graywolf624
02-17-2007, 06:43 PM
I recently decided it would be fun to make a weekly winter tradition of going to a different dealer and testing a car. This plan should get me through the long winter before I feel comfortable pulling my Trans Am out of winter hibernation. Besides what is more fun then beating on someone elses car?
So what did I start with but a 2006 Pontiac GTO. Apparently the dealers
are desperate to unload the remaining 2006 copies of this now discontinued car. The first thing I'm greeted with is a completely dead battery GTO in electric blue. Apparently no one has tested or driven these cars in quite some time. The next thing out of the dealers mouth is something about rebates, which I tune out by requesting a test drive of another car. (Only you the reader and myself knowing I have no intention of buying). Fortunately the red car in the next spot starts on the first try. The dealer tells me to 'go ahead and burn off the tires, I don't care'. The reader can guess where this is going...
But before we venture into the driving situation of the GTO lets talk about the interior. This is not your typical GM interior. The materials are high quality with exceptional fit and finish. The stereo system is an above average 10 speaker multi disc system from a high quality name which currently eludes me. There are no fiddly gadgets or i-drive to speak of, just a fairly driver oriented buy quality interior. Even the trunk space, for all the negative discussion around it, is at least on par with something like a Mustang or Camaro.
So with great comfort in this decent, for the price, womb I set off to see what this 400 bhp monster can do. As soon as I'm out of sight of the dealership I'm on the gas. Turning right at the red light I get my first suprise, I manage to swing the ass end around and go up the road sideways. While of course many cars, even my t/a, can do this type of manuever; I was extremely suprised at how controled the gto was doing it. There was no waving of the arms drama, if you were in the passenger seat and reading a book you might not even have known it was happening, but there it was.
I straightened the car up and came to another red light. Right, time to test the straight line acceleration. I slam the gas when things turn green to light up the tires and smoke goes everywhere. The rear makes a slight left right shimmy, hooks, and off we go to well over the speed limit in under 5 secs. I must say, the drama is less then what I suspect. My current car would do similar times but youd hear the noise and the shake in the entire car to tell you. None of this occurs in the GTO. Whether this is your cup of tea is subjectable. Some will like the drama as it feels like more of an event. Then again that same drama does not provide confidence to the inexperienced driver.
So next I decided to test the brakes. The 2006 GTO's have up rated brakes over the 2004's and it shows. The car stops incredibly fast with no drama from 60. It was at least comparable to my T/A, Impressive for a car weighing a very heavy fat man more.
Finaly I decided it was handling time. I took the car around several tight corners at higher rates of speed. Again the tendancy to inspire confidence. The car didn't feel quite as fast due to the size, but it did seem to hold the road well. It probably would not be the preferable choice for a tight autocross, but it would do exceptionally well on a wider road course for a beginer or someone wanting to showoff.
I pulled the car back into the dealership about 30 minutes later having traveled almost 15 miles. You could still smell the tire smoke and the look on the salesmens face was priceless as I just walked away. So what is my conclusion? At the end of the day it left me wanting a GTO as a daily driver. A car with all the power and the ability to be a hoodlum, without the need to give extreme dilligence at all times. Then again, since this was a test drive I didn't have to pay for gas.
So what did I start with but a 2006 Pontiac GTO. Apparently the dealers
are desperate to unload the remaining 2006 copies of this now discontinued car. The first thing I'm greeted with is a completely dead battery GTO in electric blue. Apparently no one has tested or driven these cars in quite some time. The next thing out of the dealers mouth is something about rebates, which I tune out by requesting a test drive of another car. (Only you the reader and myself knowing I have no intention of buying). Fortunately the red car in the next spot starts on the first try. The dealer tells me to 'go ahead and burn off the tires, I don't care'. The reader can guess where this is going...
But before we venture into the driving situation of the GTO lets talk about the interior. This is not your typical GM interior. The materials are high quality with exceptional fit and finish. The stereo system is an above average 10 speaker multi disc system from a high quality name which currently eludes me. There are no fiddly gadgets or i-drive to speak of, just a fairly driver oriented buy quality interior. Even the trunk space, for all the negative discussion around it, is at least on par with something like a Mustang or Camaro.
So with great comfort in this decent, for the price, womb I set off to see what this 400 bhp monster can do. As soon as I'm out of sight of the dealership I'm on the gas. Turning right at the red light I get my first suprise, I manage to swing the ass end around and go up the road sideways. While of course many cars, even my t/a, can do this type of manuever; I was extremely suprised at how controled the gto was doing it. There was no waving of the arms drama, if you were in the passenger seat and reading a book you might not even have known it was happening, but there it was.
I straightened the car up and came to another red light. Right, time to test the straight line acceleration. I slam the gas when things turn green to light up the tires and smoke goes everywhere. The rear makes a slight left right shimmy, hooks, and off we go to well over the speed limit in under 5 secs. I must say, the drama is less then what I suspect. My current car would do similar times but youd hear the noise and the shake in the entire car to tell you. None of this occurs in the GTO. Whether this is your cup of tea is subjectable. Some will like the drama as it feels like more of an event. Then again that same drama does not provide confidence to the inexperienced driver.
So next I decided to test the brakes. The 2006 GTO's have up rated brakes over the 2004's and it shows. The car stops incredibly fast with no drama from 60. It was at least comparable to my T/A, Impressive for a car weighing a very heavy fat man more.
Finaly I decided it was handling time. I took the car around several tight corners at higher rates of speed. Again the tendancy to inspire confidence. The car didn't feel quite as fast due to the size, but it did seem to hold the road well. It probably would not be the preferable choice for a tight autocross, but it would do exceptionally well on a wider road course for a beginer or someone wanting to showoff.
I pulled the car back into the dealership about 30 minutes later having traveled almost 15 miles. You could still smell the tire smoke and the look on the salesmens face was priceless as I just walked away. So what is my conclusion? At the end of the day it left me wanting a GTO as a daily driver. A car with all the power and the ability to be a hoodlum, without the need to give extreme dilligence at all times. Then again, since this was a test drive I didn't have to pay for gas.