A Sports Car Bargain, the 2006 Pontiac GTO

With gas prices going stratospheric recently, last week in particular, I'm sure I'll be hard pressed to find anyone who cares, but the 2005 and 2006 Pontiac GTO may be one of the best sports car bargains out there.


Sometime in the '05 model year they started selling them with the 6.0 litre Corvette LS2 V8 that pounds out 400 horses and 400 ridiculous lb/ft of torque, and for around $25k you can find them with 30,000 miles or less. It's crucial to find one with this engine because along with the bigger powerhouse and more impressive numbers, this version of the GTO gets the serious looking hood scoops and dual tail pipes in the back. Without these details, the car just does not look like a sports car.


The C6 Corvette which debuted in 2005, a car that I cross-shopped with the GTO, is still about $10,000 more expensive with the same mileage. Granted, the GTO's 3700 lb weigh-in is pretty hefty and about 700 lbs heavier than the Vette. But when you consider that you still get a ton of power, an impressive exhaust sound, absurd 0-60 blasts, along with an actual back seat that allows you to cart 4 adults very comfortably in an all leather interior, the Vette loses a bit of it's luster.



I've had mine for a little over two months, and I still get giddy when I fire it up. Giving it some gas and letting the revs spool up to 4 or 5000 RPMs is enough to give you chills. I find myself driving with the windows down more often than not so I can listen to the sweet sounds of pure American muscle. That said, with gas prices reaching brutal levels, I usually try to cruise it, and with it's bountiful torque and six speed manual, it's actually pretty easy to do. My current commute is 4 miles, I know, poor me. But what that means is that all of my driving is stop and go, so my MPG suffers. So I try to watch the instant MPG readout that shows you what you're currently getting, and keep the number above 20. Last I checked I had my average MPG up to 17, which is pretty impressive all things considered.

So, if you're like me; still not ready to be rational about the gas crunch/environment and you've always wanted a sports car, you can't go wrong with the 2005 or 2006 Pontiac GTO, but stay away from Brazen Orange, cause that one's mine.

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