[eveningGlow]

according to the pontiac brochure from the dealer the new 6.0 gto can handle .86 lateral g's. HOWEVER, the current 04 gto can only handle .81 according to car and driver.

I wonder what this difference is attributed to espicially since they wear the same tire sizes on both cars.

 

[b_a_betterperson]

About the only thing I use Car and Driver for since their "gotta have it factor" test results is building fires in the fireplace in my office.

Seriously, how can a bunch of bozos, whose only driving qualifications were Patrick Bedard nearly killing himself while running at the back of the pack at the Indy 500 20 years ago, determine ANYTHING with any level of credibility?

Don't believe everything you read. Especially in Car and Driver.

 

[GTODEALER]

About the only thing I use Car and Driver for since their "gotta have it factor" test results is building fires in the fireplace in my office.

Seriously, how can a bunch of bozos, whose only driving qualifications were Patrick Bedard nearly killing himself while running at the back of the pack at the Indy 500 20 years ago, determine ANYTHING with any level of credibility?

Don't believe everything you read. Especially in Car and Driver.

:agree FOR GODS SAKE :agree

 

[diverdan]

From test to test there can be a wide variation in those car test results. I've seen different magazines report .5 Second differences in 1/4 mile times, presumably with the same test car. Atmospheric variations (temp, humidity, altitude) play a big part.
That said, I would be curious if there is a difference in the suspensions of the 04 and 05.

 

[Pascale]

Well, I don't know if there is a difference or not, but I sure as hell thought I was pulling more than 0.86 last night. It's so nice

 

[GTOfreak]

I'm no expert on suspension design, but doesnt the 05 have stiffer swaybars and revised shock/spring rates? Couldn't that help improve the G force rating?

 

[fergyflyer]

The only thing I can find is different bushings to control wheel hop. Tires were the same. The 05 is slightly lighter.
Probably the biggest difference would be the skidpad.
Through the years I've found Car & Driver to be a decent magazine, definately better than Motor Trend, and somewhat better than Road & Track. I f you really read there article on the Goat n Pony, they tell you the Goat won. Then they rate the looks and decide that the Pony is more appealing. The mail they got was 120-1 in favor of the GTO, so everyone was able to see that they let their opinions on a cars looks sway the test.


For all you m6's, they trashed the shifter in the car. Mine is not the greatest, but it isn't that bad. What do you think about your shifters??????

 

[muohio]

according to the pontiac brochure from the dealer the new 6.0 gto can handle .86 lateral g's. HOWEVER, the current 04 gto can only handle .81 according to car and driver.

I wonder what this difference is attributed to espicially since they wear the same tire sizes on both cars.

I think that the Car and Driver testing was a low. I've seen many other mags report .86 or higher. That number can be misleading since tires play a huge factor.

 

[DaveGesp]

The only thing I can find is different bushings to control wheel hop. Tires were the same. The 05 is slightly lighter.
Probably the biggest difference would be the skidpad.
Through the years I've found Car & Driver to be a decent magazine, definately better than Motor Trend, and somewhat better than Road & Track. I f you really read there article on the Goat n Pony, they tell you the Goat won. Then they rate the looks and decide that the Pony is more appealing. The mail they got was 120-1 in favor of the GTO, so everyone was able to see that they let their opinions on a cars looks sway the test.


For all you m6's, they trashed the shifter in the car. Mine is not the greatest, but it isn't that bad. What do you think about your shifters??????

I think the stock shifter is fair at best. It gets the job done till you want to shift in a more agressive manor. The original GTO's had a Hurst shifter from the factory. It would have been nice if Pontiac had thought to up-grade to an after market shifter. I'm not sure of the quality of Hurst anymore but certainly a B&M would have been a better choice.

 

[UTLawyer]

About the only thing I use Car and Driver for since their "gotta have it factor" test results is building fires in the fireplace in my office.

Seriously, how can a bunch of bozos, whose only driving qualifications were Patrick Bedard nearly killing himself while running at the back of the pack at the Indy 500 20 years ago, determine ANYTHING with any level of credibility?

Don't believe everything you read. Especially in Car and Driver.

Well said! :agree

 

[Toebee]

For all you m6's, they trashed the shifter in the car. Mine is not the greatest, but it isn't that bad. What do you think about your shifters??????

:agree

Although, My 2001 WS6 came with the Hurst shifter and was slightly better than the GTO. Both, IMO, had the same issue with aggressive shifting. I'm very cautious about shifting aggressively for fear I'm gonna jam it into reverse (I know that's somewhat impossible), but I have gone from 4th to 3rd and hit SpongeBob in the ass instead of 3rd. Really ruins the whole effect.!

 

[bill05gto]

GTO handling consistentely low in tests

In all the tests I have read GTO handling in slalom or similar tests is surprisingly low. I have seen tests of sporty sedans which are better than the GTO results. While I have yet to test the handling at the limit of my '05 6 speed it seems to stick at least as well previous performance cars, certainly better than my Mustang Cobra or Camero, maybe equivalent to my Audi S4. But then I had a Tahoe for a year before getting the GTO. So, maybe I lost my perspective.

 

[diverdan]

For all you m6's, they trashed the shifter in the car. Mine is not the greatest, but it isn't that bad. What do you think about your shifters??????

I'll have to say I don't like it, particularly: its too vague for my taste.
I tried a Hurst billet shifter in an older C-5 I had for about a month and found it too stiff. This is keeping me from going aftermarket with the goat shifter or on the Z06, which is still stock.

Do C-5/C-6 shifters fit in the Goat? I have been considering getting a C-6 shifter for the Z06. I am told it smoother and has a shorter throw than the C-5. I know C-5/C-6 is interchangeable, theoretically so should the Goat as it has the same transmission.

 

[fergyflyer]

I'll have to say I don't like it, particularly: its too vague for my taste.
I tried a Hurst billet shifter in an older C-5 I had for about a month and found it too stiff. This is keeping me from going aftermarket with the goat shifter or on the Z06, which is still stock.

Do C-5/C-6 shifters fit in the Goat? I have been considering getting a C-6 shifter for the Z06. I am told it smoother and has a shorter throw than the C-5. I know C-5/C-6 is interchangeable, theoretically so should the Goat as it has the same transmission.

It is not interchangeable. The Z06 has a rear mounted transmission and the distance to it is different. I had a Quicksilver Z06 and found it similar to this one also. I can't understand why GM, on a car that they have removed all of the soundproofing from, and is the high performance version of their top sports car, would use a shifter with a focus on noise and vibration isolation versus feel and action. This car's mission is different from the Z06, but still they probably could have done better.

 

[The_Goat]

I've hit reverse twice now while "shifting aggressivley".... I caught myself the both times, but only after hearing the faint sound of "metal grinding". I felt pretty stupid, but shouldn't there be a safety that doesn't allow a shift to reverse?

 

[bemeyer]

Maybe the .81 g skidpad vehicle hadn't deflated its 65 psi tires after being shipped to the U.S.

 

[Xman]

I've hit reverse twice now while "shifting aggressivley".... I caught myself the both times, but only after hearing the faint sound of "metal grinding". I felt pretty stupid, but shouldn't there be a safety that doesn't allow a shift to reverse?

There is a safety to prevent selection of reverse. If the car is turned off, you should not be able to get it into reverse. To shift into reverse you need to have the ignition on and the wheel speed near zero. As an example, I have to go into reverse on a slight up-hill incline to back my car into the driveway every day. If I don't get it in gear before the car starts rolling back, I have to step on the brake to stop. I can feel the gate being removed and into R it goes. If that is not the case for your vehicle, you should consider having the dealer check it out.

 

[Pascale]

There is a safety to prevent selection of reverse. If the car is turned off, you should not be able to get it into reverse. To shift into reverse you need to have the ignition on and the wheel speed near zero. As an example, I have to go into reverse on a slight up-hill incline to back my car into the driveway every day. If I don't get it in gear before the car starts rolling back, I have to step on the brake to stop. I can feel the gate being removed and into R it goes. If that is not the case for your vehicle, you should consider having the dealer check it out.

Yes, reverse is not easy to get into if the car is moving. Maybe he was feeling something else?

 

[The_Goat]

Yes, reverse is not easy to get into if the car is moving. Maybe he was feeling something else?

It's only happened twice in the GTO. Back before I'd driven a 5 speed, I had a '95 Trans Am and the same thing happend when I let my friend (who had a 5 speed) take it out for a drive. We were getting up to speed and he went to hit 5th and "gear griding gear" sound. I was pissed, but after doing it myself I guess I understand. I'll have it checked out.