiac. Not a bad thing, just not different enough to rate a second look. It's turned more heads and generated far more unsolicited comments than I ever expected, though. I was even approached a 'Vette owner who didn't seem p*ssed off by the fact that I got an LS1 in a $24,000 package (of course, if I was driving a 'Vette, not many things would p*ss me off, either ;-).

I considered that, too. I'm wondering if Holden would have had a problem with that, though. Also, while it seemed to turn some people off, I think the GTO badge gives the car just a touch of mystique right off the bat - they don't have to spend the time building it. (Not that a 350HP RWD V8 would have taken long to do that on its own.) The name was a risk, but I think it works. Given Pontiac's reputation, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. They wouldn't do something akin to putting a 5.0 in an Escort and calling it a Mustang. Indeed, I believe that the GTO is largely responsible for the '05 Mustang.

To me, that's a major part of its charm. What we used to call a 'sleeper'. And that 'throaty rumble' can only come from an V8 (ok, maybe a 10 or a 12 could do it, too). I think that a retro look (a'la T-Bird) would have been a bad idea. The Mustang, on the other hand, looks like a modern version of a Mustang, with strong styling clues to its ancestry - not really retro and quite nicely done, IMO.

Come out to the Western Suburbs - you'll see a third ;-) Indeed, their scarcity was one of the things that clinched it for me. I was intrigued by the PT Cruiser at first. That was before I saw my

10,000th one on the road.

Rumor had it at one time (I haven't been following this too closely, so it may or may not still be a live rumor) that GM would like to build the GTO in the US, but can't justify a dedicated plant for such a small number of cars. They are considering building something else off the same platform (Impala SS was mentioned as a likely candidate). Then they could bring production here (that the GTO is an import is considered by many to be one of it's 'flaws'). As for other cars, Bonneville already has a V8 in the GXP, but it's FWD (gak!). As for Grand Prix, I have no problem with a powerful 6 in that - it seems like a nice fit. Leave the V8's to the GTO and the Bonneville. It'd be nice to see a V8 in other full-size cars, but not the LS1. I've got a respectable 5.3 in my Chevy Express Van. I must say that it's probably the smoothest idling V8 that I've ever owned. Chevy also uses the 4.8 and the 6.0 in their trucks. So there's no shortage of power plants. Just a shortage of suitable cars to put them in.

Reply to
Mike Hartigan

Reply to
Bryan Lee

I guess I'm still a bit upset that I can't get the finances in order right now... I took one on a nice long test drive and was REALLY impressed. I could accelerate up a good hill in 6th gear. I am pretty sure it's faster than my '67, but mine has 2.73 rear gears. Absolutley no trunk at all makes it hard to justify to my basketball coach wife, and not nearly for my softball team's equipment as well. My 6' 15 year old son would probably constantly bonk his head on the rear glass (if he ever sat up straight!), assuming he could wedge his way back there in the first place.

But Gawd, what a ride!!!

Reply to
Joseph Roche

Back seat access is a MAJOR shortcoming, IMO. One must first tilt the seatback forward, then press the button on the side of the seat and let the adjusting motor move the seat forward, and then back after the passenger is in. Getting out is the same. Moving the seat like this is s-l-o-o-o-o-o-w! (Chinese fire drills are out of the question!) If your family needs a back seat, I'd recommend getting another car (in *addition* to the GTO, not instead of it). As for the finances, in addition to all the rebates, etc, GM also had a super deal for current leaseholders during September. If your lease was scheduled to terminate before May of 2005 (mine was April), then you could turn it in early, get a brand new GM car and they waived the remaining lease payments. Plus, there was a lease promotion on the GTO (reduced money factor combined with a high residual, if I'm not mistaken), so I wound up with a lease payment about $60 lower than my 3 1/2 year old Bonneville! I really had no choice! GM made it very difficult to say 'no' to the GTO.

(Now I'm wondering how long it will take for Gibson to use the same underhanded tactic to 'force' me to buy a black Les Paul Custom.)

Reply to
Mike Hartigan

LOL! Unfortunately, I had a payment on my Yukon (that just ended), and with my 40 mile one way commute it seems leasing is out of the question! However, after 17 years of marriage, I am finally getting a garage to store my treasures. So I finally have a place to store my driver (the 67), my project (a 64 GTO convertible), and a place to jam on my wine red Les Paul Custom! But, if there was a bit more trunk I may have traded the wifes Grand Am in on the GTO. Alas, 9 cubic feet doesn't hold a ton of basketballs... Damn, and she was GOING for it, too! What a woman!

Reply to
Joseph Roche

Can we talk?...I dont have a problem with the ride or performance of the GTO, but damn if you are going to make a performance car with a GTO nameplate, then make me look up and take notice, demand my attention and demand my respect. I have only seen one GTO on the road other than in dealership parking lots and at first glance at a rear angle I thought it was an oversized mutated Neon. Lets face it the car is ugly as sin. Pontiac designers should have been let go 5 years ago. The Grand Am up until 1998 was a pretty decent look car, the Grand Prix coke bottle body was a great looking car, the current Grand Prix is now just so so. The brand new G6 looks like split grille Saturn so where is the excitement? Lets not even mention the Aztec and lastly the legendary GTO brought back to life looking like it was just dug up from a shallow grave. Lets face peeples Pontiac needs a major overhall in styling. I am sorry but I just said something that needed to be said. I am sorry if I have offended anyone...wait...I am sorry again because I really dont care if I offended anyone!

Reply to
Mayor Quimby

Gee. And I bet you're pissed off because it didn't have drum brakes, cross ply red line tyres and leaf springs.

Reply to
Steve Magee

original name as used by Pontiac, was just a name - Pontiac had no >

interest in homologating the Tempest. But that doesn't diminish the >

legendary status that it rightfully attained). The 2004 version is a

forgotten what torque felt like. And passing with confidence is no >

longer a distant memory. And oh, that wonderful sound that only a V8

its > styling (that's a good thing, IMO). It doesn't shout "LOOK AT ME!" > (unless you get a red one). I don't need for it to blow the doors > off the Mustang or the Camaro sitting next to me - he and I both know > that it can. In short, it's everything it's cracked up to be. And > at under $24,000 after incentives (employee pricing), it was almost a > steal! I think that many of the naysayers are simply waiting for > somebody to talk them into buying one. I say go for it!

Mike

Mike, I'm with you, I love my GTO too!!!! I'm 49 yrs old and I never thought I would ever feel this kind of power again either. And for the looks....well I liked it when I first saw it and I love it now since I did some mods to it. Heres a couple of pics of my GOAT.

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Enjoy your car Mike and if you want to talk with other GTO owners try going to LS1gto.com Lots of info. and really good ppl too!

BB

Reply to
BB

THE CAR LOOKS LIKE EVERY OTHER CAR IN THEIR LINE UP - [BONNEVILLE - GRAND AM - GRAN PRIX - G6]

I WAS READY TO BUY AS SOON AS I HEARD THEY WERE GOING TO LAUNCH IT.

WHAT HAPPENED FROM THE TIME THEY ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH TO THE TIME IT WAS APPROVED IN THE CLAY STUDIO IS BEYOND ME.

GEEZ GM - A LITTLE MORE IMAGINATION - THIS IS A "gto"

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A

Reply to
Mike Hartigan

That reminds me...... When I dropped off my 1970 GTO to be shipped back here last year, I had a chance to see (from the office) the worker out in the lot get in and drive it away. I thought, "Holy crap! My car looks awesome!". GW

Reply to
Geoff Welsh

Reply to
Bryan Lee

Reply to
Joseph Roche

Yes I remember it was an option package of a Tempest, but it still had that brawny character that most US cars had at the time. Unlike todays GTO that just blends in with Moms grocery getter. What worked then dosnt work today especially on a foriegn car platform.

Reply to
Mayor Quimby

Pontiac needs to take some tips from Ford and Chrysler, if you are going to bring back a classic name do like Ford is doing with the 2005 Mustang or what Chrysler did with the 2005 Hemi 300. Both of these cars are Beeeuuutiful. I hear Dodge is bringing back the Charger built on the same platform as the 300. Rumors are it will be a retro coke bottle style body like the classics. Like I said Pontiac needs some lessons in styling.

Reply to
Mayor Quimby

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