Just more rambling and a reveiw

[65's]

Well I stopped by the local dealer yesterday to look at the new GTO. Was interested in possibly buying one, not just going to look so I could say I've seen one or anything like that. Anybody that knows me will appreaciate what a feat getting me to come to a dealer to look at a new car is. This only the 2nd time I've gone to look at a new car with a thought of buying one in my lifetime and I'm in my mid 40's. Well they had just one, all black, was pleasantly surprised to see it was a 6 speed. I wouldn't even consider buying a car with a automatic so that at least kept me there till a salesman could wander over and talk to me.
The only thing I really did'nt care for on the outside was the rear spoiler. If I bought one I'd be tempted to pull it off. Its too big and I do not like the way it swoops around to the front on the ends. Generally its not a bad looking car. I really don't care that it doesn't have a hood scoop. If they do add one It better be functional and not be a tacked on afair. If it isn't functional than I'd rather they leave it off. I do like the fact the car is rather ordinary looking, knd of the sleeper thing. Personally I like to keep a lower profile I don't want a car that screams "Look at Me". The salesman was a decent guy. He gave lots of info, said the reginal manager was in a couple of days ago. Mentioned many things I've read about the car in the last couple of weeks. He was very knowledgable about the car and older Pontiacs as he had been selling them for the last 40 years. Not pushy at all.
He admit to me his likes and dislikes about the car. Seemed like a real straight shooter. He asked me if I was interested in buying or just kicking tires. I told him I was interested in buying. I went around and looked at the window sticker and saw that they had a $4000.00 mark-up for it being a limited edition car. I told him that I didn't think he was going to get the extra 4K, Said Iv'e heard of others buying for sticker or less already. Then just like that he said would you be willing to pay sticker?
I kinda shrugged my shoulders and said I did'nt think so. Told him I wanted to take it for a test drive then he said something that left me thinking about it all night long. He said "we would have to talk about a deposit before that". I've thought about that to be sure I didn't misunderstand him but the only thing I can come up with is he wanted me to buy the car without even driving it. At the time I was kinda taken aback. I said I wasn't going to buy a car that I'd never driven. I was even sure I really wanted to buy one.
I'm a clean cut looking guy in my mid 40's, I'm not some 20 year old kid that wanted to go joy riding. I can easily afford to pay cash for this car if I wanted. I own my own business. So I just couldn't understand what he was saying to me. He really didn't say much more at this point and after a minute he excused himself as he had another customer he was dealing with.
I thought that was OK, I'd wait till he was done with that guy and the talk to him some more. See if I could get a better feel for what he needed from me to let me test drive it. I would of given a refundable deposit if he was worried about me beating it or wrecking it. And I would not of cared if he came along. I just wanted to drive one to see if I really enjoyed driving the thing.

As I waited a service guy came along and started talking to me. He had driven the car, did the shake down test. he was very favorable about the car. He also mentioned talking to the reginal manager. Said he was told it has a built in rollbar. So a moon roof could not be added aftermarket. Something I had not heard before. Anyways I waited around and when the salesman was done with his other customer he just went off into the back of the delaership and left me there. He snubbed me I think. I don't think he thought I really was interested in buying. The whole experience was kinda weird at this point. I ended walking out with the feeling that I was a leper or something.

As far as the car goes there are things I don't like about like the spoiler, the dash controls for the HVAC are kinda wimpy, they seem like they kinda float around in the dash, like they aren't really mounted down securely. The battery must of been disabled as I couldn't open the trunk or the gas cap. I assume that the button in the glove box is for the trunk. Is there no other way to open the trunk other than the button? I looked for a key slot on the trunk but I didn't see one. I dislike the fact that so much of these simple things are realant on the battery. But thats kinda typical for all new cars. Kinda a sore spot with me. The inside is small. not very roomy. The rear seat is very hard to get into. I climbed in from the pass. side as its front seat was all the way forward. It was still hard to climb in. You have to bend down quit a bit to get in. The rear seat is not very roomy. I'm only 5' 11" and just siiting there I couldn't fit my hand between the top of my head and the roof without bending down. Actually my head was close to the rear window not the roof itself. The rear window starts above the back seat. I'm sure that I'd be very uncomfortable if I had to ride in the back of this thing for any length of time. The drivers seat was comfortable. I couldn't adjust anything again cause there was no power. I was not impressed with the gages. Just a water temp gage and a tach thats all. I'd like to see a voltmeter and oil pressure gage added. Like most new cars you can't tell where the car ends or begins when your sitting in it.

Under the hood I was impressed that the engine compartment was realtively clean. I could see most the engine and I could even see down along the sides by the exhaust manifolds. I don't think this would be too big a pain in the butt to work on or tinker with.

All in all I didn't see anything that would stop me from buying it. Its pretty typical of all new cars, nothing really that stands out. It seems like its decently put together, its comfortable for the driver, its not bad looking. The reason I'm looking is rear wheel drive, a decent engine and a manual transmission. Something that is really kinda hard to find in a new car. The manual transmission eliminates about 95% of the cars on any lot nowdays.

Unless I can drive one I'm not buying as simple as that. I think that this is a car that anybody who likes a "sportier" car is most likely going to be hooked once they drive it. There maybe very minor flaws in its handling/braking when pushed to the limits but for me and 90% of the people out there its more than OK as it is. I like a nice firm ride, a smooth shifting transmission and a responsive engine. I'm pretty sure this car could deliver. I could live with many other dislikes if I enjoy driving the thing, afterall thats what its all about. I even hit another Pontiac dealer after that last night but they did'nt have a GTO. If he would of let me drive it and it gave me the ear to ear Kool-aid smile I most likely would of bought it.

I hope nobody that has boughten a new GTO takes offense, I meant none, we all bring our own set of likes and dislikes when look at cars. The negative things I see in the car are my own likes and dislikes, doesn't mean anything more.

[65's]

Well I stopped by the local dealer yesterday to look at the new GTO. Was interested in possibly buying one, not just going to look so I could say I've seen one or anything like that. Anybody that knows me will appreaciate what a feat getting me to come to a dealer to look at a new car is. This only the 2nd time I've gone to look at a new car with a thought of buying one in my lifetime and I'm in my mid 40's. Well they had just one, all black, was pleasantly surprised to see it was a 6 speed. I wouldn't even consider buying a car with a automatic so that at least kept me there till a salesman could wander over and talk to me.
The only thing I really did'nt care for on the outside was the rear spoiler. If I bought one I'd be tempted to pull it off. Its too big and I do not like the way it swoops around to the front on the ends. Generally its not a bad looking car. I really don't care that it doesn't have a hood scoop. If they do add one It better be functional and not be a tacked on afair. If it isn't functional than I'd rather they leave it off. I do like the fact the car is rather ordinary looking, knd of the sleeper thing. Personally I like to keep a lower profile I don't want a car that screams "Look at Me". The salesman was a decent guy. He gave lots of info, said the reginal manager was in a couple of days ago. Mentioned many things I've read about the car in the last couple of weeks. He was very knowledgable about the car and older Pontiacs as he had been selling them for the last 40 years. Not pushy at all.
He admit to me his likes and dislikes about the car. Seemed like a real straight shooter. He asked me if I was interested in buying or just kicking tires. I told him I was interested in buying. I went around and looked at the window sticker and saw that they had a $4000.00 mark-up for it being a limited edition car. I told him that I didn't think he was going to get the extra 4K, Said Iv'e heard of others buying for sticker or less already. Then just like that he said would you be willing to pay sticker?
I kinda shrugged my shoulders and said I did'nt think so. Told him I wanted to take it for a test drive then he said something that left me thinking about it all night long. He said "we would have to talk about a deposit before that". I've thought about that to be sure I didn't misunderstand him but the only thing I can come up with is he wanted me to buy the car without even driving it. At the time I was kinda taken aback. I said I wasn't going to buy a car that I'd never driven. I was even sure I really wanted to buy one.
I'm a clean cut looking guy in my mid 40's, I'm not some 20 year old kid that wanted to go joy riding. I can easily afford to pay cash for this car if I wanted. I own my own business. So I just couldn't understand what he was saying to me. He really didn't say much more at this point and after a minute he excused himself as he had another customer he was dealing with.
I thought that was OK, I'd wait till he was done with that guy and the talk to him some more. See if I could get a better feel for what he needed from me to let me test drive it. I would of given a refundable deposit if he was worried about me beating it or wrecking it. And I would not of cared if he came along. I just wanted to drive one to see if I really enjoyed driving the thing.

As I waited a service guy came along and started talking to me. He had driven the car, did the shake down test. he was very favorable about the car. He also mentioned talking to the reginal manager. Said he was told it has a built in rollbar. So a moon roof could not be added aftermarket. Something I had not heard before. Anyways I waited around and when the salesman was done with his other customer he just went off into the back of the delaership and left me there. He snubbed me I think. I don't think he thought I really was interested in buying. The whole experience was kinda weird at this point. I ended walking out with the feeling that I was a leper or something.

As far as the car goes there are things I don't like about like the spoiler, the dash controls for the HVAC are kinda wimpy, they seem like they kinda float around in the dash, like they aren't really mounted down securely. The battery must of been disabled as I couldn't open the trunk or the gas cap. I assume that the button in the glove box is for the trunk. Is there no other way to open the trunk other than the button? I looked for a key slot on the trunk but I didn't see one. I dislike the fact that so much of these simple things are realant on the battery. But thats kinda typical for all new cars. Kinda a sore spot with me. The inside is small. not very roomy. The rear seat is very hard to get into. I climbed in from the pass. side as its front seat was all the way forward. It was still hard to climb in. You have to bend down quit a bit to get in. The rear seat is not very roomy. I'm only 5' 11" and just siiting there I couldn't fit my hand between the top of my head and the roof without bending down. Actually my head was close to the rear window not the roof itself. The rear window starts above the back seat. I'm sure that I'd be very uncomfortable if I had to ride in the back of this thing for any length of time. The drivers seat was comfortable. I couldn't adjust anything again cause there was no power. I was not impressed with the gages. Just a water temp gage and a tach thats all. I'd like to see a voltmeter and oil pressure gage added. Like most new cars you can't tell where the car ends or begins when your sitting in it.

Under the hood I was impressed that the engine compartment was realtively clean. I could see most the engine and I could even see down along the sides by the exhaust manifolds. I don't think this would be too big a pain in the butt to work on or tinker with.

All in all I didn't see anything that would stop me from buying it. Its pretty typical of all new cars, nothing really that stands out. It seems like its decently put together, its comfortable for the driver, its not bad looking. The reason I'm looking is rear wheel drive, a decent engine and a manual transmission. Something that is really kinda hard to find in a new car. The manual transmission eliminates about 95% of the cars on any lot nowdays.

Unless I can drive one I'm not buying as simple as that. I think that this is a car that anybody who likes a "sportier" car is most likely going to be hooked once they drive it. There maybe very minor flaws in its handling/braking when pushed to the limits but for me and 90% of the people out there its more than OK as it is. I like a nice firm ride, a smooth shifting transmission and a responsive engine. I'm pretty sure this car could deliver. I could live with many other dislikes if I enjoy driving the thing, afterall thats what its all about. I even hit another Pontiac dealer after that last night but they did'nt have a GTO. If he would of let me drive it and it gave me the ear to ear Kool-aid smile I most likely would of bought it.

I hope nobody that has boughten a new GTO takes offense, I meant none, we all bring our own set of likes and dislikes when look at cars. The negative things I see in the car are my own likes and dislikes, doesn't mean anything more.

[61man]

he might have lost interest when you told him that you didn't want to pay sticker price.....

[The Champ]

I suggest that you call the dealership and talk to the new car sales manaager.

Explain that you are a serious potential buyer and describe the treatment you received.

See what happens.

There is no need to put a deposit (I'm sure it would have been fully refundable if you decided not to buy) to test drive a car, and no dealer or salesperson should be asking for one from you.

[Jim Doran]

Goto a BMW dealer and check out their models and customer service, I didn't buy one, but sure felt like they treated me better than the typical dealerships. I like the new GTO, but there are other makes/models that fit the vehicle attributes you describe.

[Nickv]

Being asked to put a deposit on a car before you test drive it is bull****. I would do what Champ suggested.

When I went to see the new GTO before I bought it, they asked me if I wanted to test drive it. I said sure. They pulled it right out of the showroom for me, no questions asked. Test drove it a bought it.

The test drive is what really sold me on the car. I've had mine since Feb 28th now and I'm extremely pleased with the car.