Lukesevi94

Okay so Im young and just getting into the world of performance cars, and I want to buy a cheap, fast car. I figure GM LSX right? I've always preferred Chevy/ Pontiac to ford anyways. But here's my predicament. I CANNOT for the life of me decide which would be better for me, a ls2 gto or ls1 f body. Before you tell me to do my research, I have. I know the fbody is slightly cheaper. The interior is worse. It has more rattles. Gto can't get a wide tire on the bak. Gto is heavier. Gto is more comfortable. Gto shifter sucks. And a stock for stock race is a drivers race. Oh, as a gto has IRS where the f body doesn't.

I'm not sure which I'll prefer, track driving or drag strip. But I plan on doing one at least if not both. So I need help with which to get. I know technically f body's are better for drag racing, but I've seen some guys who know how to preload their gto to launch it, and holy ****. Those things are nuts.

Anyways, here's my situation. I'm 19 years old, I'm in the Navy so I move around a lot. I have no dependents or wife or anything like that. I don't really need something super comfortable, or good on gas. I can afford either car easily, I'm very good with my money for a 19 year old. But which one is more reliable? Insurance rates? Which one would be more enjoyable driving home across the country on leave? Any input would be appreciated. I'm completely torn between the two!

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

i think youll enjoy the fbody more. It has a more raw feeling than the gto, and since you dont mind the uncomfortableness, then its a no brainer. The only downside is finding a reliable body these days. Chances are, most GTOs are gonna be better taken care of than most fbodies out there.

thats just my 2cents

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

This could be a positive or a negative, depending on what you want to do with the car.

Regardless of how you lauch it, there is nothing superior about a GTO over an F-body in terms of a drag racing platform. No matter what you do to make the GTO "better" for this purpose, the F-body can still be made to do it better than that.

Assuming both cars have equal miles, have lived comparable lives, and received equal care, then my personal feeling would be the F-body. There are several threads around this site that outline the problems that seem to be common with GTOs. I've had no comparable problems at similar mileages with my various F-bodies. Now, that's certainly not to say that F-bodies don't have their issues (they do). But all of this is assuming that any two cars will be in comparable condition and have received comparable care; and that's a pretty big assumption. Like any used car, this category is going to be more about an individual car's history and less about that specific platform in general.

GTO specific parts will be more expensive than comparable F-body specific parts, from what I've noticed.

LS2 GTO would be an '05 at the oldest, vs an LS1 F-body that would be a '98 at the oldest, so the newer car would likely be more to insure due to it's higher value.

Purely a matter of opinion. Some people will tell you that the GTO is more comfortable, and therefore better for this purpose. I would disagree, only because the added comfort is not necessary for my personal enjoyment. I've spent countless hours in F-bodies without any rest stops, and it's never been an issue for me. These cars fit me like a glove, and I don't experience the driver's fatigue that some will complain about. I would have more fun driving the F-body, simply because I like them more. But that's subjective, so it may or may not be the same for another individual.

M4N14C

iTrader: (3)

I'm in the exact same position OP was in haha. I'm also 19, loved cars and started saving up for a nice performance car about a year ago. Did some research as to which car had the most performance per $$ that was around 10k and I chose the f-body. IMO when I looked at the GTO, first off it didn't look like anything special, I wanted something that looked unique and mean haha. Second even though it has IRS, the WS6 does feel a little sharper in the twisties due to the weight difference. The GTO will also run a couple grand more than an f-body.

The decision is yours to make, this is just how I came to my decision, and I have no regrets

JD_AMG

If you have done your research and still can't decide then go drive both and see which you prefer (and keep in mind the way they drive can be drastically altered with mods). Pick the one you think is better looking.
Also, believe it or not an Fbody (properly modded) is generally better in the twisties as well, at least at auto-x.

Blackpanther99

iTrader: (8)

IMO F-Body is a great overall car.

USMC5811

iTrader: (2)

I have owned both a new Goat and 2 Camaros. First car, 98 Z28, second car, a Goat. Most recent car, a 99 SS. I went back to an F-body because to me, really the only thing the GTO had going for it is the Interior IMO.(and the LS2 depending what year you get) I love everything about f-bodies not to mention crusing around with T-tops out is a plus. GTO's only came in hard tops. Parts are much cheaper for f-bodies as well not to mention they are much cheaper than the GTO's

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

DD and comfort GTO is better no doubt so if its going to be driven a lot thats what id drive. and that is what i drive.

fbodies are fun and great looking and are excellent for any kind of racing. they can be tolerated for regular use but i just choose not to.

pferris

iTrader: (2)

I agree with rpm ws6. Although i have never driven a gto, i haven't had a problem with fatigue from driving.. I have mad a few long trips in it, and felt like i could keep going. I have some suspension mods done too my car too make it better in the corners, but at the end of the day it still is relatively heavy, with a forward weight bias, and a solid rear axle, there are far better choices for corners alone. But the looks, power, price, reliability, and overall badassness of an fbody, especially an ls1 t/a, is hard too beat. That being said, i would love too own a gto, its just not in my budget as an 18 year old.

JDEP162

i have an ls1 camaro and love it. my buddy has ls2 gto and i love that too. my opinion, get an fbody, throw some fun parts on her, and save the other 10k for now. just as much fun to drive.

bad_408_vert

iTrader: (6)

It also sounds like you wont' be driving the car everyday in traffic anyway.

Everything you said seems to steer you towards the fbody.

As far as comfort for cross country trips, i doubt they 'll matter to you because you 'll be enjoying the car for its raw nature.

Look for a clean fbody and go to town on modding it. its insane how cheap its got.

Blackpanther99

iTrader: (8)

100% agreed^

DREAMZ28

iTrader: (1)

Yea fbody all the way. The performance per dollar is astounding.it's amazing how many Jewish MODDED cars I keep up with with the with for the mods I have. A stall, exhaust and DRs is all you need to kill 95% of cars stoplight to stoplight, the rest of the mods are for fun lol.

Newer* not Jewish

black_phoenix

iTrader: (27)

1999-2004 Mustang GT 5 speed stick

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I've entered into numerous threads on this and here's my take: What does the GTO have going for it that bests the f-body? Answer: better front seats, a usuable back seat, better interior materials, and a cushier ride.

I've contemplated buying one, but after a drive in one, I can't see that I'm gaining anything other than the above. Plus losing the open-air fun of t-tops.

But the real kicker for the long-term is this: there were zillions of f-bodies sold in this country, and about 36,000 GTO's. In addition, the f-body platform is much simpler. Both cars are out of production. When parts start getting scarce, there will be a big supply of boneyard parts for the former, and not for the latter. And the aftermarket is huge for the f-body. I think that fixing and maintaning GTO's over the long haul will be MUCH more challenging.

Loudmouthls2

I ended up splurging and getting the nicer interior gto. You can't go wrong with beautiful leather seats and an ls2 motor. Mine is a monster and it is rare to see around compared to mustangs and f-body. Both cars are nice but stick a cam in the goat and it all feels like raw power and hauls ***

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I used to believe that when the GTOs were still new/newish. Since then, I've seen several with seat sitching that has come apart in the same area. Granted, the F-body leather is only a small step above junk when it comes to durability as well, but F-body cloth has never let me down. Six digits of mileage on the cloth seats in my Camaro, and not a single spot is worn thin, ripped, nor showing signs of worn seams. I'm a big fan of cloth for automotive interiors, so that's another reason for my F-body preference.

I agree very much with this entire concept. Outside of the basic mechanical/drivetrain stuff, I see these cars as being somewhat of a challenge to maintain and keep road worthy as they get significantly older. Sure, the engine and trans are basic GM issue, but then there is the entire rest of the car wrapped around those items, and very little of it is shared with anything else that was offered in the US. Consdierations such as this are always a concern to me, because I tend to keep cars for a long time. For people that dump cars every 1-3 years, this isn't much of a worry at this point.

Until they come apart.

No reason you can't stick a cam in the F-body as well.

M4N14C

iTrader: (3)

If interior quality is such an issue, get a beemer. Will drive like sheet but hey, it's got "nice leather seats"

Lukesevi94

Haha! You guys assumed I was gonna start another war between the two! Sorry to disappoint you guys. I'm buying a GM v8 car soon, either ls1 f body or ls2 gto. I'm just wondering about the reliability? I know there are minor things on each like the leather stiching, door panels, headlight motors window motors etc. that's to be expected with GM. I'm wondering about major issues, like
Upwards of 4-500 bucks to repair

pferris

iTrader: (2)

Use the search. Gto is more expensive, and more civilized. The f-body will be faster, and cheap and gets more attention. All i would say is, if you get an f-body, get a ls1 manual t/a.