don.69z28

Sorry for the cross post, but some of you TL fans may be interested in my GTO test drive.

My much awaited GTO is in and I just got finished driving it. Here are some of my obsevations. I realy like the Barbadous Blue better in person, so if you are waiting one one it may be worth it depending on your taste. It is quick and feels very solid on the road. I live in Pa and I took it on a 50 mile ride that consisted of twisties and the Pa autobaun or the Mon valley toll road for any locals listening. My current daily driver is a 04 Accura 6 speed so the contrast was interesting.

Straight line performance is good buy not close to my 99 C5 with a 6 speed. I guess the 500 lbs makes a difference. At 70 mph the engine was turning arround 1800 rpm which seemed 300 to 400 rpm higher than my c5 with the same 3:42 rear. I guess it is the tire dia or the 6th gear OD ratio is lower on the GTO. I know the Z06 transmission has lower gear ratios in the first 3 gears, but I thought the 5th and 6th od gear ratios were the same. Could be the tire diameter, but it is a much better than the C5 in that you are not near the "lug zone"

I could not get the shift light to work and took it up to the rev liminiter kicked in. I know some of you 55 mph break in guys will disagree, But I have always ran my new cars up in the the high revs, not often and not abused and never had a problem.

The seats are good. The high beams worked very good almost as good as the HD lights on the Accura I have. I cound not find the switch to unlock the doors from the inside, guess I missed it. The trunk is small. The radio is not very good compared to the Accura. This maybe unfair as the Accura has one of the best sound systems on the maket today witht the 5.2 surround sound and XM.

I have a dielima in that I had to get the Accura as my lease was up on my GTP and I am not sure I will trade into the GTO. My situation is different than some and I have some other fun stuff to drive, but it is a very cool car and the potential for club activites and the like will be similar to the 94-96 SS Impala days. Depending on the deal they make tomarrow I may or may not take it. It is in the Pittsburgh area if anyone is looking for a Barbie 6 speed let me know and I will get you to the salesman and maybe you can avoid any mark up.
__________________
63 Oldsmobile 88
69 Z28
69 TF Dragster, in work
94 Z28
99 C5 Fixed roof, 6 speed
01 Suburban
04 Accura TL, 6 speed
04 GTO at dealer

6spdzoomzoom

It looks like you like Chevy's V8 's... I don't understand why you bought the TL.

You will never like it

adam209

the only thing i wish was that the acura had that rumble. god i love the v8 rumble

don.69z28

Well I guess I have been found out, I am a Chevy guy, but understand a quality car at a good value. Bottom line is I spend a lot more time in the TL than anything else I drive. Thats why I will most likley not part with the tl. BTW this is not my first Japanise car or truck. I had 1980 Accord and a 1985 Toyota pick up, but of which served me well.

93SHOcar

Interesting post on the GTO. I too had considered this as an option to the TL. However, all of the incoming stock at local dealers were already pre-sold so the chance of getting a test drive was months away. Moreover, my gut was that the TL's huge advantage in creature comforts and technology more than compensated for the power advantage that the GTO would have. Lastly, after 10+ years of keeping a high maintenance 1993 SHO running, I was looking forward to experiencing some of Honda/Acura's reliability.

automophile

It is really apples and oranges. The GTO is a very different car than the TL. American cars have much poorer ergonomics, such as you found out by not finding the switch. The seats will not be as good or hold up as well. The reliability will be much worse. The car will not have as high a perceived value.

However, a V-8 is a V-8!!!

By the way, you say that you don't observe any break-in rules and "never had any problem". If you do this to all your cars - how do you know?You have no point of reference.

The last car I didn't break in ran worse and gave worse gas mileage for life than others that I did break in. The longer the break-in, the better the car ran in the long run.

I have had dozens of cars, enough to know the difference.

Qatar

I understand what don.69z28 is talking about.
GTO is sold inthe Middle East as Chevy Lumina SS Commodore, and its got a Third Generation V-8 Engine 5.7 High output that delivers about 325 HP, and you can upgrade it it to a 6.0L V-8 that delivers about 570 - 600 HP, and I own one.
GTO is a wonderfull car, and its a BMW M5 killer, but its not in the TL league.

adam209

it puts out 350 hp & 365 ft/tq

Qatar

Sorry, i'm talking about 2002 models in the Middle East

DavidNJ

'63 Olds 88? '64s are the lookers...especially 98s and Starfires. My wife has a '38 Buick with two sidemounts.

Why did you get the GTO? The GTO would be an alternative to the G35 coupe, RX8, the old Acura CL, maybe a 3-series coupe. Since you already have a collection, why the GT0?

David
04 TL (on order)
01 530i (outgoing)
00 Yukon XL 2500
00 S2000
94 Supra TT 6-speed
97 Port City offset late model (355 Chevy)
38 Buick Special

adam209

my bad, didn't read it correctly. long day @ school decided to take a break from my paper (psych :rocketwho anyways, the only thing i could think that might be bad about buying a gto now is that in the next 14 months, they're gonna release the judge! :wow:

frqwntbyr

GTO was the ONLY other car I considered. Listened to the engine at pontiac.com over and over. Unltimately went w/the more practical and posh TL. Wonder if GTO will hold its value as well? Can't wait to see the GTO, but won't be driving one in this lifetime it seems.

danno

As always, the interiors in the american HI PO cars look so cheap. Love the exterior of the new Corvette but, should overhaul the interior. The Mustangs are another example. My friend has the Bullitt, nice outside, cheap inside

Majorhouse

As a Mustang lover, you get used to the interior. It is functional, but very vanilla. I will not miss the inside of my 'Stang when I trade it for the TL, but I keep thinking that I will miss the throaty roar of the 4.6L V-8. Sometimes I just turn off the radio to hear the sweet sounds of true dual exhausts. It brings a tear to your eye I tell you.

Norse396

*the only thing i wish was that the acura had that rumble. god i love the v8 rumble*

My '69 SS 550hp Chevelle filled that bill very nicely! Real SS but motor #'s didn't match (stupid previous owner) so I built it to my specs.

danno

Beautiful SS!!

manteuffel

Sorry to disagree with you...

I have a Z06 and a TL: I do like both engines. In fact, I like them a lot. one puts a grin on my face when I hear the pipe music, the other one puts a grin on my face seeing how smooth it is so the passenger's head is not 'swinging' around when I shift gears.

Comparing a Vette engine that was designed to roast the tires and run like a bat out of hell is just not a fair comparsion vs. a motor that is just a bit over half the displacement, has two less cilinders and its installed on a car that weights almost 400 pounds more than a Z06.

Work the numbers yourself.

3480 / 270 hp -> 12.88
3116 / 405 hp -> 7.69

TL motor is a superb motor. It might not have the 405 hp the Z06 has, but the thing is that I don't need 400 hp to get me comfortably from point A to point B.

Now to the new GTO. The way I look at it is just another way GM found to piss off hardcore Corvette customers like me. Why on earth do they like to rip the Vette motor to put it on a GTO? or a Camaro? Its like if you own the top of the line Ferrari (Enzo) but Ferrari decides to share the motor, detuned, with the top of the line Fiat or other brand like that.

Oh well, lets see how Acura treats the previous customers when introducing new cars.

G.

Majorhouse

Norse, as a blue oval guy, that is a nice bowtie!

Norse396

Up until that Chevelle I was Blue Oval thru and thru! I was looking for a '68 - '69 Fastback Mustang when I found this car. The motor was bad but the body was awesome! So I built a new motor for it. I had two sell it in Oct of 2002 because I was unemployed for almost a year. I miss that car, it showed me that Chevy at one point in time could build a car I could fall in love with!

Up until the Chevelle I always owned Mustang's and Ford's, this TL is a departure for me.

rick955i

Actually, the GTO is based on the Holden Monaro, which was originally based on the Opel Omega which is German. The Holden's ergonomics are just fine, and the seats are GREAT. I love my TL but I am not convinced I would go around making comments about other people's seat quality. As far as breaking in, there is a very interesting article on VTEC.net contradicting your observations, and many of the guys I know that race prep superbikes for a famous Japanese motorcycle manufacture would disagree with you as well. Overall, the GTO is a good car, one I considered when looking for my TL, I just like the cutting edge aspect of the TL vs. the good old blunt iron fist of the GTO.

danno

How do you think the Viper owners feel putting their engine in a pickup truck?

acuraddict

just my 2 cents, but I've never seen an American car built after 1977 that appealed to me in the least. Maybe I haven't looked closely enough, but it all seems so cheaply built, so unreliable, such bad resale, such cheap interior components, etc.

The new GTO is ordinary looking, getting that car would be like going to Denny's and ordering a New York steak dinner...yes, its red meat, but while I'm eating it, I know the steak at Ruth's Chris or The Palm is in another league entirely.

I guess some people just have to have an American car regardless of how much better the Japanese cars actually are. Either that or I have missed the point entirely. I'm as patriotic as the next guy, but I have my limits.

don.69z28

Hey it is the chevy man with a few comments. Did not mean to start a big deal, but, it sounds llike some of us did consider the GTO. You are right the TL and the GTO are very different. I like the TL and will keep it. The GTO lacks many of the features I have come to like. The GTO does look plain, a lot like a Calalier on the side.

Like the TL the GTO has the potential to hold is value if the clubs kick in like the 95-96 SS Impalas. I had one, not a great car, but cool to us old hot roders and the clubs were fun. I paid 20k for my 95 and sold it in 03 for 18k, it had low miles 32k and some mods, but even Chevy did not understand the excellent residulal values the SS had.

I was not compairing the Zo6 and the GTO just the transmission ratios.

As for the break in, I don't beat any new or overhauled engine and I have done a bunch of new cars, race cars and aircraft engines. but a few blast up near the red line should not hurt. In terms of damage to the rings wich resulted in compression blow by and hi oil comsumption this has never been a problem, maybe I have been lucky. On street cars I usually run regular mineral oil for the first couple of oil changes to let the rings seat and change over Mobil 1. I then stay on or near the recomended change schedule or 1k under the recomend oil change. Many people change thier oil at 3k, I think its a waste of time, depending on your driving habits.

I do plan a few mods to the TL as I can't leave any car alone. I would like to have it corner a bit flater and upgrade the sway bars when they are available and maybe do the springs as well if the sway bars are not to my liking.

BTW my tires are getting much better in the cold and it has been real cold here in Pa. I have none of the 55 mph vibration with my 6 speed. The sun roof visor does rattle on rough roads.

Have fun with your TL's

vothsc

I've aways said the only GM car I would drive is a vette if they gave it to me (former Blue oval guy) but i have to admit the GTO is interesting. I saw the Motorweek review a few weeks back and the interior looks much better than GM's usual cheap plastic. I don't care for the visable baseball type stitching on the seats but everything else looks nice. It might hold it's value because thay aren't bringing that many in because of UAW complaints. One drawback is poor gas mileage - the Auto has a gas guzzler tax included - the manual doesn't but the TL will get close to 10 mpg better. My first 3 new cars were Mustang GTs and I agree that you can't beat that V-8 sound but then i got a Taurus SHO and that car had a great engine in it (too bad the rest of the car didn't measure up) but after that I was satisfied with a sweet V-6 (smoother, better MPG, lower insurance, and 9/10 of the hp) The only thing missing was a good manual trans. and the new TL takes care of that. I have a V-8 Dakota pickup for "THE SOUND" though and will probably trade that in for a Hemi in a year after my bank account recovers from the TL purchase.

theslik1

That's a good point and I agree with you, but as an ex-LS1 Camaro owner (underrated engine as you well know) I appreciated the bang for the buck. I think GM needs to ensure that the Vette is always "bleeding edge" as far as engine specs so that they maintain a substantial power margin above the lower line models. This obviously hasn't always been the case. Most of the HP margin between an LS1 Vette and LS1 Camaro/Firebird was on paper only, and that just isn't right for someone who paid a premium for the Vette.

The C6 at a standard 400 hp should have respectable distance from the GTO.

zmanishere

I am doing the opposite, for the most part. I am getting out of an Lumina SS (Pontiac GTO), and getting into a new TL. I own two SS' an 00 and a 03, great cars, but when I return stateside I am looking for something a little more refined. a little more luxury. I have always liked what Acura put out, in the way of styling, my wife has had 2 Integras previously, and I thought they where great cars, zero problems. My main turn off to the GTO is the price, and the fuel cell in the truck. The GTO stickers roughly that of the TL, and has 2 less doors, which I prefer with little ones. I only paid 24.1k out the door for the Luminas with every option. So for the money, I am going with the TL. If the GTO was closer to what i paid for mine, it might be different.

Qatar

Hey guys,
can anybody tell me how i can post pic's here
I've got some pictures for a 2002 Lumina SS Commodore and I'll be glad to share it with you.
Its been brought to the US lately by a Diplomat friend of mine, and the ride is sweet and its got the ghazal leather seats.

Qatar

I've posted the pic's on my budy's Lumina SS
here is the link.
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...004#post665004

NOX 3.2

funny how you mispelled ACURA several times...
(like you don't really have one)

and it's 5.1 sound system, not 5.2

good review though...

stick to what you like.

manteuffel

Whats up theslik1

Well, I don't know if this rumor is true or not, but they want now to put the LS6 motor on the GTO next year. That will make the GTO 400 hp, about the same hp the Vette is. The current CTS-V is already LS6 powered and has the same hp as the new Vette does. how awesome.
All that stuff kills the halo of the Vette, or at least thats how it works for me. I have a Z06 and I am quite happy with it. However, it'll probably be the last GM car I own until pigs can fly. The C6 is just fugly and it doesn't add anything that my Z06 C5 cannot have by investing a few bucks on it. If you thought the C5 interior was bad, well, then the C6 interior just got a lot worse IMO.
Anyways, the TL interior is just awesome. Very well balanced, not too much stuff, not too few. The voice stuff is unreal, amazing. The whole interior design is just awesome. You can clearly see that when they designed this new TL, they went the extra mile, or should I say, they went the extra light year!

I am already looking into purchasing a double-din Rosen R6500 unit with a navigation kit to install it on the Vette. I just dig the way the TL navi screen looks.

There is only one thing I regret I didn't do on the TL: getting the 18 inch rims, but oh well, next life maybe.

G.

EVS Motors Inc.

I would wait it out on the GTO. The new GTO is not of the essence of a true GTO. I've read some stuff that a totally new design is in the works, will look similar to the 66-67 GTOs. Thats the one I want for myself. I'm a big GTO fan too! I've had a total of 3 GTOs. I still have two of them today.

1966 GTO w/ 365HP Tri-Power
1967 GTO w/ 400HO 400HP

I will wait until they come out with the stacked headlight GTOs before I decide to buy one. The new GTO looks too much like a Grand Prix or Grand Am.

Also, a REAL GTO has functional hood scoops!

TLgirl

totally agree! i'd buy another GTO in a heartbeat, but the 04 looks sooo 1980 to me. i have a '70, and it's a boat :) but.. somehow will always be sooo sexy. :)

EVS Motors Inc.

Here is one of my GTOs. It was featured in a short movie! This is what a GTO should be! This one here is a 1966 GTO, the 1st GTO to be made independent of the Tempest.

Majorhouse

Nice Goat EVO!

EVS Motors Inc.

Thanks! I have Two More GTOs in the works.