USCGTO

I am thinking I might replace the GTO with an AMG spec CLK / maybe C or and E. have an clk 350 right now too.

will probably be CLK55, wanna buy used and not new. But I am also considering the C 55 for the sleeper value and looks.

question for all you guys is:
Never test drove one, however, will it be better then my stock GTO or am I gonna loose some power. A daily driver. never gonna track. only performance minded question.

Also wht yr C55 should I be looking forward to.

I am thinking the E55 would be a bit underpowered being heavy.

But do help me, wanna move into an AMG spec.


thanks

MRAMG1

WOW, you need to do a little research my friend. The E55 is one of the baddest AMG's going, PERIOD. It is a MISSLE and will eat your goat for lunch. The C55, being a N/A motor, should still give your goat a run for its money. I am assuming you have the new one with the de-tuned vette engine.

Both of them are falling like rocks in vaule, as well as ALL AMG's sadly, so buy the newest one you can afford. Differnt cars for different people, but if power and street fun is your quest, I would HIGHLY recommend the E55, she is a REAL beast.

See yeah

dorikin_86

E55 has a blower on it and make a mountain of Torque so you shouldn't be disappointed.

moosejaw

GTO's have a slight power advantage over the C55 and C32, however they are heavy and my co worker has one and has gotten high 13 1/4 mile passes
. The C32 and C55 do slightly better. I think the AMG will do better top end. Go with the C55, it's a sleeper and handles better than a CLK 55.

I'm a goat fan too having driven many here and abroad, but the C55 would be the choice for me

moosejaw

I missed the E55 part
It is underrated, not underpowered

c32used

E55 wins in my book but it can't be thrown around like a C32/55 by what I hear.........but Wayne(ChicagoX) has youtube videos of his E55 at Road America and he passes up even Vipers and Vettes easily....then again he is a motorist.

JToups386

It really all depends on what your end goal is. Each choice has advantages and disadvantages. Until my recent C55 purchase I had never owned anything but GM vehicles, and when deciding to sell my '99 LS1 stroker Z28 I was looking at the GTO as a newer replacement. However, after realizing the backseat was even less accessible than my Camaro, and various other lackings of the car, I chose to upgrade to the C55. I have NO regrets in doing this! I guarantee the C55 will out handle the GTO, will have 100 times better fit & finish, and it has the advantages of 4 doors and a trunk, yet looks as sleak and stylish as anything on the road today. Personally I find it to be a beautiful mix between performance and luxury --- and quite a value for what you get!
The E55 AMG is a power-beast and will outrun your GTO (stock for stock) as if it were sitting still, even if you have the 6.0 405hp version. However, the E55 AMG is a bigger car and won't be as nimble as the C55. The E has more room in the back seats, bigger trunk, etc, but it'll run the 1/4 in 12.2 to 12.4 compared to the C55's 13.2, and your GTO's 13.4 to 13.0 depending on the year. There's not a lot of performance gains to do on the C55 w/o spending big bucks, as AMG has done a great job of maxing it out. You can gain a little here and there, but for the most part it's ready as is.

You need to determine all the parameters you're seeking. Size, comfort, handling, acceleration, insurance costs, vehicle purchase cost, etc.
Being a bit biased though, if you can be satisfied with a low 13-sec daily driver that'll whip through corners like it's on rails, you will not be disappointed with the C55! My Z28 ran 11.50's on drag radials in it's daily trim, yet I haven't missed it at all after purchasing the C55.

Hope this helps...

spr

I have stomped on a few goats. They sounded pretty mean for what I heard behind me.

derrick_lui

I used to have a C55.
I beat the GTO at the drag strip by not much.

USCGTO

I reckon that, but with 4250 lb and 469HP, its not out of reach of the 3750lb 400Hp GTO. yeah the torque specs is what i really lik eon that supercharged E.

If I spend 70K for an E it better be a beast. lol....

USCGTO

not detuned, its the same 400HP LS2 that powered C6 upto 07 until the 436 HP LS3 came out. only says GTo insteat of CORVETTE on the Engine Cover.

USCGTO

how audible is the supercharger whine, i happen to love it.

The torque ofcourse is enuf to roll the earth backwards.

USCGTO

GTO's are heavy thats for sure. i drove couple of monaros when i was in Australia, the HSV specs really kick ***.

As regards the looks , i am sold on both the CLK (for the pillarless profile) and the C55 for the sleeper looks. i thought the CLK would handle better. but either ways they sure handle better than my GTO, atleast in stock form.

USCGTO

yeah they sound mean.. lol..

USCGTO

how is my insurance gonna change with the C55 or the CLK55. or for that matter even the E55. I guess I'll have to check upon that one.


As regards getting into the back seats, hey, u might be hard pressed to find a more comfortable seats in any COUPE, ofcourse they are slow, being power and its a slight pain to get in and out, however once in, its pretty nice for graND TOURING.

MY CLK seems more roomy becasue of pillarless profile and non tinted windows, but after being there for 2 hrs its quite not the same experience as the GTO. maybe iam biased ...


thanks for all the inputs. I think C55 it is.

dkflipse

Not sure where you're getting your prices, but can definitely pick up a 2004 E55 for the low $40's.

cdd

FWIW, I just upgraded from an '02 Civic (stock, not ricer--and I'm not even sure that would make any difference in insurance rates) to an '06 C55 and the rates are virtually identical...

I of course assumed that my insurance would jump, but I was pleasantly surprised.

moosejaw

My C32 costs me fully insured for $65 a month. Benzes are known as safe cars

moosejaw

Yeah I really liked the HSV Clubport, they really know how to make cars.
I rented a Ford Falcon v-8 for a month, what an awesome car. Drove it across Australia.

tripower

USCGTO, Didn't you just sink some cash into an SAP kit? You haven't had the Goat very long so why are you considering moving on already?

You know as well as I you can upgrade the suspension via Pedders and throw a maggie and get in the 440+ rwhp range easily for not too much $$$. Are you just looking for something different?

JToups386

Insurance rates are based on numerous factors, all of which determine the price of what you pay. Your driving record, where you live, the type and value of the car being insured all play a role.
If you were paying for full coverage on your '02 Civic and didn't have a rate hike on your '06 C55, then your insurance company is either very generous or they are de-valuing your C55 by a ton. If you were to wreck/total either vehicle, it's the difference in them having to pay out $5000 for the total value of the Civic vs. paying out $35,000 for the value of the C55. Therefore, it would cost more to insure the C55. I have a completely clean driving record, yet my full coverage insurance went up $20 per month by upgrading to the C55 vs. my previous Z28.
"Yes" the Benz is a safe car, but the higher vehicle value raises the insurance in most cases by default. The fact that yours didn't go up is quite a good fortune. I wish I could've had the same deal.
Of course for most people looking to get into a MB, the insurance increase is usually not a key factor on whether or not to make the deal...

cdd

Roger that. I was just commenting that all things equal, I would have expected higher rates on the AMG. But obviously the propensity for the C55 to cause a claim and the claim amounts must be equal in my area. Might have something to do with the Civic being a thief magnet.

But you're right--insurance rates shouldn't be a determining factor, it was just a small bonus for me.

USCGTO

Yes I did.. u must be on lsxgto forums .. I am USCGTO there too ... lol

The SAP goes on this weekend, hopefully.

You are right abt a few $$$$ for 450RWHP +. Infact I was at mikes's Haddad motorsports 2 weeks back.

I have had the Goat for an yr now,.... I was looking at pedders, a few nicks here and there and a topend nav + gauges was setting me back by abt 5K. Add HSV 19" wheels and I touch 8K.

Also, even before I had the GTO and now, I always have been looking at all combinations / options. I love my GTO like everyother GTO owner and could end up keeping it for ever, but its just me got the taste of V8 just cant help it.. looking at M5s, AMGs, SRTs, GT500 and C6s.

The kind of volatility my mind set up shows, I might just keep my cars as is, and jump onto a yamaha R6 and call it a day.

Last weekend i was considering a Charger Superbee SRT8 and I was thinking I'll trade in both my cars. But the Superbee was coming out to be 61K OTD, including 10K mark up. and that made me thinking that for 60K I could get into an AMG. Why pay 61K for a limited edition 425HP superbee.

Just looking for something different.

JToups386

USCGTO --- you are all over the place on your car thoughts. You've listed a plethora of ideas, all of which have very unique and different characteristics that are not closely related.

As for the Superbee, you need to look on ebay. Those cars come in such undesirable color combinations that they're typically selling for low mid to low $30's on ebay, if they sell at all. I too was considering an SRT8 Charger before purchasing my C55, but then I went and sat in one and realized it was a rattle-wagon waiting to happen. The car is mean looking, and runs very strong with potential for even more, however it's still a Dodge, and comes with the overly plastic Dodge interior that may look nice at first, but will be rattling and creaking inside of 3 years or less. They're just very unrefined and bulky inside. I found countless 2006/2007 SRT8's with approx 15k miles listing for around $30-$34k, and most of the time the bids never went that high.
If it's merely horsepower you're seeking, then why not keep the GTO, slap a magna-charger on it w/ heads and cam, and you'll be making 475+ rwhp, in a fun to drive car. If it's luxury and performance you want, and can settle for a little less power grunt, then the C55 is ideal. If you want 2 seats and unlimited horsepower potential, then the C6 is the best bang for the buck. A stock C6 w/ a Procharger and a set of long tube headers will make 500+ rwhp, and will have the manners of a smooth daily driver.
If you want something semi-classy w' performance, you could consider a Chrysler 300 SRT8, however you'll still have much of the plastic interior quality of the Dodge version. The BMW vehicles you mentioned are also very nice and come with performance, but do not offer quite the refinement (IMO) that you'll find in the MB, and maybe not quite the reliability, but none-the-less would still be a good choice over the Dodge.

Now, if you want to stay on the domestic front, why not throw in the 2008 Cadilac CTS V. Lots of horsepower and torque, and a much higher level of luxury than anything from Chevy or Pontiac.

All of these come with a huge cost new, and my best advice to you would be --- let someone else take the initial hit on the new car price, and look at versions that are 1-2 years "used", so you'll still have low mileage with a factory warranty, but won't take the huge hit in the cost out of your pocket. My C55 options made the car $60k new, but by buying it 3 years old I nearly cut that price in half, and for many of us it's the only way to get into the game with a car of this status.

Just my .02...
I'll be very curious to see what you finally decide on. Maybe you'll come back and surprise us all with a Hummer H2 and a blower.

USCGTO

Oh dear God..

i was just hit with something.. hummer with twin superchargers and 4 intercoolers.

u're right about me being all over the place.. thats just me.

like the way the superbee looks and sounds.. the classy E55 CLK55 the understated C55 and kissin godbye to the GTO warranty and or getting a n R1/R6. Believe me I can go on and on for ever.

lets see, i'll keep you all posted.. thanks a ton