# Cross country cruise?



## youngGoat (Aug 14, 2010)

well the summer is coming up here in a few months and I'm looking to volunteer at some Young Life camps(a christian youth out reach program) for the summer. Now I'm working in Arizona and then California and then driving home to Florida. I think it'd be an amazing drive in my GTO but Ive heard of people who leave there goats at home when they move to college because they dont wanna put the 3000 miles on it. its a 2006 6spd brazen orange and has 50k miles and its my DD, what do you guys think? would you put the miles on your GTO?


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## gmantheman (Feb 20, 2011)

October 2009 I did a cross country trip and back in my 2006 Mustang. I drove from San Diego, CA to Virginia Beach, VA to visit family and back. It was just me and my dog. Don't worry about putting miles on the car. It's meant to be driven.


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## 06BLACKGTO64 (Oct 30, 2010)

Im about to drive my 06 M6 from Ohio to Cali whenever i get back to the states


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## BRZN (Jan 31, 2011)

If it was my daily driver car: a big YES.

Mine's not my DD and only has 8,200 miles on it right now. My wife and I were invited to go on a "Route 66" tour/trip with two other couples for three weeks in 2012: one with a C6 Vette, and one with a new Dodge Challenger SRT8 at first I was in, but ended up backing out. My car's not a "driver" and after two trips the last two summers to Dayton, OH and Norwalk, OH I realized I couldn't do it, I'd be a wreck!


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## danfigg (Sep 27, 2009)

*re*

The car was made for 3 years. In my opinion, I think the car will one day be a collector item. I want to keep the miles low on my GTO I drive it from April till first snow fall. But also I hate to see it just sit there. From what I've heard there are no body panels for these cars just used. SAP guys are in even bigger trouble if something gets banged up or dented. I just got back from Florida and rented a car from Hertz unlimited miles for 9 days and that was 379.00. No worries about braking down. What if you car brakes down 1000 miles away how are you gonna get it back home. That will be one expensive tow bill plus repairs. When ever I go more that 60 miles from home I put my local tow guy on stand by. -----Danfigg


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## youngGoat (Aug 14, 2010)

yeah I have AAA so Im covered with repairs to certain extent, it would still be a pain. Im afraid Ill hate my self down the road for putting the miles on the GTO, but then again I dont really wanna be the guy who has an awesome car and doesnt drive it(kinda like on ferris buehlers day off, i dont want to be Camerons dad with that Ferrari). I want to keep the car for long time and i figure even if I put 200,000 miles on it and the engine self destructs I could always build a great engine from an LSX block and put that in.


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## johni53 (Feb 10, 2010)

I've made a couple round trips from Houston to El Paso (1500 miles) and am about to do it again soon and love how mine rides on the open highway. I've only got 17" wheels though and think that contributes to a firm but not harsh ride. 
I think it's still hard to tell if these (2004, 2005 & 2006) goats will have the collector status the older (American built) ones have. Went to the annual after Thanksgiving car show in Houston last year and there was only one of these there. 
The price of super unleaded is making me think of parking it though, with $3.25 the going price today. But it's such a sweet car, it'd be hard to let it sit, especially on a nice day. We always regret the things we didn't do more than the ones we did....


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

I can't belive people actually park their car not to put miles on it. What is the point of owning it then? I can understand not driving it in bad weather because you want it to be in the best shape possible, but not driving cross country because of miles is retarted.


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## LS6wantabe (Dec 26, 2009)

i drove 1200 miles this past weekend in my DD gto it was fine it wasnt a cross country but it was PA to TN then back to PA the only thing is my butt hurt after a little while


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## 2006KJ (Jan 3, 2011)

drive it!!! who are you saving it for? i'll drive my goat anywhere i please.. whenever i please.. its MY goat. i could understand saving miles if it only has 8200.. but with 50k on the clock you might as well enjoy the car (mine also JUST rolled 50k this weekend).


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## youngGoat (Aug 14, 2010)

sweet i was hoping for encouragement. I just didn't want to be the one idiot kid(Im 19) ruining a GTO. I know my goat can handle the drive but I havent seen too many GTOs with over 60k on em


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## BRZN (Jan 31, 2011)

jpalamar said:


> I can't belive people actually park their car not to put miles on it. What is the point of owning it then? I can understand not driving it in bad weather because you want it to be in the best shape possible, but not driving cross country because of miles is retarted.


Show and Play car. I get a new car from my employer every couple/few years for work that personal miles are allowed on, my wife and daughter have their own cars.



2006KJ said:


> drive it!!! who are you saving it for? i'll drive my goat anywhere i please.. whenever i please.. its MY goat. i could understand saving miles if it only has 8200.. but with 50k on the clock you might as well enjoy the car (mine also JUST rolled 50k this weekend).


:agree Drive and enjoy it!


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## SANDU002 (Oct 13, 2004)

These cars were made to be driven. The sad point about "preserving" these cars for collective value is that it ain't gonna happen. As with any car, the less you drive it and maintain it, the more apt it is to become less reliable as it ages. Mine is not a DD is is driven around 5k a year. This year I will be taking it on a 4 day rally covering almost 1700 miles with a bunch of other GTOs, so enjoy it now and forget about saving it its collective value.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

If these cars become a collectors item most of us will be to damn old to care. If one is looking to make money on these cars cause of the rarity you're better off selling it now and investing the proceeds in a good 401K.

It would take a long time for these cars to achieve the claim the classics are now. Most of the guys on here will have other needs, and interests by then and this car will be a memory. These cars sold for 32K new now they are had for mid teens. No way will these cars go from mid teens to 50K or so for a long long long time. Enjoy what ya got now. If you purchased this car for an investment, your way behind the 8 ball.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

BRZN said:


> Show and Play car. I get a new car from my employer every couple/few years for work that personal miles are allowed on, my wife and daughter have their own cars.


That is a nice deal. I would drive it every chance I got in good weather then. Wouldn't put one thought to how many miles I had though.



GTO JUDGE said:


> If these cars become a collectors item most of us will be to damn old to care. If one is looking to make money on these cars cause of the rarity you're better off selling it now and investing the proceeds in a good 401K.
> 
> It would take a long time for these cars to achieve the claim the classics are now. Most of the guys on here will have other needs, and interests by then and this car will be a memory. These cars sold for 32K new now they are had for mid teens. No way will these cars go from mid teens to 50K or so for a long long long time. Enjoy what ya got now. If you purchased this car for an investment, your way behind the 8 ball.


Thats my theory... plus the money/time you put into storage, insurance, maintance, ect is just crazy. No doubt in mind that a car is NEVER an investment. They should be driven, driven, and driven more. I can understand people not wanted to DD them in bad weather since they may want to keep it more show quailty but I would be sad to not drive it just because I don't wanna put more then a few miles a year on it. I would dump extra into a 401k, IRA, or CD before spending $30k on a car to look at in the garage.


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## freeze916 (May 3, 2010)

gmantheman said:


> It's meant to be driven.


Done and done. Mine is a DD about 7 or 8 months of the year, then gets put in storage for the winter. It was originally a Georgia car, and I live in upstate NY. I don't intend it to ever allow it to see salt, which we have tons of here in the winter.


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## BRZN (Jan 31, 2011)

She's stored in my own garage. Only cost there is one of our daily drivers sits outside.
I'm 51 and insurance isn't that bad, during the months she's stored I only carry liability and theft.
Maintance? What, like oil changes once a year? I spend more time modding her than on maintance.
I've been dumping money into 401k's, IRA's and CD's for longer than you are old. That's what I was doing at your age rather than buying new cars every couple of years.
You know if you don't use it as a daily driver:
1.) It doesn't wear out
2.) You don't get tired of it
3.) You don't sell it for a frickin' Mustang!


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## Northeast Rod Run (Oct 29, 2008)

danfigg said:


> The car was made for 3 years. In my opinion, I think the car will one day be a collector item. I want to keep the miles low on my GTO I drive it from April till first snow fall. From what I've heard there are no body panels for these cars just used. SAP guys are in even bigger trouble if something gets banged up or dented.


Lots of misinformation in this post


> What if you car brakes down 1000 miles away how are you gonna get it back home. That will be one expensive tow bill plus repairs. When ever I go more that 60 miles from home I put my local tow guy on stand by. -----Danfigg


 If you worry about stuff like that, you're going to live a very boring life. You really think manufacturers build cars that can't take a 1000 mile trip? You may as well save a ton of money and buy a bicycle instead of a car

I don't even see people that own six digit exotics worry about driving their cars, as much as people that own mid-teen valued GTOs, worry about driving these things. There is nothing special about our cars. These things have been made down in OZ for a long time. PARTS ARE NOT, AND ARE NOT GOING TO BE, HARD TO GET FOR A VERY, VERY, VERY LONG TIME

I would say it's a safe bet to say that 90% of the people that are worried about putting miles on their cars, won't even have them 5 years after they pay off their loans


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## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

I've owned more than 45 cars. Of all the cars I've owned, the GTO is the best highway car I've ever owned. I drove 1050 miles in one day and could have kept going if I hadn't made it to my destination. I've never had another car like that. 

If your car had low, like the one 8200 mile Brazen Orange GTO, I could see keeping it and feeling guilty for ruining a collector piece. Your car is a driver and will be a driver. Enjoy it.


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## scrapmaster (Oct 27, 2008)

I drive mine every chance I get. Never in the snow or rain though. I have had 2 04's and now have an 06 6 speed with 57000 miles on it. I love it. I just dont feel the urge to drive my wife's Jeep. Rather take the Goat. Thats what I bought it for. If I wanted to park it. I would just put in the garage on one of those turn table things and look at it. Just like at the auto show.

DRIVE IT. In my opnion


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## Red Bearded Goat (Mar 19, 2007)

youngGoat said:


> I think it'd be an amazing drive in my GTO but Ive heard of people who leave there goats at home when they move to college because they dont wanna put the 3000 miles on it. its a 2006 6spd brazen orange and has 50k miles and its my DD, what do you guys think? would you put the miles on your GTO?


My goats a warm weather 2nd ride and I had no problem driving it approximately 2600 miles round trip for a long 4 day weekend to Bradenton FL to attend an all GTO track day 2 years ago. 

Drove from home very early on a Friday morning to meet up with other GTO's along the way south in VA, NC, SC and a few from MA & NJ that overnighted Thursday in SC. Before the GA/FL state line I departed the herd heading to Bradenton so I could visit with family in Deltona FL. Hung out enjoying the FL February warmth before heading to the Bud Shootout that Saturday night. Sunday morning I made the rest of the trip to Bradenton and with slight hesitation at 1st, I wound up cranking it down the track for a total of 9 passes that afternoon. Figured I just do a few T&T passes, then figured why not do a once & done in the stock class races... but that turned into racing in the final for the class award. Still on street shoes and extremely lucky to get that far, I had no hard core interest to run all out being so far from home... But just the same, I got beat by a better driver with a much faster nearly stock GTO. Left the track and drove across the state on back country roads to an old friends house in Vero Beach to get wasted and crash for the night. Next morning drove south to Jensen Beach where I used to own a snowbird condo to visit old friends and neighbors before pointing the nose of the goat north for the straight thru 1100 mile run home. 

Being the best, "just go for a long drive and seeing what happens" type weekend vacation I've ever had... I'd do that trip again in a heart beat if they still ran the Bradenton event.



BRZN said:


> If it was my daily driver car: a big YES.


From experience I say absolutely and without question!!!



johni53 said:


> I've made a couple round trips from Houston to El Paso (1500 miles) and am about to do it again soon and love how mine rides on the open highway. I've only got 17" wheels though and think that contributes to a firm but not harsh ride. But it's such a sweet car, it'd be hard to let it sit, especially on a nice day. We always regret the things we didn't do more than the ones we did....


I fully agree and had no ride issues with my factory 18's.

My only caution for the OP.... with a M6 its hard to keep it under 80 as she lumbers down the road with the crank only spinning at 2k RPM in 6th. Take VA for example, that would be no longer a simple speeding ticket since 80 or above is considered reckless driving and a criminal offence with potential jail time. So if you ever have to run thru VA, be forewarned... not only is it illegal to use a radar detector and/or laser 
jammer but if your 20 over or in excess of 80 officer friendly might take you to jail.



jpalamar said:


> I can't belive people actually park their car not to put miles on it. What is the point of owning it then?


Simple, when yer goats for pure pleasure driving and no reason is required, except... fun being on the mind, why use the GTO to go about routine business that could result in door dings and body damage. Also, a side benefit is paying reduced insurance rates if driven less than 7500 miles a year.



LS6wantabe said:


> i drove 1200 miles this past weekend in my DD gto it was fine it wasnt a cross country but it was PA to TN then back to PA the only thing is my butt hurt after a little while


I can't say I had that problem during my trip..... butt, I've been accused of being a hard azz at times.



2006KJ said:


> i'll drive my goat anywhere i please.. whenever i please.. its MY goat. i could understand saving miles if it only has 8200.. but with 50k on the clock you might as well enjoy the car (mine also JUST rolled 50k this weekend).


In 4 years I've got 25k on the odo and will not go where ever, whenever... simply because I'll kill some ****wad if they put a mark on it. I park it like fussy puzzy to keep me from going to jail.



youngGoat said:


> sweet i was hoping for encouragement. I just didn't want to be the one idiot kid(Im 19) ruining a GTO. I know my goat can handle the drive but I havent seen too many GTOs with over 60k on em


Do it and you will enjoy the ride! I know several owners that are at or over the 100k mile mark. Its not that rare.



SANDU002 said:


> These cars were made to be driven. The sad point about "preserving" these cars for collective value is that it ain't gonna happen. As with any car, the less you drive it and maintain it, the more apt it is to become less reliable as it ages..


LOL... says the guy with his own herd of goats, both old and new. Bill, I disagree about the collector value, I agree you and I will never see it, but our son's might see the same crazy numbers we see now for cars that during the 70's we could buy used in the $300~$1500 range.... Along with new prices in the mid $2~3k range, muscle car insurance premiums and gas shortages of the time period combined to kill their value back in the day. 



SANDU002 said:


> Mine is not a DD is is driven around 5k a year. This year I will be taking it on a 4 day rally covering almost 1700 miles with a bunch of other GTOs, so enjoy it now and forget about saving it its collective value.


FTW... can't wait to help you put some of that mileage on your BOM!!! 



GTO JUDGE said:


> If these cars become a collectors item most of us will be to damn old to care.
> 
> It would take a long time for these cars to achieve the claim the classics are now. *Most of the guys on here will have other needs*, and interests by then and this car will be a memory.


1) Maggie will be the name of the nurse that changes your Depends..... ahhh, you'll wax back to a day when she was known to be quite the blower. 

2) Gone will be thoughts of a NO2 bottle. Its replacement will be green and full of Oxygen.... and verbal hell will rain down on anyone that kinks the line. 

3) Mods will consist of having 2 battery's in series for the Scooter Store rocket you'll need to get around.... it will bring a new importance to 60' times for the run to the buffet line.



danfigg said:


> The car was made for 3 years. From what I've heard there are no body panels for these cars just used. SAP guys are in even bigger trouble if something gets banged up or dented.


Never go by hearsay, it will always lead you astray. While there are plenty of donor GTO's currently in salvage yards, OEM body parts can still be sourced from several GM online parts dealers. True about OEM SAP parts, but there are quality repro parts (ie grills, side skirts and lower extension) just not the rear bumper and wing. which have proven to be less appealing to the mass market.



Northeast Rod Run said:


> If you worry about stuff like that, you're going to live a very boring life.


Truth!



danfigg said:


> When ever I go more that 60 miles from home I put my local tow guy on stand by. -----Danfigg


The clinical term for that is called paranoia!!



BRZN said:


> You know if you don't use it as a daily driver:
> 1.) It doesn't wear out
> 2.) You don't get tired of it
> 3.) You don't sell it for a frickin' Mustang!


But if you had a ruststain you could roll like WTF, because there are a few 100k more where it came from...


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## BRZN (Jan 31, 2011)

Thanks Red: /Thread


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