I got one the first week in October. It's been my habit when I have a new vehicle coming, I order an owners manual from Helm and study it a few times. Then know a lot of the basics about my car before I ever drive it. Plus I have an extra manual to keep on the bench or wherever, while the one that comes with the car stays in the glovebox.

Don't know about the rest of us here, but I get a great deal of enjoyment reading the manual and knowing that soon (?) I'll have the actual car. It's sort of a fix, :dribble: like this site and all the other information on the 'net, except you can actually hold it in your hand. (I'm one of those people who saves all the paperwork relating to the car. I have the dealer's ordering manual and lots of other junk for my '87 GN)

Just curious if anyone else gets the manual before the car......

www.helminc.com

PS: the shop manual/service manual was not available yet last time I checked.

That's one heck of an idea!!!! Thanks

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Yeah, I didn't know that you could get the manual before the car.

Okay mine is ordered. I also put my name down for notification of when the shop manual is available. I am used to Chilton's so I can only assume this will give me much greater details etc.
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Do any of your dealers offer the information kit and scale model like Holden did for people with orders in when the new Monaro was released?

Originally posted by zAp@Nov 14 2003, 08:35 PM
Do any of your dealers offer the information kit and scale model like Holden did for people with orders in when the new Monaro was released?
No. <_<

Well call Pontiac and berate them for their lack of customer pampering :D
I know its not long before the car is released now but tell them you'd be happy to receive the kit and model subsequent to delivery of the vehicle :jumpon:

Tails,

Yes the manuals I have had previously are very complete. '96 Vette was marked "preliminary", later the regular copy became available. Hopefully the GTO one will not be 'preliminary"!

And I want to let you know - I too have my name in for the notification on the shop manual. My name was also in for notification on the Owners Manual. If I had not checked the Helm site periodically, I'd still be waiting. No notification has ever arrived, so I'm not trusting them on the Shop Manual. :angry:

Something else to read on the cold winter nights while waiting for the car. Hope it will be available soon.

Originally posted by CoolBlu04@Nov 15 2003, 02:09 AM
And I want to let you know - I too have my name in for the notification on the shop manual. My name was also in for notification on the Owners Manual. If I had not checked the Helm site periodically, I'd still be waiting. No notification has ever arrived, so I'm not trusting them on the Shop Manual. :angry:

It is unfortunate that in their attempt to cater to the internet crowd they just don't get it 100%. I wonder how many orders they miss because they don't notify as promised.

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It had occurred to me that they were waiting for BOTH items to be ready since I had requested "notify" on each, but I just don't think that was the case. Would make more sense to notify as each request became available.

Anyway, I'm gonna keep checking every few days.

Cheers,

Ordered my Owners Manual last week and it came today! As someone on here noted in another thread, you can configure the Digital Speedo in the info center.

Originally posted by NASA43@Nov 22 2003, 05:21 PM
Ordered my Owners Manual last week and it came today! As someone on here noted in another thread, you can configure the Digital Speedo in the info center.
Any other surprises or interesting info?

The key is cool. It has the remote buttons integrated onto the key. There are three buttons for lock, unlock, and trunk open. The DRLs are the headlights on low beam like the Grand Prix. You can alter the interior illumination time from 30 seconds to 255 seconds. You can configure the headlamps to come on and stay on when you unlock the doors with the remote at night.

WooHoo got mine today. I just got to the programming part when a football game broke out on the TV. Have to read later. Kind of draw it out.....

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So does the manual say anything about disabling the DRLs?

Originally posted by bluemax@Nov 23 2003, 07:11 PM
So does the manual say anything about disabling the DRLs?
Nope I haven't finished reading though. It says they are there for safety reasons.

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Originally posted by bluemax@Nov 23 2003, 02:11 PM
So does the manual say anything about disabling the DRLs?
Well, it lists the conditions for the DRLs to function and one of the conditions is for the light switch to be in the Auto position. That would tell me that if you put the light switch in Off, that the DRLs should stay off. Will have to see when the car gets here. Also, there is a relay under the hood that controls only the DRLs.

Originally posted by bluemax@Nov 23 2003, 07:11 PM
So does the manual say anything about disabling the DRLs?
Here's page 1 of 2

Originally posted by bluemax@Nov 23 2003, 07:11 PM
So does the manual say anything about disabling the DRLs?
Page 2 of 2

Thanks for posting the pages from the Owners Manual Tails. However, I'm confused. It says they will only come on if you have the light switch set to "auto" then it says they will only come on when it's set to "off". I guess it means they will come on if the switch is in either position. What do you think?

I was wondering that myself. Seems redundant, having the DRLs active in both switch positions. Off should mean OFF.

Yeh, I missed bullet 3.

Originally posted by bluemax@Nov 24 2003, 09:13 PM
I was wondering that myself. Seems redundant, having the DRLs active in both switch positions. Off should mean OFF.
Yeah, I was hoping that you could turn them off if you wanted to but it doesn't seem like that is going to be the case.

At least they have a separate relay.

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Ordered my manual today - a little late as usual - but wanted to look at it before the car arrives in the next few weeks so I don't have to spend an hor with the dealer!

I want to get it of the lot and moving ASAP

I don't have the manual here with me but I seem to remember there's a fuse shown for the DRLs.

:jumpon: I detested DRLs from Day 1 - still do. Disabled them asap on every car that I had with them. I would not feel this way if NHTSA would admit there is no legitimate study showing an increase in "safety" since the infliction of DRLs, and if they'd issue a ruling mandating them to run at, say 40% power, I - may - support them. As it is, on a cloudy day last week I nearly hit two pedestrians in a crosswalk because I was averting my gaze from a particularly searing pair of DRLs. This "safety" feature makes absolutely no sense IMO. Oh yeah, do the hand-wringers ever look to DRLs when they are stewing about "Road Rage"? Nooooo, but then, they never asked ME.

Rant is done. I feel better now.

Originally posted by CoolBlu04@Nov 25 2003, 04:28 PM
I don't have the manual here with me but I seem to remember there's a fuse shown for the DRLs.


My previous post in this thread (page 2 of 2) has a picture of the page. It shows the DRL on a relay. Not as easy a fix as a fuse but still doable as it is a relay isolated for DRL only.

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Tails,

You are correct. I just looked at the picture of the "Engine Compartment Fuse Block" (page 5-90 in the Owners Manual). It is labeled as a relay. Thanks fro the clarification.

Originally posted by CoolBlu04@Nov 15 2003, 10:23 PM
It had occurred to me that they were waiting for BOTH items to be ready since I had requested "notify" on each, but I just don't think that was the case. Would make more sense to notify as each request became available.

Anyway, I'm gonna keep checking every few days.

Cheers,
I checked over the weekend and they are not available yet. I did notice however that the owner's manual was no longer offered.

:angry:

Originally posted by Tails+Dec 8 2003, 03:52 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Tails @ Dec 8 2003, 03:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-CoolBlu04@Nov 15 2003, 10:23 PM
It had occurred to me that they were waiting for BOTH items to be ready since I had requested "notify" on each, but I just don't think that was the case.* Would make more sense to notify as each request became available.

Anyway, I'm gonna keep checking every few days.

Cheers,
I checked over the weekend and they are not available yet. I did notice however that the owner's manual was no longer offered.

:angry: [/b][/quote]
Umm, a conspiracy theorist might think Pontiac once again doesn't want too much info out until this car shows up in the show rooms. I guess I got mine before they squashed it. :type:

I was looking at pics of the console and just in front of the shifter I noticed something. I was wondering if there was a compartment in front of the shifter? It looks like it may be one of those you push and it flips open. I am not sure. For those of you that have the manuals, is this the case?

Most likely I am seeing things.

NEVERMIND!


It looks like the ashtray. I said I was seeing things. I guess I never thought about an ashtray because I never smoked.

Actually the owners manual states that it is an option. Since we didn't have that option I wonder if it is on the production cars. I am assuming you were looking at pics of the pilot cars?

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Tails,

I could have been looking at the pilot cars.

Tails,

I guess they didn't count on us ordering and only had a few from an initial printing. Or somebody bought all they had?!

Now I wonder if the manuals that come with the car will be the same. Curious........ :unsure: