Hey everyone, so the last few weeks I have been contemplating on selling my Monte. Not because I hate the car or that there is really anything wrong with it. I just find myself wanting more power at a reasonable price if that makes sense. About the only major way to gain power on these cars is a tune (which I don't mind doing) and a turbo kit which for $6000, I think that's a little on the price side for me lol. So as I said I'm just running through the idea of selling my car and really had no major intentions of actually doing it until I saw this, Hanna Imports | Raleigh, NC Pre-owned Import Car Dealer

It has about 20,000 less miles than my car does. Has never been wrecked, looks like it's always been serviced. And I know you can only tell so much from pictures, but the car looks like it's in really good shape. It's the LS2 rather than the LS1 like the 2004 GTO has. Which means it's putting out 400HP vs the LS4's 303 HP. And it's for a pretty good price, if I can sell my car for $13k-$14k that would give me $3,000-$4,000 to put down on the car along with what I have saved up which is almost another $2,000 and I'm sure I could maybe talk them down to $13,000-$13,500 for it. So I could essentially get into something and be better off then what I am now. On my monte I pay almost $300 a month. If I got this (and all went according to plan) I could be getting into this car for nearly half that which would free up way more income not only for my business but also for mods for it. Anyway, I'm just looking for some opinions from some of the more seasoned guys out there. I'm only 20, and my Monte is only my second car so I'm still kind of new to all this and sometimes I make some crazy decisions like most people my age do lol. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

 

 

IMO, these LS4s aren't drastically different than the other LS engines, and there is some power to be made - even N/A. The heads already flow great, so IMO- if you're trying to make budget power- swapping to a better (stock) intake manifold, and doing an aftermarket cam (getting rid of DOD and running a normal LS style cam) would go a long way. Couple that with a tune, and you'd be making some good power. At that point, I would think you'd start seeing some better gains from a set of headers. Not a whole lot of people do it because the market is small, and the parts need some customizing to fit the fwd setup- but its still a 5.3 LS at the core- people make good power with them.

Honestly- if you go with an LS2 GTO, the mod path is the same to make good NA power- headers, new intake mani, cam, and a tune. You'll just make more power with the goat being that you've got almost an extra liter of displacement.

I think the big downfall with the monte is between the trans, and being FWD. The 4t65s are known to fail, even on stock setups- and FWD just can't put the power down as well- but making power with the engine shouldn't be what holds you back. There is plenty that can be done to the engine if you're willing to customize and adapt.


IMO, I don't see you getting $14k out of your car- no offense intended. At least around here, montes don't go for that high, even the SS versions. I plugged the year, and approx mileage into KBB with my local zip code and got a range from $10k to $11.7k in excellent shape private party. Trade in looks to be right around $9k. I would definitely put the stock wheels and tires back on if you still have them, you might make up some of what you spent on the wheels selling them separately.

The couple dealers I pulled up locally with '06 SS's were sitting at $12k-13k with just a little more mileage than yours.

Looking at your other thread, you mentioned transmission issues, so I think you're going to have a tough time- especially if that pops up during a test drive.

I certainly wouldn't count on talking them down $2k. There are really 2 things working against you:

1.) a GTO is a bit of a special car. It looks cool, and with Pontiac being gone now, there is more interest in the GTOs/G8s since they were the last performance cars by Pontiac. It likely drives some traffic onto their lot, just like their vettes and such. I bet they don't have a whole lot of people just popping in to take a look at the sweet Honda Accord they've got on the back lot (not to say that the person who stops to look at the vette or the hummer might end up leaving with something more reasonable, like an Accord). I bet they're a lot more willing to deal on their fleet of 10 Camrys, lol.

2.) Dealers typically aggressively price their 'internet prices', at least from what I've seen recently. When I got my vette a few months ago- I was looking at a handful of different cars. I printed out the internet ads to match up to what car I was looking at for each dealer we went to. Typically, there was a $1-2k price gap between the internet price and window sticker. After talking to some of the salesman, they do the internet pricing more competitively to be able to better compete with all the internet companies. So while you might be able to get a good bit off a window sticker, a lower internet price will indicate a little less wiggle room.

I did get my vette for less than the internet price- but not by any huge margin. Granted your dealers out there might be different, that's just my experience.

I did pop that goat into KBB with my local zip code, and it shows $16.4k as a 'fair purchase price', with a suggested sticker of $17.2k- so unless it has some issues (carfax wrecks, etc)- I don't really see you getting it for $13k.

I think the GTO would be more fun of a car. I've got a GP GXP which is basically the same as your monte, and I had a friend that had nearly that identical GTO to what you're looking at (except he had a 6 speed, headers, and a tune)- so I've driven both quite a bit. I will say the GTO hooks up way better, and I liked not having to fear breaking something in the transmission as much.

I do kinda wonder what that is in the trunk- is that a tow hitch? I wonder what they were towing with a goat? I also think the automatic is a downer too. That's my biggest problem with my vette is wishing I had got a manual- but at least the vette auto has a decent paddle shift system that makes it somewhat bearable- I don't think there is any option for that on the goat.


My honest opinion is that I wouldn't get it, and I wouldn't keep putting money into mods for the monte either. I'd take what you have saved up, and put that into paying the car off- and do the same with your 'mod money' in coming months until the car is paid off. There's no sense in spending money making the car (either car) fast on the off chance you blow the engine or trans racing it around- and now have to pay interest and payments on a car you can't even drive.

Unless you're really lucky- I don't see you coming out cheaper with the goat. My guess is, you'll be lucky to break even on payments, or they might get a bit worse (unless your rate sucks now). If you really could have almost a straight wash between the 2 cars (without kicking in your $2k savings)- I'd be all over it, but my feeling is that you're going to end up spending more somehow - either cash up front, or financing more money.

Just my .02