After ten years the factory radiator finally let go and started leaking along the tank on the passenger side. After paying $600 and waiting 8 weeks for a GM OEM radiator to arrive from Australia, I was upset to find it damaged during shipping, seemingly a common problem as they are packaged so poorly. After returning that radiator I went looking at the aftermarket; I knew I did NOT want a $120 piece of garbage.
All aluminum radiators are maximized to fill the core support of the '06 GTO meaning that the factory plastic isolaters have to be removed and the radiator top cover has to be left off the car. I will NOT hack up my original car for any mod let alone a lousy radiator. No reason a quality product couldn't cool better then original and not require parts to be left off. I pity the fools that tell themselves it looks better that way. The top cover is there to direct air through the radiator, not hide it. The Cold Case was the only aftermarket option I could find that did not require me to remove or leave parts off my car.
I gave it a 4 out of 5 on 'ease to install' because to give 5 it would have to drop in as ease as the factory. I believe that criticism should be accompanied by suggestions/solutions, but currently I do not have a good suggestion how to make the electric fan shroud and A/C condenser core mount (snap into the mounts) as easily to an aluminum radiator as to the factory one. Maybe cut the tabs off the factory radiator and bolt them to the Cold Case radiator via some mounting holes/rails? I realize that would make it even more labor intensive to mount, but installation would be eased as would removal when the day comes. As it is I had to spread the aluminum slots, gently tap the fan shroud and condenser core into the slots, and then gentle bend/crimp them over the tabs in order to have positive retention.
Lastly, I really wish Cold Case offered a version of the radiator without the built-in transmission cooler that is mounted in the passenger side radiator tank for us manual owners. Yes, it still functions just fine, but it does take up some amount of coolant space and is a potential spot for a leak down the road. While this is highly doubtful, the more simple a design is the better and less likely it is to experience complications down the road. I imagine having just one option/design saves Cold Case costs on the front end, but I'd gladly pay a few more dollars for the option of no tranny cooler. If this was an option, I would had ordered it.
Overall I am very, very, very happy to have found Cold Case. While time will tell, I believe I now have a radiator that is superior to factory piece, much cheaper then an OEM replacement, and arrived at my door in less then a week. Lifetime warranty is just that much nicer.
Thank you Cold Case.
Bill
