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Pontiac GTO

4353 messages,  Last post on Oct 13, 2010 at 5:13 PM

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What is this discussion about? Pontiac GTO, Coupe

Messages Page 354 of 436

#3525 of 4353 Re: used 2004 v. 2005 gto [pod] by hammen2

Oct 16, 2005 (8:36 pm)

Replying to: pod (Oct 14, 2005 2:52 pm)
Well, right now there's $2k additional off 2005 GTO's. Many dealers are selling at or near the Employee Price... meaning $27k + ttl. (Long Island, NY dealership).
 
Besides the LS2 engine (with electronic throttle control - no throttle cable), hood scoops, and the revised rear fascia (both cars have dual exhaust, the '05's are just seperated versus one-side exit on the '04's), the '05's also get significantly better brakes and optional 18" wheels. The auto tranny is also beefed up/re-worked on the '05's as well (not sure what you're looking at). And, the '05's have the benefits of having virtually no TSB's/few known issues.
 
Having said that, the '04's represent a tremendous bargain for $20-$21k (I wouldn't pay more than that for one). Look at the VIN - last 6 digits will vary between 176xxx and 317xxx - look for a higher VIN, which has more rolling changes/fewer TSB's). If you find an older one at a good price, I wouldn't avoid it, but would take the VIN in to a friendly Pontiac dealer and have them run it through SI to get the service history of the vehicle (will tell you which TSB's and repairs have been done).
 
If you end up with an '05 in a color common to the '04's, you can probably find someone to swap hoods if you want the unscooped version. I've been seeing people pay $300-$400 to do the swap, FYI.
 
--Robert

#3526 of 4353 Re: My Two Cents [kbobe67] by hammen2

Oct 16, 2005 (8:40 pm)

Replying to: kbobe67 (Oct 14, 2005 8:01 pm)
I believe GM made changes to the 5.7L engines (both truck and LS1) after MY2002 to reduce the likelihood of piston slap... only know of one person claiming to have it on their '04 (but he has heads and a cam, so all bets are off in my book).
 
Had the Cosmos Purple color stayed on for '05, I would have waited and bought one, but it didn't, so I didn't wait. Don't regret my purchase at all, even though I went through hell with GTO #1 before getting it exchanged...
 
--Robert

#3527 of 4353 Re: Kill Overspeed Alarm [kbobe67] by hammen2

Oct 16, 2005 (8:51 pm)

Replying to: kbobe67 (Oct 04, 2005 4:27 pm)
I'm still trying to figure out how its a 10 speaker system. Presuming there are tweeters in the dash, that's two. Two 6.5" in the doors, two more in the rear side panels, that's six. The two subs in the deck, I get eight total. What am I missing?
 
As kevm14 guessed, the rears are coaxial. The tweeters are between the A-pillar and the dash. I left them alone - it wasn't highs that were the problem, it was lows (and the distortion present due to the cheap #$#$ paper-cone speakers).
 
--Robert

#3528 of 4353 Re: Spied: 2008 Pontiac GTO [kbobe67] by hammen2

Oct 16, 2005 (9:07 pm)

Replying to: kbobe67 (Oct 06, 2005 11:43 am)
I wonder if Holden is strapped with the same sort of labor union and related expenses the American builders have. My guess is if it was built domestically to the same standard the GTO would be a $45,000 car.
 
Well, I do know that Holden has to deal with the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union. I do not know if Australia has nationalized healthcare or retirement benefits, though. I do know that Holden is pretty progressive about their flexible assembly processes and procedures - they deal with a lot of Japanese companies for their assembly automation - they DON'T use GMNA assembly methods, which is one reason why the Aussie Zeta platform died (couldn't be built here). They are also starting to use non-Australian suppliers (the Zeta-based next-gen Commodore will supposedly be 50-55% non-Aussie content - things like glass from Thailand, for example). Holden did just announce that they're letting go 1400 employees next August when the GTO ceases production, mainly because they're killing the third shift they added when they started to build the GTO back in fall of 2003.
 
My guess is if it was built domestically to the same standard the GTO would be a $45,000 car.
 
You know what's funny, if you were to buy a Monaro, and convert the sale price to $USD, you'd be around $45k. We get a bargain as far as the Aussies are concerned. The business case for the Monaro was for 4k-5k cars per year for 3 years. Figure 40k GTO's, plus a few thousand Lumina SS's (Middle East) and Vauxhall Monaros (UK), not to mention the HSV cars, and I think Holden (and GM) did make some money on the GTO... but, like so many folks here, I am beginning to question whether GM will build a next-gen, given their financial problems. There are rumors of a GTO show car at NAIAS in January... if you don't see one there, that may speak volumes about the GTO's future...
 
--Robert

#3529 of 4353 Re: You guys are lucky [kbobe67] by hammen2

Oct 16, 2005 (9:26 pm)

Replying to: kbobe67 (Oct 07, 2005 12:35 pm)
American stuff starts falling apart at 50k, maybe 75k if properly nursed. By 100k it's a crap shoot
 
I kinda dispute that... got my winter car out of storage ('98 Aurora) a month ago, but it's been sitting in the driveway. Finally got home today to wash it and take it for a spin. It's amazingly solid and whisper-quiet on the highway, with 95k on the odo. No rattles, and it's black, with a black interior, no tint, and it's been pretty much stored since late April... needs struts and rear shocks badly, though (OEMs still on the car). That's my next project, 'cause the GTO goes away to storage in two weeks, not to emerge until April 1 at the earliest
 
--Robert

#3530 of 4353 Re: Power [dburger66] by hammen2

Oct 16, 2005 (9:37 pm)

Replying to: dburger66 (Oct 01, 2005 9:34 am)
can anyone tell me what kind of power the drive train can safely handle
 
BMR fabrication used to have a website where they went through all the steps they did to get a 9-second GTO. I believe that when they exceeded 450 rwhp the driveshaft went, so they designed a replacement, which they sell along with other parts, here:
 
http://www.bmrfabrication.com/GTO
 
BTW, BMR was auctioning their project GTO on eBay (auction over, I'm not spamming on their behalf, don't know them and never bought anything from them):
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMR-2004-PONTIAC-GTO-PROJECT-CAR-LS1_W0QQitemZ4580829425QQc- ategoryZ7244QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
--Robert

#3531 of 4353 Re: "overspeed" indicator [ausstar] by hammen2

Oct 16, 2005 (9:46 pm)

Replying to: ausstar (Oct 02, 2005 11:20 am)
Robert if you are reading this I was wondering if you have had any problems with the trunk release buttons. Sometimes mine works but most of the time I have to get out and hold the lid up and press the remote button at the same time. Fricken annoying cos I dont want to have to turn the car off every time I want to open the boot. I know the Aussie Monaro's dont have this problem I think this is just my car. The dealership does not have a clue how to fix it.!!
 
My keyfob doesn't work so great (I've learned to keep it above the spoiler, key pointed towards the dash of the car, and it tends to work better but still not great). I've had no problems using the trunk release glovebox button - does that still cause a problem? You may need to adjust the rubber "stoppers" on the trunk - I think they just screw in and out. I seem to remember that my trunk on car #2 did not pop up either, until I did so...
 
--Robert

#3532 of 4353 Re: hammen2 Q, rear bumper cover [elias] by hammen2

Oct 16, 2005 (9:49 pm)

Replying to: elias (Oct 02, 2005 12:58 pm)
on the aussie rear lower bumper/cover. the part i got is unfinished black. in photos of the aussie version they seem to be similar/dark grey to what it has on the GM USA part. i'm not sure i'm going to like the black lower bumper. i think i want it painted body color. maybe i'll try it in the flat black for a while and get it painted later. dunno. what are your thoughts on the whole thang ya bottler !
 
Gee, I thought it was dark grey like the '05 "GTO" one. I'll email Geoff at JHP and see what he has to say. I would consider getting it painted body color. I saw a Cosmos car with the SAP rear end and liked it alot - thinking about buying the SAP front and rear, for when I get my '05 hood painted and installed next spring (it's been sitting in an unused office at work since March
 
--Robert

#3533 of 4353 Re: drivers door won't lock by remote [hammen2] by tolenash

Oct 17, 2005 (6:49 am)

Replying to: hammen2 (Oct 16, 2005 8:25 pm)
Thanks "Guru" - I'll head to dealer next week to take care of this.

#3534 of 4353 Re: You guys are lucky [hammen2] by kbobe67

Oct 17, 2005 (1:22 pm)

Replying to: hammen2 (Oct 16, 2005 9:26 pm)
There are certainly exceptions. I'm not a GM expert but if I recall the Aurora was a shot by GM at competing with Lexus and Infiniti in the near-luxury sedan segment, and quite a bit of additional attention was focused on the build quality. Sounds like you probably take above average care of your vehicles, and the Aurora was a pretty decent car to start out with, but pound for pound American cars have a much shorter half-life than their foreign counterparts. An Accord with 75k miles is only halfway home. A Lumina with the same mileage has one tire in the grave.
 
Sorry to hear about the GTO's pending hibernation. I live in Florida, so we GTO all year long. Actually the weather finally cooled off enough for some windows-down motoring.

Messages Page 354 of 436

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