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I'm getting antsy for spring to break in Northern Michigan so that I can drop the top & cruise! Hope all continues to go well with your toy! :shades:
plus, i used to have a 4 cylinder grand am, so compared to that......
p.s....i play around with the manual shift and that does perks things up...
Thanks,
Harvey
morrisangelo@yahoo.com
I bought the windscreen on ebay for $200.+ Shipping from LKQ Auto Parts online. It was in the box unused. They and some others sell windscreens on ebay, but its hit and miss as to when they become available. There is a GM parts seller that sells them for $355 plus shipping which was the best price I had seen before I purchased mine. BTW the windscreen works very well and looks good, but you have to remove and store it if you have a passenger and buy more than a bag of groceries (top down)!
Good luck
Bill
I am aware of the TSB, so maybe I will feel better when the dealer gets a crack at fixing it. All this aside it is a looker vehicle when its polished up
How did you like the Solstice when you had it? How was is reliability-wise?
THe Solstice had a differential problem that was replace N/C otherwise no problems.
GM knows full well about the problems with my G6. They spent 2 weeks working on solutions to the roof and door rattle problems a couple of months ago ( I know...I worked as an engineer for GM for 14 years until 2007 ) The problems with the G6 are correctable, and its still the best value in a RHTC. The closest thing is the VW "ERO" which is a POS in my opinion. At least my vehicle stays dry inside going through a automatic car wash. VW ERO.s owners manual specificly says "dont run the vehicle through automatic car washes" Now that is very poor engineering.
I wish it had a better tranny--but obviously the price point dictated that. My trans also lurches at slow speeds--ie on highlway heavy traffic--say 20-30 mph--when i step on gas it lurches-almost everybody else has 5 and 6 speed trannies now (which would have helped mileage)
Same for the cheap "monsoon" stereo.
Some of the electronics--I would have set up and programmed differently-ie auto lights on/off--I really wish it did not have auto lites, and wish when I turn on fog lites they did not reset eveytime I turn off the car.
Heating system is a bit noisy esp front defrost.
Sorry to hear about your problems on your G6. So far, at 1200 miles, we haven't had any issues. The driver's door clunked over a few stiff bumps, but I adjusted that little spring-loaded door jamb pin and the noise has stopped. Also, our top has already been up & down about 100 time (we live in Florida) and it hasn't missed a beat. Not even a squeak.
Billdaman, email me at morrisangelo@yahoo.com. I'd like to hear more about your engineering days at GM.
I feel better now. Good Luck to all who own a G6 Hardtop, I wish I wasn't one of them.
still have tranny lurching, no fix.
I know someone who had car replaced after 4 years (pontiac) under lemon law. anti lock brakes did not work properly and after 4 yrs of bs GM gave in.
On the roof cycling issue, I have cycled my roof at least 150 times, and it only started failing recently. I make it work by pulsing the power button quickly untill the top not secure displays on the radio, then it works. Door rattles are still bad. I am going to contact the design engineer that manages the Karmann roof supplier and see if they can be at the dealer when my car goes in for service. Quality problems on the Orion Assembly line for this low runner are still not fixed 3 years after introduction.
I'll buy it from you now at 210 + shipping if you're willing. Just say the word and we'll strike a deal...You can contact me directly at morrisangelo@yahoo.com
Harvey
Tampa
Anyone have this issue?
Interesting secquence of events you should be aware of.
First, a cabbie turned right in front of me from left lane--hit the Crown Vic in right frint fender.
My front end is pretty well gone--axle broken.
Airbags deployed but feable--like a ballon--was able to watch accident over the top of bag. It did not even hit my chest.
But the force of the accident threw rear end parts off the car and jammed the trunk area, where I had my suitcase and briefcase, with laptops (actualy on airport grounds about to catch a plane)
Absolutely no way to open back area. Called 2 dealers and they had no answer--so the fire dept had to cut the trunk open.
The car obviously wil be a total loss.
But I was disappointed in the airbag deployment and the trunk jamming up.
I probably will not get another G6.
For a severe frontal impact, you would have experienced a full deployment. If the front of your G6 hit a wall or something like a big tree that didnt move or deform, the threshold level for reduced deployment is arounf 12 to 16 mph, The threshold level for a full deployment is about 18 to 24 mph . If you hit say a parked car, the threshold level would have activated.
Bottom line is that a full deployment is a very unpleasant thing for an occupant. These bags on full deploy are like a shotgun going off in the closed interior, and real bad if you are asthmatic. The G6 is a inexpensive design, but the convertible crashes well in the barrier test. Its easy to find things to critize about GM vehiicles, ( I know I worked as an engineer in GM;s tech center for 14 years) but they are very safely designed vehicles...this I will stake my life on because thats all I drive and dont even work for them anymore
i know every eventuality cannot be covered--but I was thinking about it.
BTW--anybody know the cost to fix an airbag--I am trying to figure out if they will try to fix the car or total it--one major problem is the top and trunk areas are not out of alignmnet and could not move open at all.
with all the roof problems reported here, if they try ot fix it it will never be right.
also--I had the fire department and policy dept and the chicago aviation safety officers out there--nobody knew the car was a hardtop convertible.
yeah--I am concerned the ins co will not cover cracking open the trunk (repairing it)., I went to look at the car tonight--
the roof is about 1/2 inch out of alignmnet with hte top of the windshield--the passenger side has the 1/2 inch gap--drivers side very slightly--the impact must have reverberated throught the entire body to the top and trunk areas and mechanisms.
In addition, the passenger airbag when deployed ripped a part of the dash open--my ins agent told me that a clean deployment of the two dual stage airbags is a min cost of 2k and could be as much as 6k--add in the dashboard and the screwed up front end and wheels and as well the rear end, the repair cost is well into the 5 figures.
I have 9k miles on my 2007--checks KBB for used car prices--excellent condition around 22-23k--poor--which it would be after this type of accident is 18k--so if they repair it and I go to trade it--my 12 month cost will be 13k. Plus the 9% sales tax on the car putting a 12 month cost at around 15k.
but moving to the rattles issue--if they choose to fix the car-I know I will have rattles problems--they have it without an accident-so I cring as what will happen as they try to re-align the top and all the moving pieces--there is a reason why the HTC is 10k more than any other G6.
I
So how long did you work with them to get them to agree to such a deal? I know I haven't posted for awhile but I am still having issues.
1) Had a minor accident in January backed in to a pole so the dealer had to replace the bumper and driver side tail light.
2) Still can't get the dealer to acknowledge the transmission hesitation issue at 20-40 mile per hour.
3) The passenger side door does not set flush with the body of the car. So when I take the vehicle through a car wash I get water in the car now.
4) On the passenger side of the car there is paint coming off of the trunk lid where it is rubbing on the rear tail light.
I would encourage everyone with issues to call GM and complain. I will tell you that I have called again about the issues and had a ticket opened.
So it would really be helpful if you could give more details about the issues that made GM decide to replace at full cost.
Thank you so much for the detail.
I laughed--he looked puzzled--I said I have not heard GM BS for years---goes back to the old days.
1) Transmission lurking - no code is thrown and I have had it 2 Pontiac dealers and they could not find any problem
2) Rubber molding along the bottom of the door is coming apart and the silver plate with G6 is majorly scratched
3) Trunk lid on the passenger side is rubbing against the turn signal. (Little smaller than a dime area of paint now off of the trunk lid).
4) The passenger door does not set inside the body correctly so when you go through a car was the water leaks in the car.
Will update with resolution, dealer expects that they will have to keep the car for 2-3 days at least.
1. Is the car on?
2. Did you press the button down and keep it down?
Of course, I answered yes to these questions. The service tech had me hold the button down for long periods of time trying to get it to work. I later found out that if you put the top up and down too many times, it can burn out the motor. Finally, unable to get the top down, I called a towing company. After waiting 45 min for the truck to arrive and after trying many more times to get the top down we tried 1 more time when the truck arrived, and guess what? It went down!!! The next day I had it in the shop.
Of course, at the shop, they could find nothing wrong. Even though many voltage codes showed up, they assumed it was because the car had sat for 1 year and the battery wasn’t charged enough??? I went and picked up the car.
I only drive this car when weather permits, so since I have had it I only put on 300 miles. The next time I tried the top, it kept getting stuck and wouldn’t come up. I took it back to the Dealer.
Same thing as before. There were error codes. I really feel they didn’t know what was wrong and just replaced anything that could possibly be causing this.
Well, I drove the car last Saturday, and guess what, the top wouldn’t come up. Same thing as the past 2 times. Starts to go down, but trunk never pops up. The Dealer yesterday tried to tell me that’s how it works, etc. Afraid I wasn’t too nice to him. I insisted they get someone from GM to come and look at it. I guess this time maybe they will actually figure out what might be wrong.
I think one of the things that really upset me is that they acted like there were no problems with these tops, which of course when I found this blog, I knew was not true. That is why I insisted they get a GM rep down here to look at it. In Missouri, if your car is in 4 times for the same problem and not fixed, it falls under the Lemon Law.
I will keep you updated as to what happens. Right now, I would not recommend this car to anyone. I was so excited when I bought it, but that feeling has left. Yes, they give me a rental car when they have my car, but it’s not a convertible!!!!!
Maybe I got lucky, but I don't think so.
I would highly recommend this car. It is truly the best of both the hard top coupe and convertible worlds! ...
JMHO
What's that old saying?
"Give good service, and the customer will tell his close friends...Give bad service, and the customer will tell everyone he meets...".
Having said that, where else is one to complain about a bad experience?
Certainly, not the manufacturer's or dealer's web-site.
And, IMO, I have run across a few postings that have many complaints regarding the same issue on the same model, so I do think there are times when a real problem exists.
I do think that most issues, however, could be resolved with better dealer interaction with the customer. Sometimes, that failure is due to just poor service...other times, it can be due to the customer beating the dealer down so much on price that the dealer has no incentive to help the customer. I guess it works both ways...
Several things to think about:
1) in the accident the top and mechanism was "screwed up" beyond reasonable repair. Make sure you have replacement value insurance as if I did not the market value of car would have been 18k (a 2007 with 9k miles)
2) in a frint end crash (at 15 mph) the front axle broke, the air bags deployed and in the process ripped te dashboard--more cost)
3) I had stuff in trunk--while it was a front end crash-trunk would not open--fire dept had to rip trunk open to get my briefcase and PCs out. More damage
4) the best mileage i got was 22-23 on higway doing clean 65--so the 28 seems strange
5) the lurking trans was never resolved. Dealer fed me BS
I complained a lot about the cheap stereo--as I looked at new cars--all had far better stereos-even other GM products--G6 was just cutting corners.
same for the 4 speed tranny-almost nobody sells a 4 speed anymore-more cost savings.
my new car is a 335 bimmer HTC--I understand the cost differential. but it is far superior even in fit and finish. And probably will depreciate better than G6. It is also smaller for rear seat passengers. thats the only downside I can see. mileage is better than G6. Not much--but better performing car.
as I always said-its an ok car (the G6): not outstanding in any area.
#1: Although 4 speed transmissions are becoming less common, it's not like the G6 is the only car with them, plenty of Hondas and Toyotas still have them.
#2: A BMW 335 HTC starts at $49,100 with no options and reaches $65,000 fully optioned. We are talking $19,000 more than a stripped G6 HTC, and fully optioned there is over $30,000 difference between the cars! Of course the BMW is much much nicer in probably every respect (except rear seat room).
With the $20-30k saved, you can buy a second car.
I'm glad you're happy with your BMW, but I think most people who consider a G6 can't afford a $50,000 to 60,000 car. Compare the G6 to other convertibles in the upper $20s low $30s and it starts looking like the great value it is.
I hope you have good luck with your foreign car. Personally I will not succumb to buying foreign, especially now!
My 28 to 29 is 70 to 75 MPH in the west (New Mexico) with light traffic. If I get into hills it goes down to 25 or so. I use the cruise control religiously ....
actually, i've been pleasantly surprised at how solid a ride this car provides.
here's crossing my fingers....
An engineer came out last summer to look at my car and they said they found a design fault, which they supposedly corrected. I just don't know what to believe any longer.
I love the HT factor for the northeast winter, I need the four seats for my family size part of me considers this car a lemon and wants to let it go but.... I love it when it works
Have a good day
T conroy
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AS- S%3AUS%3A1123&viewitem=&item=320255786102
Why are we mostly hearing about the problems with this car? This is my 4th open-air car, and each one arrived with a couple of rattles, squeaks, and minor water leaks. With a cooperative dealer and bit of your own tinkering, all of the problems will soon be resolved. If this is your first convertible, whether it’s a soft-top or a HTC, then get used to the inherent complications and quirks of these cars. In the end, if you enjoy riding with the top down, it’s all worth it.
The 3.5L engine is smooth and powerful enough for this car. Likewise, transmission is smooth. Except for the wide turning radius, the car drives especially well. The American-style seats are extremely comfortable, and the ride is rock-solid. Minimal wind turbulence in front seat. Modern options, especially XM Radio and On*Star, exceed expectations. Fuel economy exceeds 17 city / 26 highway EPA estimates by 10 – 15%.
If Pontiac / GM wanted to make me perfectly happy, these additional features would have been included, available, or changed:
1) Truck space, and more of it, which is fully accessible when the top is lowered. (With the top up, trunk space is fine. I purchased a Lloyd carpeted trunk mat on-line to finish the trunk and cover the spare tire, and that should probably be standard with the car.) Add key access to the trunk, and include a lockout on the trunk, so that it can be made inaccessible when the top is lowered.
2) A compass, integrated with an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Also, heated side mirrors.
3) A light in the glove box, lighted vanity mirrors, and an under-hood light.
4) Rear armrests.
5) Integrate front seatbelts into seats. Current design is comfortable, but certainly not convenient for rear seat entry.
6) Additional Safety Features: a] Pop-up roll bars behind rear seats. Yes, they’re relatively costly, but they could be life-savers. (These safety devices are already included on several low-priced convertibles.) b] Side airbags which are “combination” side airbags, and thereby include a head airbag chamber.
7) Separate the trip computer from the radio, as in other GM designs. Currently, the XM Radio display has abbreviated titles, and is vastly inferior to my other two vehicles, which also have XM radios.
8) A larger glove box. .
9) Scuff-resistant plastics on the doors.
10) More powerful gas-struts to assist with opening the trunk lid.
11) Folding rear seats.
12) Back-up sensors.
13) HID headlights, with headlight washers.
14) An adjustable armrest. (Also, include a coin-holder.)
After five months, I am very pleased with this car. At about 25% - 50% lower cost compared to other competitive hardtop and traditional soft-top convertibles, the Pontiac G6 HTC is a great value, indeed.
I see how the G6 HTC could replace that car for me, the only downer is size of the trunk. Even top down, the Cutlass had a big trunk. Top up - it was phenomenal. I guess that's the trade off from a soft to hard top.
HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE DEALER. WAS TOLD 2 TIMES THAT GM WAS COMING TO LOOK AT THE CAR. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR A WEEK, FOUND OUT, GM ONLY COMES ON THE 4TH TIME THE PROBLEM HAPPENS. DID CALL GM TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THEY CONTACTED THE DEALER BUT NOT MUCH MORE HELP.
I AM STILL NOT SURE ABOUT THE CAR. NOW I WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR THE RATTLES EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING. FEELING A LITTLE BETTER ABOUT THE CAR, BUT STILL NOT 100% TRUSTING OF IT. EVERY TIME I PUT THE TOP DOWN, I WORRY. I AM TO THE POINT NOW, I MAY SELL THE CAR AT 3 YEARS WHEN THE WARRENTY RUNS OUT. I DIDN'T GET THE EXTENDED WARRENTY AND DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH REPAIR ON THAT TOP WOULD COST. GM WOULDN'T EVEN GIVE ME AN EXTENDED WARRENTY AT A DISCOUNT TO COVER THE TOP IF HAVE PROBLEMS AFTER 3 YEARS. I HAVE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR I DRIVE AND I HAVEN'T HAD THAT SINCE THE 1ST TIME THE TOP MALFUNCTIONED!!!