Pontiac G6

showsbro

i'm getting the G6 with ABS/Traction Control, Convenience Package, XM radio, Remote Engine Start, and Premium Value Package for $215/month, 36 months lease, 12k miles, and $125 down at signing. Anyone know if this is a good deal?

bigdaddycoats

I would say that is pretty good.

ronhextall

http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/oprahx22e_20050322.htm

This link is to an article saying the G6 is a flop. Seems to have numbers and comments to back it up. I look forward to seeing the GTP G6 with $4000 slashed off the sticker by next fall.

My choice may be either a GTP G6 or a used Nissan Maxima with a 6 speed. I have seen 2004 Maximas priced in the low 20's with some warranty left. I have the old GM card that will be maxed out next fall at $3500 but Pontiac is going to need to discount the G6 a ton for it to be comparible to a slightly used Maxima.

montanafan

So 86% of Grand Am sales at the same time in the roll out of new model without a low price 4 cylinder and without a two door. My, aren't people quick to label a car a flop. And taking a quick look at February's sales the Grand Am and G6 sales are greater than last February's Grand Am sales. I guess as the TV commercial (fast forwarding the video will, running around the scale in the gym) implies, we have become a land were we require instant gratification. I guess the only way to make the press happy would have been to sell 200,000 G6s the morning after the Oprah show. (Of course the car didn't come out for another two months)

bigdaddycoats

I do believe that a large number of GA sales were with 4 cylinder engines. Sales will definatley improve when the 2.4 is available and when the coupe joins the lineup.

I would not call the G6 a flop yet. It is by no means class leading, but with incentives competitive.

Sometimes it seems that the media enjoys beating down GM.

GM should have had all engine and variants available at launch - would have had better initial success.

Also, the Oprah giveaway was a great idea but too early. Many dealerships did not have any in stock. People who went to check them out were disappointed to find they were not available yet.

62vetteefp

That is what the press seems to like to do in this country. One year it is Ford, then Chrysler and then back to GM. Fact is though that GM is now really hurting. Supports a whole bunch of Americans. Lets hope they make it. If not there will be one big economy downturn.

exalteddragon1

They say if GM dies it would cause a recession.

This is a big problem but hey, just think UAW...

The G6 does look like a great car, i don't know why that guy said it would have to be heavily discounted before it could compete with a slightly used maxima.
FIrst of all they are in a different class, second i bet you anything if the g6 had Nav and Xenon it would be much more comparable.
ANd yes, THESE PPL AT GM ARE SO STUPID, WHY DID YOU NOT HAVE G6's READY BY THE OPRAH SHOW???
AND WHY WERE ALL OF THE ENGINE CHOICES NOT AVAILABLE???
They could have put the 145hp 4cyl and start the car at 18k or so, and then ad a new engine later. The 3.9 should have been ready sooner and BTW, it better have the ability to be tuned to make more power, like the VQ series or GM's own 3.6L VVT.
This car really is good, it was just launched by idiots.

ronhextall

I am comparing a G6 GTP to a Maxima because I would like a car with decent HP and a manual transmission that has 4 doors and seating for 5. GM always seems to nickel and dime their engines and it always seems like the car you want is coming "next" year. GM should have had the GTP front and center at launch. Instead GM says here is new 4 door car with a generic boring engine, BUT next year we will give you a version with performance, YIPPEEEE!!!!
I really want to try a GTP G6, since I have will have a maxed out GM card, and compare it to a slighty used Maxima. If I can get the Maxima with its high quality engine and some factory warranty left cheaper then I can get a GTP with discounts, and my GM points then Pontiac has a problem.

the GTP G6 and Maxima may not be in the same class but it sure seems to me that their prices may be in the same neighborhood. I am talking about a stripped down Maxima with basically the engine and a 6 speed.

All the American car companies have a big problem with their massive discounts and low interest rates that always come on any of their cars. People that are willing to wait know they will get 2,000 to 10,000 off any American vehicle they want if they are willing to wait. I have seen Tahoes in newspaper adds for $10,000 off sticker and Grand Prix's at $4,000 off. You don't typically see that deep of discounts on foreign cars.

vanman1

2 Main problems :

No 4 cyl model

MSRP on V6 models is too high

GM can correct these things and easily make the car a bigger seller than the Grand Am. It's a good car it's just slow out of the gate.

e2helper

" It's a good car it's just slow out of the gate."

Funny, because of the advertisement for G6 showing horse race

dan165

Have not seen that ad. I have only seen the one with the remote starter being shown.

bporter1

The G6 has only been on the market for about 7 months. I for one cannot judge the car's sales based on that little amount of time. Especially when the coupe, convertible, 4cyl, and GTP variants have not even hit the market yet. Do I think GM could have done better? Yes, but as is typical with recent GM vehicles, they are never better than the competition, only good enough. By the time GM gets around to a redesign, the competition has already trumped GM twofold. I think the G6 will sell better with the coupe and the 4cyl models available. The convertible looks cool also, it being the only hard top convertible for around $30k. Hopefully the car will succeed for GM's sake.

exalteddragon1

If they just get all of the models out there, and then do the oprah thing, i bet the car would be a hot sellar. The portfolio for this car is attractive, a sedan, a coupe, a hardtop convertable, a 4cyl, a 6cyl, and a preformance 6cyl... Nice.

The roof is not bad and the interrior looks nice if you can forgive the lack of an optional nav...

With the coupe and conv, I personally do not like what they did to the taillights, they made them solara-ish. The origional taillights look better.

What do you guys think?

vanman1

When the new Accord came out they had 4 cyl., coupes and sedans all at the same time. Why GM doesn't do this I don't know but Grand Am had all these options so how could only V6 G6 sales be the same as Grand Am?

I see G6s around now and I don't think the rental car companies are buying them which can some times lift initial sales artificially.

1487

One reason teh G6 didnt have a 4 available at lauch is because the new 2.4L ecotec wasnt in production. The G6 is the first car to receive this engine, although it will go into the cobalt and HHr his year. They didnt want to put the 145hp motor in the G6 for whatever reason. The grand am coupe just went out of production so Pontiac has been selling Grand Ams since the G6 launched. If they price the base model right, sales will go up substantially. The Grand Am started at $17-$18K and I'm sure those low end models made up a lot of its sales. I read that March will be the G6's best sales month. If sales havent picked up by June or July then it's time to worry.

The media is blowing this out of proportion because of GM's current situation. This is just "proof" to them that GM is sinking.

bporter1

I agree 100% that the coupe taillights do look like the Solara (which by the way I think looks hideous).

m1miata

The coupe does look pretty cool, but it goes head to head with the Accord. That is one tough boxing match. From what I recall of road test reviews both are good, but not super as far as steering and overall handling. With the record Honda has for build quality, resale value, and such, I would say people will not be impressed with the G6 until the price is say at least 3 to 4 grand under the Accord. And there are those that will wait a couple years, or so for the used cars to start appearing for near half price. If it is a good buy at a few thousand under the foreign competion, just wait two or three more years and it will be a great buy. The spread between the Honda and the Pontiac will double as years go by. This is one of the major problems of buying domestic cars. It could be the most wonderful car in every way, but the total cost of ownership usually sucks. Style wise, she looks good. Heck lots of good looking cars over the years from GM. Not sure the exact year when the wheels came off though, but it seems sometime around 1975. I had some GM cars that were fun enough to drive, but sort of fell apart. A couple had strange quirks. One had lots of problems. I knew the service managers on a first name basis. My 1987 car was suppose to be about as reliable as a Japanese car, and with modern assembly technics making it first class - it was not. The 1992 car was suppose to be competition to say an Accord -- not. It now is a leap of faith to buy again. Love those classic cars of 1968-73. GM has probably more good looking cars over the years than just about anyone out there, but they, as well as, the other big two, let everyone down in the 70' and 80's, with only a few glimmers of light in the 90's. Not sure if Y2K was a rebirth or not. Resale on Pontiacs and Buicks, as an example, is not too stellar. I guess if Hyundai can make a come back, anything and everything is possible. I for one, would wait and see how the cars are for reliability ( Consumer Reports ) and see how they sell price wise in a couple to three years. I must say I was never unhappy with the gas mileage on a GM v6. Never tried a GM i4.

Loren

carfreak189

Its not something Gm should be concerned about. My dad might by the G6, 6 cylinder but all in all a lot of midsize sedans sell more 4 cylinders. They should have made 4 around right away then the sales would pick up. But Gm always does a stupid thing.....

m1miata

"
Its not something Gm should be concerned about. My dad might by the G6, 6 cylinder but all in all a lot of midsize sedans sell more 4 cylinders. They should have made 4 around right away then the sales would pick up. But Gm always does a stupid thing..... " -end quote-

Or make the V6 a standard and lower the price to $18,900 and offer a performance V6 for $21,999 with more HP and all the stuff people luv to hang on cars now. As for a i4, that may work better on a one step down model. Hey, if they want to make a car that would sell for over $20k, they could add RWD and an i6 engine. Right now it is BMW or nothing when it comes to inline 6 and RWD, unless I am forgetting someone, like perhaps a Lexus base model. Saw an ad for BMW starting at $28K something, which is less than some Pontiacs - go figure. That is GM hope right now, I think. Go better value in RWD and smooth i6 engines. Or was that a dream? If you go head to head with Japan on FWD cars, the result is not likely to be favorable to GM. If they can pull that off, I say someone pulled a rabbit out of the hat at GM. Hope someone has a real plan at GM. Maybe it is to declare bankruptcy, then have the tax payers pay for retired workers. Just a thought. Some big move has to come this decade, no doubt. Could see national health care for USA in this decade too.... or maybe not. I fear the so called good economy is just a temporary illusion of sorts. Oh well, we deal with the cards which are dealt.

Loren

townhome

I don't know. My '04 Malibu has gone almost 5000 miles, cost me $18,100, is loaded with a V6 and everything, gets 23-25 mpg, and has only had one speaker blow and an irregular hard start issue. (The Malibu is similar to the G6). My friends '03 Accord 4cyl has gone 20,000 miles, cost her $24,000, has the same equipment as mine except for the engine, gets 23-25 mpg, has had the sunroof break, the lighter fuse blow twice, needed new brakes at 15,000 (TSB out for that) and now needs new motor mounts (TSB out for that also). Really, is her Accord better than my Maxx? I'd say it's a draw right now, since my Maxx has so few miles on it. But then I think of the performance difference between the V6 and the 4, and I think of the $6,000 difference and I think maybe the night and difference between foreign and domestic cars is gone.

ramped

Your friend paid far too much for a 4-cyl Accord if the $24K total price did not include taxes. That would have been at or over sticker in 2003. Last fall I could have had the Accord EX version without leather for $19,000. You have a slight edge in overall performance with your V-6, but the Honda 4 is the best in the business.

Aside from the unusual problems (Brakes are a problem on the 03s) your friend is encountering with her car, my guess that she will be very satisfied when it comes time to trade in.

The best way to buy a domestic GM sedan is recently used. They can be great bargains at half the MSRP.

I believe in time GM will get the G6 right. It's a nice looking car with plenty of space. Nothing wrong with that.

m1miata

Wow, someone paid $24K for an Accord i4 auto. That was not a good buy. And unless she is driving a lot around town, the gas mileage should be 28 MPG avg. And I see she had some problems with the '03 - that is not good. Not typical of Japan quality, and not good for the consumer. Hopefully the long term experience will be better for her. Would be interesting to see an Accord and a domestic make driven the same fashion over the same length of time, then compared overall as to end quality, cost to own, and service dept. experience. Cost wise, you could still buy a Pontiac used in the 2nd to 3rd year and have a really super value. I am sure bought new, the Accord will kick butt.

Loren

gooddeal2

Wow!!! That's a nice looking car. This is the first time I like GM cars. Now, the other problem that GM needs to do is to lower the price, like other member mentioned. I think all of GMs have inflate price.

A couple months ago, I went to see 4Runner and GMC Envoy. I think they're compartible in size to compare. A good equipped 4Runner has a price tag around 27K while the counter part Envoy has 33K on the window. So, even if they offer 8K off on Envoy, it's not making any different. The outside Envoy is o.k but the inside is far below the 4Runner.

While GM's introducing all new car, it's a good to set a new reasonable price. They need to stop offer those 4K to 7K discount, 1K to 2K is more reasonable not to upset poeple who buy the cars w/o discount

bporter1

This is the one big problem that I have with GM.
How in the world does the "worlds largest carmaker" keep producing mediocre product and expect it to go head to head with the best in the class? Cadillac is the only division of GM that "gets it". If GM truly wants to compete in this market, then they better get their act together. GM does have some really good cars out there, Cobalt, G6, Malibu, etc, but with the exception of the Cobalt, are any of these cars better than what Toyota,Honda, Nissan, and Mazda are putting out. NO!!! Sorry for the rant, and for all the GM bashing I do I would still buy a GM vehicle.

showsbro

I have been test driving cars since October and finally chose the G6 last week. I test drove the Mazda6, Volvo s40, Saab 9-3, VW Jetta, Nissan Altima, & Honda Accord. I must say comparing apples to apples, you get more with the G6 for much much less. I'm not going to lie, a fully loaded s40 is better than a fully loaded G6, HOWEVER you can lease a fully loaded G6 for less than you can lease ANY of the base models of the cars I listed. Before this car I had a brand new 2002 Honda Civic and it was in the shop for 9 different occasions where each time I was left w/o my car for atleast a fully day. My point is if you want a lot of bang for your buck, the G6 is the way to go . . . atleast in terms of leasing. I am in Ohio where I am leasing for 36 months the G6 base with EVERY option put on, literally (Convenience, Premium, ABS/Traction Control, Sunroof, XM radio, 6-cd, alloys, you name it all for $215/mo with just $125 down when i signed. Tell me where you can find all that on a V6 (which gets better gas mileage than any of the cars I listed) for anywhere near that price?

m1miata

I guess that is a good deal on the lease. Never done a lease. Seems like it cost too much net-net, but if you want a new car every three years, and that is all you pay - looks good on the surface. How many miles per year do you get? Other costs? Usually the best dollar value in domestic cars is to buy them two, three or even five years old with low miles, and hopefully one you know the whole history of. Seems to be the best bang for the buck. A two year old may be something like $14k to $16K for a loaded car which was say $24K new. Just a thought. And yeap, new is a fine luxury, and I did that a few times when I was working. May buy new, but only a base and cheaper car. I am tight with the money, and but a poor boy.

Loren

m1miata

How does the steering compare between the Mazda, Volvo and your car? About the same? I may look at a coupe some day. Looks wise I kinda like the Mustang and Eclipse, which would both make good touring class cars, if not sports cars. Would you class the G6 as a GT type? After getting burned on GMs in the past, it would seem like a risk to me to get into another GM, but the G6 looks pretty tight, so maybe I will track its progress over the next coupla years.

Loren

bigdaddycoats

I think that is a fantastic price. So what was the MSRP?

showsbro

its for 12K miles and it comes out that i'm paying $8280 (which includes my taxes) for the entire lease and the MSRP for my car was $24,130 and i ended up getting it for just under $21,000 (I believe $20,800). This is the third car that I've leased and really believe that if you can find a good lease for a short term its the way to go. I never lease more than 36-39 months and my payments have always been under $230 (including taxes) per month with little down. I also always make sure that my warranty is covered through the entire term of the lease. Anyways back to the G6, in terms of comparison, I was looking at the base models of many of the other cars that had a few options added (like for the mazda it was the mazda6i that had the bose/sunroof package & convenience package). It was a 4 cylinder and didn't have nearly the power obviously. The VW jetta GLI turbo and the Saab 9-3 turbo both have similar power, but the G6 was a smoother ride by far. I was actually not impressed by the Saab at all in fact the dealer even agreed that the VW was better (he sold both VW and Saab). In the end I was deciding b/n the VW, Mazda6, and G6 and made sure that they all had the same features give or take which made them all have roughly the same MSRP ironically. And surprisingly the G6 had a significantly better lease $ and i thought it was a smoother yet equally powerful ride (and it was the only V6 out of those 3). Both the VW and Mazda6 would of leased for $3000-4000 more. Plus i was reluctant to by VW b/c I heard about how the break down ALL THE TIME, plus its a much smaller car. I'll be honest I NEVER thought i'd lease an American car but after doing a lot of research and a lot of test drives, it really is a better car especially given the price. Plus leasing it while its covered under its warranty really takes away any worries in terms of durability. Out of all the cars i test drove, its the only one where I really felt i was getting a car that wasn't just the base model with a few features thrown on. This car has everything, even XM and remote engine start which are both features that weren't on any of the cars i looked at. Hope that helps. Many say that this car isn't selling well which very well may be true, and if so it only means you could get a great deal as well

venus537

at what point do you come to the conclusion the reason G6 sales are lackluster is because the consumer is finding other cars more desirable?

this is a very competitive part of the market. it's not going to get any easier when the ford fusion hits the market.

m1miata

" this is a very competitive part of the market. it's not going to get any easier when the ford fusion hits the market "
-end quote-

Yeap, the Fusion should be a good version of the Mazda6, and with Ford having more dealerships, that's a winner. The G6 is more towards the sporty look though. The G6 coupe is more head to head with Mustang. Considering the Stang is RWD and within a few months should be selling again in the $18,00 range, I'd say good competion.

Loren

1487

The fusion is a nice car but its no more exciting than the G6. Of the many criticisms I've read about the G6, bland styling has come up more than once. I dont agree with that at all but I doubt anyone can say the Fusion offers superior styling. It's better than the Japanese competition except Altima but I dont think it's going to get a lot of buyers based on styling. The main advantage of the Fusion is the 6 speed auto. Besides that I dont think it offers any features or performance you can't get in the G6. The interior is certainly every bit a dull as the G6. Considering how the press is coming down on GM right now I would expect the Fusion to be hailed as the Second Coming and far superior to any GM midsize sedan.

m1miata

My previous post mentioned Mustang as competition to the G6. Well I am not sure I would actually recommend both of these cars in their first year. The complaints are starting to show on Stangs now. After a pretty good '03 and '04, it is wait and see as to how many problem areas are found on the new Stang. I bet the G6 may have some kinks to iron out too. I have owned domestic model cars, and had some good times with them. None, so far, have been as trouble free and inexpensive to own as the Japanese ones What the big three are facing is more than just some magazines and the media as a whole becoming critical of these cars, it is also the actual experiences people had with their cars and service departments. Maybe come a day when GM and Ford will see the need to have extend the warranty on their products. Hyundai sure made an impressive come back.
As for GM, I take it they must now tag on an extra $3K to $5k on every cars sticker price, then give rebates of equal proportions? Interesting game there. Nahhh, I would wait a couple years or so and the car is half price and has most of the first year bugs out. See, they make a car and then the customer finds the things that are not right or missed all together, like a nut or bolt here or there, then you take it back to the dealer and they rebuild the car. Most of my domestics, after year one, were fairly good for a few years thereafter. Well most were. The paint and leaks of water into the interior and such kept me from any real long term owner ship. Most were done in by the 5th year. Yes, there are exceptions, but a betting man would be wise to pick carefully. No bet like a safe bet. GM still wants to go 1 on 1 with the Japan makes - why not go RWD and make a different looking car? Even a FWD car, like the PT, sold well. As for the G6, it looks good to me. The 2 dr. may look pretty sporty indeed - now make it RWD. An inline 6 engine would be nice, but if too costly the 3800 engine is fine. GM has good gas mileage from their 6 cyl. cars, which is a good thing. In the days-gone-bye, they seem to run well into around 150,000 miles. Don't know about the current, but that is good enough for me. An inline 6 would be smoother.

Loren

vanman1

With respect to the 2.4L, I think the Solstice get's it first followed by the G6. Hopefully they will MSRP it ultra competitively and get sales rolling.

This is car is not mediocre as some say. It's interior my not be everyone's taste but the car handles better than just about any sedan in this price range and the build quality is excellent. Maybe it's not the best family sedan but for a sportier sedan it's darn good.

fatboy2

I WAS WONDERING IF ANYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE INVOICE PRICE OF THE THE STANDARD G6 IS PLUS THE PANORAMIC ROOF?

I DON'T KNOW IF THE NOISE IS A PROBLEM(WITH THE ROOF) BECAUSE OF A MECHANICAL OR STRUCTURAL FLAW WITH THE IT. OR IT'S LOUD CAUSE OF THE BIG OPENING.

fatboy2

WHAT PART OF OHIO DO YOU LIVE IN? CLEVELAND AREA? WHERE DID YOU GET THIS OFFER?

pat

Welcome!

Have you tried looking up the price here? Click on the Edmunds.com logo at the top of this page, then click on the New Car tab - just follow the links from there.

Oh, and please take your caps lock off. Posts in all caps are difficult to read and it looks like you are yelling at us.

fatboy2

i have caps on all day at work sorry i was just wonder what actual invoice cost is not msrp.

m1miata

Price link
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2005/pontiac/g6/100414770/prices.html?tid=edmunds.n.mipmake.pri- cetable.num1.1.pontiac**
I would not get the sunroofs of any sort. Always a problem, if not now, later on. The price is too high on this car. Would recommend waiting for the famous GM discounts of $3k to $4k or better yet, get $7k to $9k by buying used in a year or two.

Loren

bigdaddycoats

Pretty sure I saw a fusion orange G6 GTP today. Bigger wheels and rims really look good - fill the wheel gap well.

tomk17

I would not be concerned with any previously mentioned sunroof "problems". That comment may stem from original sunroofs 10-15 yrs ago. I have had power sliding roofs on various Dodge, Ford, Honda, and now Pontiac cars without any problems. They always work and never leak in my experience. I got he std power sliding roof on the G6. The pano roof may be nice but adds weight to the car prompting Car and Driver to say "its like wearing a lead hat".

bigdaddycoats

http://www.nj.com/business/expresstimes/index.ssf?/base/business-1/111139944159220.xml

m1miata

Sunroof places weight up high in the car, which is not good for stability. It takes away headroom. It may not always fail, but it adds another element to the car which may need repair, and become an annoyance at a later date. Some are not good and rattle from day one. These new giant roofs can be found in one form or another on other cars now. I bet the Toyota tC is having some problems with this. For those in need of more sun rays, there are convertibles, targa tops, and hard top convertibles which open the car top all the way. I have a Miata, and I must say on a perfect weather day, it is kinda cool to have a top down, with the wind rushing by, it is close to the feeling of a motorcycle. I now have a water leak in the trunk though, and you have to cover the soft top when parked, and well, let's just say a hard top car is more practical. As for sunroofs, I guess I am just missing something there. Are they suppose to give the open air effect like a drop top? Is it another way to tan?
Maybe a status symbol? If it turns ya on, buy'em. Good to own a car that has all the features you like in a car.

Loren

vanman1

Saw a black GT with a panoramic sunroof open yesterday when I was leaving a parking lot. Just wickedly stunning. All the ones I had seen before were just regular V6 models. Trimmed out they are about the nicest sedan I have seen in a while.

Kirstie_H

A reporter with a national newspaper would like to interview someone who considered one of the new domestic pass cars (Buick LaCrosse, G6, Ford 500, Mercury Montego, Malibu) but ultimately decided on Toyota, Honda or Nissan. Ideally, it’s someone who’s been driving an import brand and just couldn’t make the switch back to domestic for whatever reason. If you fit what the reporter is looking for, please email Kirsten Holguin at kholguin@edmunds.com by 3/31/05 with your contact information including a telephone number.

ewarnick

Now that is a real surprise (sarcasm). The media is looking for someone to back up yet another fabricated story about how terrible domestic cars are. Hey Kirstie, just tell them to call someone from Consumer Reports, they seem to have plenty of people that hate almost any domestic product.

vanman1

Yep, domestics suck.

Would be interesting to see the slant on that story.

townhome

Kristie,
In all seriousness, can you forward the suggestion that the reporter also do a story on the reverse -- someone going from an import to a domestic?
Thanks.

badroof

I have this vehicle with the panoramic roof and it does creak. This noise has become extremely annoying over the last couple of months and Pontiac has no solution for it yet. Had I known prior to purchasing, I would not have gotten the panoramic roof and probably would have gotten a different vehicle. GM is on the verge of losing a customer if this is not resolved very soon.

badroof

Mine also makes a lot of noise...extremely aggravating. I would advise everyone interested in purchasing the G6 to rethink the panoramic roof until they are able to make the vehicle correctly. :lemon: