2004 Pontiac GTO 5.7 Liter Aluminum V8

Summary:

Very fast, very fun, very refined!

Faults:

The side view mirror button failed.

General Comments:

This is my first ever performance car. I must say I am very impressed with the overall quality of this car.

The seats are very comfortable.

The fit and finish is superior to other cars in it's class, such as the Mustang.

The performance is great. The engine gives just enough grumble without being overtly in your face.

0-60 times are very impressive. The manual is smooth. This is a very fast and fun car.

I love the styling. I get a lot of looks and thumbs up. These cars are rare enough that enough people as "Hey, what is that car."

Great import style refinement as it is imported from Australia and known as the Holden Monaro.

The brakes are very good...

The power seats are slow.

The doors are pretty big, but this is a coupe.

The stereo leaves something to be desired.

The trunk is small.

No sunroof available.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th March, 2007

2004 Pontiac GTO

Summary:

My Dream Car Realized!

Faults:

Electrical - Car indicated was overheating. Restarted car, and disappeared. Front-end alignment was off upon purchase. Other than that, no problems.

General Comments:

I love my GTO! Bought it pre-owned. I had considered the Mustang GT, but Ford could not work down the numbers for me. I am so glad that I didn't buy a Mustang! I see them all over the place, and they are just not as exclusive as these cars.

Plus, the GTO is being discontinued, at least temporarily (new one coming out in 08/09). Therefore, our GTO's value should be relatively good down the road.

Performance - unbelievable car! Moves like a bat out of hell off the line, and is amazingly comfortable on long trips. In my opinion, really isn't even in same class as the Mustang, more of a grand tourer than a muscle car. You would have to spend 50K or more to get the luxury/performance that this car possesses, on par with Mercedes/BMW.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th March, 2006

18th Mar 2006, 01:31

Always thought that being discontinued lowered a model's resale value because no one wants to drive an "orphan" but this reviewer seems to believe that it will help keep resale values up. Does he think that all the people who didn't get around to buying a new one are now going to be pursuing the used ones? Does this make any sense?

18th Mar 2006, 08:09

There are 50 good reasons why a 2005 GTO is better than a 2004 (and there was no 2003).

18th Mar 2006, 08:41

People still pursue the early generation (GTO) orphans?? 64-72 and pay far more than they originally cost. Other mfrs even VW bugs are examples as well of how individuals like different body styles etc.

18th Mar 2006, 10:51

Hey, there are people on this site that think their Cadillac Cimarron is a collectible that will skyrocket in value.

IF this version of the GTO ever becomes "collectible" it certainly will be the better 2005 version and not the 2004 version.

28th Feb 2009, 13:26

I bought my 04 with 14800 on the tach. I've put just over 3500 since I got it last month. After about 2 days of driving I noticed it pulled hard to the right. Dealer tried to argue road conditions were the cause. Got the allignment and tire rotation done for free. No problem since. It did the over heat thing while coming out of a car wash. It did this at about 17700. I shut the car off checked it out and fired it back up. No problems since.

2004 Pontiac GTO M6 5.7 V8

Summary:

Great car saddled with unfixable electrical issues

Faults:

Blinkers blew fuses.

ABS/TC system reports error.

Incorrectly warned of low coolant.

Radiator fans stuck ON.

General Comments:

The car has a great engine, and that's the biggest draw for me. The sound is loud, and is what a V8 should sound like. I feel way louder than C5 Vettes I encounter in my travels.

The interior, though, is very quiet for a fast car. Impressively comfortable seats.

The electronics, however, are disastrous. I've had issues with the blinkers that took several months and 4 visits to fix; and to this day I get an ABS error despite having almost every part of the ABS system replaced.

I'm currently fighting for a buyback...

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 10th March, 2006

30th Mar 2006, 10:15

I purchased a 04 Goat and within the first month the battery died. Dealer said it was a bad battery and replaced it. 3 months later, same thing happened. Dealer reset the "Sleep" time from 240 minutes to five. 5 days later same thing happened. Dealer kept the car for a week trying to find out why it was happening. They were unsuccessful. First of Sept. 05 just before the warranty expired, happened again. Dealer charged the battery and sent me home because they have no idea what is wrong. Also, numerous times the gauges started pinwheeling which also causes all warning indicators related to the gauges to fire. It's like driving a haunted a house. I have an attorney doing the lemon law, but GM just keeps making offers for cash and I keep the car. I'll be darned if I spend 30,000 buying a car I can't trust. Anyone else experiencing these issues?

11th Jun 2006, 22:42

The console going haywire issue is a software bug. A dealer can upgrade the software and fix the issue. Otherwise, you can turn the car off and on again; it should temporarily rectify the problem (not an acceptable option, but it should work).

I'd recommend everyone who needs to read info on their GTO or would like to ask questions to visit the www.ls1gto.com. It's free and a good community of goat enthusiasts. You will often find answers to your problems just by searching the forums, or just ask and someone will most likely give you some input.