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Wife and I got back yesterday from a driving vacation out west in our '05 goat with the 4 spd. auto trans. Total miles driven were a bit over 4800 miles so the second oil change in now due.
No mechanical issues at all other than the occasional bleat from the horn mentioned in a previous post. Home base is in NE Louisiana and the trip took us out across Texas to Las Vegas, Yosimite Nat. Park, Lake Tahoe, eastward across Nevada to Rocky Mountain Nat. Park, across Nebraska to St. Joe, Missouri to visit internet friends and then south to Louisiana. Comments about the trip follow:
(1) The underhood power doesn't really manifest itself unless the accelerator pedel is depressed enough to cause a downshift at which point the goat really comes alive. With "normal" accelerator depression, the car really doesn't pull off any harder than most other cars from stoplights. This likely is not a bad trait if mpg is important.
(2) The car handles 30 mph crosswinds without complaint.
(3) Average fuel consumption came in a 20.1 mpg for the entire trip.
(4) Average interstate speeds were in the 75 to 80 mph range and two lane driving on open roads was in the 60 to 65 mph range. A good bit of mountain driving with many twisties and occasional 7 and 8 precent grades both up and downhill. I do believe in using engine braking as much as possible.
(5) One speed burst while passing 5 cars on highway 93 between Armagosta Valley and Aston, NV where I let the goat go up to 115 mph. Solid as a rock and no effort from the '05 goat. Really was tempted to let'er run on up further but hungry cops and jail scare me.
(6) Had to add one quart of Mobil 1 in Nebraska. Not absolutely sure I got that extra half quart put in on the first oil change but did notice that I has about a half quart low in western Texas on the outbound leg.
(7) Total miles now on the car when we got home is 6533.
(8) That so called "small trunk" held both the wife's and my drag along luggage easily because the squared off trunk lid allowed me to stack one on top of the other and still provided room to spare on each end for smaller items.
(9) You guys in California are getting ripped off with gas prices. Louisiana $2.29/gal for premium, Texas about the same, New Mexico $2.89/gal., Nevada $2.99/gal., California (get this!) $3.59/gal., Nebraska $2.69/gal., Missouri $2.39/gal. Haven't totaled yet but fuel bill will be around $680. Overall was well pleased with the fuel economy of the LS2 engine.
(10) Noticed that my '05 goat has an annoying "dead spot" in the throttle which is right between acceleration and deacceleration. On flat land, this isn't even noticed but in the mountains (especially with the cruise control on) it can cause a slight surging when going downhill if the grade is just so so.
(11) Engine braking is excellent in 3rd gear on 4 to 6% grades. Second gear is needed for anything steeper. I sometimes wished the transmission would downshift earlier than it had when climbing steep grades but this is a minor complaint, however, as the torque the LS2 puts up is more than up to the task of climbing steep grades.
(12) The car handles sharp curves exceptionally well with no noticeable understeer or oversteer. Body roll is hardly noticeable.
(13) I need an ashtray and a cigerette lighter wouldn't hurt either.
Anywho, I thought you guys might like to hear of my observations of the '05 GTO and other items on this extended driving trip. We had a great time and got several favorable comments on the car when stopped and many second glances from other drivers on the road. Really was hoping could bag a "road kill" during the trip but the chance never arose.
No mechanical issues at all other than the occasional bleat from the horn mentioned in a previous post. Home base is in NE Louisiana and the trip took us out across Texas to Las Vegas, Yosimite Nat. Park, Lake Tahoe, eastward across Nevada to Rocky Mountain Nat. Park, across Nebraska to St. Joe, Missouri to visit internet friends and then south to Louisiana. Comments about the trip follow:
(1) The underhood power doesn't really manifest itself unless the accelerator pedel is depressed enough to cause a downshift at which point the goat really comes alive. With "normal" accelerator depression, the car really doesn't pull off any harder than most other cars from stoplights. This likely is not a bad trait if mpg is important.
(2) The car handles 30 mph crosswinds without complaint.
(3) Average fuel consumption came in a 20.1 mpg for the entire trip.
(4) Average interstate speeds were in the 75 to 80 mph range and two lane driving on open roads was in the 60 to 65 mph range. A good bit of mountain driving with many twisties and occasional 7 and 8 precent grades both up and downhill. I do believe in using engine braking as much as possible.
(5) One speed burst while passing 5 cars on highway 93 between Armagosta Valley and Aston, NV where I let the goat go up to 115 mph. Solid as a rock and no effort from the '05 goat. Really was tempted to let'er run on up further but hungry cops and jail scare me.
(6) Had to add one quart of Mobil 1 in Nebraska. Not absolutely sure I got that extra half quart put in on the first oil change but did notice that I has about a half quart low in western Texas on the outbound leg.
(7) Total miles now on the car when we got home is 6533.
(8) That so called "small trunk" held both the wife's and my drag along luggage easily because the squared off trunk lid allowed me to stack one on top of the other and still provided room to spare on each end for smaller items.
(9) You guys in California are getting ripped off with gas prices. Louisiana $2.29/gal for premium, Texas about the same, New Mexico $2.89/gal., Nevada $2.99/gal., California (get this!) $3.59/gal., Nebraska $2.69/gal., Missouri $2.39/gal. Haven't totaled yet but fuel bill will be around $680. Overall was well pleased with the fuel economy of the LS2 engine.
(10) Noticed that my '05 goat has an annoying "dead spot" in the throttle which is right between acceleration and deacceleration. On flat land, this isn't even noticed but in the mountains (especially with the cruise control on) it can cause a slight surging when going downhill if the grade is just so so.
(11) Engine braking is excellent in 3rd gear on 4 to 6% grades. Second gear is needed for anything steeper. I sometimes wished the transmission would downshift earlier than it had when climbing steep grades but this is a minor complaint, however, as the torque the LS2 puts up is more than up to the task of climbing steep grades.
(12) The car handles sharp curves exceptionally well with no noticeable understeer or oversteer. Body roll is hardly noticeable.
(13) I need an ashtray and a cigerette lighter wouldn't hurt either.
Anywho, I thought you guys might like to hear of my observations of the '05 GTO and other items on this extended driving trip. We had a great time and got several favorable comments on the car when stopped and many second glances from other drivers on the road. Really was hoping could bag a "road kill" during the trip but the chance never arose.
