1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Indy Pace Car - WR TV POV Test Drive

[@ralphnortham1314]

There is something about GM that I love. It's that feeling of driving a heavy car with good power and great sound

[@CPAJayhawk]

these aren't heavy cars

[@sirtnfol8476]

Dude cars now are heavier. Too much stuff added to make them expensive and "safer"

[@jimmoravec1326]

Third gen Firebirds and Camaros are not heavy cars at all

[@samtheslav]

What a beautiful, brilliant car

[@sharonwilson772]

Thanks for the video:) i Had an 89gta l98 fully loaded ws6 rtc...I really miss it.....your car is up another few notches....awsome....give anything to own one....cheers

[@MultiCfoster]

Simply a beautiful car

[@jimmbobb]

Ahhhhhh the Buick 3800... Arguably the best engine to ever come out of GM, especially super- and turbo-charged renditions.

[@scotbutler2539]

Agreed 100% I want it in my 84

[@jimmbobb]

@@scotbutler2539 84 what?

[@scotbutler2539]

@@jimmbobb oh my bad, firebird, Everyone does the LS thing, and yes they’re common and it’s affordable. But that’s a well handling car, I feel like that’s the engine it belongs with, 1989 they actually had it. I think Webber makes aluminum blocks...in a perfect world...Dad has 85 Fiero - the supercharged 3800, makes up for the engine being behind you, belt driven -instant

[@justinsanders2705]

I love the third gen trans ams especially the GTA and the TTA.

[@Joshua-nn6dz]

is it me or is he scared to use the gas pedal

[@wutusaying783]

Definitely scared to rump on it

[@slipmoto317]

@@wutusaying783 its an automatic they stay at low rpm to save fuel thats why people hate autos

[@herkloader34]

Jesus dude! Get on it!

[@timramich]

Judging by the way he holds the steering wheel, that's not gonna happen.

[@mmjnice97]

Right bro!!

[@lautaromoyabaron6695]

beautiful car

[@scottb_02]

Ahh the creaks and rattles of 90s build quality

[@jostrander71]

Dynomat the entire car, problem solved, yes I did a few.

[@ag6371]

*80s

[@SEGAGoldenJuly]

Shut up and go back to your Nissan Leaf.

[@stevekar1597]

my car had no rattles like that it was a z

[@stevekar1597]

the hatchback

[@mikelazzelle4099]

I think my grandmother would have laid into that harder, the best was when making the u-turn in a giant open space he idled around it, that thing would have been sideways if I was behind the wheel. Maybe it was giant watch holding him back

[@johnearley187]

or maybe it's not his car. dumbass.

[@444MarlinSS]

@@johnearley187 maybe shouldn't of made this video...dumb-ass. He might as well have taken his grandma to Dairy Queen

[@rrhistorian8828]

@@444MarlinSS He was taking his boyfriend who was sitting next to him, to church.

[@MiceliCreations]

Had a friend with a IROC-E - he was from Iraq.

[@nismoqr]

Good one

[@michaeljohn8995]

creak, creak, creak,creak,creakkkkk lol...all good my 95 SS does that yet..not as bad but you'll get them. sweet ride.

[@generalzod7959]

Great car, great engine. Gm should have kept making this beast!

[@jackmehoffen4359]

only one year for this combo!!

[@anthonymacneil2279]

Simply Beautiful car. They are just nasty!!

[@josemontano7767]

What a beauty. My dream car

[@bryanwashington9511]

The BEST V6 EVER built

[@zech007]

@ 2:29 what was that, it sounded like a turbo surge.

[@drakefulmer9599]

Turbo surge. Somethings not right with this car and I’m gusssing that’s why he’s not stepping on it

[@coreygee238]

Are you to short to reach the pedal 🧐😂lol ... step on that dam thing already

[@zhbvenkhoReload]

Hey girl what's your number

[@Salt-Upon-Wound]

That's a guy lmaoo

[@FlowmasterStang]

zhbvenkhoReload You don’t see the mustache?

[@TastyTarco]

@@Salt-Upon-Wound thats hilariousss

[@sirtnfol8476]

I just drove one of these. Vibrated pretty hard with boost

[@anthonypalese3153]

It shouldn't. Maybe bad motor mounts. Mine does not creak or vibrate after 100k miles

[@Ozkartez]

The squeaks and rattles is what kills it to me with older GM products.

[@3rdGenGuy]

Oscar Ortiz welcome to the 80-90s lol the fords, VWs, and chryslers were just as bad though.

[@Ozkartez]

Even well into the 2000s they're still like that lol

[@3rdGenGuy]

Oscar Ortiz I had a 2005 Colorado and it didn't have the best interior. Engine trans was solid though. GM realized this and started to make better interiors around 2008+

[@KIngTCannon808]

Oscar Ortiz That's just to keep you awake. No Onstar back then lol.

[@MiceliCreations]

Oscar Ortiz Don't forget the time period.

[@StalledAbyss839]

That steering wheel!

[@Sandhill1988]

That steering wheels is an abortion. The 3-spoke leather-wrapped was the way to go. That steering wheel belongs on a Toyota Camry not a Firebird.

[@Sandhill1988]

They put equipment on Vehicles like that nowadays because people are too overly sensitive have to have all the Creature Comforts at their fingertips there's no such thing as drivers anymore.

[@S10_Operator]

Its beautiful man!

[@_JUAN_-nl9sh]

This is the car I'm getting

[@thestrawhead]

These things are just nasty. Not with this driver though. GM Started with a Grand National engine, modified the heads, pistons, elevated the fuel pressure, and put in a larger inter cooler....and then rated it at 250hp to not upstage the Corvette! LOL!!!!!!!!

[@BornToBeFamed]

thestrawhead they made 300hp all day. They sale for alot of money now to

[@robertdamron898]

Bingo!!! 😜

[@scottb_02]

Yup 30k+

[@midnight347]

@@BornToBeFamed they def had 300 hp they ran low 13 at like 102 with that sluggish auto behind it so it was def making some power.

[@meekdook4236]

@@BornToBeFamed what`s the top speed?

[@rcgvss]

Never knew They made a T.A. with a 3.8L Turbo. Man if this guy would of stayed on the throttle till 3rd at least. Might of been worth it. 🤣

[@mikecoglione1308]

This was one of the few actually good cars GM ever made. Most were heavy, slow, understeering and unreliable turds. I remember smoking Camaro Z28's V8's and Firechicken equivalents of this era from stoplights with my V6 Maxima SE 5sp. Mustangs weren't any faster but they felt... lighter though I wouldn't say they handled well either though the IROCs did for their time. And again the the best driving of the 80's Ford versions was also another turbo the SVO. It was good they started w/ fuel injection because from the mid 70's it took a while for true power to come back to those cars, it wasn't until the 90's Camaro/Trans Am that they actually had some real pickup and felt very fast aside from this Trans AM or the Grand Nationals. Unfortunately that 90's F body version handled terribly, took forever to stop with awful brakes and felt cheap almost felt like a super front heavy, clunky and cheaper V8 Chevy Lumina coupe. These Trans ams were a real delight to drive by comparison but I needed a more practical car at the time and couldn't afford TWO vehicles.

[@spacemanspiff2726]

Miss the sound of that patented GM creak in all of the plastic interior parts. lol

[@Mainsauce8586]

Which I watched this 6 years ago. I can literally hear the car knocking when he steps on the gas.

[@NastyfingurZ]

Dam the grand national motor in the car sounds like a beast in the transam.Thanks for the upload I always wondered how that motor sounded in that car.Hey is that the GNX motor or the regular turbo in it .Thanks for the upload gd vid

[@xdavstratx]

+Nasty FingurZ the 89 tta used the same turbo as the 86-87 gn/ttype the gnx turbo is the same as a gn turbo except the compressor wheel is ceramic so it can spool up faster

[@rendor21]

What are they? Mutes? Benedictine Monks? They left us speechless!

[@tonyt8765]

wow i love this car , I grew up in the 90s and always wanted to get me one trans am GTA. How much $$$ do I need to get me a 1989 GTA trans am in decent condition??

[@kdot7175]

20k for the turbo GTA trans am

[@stefan-stocksmadesimple5241]

Sweet looking and sounding cars , any idea how much a car like this goes today and how much will go in the next 5-10 years ?

[@danieldelgado3008]

Right now they run anywhere from $20k-30k

[@Pool_cleaner]

good pocket rocket from 90`s

[@NJW1973]

Is there any way to fix the rattles? I'm thinking about buying one of these if that fixable.

[@timramich]

Yep, just rip the interior apart and use something soft like double-sided tape to basically pad where the plastic pieces meet together. The screws are also a bad design. Some riv nuts and machine screws would hold everything together properly.

[@robertdamron898]

Yes. It can be done correctly. Without all the KZbin troll crap. You just gotta know your car.

[@efthimios]

My cousin has a 89 gta with 350’ was so bad ass

[@nickb9731]

so.....in the event of a head on collision.....all those plastic buttons would explode and bury themselves in your face?

[@jordo5552]

+Nick B nope no air bag just a really really ugly steering wheel the old 3 spoke wheels were so much better

[@Niki_Nielsen]

+Nick B Such old seatbelts will break and the driver will be sliced thru the steeringwheel and ripped badly by that old type of glass used in the windscreen when he fly's thru it and into the car he collides with. Now that would give some hits on youtube !!!

[@timramich]

No.

[@comedianjaygee5320]

@@jordo5552 who wants a 3 piece none functional sterling wheel that doesn't do shit. That wheel is the best design GM made hands down. Forget an air bags!!!!

[@derjul1981]

comedian Sam Kinison would know if only you could ask him, he was driving one of these TTA's when he was hit head on and killed

[@georgewilliams3740]

Number 1, please find someone preferably a car guy that talk’s and isn’t afraid of the car and will actually do some take offs from a dig, rolling and then maybe we could see 140 mph a couple of times. Next, if someone that will talk is doing the video, maybe he could address a couple of simple obvious questions like, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT ANNOYING RATTLE MAY BE or maybe something like , when these cars were new they were clocked at so n so quarter mile time at ?? mph with a top speed of ??? mph. Bottom line , please let a red blooded car guy drive and give the information he knows about the car. Just for those not familiar with the turbo v6 GTA, If my memory serves me correct, this was a mid to high 12 second car at about 105 to 112 mph and I seen 2 videos of guys running top speed in these cars and both of them were somewhere between 155 to 160 mph at full speed. Other than that, well the whole video SUCKED!! Better luck next time

[@lordzedo22]

automatic transmission in 1989,..that's nice..

[@1flynlow]

lordzedo22 what

[@Viggenbibi]

At 2:25, is there some knock noise??

[@GrandCamino6]

Sounds like detonation as well as at 5:55 after the 1-2 shift. The intercooler was probably heat soaked. I love these motors and gobs of torque they have. I've always really wanted a TTA no matter how much they rattled or how many buttons the steering wheel had. Speaking of the steering wheel, if you took all of the buttons away it would look identical to a steering wheel on a 1985 Pontiac Grand Am. In the mid 90's these TTA's were dirt cheap even with low miles.

[@mrgoat8187]

Sweet! How much?

[@6-Iron]

What’s all of that noise? Sounds like it’s about to fly apart.

[@Altavilla22Mike]

LMAO @ that steering wheel

[@kylechellino2579]

Was the 231 the 2.8 liter?

[@cobalt8619]

I'll be turning 16 in January, are these a good starter car? I do NOT want a 4 door saloon or 2 door coupe

[@dw8840]

FukBoi I don't advise a 1989 turbo Trans Am as a good starter car. First off the turbo 6 Buick they came with can be finicky. Second the parts cost money, more than many others. Third they have enough torque to get away from you. Fourth the whole car costs a lot because it's a collector car. Now, maybe a 1989 Firebird with the 3.8 liter V6 non turbo, those would be ok.

[@blacke347]

Start small and move up, best advice you'll ever get. It's January, got a car yet?

[@xgamerbih]

how the hell do you get a car, when you're 16??

[@cobalt8619]

XGamer [BiH] you get a license when you're 16 in America.

[@cobalt8619]

Black E34 not yet, but I will be getting a 1990 rx7 in early Feb

[@milano61]

It was faster than the turbo 3.8L Buick Grand National, but the fastest production car in '89 was the Buick GNX. Pretty frustration video of a fast car. Should have been about a minute long. Chirped second at 5:52...woo. Never took it past 4700 RPM...sad. I could make a better video with my '92 Buick Park Avenue Ultra (3.8L supercharged). Nice McDonnell F-101 Voodoo at 7:29.

[@bobforpples]

Alan Stewart the Buick GNX was only in the 1987 model year.

[@koioo2]

nice cruising nice sound mi dream nice nice

[@juangil6252]

3:30 is that a slipping transmission ?

[@SillyPuddy2012]

Juan Gil - Sounds like road joints to me.

[@PasiX2]

What an awful car. I love it.

[@rendor21]

From 1993-2005 I worked as an automotive technician. It seems like 75% of all Mustang 5.0 Fox Bodies had a manual transmission. I can't recall EVER seeing a Z28 Camero with a manual transmission. Like this Turbo Trans AM here. Why is this car not a stick shift? People like myself wouldn't even consider owning it because of that. Can anyone explain why so many Fox Body Mustangs had a manual trans while almost ALL Camero's from the 80's and 90s were automatics?

[@motorsportsgordon]

Manual transmission of the day were never used in the turbo Buick’s or the 350 3rd gen f body as they couldn’t survive the torque these engines made.

[@midnight347]

You could get the 5 speed with the 305 tpi and the other crappy 305s but the 350 tpi and the turbo v6 were autos only probably because of the torque they made. They should have put the zf 6 speed in these they were introduced into the vette in 1989.

[@64Spokes]

Is this a 350 or a 305 or neither?

[@avirgilio71]

***** You're thinking of the Buick GNX. Yes, Grand Nationals were the fasted accelerating production cars in 1987, but that changed by 1989. This TTA was not faster than a Vette in 1989.

[@ldkirk6184]

Respectfully disagree. I have the article somewhere. This car, the 89 Turbo Trans Am, was faster in both the 1/4 mile and top speed than the 89 Corvette.

[@jasoncentore1830]

Loved 89 Turbo T/A n it has been proven over n over.. was the only time a GM car could beat a Vette, that's the biggest reason GM underated the HP by a lot.

[@jasoncentore1830]

Sorry T/A did beat up on the Vette that year. The only year, but it happened

[@DrBIeed]

Angelo Virgilio Are you kidding? GM was completely pissed when Pontiac built this car because it was putting out numbers nearly on par with the 89 ZR-1 concept that would be released the following year. So much non sense floating around on the internet about this car after all of these years. Hell the GMC Syclone was faster than the Corvette in 1991 and a stock GN was still faster in the quarter, let alone the Turbo Trans-Am.

[@MrWill73]

Better experience if you keep it in Drive and use Overdrive over 60-65mph. It goes into OD too fast and then it’s constantly downshifting

[@funclub4423]

Ive always wondered, who is the guy in the passenger seat?

[@stevej.1428]

That classic cluck-rattle door shutting that all Firebirds and TA's had. lol Why does the Camaro of the same gen always feel more solid and better built? Even brand new the Pontiacs always had that loose non-tight feel that you expected something to fall off every time you hit a bump. The only thing I'm missing to do a legit time travel is a vanilla air freshener. ;)

[@motorboy1966]

Listen to those rattles 😀

[@aurelioaguiarpupo]

I feel like Bandit

[@josemontano7767]

I found one just rusting away in a parking lot.

[@geraldchase6161]

Typical rattle I don't like that at all other than that nice car and that 3.8 l V6 turbo best motor GM ever made

[@DrMeize]

what is happening with the revs !? are you taking your foot of the gas or is that the auto trans doing that ?! it`s not normal

[@drakefulmer9599]

Auto trans and a soft foot on the petal lol

[@zeazy7169]

Question: How tall are you because I am 6'5 and I want this car.

[@whitex3898]

You could probably fit decently. F bodies kind of have deep leg space so you’d fit alright I think.

[@nickmarks8304]

It needs a MAGNAFLOW EXAUST SYSTEM, it would sound much throatier then.

[@lypeeez5429]

Quem entende O que estou falando da LIKE poha

[@christopherwalker6056]

Anyone know what's faster, this or the 1987 Grand National??

[@PhenomProductions23]

This.

[@SubSickle]

in a drag race the GNX would win, but not by much. This has better handling though so it's better on a track.

[@SubSickle]

There's a magazine article where they pitted them against each other and those were the results. Though it might be driver error because the difference between them in a quarter mile in their tests were always less than 0.4 seconds.

[@SubSickle]

I know, they have the same engine as the GNX. If i'm not mistaken the only thing that is different is the turbo cover on the Trans Am doesn't have "GNX" engraved on it. Not sure about the transmission though.

[@SubSickle]

Hmm... Maybe they let a fat guy drive it to favor the GNX LOL. I love both cars and I'm currently saving up to buy the 1989 Turbo Trans Am. As you can tell from my pic I'm a big Trans Am fan hahaha.

[@Sandhill1988]

This guy acts like he's not late to his knitting class.

[@JordanDecarie25]

sounds like it was experiencing some knock

[@scottsmith6571]

I have 2 tta,s no rattles

[@anthonypalese3153]

This car has issues, mines makes none of these noises and takes off like a rocket. I hear knocking too and the turbo spool up and backpressure off throttle should easily be heard...

[@S10_Operator]

Mine got that 350 with 445 hp

[@nigalreinbachs7130]

This Trans Am is perfect for a lovely Female School Bus Driver! I could totally spend a good 4 Hours in this car with that School Bus Driver! Listening to Lu Bega Mombo number 5!😎🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇱🇻🇱🇻🇱🇻

[@Knytewish]

Every G.M Car will Shake-Rattle & Roll after 40k miles. It's in The Genes/DNA. hyway

[@NormEatsRice]

Jesus Christ, you gotta turn the wheel a lot to make a small turn.

[@Mile-long-list]

lol creaking and squeaking the whole time, good old America. so glad I sold my iroc.

[@jostrander71]

EVERYTHING from the 80s rattled.

[@stevekar1597]

sunday drive

[@shanegalang9]

Exactly what Sam Kenison died in.

[@bobforpples]

Was he any relation to Sam Kinison?

[@TheCarman1008]

It must be a stock TTA, it should spin or bark the tires at least from 1st to second gear. So I am not so impressed with this one or it could be the driving!

[@bassheadbirdman2236]

Ahh 60fps

[@sharonwilson772]

the SFI turbo motor was far too short lived...the buick gnx intercooled etc...

[@cryptomaniacs5533]

Cool car. Too bad these were total rattle boxes.

[@alexj011]

You drive likey grandma drives lol

[@iNorman01]

Wouldn't it be nice if there was some hot chick right next to him?

[@cottonharvester7356]

Norman Geronimo no hot girl wants to be in a 1980s pontiac.

[@cottonharvester7356]

no I get one knight stands form girls I meet at the bar my BMW pays for everything

[@paperiswhite1618]

@@cottonharvester7356 knight?

[@Otto90s]

scanna di più!!

[@nickmarks8304]

Still prefer the 350 chev version

[@AZfromRussia]

Dwight Schrute's car

[@sabrinaparker1258]

Ok

[@rootsmanuva82]

A gas powered car that has the power band of a diesel. All torque with no top end. Not terribly exciting.

[@legoldspy6851]

Wtf is with that buttons on steering wheel lol

[@legoldspy6851]

lol

[@Enduro_NY]

are u using 2 feet while driving wtf

[@windingroadmagazine]

***** We'd use three feet if we could.

[@Enduro_NY]

Winding Road Magazine lol im just asking bc i was teached to use 1 for the brake and gas and the second if i was in a manual bc most people that drive with 2 feet hit the brake most of the time while they are hitting the gas and they dont know it

[@Himura]

***** if you know how to race a car you would understand

[@Enduro_NY]

Himura ik how to race they use 2 feet but he isnt racing so he doesnt really need to do that

[@Sonic_1000]

+Oh Pulse Is this a srs question.....

[@mikebottiaux5850]

That’s a woman driving in this video.

[@chevkawi]

wanted to see something. weak

[@sjcea0512]

Wuss test drive WTF ???

[@randyweaver9553]

This is not a "Turbo" car... the last turbo made in Trans Am form was in 1981.

[@CPAJayhawk]

false, just google it

[@midnight347]

It is indeed a turbo 3.8 derived from the 87 gnx and slightly modified. They ran low 13 R like 102 and was one of the fastest cars that year from America even faster than the vette.

[@zhbvenkhoReload]

That piece of shit is clunking and almost falling apart

[@scootergreen3]

Boring

[@25blacksnow]

So boriiiing...thought it was a manual

[@12345612378186]

manual !! you love auromatic in usa

[@marinetech323]

+KARIM CISSE No manual was offered with the turbo TA or with the 5.7L V8 in any 3rd gen F-bodies.

[@25blacksnow]

+Christopher Circe oooh ok too bad

[@rootsmanuva82]

This engine knocks like a Jehovah's Witness. Not good. I kinda have a feeling the "driver" felt pretty underwhelmed after this drive. Typical old GM... Stat sheet looks great, even the performance numbers are impressive. But then you drive it and realize it's really just a mishmash of performance parts that don't really work well together. The transmission is slow to react. It upshifts too early. The steering is heavy and numb. The engine doesn't rev or make interesting sounds. It rides rough but doesn't really grip. I'm not trashing the car... Really I'm not. But that's how I see it. Don't take this the wrong way. This car is interesting in it's own right, and its good to see one that isn't heavily modified and still OEM.

[@DrBIeed]

The LC2 was a mishmash of performance parts that don't work together? The knocking you hear is the typical old GM interior. The engine itself is arguably one of the best engines Buick, if not GM, ever built.

[@rootsmanuva82]

I know the difference between a rattling interior and engine knock. The engine was knocking. Go back and listen @ 5:50 (5:55 to be exact). Use headphones like I do.

[@timramich]

It's likely old and worn. You can't judge a car based on how it performs 30 years after new. GM usually underrated the F-Body cars on paper so they didn't look better than the Corvettes.

[@timramich]

It's almost 30 years old. Oxygen takes its toll on things, whether or not they were used. You wouldn't use that 30 year old oil in there, would you?

[@timramich]

There is no such part in a car called a "westgate," and I'm not referring to any sound, but the general sluggishness of this 30 year old car that sat. Cars are better off being driven. The same seals would wear out in that timespan, anyway. Rings need to do work to keep tension. Metal parts generally need to move. It's just a waste to not drive a car.