# So, when did you know you "had to have it"?



## vette68 (Oct 8, 2005)

Just curious what everyone's story is. I know for me, it was June of 05 and GM brought the Auto Show in Motion to Cleveland. Basically they set up autocross style cone courses and let you beat on just about any car in their lineup. SSR, CTS-V, Corvette, even the Hummer, Saturn & Saab. Anyhow, I'd heard about and seen the ads for the 04 GTO's and was a little unimpressed by their styling (no offense to those that have one...) and this was the first time I saw the 05's. Then I drove it. And drove it again. And drove it again. Probably like 6 times that first day. I loved it so much I went back 2 days later and took my neighbor so he could drive it. From that point on, I was posessed. I couldn't stop thinking about the car. It wasn't until about 2 months later that I found a dealer locally selling a used 05 in the EXACT color combo I wanted (blue on blue m6). I didn't even need to test drive it, but I did just to remind myself of why I wanted it...

And the rest is history... So, that's when I knew I had to have it.

Bill.


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## s2gordon (Dec 15, 2005)

For me I was at my local pontiac dealership test driving a G6 GTP coupe and the salesman saw my wife and I looking at an 06 they had on the lot. He came out with the keys to the G6 and the GTO. He didn't tell me until we were in the G6 that he saw us looking at the GTO and he had the keys on him, so we could try it out for "****s and giggles" when we get back. 
Once we got back He started the GTO and i heard the exhaust.. that's the magical moment when I had a big grin on my face Sat in the car, lost myself in the most comfortable seats i've ever sat in and let the ever so slight vibration from the engine carry me away and everything around me was lost. It was just me and the car...
One week later I was in Jacksonville picking up my 05 MBM M6.


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## BRunkelGTO (Feb 15, 2006)

I have yet to drive one yet and I still know that I must have one. I have always been a huge pontiac fan, introduced by my friend's Grand Prix GTP, and when I heard about the new GTO coming out I was curious. I fell in love with the subtle, yet aggressive look, and it took me to the bank when I was at a stop light and heard one roar with that beautiful V8 sound as it downshifted to stop at the light. So i've been checking out this forum lately and getting more and more interested. Starting to save for one now!!

-Ben


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## MeanGoat (Jan 4, 2006)

Very nice topic.

My moment was when I went for the test drive at the end of March last year. I knew about the car already because I has just bought my wife a G6.

I started it off the lot and accidently broke the tires loose just doing what I thought was a_ normal_ clutch release. Took it down the the road and was first at a light to turn left onto a three lane state road. Turned the corner safely, shifted into second and it grabbed me and pushed me into the seat. Mashed the gas and went through 1-2-3-4 gears before I looked down at noticed I was doing nearly 70. That was my 'moment of Zen'.

I was infatuated. Couldn't get it out of my mind. I went and test drove an Acura TL, 350Z, '05 Mustang, and still I COULD NOT GET THIS CAR OUT OF MY HEAD.

Bought her on April 16th. Now I'm getting power hungry again and looking for easy mods for more hp. Hard not to get hooked.

Nice topic, vette98. Wanted to mention that I used to live just down Lorain Rd from you in North Eaton. Dad still lives up there off Rt 82. Thinking about bringing the goat up this summer so we can do some mods in his shop. :cheers


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## bergenfelter (Nov 11, 2005)

I started my adventure when my buddy at work had already purchased a 2005 M6 GTO and let me drive it for a while while I was on home leave. Let's say the rest is history...

I was still living in Italy on a foreign asignment and bought my GTO over the internet. The GTO sat in may garage in the states for 2 months until my assignment was over and then it was time to have some fun...

I am going on month 2 of driving this car, and love every minute of it. Yes, I drive it in the winter, and need to be a bit careful, but in all the muscle cars I have owned over the years, this is one of the best.

My favorite is the upshift at 6500 RPM in the bottom three gears, can you say warp drive?

John.


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## Yellow6.0 (Dec 19, 2005)

Had an Infiniti G35 coupe. I was sick and tired of having to get the rpms up so high to get anything out of her. I felt like all the people around me thought I was trying to race. Nope - just girl who is always in a hurry. 
My husband has a Corvette. He also has a daughter so guess who HAS to have 4 seater? Me! Doesn't make sense. I know. 
Anyway, went shopping for something with the most bang for our buck. Found the wonderful GTO!!! First had my eyes set on a blue one. Then I drove it!!!!! HAD to have it!!!!!!
My husband already knew that I had a thing for yellow. He stole my G35 from work and then surprised me with the Yellow GTO!!!!!!!!!
It was love at first sight.
     arty:


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## redrocketgto (Jul 14, 2005)

My quest started in 04,after having my Z28 lemon lawed,I ended up with a Monte SS.I had this car for about 7mo. and just missed the ponies.So I had two options the goat or a 350Z,I stopped at a few Pontiac dealer's and they did not want to deal,So I got the 04 Z instead.I had it and enjoyed it for 10mo. and then came the incentive's.The Pontiac dealer is only 1 1/2 mi. from the house,I go on a monday for a test drive and was hooked,come 6/10/05,I was the proud owner of my GTO and I have loved every minute of it.arty:


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## HTRDLNCN (Jul 1, 2005)

For me it was since I found out we would be getting Holdens imported to the US,,been wanting one as long as I could remember but you can only bring over Holdens that are 25 years old or older no new ones. So as soon as I found a good deal i bought one.


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## Stephen Hopkins (Feb 6, 2006)

My "gotta have it" moment started out as a "this will do" moment. I'm 23, about to graduate from Georgia Tech, and engaged to the best girl in the world. When my truck got rear-ended in December my fiance desided she wanted to trade her "toy" ('04 Eclipse Spyder GT) in for something for me since we were going to trade it for something for me when we got married anyway. Her rationale was why make payments on something she wasn't going to get to keep... I didn't complain. 

I've had Corvette Fever since I was in 6th grade and dad took me to the Corvette Museum and Factory in Bowling Green. I even had her convinced to let me get an '01 C5 Corvette. We'd been shopping around for a few weeks and had narrowed it down to a couple (white vert at carmax, green couple somewhere else). We'd driven both and had done the price/payment/trade dance with both dealerships. At that point she said she wasn't 100% comfortable with a car that old with that many miles (60k on both) for the kind of money we'd be spending. She also wasn't crazy about the car itself, lack of a back seat, and insurance prices. She asked if there were ANYTHING else out there i'd be happy with. That's when I showed here the GTO. 

Almost instantly she remarked at how much more she liked the GTO and how much more sense it made. I knew everything she was saying was true but still felt like i was settling... until I drove it. The powere was responsive but much more linear and easier to control than the Vette (mainly due to the weight difference I'm sure). The exhaust note was a bit more subdues but opened up as you pushed the accelerator. The seats were more firm but also more supportive and better constructed. Goosing it when turning at a stop sign and feeling the rear end start to move out made me realize this wasn't a compromise at all... just a more logical packaging. 

We ended up with an '04 Torrid Red on Black A4 with 14k miles. I love the car... I love my fiance even more... I still want a Vette but it can wait until "someday" when it makes more sense. The GTO will keep me grinning every day until then.


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## raven1124 (Sep 23, 2005)

Great topic vette68!!!

My story goes back to 04 when My friend told me that they were bringing them back and that he saw a commercial for it. Well I saw the commerical one day with the stoplight theme and later I saw the one with the GTO sliding sideways into the garage. So I did so research on the Internet and drove to the dealership at 1:00 in the morning to see if they had any. Sure enough they had a red on red A4 04. The next day I test drove it and fell in love. The dealer talk to me about the price and I just couldn't afford it. So I saved up for about a year and got my baby in September of last year and couldn't be happier.


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## derf (Aug 3, 2004)

I knew about the Holden Monaro and Commodore back in 2002 or so. Learned about the Saudi version (Chevrolet Caprice) that is left hand drive and started casually looking into having one imported. I wasn't too serious but as soon as I heard about the Monaro being imported here in 2003, I got in line. 

I bought my GTO in January of 04. I was one of the first few to own one in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area. :cool


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## Yellow6.0 (Dec 19, 2005)

raven1124 said:


> Great topic vette68!!!
> 
> My story goes back to 04 when My friend told me that they were bringing them back and that he saw a commercial for it. Well I saw the commerical one day with the stoplight theme and later I saw the one with the GTO sliding sideways into the garage. So I did so research on the Internet and drove to the dealership at 1:00 in the morning to see if they had any. Sure enough they had a red on red A4 04. The next day I test drove it and fell in love. The dealer talk to me about the price and I just couldn't afford it. So I saved up for about a year and got my baby in September of last year and couldn't be happier.


Did you end up getting the '05 or the '04?


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## raven1124 (Sep 23, 2005)

Yellow6.0 said:


> Did you end up getting the '05 or the '04?


05 black on black M6. I was so down when I didn't get that 04. I can remember going to the Pontiac web site and seeing the 05. The first thing I noticed was the hood scoops. Then I read that they were putting the LS2 in it. I'm so glad I couldn't afford that 04!


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## Verdoro 68 (Dec 27, 2005)

I don't know about "it", but I got into GTOs at around 11 or 12 years old by watching old Monkees reruns. At the time the first musclecar boom was starting to hit. My cousin and my uncle had a really nice '70 Mach 1 which planted the seed for me. Around the same time I bought "The Big Little GTO Book" and read it until the pages fell out.

Somewhere along the way I settled on a '68. So, my dad and I picked up my '68 in May of '91 by cashing in a savings bond I was to use for college. Heeding the warnings of those who said "never sell that car", I didn't and don't plan to anytime soon.

Even back then I was eagerly waiting for Pontiac to come out with a new GTO. Pretty much all we had to go by for a new GTO back then was a lame GrandAm GTO concept. When the GTO show car came out around '98 or '99 I thought it was a good sign, but nothing ever became of it. By late '99 the Firebirds were looking really gaudy with all their body cladding and in a moment of weakness I settled on an '00 Eclipse. The honeymoon ended shortly after I bought the car and I spent the next 6 years regretting the purchase.

When they announced the '04s I was excited that the nameplate had been revived and applied to a RWD mid-size V8. I admit that the plain styling put me off a bit, but I thought it was kind of cool that it was a sleeper. I tried to convince myself on a regular basis that I didn't want a new GTO.

Around November of last year I noticed the dealer in town still had a new '04 on the lot. Just for kicks I decided to check it out. All it took was one test drive and I knew this was the car for me. It had a lot of work to do to convince my wife I needed it because we had just paid off the Eclipse. Finally, she relented. Things were tense between us for a few days, but she got over it and actually enjoys the car now.


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## GTOJon (Jan 25, 2005)

raven1124 said:


> 05 black on black M6. I was so down when I didn't get that 04. I can remember going to the Pontiac web site and seeing the 05. The first thing I noticed was the hood scoops. Then I read that they were putting the LS2 in it. I'm so glad I couldn't afford that 04!


I had a similar experience. In August of 2004 I went to the dealership and saw a beautiful Torrid Red GTO and had such a gut feeling that _this one was mine (still have the pics on my computer). After crunching some numbers we came to the conclusion that it was just not affordable for me at the time. I was completely heartbroken and from that August to April of 2005, when I finally got my GTO, I would look at the Pontiac website daily and always catch myself thinking about the car. But it worked out, I knew I'd get one at some point but with the changes for '05 I'm glad I couldn't afford it in '04._


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## raven1124 (Sep 23, 2005)

GTOJon said:


> I had a similar experience. In August of 2004 I went to the dealership and saw a beautiful Torrid Red GTO and had such a gut feeling that _this one was mine (still have the pics on my computer). After crunching some numbers we came to the conclusion that it was just not affordable for me at the time. I was completely heartbroken and from that August to April of 2005, when I finally got my GTO, I would look at the Pontiac website daily and always catch myself thinking about the car. But it worked out, I knew I'd get one at some point but with the changes for '05 I'm glad I couldn't afford it in '04._


_

Exactly. I was just so sick that I couldn't get it. I always thought about it and my friends got tired of me talking about it. I would just say to myself "you'll forget about this thing in a month" and that never happened. I love it just as much now as I did when I saw that first commercial._


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## GoatLovin (Feb 15, 2006)

I should start by saying my name is Mike, I'm 19 years old, I go to college in NorCal, work 4 - 5 days out of the week and do not have a GTO yet.

I never really followed the GTO when it came back in '04. I wasn't really even following the car scene since I didn't need a new vehicle. About 7 or so months ago it hit me... I am bored with trucks! My first truck was a 2000 Toyota Tundra SR5. I cannot tell you how much I loved that truck... perhaps only because it was my first vehicle. I now drive a 2005 Silverado and am bored to tears with it and trucks overall. During this time I started looking at sporty cars. Of course the immediate ones that went through my mind were 350Z's, Mustangs, G35's and last-gen Firebird Trans - Am's. (I still love those Firebirds by the way.) Anyhow one day after school I dropped by my local Pontiac dealer just to check things out... there it/they were. Two 2005 GTO's. One IBM/Blue A4 and a Torrid Red/Red M6. I was talking to salesperson who didn't look to be over 22 about the car... actually he was talking to me, but I wasn't listening... the car had my full attention. Next thing I know I'm sitting in the drivers seat taking in the interior. Amazing! I hop out and am ready to leave when IT happens. The salesman runs inside and comes out with the keys.

I am riding shotgun with him at the wheel. He takes me out of the dealership and down a long straight road. He turns into the Intel parking lot and tells me switch sides. Now keep in mind I'm used to trucks, so my idea of power was tainted at the time. I drive out of the parking lot and onto the main road normally. He tells me to jump onto the freeway and to drive it like it was mine. This is when I KNEW I HAD to have it. I wouldn't say I mashed the pedal down, but enough to think "Holy sh!t I think I'm in love!" A few moments later I'm in the fast lane doing 120MPH with the salesman looking out the window like this was normal. I drive it back to the dealership knowing I would have a GTO someday.

Well, it's February now. The way things are going I will be buying an '06 sometime in the June - August region. The car has been on my mind every day. It's getting worse as time goes by. To those of you that own this car, I salute you.

Damnit, I want a Torrid Red on red so bad it hurts.


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## raven1124 (Sep 23, 2005)

Man, I know how you feel. I obsessed over this car every day and still do. just keep saving up and you'll have your goat in no time. And welcome to the forumarty:


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## Tom (Nov 1, 2004)

I knew I had to have it when they raised the rebate to 5500 and upped my 900 in gm card earnings to 5000 and left the residual at 18700 at 3.5%


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## noz34me (Dec 15, 2005)

Tom said:


> I knew I had to have it when they raised the rebate to 5500 and upped my 900 in gm card earnings to 5000 and left the residual at 18700 at 3.5%


I know what you mean! Same thing happened to me late in '04. Found one in WV and my "out the door" was about the same. If I hadn't just gotten a '68 Chevelle that year, and back from bodyshop that fall, I would have gotten it then.

Kept thinking about it tho, and got the green light from the wife to "just get one" this past fall. I waited and waited for a similar GM Card deal, but it never came. I finally got my '05 PBM 6M for $23,500 just using my hard earned GM Points, GM $2500 rebate, and whatever negotiating skills I possess about a month ago. Haven't regretted it!

My "realization" came when I was within a gnat's arse of buying a CrossFire. Thought about it, and it just didn't measure up (even though I think the exterior and interior are one kickass design). Killed that deal, and within 2 weeks had the Goat.


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## Tom (Nov 1, 2004)

I love the GM card. 

Last March they added $1000 to my card. My uncle put my $450 of hard earned points plus the $1000 towards his rainier.

Then they sent my wife checks this summer that earned the 5%. earned almost $3000 in two months that we applied to her rendezvous.

Then in November they my wife a card with an additional $500 that we put towards my dad's rendezvous. The day before he picked up the car he got a card in the mail tossing him $1,000 as a loyalty rebate towards a new car. Perfect timing!!!!

Then in January they upped the $280 of earnings I had on my card to $2000 that went towards my mother in laws LaCrosse.

Now my mother has something like 1500 sitting on her card and earning (very hard with her i might add. HAH!!) waiting for my GTO lease to be up.


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## noz34me (Dec 15, 2005)

Tom said:


> I love the GM card.
> 
> Last March they added $1000 to my card. My uncle put my $450 of hard earned points plus the $1000 towards his rainier.
> 
> ...


Yes, I have the old "blue" card. $500/year max unless GM ante's up more. They just weren't willing to do so December/January, and in the meantime, I kept watching the inventory of 6M's going down, down, down. 

It's always a judgment call and to when you "pull the trigger" so to speak, but I haven't regretted it.


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## GM Kid (Mar 21, 2005)

For me, the GTO came along at a time when I was having a "what should my next car be?" crisis. I had an '01 C5 nearing the end of its warranty period, but the upcoming C6 wasn't a realistic option. Too pricey, and two seats too few. I'm the father of two boys, eight and four, so I needed to switch to something that could accommodate our family of four if need be. A Camaro would've been a good option, but GM had just killed it. What to do for horsepower, seating capacity and value?

That's when all the car mags started talking about how GM's Bob Lutz had gone down to Australia and been smitten with the rear-drive Holden Monaro. There were artists' conceptions of what a GTO version might look like. Hmmm.

About that time, the GM Desert Proving Ground here in Mesa, where my father worked for years, was having a major anniversary. We all went out to the Grounds for the party, and among the many cars on display was a Monaro that obviously had seen tough duty on the test tracks. "Cool," I thought.

Throughout most of 2004 I tried to come to terms with selling my Corvette. The '04 GTOs were on the road, a reality. Dang, what to do? Then pictures of the rumored '05 model, with hood scoops and the new LS2, started to appear, and I made up my mind. I put the Vette up for sale in January 2005. 

Had a few nibbles, but no bites. Then my Pontiac/GMC sales guy, a friend who'd sold my wife and me an Envoy, called and asked if I wanted to come drive an '05. I did. I gave up trying to sell the Vette and just traded it in. Oh--and I tossed in an Astro van I also owned and walked away with a blue-on-blue M6, $12 to the good!


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## Cadsbury (Dec 6, 2005)

I'd been looking since they came out in 04. Had to replace my keyboard several times for all the drewl... Anyway when the Employee pricing came out, the price came down to what I could afford. I hadn't even drivin an 05 yet, knew what color combo I wanted, call the dealer up and told them if they could find what I was looking for I'd buy it. The salesman called me an hour later and I went and signed the paperwork that night after work. Got the car the next day sight unseen, drove around the block, came back and signed the final delivery papers. Haven't thought twice about it since then. Love my Goat!


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## pbmaniac2000 (Feb 13, 2006)

I had kinda heard about the gto here and there. I loved the really old gto's like a 65. WOW! Then when i saw the movie XXX, they had a gto and it was beautiful. Then a couple of months later they talked about re-releasing the gto. I was like ok. Never really heard anything else about it. So i bought a 2k4 chevy ssr. It was a lot of fun to drive, but insurance was crazy mad. So i decided it was time for something new. Started looking around about 6 months ago. I looked at the saturn sky, and a few other cars. I went in to look at the pontiac solstice. It was blah. So I caught out of the corner of my eye something that said gto. It was a brouchure. I was like do you have one of those laying around somewhere.

He said yeah its right over there. It was a red on red. I took it for a drive and fell in love right away. The defining moment when i knew i had to have it was when he let me take it for a day. I knew the owner really well, and he said here just go take it for the day. So i took it to school the next day totally in love with it. Then some kid with some rice burner who thinks he is all that pulls up next to me at a light. He puts all sorts of mods on it, and always brags about it and everything. He thinks he is so cool, so he revs his engine. Ok, its on. Light turns green, and by the time I hit second gear he was 2 car lenghts behind me. Then by 3rd gear, he was a tiny dot in the rear view mirror.:lol: :cool It was hilarious. I had to peel myself out of my seat though.

I drove to the bank right after that. Got the $32,000 in cash and drove down to the dealership. Signed all the papers. I didn't even have the car detailed. I didn't really care. I just wanted to go drive around.


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## ModBoss2 (Nov 13, 2005)

When I opened up the newspaper and noticed that the dealership was selling it for $28K 

I wasn't even thinking about buying a new car that day, but after seeing the ad I jokingly told a co-worker "I've got to get my hands on that title" ...within about an hour I was signing the contract.


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## BlownGTO (Dec 9, 2005)

I took an '04 for a drive at my dealership, the second one to arrive in the state, I fell in love. I left the dealership for a better job, drove one at autoshow in motion. Few months later I found a very lightly used '04 Pulse Red 6M GTO. I purchased it, 3 weeks later a guy slammed into me going to fast on ice. It was totaled by Insurance. So I purchased the Yellow Beauty that I have today! COULDNT BE HAPPIER!


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## b_a_betterperson (Feb 16, 2005)

Wanted one the second I saw pictures of the Holden Monaro when rumors of the GTO first popped up. Knew Holden had been building really cool Commodores for some time. 

Checked one out right after the launch. Dealer wanted $10,000 over sticker -- plus $6,000 for a cheapo set of wheels and tires. $50K for a GTO plus 11% more for tax and license? Told them they were smoking crack.

Started noticing ads for discounted 2004 GTOs in November of that year. Saw there was a huge number of them in inventory -- and just waited. My wife, who thought these were still selling for $50K was going ballistic -- but backed off when I started showing her the numbers. Two days before the end of the year -- I called a dealer and got one for $25,999 with zero haggling. Just said "what's your best price" and that was what they came up with.

Once there, I was in the process of scratching a check for cash when the finance guy said "you know you're qualified for .9% money for 36 months?" 

Don't ever think I'll top that deal. What a hoot.


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## StangStalker (Aug 21, 2005)

When me and a friend were driving by a dealership, I figured I would pull in and take the car for a test drive just to see what it was like. I had no intentions of buying the car what-so-ever. But that changed about as fast as the car went. Got back to the dealership, signed the papers, and brought her home. There was no way I was going home without the GTO. And now looking back on it, I have absolutely no regrets on the decision because everytime I get in the car, i have a smile on my face just like the first time I did.

Heres to all the GTO owners out there. :cheers 

arty: arty:


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## BigNick (Jan 7, 2005)

*Warning: this is a book*

*Chapter One*
Wanted one since they were brought to the US, some of the commercials on the SPEED channel (about the only place I ever saw the commercials) helped fuel the need.

Never thought I'd be able to afford a $30K+ car. December 2004 I saw a commercial on a local cable TV channel for a local dealer just up the road, they had two GTOs for $259/mo (lease) excluding tax/tags/fees. Saw that they only had red automatics, one Torrid and one Pulse. Tried another dealer about 65 miles away, found a PBM/red with an M6. Similar lease deal, lower down payment and a slightly higher monthly payment, just a hair over $300/mo.

And to think I paid the same monthly payment 12 years before on a 1986 Crown Victoria that I bought 7-years-old used (with extended warranty). :willy: 

*Chapter Two*
The Phantom Black LS1 '04 was nice, but I got tired of having "only" 350 HP and the way black showed dirt. No garage here and they're doing construction a few hundred feet away so even the day after a washing, it was showing dirt again.

I like the Brazen Orange color, and it is approximately the color of dirt (but much nicer  ) . Found a 2006 Brazen Orange for sale with M6 and 18s at a GM dealer about 25-30 miles from home. Was all set to sign the papers and pick it up on a Thursday, but got to the lot and they had discovered a "stripey" paint defect  . The salesman wouldn't sell it like that, and of course I didn't want the quarter panels repainted on a new car (this was before I heard about heat-guns/lamps being a possible fix).

He located another dealer about 40 miles further east that had another new Brazen Orange M6, except this one had 17s (I wasn't set on the 18s, and this would drop the price a bit). He just had to work a dealer-trade to get it, the other dealer wanted one of his new Malibus. Normally with a dealer trade the salesman will drive the traded car to the dealer, and drive the other one back, which would rack up about a total of 50 miles on the "new" car. He agreed to let me ride shotgun in the Malibu on the way over to the trading dealer, and drive the GTO back myself with him as a passenger (during which time I used the "on the street" break-in procedures here. I wanted to try this, as I had used the "easy" break-in on the '04 and thought it was "low" on power.

The only remaining problem was: do I trade in the '04, or try to sell it myself? Used '04s (mine had just over 6K) weren't commanding huge prices (current "excellent" condition KBB 2004 GTO trade-in value: $18125 - 2004 GTO private-party value: $21705) and I owed about $23.5K (due to the low lease payment).

I decided to go the "easy" way and trade the 2004 in. I wound up paying full retail for the 2006 and got a Smartbuy instead of another lease. The only part that sucked is four days later, the retail price dropped by $1K.  

*Chapter Three*
(to be continued in 2009?)


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## BigNick (Jan 7, 2005)

Looks like I dropped a book on this thread and killed it.


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## gtoidiotswitch (Feb 13, 2006)

*G 6 test drive*

That is kinda funny. Same thing happened here. I had a Grand Prix Gt-2. Special ordered, all the works. Bought it off my employee discount so the dealership lost money on the sale.
Started having problems right away. Steering shaft first, radio 2nd, (took 6 new cds with it) steering wheel started peeling. 
Finally decided to trade, saw a G6 that had ground effects to look like the GTO. 32000? I told the salesman the car wasn't worth 30,000 but I'd give him that for the GTO, hoping he'd leave us alone. Long story short, I've got a GTO and LOVE IT! Never hesitated signing the papers! Best car purchase I've ever made.


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## tkd0706 (Jan 31, 2006)

When did I know? I'd say about 13 hours ago :lol:


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## purplehaze (Dec 27, 2005)

The day i heard they where making them again, not sure if it was 02 or 03, either way I went to the Pontiac site, saw the HP and the concept car. It then became very clear, it would be mine.....


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## rippinbyu (Jun 11, 2005)

2004, after I listened to the exhaust sound clip about 50 times!:cheers


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## PEARL JAM (Sep 6, 2005)

When I was convinced there was gonna be no more Trans Ams.
STILL can't get over GM axing those!
not:cool


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## Dragon 32 (Jan 27, 2006)

My draw to the GTO is it's been around since 2004 and I had never seen or heard of the new GTO's until Jan. of this year.. And when I did get to see it and drive it  I knew then that this car was destine to be mine... And I like being different, not everyone own's one. And I always' get asked about it. Example, my 73 year old neighbor came over one day and asked, what kind of car is that. I told him and he asked if he could sit in it. After he sat in it and admired it, he said man that thing looks like it's speeding just sitting there...:cool


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## lotaguts (Jan 17, 2006)

Test drove one in Jan 06 it happened to be a black on black a4 left over 05. Drove this car with no intention of even getting it at the time of test drive just kind of killing time during my day. I swear I had never felt anything like it before from a coupe my jaw kept dropping I asked the salesman to go an extra block just to keep the sensation alive. I returned it back to the lot and then from that day on my head was ringing the old Robert Palmer tune "might as well face it your addicted to GTO" now I grin everyday in my 05 black/red a4 damn I am in love my wife is jealous.:willy:


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## Phantom05 (Jul 13, 2005)

I had my mind set on buying a '00 NBM Formula Firehawk and was gonna keep my Grand Am as a DD. Well, I was broadsided in my Grand Am and decided instead of driving up to Ohio to look at the 'Hawk, I'll go look at some GTO's. I had been following the progression of the 04 to the 05's and told myself that I'd only get one if it was a PBM 05 (I was drooling over what I was reading/hearing about the LS2). Went to the local dealer and was sold when I sat inside and turned the key. Walked in and filled out the paperwork 30 minutes later.


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## Reno'sGoat (Dec 10, 2004)

For me it was sometime back in 2003 when I heard that they were bringing them back. Right then I told my wife that if that happens I'm getting one. Her reply was (Honey go for it). Waited til 05 and when the MBM came into play I grabbed one and have been smiling ever since.


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## LynnF1 (Nov 21, 2005)

When I sat in it at the dealership!

Was sort of looking for a replacement for the '02 Mustang GT mistake I made, kinda looked around and went... "hey, it's the end of the '05 model year, here's a chance to get 400 hp and 400 lb/ft of torque for around $30K!"

Never gave them much of a thought before, really... I need an automatic (my manual tranny skills are horrible and 90% of my driving is rush hour), and the thought of 16 city/21 highway plus a $1,300 guzzler tax turned me off. Plus, I really kinda figured it was just another Mustang/Camaro/Firebird.

Went to a friend of mine in fleet at a large dealership chain after looking on their website (they had an '05 in stock), arranged to go do paperwork and make the buy. that night, we went out to take a short ride and as soon as I sat in the REALLY comfortable driver seat (I'm 6'2" and 250+) and fired it up, I couldn't back out. Had to have it. Had to have it. HAD to HAVE IT!


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## spdcop (Feb 20, 2006)

My story is simple. My best friend since high school, 20 years ago, bought an '04 and JUST HAD to show it to me when he got it. So, I waited until the '05s came out and got one just to out do him. I rag him all the time about his SSSSSSSSSSSSSLOW '04.


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## TommyD (Feb 14, 2006)

It was the snarl of the pipes and the nice interior that got me in the car, the test drive made me get the check book out. Started feeding on the W. Virginia and Maryland 50 MPH in the left lane crowd immediately thereafter....


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## gto_lady04 (Jan 25, 2006)

rippinbyu said:


> 2004, after I listened to the exhaust sound clip about 50 times!:cheers



The exhaust clips had the same effect on me and my husband, we knew we'd own one.

But we stayed away until this year, cause we knew once we drove it that would be the end of _wanting_ and it was.

We bought a lightly used '04 in Jan with all the SAPs already done. And we love it. In fact we drove about 200 miles to get it. But I did cry when I left my GTP at the dealer (my husband bought it for my 40th B-day).

Then we came here and found out that '06 is the last year to be made, so now we wish we had gotten the '05 or '06 and would trade immediately if the right deal comes along.

Gotta need for speed and the extra hps are sooooo necessary.

It is the most awesome car I have driven in years and having grown up in the 70's with a father who is a mechanic, I've driven some really cool rides.

I am so glad to see some other lady's have joined arty: 


Monica


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## 1BadGoat (Nov 28, 2004)

For me as stupid is this sounds, it was when I saw the movie The last ride. I just fell in love with the car, I bought mine just a couple of months later.


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## SoGaGTO (Feb 11, 2006)

I was shopping for a replacement for my '98 Grand Prix GT (my third pontiac) and wanted to upgrade on horsepower and didn't need a four door since two of my children are grown. I liked the GTO but didn't think I could afford it, so I was leaning toward "settling" for the '05 Mustang GT. I test drove the Mustang and thought it was nice (responsive, attractive, etc.) but the back seat was practically nonexistent. My 11 year old daughter could hardly fit in the back seat and my wife wasn't to keen on the Mustang. When the "employee discount" promotion went into place, it brought the GTO price very close to the Mustang GT with leather. My wife and I loved the mature and elegant look and when I test drove it I knew I "had to have it". I bought an '05 quick silver m6 with black leather interior and have never owned or even driven a car I enjoy as much. I see from the forum, most of you feel the same way.


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## HotRodGuy (Jan 9, 2006)

Minute I drove it. I was in the hunt for a new car, was looking at the G35C, used E46M3, Evo, and STi and the Magnum R/T, along w/ the Trail Blazer SS

I didn't even really consider the GTO but my dad and wife liked it and convinced me to take it out for a test drive. I was hooked when I got out of the car.


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