# Is there an alternative?



## LostSoul (Jun 2, 2010)

I know I'll be flamed by a couple of people, but that's not why I'm here. I'm look for the closet alternative I can get to the 04-06 GTOs as in price range and roughly the same specs and features. Why? For the sole reason that I don't like the way they made the GTO look...... what was pontiac thinking?


----------



## 87GN06GTO07IRL (Aug 10, 2009)

A Cts-v or f body will be as close as you'll get. And of course the g8.


----------



## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

The car was converted in 18 months from a Holden Monaro. Its still better looking than that retro looking crap they have now. I'm glad they didn't go retro with the GTO.

The only cars I can think of that is simular in performance numbers is the G8 GT, Gen V Camaro, and CTS-V. The G8 GT is maybe 100lbs heaver than the GTO.


----------



## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

LostSoul said:


> I know I'll be flamed by a couple of people, but that's not why I'm here. I'm look for the closet alternative I can get to the 04-06 GTOs as in price range and roughly the same specs and features. Why? For the sole reason that I don't like the way they made the GTO look...... what was pontiac thinking?


Bob Lutz was vacationing in Australia. He drove a Monaro and liked the way it handled and the way it was styled. Bob Lutz orchestrated the birth of the 04-06 GTO. It didn't pan well with the old School GTO enthusiasts. They styling didn't resemble old school flare, it was imported and it had a Chevy drive train.

Because of that the car never had a chance. "Old School" enthusiasts didn't care this GTO was the fastest out of the box GTO ever produced. They also didn't care the original GTO was also a homogenization of other cars and parts. i.e. Tempest Lemans made into a GTO; Monaro made into a GTO, That didn't matter to them. 

Advertising on this car was horrendous. The original GTO was a straight line car. This car was NOT. It was advertised as a track car. Jim Wangers tried to talk sense into the advertising people, they didn't want his input and he threw his arms up in the arm in disgust and walked away knowing this car was doomed. 

Lutz thought the GTO nameplate would bring in sales, he was wrong. GM stopped production in 2006 far short of the contract of 54K or so cars. 

If you drove one of these cars and based your opinion on how it handles and drives, the power it produces and the smile your face, you may change your opinion. I have talked to many old school guys about this car when they begin dissing it, all are ignorant on the total aspects of this car. It looks European it don't look like a GTO most say. I asked many; what is a new GTO supposed to look like? I get many different opinions. It didn't matter what a new GTO would have looked like most would have found a reason to dislike it. Pontiac hasn't produced a motor of its own in a long time right there is a hurdle many old timers can't comprehend. 

Many kids are getting a hold of these cars and are destroying them. That's fine for me. The more that get destroyed the rarer these get. 

You state you want a car similar in power for less $. Get yourself a tuner and pretend, you can try and copy the fun this car has to offer but you won't be able to copy the same smile one gets driving one.


----------



## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

LostSoul said:


> *I know I'll be flamed by a couple of people, but that's not why I'm here.* I'm look for the closet alternative I can get to the 04-06 GTOs as in price range and roughly the same specs and features. *Why? For the sole reason that I don't like the way they made the GTO look...... what was pontiac thinking*?


You don't want to be flamed, yet you flame the GTO. Why are you on this Forum? Go to some tuner site and ask the same question. You don't go to a Forum and tell them "their car sucks" and expect them to point you in the right direction for an alternative. What are *you* thinking?


----------



## Gotagoat (Jan 6, 2006)

He's a lost soul...


----------



## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

LostSoul said:


> I know I'll be flamed by a couple of people, but that's not why I'm here. I'm look for the *closet* alternative I can get to the 04-06 GTOs as in price range and roughly the same specs and features. Why? For the sole reason that I don't like the way they made the GTO look...... what was pontiac thinking?


BTW, if you get a tuner, the "closet" is where it should stay.....


----------



## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

LostSoul said:


> I know I'll be flamed by a couple of people, but that's not why I'm here. I'm look for the closet alternative I can get to the 04-06 GTOs as in price range and roughly the same specs and features. Why? For the sole reason that* I don't like the way they made the GTO look*...... what was pontiac thinking?


Time for a Mustang, fruitcake.


----------



## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

LostSoul said:


> I know I'll be flamed by a couple of people, but that's not why I'm here. I'm look for the closet alternative I can get to the 04-06 GTOs as in price range and roughly the same specs and features. Why? For the sole reason that I don't like the way they made the GTO look...... what was pontiac thinking?


Your question should actually be what was GM thinking, based on how things actually took place. Beyond that, what were you thinking coming on this site and asking that type of question? You know you'll be flamed? That would imply that you're just trolling looking for a reaction.







will likely be the predominant one....


----------



## BWinc (Sep 21, 2005)

:agree


----------



## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

I was being easy on the guy. The rest of you guys are harsh.


----------



## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

LostSoul said:


> I know I'll be flamed by a couple of people, but that's not why I'm here. I'm look for the closet alternative I can get to the 04-06 GTOs as in price range and roughly the same specs and features. Why? For the sole reason that I don't like the way they made the GTO look...... what was pontiac thinking?


If I were you I'd buy a Honda Hatchback for $2000. Then find a wrecked Integra, they're all over the place. $600 more. Swap the motors. 6-8 hours work. $0. Then get a header for the car and some stupid sounding coffee can for an exhaust. $575. Lower it 1-1/2 inches with super stiff springs and struts so that it rides like crap. Crank the camber way out so it tears tires up and doesn't go straight very well. Put on tires and rims too. $1675. You only have $4850 and the car is way faster than a GTO and cooler too. 

Go race a GTO and get spanked. Add more stuff to the Civic. 

Intake and appropriate stickers. $300. NOS $545. You now only have $5695 and your car is way faster and cooler than a GTO. 

Go race a GTO and get beat pretty bad. Missed shift excuse is good for the friends. NOS wasn't working right either. 

Decide to do things right. Get a turbo and boost the engine to 24 lbs. $3100. You now still only have $8795 and you are way faster than a stock GTO. 

Go race GTO. Blow motor because of too much boost on stock internals and mised shift. 

Find another Integra and swap motor. $600. Build motor with forged internals doing it yourself to save money. $1300. You now only have $10,695 in the car and are way faster and cooler than a stock GTO. 

Go race GTO. Unfortunately it's Dusty and he hands you your butt. 

Turn boost up and have the motor professionally tuned. $450. You now have $11,145 in the car and it's way faster than a stock GTO. 

Find GTO, stock this time, and beat it. Woo Hoo and you saved $3-5000 over the price of a good used GTO. Your car rides so hard fillings fall out of your teeth and it eats a set of tires every 6000 miles but it's faster and way cooler than a GTO. 

Two weeks later a lady rearends you while texting someone. She doesn't have insurance. Your insurance company gives you $2000 minus your $500 deductible for your totaled POS. 

Sorry buddy you lose again.


----------



## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

This thread should be a sticky.


----------



## fattirewilly (May 26, 2006)

fergyflyer said:


> If I were you I'd buy a Honda Hatchback for $2000. Then find a wrecked Integra, they're all over the place. $600 more. Swap the motors. 6-8 hours work. $0. Then get a header for the car and some stupid sounding coffee can for an exhaust. $575. Lower it 1-1/2 inches with super stiff springs and struts so that it rides like crap. Crank the camber way out so it tears tires up and doesn't go straight very well. Put on tires and rims too. $1675. You only have $4850 and the car is way faster than a GTO and cooler too.
> 
> Go race a GTO and get spanked. Add more stuff to the Civic.
> 
> ...




:rofl: um...+1


----------



## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

fergyflyer said:


> If I were you I'd buy a Honda Hatchback for $2000. Then find a wrecked Integra, they're all over the place. $600 more. Swap the motors. 6-8 hours work. $0. Then get a header for the car and some stupid sounding coffee can for an exhaust. $575. Lower it 1-1/2 inches with super stiff springs and struts so that it rides like crap. Crank the camber way out so it tears tires up and doesn't go straight very well. Put on tires and rims too. $1675. You only have $4850 and the car is way faster than a GTO and cooler too.
> 
> Go race a GTO and get spanked. Add more stuff to the Civic.
> 
> ...


Great post but I fixed it for you


----------



## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

:lol:Where would you find a stock GTO?


----------



## 740tank (Mar 23, 2009)

lol that was so funny. havnt read a good post in a while good one!!!!!


----------



## dustyminpin (Jun 19, 2006)

That was too damn funny. The sad thing is, Fergy is right. I see it every Friday night at the cruise in. Cars with mismatched colored quarter panels, some without bumpers, sticker in the windows. Yesterday was the first time I've gone out since I got my DMH low profile e-cutouts installed. I wish you could've seen the looks on their faces. I could tell that they so badly wanted to come over and check me out but that would not have looked cool in front of their other ricer buddies. I parked next to a guy with an LT1 Z28. He asked me to pop the hood then got down and looked at my Kooks midpipes to admire the cutouts. You could've heard a pin drop from the ricer side of the parking lot...


----------



## fleshmcfilth123 (May 9, 2010)

LostSoul said:


> Is there an alternative?



No, there is not.


----------



## Gotagoat (Jan 6, 2006)

But no worries, Lost Soul; you won't get flamed. We're an understanding crew - some folks get it and others don't.


----------



## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

I think he just came in here to stir the pot

Slap the bee hive, run and sit back and watch.


----------



## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Mission accomplished! He hasn't signed on since. You don't think we made him







? I admit, that was a fun thread.........


----------



## samuladems (May 29, 2010)

i had a buddy that asked that same question, he ended up in a mustang. now he regrates it every time he rides in my gto. id tryed telling him from the begining but he said with some bolt-ons itd be the same. 5k later he wants to trade it in for a gto, even a ls1 if thats al he can find. take one for a test drive, and youll learn to like the way it looks.


----------



## Justin_McKee (Jul 30, 2019)

"GTO JUDGE" said it exactly. There's no other way to explain it.

It's awesome to watch the reactions on one of my buddies faces when I let them drive my car. I turn off the T/C & when they let loose of that clutch it's priceless. Then I start yellin'.... "I told you Bro!"

These GTO's are Beasts. 

Also TY for enlightening me on a few things I didn't know about their history.


----------



## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

10 year old thread......so old the the hosted images are gone. But a few of the responses are still funny.....and true.


----------

