Would you buy the New GTO if they changed the styling?

[GRX]

Originally Posted by Tripower455

Even a if it is a Cavalier!

[HUMBLER]

Depends if I have another 04 by then. If so, no I won't be buying the new one because chances are I'll have a VE as well...

[Tom McQueen]

No, I would not purchase a re-badged Monaro, no matter how it was re-styled. GM screwed the pooch on that whole deal, and I already have a real GTO out in my shop. Thats my opinion, and I dont intend to change it.
I do, however, plan to drive one next June when I go on vacation, back to Australia (3rd trip).

[Ron Genovese]

Originally Posted by Tom McQueen

No, I would not purchase a re-badged Monaro, no matter how it was re-styled. GM screwed the pooch on that whole deal, and I already have a real GTO out in my shop. Thats my opinion, and I dont intend to change it.
I do, however, plan to drive one next June when I go on vacation, back to Australia (3rd trip).

Re-styled? you mean re-badged!

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by Ron Genovese

Who did that in 04,05,& 06???

You're kidding, right? Where've you been? Pontiac sold a "powerful engine in an intermediet car that is affordable to working class blue collar folks" in those years...... They called it a GTO, even if it was a rebadged Monaro.....

Kind of like '64, when they rebadged a Tempest......

[455HOGT37]

Originally Posted by Tripower455

You're kidding, right? Where've you been? Pontiac sold a "powerful engine in an intermediet car that is affordable to working class blue collar folks" in those years...... They called it a GTO, even if it was a rebadged Monaro.....

Kind of like '64, when they rebadged a Tempest......

Yep, I was thinking the same thing. The car is fast, roomy, and relatively cheap. Sounds like a musclecar to me. Maybe someone is holding out for the version that stickers for $3,995, like "back in the day".

There is a lot wrong with GM marketing this import as a Pontiac GTO, but they did hit the "bang for the buck" target square on the head.

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by dragula81

Jerry,
Mine stickered for almost $34k including a $695 dealer-add "protection package". I paid $29k "out the door" (including tax, tag and title) for it and I paid too much compared to what they are selling for up north.

Since I probably can't link to the actual threads here, just go over to LS2GTO.com and read in their "2006 Information" forum. There are many people at multiple dealers who are buying these cars (new '06's) for slightly under $25k PLUS Tax, tag and title.

My brother-in-law who is interested in one of these cars called one of those northern dealers listed and they offered it to him for $24,500. He would of course have to pay Alabama tax when he returned here which would be another $1200-1400.

I know that it's hard to believe but it's true. I was skeptical at first too.

Oh well, it doesn't matter to me, I still LOVE the car no matter what it's called.


I love the original GTO's and I'm sure I'll get flamed for this but......

I think what's really ironic about the whole issue over the car being named a "GTO" is the fact that the name "GTO" was stolen by GM from Ferrari. The original word "GTO" essentially belonged to a foreign car company in the first place.


I wonder if old school Ferrari owners had this same debate when Pontiac released their "GTO".

Well that may be the case, but I would have to see an original Bill of Sale showing the sales price at under 25k. You know what the saying is: 'Everybody likes to brag about how little they paid for their car and how much they paid for their house!'


And Mr. GTO, if you would read the entire post, I was NOT the one who brought up the 36k msrp. It was mentioned by someone earlier in the thread about a 36k price and the dealer adding on another 5k. I might be ignorant, but I'm not stupid, nor am I dumb!

[Mr_GTO]

Originally Posted by Jerry H.

And Mr. GTO, if you would read the entire post, I was NOT the one who brought up the 36k msrp. It was mentioned by someone earlier in the thread about a 36k price and the dealer adding on another 5k. I might be ignorant, but I'm not stupid, nor am I dumb!

Yea, you are ignorant for knowing nothing about the car. I could call you dumb for you following someone's "Facts" when they were wrong and you didn't bother to verify if that person was correct. I'll just call it being lazy.

[poncho-mike]

I came fairly close to buying an 05 GTO that in 06.

I'm not thrilled with the looks, but the car is a fun driver. And it's a lot better looking than anything currently in the Mopar camp.

I followed a couple of threads on this board where people claimed to have bought new 05 GTOs for $24K, and I decided I would pay that for one. I quickly found that none of the local dealers would discount anywhere near that level. The best I could do locally was $27K for an 05 and $28.5K for an 06.

I did find a few in the $26K range, but they were halfway across the country. In the end, I bought an 02 WS6 6-spd convertible.

The performance of the GTO sold itself, but the appearance reduced the price I was willing to pay for such a car. Performance will only take you so far, it takes styling or low price (or both) to close the deal.

Mike

[uneasyrider]

Originally Posted by GTObsessed

If Pontiac decided to do a Modern/Retro GTO like the Challanger/Camaro/Mustangs would you buy it?


The only thing keeping me away from the new GTO right now is the bland import tuner styling.

YES

and

Ditto, it's not that it's an ugly car it just looks like SO many others.

[David Jones]

Originally Posted by Mr_GTO

Yea, you are ignorant for knowing nothing about the car. I could call you dumb for you following someone's "Facts" when they were wrong and you didn't bother to verify if that person was correct. I'll just call it being lazy.

Jerry H., mrgto talks a lot and thinks everything he says is a fact. It's kind of a dream type world. He is the 2004-06 GTO encyclopedia in his own little mind. He verifies all of his information by endless searching on the internet and believes what he wants to believe. The WEB is his little cocoon. It insulates him from the real world that most others live in. He talks a big game but thats it.

[455HOGT37]

Credit where it is due - The STICKER price of this car is a bargain, and anything under 30k is a major bargain. Yes, there are some that paid mid 20s, but that is really unusual. If you use that as your benchmark, you are missing out. We live in a world where average, grocery getter cars are 25-30k, where do you people get the idea that a 400HP car is expensive at 34K?

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by 455HOGT37

Credit where it is due - The STICKER price of this car is a bargain, and anything under 30k is a major bargain. Yes, there are some that paid mid 20s, but that is really unusual. If you use that as your benchmark, you are missing out. We live in a world where average, grocery getter cars are 25-30k, where do you people get the idea that a 400HP car is expensive at 34K?

Its all in your own perception. If you like the car, than you probibly think its worth the 36K. If you dont like the car, well.....

I personally think the car isnt worth that kinda cash. If I go to the showroom and want to buy a car like the 400hp GTO than I might want it to look as good as it performs.

[455HOGT37]

Nobody has to pay 36 anymore, and very few did even when they were "new".

I think the car is pretty boring looking personally. But looks aren't the primary concern for me. What else can you buy for 30(ish) with this performance?

Do you think the 69 Roadrunner sold back in the day based on it's good looks... I think not.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by Mr_GTO

Yea, you are ignorant for knowing nothing about the car. I could call you dumb for you following someone's "Facts" when they were wrong and you didn't bother to verify if that person was correct.

I never said it was a fact. It was my experience with two different dealers. One gave me a $36k price and the other wouldn't budge from $34,995 (and I wasn't allowed to drive at either one). One of the two had a "market adjustment" tagged on to it as well and I wasn't about to pay for that. Is it a factual re-telling of EVERY DEALER out there? Doubtful. Is it MY experience? Yes.

And I don't know about the rest of of you, but $35k for a car is a lot of money. I'm not that old (under 30) so I can't afford that kind of car payment based on the average Joe's salary. If it was $10k less, I could swing it, but the prices dealers were charging when I looked was too high for me. I don't give a hoot about how much of a "deal" it is for $32-35k, it is priced outside of the range for people like me (young and not well off) to be able to afford. The same thing killed off the Trans Am with my age group as well.

Unlike most people I have talked to, I have reasons for not owning this car that doesn't relate to the styling. It's purely a matter of cost.

[Tripower455]

I paid $26k for my '04 plus tax etc. when they were giving the $3k cash back. Well worth the money, even at a higher price. Heck, even at sticker price, name ONE other V8 powered, manual trans, RWD car with room for 4 adults that looks as good as the GTO. I'll save you the time. there isn't anything. The closest things are the Mopar offerings, if you like 1800's locomotive styling.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by 455HOGT37

Do you think the 69 Roadrunner sold back in the day based on it's good looks... I think not.

No, but the whole idea of the GTO in 64 was to sell an inexpensive car with a lot of hp. Someone translated the cost of the dollar back in 64 to what it is today and compared it to the cost of the original car. I think I read a new 64 GTO would cost somewhere around 14K today.

And before Mr GTO chimes in with his all knowing responses, I know the cars back then didnt have advanced computer systems that manage the engines opperation and they didnt offer power windows or have the type of sound systems that we have today and they didnt have traction controll and such. I still dont think the car is worth y of a 36K peice tag.

Do you think that the new GTO would have sold better if it had a sticker of say 27K?

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

I never said it was a fact. It was my experience with two different dealers. One gave me a $36k price and the other wouldn't budge from $34,995 (and I wasn't allowed to drive at either one). One of the two had a "market adjustment" tagged on to it as well and I wasn't about to pay for that. Is it a factual re-telling of EVERY DEALER out there? Doubtful. Is it MY experience? Yes.

And I don't know about the rest of of you, but $35k for a car is a lot of money. I'm not that old (under 30) so I can't afford that kind of car payment based on the average Joe's salary. If it was $10k less, I could swing it, but the prices dealers were charging when I looked was too high for me. I don't give a hoot about how much of a "deal" it is for $32-35k, it is priced outside of the range for people like me (young and not well off) to be able to afford. The same thing killed off the Trans Am with my age group as well.

Unlike most people I have talked to, I have reasons for not owning this car that doesn't relate to the styling. It's purely a matter of cost.

Well, you're not getting into a powerful V8 for a sticker price of $25k. Even the V8 Rustangs are into the low $30s when you add all the stuff that the GTO (or even TA's) came with, and then you still have essentially a 2 seater. When the F bodies were still around, you could've gotten a Formula for low to mid 20s (I ordered my '01, and paid less than $23K for it) or a Z-28 for even less.

You can definitely get a new GTO for less than $30k. Check out some of the "Fleet Sale" guys, who will sell at $100 over dealer cost. That's how I bought my Formula since I had to order it. Unbelievably easy (I only left the house to mail the check and to pick up the car at a local dealer. I used Lafayette Bay Fleet Sales. Great guys) and I saved over $3k compared to what any of the local thieves would give me the car for. I bought the GTO off a local lot, but it was already there, and the timing was right. It was late '04, and they weren't moving. I actually didn't think I was gonna buy one, since I was firm in what I'd pay and what I'd take in trade (I didn't want the hassle of dealing with all of the 16 year olds test driving, but not buying, my 6 speed Formula). I was very surprised when it only took me getting up to leave ONCE. I didn't even have my heart set on the car, and liked my Formula, so it was no big deal if they wouldn't meet my price. I've been happy with the car, and the only things I don't like about it are the lack of trunk space, and rear seat access.

The trunk space is the biggie, and has me contemplating getting something else. The rear seat access is a pain in the ass too. Since there's no room in the trunk, it'd be nice if the passenger seat either folded further forward, or at least reclined flat. This way, stuff that wouldn't fit in the trunk could at least go on the seat or I could get it into the back seat. If I want to go jam with friends, I either have to bring a 1-12 speaker cab, or take the passenger seat out to fit the 2-12. If the seat folded further forward, I could get the 2-12 in the back. Same with my RC planes. I could get several more in there if the seat moved further, either way.

Other than that, I have no issues with the car in 30k miles. It does feel like driving a 4 cylinder after driving my '66 though!

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by Mr_GTO

Yea, you are ignorant for knowing nothing about the car. I could call you dumb for you following someone's "Facts" when they were wrong and you didn't bother to verify if that person was correct. I'll just call it being lazy.

I may be ignorant, but being a Sales Manager at a Pontiac store in 2003, I've forgotten more about the 04 GTO than you will ever know! I can't say that about the 05 & 06, I retired in 2003.

My opinion about the current GTO and any new 'retro' style is this: Build it as the original GTO was built, a barebones high performance car that would START in the mid 20's. Offer one with just a standard stereo, no pw, etc. Then progress up to the 'loaded' models.

The 04-06 GTO is one he!!uva car! I just shouldn't have been badged a GTO. Give it some other name, G10 for example. I believe it would have sold better without all of the uproar about it being badged a GTO.

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

No, but the whole idea of the GTO in 64 was to sell an inexpensive car with a lot of hp. Someone translated the cost of the dollar back in 64 to what it is today and compared it to the cost of the original car. I think I read a new 64 GTO would cost somewhere around 14K today.

Keeping it in context, compared to it's contemporaries, the '64 GTO wasn't that cheap. It was cheaper than say a Buick or Caddy, but it cost more than a Ford or a Chevy. The same holds true today. The price is on par with most other cars in the performance and comparitive feature range, and far cheaper than some of the others (BMW for example).

Do you think that the new GTO would have sold better if it had a sticker of say 27K?

It would've sold even better if it were $3k, but people would still put it down. I am sure that there were folks that hated the GTO in '64 too, since it looked like every other car on the road at the time and cost half the average annual salary back then.