Posts Tagged ‘GTO’

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Photos: GTO at Sunset

By Chief Oddball on August 1st, 2010 at 9:53 pm

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I haven’t taken any new photos of my GTO since 2006, embarrassingly enough. After the recent oil leak problem was addressed, I had a renewed interest in taking the car out for a spin. After an early-morning car wash on Saturday, I decided that some new low-light photos were in order. Saturday evening’s weather wasn’t cooperative, but tonight we had a pretty nice sunset underway, so I headed out.

Being Sunday — and the off-season, to boot — the parking lot of a local private school was empty and ripe for the photographing. I also finally had the opportunity to solve the big problem with most of my parking lot photoshoots: the damn white lines crisscrossing all through the frame. This time I parked in the middle of the access road where parents are supposed to let their students off in the morning. Conveniently, there was a flood lamp a short distance away that provided some fairly good diffuse fill light.

I’ve hand-picked a few photos from the shoot that came out especially well. Hit the “Continue Reading” link to see them, or find them all on my Flickr photostream.

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Whistlin’ Dixie

By Chief Oddball on July 28th, 2010 at 8:34 pm

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Dixie Buick GMC in Fort Myers

Over the past decade that I’ve spent in southwest Florida, I’ve seen my share of ups and downs. One of the definite downs of my residence here has been the service offered by the local area’s Pontiac dealerships. From that fateful day in 2001 when Naples’ big-name Pontiac dealership of note first got its claws into my Trans Am, I’ve been on a roller coaster ride of poor workmanship, damaged parts, rude service writers and flat-out brainless employees of every conceivable position. Imagine my surprise, then, at finding a Pontiac dealer nearby that doesn’t flat-out suck donkey nipple.

That dealership is Dixie Buick Pontiac GMC in south Fort Myers, part of that area’s “big row” of car dealerships lined up as far as the eye can see. Formerly known as Galeana Pontiac, a dedicated PMD shop, the dealership was bought out by Dixie Buick GMC when GM was doing their big consolidation of those three brands under one roof. I took my GTO there for some routine work in 2008 — tire rotation, alignment, and brake fluid replacement — which was performed competently as far as I could tell, though for some reason the techs felt the need to put an inordinate number of miles on the car while it was in their care. Back then, I drove away with a few nagging concerns in the back of my mind, but no evidence to support them other than the trip odometer. The car’s ride had improved, there was nothing damaged and the cost for the work was reasonable.

Fast-forward to last month when I changed the oil in the GTO and discovered, to my heart-stopping horror, a thin film of oil coating the bottom exterior of the oil pan. Although GM cars have been derided endlessly over the years for leaking oil like a sieve, none of the ones I owned have ever leaked so much as one drop. (From the engine, anyway — my Trans Am did leak a few drops from the differential at one time.) I went immediately to the online encyclopedia of all things goat, LS1GTO.com, and discovered that leaking oil pan gaskets were a relatively common issue on the LS2. In my case, it did indeed seem to be coming from the oil pan gasket. I found one bolt on the pan slightly looser than the others, snugged it up, cleaned up the oil and hoped for the best.

Checking back a couple of weeks later, I found the sheen of oil had returned. Welp, that was it. I had six months of my extended 5-year / 50,000 mile GM Major Guard warranty left, and it looked like it was about to get its first use whether I liked it or not. The leak was so insignificant that there wasn’t even any oil on the garage floor after two weeks, but I wasn’t going to chance it.

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The Greatest Inspiration of All

By Chief Oddball on May 5th, 2009 at 7:53 am

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We’ve finally made it back home. And home, as it turns out, is the greatest inspiration of all.

It was a bit of work getting here. You know how it goes — nearly 48 hours of nonstop travel across four separate flights, some lasting an hour, some lasting 13. Countless carrying of heavy bags, sitting in cramped quarters for a veritable eternity, and feeling the ever-increasing desire to just lie down and sleep, even though you can’t. But as these excruciatingly long trips go, this was about as smooth as it gets: Perfectly-sized layovers in each airport, no delays, no luggage snafus, everything exactly according to plan.

Except one thing.

I wrote in my last post that I thought my wife Apple was getting a minor cold. And it probably would have been minor, if she’d been able to rest and recuperate in bed as she needed to. But instead she had to travel and go without more than an hour or two of sleep for two days, in the exceptionally dry recycled air of one airplane after another. Let me tell you that by the time we got home, “miserable” doesn’t even begin to describe poor Apple’s feelings.

But here’s how my new outlook on life — and the lessons I learned in Thailand — came in handy during what could have been a very painful journey home. Normally, I admit, I’m not the most patient guy in the book. If things don’t go according to the plan I’ve laid out, or the routine I’ve set, I can get very irritated and unpleasant. While traveling, things are apt to take a detour from your expectations, so it would occasionally be stressful to travel with me. And Apple doesn’t like flying much either, so we were not a good pair when things went wrong.

I’d like to think, however, that such behavior is behind me. This time, even as we were in the airport waiting for our first flight, I could see that Apple was suffering terribly with her runny nose and a headache. My first, base inclination was to become annoyed at life, ask the rhetorical question of why she had to get sick, and be upset because I didn’t want her to suffer. But then I realized, if I’m in a foul mood, that’s only going to make her feel worse. As her husband, it’s my job to care for Apple, protect her and support her. And I couldn’t do that if I was being a grouch.

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Road Trip of a Lifetime

By Chief Oddball on November 18th, 2007 at 5:54 am

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<turns on the lights>

Oh, hey. You all startled me. I didn’t think there was still anybody here, but I see you’re all still sitting there, waiting for me to post some fresh tidbit of content, some tasty morsel of one sort or another. Hope it wasn’t too dark in here for the last month or whatever it’s been, but I’ve been…well…busy, as you can no doubt imagine. You’re probably getting tired of hearing that excuse. Truth be told, so am I — but that’s a story for another day. Like tomorrow, maybe. Lots to say, very little time.

The Tennessee mountains

Anyway, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the brilliant road trip to Michigan from which Apple and I recently returned. We spent three weeks in my hometown, and saw miles of beautiful countryside on the way there. As for the trip northward itself, we drove my GTO the whole way, and I’m happy to report that we couldn’t have asked for a nicer ride — it was trouble-free for the duration. Plus, our new GPS unit was a real boon, guiding us effortlessly to our hotels during each evening stopover, and even finding a nice Korean restaurant in (of all places) Lexington, Kentucky. We even ate at quite possibly the best Red Lobster on this planet, which you’ll find in Valdosta, Georgia, y’all.

The centerpiece of our trip was my friend Reaper’s wedding, in which I was a groomsman. Our mutual friend Pooch (who occasionally authors on this very site) was the best man, and served admirably in the role. The whole event was definitely the highlight of our trip, and I again offer my sincere congratulations to Reaper and his wife. The wedding was beyond a doubt one of the nicest I’ve ever seen, and it appears that one could not ask for a happier pair of newlyweds! Everything went smashingly, and I even (not without a mite of embarrassment) worked myself into a Captain Morgan-induced stupor, during which I undoubtedly said numerous idiotic things. But it was a great and memorable time, and I’m glad to have been able to attend. May the bride and groom find many years of happiness ahead of them!

Despite having to work the whole time I was up north, Apple and I got to do almost all of our favorite stuff. We really made good use of our time, enjoying home cooking and great restaurants alike, partaking in the autumn tradition of the Michigan apple cider mill, hanging out with friends, shopping, touring the Ford Rouge plant, and lots of other stuff. The weather was excellent, too, although a little cold on certain days. Above all, it was great having my GTO on hand for the trip, which definitely made going places a lot more fun. Cruising those old familiar roads, including the well-traveled route between my home, Pooch’s house and our high school on dark and chilly evenings, brought back a lot of memories.

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But There Was One Funny Thing…

By Chief Oddball on May 4th, 2007 at 10:54 pm

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I shouldn’t have given the impression that today totally sucked — there was one pretty cool thing that happened.

I was on my way home from the town center’s new restaurant, where I picked up a grilled grouper sandwich and a cup of chili for lunch. I took the GTO to get it, just because the car hadn’t moved in a week. During the trip I passed a landscape truck, and several TruGreen guys who were cutting down dead palm fronds and tossing them in the bed.

As I passed by, one of the landscape workers was walking across the road and turned to look at my car as I went down the street. Then, as he was walking and still looking back at me, he nearly tripped and fell over the curb. :) Yep…she’s a beautiful machine. If her looks don’t get you, her sound sure will.

On the subject of the abhorrent media, Apple and I have decided that we ought to find something more constructive to watch during dinner than Wolf Blitzer telling us how much life sucks and how we’re all gonna die. Some pleasant anime like Ai Yori Aoshi or Maison Ikkoku sounds particularly appropriate. Man, about now I’m wishing we had Netflix back.

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By The Way, You Own a Muscle Car

By Chief Oddball on April 29th, 2007 at 3:24 pm

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I received an interesting letter from GM corporate last week. Apparently Pontiac would like to inform owners of 2005-06 GTOs with manual transmissions that, if driven aggressively, the LS2 engine in their vehicles will consume a small amount of oil. Over time, if the oil level is not maintained, the mill might be starved dry.

Since I’ve read several accounts on LS2GTO.com where people had their engines run dry on oil and spin a bearing or something, my guess is that Pontiac has had several warranty claims for this reason. The letter campaign is likely their attempt to indemnify themselves against further such claims, as they can point to this and say, “This is normal for the car, and if your engine starved, it’s because of owner neglect.”

Excerpt from the letter:

As the owner of a Pontiac GTO with a Six Speed Manual Transmission, your satisfaction with our product is very important to us. This letter is to remind you to check your engine oil level at every fuel stop to assure it is within the operating range at all times, particularly if you drive aggressively.

A higher rate of oil consumption is normal for vehicles equipped with manual transmissions that are driven aggressively. By “aggressive,” we mean operation at high RPM (3,000 RPM to redline), with frequent use of engine braking (using the engine to slow the vehicle). This characteristic does, however, require the owner to check the engine oil levels at sufficiently frequent intervals, especially when driving aggressively, to assure the oil level remains within the recommended operating range. …

Operating your vehicle with an oil level that is below the minimum level indicated on the engine oil dipstick can result in severe engine damage. Repairs resulting from operating an engine with insufficient oil are not covered under the terms of the New Vehicle Warranty.

Scott Lawson, General Director, GM Customer and Relationship Services

Based on my checks, my GTO has never used a drop of oil — and when I took another look at the stick after receiving this letter, the level was right where I’d last left it. Does that mean I drive like a grandma? I don’t think so — about 50% of the posters on the message boards have had no oil consumption, either. I also like engine braking, and I’m not exactly sure if the GTO can even be operated below the 3,000 RPM to redline range. :D

Still, it’s just another reminder of why frequent oil level checks are important. And what GTO stands for in the first place. No, not Gran Turismo Omologato. Gas, Tires, and Oil — as in, what it consumes greedily when operated in a spirited fashion!

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Goat Happy

By Chief Oddball on November 24th, 2006 at 9:36 pm

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The GTO

I drove up to the community “mail center” tonight to drop a Netflix DVD in the mail. There were some teens riding scooters around the parking lot, and as I was getting out of the GTO (I was the only car in the lot) several of them called out “Nice car!”

I thanked them and figured that would be it, but they kept going on about the goat. “Is that the 6.0 liter GTO?” “The one with 400 horsepower?” “Those are sweet!” “If I had the money I’d totally get one of those!” It was pretty cool. I’ve never had anybody talk to me about my car like this; the only adults who have ever struck up conversations about it usually tell me how much they think the car “doesn’t live up to the name” or some crap like that.

These kids were really cool, though. Not only did they know the product, but they were in awe of it. They were even aware of the Vauxhall Monaro variant in Europe, but didn’t know that the car is originally an Australian design. “Please tell me you burn some rubber once in a while?” one of the guys said. “I have a friend with a new STi, and I swear the dude just drives 45 all day. It’s such a waste.”

I had several moments like this in my Trans Am WS6, but this was a first for the goat. As one of the moderators at the GTO forum said when I told this story, “I can almost read the shit-eating grin on your face.”

Speaking of the goat-induced SEG, I’m loving this cool weather we’re having here — and so is the GTO. The LS2 engine just loves sucking on cold, crisp air. Whenever I get on it, I’m constantly chirping second and third gears — with the traction control on — which was practically impossible in the sweltering heat of the summer. Never realized what a difference all that heat soak made. I’m loving this!

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Hello, My Name Is _________

By Chief Oddball on October 23rd, 2006 at 12:22 am

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Who am I? In the last few days, you might have gotten a different answer from me depending on when you’d asked. Between Apple and I, it feels like we’ve accomplished more in the last 48 hours than either of us usually gets done in a week. I haven’t posted anything here in a few days, so I thought I might regale you with some details of what all has happened in that span of time. Fair warning: I’m feeling a bit ranty, folks, and with a dash of unchecked tangenting at that, so this could be a lengthy entry.

The Fun Begins

It was a busy week. Apple started her new job, and I got more deeply engrossed in mine after receiving a large spate of new tasks late last Sunday. Come Friday I had cleared several things off my “to do” list at the office, but had one last thing to finish up. It’s a double-sided, letter-sized marketing document that explains what we do as a company, in simple terms. Since I’m starting a grueling new multi-week assignment tomorrow that’s quite possibly the most important thing I’ll do for my company all year, I decided that I’d wrap up that marketing document on Saturday, then spend all of Sunday working on my last outstanding side project. But first, I was going to get up early and go take some pictures of my GTO with its new license plate adornment.

GTO fender badge

All was going well on Saturday morning. I picked up the GTO and drove over to the county’s new waterpark and sports complex, which is basically a huge plot of land filled with nicely-manicured grass, soccer fields, baseball diamonds and what-have-you. Unfortunately the most scenic parts of the park were still roped off (it’s still under construction), so I had to settle for one of the less-populated parking areas to take my new photoset. I’ve uploaded all of the new pics to the Photo Gallery if you’d like to see them.

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Holden Homage

By Chief Oddball on October 18th, 2006 at 1:20 am

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Eons ago, I had a poll on here asking people what message they thought I should put on the personalized license plate I was going to order for my new GTO. I’d had a plate on my Trans Am that read BJ’S WS6 for many years but wanted something a little “smarter” this time around. Admittedly, in the end, I eschewed the various poll choices entirely because I found the perfect solution — a play on the name of the actual manufacturer of the new GTO, Holden Australia.

After a nine-week wait, I finally got the plate today — and to illustrate, here’s a shot of the garage the goat currently shares with my dad’s WS6.

GTO license plate (with a WS6 in the background)

Holden on, indeed.

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Back to Square One!

By Chief Oddball on August 6th, 2006 at 1:44 pm

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I thought I had finally found Florida’s own Red Holman Pontiac. That is, a Pontiac dealer that I could actually trust not to screw me when I needed a new car. That dealer was McNamara Pontiac in Orlando. Unfortunately, I learned today that the 60-year-old, family-owned McNamara dealership just sold out to a big corporate vehicle mega-mall, and is no more.

McNamara was one of the oldest family-owned dealerships still operating in America. The classic Indian head Pontiac sign was still out by the road, and the showroom was vintage 1960s architecture. John McNamara himself was a longtime Pontiac and Firebird guy, owner of an ’89 Turbo Trans Am, a Firehawk, and other Poncho classics. I guess he might have been tired of the business, or maybe somebody made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Either way, I’m back to square one.

The only good news is that I’m not going to be shopping for a new car for many years, but the next time I need a Pontiac, I think I’ll give Red Holman a call — cause it’ll be road trip time.

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