# Just Hit the 75,000 Mile Mark



## Groucho (Sep 11, 2004)

...on my way home last night.

That's 75k miles in 19 months 18 days of ownership...an average of ~125 miles each and every day.

I also have a personal "Sanity Rule" to hit 100mph at least once every workday commute (weather permitting)...so she's being really _driven_.

The Aussies build one hell of a car.

You guys really need to get out and drive more. :cool


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## PEARL JAM (Sep 6, 2005)

Any major repairs or problems? (I know at one time you said you had the tranny replaced)


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## Grey-Goat (Jun 7, 2005)

Thats awesome!! :cheers


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## UdnUdnGTO (Jan 30, 2006)

:cheers Nice Buzz Fuster. handy in a car such as our's


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## Groucho (Sep 11, 2004)

PEARL JAM said:


> Any major repairs or problems? (I know at one time you said you had the tranny replaced)


No rattles or squeaks to speak of. The car is very, _very_ solidly built.

Some wear points- the weather stripping at the bottom of the driver's door is torn from sliding my right foot over it. The "fuzzy" weather stripping window seal on the front of the B-pillar is also worn, a reselt of brushing against my leather jacket in the winter.

The driver's seat butt-bucket is sagging noticably. No fat jokes- I'm a fairly average (if slightly overweight) 200 lb guy.

The struts had worn appreciably at ~50k- which were addressed by a major suspension revamp by Vette guru Guldstrand Motorsports. Best Mod _Evarrrrrr._

The first set of tires (Dunlop FM901s) lasted almost 40k miles, the second set of the same only 25k because of the aggressive suspension tuning. I now have Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3s and I dialed the negative camber back a bit so I'm not dropping $1200 on tires every six months. I miss the old settings...I may have to compromise. Longer tire wear, or more fun? I vote fun.

I change the oil -- Mobil1 or other high-end synthetics (Redline or Amsoil) with good oil filters like K&N or Amsoil only-- every ~7000 miles. In fact, all of the fluids have been replaced with synthetics.

Clutch was replaced with a Centerforce DF about 10k miles ago...more because I had the money at the time and it's an inevitable wear item rather than any real sign of it going south. I _like_ the new clutch. :cool 

Brake rotors fried badly in the first 15k miles...replaced with Power Slots and Hawk pads up front. All pads will have to be replaced again very soon. 

Yes- the tranny grenaded at 30k miles, replaced under warranty after a Battle Royale with the incompetent stealership- she hasn't seen the inside of a GM service bay since.

Biggest ongoing nightmare was not GMs fault, it was B&M's...I struggled with their poorly-designed PoS shifter for months (leaking constantly, coming off the transmission) before finally getting smart and sh*tcanning it. *DO NOT USE A B&M SHIFTER.*

Awesome car. Treat her well and she'll do the same for you!


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## Groucho (Sep 11, 2004)

One more thing-- The spark plugs and wires were changed to NGKs and Taylor 10mm wires at 50k.


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## 1SLOGTO (Feb 20, 2006)

Wow i think thats the highest milage gto ive ever seen. Congrats on keeping up on the car the way you have good to see people who actually care about there car.


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## raven1124 (Sep 23, 2005)

You'll be at 100k before you know it. How long do you think you'll keep it?


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## Clueless (Mar 2, 2006)

Wow, that's quite some mileage you rack up!

I tend to lean toward the other side of things, putting maybe 5-8k/year on a car. I could not imagine 75k in less than 2 years! :willy: 

Glad to hear she's holding up well!


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## CrabhartLSX (Feb 12, 2006)

holy monkey that's a lot of mileage. I'd never dream of putting a GTO through that torture.


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## noz34me (Dec 15, 2005)

Groucho, good to see you back; thought for awhile you had piled up your car somewhere.


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## Groucho (Sep 11, 2004)

noz34me said:


> Groucho, good to see you back; thought for awhile you had piled up your car somewhere.


Bah...was just too busy to post.

Or, more likely, out driving. 

Thanks! :cheers


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## GLaz38 (Jun 7, 2006)

> Brake rotors fried badly in the first 15k miles...replaced with Power Slots and Hawk pads up front. All pads will have to be replaced again very soon.


After I bought myself the GTO on 06/09/06, I went and picked up my wife an '06 Toyota Rav4 6 days later. I had questioned the brakes on my GTO and after drving the Rav home from the dealership I am more concerned.

My '06 A4's brakes are "mushy". Granted I havent had to stomp on them and I am not worried about having to brake in an emergency but the brakes do not feel super tight like I would expect them to on a performace car.

The Rav's brakes respond with a slight touch and really plow the cars nose with no effort at all. In the 6 days I had the GTO my foot had become heavy trying to brake and when I hit the pedal on the Rav I almost went thru the windshield.

Now the author of the quote above says he changed his out at 15K. Is this a normal GTO quirk and is anyone else experincing soft brakes and the need to change them out early?


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## PEARL JAM (Sep 6, 2005)

I've heard a few stories of people bleeding their brakes just after purchase due to soft pedal. Maybee that's your problem.....air in the brake hydrolics.


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## Groucho (Sep 11, 2004)

GLaz38 said:


> Now the author of the quote above says he changed his out at 15K. Is this a normal GTO quirk and is anyone else experincing soft brakes and the need to change them out early?


I swapped the rotors out because the brakes in the '04s are woefully inadequate for a car of this heft and speed potential...apparently GM agreed as the '05+ have much larger rotors and all around superior brakes. Inmy case, a couple of canyon runs and an incident where I had to get on the binders late into a 120 mph+ run warped the rotors bad enough to induce a vibration when applying brakes.

I agree 100% with PEARL JAM, your problem sounds like air in the brake lines, not a mechanical component issue.


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## Clueless (Mar 2, 2006)

Usually when I hear a comment on the stock 05/06 brakes, it is that they are pretty good for a car of this weight. With my GTO, the brakes are good and I can gradually depress the pedal. This car does weight 3800 pounds, so if you are used to driving smaller lighter cars, it may seem like you need to either press in the brakes a bit harder or start stopping earlier. But, it sounds like you have a problem with your brakes--and if you are pressing the pedal down hard, as the others said, it could well be some air in the brake line. Especially if it is inconsistent in how far you have to press it down.


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## Subdriver (Dec 28, 2004)

Groucho said:


> Inmy case, a couple of canyon runs and an incident where I had to get on the binders late into a 120 mph+ run warped the rotors bad enough to induce a vibration when applying brakes.


Probably not warped rotors but uneven pad buildup: http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml

Congrats on 75k miles of enjoyment Groucho. :cheers


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## Groucho (Sep 11, 2004)

Subdriver said:


> Probably not warped rotors but uneven pad buildup: http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml
> 
> Congrats on 75k miles of enjoyment Groucho. :cheers


Possibly.

Either way, I've had no problems since installing the Power Slots. The car stops surer and looks better (cad-plated, no rust).

Still...an aftermarket brake set such as a StopTech or Baer is the next Big Mod.


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## Mad_Dan_Eccles (Mar 25, 2006)

Groucho said:


> The driver's seat butt-bucket is sagging noticably. No fat jokes- I'm a fairly average (if slightly overweight) 200 lb guy.


Sorry to be slow on the uptake here. Question about the seat, Ive got 12K miles in five months and the leather on the drivers seat is getting that comfy armchair look - broken-in but well cared for leather gets a wonderful patina like a sofa in the smoking room of a good club which has been polished by many backsides. In my view that looks better than new.

The problem is that the other seats still look brand new. If we didn't have electric controls to deal with I'd just swap the front seats over to even the wear in the front. 

Anyone got any good ideas about how to share the wear and tear? carry a sack of spuds around in the passenger seat? I'm not into artificially distressing and aging like fake antiques dealers, but in few thousand more miles this is going to bug me.


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## TulsaGTO (Oct 3, 2004)

Sounds like time to trade for an 06!!!! arty:


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## kevracer (Sep 27, 2004)

Yikes! 75000 miles. I've had my 04 for close to 22 months and I have............11,966 miles. Not a daily driver, I only drive it weekends and that's generally on day trips.


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## ShoddyHog (May 17, 2006)

kevracer said:


> Yikes! 75000 miles. I've had my 04 for close to 22 months and I have............11,966 miles. Not a daily driver, I only drive it weekends and that's generally on day trips.


Yikes! I've had my Goat for 5 months, and have 10,500+ on it :cheers 

I drove my "daily driver" three days last week to work, and got the DT's so bad, I spent most of the weekend driving the Goat, and have driven it to work every day this week. 

Gerry


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## silgoat05 (Jul 1, 2006)

75,000 WOW! i have my 05' for about 1yr now only have 3,200 miles no rain,snow or no driving to work but glad to hear the car holds up :cheers


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## C5ORGTO (Dec 30, 2004)

We want a pic at the 100,000 mark too. When will that be? Another month or so.


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## DJ Dannis (May 9, 2006)

All I have to say is thanks for the update on the status of the vehicle at that mileage... It's one nicely built vehicle that has the potential to go a long way. Keep on truckin'/haulin' :cool


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