GTO or GTS Coupe

[GTS_215]

Hi guys,
im in the market for a new car in the next few months and its going to be a HSV Coupe. I can't decide whether to spend $80,000 on a used 2003 VY GTS Coupe 300kW M6 with around 25,000kms...or to buy a brand new GTO Coupe 285kW M6 for $77,000 drive away. The only major differences is 15kW, better brakes and rims.

What do you guys think?

Cheers

[Kirium]

I wouldn't say the GTS has better rims... only bigger... I like the GTO wheels. Brakes can be upgraded to GTS stoppers and an edit would likely take care of those 15kW, and maybe a few more.

I'd go the new GTO, but personal preference... Can't go too wrong in my book.

[GTS_215]

yer i agree with u

[falcon coupe]

What about a second hand CV8, then spend 11k on the new twin turbo kit available ?, 400kw, that would be awsome.

[Speedy Gonzales]

Contact NickH at Doncaster Holden, he has a runout deal for Monaro CV8 and can also arrange to have it modded before hitting the rd.

Mandatory mods: cat back 2.5in, diff gears 4.11, LS1 Edit

If you want more, head/cam, headers, AP/Harrop brakes, Koni/Whiteline, semi comps etc

Bonus is also sleeper appeal and lower insurance

[XLR8 V8]

Depends on the condition of the GTS after those 25Kkms of course, but I would go the GTS. As you said, it already has the better brakes and bigger rims, but you also have to consider that while the diff in power may only be 15kw, it has a small cam update over the stock ls1, so the power range is different - more power down low and midrange. It's already MAFLESS so there's no decision to make come "Edit time" :stick:
Interior is better too.
Getting the GTS also means that you've let some other poor bugger wear the worst drop in depreciation - the minute he drove it out of the showroom :rolleyes:

Cons to consider - Insurance $$ difference, Replacement tyre $$ difference

[GTS_215]

wouldnt you end up with more power if you edit a 285kW GTO compared to the stock 300kW GTS

[HOWQUICK]

wouldnt you end up with more power if you edit a 285kW GTO compared to the stock 300kW GTS

no. What happens when you tune the GTS? :eek:

Mate of mine just picked up a 12k 2003 GTS Coupe, DVDs, Sat Nav rah rah for $65k. Shop around. ;)

[seldo]

wouldnt you end up with more power if you edit a 285kW GTO compared to the stock 300kW GTS
But just think what you might get if you edited the GTS. For the sake of only a very small amount of $$$$ for an edit, you have the potential to be a long way ahead. :burnout: :driving:

[C4B]

wouldnt you end up with more power if you edit a 285kW GTO compared to the stock 300kW GTS

Nope..... Edit the 285kw GTO and you'll get around the 230rwkw. Edit the GTS and you'll get around 250rwkw.

Go the GTS.

[Old Kiwi]

I'd go the GTS, but 80k sounds steep. try here:
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=25795

[MNR-0]

Personally, I would go the GTS. Calloway C4B Heads and bigger Cam. Bigger brakes and wheels.

With a decent Tune, you will be way ahead of the GTO. You will still get balance of new car warranty on the GTS and you can still finance it as its under 5 years old.

Also, the wank factor. Put a GTS and GTO up side by side, and I know which one will be getting most of the looks.

Do yourself a favour, bargain down the GTS, and get it Edited

[Modena]

If it's in A1 condition, I'd go the GTS.

You wont lose as much as on the GTO come sale time

bigger brakes

hand built engine, with heads offering more room for future mods

more power after editing than the GTO after editing

nicer inside

the only drawback might be insurance.

[Animal]

Personally, I would go the GTS. Calloway C4B Heads and bigger Cam.

Exactly my thoughts

[GTS_215]

would you guys spend that extra few thousand dollars to get the later GTS coupe with the VY interior...or just settle for the older VX look

[SPJ]

would you guys spend that extra few thousand dollars to get the later GTS coupe with the VY interior...or just settle for the older VX look

Depends what you like i guess...
Personally i love the VY interior...

[MNR-0]

Go the VY. Keeps it current and maintains resale better than VX. I wish I was in your shoes... :D

[mgygto]

If you are in the market in the next few months, wait. With the next series Monaro hitting the streets before the end of the year, their will be a new Coupe from HSV also. it should make your choice easy if it is still a choice between a new GTO and a used GTS. I had a similar choice when I purchased my GTO although I could have purchasd the GTS new also - my preference was the actually the look of the GTO rather than the GTS and then had Sams Performance do the edit, diff , headers etc to raise the bar way beyond a stock GTS and still enough cash left over to pay for the fuel for the first couple of years!

[keen]

This thread reminds me of a quote from a great Aussie drama." do you want to be a shit head all your life?Or do you want to play A grade" . There is a reason the GTS is the top of the food chain , sure you can buy a GTO and build it up , well for that matter why not get a CV8 and put a body kit on it , and better brakes ,suspension,interior, heads etc etc. But every time you see the real deal youll wish you had of got one.GTS arent exempt from depreciation though, but I dont think they will be as bad as say an SS.Seems to me after 2 year most cars depreciation slows down.It was a dificult decision for me when I bought mine , but after 1 day of owning , I new it was the right one. Your only here once.By the way I drove a mates VY clubsport today , 285kw , compared to my coupe it felt like a big fat lard arse saloon.Not very impressive.

[VXEXEC350]

Maybe it's me but if you bought a new CV8 and spent the 20 odd grand you had in change on mods, surely it'd eat either of the HSV offerings.

Personally I'm waiting to see where the all paw lion technology is headed. Wouldn't an all wheel drive CV8 be a nice place to start a car.

[mgygto]

This thread reminds me of a quote from a great Aussie drama." do you want to be a shit head all your life?Or do you want to play A grade" . There is a reason the GTS is the top of the food chain , sure you can buy a GTO and build it up , well for that matter why not get a CV8 and put a body kit on it , and better brakes ,suspension,interior, heads etc etc. But every time you see the real deal youll wish you had of got one.GTS arent exempt from depreciation though, but I dont think they will be as bad as say an SS.Seems to me after 2 year most cars depreciation slows down.It was a dificult decision for me when I bought mine , but after 1 day of owning , I new it was the right one. Your only here once.By the way I drove a mates VY clubsport today , 285kw , compared to my coupe it felt like a big fat lard arse saloon.Not very impressive.

as always its "horses for courses" , I'm glad you are happy with your choice, it seems you've been happy to buy because of the "badge" power of the GTS as much as the overall package. The GTO and the GTS Coupes are actually identical to drive stock with minimal power difference at any point which is why HSV put the GTS Coupe to "made to order" a while back because the sales just stopped with the huge purchase price difference between the two for no real advantage. Actually editing the GTO by the right guy and doing the right mods gives a much better performance level than the GTS Coupe and , again, the drive is the same. As to the VY Clubsport being a "fat lard arse saloon" I dont actually think you've driven one if thats what you think or if you have you certainly dont know how to drive it properly given your comment.

[gto015]

who cares if you can make a cv8 as fast or faster than a gts coupe , it will still be a cv8 and the gts will still be more impressive cause its a gts
Speed isnt everything and not everyone wants to hot there cars up

he is asking what to do buy a gto or gts ?

i have a gto but if i had the chance id go the gts over it anyday

[Old Kiwi]

who cares if you can make a cv8 as fast or faster than a gts coupe , it will still be a cv8 and the gts will still be more impressive cause its a gts
Speed isnt everything and not everyone wants to hot there cars up

he is asking what to do buy a gto or gts ?

i have a gto but if i had the chance id go the gts over it anyday

Well said.

I have a freind with a GTS coupe. He says when he parks it among porsche's & ferrari's, it still gets most of the attention.

Pride of ownership is everything, if I wanted the fastest car I could buy, I'd spend $10,000 on a car & $50,000 on mods. If I want a car to be proud of, I'd buy the best one I could afford (GTS)

[HERCULES]

Hey, If I were you I would go for the GTS as well, anyday.
You know you will have the top of the range HSV/HOLDEN and cant get any better.

[K Man]

What I would do would be considered bias.
But what so many people do NOT understand is a car cost
WHAT YOU PAY...
MINUS...
WHAT YOU SELL IT FOR ...
what your mods and time is worth at trade in time is F all to the dealer or sales men.
And guys sit down and add up what all the mods cost. What they REALLY cost.. not what you tell the wife they cost.
I have been there done that it is fun, but financially can be same result wiyhout the street cred. :cheers: :cheers:

[VooDoo]

If i had to choose between the GTO and the GTS, for the $$ id go the GTS.

In saying that when i was looking for a car i was after a Grange. I had to settle for a Caprice due to no suitable Granges around. My car costs less than 1/2 to insure (and 10k less to buy), isnt a target for theives and cops and produces more power than the Grange or GTS does and is faster too. Im actually happier i didnt get one now.

As mentioned, there is more to car ownership than a badge. It can be a negitive as well as a positive.

[son of strife]

Doesn't the series 3 GTO have 19" wheels now standard? That kinda reduces the gap between the two cars.

[Animal]

But what so many people do NOT understand is a car cost
WHAT YOU PAY...
MINUS...
WHAT YOU SELL IT FOR ...
what your mods and time is worth at trade in time is F all to the dealer or sales men.


..... reminds me of the movie quote " you want the truth, you can't handle the truth"

Although a lot of us treasure our car, sometimes the truth hurts.

Well said K Man

[onezero]

I'd get the GTS, just because of Callaway building the motor.

The rims, brakes and whatever else are just a bonus.

[Freaky]

Go the GTO. Nothing like having a new car.

[IIV8II]

Callaway doesn't 'build' the motor. It just drops on newly machined heads and slips in a cam.

Buy a VTII ex-chaser for $17K and spend 50 on mods... :cool:

I think I'd like the s/h GTS for street cred...