Loth

Now, I have been driving the 05 GTO for about 4 years now and have loved every minute of it. 6 speed, 400 hp LS2. understated but IMHO a very good looking car in person and had a terrific interior, best GM seats ever. however, it has 2 doors and a tiny trunk.

So, I have been eyeing a used C32. power is pretty similar but the auto and lack of an LSD bother me. I have road coursed the GTO often, will I have the same fun with the merc? also the GTO has been rather trouble free, some of the electronic issues with C32s seem to concern me. Also it seems the AIR pump and radiator(!) is a common replacement? How about the rear main seal?

any information you guys can provide would be awesome.

alumar

Not to many electronic issues with the C32... you will most likely replace the IC Pump and the supercharger bearing if its making noise ...

Drop 15g on a nice, well maintained C32, then another 3500 for programming, pulley kit, Johnson IC Pump, Headers and a proper Quaife LSD and your in business. You will have a 320-340RWHP freak of nature that will creature comfort you to wishing you went to the Merc way before the GTO.

Loth

Thanks for the reply. What is the stock RWHP on these cars? my goat puts down around 350 rwhp. can the C32 enter the 400 rwhp realm easily? how wide of a front wheel can the c32 handle; stock and with coilovers?

Also, I am trying to find any pictorial or actual diagrams of the c32 suspension layout (front and rear).

Jons95c36amg

Your GTO is 37xx lbs vs the c32 35xx. The c32 is a better handler. Both cars are mod friendly. My stock Clk55 puts about 300whp with a 34xx lbs. I walk LS2 400hp GTOs 6spd from a roll. The lighter lbs makes a big difference. Also the stock c32 puts 280+whp.

DarrenCT

......no you don't, unless they are not even trying....
I have /had both cars... my 208clk55 was 1 of my absolute favorite cars .....EVER....timeless in style, fast as hell, BUT..... will not walk an lS2 from a roll.... unless driver mod messes up or driver is not trying...


anyway... to the op.....the c32 from what i hear is a great car, and was pretty dead even w/ a 208clk55 in terms of speed.... raced a couple when i had mine and it was always too close to call ( driver's race), altho "roll racing gives the 55 the edge cuz of the tq factor--- will def handle a lil better than the GTO, jus watch the IC pump...... the c32 is VERY mod friendly, on this board and @ the track I've seen some very very fast ones....great 'lil sleeper car


you may miss the torque of the LS2, tho.....

SilverBulletAMG

The 32 is faster than the older CLK55s. There is a GTO owned by a mechanic at my local benz dealer that is stock as well as another around town that is slightly modified. I don't know what he has done (he wont tell) other than exhaust work and headers. I have lined up with them both on several occasion at various points in my modding quest and neither were a threat at a all. No offense but stock the GTOs are nothing special. They do have great potential and respond well to mods from what I hear.
To the OP, you can't just look at whp when compairing these cars. A slightly modified 32 with simple bolt ons will pull much harder, be quicker/faster everywhere in the powerband compaired to the GTO, even though it has less hp on the dyno. Handling wise and autox is a different story entirely though. If that's what your after, go with an M3, STi, Evo, etc.

DarrenCT

..i can see why... you have some nice #'s on that '32, man.... did you ever run her in the 1/4?....

BTW, the GTO responds very well to mods....

Loth

Hmm, i thought the C32 was a good handler? at least in the realm of a M3? from the mag reviews ( I know, not saying much) slalom speeds were similiar or even better then the E46 M3.

jturkel

go with the C32. you will enjoy it, and you wont even need 400whp to beat a full bolt-on LS2 goat. trust me, ik from experience! lol

as far as what goes bad, certain yr cars (02s in particular) have a radiator that tends to go bad. Its like a $400 replacement to get one that won't f up and cause glycol contamination in the tranny.

everyones IC pump will go out at some point. not a big deal. its like 130.

rear main seal? eh....i busted mine but thats because i stupidly reused a one-tine use crank bolt to put my crank pulley on it and didnt know it was a one-time use bolt at the time .....thanks warranty! haha

i've been problem free for over a yr without a warranty though, so thats good

you could always get an LSD. i don't think very many of us have an LSD. Maybe one or two at most?.....

As far as power, pulley (850), tune (600), intake (300-500), and headers if you really want them (999), you're looking at a fair amount of power and a HELL of a sleeper. haha.....i will never forget the looks i have gotten after beating up on cars like C5 and C6 vettes, a dyno-comp built ttG35, and full bolt-on camaros and goats.....its priceless!

jturkel

the c32 IS a good handler. it is certainly not as good as an EVO or STI, but i would say it is close to the M3. Not sure about better though. The fact that you can't do like ANYTHING to M3s besides s/c or turbo them to make power makes them unattractive to me. not to mention their lack of tq!

the difference in the power you can make on the C32 compared to the M3 makes up for the little bit of difference in handling IMHO.

Loth

yea, I had an old E30 325is, great car, but I'm a little sick of bimmers... this car seems to have a good mix of everything, which is why its on my list. FI is always fun to play with too...

jturkel

yup!

MRAMG1

To the OP:

The C32 is a GREAT track car, even without an LSD. IF you are a VERY good driver than yes the LSD, aka Quaffi is a must for better lap times. But I am here to tell you, that you can beat up on just about EVERYTHING on the track without one PM me and I will give you the details.
I ABSOLUTELY loved my C32 but family matters made me change vehicles. It is a VERY track worthy car, and fun as heck on the street. Mods that are a must for a REAL driver, larger HE, BIGGER crank pulley, EBC redstuff pads, and Bridgestone 050 PP's. Try that and I will bet my botton dollar that you will have a HUGE grin on your face

Note: Getting a tune is worth the price too, try LET

See yeah

TemjinX2

the gto is going to net you more gains on mods and is cheaper to mod then the c32.

But this is what you get with the c32. The c32, you get 4dr, mercedes styling and a nicer interior.

Loth

actually the goat is not that cheap to mod, especially in the suspension area, its worse then a vette since they are lower production numbers and parts are harder to find. one of the reason I want to get rid of it. yea, mercs are definitely a different class, but GTOs are not much better then vettes.

I might pick up a cheap mustang to play around with as well, that is much cheap to mod then any goat and handle better. don't get me wrong the goat is a great car and unique with its aussie roots, but mods are not cheap for a domestic.

alumar

Stock 6.0L GTO /w 3500.00 in mods will beat a Stock C32 /w 3500.00 in mods in a straight line, its just the way of the world. LS1, LS2, even LS3's respond very well to mods.

Stock for Stock, pretty close race, both put down mid to low 13's, C32 running a few mph higher. 106 vs gto's 103

GTO's with cams, header, exhaust, & intake will trap 112-116mph, plus parts are cheap

C32 with ecu, pulley, headers & intake will trap 109-113

Anything that involves a corner or braking ... C32 hands down

--------------

Lately especially I have ran countless times against LS1/LS2 cars, on dig pulls its all about launch and traction, but any well modded LS1 does very well at keeping up, loosing most of the time by a car or 2 lenghs (vettes).

I have been spanked several times by boosted LS1's though ; cheap power 12grand for a well maintained 2006 Camaro, drop 8g's on a blower, intake, tb, clutch, rear end, headers, cams, run mid 11 to low 11's @ 122-124 all day long.

DarrenCT

+1.... the goat isn't really cheap 2 mod, and God forbid you need any OEM parts that arent under the hood ... (gotta come from AUS)...

cheapest car to mod and mod well= mustang..... hands down....

good luck on whatever u decide......

jturkel

well guys, i guess cheap is relative. my ex-roommates stainless longtube headers fro his LS1 camaro were 800 with the SS ypipe. Those are long tubes. Our SHORTIES are like 999.

Because there is a smaller demand for performance parts for European cars, less people make parts. And therefore, those who do, can charge more (and do charge more) because they can because of limited competition.

///AMG4EVER

Loth - what are your goals?

You will hit the wall with the C32 after 350ish whp like most of us with "bolt ons".

It's definitely a unique sleeper but not a HP monster.

M-bENZ

NO you wont miss your GTO after you watched this clip lolz,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYefB...eature=related

Andy

Loth

I am looking for something that can haul the family but still be fun on a road course. Is the 5 speed road course worthy? are the selective shifts user friendly or does the transmission decide ultimately when to shift? how much front camber can I can expect to get out of the C32? those are more of the questions I would like answered. I currently have a pedders coilover setup on the goat, I am more of twisty type of guy then straight line speed.

Nachtsturm

Last time I checked a 109mph trap speed is enough to walk a stock ls2 GTO.

I always see them trapping 105ish. And I personally ran one at 13.4@105. Friend's car.

I also walked LS2 gto's with my intake/cutout 02 T/A M6. (326whp, 342tq)

To the OP. I may miss the torque as stated and the rumble of a nice v8. I would check into a C55. And see which you like better.

Jons95c36amg

Wrong! Last time I was at the track a stock c32 ran a best of 13.5 vs my sig time. The older Clk55s is lighter than the newer Clk55 about 250lbs difference. Same 376trq but 20hp more for the newer Clk55.

Jons95c36amg

LS2 GTOs from a roll are weak. This guy had intake,exh,tune 6spd we went from a 40 roll we were even. Stock ones I just walk them.

Jons95c36amg

With cooler temps I should be trapping 110. My friend has the 02 WS6 6spd with lid,exh,headers,high flow cats,tune. From a roll I keep up 2 cars.