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2008 Pontiac G8
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Comments
G8 GT - handles almost as well as the 2005 BMW 330i I traded in for it,
awesome V8 sound (using Magnaflow cat-back, Rotofab cold air intake),
large online communities of G8 fans and aftermarket mods,
wheel-spinning acceleration that keeps me grinning (6 speed auto)
fewer luxury touches - annoying seat recline knob, no seat memory
summary: the fun never stops
300C - handles like older Mercedes E-class, feels like a large 2 ton vehicle
V8 sounds ok, but performance exhaust seems out of place for a cruiser
120 inch wheelbase makes for a relaxing smooth ride on interstates
acceleration good but not great (5 speed auto)
seat memory, retro instrument cluster, lighter color interiors available
summary: great cruiser
I have heard complaints about Honda's deactivation which some claim is much more pronounced.
The G8 actually delivers a smooth quiet ride. Some say the engine exhaust note is too reserved.
There is only one slight other issue that is inherent with many other vehicles today. The six speed auto emits a faint whine @ ~ 68MPH. I heard there are weights that can be applied to the transmission mounts that make this go away. Again, the G8 is very quiet which allows this faint noise to come through.
I researched this to make sure it was normal, whines were way more prevalent in vehicles like the Altima and other Japanese makes.
The g8 is a replacement for my wifes town car which is serene. I have owned over 30 new vehicles in my day and the G8 is a winner. I can't believe anyone who owned both a G8 or Accord would choose to drive the Accord.
The G8 is balanced and has an awesome steering which everyone can appreciate.
And bought the last one I drove.
I now have just passed 6,700 miles on my 2009 G8 GT – purchased in November of last year.
Here is the ‘bottom line’ for me:
If my G8 GT was totaled today,
I would buy another.
Equipped exactly the same way.
[ Many reasons posted above.
None have changed, in my view. ]
- Ray
Silver, Sport, Premium, Sunroof, Red & Black . . .
At least Ford doesn't have to worry about any price competition or dumping coming from GM or the other guys. The rebates are worse this month. Those Mexican/Canadian-built Italian cars (even though we subsidize them) are also more expensive this month unless you already drive one which will get you one cheaper by ~$500.
Assembly of the vehicle only accounts for 8%. Nissan, the French auto maker proves this daily as they only employ 12k people in the US and 250k world wide. My F150 is one of the last vehicles to be made by over paid over insured Americans
There are a lot of different departments that make up the total pie of a business, don't kid yourself.
If the big 3 go under the joke will be on us. The only company currently hiring in the US is the US mint. They can't keep up
This is unless you think Government and service jobs are real jobs
So you seem to diss the gov't but who's keeping this shrinking workforce (and Italian "investors") afloat? They would have seized to exist a long time ago. I'm semi-ok extending loans to them but another $5 billion grant to Chrysler this month (?!) The mint and the Chinese peasants buying up US foreclosed properties will be busy indeed...
P.S. You forgot healthcare and education, and... oh yes, banks :-)
http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/g8-impala-front.jpg
I did a 'shop job myself a while back...
I tell myself a wagon flavor with a stick would make it perfect for me but chances are slim I'd buy it anyway. Be realistic, man. It's no Aztec and you just have no cash or a true need for it.
I'm not really trying to offend you but that's how most of the consumers are: cheap, practical and mostly wishful thinkers.
I don't like Pontiac styling and it is more than just the surface aesthetics. A Pontiac has a certain style/reputation that I've never been a fan of...I'll take Chevy style with Cadillac (or better) materials over anything. I consider myself a "regular guy" with a taste for quality. I don't particularly want a Pontiac OR Cadillac. Toyota might fit me individually but the average arrogance of it's dealers and/or owners is a huge turn off. Other foreign brands suffer the same issue to varying degrees.
So, I will also go with the stance that looks DO matter as does brand. If this were a Chevy, aside from the front-end not being an issue, I would have already overlooked the Aussie quirks inside rather than dwelling on them. It's psychological but it doesn't make it any less "real."
I can definitely see your point. I am pretty sure the manual transmission is only a performance thing these days (at least in profit margin car). The cost of automatic transmissions has come down enough that the option becomes more expensive in the way of calculating the cost of supporting two (or more) options (as you state, you're paying a premium to get the GXP). Unfortunately, it seems you either have to go large or small for a manual these days. Although, once the price premium goes away, the new Camaro could work. I would probably buy one of those now but the dealers are demanding $7K+ over the sticker. I'd love to have the newest thing on the road but not for that kind of money.
As for going eco-freak, I would definitely consider something like a Volt or other high-tech/high-efficiency option. However, it will be a second car, parked neatly beside my new G8 (which I'm leaning more and more towards). I've heard of other older generation motor heads that have become eco-crazy with hyper-miling. They now strive for maximum miles per gallon rather than the opposite. The first Prius owner our company hired was that way. That trait is in me as well as I enjoy the power of these cars but also try to maximize fuel mileage most of the time. In my current car ('06 Chevy Impala SS), I keep my display in the "Inst Economy" mode so I can continuously monitor my fuel mileage. It's taught me a few tricks at maximizing mileage even though there isn't much leeway.
Anyway, back to the manual option, I don't see it coming mainstream. There's just not enough people who actually prefer it. I once did but back problems make me want to keep my legs in the few comfortable positions I have left and that doesn't include manual shifting. :sick: As for the younger generation, they are less and less in touch with their cars so the appeal is lost on them.
the homologation cost for an additional manual-trans drivetrain probably no worth it for GM for such low production #s..
we're lucky to have a chance to buy the car with the 4 drivetrains they did/do homologate&offer! cheers...
"Options Code: 99
Leather Interior To Sample
Includes leather trim interior color to match customer's unique color sample. (Subject to restriction - please see dealer for details; may add additional 3 to 6 months to complete order."
[[ ONLY $1,750 MSRP ]]
- Ray
Happy with black & red seats in my silver G8 GT...
I love the exclusivity of this car. I saw a total of three on my 500 mile trip this weekend. All were different colors (including mine). I've waited a long time for a car that fits what I want. Aside from the daytime visibility of the dash, this car is nearly perfect.
Anyone know of a way to lock the driver's door other than using the FOB or key? I liked the delayed locking feature on my Impala but if I'm forced to use the FOB, at least it gives me an excuse to look back at my baby each time.
Executive Summary: I enjoy every drive in this car & it has met or exceeded every expectation. If it was flattened by a meteorite in the parking lot today, I’d make every effort to replace it with an identical G8 GT – same color & equipment. That is very high praise, indeed.
Car: Sport Package, Premium Package, Sunroof.
A few details: MPG has risen slowly but steadily, as I have added miles. In my first 3,000 miles, including a virtually identical trip to visit the same friends in Florida, I was averaging 18 MPG overall – and that trip MPG was approx. 22.5. This past trip – driving exactly the same route @ the same speeds, & under somewhat less favorable weather conditions [ much hotter ] for fuel mileage, I averaged approx. 25.0.
My overall average has gradually risen to nearly 20 MPG [ 19.97 according to my Excel spreadsheet ], from about 18 early on.
My ‘best’ MPG, under near ideal conditions has risen also. Typically once each week I stop at the same station & fill at the same pump – then immediately drive 20 or so Interstate miles as the first portion of my commute to work, leaving before 6AM and entering the highway when traffic is relatively light and I can generally maintain 65 to 70 MPH. I reset the DIC at the fill. When I exit the highway portion of my commute I check the DIC. When new, the MPG would display 22 to 23. I have seen this rise to 25 then to 26 then to 28 – and this morning, best ever, it displayed 29.4 MPG. Not bad at all, in my view.
Dynamically, I still see this as the closest thing to a four door Corvette [ I traded in a C6 ‘Vette Coupe ] on the market in the U.S. of A. - for a reasonable price. And I see the actually transaction prices, now that the initial MSRP + + nonsense has long disappeared, as a screaming bargain.
I do have some concerns about long term parts availability & service – we shall see.
Driving 6+ hours at a time, to and from Florida on this past trip, I was reminded of several things:
1 - How comfortable the cabin is. The seats remain comfortable & supportive even after long stretches of seat time. The seat, steering wheel, pedals relationship is ergonomically excellent, for me. I find the quality of the interior materials, fit & finish to be very acceptable. And I have experienced no squeaks, rattles, moans or groans – even when driven over poor road surfaces.
2 – How terrific the performance of this drivetrain is. For example, I had occasion a couple of times during this trip, on rural 2 lane roads, to blast past someone dawdling at 5 or 10 MPH below the speed limit. By the time my foot moves from steady quarter throttle in sixth gear to WOT and I start to swing into the other lane, the 6L80 trans. has quickly dropped to second or third gear and the acceleration rate is quite satisfying. Very nice.
3 – How steady & secure the handling is. I hit over an hour of steady [ often monsoon ] rain on the return leg of the trip. The car handles this annoyance very well – feels precise & secure at all times. In my daily driving, the Sport suspension performs with a near ideal compromise [ for me ] between firmness \ responsiveness and comfort. I find that the damping rates, bushings, springs and tires work very well together.
4 – I have had my issues with XM marketing \ sales \ [ automatic re-]billing, but on such a trip, I really enjoy and appreciate the choices & the good reception outside metropolitan Atlanta.
5 – The Turn-By-Turn directions are useful & generally well implemented.
6 – I enjoy having a sunroof again - with the option of closed, open, multiple vent positions, sunshade, etc. This is one feature I really missed driving the Corvette – the coupe’s removable roof I found basically useless.
7 – Fun. This car is remarkable fun to drive.
And that is very important to me.
Cheers,
- Ray
No buyers remorse here . . .
Excellent review and at approx 1300 miles, I'm in full agreement. It's good to hear the solidness of this chassis remains in tact up to at least 10,000 miles. My Impala impressed me with the lack of squeaks and rattles, especially for all the cheap plastic used in it's dash and door panels. Based upon that car's durability and my impression of this car's construction and more than sufficient quality of parts, I foresee no real problems ahead.
I take my car in to the Chevy dealer here in my hometown of Parkersburg, WV tomorrow. I'm having the brakes and transmission checked (vibration and "slipping", respectively). These are minor nuisances and I expect to be fully satisfied with them either fixing the problems or possibly being unable to duplicate. (This is a freebie visit since I don't live here and have had great service from them in the past). I will expect the problems resolved from the selling dealer but if tomorrow's visit is successful, I'll have peace of mind a little sooner.
One final note, I hope that others speak up more here. I really enjoyed the comradery in the Impala forums. With such a great car, I figured this board would be very busy...even with the low sales numbers. If you're out there reading, please contribute. We all will enjoy hearing your experiences and may even turn you on to something new with your car.
Have a great day, all!
Ron
http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1022141_lutz-saves-pontiac-g8-chrys- - ler-gives-lutzs-dodge-viper-a-reprieve
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/11/lutz-pontiac-g8-to-continue-as-chevy-caprice-- in-u-s-z28-likel
Bear in mind that the Middle East Caprice is NOT our G8. In the ME, the car that our G8 is based on is their Lumina. The ME Caprice is based on the stretched Commodore, not the one that underpins our G8.
http://www.gmarabia.com/content_data/LAAM/ME/en/GBPME/001/G1/1L/1LSSE_overview.h- tml?cntryCd=KW
I only point this out because I see them being confused a lot on other forums and blogs.
Guess this will serve as my 'bridge' car till the Caprice SS, (maybe Impala SS???) or 2011 Genesis arrive.
Korean (and the upcoming Chinese wave) is where I draw the line. I don't mind "foreign" but buying Hyundai or Kia (technically one company) is just wrong. Seeing how GM is setting up its shop in Korea (while VW, BMW, and Toyota expand its factory network in the US) is also sad.
Things may change in time to save American auto manufacturing but only time will tell.
I noticed on the option packages that the Sport package lists a "leather wrapped sport steering wheel." Does it look or feel different than the standard GT steering wheel? Also, do the 18s look appreciably smaller than the 19s? I believe they're the same design.
The only remaining GTs in Atlanta have both option packages so I haven't seen one without them to compare. A dealer out of town has these two cars in stock so I'm doing this semi-blind. Thanks
I don't know that the 18s look much smaller but the design is noticeably different. I don't exactly LOVE the 19" wheels but the 18" wheels are not for me (not sure why...maybe they look "dated" to me?). The 19s are smooth surfaced where the 18s have an indented surface on each spoke. You should be able to see both on the Pontiac web site and decide.
Overall, the added extras make the car look a bit classier, in my opinion. Either way, though, I think you'll really be happy with it. I love mine.
Several sources indicate that what is now
on dealer lots is all there will be...
No more inbound.
Good luck!
- Ray
G8 GT w/Sport & Premium & Sunroof...
i have had them on about 3k miles so far so good, I have received quite a few complements from fellow g8 enthusiast
Later,
Roger in UT
If you can get your hands on a new GXP anywhere, buy it and put it in a garage. It is one of those rare muscle cars, destined to be worth many times what you paid for it in twenty years.
Great job, Pontiac. You did a really exceptional last car.
I love my G6, it is loaded with leather and everything except the V6. But, it does handle pretty good. Had to get used to the suspension. It is a fun car, but that is not speaking from driving experience, as that is quite low. The fit and finish is here and there. The engine is no wear near the quality and pep of my 4cyl Accord. Night and day difference. I have 1yr left on my lease!!
The G8 V8 I took out for a drive was nice, fast! However, looking around. I did notice again the hit and miss quality of fit and finish. Different areas of the car looked a little cheap, plastic like feel. So, it seems to me that it fell a bit short. But, it is ahead of the game when being compared to its other models under the pontiac name. It is the size of car that I prefer. Perfect for a family car, but with a sporty appeal. Plenty of power.
Do I think they did a bad thing, by removing the G8? Yes, I totally think they should have kept the car out. But, with a different name. It deserves way more than it got! It really has some appeal! Do I think it is some rare sports car? No. lol it might have some value later.
I would totally get a G8, but given my experience so far.... it would keep me from ever returning back to GM. No free oil changes or preventative care is going to keep me with them. Too bad the G8 had to die. they had something.
I would have leased the G8, but they weren't leasing in 08.
Like with any other GM, its like driving on unstable ground...watch out for the pot holes, you better hope your love for the car outweighs the nuisance.