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

[455HOGT37]

Originally Posted by Tripower455

...My '66 doesn't, as it's a convertible. No room or position for the third in the middle. Certainly no more room than my '04...

...It seems that this statement either isn't correct, or my '66 isn't a "real" GTO...... I can cram 3 people in the back of both my GTOs too.........

Does the 66 'Vert have 3 seatbelts in back? My 67 coupe did. My GT has 3 sets of belts in back AND front. Practical or not, that makes the car a legal 6 passenger vehicle. If the factory only provided seatbelts for two in the 'Verts, then I will revise my statement. I've never had an A body 'Vert, but I think my 69 Firebird had belts for 3 (but wouldn't swear to it).

Originally Posted by Tripower455

...The back seat ingress/egress is one of the 2 things I really don't like about the '04-'06. It would be far better to have a MANUAL release for the seat back that allowed it to quickly slide forward...

I so agree with this! A nice, inexpensive flip and fold manual latch like was on EVERY Jap car from the 70's/80's. How much was added in cost, weight, and engineering to come up with motorized seats that are less usefull?

Originally Posted by Tripower455

...It still doesn't make it a 2+2...

Agree again... its a 4 seat coupe, not a 2+2

[HUMBLER]

GM RWD V8 Midsize = Pontiac GTO, that is the point.

Holden is to GM just as Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, Cadillac, GMC, Hummer, Saab, etc is, that is the point.

You re-rebadged / restored, point is you have an identity issue. It's all GM and therefore all good!

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by 455HOGT37

Does the 66 'Vert have 3 seatbelts in back? My 67 coupe did. My GT has 3 sets of belts in back AND front. Practical or not, that makes the car a legal 6 passenger vehicle. If the factory only provided seatbelts for two in the 'Verts, then I will revise my statement. I've never had an A body 'Vert, but I think my 69 Firebird had belts for 3 (but wouldn't swear to it).

Mine didn't for sure, and I am the one that removed the belts when I took the car apart. Who knows, legally, what they classified it as. Back then, there were no seat belt laws, so whoever fit was "legal" I guess........

I so agree with this! A nice, inexpensive flip and fold manual latch like was on EVERY Jap car from the 70's/80's. How much was added in cost, weight, and engineering to come up with motorized seats that are less usefull?

No ****...... I also wish the seat folded further forward, so I could get stuff in the back easier.

Mine is probably not gonna be mine for too much longer. I need more room (as in a truck or possibly an SUV :gasp and I am tired of almost getting hit every time I drive. I need something that the old people can see better, and in the case where they don't, THEY lose.

[HUMBLER]

No doubt, I can't believe they let those seats leave the drawing / engineering board...

I as well needed more room and might I say the Trailblazer SS was a natural, been a fun / more functional vehicle.

[455HOGT37]

Back seat access and trunk... The only two major drawbacks to the car that I can see.

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by 455HOGT37

Back seat access and trunk... The only two major drawbacks to the car that I can see.

Agreed........

[HUMBLER]

I never really had a problem with the trunk actually it being a sports car and all but the seats, WTH? 06s were supposed to be faster but I couldn't tell the difference.

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by HUMBLER

I never really had a problem with the trunk actually it being a sports car and all but the seats, WTH? 06s were supposed to be faster but I couldn't tell the difference.

Have you tried to put anything in the trunk of an '04-'06?

The '05's and '06's were noticebly quicker than the '04s. It was most apparent to me in the low to midrange torque when driving around.....

[HUMBLER]

LMAO, the seats (not the car) were what I was referring to as supposedly faster!

Yes, just about every day I put something in the trunk. Size was fine as a sports car daily driver.

[gto fast pontiac]

i would defiently buy a new gto if they did the retro style but in truth the new gto is kinda like the old one a kind of boring looking car with a ton of power and torque

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by HUMBLER

LMAO, the seats (not the car) were what I was referring to as supposedly faster!

Yes, just about every day I put something in the trunk. Size was fine as a sports car daily driver.

LOL...... I didn't notice the seat being any faster either! Well, I can get either 2 guitars and maybe a cable bag in the trunk, or 1 guitar, a 1-12 speaker cab and a cable bag. It's a PIA. There was actually more room in the F body and you could get bigger stuff into the back seat, due to the hatch.

[455HOGT37]

I keep thinking I will get ahold of the right fuel tank (or a suitable substitute) and get my trunk back... Another project for another day.

[HUMBLER]

Put the fuel tank back underneath...now that would be a Monaro conversion!

[Jeff R]

Originally Posted by HUMBLER

LMAO, the seats (not the car) were what I was referring to as supposedly faster!

One of my few beefs with the car. Manual seats would have been better, or at least they could have put a decent motor/gears in them. Hopefully they'll think about this the next time.

[Sirrotica]

Thread: Worth every penny View Single Post
#47 01-28-2007, 10:54 AM
Sirrotica
Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: South Charleston Ohio
Posts: 28

Evolution

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It amazes me how the forum here has degenerated ...go back to the beginning of this forum and check the enthusiasim that there was when the 04 was released... after some pretty substantial improvements in 05 (50 more Hp., and real dual exhaust and the hood scoops that were so harped upon) there are still so many detractors from this car.. I guess it would be better if they (Pontiac) would just keep comming up about every 5 years with a GTO concept and never actually bring anything to market ? I like my car and I believe as I said before ,it does everything that my previous GTO s have done and more ,yes it was made in Australia and no it can't be ordered with a 455, I worked at a GM dealer in the 80 s and many of the GM parts we installed were made in Mexico, India, China, Canada,Japan, Etc. So much for your made in America cars. the LS2 is said to be a Chevy engine, actually it's a GM V8, exclusive to no particular GM brand. There is not one part on the engine that you can bolt to a small block chevy or a big block chevy. Its what Pontiac has now for a V8 . Do you think if GM hadn't pulled the plug on the Stratostreak V8 that they would still be making the Pontiac V8 as we knew it? They don t even make the small block chevy for installation in passenger cars anymore . We now have the LS family of engines, said to be the most advanced pushrod V8 in existance and they are a powerful and efficient design, what we need with the price on gas near 3 bucks a gallon. I do not ever remember any of my GTO s getting 20 MPG average .I still have 3 cars with the Stratostreak V8, and I love them dearly but this is 2007 and these are not what will sell to the public now .Most people that detract from the new GTO don't have one, haven t driven one , or really want one but can t afford one, and a few just don t like them .. thats fine . I will enjoy my car and keep it for a long while as I have held onto my other Pontiac performance cars... Peace .
__________________
1973 T/A 455 W/ 72 H.O heads Auto
1997 T/A 5.7 Litre (stock) Auto
2005 GTO (stock) Auto
1986 Grand Prix (in the works 455 D port automatic made to closely resemble a Winston Cup car, and will be street driven with a full roll cage fuel cell ,etc)
Proprietor of Indianhead Acres/ Pontiac T Shirts
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[RAIVJUDGE]

I drove the new GTO and really think it is a great car. At the time I was looking to buy one they were getting full list. The car drove nicely, had a quiet ride and interior, great dash layout and great performance. I just could not shell out that kind of money for a car that looked too much like a Grand Am on steroids.

They did try to market the car to BMW 3 series coupe buyers and I believe it is right on par with one. It just did not have the distinctive character ( I am not talking retro ) or upscale design that is required to take those cars on. The GTO nameplate which conjures up visions of wheel spinning muscle cars does not fit the refined car that the new GTO is. Remember the GTO nameplate was absent since 1974, a vast majority of the people that GM was marketing the car to did not know the history of the GTO. You can buy a new 328i BMW for around $38,500 and as low as 34,000 stripped. So when you look at it why would the target market buy a GTO ( which to the target market the name GTO is relatively meaningless) when you can in the buyers mind get the image and prestige of saying you own a BMW.

The people that I know at dealerships all say the same thing great all around car that is short on distinctive styling. It is a tough car to sell.

I drive a Grand Prix GXP as a daily driver and find that it has a more distinctive look then the GTO.

GM would been better off spending the money spent on the GTO on an upscale G-10 car as others suggested above. If they want to build a GTO make it a showroom traffic generator like Dodge did with the Viper and sell 10,000 a year. Get the people in the door and close them on your bread and butter models like the G series, Grand Prix, Vibe, Solstice and Torrent models.

Just my opinion, I am sure someone will try to tear me up.

Oh and to answer the original question of this post, if the styling of the car matches the price and the performance and interior stay on par with the current car, yes I will buy one.

[HUMBLER]

Sirrotica, what is up with your posts man and all that extra text?

Forum has Degenerated? It hasn't changed in 4 years...! The 04 posts were degenerate right out of the gate!

RAIV, The only people that paid close to $34K were those who bought an 04 early on and probably not even them. Styling, yeah, we get it... I don't think anyone is saying it is/was a Camaro / Mustang / Viper type of impact but the styling isn't as bad as everyone says either. Regardless, I don't forsee the same mistake again as they have the Camaro and G8 platforms to work with. If they coupe up the G8, I'm all over it for the next GTO. If they rebadge / facsia the Camaro I'm all over it. We'll see what they do...

[lrosen]

Come to Indiana dealers. The one I went to bent over backwards to get me to buy the GTO. They offered me a GMS number + red-tag sale price + $1000 off.

I bought my 2005 IBM for $27K OTD around thanksgiving 05. Anyone who says this isn't a REAL GTO is nuts. It has classic, understated, aggressive styling, more power than most other cars in it's price-range/class, and is one of the most plush/comfy GM interiors ever. For nearly 1/2 the price of a C6 and less than a Must... GT or Cobra it can't be beat for the price.

I am a very happy/satisfied Pontiac customer with my new GTO.

[fastgtr]

I went to 6 count em 6 dealers before I could get one to crack the 30k carrier-wth heavy incentives from GM to boot. 25K????? Where!? Those kind of prices are simply too good to pass up. I was a snob about the looks until I drove one, then i was addicted. There are major and serious improvements over any old GTO in handling, performance, and ride comfort, as well as road noise, and creature comforts, but I am lucky enough to own both a well equipped new 06 in blue with blue leather, 6 speed and 18 inch alloys, as well as a 67 with just about every major upgrade known to man and I can decide if I want a ground punding brute force animal to scare the kids and the cops can hear coming a mile away at idle, or a smooth riding bullet that doesnt draw over much attention. If you would have asked me ten years ago, I would have always chosen the 67. I have about $50K in her now so she is special. Keep toying with the idea of selling her, then like many of you, one more good deal comes along, and I just have to bolt it on! Both are real GTO's in my book. They were both ideas of simplicity, and a bit of arrogance. One in the era of the early ferarri GTO which pontiac hoped to exploit the the borrowing of the term GTO and take some thunder from Enzo Ferarri's racing successes. The other in the here and now, when they clearly set their stights on equalling a BMW M series killer and then some, and succeeded. I absolutely destroyed a new M3 convertible in a road race, and he was steamed bad. I can assure you he paid a LOT more than I did for my car, and I can tell you his girlfriend was more than impressed. She wanted to talk when they pulled up to the stop light after being smoked from 50 mph to 150 and back down again. Was never even close. An M5 might get me, but he will have to drive better than me, and since I grew up 1/4 miling...not bloody likely! The clincher for me was my wife wanted the M3 coupe, and once she rode in this car, she looked at me and said, get the GTO. It is a better car. Nuclear Scientist she is. Lucky guy I am! Even looks like a cross between the m series coupes, and the GTP. I dont like it, but it works well enough and when a loaded camry can run mid to high 20's i will spring for the GTO. Not a major sales success, but a success in my eyes, because the car was good enough to overcome 6 impossibly lame dealers who all tried the add 4 to 6 grand markup game. GM should disassociate itself from that practive 100$ before it kills them. Where did they come up with that arrogance to try to markup a car that is discontinued, and was a sales slug? All who tried this stupid trick heard me shouting and saw my middle finger raised as they watched me walk away, and then come back a few weeks later with the car I wanted at the price I was willing to pay. Had to go to L.A. from san jose to get it! Bunnin Pontiac gave me the best deal out of more than 30 dealers I shopped online, and blew every single dealer out of the water on the price without me haggling. The beat everyone, but this was in April of last year. Prices have clearly plummted. But credit bunnin. They redeemed GM for this sale.

[Jeff R]

Way too much coffee.