Of course, you'd get more for your money right now. But are we talking about the same GTO's that, despite having the mighty LS2 and 2006 technology all over it, owners are now desparately trying to sell for $24-25K when they bought them new for $32K just a year or two ago?
Are we talking about the LS1 GTO's that people can't sell for $20K which the original owners paid $32K for less than 3 years ago?
While it's not a direct comparison, we can possibly, roughly estimate the value down the line for GTO's right now by using the F-body figures. I see F-bodies selling regularly for the low teens and some of those are even the LS1 F-bodies. I see LT1 and especially LT4 'Vette's selling for more than those F-bodies.
If you don't believe the GTO figures, check out the GTO websites. Some of those guys are still hallucinating by thinking they can sell their cars for $28K but most people bring them back to reality. Sorry, I like the GTO and I'm going to get one sometime next year, but I can't lie and say that those things will hold any value.
To me, it's like they stuffed an LS2 in a Grand Prix. And no offense to the Grand Prix, I own a GT model myself...
That would be the same GTO's. Which if that is what we are basing things on:
In January 2005 I bought my first Z06. It was a 2002 Z06 with 28k miles. I paid 32k for it. The 02 Z06 stickered for low to mid 50's. So figure 20-23k lost in a span of 3 years.
I got rid of it a few months later when I bought my house.
My latest 02 Z06 I bought at the beginning of this year (March). It had just under 31k miles, and cost 31k. It had roughly 6k in bolt-ons, of which you never get your money back out of. But regardless, thats 6k more that I didn't have to spend.
Thats still a huge drop from what they cost new. More than whats happened to the GTO so far.
A lot of folks that post numerous negative messages about the newer GTO have never even sat in one. And as well, there are some folks that have driven them that will still critisize them. But there are even more that have actually taken the time to drive one that will praise them.
Many say it doesn't look like what a GTO should. How, exactly, should a GTO look? Like a 2 door, 4 seat sedan with a big V-8 and optional standard transmission with sporty handling yet copious amounts of civility?
The original GTO was based off the Tempest, hardly an extreme car in its time. Seems to me they got the GTO theme perfect in this latest rendition.
Some have posted that just the other day they smoked a GTO in their vette. Was that with 3 friends along for the ride? The GTO was never designed to replace the vette. They are two totally different markets. The fact that the new GTO can even compete in the same arena as the C-4, given what it was designed for, is a testament to how great an automobile it actually is.
Go test drive one if you haven't before. For what it was designed to be, and for what it is capable of, I have no doubt you'll be impressed. If you go in thinking its a Ford GT, Dodge Viper, Porsche 911, Ferarri, or Lambo fighter, then you've already got the blinders on even before you start.
Ideally, I would like to get one that already has my desired mods on it: headers, exhaust, tints, intake and shifter. That way, I won't have to do them myself and I would get the mods for penny's on the dollar.
