rollindaytona

Well whats up guys im ready to make the move to the GM family and am really liking the GTO's. I will be trading in my truck for a used prob 2004 GTO. Was wondering if people could give me personal opinions, any recalls or part breakage? If ya could that be awesome.
thanks,
Josh

jamesSS

If your getting a used 04, most of them that have had any issues with strut rub, electronic issues, etc will have been done by the previous owner since most issues will happen during the first 8,000 miles or so and are covered under warrenty.

Otherwise, its personal choice. Black is my favorite, then came impulse blue metalic. Unless you have your mind made up on transmission type, be sure you test drive both. Ive wanted a M6 for so long and now that i have it, i wish i went with an A4. They seem to run alittle faster at the track with the right mods, but tend not to be fun on the street.

What are you planning on doing with the car? Daily driver, weekend racer? The only down side i think is either the weight of the car, or the narrow wheel well in back limiting the size tire you can run. Otherwise, skies the limit. There are a ton of things you can do to the car.

rollindaytona

The car is going to be a daily driver. Weight is not an issue right now I have a 5500 lb truck that runs mid 13's N/A. Ill prob end up just throwing some good old boost at the engine. What are safe levels guys are making on stock internals. Sorry for all the questions I have never owned a GM in my life so Im brand new at this whole having tuning thing! Stupid Chrysler!! I like the black cars also, will prob just get the auto cause I dont mind stick buy im awfully lazy. thanks for all the help.

gangbang malloy

if i were u i would get a ls2 2005 or 2006, that should have been the base engine in this car. the ls1 takes a few mods to get the car to really wake up. by the way 05/06 look better and arent that more expensive, lets see diff whine thats for sure a repair that they will do.

jamesSS

You can give a LS1 5-7 lbs of boost safely with the right fuel system mods and a good tune, with the tune being the most critical part. That would be around 450RWHP on a stock motor. With more supporting mods (LT's, cam, low compression heads, meth) you could turn up the boost even more. I would say the LS1 could handle 500-550 hp safely. Some guys get lucky by and run alittle more. Check out the sticky in the forced induction section for more info.

gotzaGTO

my fellow GTO owners sometimes look at the 04' as the red-headed step-child of the GTOs, but outside of my steering wheel controls for the radio screwing up (all years suffer), my 04' has 52,000 miles on it with no problems at all. Hell, even my rotors are just now being replaced whereas a buddy of mine with an 05' had to have his cut after 18,000 miles. I am pretty heavily modded except for the springs and struts and brakes (not after today though) and have had no tire rubbing or anything.

I say if you want an 04', GO FOR IT!!! its a good old fashion cable driven TB that won't give you the "safety mode" crap that the 05/06 drive by wire stuff does and there have been ALOT less cases for the 04 having oil consumption issues then the 05/06 guys.

rollindaytona

thanks for the help guys! Well found a couple of 04's with low mileage for under 20 grand so thats what I'll be picking up. Being a broke a** college student sucks.

04gtoBMXracer

iTrader: (26)

you wont regret it!!!!

slammin86

iTrader: (4)

-Bright MPH light on dash
-Random electrical gremlins (speedo pegs out, gas gauge doesnt read full after fill up, random engine overtemp alarm)
-Radio controls stop working on steering wheel
-Strut rub
-Fuel rail rubs through gas line (potentially causing car to catch fire)
-Rear axles bolts loosen and fall out (twice)
-Rear end replaced for rear end whine (28XXX ish miles)
-Brakes suck to the point where they are scary
-Shifter feels like rowing a rowboat through mud with rocks mixed in
-Breath on or look at the paint wrong and it scratches or chips

Those are the problems I have had with mine at one point or another.

JCurtin

iTrader: (1)

I understand why people want ls2 GTOs, but for those that are going to mod them anyway, whats wrong with an ls1!! Ls1s have been good to me for the last 7 years, so I wouldnt mind an 04, plus are definitely alot cheaper these days.

gotzaGTO

nothing is wrong with them and once you change out heads, the displacement is only like a 18cc difference (or so i'm told). It just comes down to perceived notions....