04 vs 05/06... pros cons???

[Captainofiron]

I have read quite a few threads about people considering a GTO

I am in the same boat. The Trans Am is getting up there, and I have to start considering jumping out before I am in too deep.

I always liked the GTO, but never was really crazy about them, I really liked the interior, so comfortable and large, plus you have the V-8 plus the 6spd

I was looking at fueleconomy.gov and it says that the 04 gets 16/26mpg and the 05/06 get 15/23 mpg

The 05-06 have the nicer rear valence and exhaust, the bigger brakes, and the 6.0

but on the contrary the 04 doesnt have the hood scoops and the 04s are much more plentiful and cheaper with around the same amount of miles

I am considering this for a daily driver

SO...
What are the benefits of a 05/06 over the 04, I have read about some suspension stuff, but anything else?

what would be needed to swap the exhaust from an 05/06 to a 04?

Im figuring the bumper would be a straight swap.


This is what I have in mind.

Buy an 04 silver GTO with the black interior, take off the rear spoiler, convert the rear to a 05/06, and get the SAP front bumper facia

[HUMBLER]

Hood, lower tail, brakes, colors, MOTOR and a couple interior bits make the difference. From my 6mo + search, O5/6s can be had just as easy as 04s and not much more depending on miles. If you are financing, an 06 may be a bit better because you can still go bank vs credit union. Cash is the best way to go though of course!

Exhaust, yes, bumper and that's about it to do the swap.

Good thing you are looking for Silver because that is by far the most readily available from what I've seen! Good luck and check out ls1gto.com, some good deals to be had there.

[Captainofiron]

thanks for the response.

I am actually leaning toward the 04, because of the higher fuel mileage, and they are more plentiful around here, I already found 4 in the exact colors I wanted with the 6 speed.

the 05/06 are almost all automatic and in colors that I dont really care for. not to mention a solid 5-6 grand more than the 04s

What I am thinking of is this:
getting the 04
remove the spoiler, change to the 06 taillights, rear bumper, exhaust outlets, and get that SAP front bumper.

Im not planning on modding it or racing it, just want a nice/quick DD with less miles than my WS6

[TA-71]

I have owned both a 04 and a 06 and from a daily driver stand point I liked the 04 better. I had both cars tuned and swapped in a K&N air filter and that was it. The 04 felt more powerful because it made its peak at a lower rpm than the LS-2. I was also able to get almost 33 mpg on the highway with the 04. The best I ever got in the 06 was about 27-28 mpg. Interior they are identical so the comfort will be the same in either car. I liked the styling of the 06 better with the hood and split rear exhaust, but that is easily addressed on the 04.

Hope that helps

[Captainofiron]

Originally Posted by TA-71

I have owned both a 04 and a 06 and from a daily driver stand point I liked the 04 better. I had both cars tuned and swapped in a K&N air filter and that was it. The 04 felt more powerful because it made its peak at a lower rpm than the LS-2. I was also able to get almost 33 mpg on the highway with the 04. The best I ever got in the 06 was about 27-28 mpg. Interior they are identical so the comfort will be the same in either car. I liked the styling of the 06 better with the hood and split rear exhaust, but that is easily addressed on the 04.

Hope that helps

yea thanks it helps alot, I appreciate your post, it makes me want an 04 further. especially the 33 mpg part.

not a fan of the hood scoops though, haha

[bonneville Joe]

I have to respectfully disagree on the power aspect. I have an 05, my mom and dad have an 04. When I drive the 04 (with less mileage) it doesn't seem to have the power like the 05. Feels like the LS2 comes in a little quicker. That being said, I would buy any year car as I love how they all feel. Around here, seems like 04s are a little cheaper than 05/06 cars. I've been considering looking for an 04 at a buy here pay here place just to have another one to drive around. My 05 is an auto, would really like a 6spd car.

[HUMBLER]

I agree Joe, when I drove an 06 for the first time, noticed the immediate power difference right off the bat....

[Skip Fix]

"I was also able to get almost 33 mpg on the highway with the 04"

Must have been a 6 speed with the 2 ODs vs a auto. I know my friend with his 05 6 speed gets better than my stock 04 auto does as it's turning alot less rpm at speed.

06s drive by wire gas pedal goes out (same on the Vettes).04 has a cable on the LS1.

Unless you are doing road race track times the brakes you will never notice, the 04s are adequate for blasting around on the street or 1/4 mile. Even the stock 05/6 brakes are issues at the track for some guys.

FWIW I picked up the "Sport Appearrance Package" for th e04 getting a 05 type hood , taller rear spoiler and new front grilles for less than just the hood cost. I sold the spoiler(looked too ricer) and still have the grilles. They to me look more like a Grand Prix so I may sell them NIB. I do liek the hood a GTO has to have a hood scoop. With tehy made a real fresh air with it.

[Captainofiron]

Originally Posted by Skip Fix

"I was also able to get almost 33 mpg on the highway with the 04"

Must have been a 6 speed with the 2 ODs vs a auto. I know my friend with his 05 6 speed gets better than my stock 04 auto does as it's turning alot less rpm at speed.

06s drive by wire gas pedal goes out (same on the Vettes).04 has a cable on the LS1.

Unless you are doing road race track times the brakes you will never notice, the 04s are adequate for blasting around on the street or 1/4 mile. Even the stock 05/6 brakes are issues at the track for some guys.

FWIW I picked up the "Sport Appearrance Package" for th e04 getting a 05 type hood , taller rear spoiler and new front grilles for less than just the hood cost. I sold the spoiler(looked too ricer) and still have the grilles. They to me look more like a Grand Prix so I may sell them NIB. I do liek the hood a GTO has to have a hood scoop. With tehy made a real fresh air with it.

I really like the "SAP" front chin/bumper facia, to me looks incredibly sharp.

for me, I like the flat hood and no spoiler look, it looks almost like a really muscular Grand Prix slash BMW M3

This would be the perfect GTO for me

[PontGuy]

I've owned my 06 since it was brand new and never drove another, so I can't make an in-the-seat comparison. But I did attend an all-GTO track day at Bradenton Fla several years ago and the track times showed a significant power difference between the stock LS-1's and LS-2's. My car is a 6-speed and I can't imagine it being an auto. It just feels like the kind of car made for a manual trans. Highway milage is awesome for a car with as much power as it has- honest mid 20's. But around town it sucks gas pretty fast especially if I put my foot in it a bunch. 55K miles and the only problem I've had is the A/C compressor went out last year. The cost for the parts to fix the A/C seemed really high compared to most cars.

I don't think the difference in gas milage is enough to justify one vs the other. How you drive probably makes a big difference in MPG (as well as how long the rear tires last!) Buy what you really want and you will be happier in the end.

Walt

[bonneville Joe]

Speaking of tires. Don't buy General Exclaim UHPs. I don't drive mine really hard and in less than a year I'm already through my second set of rears on the car. I've noticed in this 100* + heat we've had lately they are wearing even faster.

[pont3]

I still own the '04 and the '06 that I bought new in their respective years. Both are still totally stock (no mods whatsoever), and both a4s. I briefly owned (one year exactly), a 2005 M6. I simply prefer the autos. Neither LS2 has provided that sensation I had when I first drove the '04, and, minus the updated styling, I STILL prefer the '04. With the cable throttle, it just feels more natural. Track testing will indeed prove the LS2 faster, but I've driven mine back to back many times and I swear I can't feel any difference. The '04 sounds so much better, though. Can't seem to detect any appreciable difference in braking either. Both of mine still have original brakes and ALL other original parts except tires on the '04.

Don't expect 30mpg in these cars under any circumstance. Aint gonna happen. My '04 with A4 has a BEST of 24 hwy mpg. It'll average around 17 in normal day to day driving. After four years, my '06 still has less than 4k miles so I can't comment on its mileage. I do know, however, that to extract the best mileage, you have to drive it like some 140hp econocar. Push it to the fun factor and forget about mileage.

[PontGuy]

Don't expect 30mpg in these cars under any circumstance. Aint gonna happen. My '04 with A4 has a BEST of 24 hwy mpg. It'll average around 17 in normal day to day driving. After four years, my '06 still has less than 4k miles so I can't comment on its mileage. I do know, however, that to extract the best mileage, you have to drive it like some 140hp econocar. Push it to the fun factor and forget about mileage.

Exactly. One thing I noticed is that to get 25 MPG I have to drive a very long trip and stay on the highway with very few breaks. And I bet if I drove hard for a full tank the milage wouldn't be much better than my 69! I bet how you drive makes much more of a difference than what year you have. For years I averaged 19+ in mine using ethanol-free gas with a 50/50 mix of normal highway/city driving. Gas without alcohol has gotten hard to find though and the milage is now noticeably worse with the ethanol blend.

Joe, I am only on my second set of Firehawks, but I learned to save hard launches for special occasions. The tires that my car came with were horrible- no traction and they wore very fast. The only downside to the Firehawks is that you have to keep them rotated or they get noisy. On the other hand the tread noise is a good reminder that they need to be rotated.

[Captainofiron]

Originally Posted by pont3

I still own the '04 and the '06 that I bought new in their respective years. Both are still totally stock (no mods whatsoever), and both a4s. I briefly owned (one year exactly), a 2005 M6. I simply prefer the autos. Neither LS2 has provided that sensation I had when I first drove the '04, and, minus the updated styling, I STILL prefer the '04. With the cable throttle, it just feels more natural. Track testing will indeed prove the LS2 faster, but I've driven mine back to back many times and I swear I can't feel any difference. The '04 sounds so much better, though. Can't seem to detect any appreciable difference in braking either. Both of mine still have original brakes and ALL other original parts except tires on the '04.

Don't expect 30mpg in these cars under any circumstance. Aint gonna happen. My '04 with A4 has a BEST of 24 hwy mpg. It'll average around 17 in normal day to day driving. After four years, my '06 still has less than 4k miles so I can't comment on its mileage. I do know, however, that to extract the best mileage, you have to drive it like some 140hp econocar. Push it to the fun factor and forget about mileage.

see thats the thing, I want the 6 speed with the double overdrive. Most of my daily commute is highway about 80% of the 60 miles both ways

the fuel economy.gov site lists the 04 with the M6 as 16city 26highway, these are their "new" rating system, in the old system the 26 would more likely be a 29 or 28

the 06 with the M6 lists 15/23 and the A4 is 14/19

[Skip Fix]

My 04 best highway only is also around 24, friends stick 06 is 26 or so.

The rear spoiler doesn't do much for me either, an decent kick up old TA/Camaro style would have been better- I mean heck the Cobalts had one like that.

That SAP front is decent looking also.

What is weird on the cable throttle is if I hit the traction control it kicks the pedal back on me even if it barely slips.Why it goes off unless it is rainy-it will swap ends easily on the rain with that TQ and traction control off.

The 04 also does not have a "dead pedal" to rest your left foot on, not an issue with a stick as much but on long trips no where good to put your foot.

[Captainofiron]

Originally Posted by Skip Fix

My 04 best highway only is also around 24, friends stick 06 is 26 or so.

The rear spoiler doesn't do much for me either, an decent kick up old TA/Camaro style would have been better- I mean heck the Cobalts had one like that.

That SAP front is decent looking also.

What is weird on the cable throttle is if I hit the traction control it kicks the pedal back on me even if it barely slips.Why it goes off unless it is rainy-it will swap ends easily on the rain with that TQ and traction control off.

The 04 also does not have a "dead pedal" to rest your left foot on, not an issue with a stick as much but on long trips no where good to put your foot.

couldnt agree more.

there is this place that sells the Holden accessories, and there is a really sharp looking Monaro spoiler that bolts into the GTO's trunk holes, and its a little spoiler not a wing

found it
http://jhp.com.au/jhpgto/Spoilers.htm

[bonneville Joe]

Originally Posted by PontGuy

Exactly. One thing I noticed is that to get 25 MPG I have to drive a very long trip and stay on the highway with very few breaks. And I bet if I drove hard for a full tank the milage wouldn't be much better than my 69! I bet how you drive makes much more of a difference than what year you have. For years I averaged 19+ in mine using ethanol-free gas with a 50/50 mix of normal highway/city driving. Gas without alcohol has gotten hard to find though and the milage is now noticeably worse with the ethanol blend.

Joe, I am only on my second set of Firehawks, but I learned to save hard launches for special occasions. The tires that my car came with were horrible- no traction and they wore very fast. The only downside to the Firehawks is that you have to keep them rotated or they get noisy. On the other hand the tread noise is a good reminder that they need to be rotated.

I don't really do that many hard launches. Might goose it every now and then and I've only ever sat there with the T/C off one time and let them roast. That was right before I put this 2nd set on. I've babied the car, mostly highway miles and I'm already due for another pair.

[6 Grrrs]

When I bought my 04 new in 2004, I bought a 6 speed QuickSilver with the Redhot interior. I drove my car daily and put a lot of miles on it in the first 8 months I owned it (18,000). I never got better than 24mpg on a straight highway trip (no stops - just fill it up & drive highway only and fill it up again), but I averaged 17mpg combined driving in the colder months (A/C off) and about 15mpg during the summer months (A/C on). I did do some idling which will affect my mileage. I checked my mileage at every fillup, and did not rely on the trip computer.

I now drive a company car (2010 Equinox 4cyl FWD) and it only averages 18mpg combined driving (again - I do alot of idling). The best combined I have seen from it is 22mpg. The best straight Highway I have seen from it is 27mpg (rated 31mpg). The GTO is much more fun to drive, but the Equinox is free.

I too like the look without scoops and spoilers. I was going to remove the spoiler from my car, but got rid of the car after alot of issues with it. I had the SAP grilles in my car, removed the resonators and bypassed the skip shift. It was stock otherwise. I owned it 1 week shy of a year. Pontiac kept playing games with fixing it, and I had enough of the B.S. and had an opportunity to get out of it without losing money on it. I loved the car. We had a child on the way and the GTO wasn't the most practical vehicle. Along the same time, my company announced they would be getting us all vehicles, so I would have been stuck making payments on an unused vehicle. It was easiest to let it go.

I wish I still had it, but I like my '66 a whole lot more. I couldn't afford both.

[bonneville Joe]

Originally Posted by 6 Grrrs

When I bought my 04 new in 2004, I bought a 6 speed QuickSilver with the Redhot interior. I drove my car daily and put a lot of miles on it in the first 8 months I owned it (18,000). I never got better than 24mpg on a straight highway trip (no stops - just fill it up & drive highway only and fill it up again), but I averaged 17mpg combined driving in the colder months (A/C off) and about 15mpg during the summer months (A/C on). I did do some idling which will affect my mileage. I checked my mileage at every fillup, and did not rely on the trip computer.

I now drive a company car (2010 Equinox 4cyl FWD) and it only averages 18mpg combined driving (again - I do alot of idling). The best combined I have seen from it is 22mpg. The best straight Highway I have seen from it is 27mpg (rated 31mpg). The GTO is much more fun to drive, but the Equinox is free.

I too like the look without scoops and spoilers. I was going to remove the spoiler from my car, but got rid of the car after alot of issues with it. I had the SAP grilles in my car, removed the resonators and bypassed the skip shift. It was stock otherwise. I owned it 1 week shy of a year. Pontiac kept playing games with fixing it, and I had enough of the B.S. and had an opportunity to get out of it without losing money on it. I loved the car. We had a child on the way and the GTO wasn't the most practical vehicle. Along the same time, my company announced they would be getting us all vehicles, so I would have been stuck making payments on an unused vehicle. It was easiest to let it go.

I wish I still had it, but I like my '66 a whole lot more. I couldn't afford both.

Just out of curiosity, what problems were you having? I've already had to put a headliner and new rear seat upholstery in my 05. Mechanically it's been great.

[6 Grrrs]

Originally Posted by bonneville Joe

Just out of curiosity, what problems were you having? I've already had to put a headliner and new rear seat upholstery in my 05. Mechanically it's been great.

Sorry for the delay...

- The whole front end the paint was peeling (and shiny silver paint was under it). The dealer told me Pontiac would only pay to sand it down and paint over the current paint (which would probably peel again in the near future). That was unacceptable to me on a brand new car.
- The radio turned up/down on its own
- The horn blew regularly on its own The dealer could not duplicate either of these first two issues, so they wouldn't fix it (I was certain it was the clockspring in the steering column)
- the clutch pressure plate bolts came loose, which caused the clucth to fail (was fixed under warranty)
- the driver's seat track broke twice. Nobody else drove thew car and I didn't move it except to let someone in the back seat (fixed under warranty both times, but seat and paint on rocker panel was damaged the first time)
- Tires rubbing the struts - back then it was kind of a not so common issue, but after I got rid of it, I heard there may be a recall to fix, but some guys went with a narrower tire to fix
- Instrument cluster started acting up right before I traded it in (lighting up like a christmas tree while driving down the road) - again dealer could not duplicate so they wouldn't fix

That's all I can think of right now, but I believe there was a few other issues. I had the car 1 week shy of a year and less than 20k miles on it. In my opinion all that was unacceptable. If it were one or two issues, I would not have been too pissed.

I loved the car, but when we found my son was on the way (and I was getting a company car), it was time to sell it. I have a cooler GTO now anyways, but I still like the Holden GTOs.