2005 Pontiac GTO Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Price either needs to be dropped at least $5000 or they need to fix the defects. It needs a new transmission as solenoids for gears 3 and 5 are bad and the shifter is sloppy, has way too much play. The rear differential has a massive leak and the gears were making a lot of noise. Has rust under the body. Clips are broken on the trunk trim and the driver side window trim. When you roll down the passenger window it binds and then opens the passenger door. Engine runs rough when a/c kicks on. Sep 26, 2024

One of, if not the best used (muscle) car performance value and a smart financial decision if you can get one with lower-ish miles and the manual transmission. Value is increasing at this point and rarity keeps growing. Parts are 95% ubiquitous being shared with Corvette/CTS-V. That 5% is a pain but not insane. VERY easy to upgrade, but perfectly happy all OEM. Comfortable cruising at 100mph+ for long periods w/ manual transmission (2,500 RPM @ 100). Seats are one of, if not the single best, GM ever made for general purpose sports car. Refinement is high. Very fun to drive but not flashy. Does not attract police attention. Its really just everything a modern muscle car from the pre-stability control era should be. Unlike literally every other option in the space, you dont risk seeing a high school chick pull up next to you and say Oh look! we have the same car. I keep buying them because the price appreciation lets you drive for free and in the ~$20,000 unique sports-minded car segment - ESPECIALLY if youre set on a MANUAL TRANSMISSION - its the one to have unless you need full modern tech suite (if so, this is not for you). As these get older, youll have more of the issues that 15-20 year old cars have. Almost all of those types of problems have well documented fixes that arent very expensive generally speaking. My 2004 Pulse Red one has 160k miles when it was T-boned and was ready for another 40k miles no problem. 2004s are great value, but the LS2 engine and improved brakes make 2005-2006s much more desirable. They are significantly faster (0.6-0.8 quarter mile improvement). Overall, if you are looking for a break from the modern tech-obsessed cockpits of new cars and want to really connect on a raw level with a later model muscle car that you can take your boss or wife out in, you cant lose with a clean 04-06 GTO.Jul 10, 2023

I installed a small performance camshaft and valve springs when the engine only had 5500 miles on it. At 6200 miles I broke a valve spring and dropped a valve into the engine which hand grenaded. I put a Scoggin Dicky 416 CID engine with L92 heads. The new engine dyno'd at 515 HP / 501 TQ. But It had so much power that I had a hard time putting the power to the pavement; i.e. good traction in 1st & 2nd gear was only a pipe-dream. Loved the car though and would love to have another one.Nov 11, 2013

Great ride quality. Excellent build quality, love the interior. smooth tourq through the range. Good stereo. Needs Mp3 capability and an ipod jack. Only one power outlet. Fuel mileage could be better I average 17 driving to school, and about 21 for long 100 mile plus trips. I have the 4 speed Auto, i feel that this should have been a six like the manual. The fuel take lid wears out quickly and wont latch shut, still works but cant be locked shut now.Sep 27, 2011

This car is amazing great accleration and breaking, amazing intirior quality the seats hold you perfectly its like slipping on a glove. The down side is it takes primium gas and gets 16 MPG in the city but its the funnist car ive ever been in. I love driving the goat it react so quickly and smoothly ive ridden in alot of cars and driven alot of cars none compare to this with out alot of aftermarket work. Jul 23, 2009

Performance – 400HP, need i say more? The LS2 is a strong and balance power house, it puts down massive torque for idle to red-line, pulling strong the entire way. The large brakes keep the LS2 in check and dont have a problem stopping the car. Its handles very nice but can feel heavy in corners. The traction control is a must on rainy days. Build Quality – overall its built well but does have some issues with breaking plastic clips on the front and rear bumpers. Another common problem is the front seat tracks on the '05, they need to be updated to the '06 style because the end to rock back and forth under hard braking or hard acceleration. Appearance – The interior is great but the exterior is not very flashy and you will get the "It looks like a Grand Am" comment allot. Fun Factor – is this car fun to drive? The GTO is a blast to drive, no matter how much trouble you get into, you can always bring it back. Feb 06, 2009

I love the power. It is a monster. I love that it's a very rare car and I don't see one every day. The only downside so far for me is the gas. You have to put 93 octane in it. It is a 6.0L and it'll guzzle the gas if you have a lead foot. Bolt-ons are a little pricey but I don't plan on doing any for a little bit since I still have a warranty ;). If you can find one in decent shape with decent mileage, get it. It's a very solid car and best bang for your buck. Name another stock 400HP car you can get for 15-20k used. I used to have a 98 trans am and that car was falling apart in just a few years. The Aussies have really made this a solid car and it'll be hard to find a sports car in the 20-30K range with a great interior like this one.Dec 27, 2008

I've had my Goat for about 3 and a half years and about 50,000 miles now. Best investment in my sanity I've ever made. As long as you have the tenacity to scoff at the price of a gallon of super-unleaded, turn a blind eye to going green, and have no aspirations of putting a small child or drunken friend anywhere near it...you're golden. I love the aspect that you can work under the hood and there's plenty of room to do so. Plenty of parts are available for all the cash cow enthusiasts to dump your wallet into, because it takes Corvette's LS2 parts (same engine) May 08, 2008

The one I test drove had intake exhaust and headers. It's my buddy's car, and he no longer owns it. It was a rather fun car to drive. His tires weren't the best quality, so the thing almost got sideways going into 2nd gear, but that was part of the fun. Nothing in particular stood out to me, but it was really comfortable for a performance car. Torque was abundant, and the exhaust note was unbelievable loud and beautiful.Mar 12, 2008

Here's a car that was dropped from GM's lineup for a reason: it stunk. The interior was nothing fabulous, the styling was kinda badass at most, and the performance was extremely lacklustre. I had a chance to drive one at GM's test track in Las Vegas, and my impression was less than amused. The car's 400hp did not propel it's heft, and thus, this car could easily be left behind by a base Mustang GT. The handling also left a lot to be desired, with quite a lot of body roll. The car looks good in red, but other than that, not anything I'd put money on.Feb 11, 2008

I purchased this GTO as my last high performance coupe. I always have that thought, one more high performance car, but it seems it's never really the last I own. Honestly, I was intrigued with the Australian beauty with the American badging, the Holden under the GTO marque. Perhaps the first thing you notice about the GTO is that it blends in with the crowd. Were it not for the hood scoops (a feature that can be deleted in ordering) it doesn't look much different than most other mundane coupes on the road. The rear also doesn't give much away, if you overlook the big exhaust pipes looming from under the redesigned rear valance for 2005. The big dual piston calipers painted and marked GTO don't really call much attention and frankly, a side view doesn't elicit a lot of excitement. It's not until you turn the key and that 400 HP LS2 comes to life that anyone really pays attention to what this car is really all about. Then the "Thunder from Down Under" has the streets under control and you're really in the drivers' seat for a great ride. Speaking of which, the interior is one that sets the standard for which all GM cars need to strive for. The leather buckets front and rear (Yes, it's really a 2+2 configuration) re comfortable and supportive. The workmanship is impeccible and the seats are extremely comfortable and adjustable. One con is the electric movement to allow entry into the rear seat and the seat movement is slow. That speed was improved on the 2006 model, but would still be better if it were free sliding to allow back seat entry and re-engaged after the seat was upright. But the seat does have a memory after it's upright and will return to your original setting with the push of a button. The controls are well laid out and the dash is colorful and easy to see, Colors are in line with the color and trim of the car. If you order a black car, as I did, the gauge cluster is red, not black. If you order a blue car, the cluster is blue, a yellow vehicle, the cluster is yellow, silver, it's silver, etc. There are some variations, but generally that's the norm. The stereo CD player is a Blaupunkt and is top line with a 6 CD changer and 10 speakers. Lots of bells and whistles with remore entry, trip minder, all sorts of message center and reminder gimmicks, and one to tell you how much fuel it's sucking from your wallet. Hey, the car is fun personified, so if you're going to sweat a few bucks in fuel, you'll not want this, but an econobox instead, right? Transmissions are choice of a 6 speed manual or a 4 speed automatic, (with overdrive)and the fuel economy, of course goes to the manual. The auto has a rating of 12 and 16 I believe and gets a gas guzzler tax added to the sales price. The auto is standard, but the gas guzzler tax will more than offset the additional cost of the six speed manual, so if you are a driving afficionado, go for the gusto and get the manual. Either transmission will allow you to smoke the tires at will and for as long as you wish. That is if you can afford replacing those beefy treads on a regular basis, as that torque can eat that rubber really fast! This car is freaky fast. Not just fast but truly fast. The engine winds effortlessly. remember, this is the Corvette engine and does what it's supposed to do and that's propel this vehicle to wherever you wish it to go and do it quickly. Reported speed limiter settings are in the neighborhood of 152 but I can't verify that. I've seen radar readings in excess of 160 but I can't verify them with troopers either. Suffice it to say this car will run with the big dogs in most any circle. Plus, I've seen several with aftermarket superchargers that not only run with the big dogs, but bite the big dogs in the tail on the way by. Sadly, the production of this car ended with the 2006 model year. From what I understand the dies were just worn out. Remember, this was a Holden Monaro from Australia and was rebadged and massaged for us here in the US as the GTO. Maybe we'll be seeing some more Thunder soon... Aug 17, 2007