2005 GTO - Need some advice

Discussion in 'The "Other" Bench' started by scrisp, Dec 22, 2014.

  1. scrisp

    scrisp WiP - Work in Progress

    Wow, never thought that I'd be asking advice about a GTO on here. lol

    I'm looking at an '05 GTO, 54k miles, 6 speed, for $13500. It's the color that I love, dark metallic blue, with black interior.

    I stopped and looked at it after the dealership closed last week, and the interior looks brand new. Barely any wrinkles, no scuffs, holes, I'd say a 9/10. I looked underneath with a flashlight, no rust at all, on anything other than the control arms, and just surface normal type stuff. There is no evidence of it being wrecked, all of the body panels match perfectly, which is more than I can say for others that I've checked out recently. They all seem to have issues with the fenders matching the hood.

    I wasn't able to see the engine bay or inside the trunk. I know there were some guys here who bought them when they first came out and remember one person who just loved the one that he bought. I tried searching all of the forums for that post, but nothing came back when i searched for "GTO".

    Just wondering if these seems like a good deal on the car? I'm not aware of any particular issues with the cars, so just wondering if there is anything that I should be looking out for when I go to drive it and checkout the engine?

    Thanks!!
    Scott
     
  2. Doo Wop

    Doo Wop Where were you in '62?

  3. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

  4. gokitty

    gokitty Platinum Level Contributor

    GTO purists wanted a retro looks GTO. The '04-'06 GTOs are not retro. They DO mimic what the original GTO was all about. Drop a big,powerful v-8 in a"small/intermediate" body,add some handling enhancements,some visual cues (badges,etc) dual exhaust and turn it loose. Same deal.My brother has one. Loves it. It's accepted as a real part of the GTO fold (GTOAA),not that many made and runs like a scalded dog. 13.5 ? Good condition? What's the phone #:TU: Archie
     
  5. carmantx

    carmantx Never Surrender

    My son has one and really likes it, and it is fast. Easily running 11's driving it to the track and home.
    I would like to get the G8 GT myself.
     
  6. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    LS3 power plant?
     
  7. Mike B in SC

    Mike B in SC Well-Known Member

    I had a 2004 GTO that I just sold a few months back. I loved it! The only reason I sold it was my wife said I could only have one weekend toy so I kept the 68 GS400 and sold the Goat. I never had any real problems with mine. It had 12,200 miles on it when I bought it, and 35,000 when I sold it.
    I heard that the suspension bushings wear out fast but I never had a problem with mine. I replaced the tires, battery, positive battery clamp and air filter while I owned it and that was it.
    One thing to look at is the top seams on the rear seats, they split. Not the leather, just the stitching. Mine were split when I bought it and I took the seat covers off and re-stitched them by hand. They turned out perfect.
    Oh yeah, I also replaced the mufflers. One of mine had a loose baffle and would rattle sometimes but that was just a freak problem, not something common.
    I think they are the best performance buy for the money in a late-model car. Where else can you get a car that, stock, will run a thirteen second quarter, have a 155mph top speed (computer limited), get mid-twenties on the highway, have all the comforts you could want and all this for low to mid teens?
     
  8. scrisp

    scrisp WiP - Work in Progress

    LS2, I think. It's the 6.0 liter for that year.
     
  9. scrisp

    scrisp WiP - Work in Progress

    I really love the G8 GXP models too, but they are crazy expensive. A guy at work (Ford) has a Holden version, that was converted to left drive. He imported it and had whatever needed done to drive it here. It's a different engine though than what we had here I think, something long the lines of 650hp, and all wheel drive. It is badass!!
     
  10. scrisp

    scrisp WiP - Work in Progress

    Thanks Mike, and everyone else too, I got a lot of info to read through before I got drive it. That $13500 is the asking price, I might be able to get them down some, it's at a Chrysler dealership. Would these handle a little snow, if I had to drive it in an emergency, with some decent all season tires? I hear people talk all the time about how bad rear wheel drive cars are, and have to ask them what people did before the 80's when all cars were RWD? lol I used to drive a '68 Tempest all winter, in upper Michigan, and had no major problems. I drive a 2011 Chevy HHR right now, and it is pretty worthless in snow. Other then that, it's been a great car, just hate traction control and speed control, wish I could diable it until the spring. lol
     
  11. 71gs3504sp

    71gs3504sp Well-Known Member

    I purchased my 04 GTO 6 speed with W40 package (40th Anniversity Edit) June 2006 with 1,700 miles on it and sold it Dec 2012 with just 3,000 miles on it. Loved the car but everyone thought it was a grand am! It was fast, it had factory true dual exhaust and sounded great. I sold it and got another GS which to me is more fun. If you need to drive the car in the snow get skinny all season tires in the front and STUDDED snow tires on the rear! When I had my 87 Buick T-type I had regular all season tires up front and studded snows in the rear and I never had a problem in the snow for many years!

    George
     
  12. Luxus

    Luxus Gold Level Contributor

    I would recommend you not get all season tires. Given the GTO is a performance car you are better off having summer and winter tires. All season tires are a compromise so you won't be getting the best performance in either season. If you put on winter tires, snow is not a problem. I have a G8 GXP and the one year I drove it in winter I had put on winter tires. 415 hp/415 torque and 0 problems in winter with winter tires.
     
  13. Chris Cornett

    Chris Cornett Well-Known Member

    05 is an LS2. I have an 07 CTS-V which has the same drive train (LS2, Tremec). I love this car. As for tires if you plan on driving in wet weather the best all season tire is the Michelin Pilot AS3.
     
  14. Seems like a good price for the miles and condition. A good friend of mine bought one brand new in 2005. I remember driving it, great driving/riding automobile. It ran 13.40s bone stock in the Florida heat. Drag radials and a CAI - it went 13.teens
     
  15. sbrmd

    sbrmd Well-Known Member

    I can attest to the enjoyment you'll have with this platform, my DD is a 2011 Caprice PPV 9C3. See Pics. It is flat-out awesome, best car I've ever owned. Buy it with no hesitation and enjoy! Don't worry about the subtleness of the design, it's good to be invisible. You'll look like a Grand Am; I look like an Impala. No unwarranted attention!
     

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  16. stickshift

    stickshift Silver Level contributor

    Rear drive is fine in the snow. I used to drive a 2nd gen Trans Am in the winter with no problem, as long as I used studded snow tires on the rear.
     
  17. Bogus919

    Bogus919 Silver Level contributor

    2006 GTO is the fastest car (stock) I've ever driven... so far. Belonged to a buddy of mine in college.

    I really liked it, I didn't live in the era of the original GTO's so the identity issue didn't bother me.
     
  18. Rich Johns

    Rich Johns Platinum Level Contributor

    Scott, that GTO sounds like a great car.
    Get down there and buy it!
     
  19. Fox's Den

    Fox's Den 355Xrs

    I hear they are a car to buy just as what is spoken here. I would do it, there are not that many of them made. For the snow I had rear wheel drive for all my cars till just a few years ago and I always just bought snow tires in back for winter then never had a problem. I would just put them on all 4 corners. I do it now with my Corolla XRS and I get around real good. All season tires do not do squat in the snow. I use the Bridgestone ws 60 these are not bad at all, made for ice. My Corolla is a 6 speed and spin high rpm and I have no problems in snow.
     
  20. Premier 350

    Premier 350 Chris (aka Webby)

    As an Aussie I'm pleased to hear all the postitive comments on our Aussie export!
     

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