2004 GTO YTD Sales?????

How long has GM been advertising the new GTO on tv? Maybe it's me but I only just started noticing tv commercials in the past week or so.

Rich Dean Butler NJ

#The cars performance is revered in many publications and on this #newsgroup as well but it is THE most nondescript automobile on the #road today! That being said, and most would agree, performance will #have to sell this car on its own and I'm wondering if thats enough.

The only GTO I have seen on the road is my own (Orange County, CA).

I think someone made a big mistake in branding this car. Calling it a 'GTO' appears so far to have been a mistake. Again and again the reaction I have seen from folks is, "That's not a GTO," then they walk away without looking any further into it.

GM has already got people used to the looks of the new Malibu, Monte Carlo and Impala. They might have been better served calling it the 2004 Monte Carlo or something like that. People might not have been so offended or put off. In fact, they would have been grateful to see the Monte Carlo back in RWD form.

Or if they really wanted it with a Pontiac badging, they should have simply introduced a new model, the Pontiac Monaro.

What kind of car buyer will drop $33K on specs alone without being too concerned about style? I am one, but how many of us are there?

Mitch

As of March: 1,801 GTOs have been sold accoring to the GM Media website. Sales don't look that good but many dealers are still demanding MSRP or $2,000-$8,000 OVER MSRP so I think that has a lot to do with the poor sales.

______________________________________________________________ Dennis Smith AIM SN: Dens71TA ICQ Pager #: 52009584 '71 Trans Am - 455 H.O. - M21 4-speed - Cameo white/blue stripe '73 Trans Am - 455 - TH400 auto - Buccaneer red '84 Trans Am - 5.0 L - TH700R4 auto - Royal blue/silver aero

I am one also. I have a black automatic that I ordered in July 2003 as a preorder. It came in late March 2004 and is awesome in its power and handling ,but I agree, it is nothing special to look at. I am a GTO fanatic as the GTO was my first Factory New car I ever ordered. This was in 1965 for a 65 Hardtop stick 389 4 barrel in Midnight Blue. It was an awesome car but had some warts. The brakes sucked on it and it wouldn't turn on ice due to the lockup positraction. It looked great and still does in my opinion.

The nice thing about this new one is it is a real sleeper unless the victim hears the exhaust before being sucked up by it at an intersection. I am 67 years old going into my second childhood with the Goat. Wish I still had the Hush Puppies GTO shoes that came out in 65.

Dave Carr

We've talked about it here before. Before I would drop $40,000.00 on a new GTO that looks like a Saturn or Taurus, I would but the nicest restored "old" GTO that I could find. With all of the upgrades that can be done to the old ones you can actually get some fairly decent handling and comfort out of them. I've got a 68 GTO convertible and I GUARANTEE that it will attract more attention than a new GTO anywhere we would go. I'll be the first to admit that the new one would blow mine away in a whole list of categories, but that really doesn't matter to me. I'm after classic cruising on summer nights. I could never really use my car for day to day driving for a bunch of reasons, so that might also be one reason that people would buy a new GTO.

I cant argue with that thinking as that was the way I was thinking also. By the time I got to the point in my life where I was willing to spend 35 thousand on a Toy either collectible or new, I was getting old enough that my eyesight was slipping and my arthritic aching old body just isn't up to hanging inside a classic GTO keeping it running. I realized and accepted that the only way I was going to have a fast reminder of the GTOs of my youth was with this GTO badged Monaro and the availability of Dealer service. No matter how bad it looks, It does bring back the Hot performance and comfort of my youth and Yes it Will kick ass when asked to 8-)

Now if we can just get Pontiac to make a real retro GTO!

Dave Carr

performance

#I've got a 68 GTO convertible and I GUARANTEE that it will attract more #attention than a new GTO anywhere we would go.

I have a 1966 Malibu convertible. I do *not* like the attention. I like how the 2004 GTO is a sleeper. Only other car guys ever notic me in that, and that's okay.

Mitch

I would ignore the '66 Malibu and pay attention to the 2004 GTO. The Malibu is "Just another Chebbie" ...

BLASPHEMER!!!!!!!

They both are.

snipped-for-privacy@goathill.net

I saw my first one on the interstate last week end on my way to Vegas....Found it to be rather ordinary. However my head really turned when I saw a new Chrysler 300. Seems Chrysler has got their act together in their styling lately. Wish GM would. This coming from a GM loving Pontiac driver!!

The GTO reminds me of the coupe grand prix style, as gm is no longer making coupe grand prix, the GTO style is very blah

- AS I own a 92 Grand Prix SE Coupe owner and love the car to death

How cool. My Pontiac is a '91 Grand Prix SE coupe. I've had it 10 years and also love it to death. It all ways does so well on my Vegas week end get aways. I've been entertaining the idea of getting a newer car the last few years but theres nothing out there I really excites me.

What happened to that ol "Pontiac Excitement"

The GTO reminds me of the coupe grand prix style, as gm is no longer making coupe grand prix, the GTO style is very blah

- AS I own a 92 Grand Prix SE Coupe owner and love the car to death

Well im one that bought on specs alone. But then again I have always been a Pontiac guy, for the most part. In my youth I had a "66" goat in "72" that was my favorite. ( it got stolen at a local race track and was never found, grrrr ) After that, my brother and I bought a "69" Judge in the early "80's" and had to do a ton of work to it. Wow what a rocket that was, but as we got older plus other things that happened, we had to sell it. (one of the biggest mistakes I ever made). Well many years later and I had a "96" Firebird, traded that for a "98" Grand Prix Coupe then traded that for my new rocket the "04" GTO!!!!

Everyone is right about the looks, but this 5.7 350hp 6 speed Goat is little rocket. Mine is Phantom Black and was born in December of "03" and bought the first week of March. And by the way, just like that guy in CA, mine is the only one I have seen on the road.(I live in CT.) I could talk forever about this subject, but I won't....(lucky for you guy's..lol..) I just Love my "little GTO"!!!!!!!

BB

PS..I just love the way the speed-o gets that flashing circle around the 125 mph speed. (and that speed stays on the computer in the o/s mode.) I got it up to 140 in 5th pushing 5 thou rpm before I shut it down. And still had 6th gear to go....yikes!!!(I just had to know) It was on a long stretch of hwy and my brother was 3 miles ahead telling me the coast was clear. (no exits between me and my bro.)I must have been nuts!?

Actually you will hit top speed in 5th not in 6th. 6th gear is 0.5:1 overdrive and is for low gas consumption only.