[Groucho]

Get it off your chest! Internalizing is not good for you!

I looooove this car, but there are a couple of small, minor, niggly things that are annoying. In no particular order:

• The "MPH/KPH" light on the speedo face. Why is that sucker so bright? When driving to work early in the morning, it's the only bright light in the otherwise excellent cockpit. It just glares out at you, for very little purpose. The dimmer does not effect it. Dumb.

• No dead pedal. WTF were they thinking?

• CAGS. First on my list of fixes.

• Knuckle-busting when putting the car in reverse w/ the emergency brake on. I'm getting use to this, as it's more of a procedural thing: Stow the brake before throwing her into reverse, dummy!

• Long shift throws. Probably more of a preferential thing than an outright bitch, but a car like this deserves a short throw shifter. Great tranny, though.

• Not enough spring tension holding gas filler door open. The other day, I pull up to the pump, forgetting to pop the door, and have to go back around to the panel to pop it open. OK, I'm a dumbass. But then, as I'm just reaching the fuel filler with the nozzle, the wind snapped the door shut again. :shutme

OK. Whew...I feel better.

 

[catchmeifucan]

OK, a couple of minor complaints

- The bright MPH light is annoying

- No lights on the steering wheel radio controls (always hit the wrong button)

- Back seat - I didn't buy this to be a family car, but there has got to be a better option that the current setup.


Hey Groucho,

I believe where I read that you traded in your BMW for the GTO. What did you trade in and so far - how do the two compare?

 

[xp800]

I'll agree with all this stuff, especially the lack of a dead pedal. My only addition so far is what I had said in another post about the pedals: the gas and brake are too far apart. I can't comfortably straddle the two to blip the throttle for downshifts under braking.

Oh, and my crappy gas mileage so far is entirely the car's fault. :cool

- Dieter

 

[Groucho]

Hey Groucho,

I believe where I read that you traded in your BMW for the GTO. What did you trade in and so far - how do the two compare?

Having just tonight taken a twisty mountain road in the Goat that I used to often banzai run in my323i, I can finally really answer this one...

Power / Acceleration: The GTO is a horsepower monster / God of Torque compared to the Bimmer...heck, it's almost twice the output! The 323i's straight six is a great motor, but it cowers before the LS-1. No fecking contest. Advantage: GTO

Handling: The Bimmer was a scalpel, the GTO is a hammer. The GTO shows its weight here. It wants to understeer big time, but is atleast honest about it and it responds quickly to throttle steering inputs. I think it needs polyurethane bushings and stiffer springs to sharpen the steering response and rates. That huge powerplant is a great equalizer, though, and could allow the GTO to make up what it looses in the turns. I need more practice in this car, be sure. Advantage: 323i

Creature comforts/Amenities: My Bimmer was a fairly basic model but for the sport package. It was comfortable, but the "leatherette" seats would make you sweaty. It did, however, have environmental controls...but the sweet interior and decent stereo of the GTO hand the Munich machine its ass. Advantage: GTO

Practicality: The BMW had folding rear seats, would seat five, and got an average of 26 mpg. Guess.

Screw practicality.

Hey Lookit Me-ism: Hey, this is California. You can't swing a dead cat without whacking two or three silver E46 BMWs. There aren't very many GTOs, though...especially with obnoxious yellow paint, racing stripes, and cool wheels. The exhaust note of the Pontiac alone wins this one. Advantage: GTO

Fun to drive: Both cars are an absolute hoot, but the Saturn V thrust of the LS-1 is way too much fun. Advantage: GTO

 

[Silver04]

Hi folks....brand new here.

I agree about the MPH light, useless and annoying.
Skip shift has got to go.
Rear spoiler has got to go. (anyone have an option for this yet?) I took it off and didn't realize there would be a big hole for the light wire also!
Not enough tension to keep the gas door CLOSED. Also nothing on the lid to hold the cap! My last car got all scratched up this way.
Seat is too high!
Car floats a bit at high speeds.
And what is that little slide lever by the light switch?!!

I love this car!!!

Kelly (male)
One more thing....not enough room for your foot when it's not on the clutch.

 

[xp800]

And what is that little slide lever by the light switch?!!

That's the dimming control for the instrument lights. It's a step dimmer rather than the typical slide/rotary dimmer. It does not, however, change the intensity of the MPH light.

- Dieter

 

[chards]

Quote should have been Groucho's fuel door item. Removed it 'cause it wasn't working.

I agree on all points and have to add to the one above. It may be just me seeing as I'm a short kid, but have a hard time filling the sucker. With the angle of the filler tube you have to be precise with the position of the nozzle or the back pressure kicks the hose off. I'm sure I'll figure it out with a few more fills, but get the least bit lazy and it kicks off. Really annoyed me this morning.

 

[LarryM]

Perhaps I have unrealistc expectations for this style of car, but...

I think they might as paint over the rear window. When I twist around to try and watch as I'm backing up about all its good for is the crack my back makes. Can't see diddly. Since my last car was a Blazer, GN before that, the view was a lot better.

The front is even worse! How the heck do people park these swoop nosed cars with out scraping the hell out of the front!??! You can't see the hood, least I can't. Again, the square nosed Blazer and GN were a lot easier see where the car is.


Of course, that retina searing MPH has just got to go.

---Larry

 

[Silver04]

Good one Larry....rear view is the worst I have ever seen. I want to ditch that spoiler, looks like that might help a little.

Thanks XP. I moved that slider a million times and didn't see it do anything. I'll try it again.

Kel

 

[LarryM]

Ohh! The "key" question in another thread reminded me about the key:

Make the key shaft retract into the fob. That key is such a pain to carry in your pocket. The hole is too small to any key chain I have and putting it on a chain anyway would just compound the problem of its huge size. At least if the key retracted (as I understand Volkswagons do) then it'd be a little more manageable.



Is that a GTO key in your pocket? Or are you just glad to see me? :cool


---Larry

 

[GlennH]

I, too, agree with everyone's complaints (except the CAGS as I have an automatic...***** me ). Also, I wish there was a door unlock switch/button. Sometimes I pull out of a parking spot and stop to let someone in the passenger side, you have to lean way over to manually unlock the door or put the car in park to get it to unlock automatically. The seats are too high, I always have to duck my head to see out the passenger window if anyones coming down the hill when I pull out of my street (and I'm only 6'). I've been all over the internet looking for a dead pedal with no luck. I thought I might find some metal shop that can make one that I can bolt in and then, maybe, order a new gas pedal to screw onto it so it'll match. If it weren't for all this damn power, cool looks, great seats, dash and console, I'd have to hate this car

 

[Groucho]

Also, I wish there was a door unlock switch/button. Sometimes I pull out of a parking spot and stop to let someone in the passenger side, you have to lean way over to manually unlock the door or put the car in park to get it to unlock automatically.

That can be fixed in your Preferences...it bugged me until I RTFMed...

 

[sunny]

I didn't pick my GTO yet but from my test drive experience: cabin temp control knobs are made of cheap plastic, $32K car and why no digital temp controls?

 

[BLUSHIRT35]

I HAVE TO UNLOCK MANUALY OR PUT THE CAR IN PARK , groucho what is in the preference that your talking about ?
another thing people this car is general motors and 32000 bucks so we never gonna get everything we want. they give a little here and take a little back like when your union goes for a new contract lol. me personally if i was gm would have taken the grand prix comp gtp made it a 2 door dropped in the ram air 400 hp and said here is your gto for 35000 loaded ,moonroof , heated seats the whole package, just no stupid badges , and extra markings , just the gto badge on fenders, but this is what we have and yes its not perfect but its still a fun car to drive even with the imperfections. for what pontiac is giving some one give me a car thats comparible to this for 32000 .

 

[Groucho]

I HAVE TO UNLOCK MANUALY OR PUT THE CAR IN PARK , groucho what is in the preference that your talking about ?

In the manual and quick reference manual goes throuh the preference-setting process, entered when first turning the car on...

another thing people this car is general motors and 32000 bucks so we never gonna get everything we want. they give a little here and take a little back like when your union goes for a new contract lol. me personally if i was gm would have taken the grand prix comp gtp made it a 2 door dropped in the ram air 400 hp and said here is your gto for 35000 loaded ,moonroof , heated seats the whole package, just no stupid badges , and extra markings , just the gto badge on fenders, but this is what we have and yes its not perfect but its still a fun car to drive even with the imperfections. for what pontiac is giving some one give me a car thats comparible to this for 32000 .

I couldn't disagree more. It was precisely the non-UAW built, non-Pontiac-iness of the Holden-built GTO chassis that made me like it so much. If they would have made the GTO a coupe-version of the Grand Prix I never would have given it a second look. The Aussie-built Goat seems to share very little of the usual GM parts bin crap (switchgear, etc) that plagues the rest of the line. They eschewed the nasty plastic cladding and swoopy-for-the-sake-of swoopiness that is the bane of the other cars in Pontiac's line-up. This car obviously has much more Euro heritage (via Opel) than most in the GM stable, and that lineage really shines through. Is it perfect? Nope. IMHO, however, it is a lot of car for the money, a true bargain at ~$30k. It's excellent quality and overall bang-for-the-buck (obtained by marrying a Euro-type chassis and interior to a monster American-built powertrain) can't be beat ...

 

[GlennH]

The only thing you can do from the preference menu is set the car to not lock the doors at all (then you have manually lock them) or not to unlock the passenger side with one push of the remote. Maybe I'm just missing something. What I was wishing for was a button that would unlock/lock the doors whenever I wanted as well as automatically lock/unlock them when shifting from park.

I agree about the Grand Prix GTP...no matter what they do to it engine wise, it's still a fricking front wheel drive. I've owned three front drive cars in a row and, above all else, wanted a rear wheel drive this time. Regardless of the GTO's shortcomings, fun to look at and drive are not among them.

 

[philpio]

Need to lower the seat

Maybe a dead pedal would help, but, maybe if the driver's seat could be lowered, about 1/2 to 1 inch, long distance driving would be more comfortable.
I find that the seat support under my legs, just above the knee, is too much. It causes my legs to get strained, and that moves into the back.
I have raised the back of the seat, making the seat more level, and that helps with the strain, but makes me feel like I will slide off the seat with a hard stop.
I will have to look under the seat, to see if something can be done about this.

 

[SledgeHammer]

I didn't pick my GTO yet but from my test drive experience: cabin temp control knobs are made of cheap plastic, $32K car and why no digital temp controls?

I gave thanks it wasn't that BS digital crap. I did want Onstar Though.

 

[IdirecTV4u]

In the manual and quick reference manual goes throuh the preference-setting process, entered when first turning the car on...




I couldn't disagree more. It was precisely the non-UAW built, non-Pontiac-iness of the Holden-built GTO chassis that made me like it so much. If they would have made the GTO a coupe-version of the Grand Prix I never would have given it a second look. The Aussie-built Goat seems to share very little of the usual GM parts bin crap (switchgear, etc) that plagues the rest of the line. They eschewed the nasty plastic cladding and swoopy-for-the-sake-of swoopiness that is the bane of the other cars in Pontiac's line-up. This car obviously has much more Euro heritage (via Opel) than most in the GM stable, and that lineage really shines through. Is it perfect? Nope. IMHO, however, it is a lot of car for the money, a true bargain at ~$30k. It's excellent quality and overall bang-for-the-buck (obtained by marrying a Euro-type chassis and interior to a monster American-built powertrain) can't be beat ...

I'm with Groucho, this car is not like the rest of GM's line-up. It's definately mixes the best of Euro. and domestic. Clean lines( in and out) and big power. I tell my friends it's like having a 4 seater vette with a 15k rebate. lol I do wish Pontiac could have given it something special inside. Maybe a heads-up diplay and a sun/moon roof would have been on my list too. Don't get me wrong...I'm happy, those were just on a wish list.

 

[Tiger]

A dealer here put in an aftermarket sunroof in a red GTO...I'd consider it, but I'd be a young kid driving a bright red speed machine...my wallet would not like be, nor my driving record...although I think all teh local PDs and insurance companies would...