my 88 GTA has every option but does not have vats? Is it possible it did not have it or has the ignition been swapped? I bought it from the original ower and he didn't say anything about it. thanks

 

Every GTA from 1988 and up had VATS. There were no variations. It was a standard option. If your car does not have it then either the ignition cylinder was swapped out and the VATS was bypassed or else you might want to look into wether its a real GTA or not.

 

I'm almost positive that vats didn't come out on the f-bodies til 89.

 

...Tony I can guarantee you they were standard in 1988. I own a couple GTA's and one just happens to be an 88 gunmetal 350 t-top car with just over 64 thousand kms. or just under 40 thousand miles. Very original and unmolested with VATS as standard equipment.1988 was the first year it was used by Pontiac. Camaro would get it in 89. The only GTA's to NOT to have VATS as were the 1987 models.

 

It is a real gta all the rpo's are right including aluminum driveshaft. So I know its real, I'll have to check and see if maybe he had it switched

 

Here are the rpo's to prove its real. But he says it hasn't been changed?
it has a build date of september 87

AAA : 4-WAY MANUAL SEAT ADJUSTER
AK1 : RESTRAINT SYSTEM, FRT, CTR, RR SEAT, FRT SHLDR,
AM9 : SEAT, RR, SPLIT, BACK, FLDG
AQ9 : SEAT, FRT BKT PASS DRIVER RECL
AU3 : LOCK CONTROL, SIDE DR, ELEC
A01 : WINDOW, TINTED, ALL SHADED, W/S
A31 : WINDOW, POWER OPERATED, SIDE
A90 : LOCK CONTROL, RR COMPT LID, REM CONT ELEC RELEASE
BC8 : ORNAMENTATION, INTR, DR MAP POCKETS
BV3 : ORNAMENTATION, INTR, I/P, BLACK
BY4 : ORNAMENTATION, INTR, INST PANEL, NAME PLATE
B2L : PERFORMANCE PACKAGE & ENGINE PACKAGE V8 5.7LPFI
B20 : ORNAMENTATION, INTR, LUXURY
B34 : COVERING, FRT FLOOR MATS CARPETED INSERT
B35 : COVERING, REAR, FLOOR MATS CARPETED INSERT
B67 : CONTAINER, RADI0 CASSETTE TAPES
B84 : ORNAMENTATION, EXTR MLDG, B0DY SIDE
CD2 : INDICATOR, WSWA JAR FLUID
CD4 : WIPER SYSTEM WINDSHIELD, PULSE
C49 : DEFOGGER, RR WINDOW, ELECTRIC
C67 : HVAC SYSTEM, AIR CONDITIONER FRT ELECTRONIC CONTROLS
DG7 : MIRROR 0/S, LH & RH, REM CONT, ELEC, PAINTED
D3Y : GEAR, SPEEDO DRIVEN
D34 : MIRROR, VISOR VANITY
D42 : SHADE, RR COMPT SECURITY
D81 : SPOILER, RR, AERO WING
D9B : SENSOR, VEH SPD
E9Z : SPEEDOMETER KEY (DELETE)
FE2 : SUSPENSION SYSTEM, RIDE HANDLING
GW6 : AXLE REAR, 3.27 RATIO
G80 : AXLE POSITRACTION, LIMITED SLIP
JG1 : SHAFT, PROP, ALUMINUM
J65 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT & RR DISC
KC4 : COOLING SYSTEM, ENG OIL
K34 : CRUISE CONTROL, AUT0MATIC, ELECTRONIC
K68 : GENERATOR,105 AMP
L98 : 5.7 LITER V8 TPI ENGINE
MD8 : TRANSMISSION, AUTO 4 SPD, THM 700 R4
Unable to locate code MX0 in our database!
NA5 : EMISSION SYSTEM, FEDERAL, TIER O
NK4 : STEERING WHEEL, SPORT LEATHER
N33 : STEERING COLUMN, TILT TYPE
N64 : WHEEL & TIRE,SPARE, SPACE SAVER, ALUMINUM
PB4 : LOCK CONTROL, WHEEL
PW7 : WHEEL, 16 X 8, ALUMINUM, DIAMOND SPOKE
QDZ : TIRE ALL, P245/50VR16/N BL R/PE ST TL HW4
TR9 : LAMP, GROUP
T93 : LAMP, TAIL & STOP, SPECIAL
T96 : LAMP, FOG
UF6 : LAMP, INTR, CONSOLE, COURTESY
UK3 : ELECTRONIC SYSTEM, ACCESSORY CONT
UQ1 : RADIO PROVISIONS, FOR STEREO
UQ7 : SPEAKER SYSTEM, 5, DUAL I/P, SAIL MTD STD SPEAKER
UT1 : TONE GENERATOR, WARNING
UT4 : RADIO, AM/FM-ST CASS, AUTO NR, TOUCH CONTROL, STEERING WHL CONTROL
UW1 : DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM
U25 : LAMP, INTR, RR COMPT, COURTESY
U29 : LAMP, INTR I/P, COURTESY
U52 : CLUSTER INST, ELECTRONIC
U75 : ANTENNA, POWER, RADIO
VAN : ASSEMBLY PLANT, VAN NUYS, CA
VK3 : LICENSE PLATE, FRT MOUNTING PKG
V73 : ANTENNA, FIXED
WS4 : MODEL CONVERSION, TRANS AM
WS6 : PERFORMANCE PACKAGE, SPECIAL
WW3 : APPEARANCE PACKAGE, AERO #3
W62 : ORNAMENTATION, AERO PACKAGE
YS1 : SEAT,RR CUST
YT1 : BUILD UP DR & QTR
Y84 : MERCHANDISED PKG, GTA, TRANS AM
52P : WHEEL COLOR, GOLD MET (91)
6ZY : SPRING, COMPUTER SELECTED, FRONT, LEFT HAND
7ZY : SPRING, COMPUTER SELECTED, FRONT, RIGHT HAND
8NL : COMPUTER SELECTED REAR LEFTHAND SPRING
821 : INTERIOR TRIM (DARK MEDIUM GRAY)
822 : TRIM COMBINATION, LEATHER, MED DK GRAY (2} (91)
829 : SEAT BELT COLOR, MED DK GRAY (91)
87Q : MOLDING COLOR, GUNMETAL MET (92)
87U : PRIMARY COLOR, EXTERIOR, GUNMETAL MET (91)
9NL : SPRING, COMPUTER SELECTED, REAR, RIGHT HAND

 

On looking into it more you need rpo code UA6 to have VATS. VATS was infact standard in 1988 on GTA's but could be ordered without....go figure that out. It looks like 1/3 of all GTA's that year did not have VATS and a little over 6 thousand other GTA's did. Hope this answer helps.

 

That can't be true, both my GTA's have VATS but I don't have UA6...

 

VATS was standard on LATER 88 GTA's from what I know. There are two 88 GTA's in the club here in SoCal, and neither have VATS.

 

I had no idea that the 88 GTAs were available without VATS. That's interresting. For what it's worth, my 88 has VATS.

 

My 88 GTA doesn't have VAT's on it.

 

According to my camaro White Book vats
was introduced in 89 and not 88.

:rockon: :rockon:

 

....yes Camaro received VATS in 1989, but this is a GTA. They had VATS starting in 1988.

 

...just for giggles, the number of GTA's that received VATS in 1988 were 6440 from a total of 9765 for that model year. As for UA6 being the RPO code in 1988 right through 1992, that should be correct, I am not sure why 92GTA does not have this on his SPI label. It should be there. UA6 is the code for theft deterrent system.

 

My 89 does not have UA6 either.

 

I had always thought that UA6 was for the VATS but it looks like maybe not. Can anyone tell me exactly what theft deterrent system Pontiac refers to when they list UA6. On all GTA's from 1989 and up UA6 was on every one produced. It should be on every SPI label if all were thus equipped with this feature wether it applies to VATS or not.

 

It is NOT incorrect for a 1988 GTA not to have the VATS system. The VATS was phased in during the 1988 model year for GTAs, and the UA6 is the correct RPO code. There were no other factory theft deterrent systems offered in 1988, only dealer-installed alarm systems. My black GTA had one of these GM alarms on it when I bought it.

After the success of the system in reducing the number of Corvette thefts, the system introduced on the '88 GTAs, as Pontiac figured the "high-profile" GTA would be the Firebird model most susceptible to being stolen. After this second successful "trial run", the VATS was made standard for all F-Bodies from 1989 on.

My production records show that 6,440 GTAs had the VATS.... which means that some 28% of the year's production (3,325 cars) did not. My earliest-built '88 GTA (the black Notchback) was built the 2nd week of January in 1988.... and it has the VATS and the window sticker notation for it as well.