Ted 99 TA WS6 Conv

Before you do your Australian conversion to US dollars, read the fine print of the aus pricing. RRP $57,850*

*The recommended retail price (RRP) includes GST but does not include registration, stamp duty, insurance and dealer delivery fee.

Hence 10% of the price is australian taxes. So for accruacy reasons lets call the price 52,590 Suggested

Convert to Us -> 29,719

Add Delivery say $500 US

Bang ... there's the price $30,219

Plus as said before add the cost of importing (what does it costs to ship from Japan?), making it look like a Pontiac, and upgrading to US safety , and emissions standards, and you are in the mid 30's. Say $2,000

$32,219

FYI ... just priced a 2002 WS6 no other options .... $32,190.00 (see GMbuypower.com). No idea if delivery is included.

Sounds to me like this new GTO may be priced right ....

Ted

IZ28

The GTO's were more than F-Bodies anyway back in the day. This car is supposed to be better quality than current Pontiacs and is also only supposed to sell like 18,000-20,000 for the 04 model. You gotta think the pricing is kinda right. Pontiac wants it to be its "Corvette", and well, I think we all know which is more affordable.

Ude-lose

I read somewhere that in previous times, cars from aussie sold for cheaper in U.S. than they did in their country of origin, dont know how, volume maybe?

mercury capri- sold for cheaper than ford capri in OZ. (although wasnt too successfull in either country)

mitsubishi diamante - although im not sure about this one, is called a mitsubishi magna in Oz.


now holden have targeted 4,000 a year for Monaro to make a profit to justify building it.

now you would think with an order of 18K threatning to increase, that GM (which is the same company in simplistic terms) would have some strong bulk buying power...

we may be surprised when the they announce the price ... i hope...

newby

I don't know, I think it will be right about 30-35,000. If it was supposed to be a high-volume vehicle, than maybe they'd surprise us and bring it in the high 20's. But it's not, it's basically a limited edition, and I don't think they'll have any problem selling all 18,000 of them at 30-35,000

cobra-killer

I dont know what kind of work you guys do but right now Im a college kid working as a waiter and 30-35k isnt exactly what I had in mind. Thats like a 500+ dollar a month car payment and God knows how much insurance will be. I must just be spoiled by the "Best bang for the buck" prices of the 4th gens. You can get a well equipped late model ls1 from anywhere from 17-27k. 35k is alot of money

IZ28

Read:

If younger people could afford it, it wouldn't be a low volume car anymore. The GTO is not an F-Body.

IZ28

Double Post

jrp4uc

And this car isn't targeted at kids working through college as waiters. As noted time and time again, this is Pontiac's halo car and not an entry level performance car.

I still don't know where some of you are pulling the notion that the f-body was significanlty cheaper. Unless you were buying a base Z28, an optioned Z28 and any Trans Am cost between 25-30k, and certainly over $30k as an SS or WS6.

I'm working through college and can't afford a Corvette. It doesn't mean anything in regards to the car being mispriced. It seems like a $30-35k GTO is fair, if not still a nice bang-for-the-buck.

cobra-killer

Go to cars.com and search for a used z28 and I guarantee you will find a 02 damn near fully loaded z28 for under 25k, and I guarantee you can find a 01z again nicely equipped for under 20k. Thats were I get the notion that the f-body was significantly cheaper. Thats bang for your buck. For 35k I might as well get the new mustang now and run mid to low 12's out the gate or buy a lightning. My roomate has a 00 lightning and put 4k into it and he's running mid 12's.

The fbody was targeted at college kids as well as a wide range of consumers because of its affordable pricing, so if the gto isnt than what are we talking about it for

guionM

If you think the f-body was targeted at college kids you're nuts. Cavaliers are targeted to college kids. Focus is targeted to college kids. Neons are targeted to college kids. F-bodies and Mustangs are targeted to those who have already gone through college, or are in a position in their job to get the car that's sportier than basic transportation. Camaros, Firebirds, and Mustangs ( as well as Javalins, Barracudas, & Challengers) were always aimed at the 20 something and up crowd.

The average age of a Camaro buyer is over 40. The Mustang (which is by far the most sucessful and youthful car in this market) has an average buyer age of about 30.

As was pointed out, there are USED cars that are within the price range of younger people on a tight budget, and in fact very few people working their way through college as waiters are driving new cars (lets be realistic here).

To be honest, it's getting pretty old hearing how every car that doesn't cost under 20 grand & have hundreds of horsepower is doomed to failure. Z28s typically went for 25-28 grand, yet (and I despise saying this, but it's true) it's the $35,000 SS and WS6s that had no problem selling.

Not to dump cold water on this notion, but not every car is automatically aimed at college kids or the under 21 crowd. And that's NOT a bad thing.

What's next?? "Corvettes, Vipers, and M series are too expensive to us college kids working our way through school, and should be cheaper so we could afford it and they could sell more!

cobra-killer

jesus christ you people have selective hearing/reading I said it was aimed at college kids AS WELL AS A WIDE RANGE OF CONSUMERS BECAUSE OF ITS AFFORDABLE PRICING. I didnt mean it was targeted to college students. I was implying that its affordable pricing made it accessable to a wide range of consumers including young adults, i.e. 18-25.

And nowhere did I say it was doomed to fail because it will be 30-35k. I said it was more than "I" would be able to shell out at the current moment. I said nothing about how the public in general would except it.

MunchE

Why are you comparing the price of a new car to the price of a used car?

Used cars are more affordable, thank you, captain obvious!

PS: The F-Body isn't targeted at college kids, or really primarily bought by them. Most young people, like college age, are buying their first car. You know, the one where the finance company doesn't want to give you more than $12,000 because you don't have any credit.

A car targeted at college kids would be an entry level vehicle, such as a Focus, a Civic, a Cavalier, etc.

I don't know many college kids that can afford a car payment of over $400/mo + the cost of insurance (for me, 21 years old, my 1997 Z28 costs me $300/mo to insure). Insurance prices make a V8 performance car not suitable for someone under 25. Which is why they don't sell well in that market.

So yeah, I'm not sure where you get this whole "college student" thing. Maybe at some school where kids are getting cars from their parents and insurance from their parents, then sure, it's an affordable car.

PPS: It's been said about 100 times, the GTO isn't meant to replace the F-Body.

Z284ever

THANK YOU guion! How refreshing to hear someone say that!


......on second thought, I'm pretty pissed off at Ferrari. That 360 I've had my eye on is about 100G's too expensive for me!

How do they expect guys like me to buy their cars?.........oh wait, they don't.

kevkop94TA

I pay all my isurance, all my payments, and I still go to college. Of course I have a great job, and have worked my *** off since high school, (where I had my TA as a junior btw ) I was very fortunate though, as my dad did put in under his name for me, but I've payed everything. Luckily with my promotion I'm making >30k a year, add the that I have my college money invested and don't touch it, and I still live at home, and it's affordable for me. I've been very lucky, but I still have to work for everything I got.

I plan on putting the TA under show car insurance, garaging it and making it a weekend warrior, and my dad would help me out by putting another car in his name for me, which means great insurance prices. Hopefully I should be able to make enough to cover the payments and still live comfortably. We shall see.

guionM

You are the excxeption, my friend. You have something you want very badly, and you have the means to get it. In everything there is an exception.

The point I was making, and I know it won't be a popular one with some here, but not every car is automatically aimed at youth. Do youth buy some of these cars? Heck yea! I had a friend in high school that got a management job at KFC after high school graduation and bought a brand new magnificent metallic blue loaded 1979 T/A 6.6 Trans Am (he was a couple of grades ahead of me). He was in a job where he could afford it at that time, and saved for it. He wanted it, found a way to get it, and bought it. Another one picked up a new '79 Mustang 302 Cobra (quick & desired car at the time) with no options. This guy worked all summer to put a down payment on it, and lived with his parents while he went to Pitt & worked part time to make the monthly payment on it.

Meanwhile, in high school I drove first a 12 year old Camaro, then a 7 year old F100 pickup truck. In college I had a 6 year old Malibu, and even after I left college, and was in the Navy I drove a 6 year old Monza till I advanced. I find it really incredible that there are people here that feel that they have a birthright to a new car (especially a car like a Camaro Z28 or a GTO for chrisssake!! ) as they work their way through college or trade school. Newsflash here: You're not going to be able to buy everything you want when you want it! There are going to be some things you'll have to work for or save for.... oh no!

Sure, there are some cars that will appeal to youth as well as those in their 20s or older, but that doesn't mean that it automatically is priced for that age group. That's where USED models come in. These are the cars that many in college with extra funds buy.

Again, I don't want to dump cold water on someone's dreams, but again the reality is that not everything is aimed at kids working their way through college. There may even be instances where their friends not going through college may actually be able to afford cars our college friends can't.

You buy what you work for, save for, and can afford. That's the truth.... and (like it or not) that's life.