gonzo4886

iTrader: (4)

I vote for the 04. I just just bought a 04 this week and was asking myself the same questions. I personally perfer the 04 hood and bumper over the 05-06. I went for the 04 because they are cheaper and I like the look of them. Find your self a 04 with lower miles and the most the mods already done that you would have done your self.
The 04 I just bought has 13,500 miles, dynatech headers + mid pipes, fast 90/90, ect, ect. About 8k in parts. Garage kept never seen rain or snow. You get the picture. I paid 15,900 for it. So if you can afford a couple thousand more search for something with ultra low miles that was babied.

Summerwolf

iTrader: (3)

DEFINITELTY the 2004. Better looks and cheaper price. All you have to do is a catback and an intake and its at LS2 power levels and the 05+ brakes are an easy swap. Everything else is a wash IMO.

Felix C

LS2 has 16 more cubes, early LS6 camshaft, 10.9:1 compression and 243s as you well know.

I am a believer in the 2004 but a CAI and catback does not compensate for the above. I would like to be so but have not seen it.

RedfoxGTO

Headers and catless mids do haha.

newschool72

iTrader: (12)

but my o5 has longtubes and catless mids. aint it funny how u can do the same mods to the 04 or 05/06. if u can hook it, cubes win !

Summerwolf

iTrader: (3)

LS1s come under rated from the factory. LS2's come slightly over rated. The LS2 intake manifold also sucks compared to the LS6 manifold. There are easily ways into LS2 power territory with hardly anything to the LS1. Bone stock I was running what the LS2 cars were running in my area....its a lot to do with the car and a lot to do with the driver. LSX vehicles seem to be all over the place when it comes to power output for the same engine.

pitbull14218

iTrader: (3)

Like the hood of the '04, like the rear bumper of the '05, but if the 05 and up has a stronger rear, I'd rather have that, sucks having a car with a weak rear lol

Josh@ARH

Pick whichever car you feel you are getting a better deal on. Ive had every year GTO (currently I have an 05) and I can't honestly say that I liked one better than the rest. Granted my 04 was the fastest since it was a heads and cam car. Also the 04s don't have that much of a weaker rear and I have seen quite a few LS2 GTO's breaking rears as well. It's not so much the actual pumpkin but the half shafts and stub axles that break. Both of these are easily upgraded.

newschool72

iTrader: (12)

the gto is a great auto . ive enjoyed mine alot. the limiting factor, at least with mine or my driving skills, is making the car leave. my 05 is stock except for long tubes, generic dioblo tune and cai. it makes 376 hp/411fpt .its an m6 and 1st and 2nd gear are useless (wheel hop and skating) . still does lo 13s at 106 to 108 mph. m6 goats just suck at the drags, but great road cars. a little soft but great on the road. thats my pair of pennies

QSMGOAT

Agreed.


My 04 with longtubes, intake, and tune ran a 13.1

wickedlsx

iTrader: (5)

i bought an 04 for 11.4 with 70k 2 years ago and ended up selling it big mistake i miss it sooooo soooo bad!! it was m6 cai, maf, tb and ran 13.4 forgot trap speed but picked up a bunch (of course because traction issues). i am now looking to get another on i am going to go with best deal and miles i can find, but would almost prefer a 05/06 but hearing about burning oil scares me a little. Mine had 05/06 hood and bumper (main thing i wanted at the time) so i coulda cared less about more cubes but now i would like a little more but like i said will go with best deal end of story. ls1 goats are great and respond GREAT to mods my ls1 z28 with full exhaust, cai, maf, some suspension stuff and feels slow compared to my GTO. (im still running ls1 intake though). you will be happy with whatever disecision you make

newschool72

iTrader: (12)

my 05 has 76000 mls and doesnt burn any oil but has that nasty sounding cold start piston slap. my goat was the demo car for a large dealership that showcased the new ls2 (in the gto).it has all the sap goodies including the corsa exaust.anyway my point is that it has been run hard and the only problem ive had is that ignition lockup (twice !)

jbs02somws6

iTrader: (1)

I own a 06 a4 and I drove a 04 new years back. The ls2 goat is superior as far as performance, and I believe for the extra money it is a lot better starting point for mods, due to One thing I didn't see mentioned in the thread is throttle response of the ls2. It's wayyy more fun to cruise around the street in, it seems like much more engine than the ls1, due to the cubes and the 90mm throttle opening which gives it that extra part-throttle "pep".

Also, My A4 bone stock 06 dyno'd at 339rwhp sae, and I don't think I've seen a stock 04 auto come within 40rwhp of that, so I don't quite agree about ls1's being underrated and ls2's being overrated,

americanbadass

This has been beaten to death on ls1gto.
Average LS1m6 300-310rwhp
Average LS2m6 330-340rwhp
everyones car dyno's different and there are plenty of generous dyno's out there.

fivepointseven

iTrader: (19)

Great info guys. After the 05 dropped to 11.9 Im making her up tomorrow!

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

thats a good deal.

fivepointseven

iTrader: (19)

drove the 2005 home from Atlanta today Pics to come

wickedlsx

iTrader: (5)

congrats man!!

fivepointseven

iTrader: (19)

SE-R Spec

iTrader: (2)

definite win on the purchase sir! now all you need is strippers and blow and you can be just like charlie sheen!

i kid i kid lol

good purchase though man, you wont regret it. now spend about a grand and get yourself a cam, upgraded valvetrain, and some pace setter headers and you have over 400 whp to DD