not sure what to get..your opinion?

[Steve]

Go with the ta they can out handle and brake the gn any day and as far as power stock for stock the w02 will spank it!! The gn will become a nightmare for you if you don't know what your doing with it so stick with a w02 with a set of afr heads and a fast. Intake and a few other mods I seen those cars run very low 11's high tens with no power adders but if you get a gn you will have all the help on this forum that you need ill tell you that much

There are a lot more mods needed than that to get a LS1 car into the low 11's/high 10's. To get a LS1 car in the low 11's/high 10's N/A you would need at a minimum very good heads($1500ish),cam($600), intake($1k for a FAST with TB), headers($400), exhaust($300), custom tune(which would be in the $300-$500 range or buying the software would be the same $), clutch if 6speed or converter if auto($600), fuel system($150), injectors($350) , throttle body and suspension upgrades and even with thoses items 10's would be pretty tough and the rear would be a time bomb at that level. As far as mods go a turbo Buick will run faster dollar for dollar assuming both cars are in good condition. A few years ago I got a stock Turbo T to run 11.90's for less than $600 worth of mods on a stock car and that price included the drag tires. I am not downing LS1 cars because I own one and like it but to putting a LS1 car into the high 10's N/A is not cheap or easy. Going 10's with nitrous is a different story and can be doen for cheap but filling bottles sucks!

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

You are correct, I have never owned a 2004-2006 GTO.
I suggested the 2005-06 models as they have the 6.0 liter engine.
Since, it appears you have owned this car, maybe you can share with us the problems you had with your 2005-06 GTO.
I never suggest the first model year as they are usually not as dependable as later years.
My suggestion that the 05-06 GTO would be less costly to repair is based upon the newer the car, the fewer the repairs.

While they did make improvements to the 05/06 models, they still had their share of issues.

column lock problems cause the key to become stuck and not release (leaving you stranded)

struts rub the inside of the tire causing either a blowout or eventually the strut will just leak

uneven and quick tirewear is very common with the IRS

instrument cluster is known for going out or showing unreadable display

stitching on top of rear seats split very easily

clutch is typically good for 15-20K miles

the paint overall on these cars is very thin....very common to have paint just fall off the door handles and around the headlights

half-shafts to correct wheelhop and the supporting parts to install is north of $1000

power seat motors are common failures (typically passenger side first)

I'm not saying they are bad cars, I only had a few of these problems with mine, but they can be annoying and expensive problems when the car is out of warranty. That doesn't mean that F-body or G-body cars don't have the same annoyances, I'm just saying that typically when a car is newer, it gets more advanced parts, which cost more to replace or repair.

 

[wmerrell]

While they did make improvements to the 05/06 models, they still had their share of issues.

column lock problems cause the key to become stuck and not release (leaving you stranded)

struts rub the inside of the tire causing either a blowout or eventually the strut will just leak

uneven and quick tirewear is very common with the IRS

instrument cluster is known for going out or showing unreadable display

stitching on top of rear seats split very easily

clutch is typically good for 15-20K miles

the paint overall on these cars is very thin....very common to have paint just fall off the door handles and around the headlights

half-shafts to correct wheelhop and the supporting parts to install is north of $1000

power seat motors are common failures (typically passenger side first)

I'm not saying they are bad cars, I only had a few of these problems with mine, but they can be annoying and expensive problems when the car is out of warranty. That doesn't mean that F-body or G-body cars don't have the same annoyances, I'm just saying that typically when a car is newer, it gets more advanced parts, which cost more to replace or repair.

Thanks for the info. I was in the market myself for a 05-06 GTO. After hearing this I am going to cross that off my list and wait a couple of years and grab a Camaro SS. Are they ok?

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

Thanks for the info. I was in the market myself for a 05-06 GTO. After hearing this I am going to cross that off my list and wait a couple of years and grab a Camaro SS. Are they ok?

I don't know a ton about the new Camaro other than many people dislike the blind spots. That doesn't bother me much. However, after driving a new SS my two complaints were more body roll and suspension "mush" than I would expect in my sports car and the weight is hard to overcome. It may have 426 HP but much of the fun factor is diminished by it weighing 4000 lbs. Of course just like in the G-body....the solution is boost!

 

[TulsaGN13]

I bought my first GN, an 87, in 1997. I was 19 and working at a Buick dealership in Tulsa, OK as an apprentice engine performance tech while I went to school for the same. I proceeded to immediately beat the hell out of it and make stupid decisions with it that provided me the opportunity to learn how to build a turbo SFI 3.8 from the block up It was painful at the time but I learned a lot and currently own an 87 Grand National that just rolled over the 100k mile mark. I have only one regret about buying my first GN at that age and I think this is something that has been overlooked in this thread.

The earlier you buy your first Turbo Regal, the longer you have in your life to be totally addicted to them, what they can do, what they stand for and how it is nearly impossible to not want one forever!!!! I had a 13 year gap between my first one and my current one and while I spent most of that time in various locations overseas, I never stopped wanting another one. The smart move is to buy an easier to maintain, possibly... that is possibly, more reliable F body. It depends on what you want out of it. If you beat on any car, it becomes unreliable. If you do proper preventative maintenance on a Turbo Regal that is in good condition they hold up pretty well.

I purchased my current car for the $14k you are talking about. I immediately took it on a 2,000 mile road trip from central Florida to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Then I took in on another 2,000 mile road trip across the southwest with my wife. Then I drove it 750 miles up to Wisconsin and in a few weeks I will be making the return trip to Tulsa. I have done the basic preventative maintenance like oil changes, plugs, blow out the air filter, change the fuel filter, transmission fluid change etc... I feel pretty confident about this car's ability to get me from A to B and I get to meet really amazing people almost everywhere I go. I actually had a guy follow me home from about 18 miles out last Thursday, he was a Vietnam vet that saw the car and just wanted to talk about it for a while. We had a great time talking cars and I made a new friend.

I guess I am just trying to say, go with your heart, do what feels better and if you break it, be prepared to deal with the consequences. I will never regret buying my first GN at 19. I learned a lot from it and it has led me to my current ride.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[GW2]

These cars really aren't as bad as what everyone makes them out to be. The ones that say they're bad to diagnose are the same ones that think these cars split atoms under the hood. Like I said if you are willing to learn and learn from the right people on the board and in your area, you will love having a TR more than any other car you've owned. If I lived in a warmer climate I would have bought one for a DD a long time ago.

This is very true, I read a lot and only post when I have a question or some valid input (or try anyway). Reading this board can give you a lot of good information which helps you deal with and problems you may encounter in the future. All I can say is if you go with the GN read as much as you can about them, knowing as much as you can will make your life much easier.