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2008 Pontiac G8

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Comments

  • pafromflpafromfl Member Posts: 47
    Please give details about the pros and cons of your 300C vs your G8/GT !

    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
  • mrpushrodmrpushrod Member Posts: 80
    The only shaking the car exhibits is when holding your speed with light application of the accelerator which puts the vehicle in cyl deactivation mode. None of my passengers have noticed this phenomena. You can coax the car into this mode on level or downhill surfaces, again very easy gas application. The more you get it to do it, the better the mileage (I averaged 25.5 on a trip once) There is no other shaking at all. No vibrations in the drive train. Optional 19" tires are smooth. I am basing this on 4 total GT samples I have driven.

    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.
  • zq8zq8 Member Posts: 82
    Out of the 4 G8/GT's you have driven, did find anything wrong (complaints) about them? Did you like the two-tone red interior ?
  • mrpushrodmrpushrod Member Posts: 80
    Funny thing, the biggest complaints are the switch locations. They are actually not bad once you drive the vehicle for a while. The only bad thing is if you drive multiple vehicles. For some reason I always go for the center console for the windows on my vette now. But when I drive my F150 I still go for the door.

    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.
  • rayainswrayainsw Member Posts: 3,191
    Well, I have not bought 2, but I have driven 4.
    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 . . .
    2022 X3 M40i
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    Yay - what a rebate... that should really move the inventory now... Am I missing something? Wasn't 2009 already much cheaper like in January or something?

    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.
  • mrpushrodmrpushrod Member Posts: 80
    I assume the Mexican vehicles are Fords and the Chrysler's are Italian from your comments. Ha Ha Ha

    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
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    Ford actually makes quite a few decent models here though Fusion and Fiesta will be Mexican and it hurts. Chrysler seized to exist as a "domestic" to me a long time ago - now they're nothing... With GM planning to import Chinese-made cars in 2011 on top of their existing Korean junk (all of it designed, tested, and rebadged in Korea by Hyundai and Daewoo, not Detroit, so don't kid yourself either), I don't think I'll be looking their way either.

    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 :-)
  • nojetsnojets Member Posts: 31
    Wouldn't it be great if we could get one in this country without that awful "I'm disguising myself as a rental car" Pontiac front end? All they need to do is ship it here with the regular Holden front end and glue a Chevy badge to it. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    A different front end and a badge would make you buy this car? Please don’t be ridiculous... What I like to do for fun is to travel all over the world tracing my finger on the globe. I buy exotic cars in every country I go to.
  • white6white6 Member Posts: 588
    Gee, yeah, I've never seen a rental car with a Chevy badge on it...
  • nojetsnojets Member Posts: 31
    News flash for you, people buy cars based on their looks. Or in the case of the Pontiac Aztec fiasco, they don't buy them based on their looks. There is even a market for an Australian company which is importing Holden front ends over here to retrofit G8's back to Commodores. So I guess I'm not the only "ridiculous" one...
  • nojetsnojets Member Posts: 31
  • wideglidewideglide Member Posts: 146
    It looks better than Pontiac's take on it, but I could do without the damned hood scoop. When will GM get it, that sports sedans are about understated sophistication, not boy-racer spoilers and scoops... :confuse:
  • bvdj84bvdj84 Member Posts: 1,724
    I think this looks better than the Pontiac front! Much better.
  • white6white6 Member Posts: 588
    I think it would look fine as a Chevy (if done right). That doesn't mean I think the current G8 looks like a rental car, just because Pontiac sells cars to Avis. So does Hyundai, and Chevy. I personally think they did a much better "conversion" on the G8 than they did on the GTO. And I know all about JHP importing Holden front bumper kits into the U.S.; I installed one several years ago on my 2004 GTO.
    I did a 'shop job myself a while back...
    image
  • mrpushrodmrpushrod Member Posts: 80
    The comment I get most often in regards to my G8 styling is that it looks like a 5 series. That is not a bad thing in a world of boring Camry's in accords.
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    Like I said, if a difference (in your case) between getting the G8 or not is the front fender and a badge then you're not serious and it's all in your head. I'm 99.9% sure you wouldn't have bought it even if it came like that. Otherwise what's stopping you from buying it as is and getting the fender conversion as you pointed out and getting a couple of stick-on badges from ebay?

    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.
  • vinnynyvinnyny Member Posts: 764
    If GM makes this car, I will buy it on the first day. Make the hood scoop functional and I'll buy two...
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    I was hoping for a Chevy-badged G8 with Chevy ergonomics inside but I guess it will never be. I'm leaning over the edge right now, and will either pull the trigger or pass by Tuesday when the incentives end.

    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." :)
  • carstrykecarstryke Member Posts: 168
    manual transmission is available on the lower and higher end models(holden commordore) why doesnt the g8 offer it in the GT and base models. Perhaps the market for manual transmissions are better in AUS, however me personally wouldnt buy a g8 auto :/ if i wanted to drive a automatic id keep driving my boring basic poor mans chev impala ><. I mean this car is beautiful and is pretty much what im looking for minus the auto tranny flaw :/ (not everyone can afford a gxp). O well hopefully these pick up in sales or it does get rebadged into a chev though, cuz id be damned if i will ever be a eco freak in a prius or volt.
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Carstryke,
    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.
  • carstrykecarstryke Member Posts: 168
    I agree, especially with bit about the younger generation being less and less in touch with their cars. I wanna slap 4-5 of my friends upside the head who have spent $35,000-$45,000 (cdn $)on smaller to midsize suv's. Not to mention a good chunk of my friends never have and never will drive a manual tranny. As for me i will wait and hopefully gm will give me a vehicle like the g8 that i can afford that comes with a manual tranny but that is a very unrealistic thing to think :/ I guess it all boils down to vehicles are just appliances for us north americans(yes there are exceptions but to most people), the less work the better. Im pretty sure we will have couches that scratch our own butt's for us in 10 years anyways.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    carstryke, i'd probably be driving a G8 Gt (or V6!) if it were available with manual trans.
    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...
  • wideglidewideglide Member Posts: 146
    GM seems to have sort of adopted The Henry Ford approach; You can have it any way you want, as long as it has an auto transmission and a black interior. And they wonder why they're bankrupt! Give people what they want, or they will find someone who will! :mad:
  • rayainswrayainsw Member Posts: 3,191
    Too bad they have not adopted the Porsche 911 approach:

    "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...
    2022 X3 M40i
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Took delivery of my '09 G8 GT on 30 Jun and I'm lovin' it. I have babied it up to 600 miles but did inadvertently break the rules regarding driving over 68 mph for extended periods. I re-read the manual last night and realized that we're not supposed to exceed 68 mph (for more than 5 minutes) until we get to 3000. I think I'll be ok, though. :) Does anyone know what is so special about 68 mph?

    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. :)
  • rayainswrayainsw Member Posts: 3,191
    I recently returned from a round trip drive to visit friends on the Florida [ panhandle ] coast &#150; and passed 9,500 miles on the return leg. So &#150; as I approach 10,000 miles, I decided to document a few impressions of my 2009 G8 GT.

    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&#146;d make every effort to replace it with an identical G8 GT &#150; 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 &#150; and that trip MPG was approx. 22.5. This past trip &#150; 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 &#145;best&#146; MPG, under near ideal conditions has risen also. Typically once each week I stop at the same station & fill at the same pump &#150; 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 &#150; 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 &#145;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 &#150; 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 &#150; even when driven over poor road surfaces.

    2 &#150; 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 &#150; 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 &#150; 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 &#150; 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 &#150; The Turn-By-Turn directions are useful & generally well implemented.

    6 &#150; 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 &#150; the coupe&#146;s removable roof I found basically useless.

    7 &#150; Fun. This car is remarkable fun to drive.
    And that is very important to me.

    Cheers,
    - Ray
    No buyers remorse here . . .
    2022 X3 M40i
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Ray,
    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
  • bvdj84bvdj84 Member Posts: 1,724
    I would opt for a G8 if they offered a lease on them. I would have a little fun with the V8!
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Great news! I was waiting for a new Impala based on the Holden but went with the G8 when it looked like it was going away altogether. Based upon the pictures, I'll stick with the G8 BUT...if I can manage to get the DIC (and possibly stereo) out of a Caprice, I'll be fully satisfied. The G8's looks have grown on me but that STUPID dim red display is plain idiotic, Pontiac at its worst. Maybe my G8 will turn into a "hybrid" of sorts with Pontiac/Chevy/and possibly Holden parts before it's all over. :)
  • sporin71sporin71 Member Posts: 27
    This is great news for sure. :)

    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.
  • etcarrolletcarroll Member Posts: 87
    That's great to hear, however, I wish it had happened sooner, I couldn't nurse my 2001 Impala any further, so just exchanged it for a 2003.

    Guess this will serve as my 'bridge' car till the Caprice SS, (maybe Impala SS???) or 2011 Genesis arrive.
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    2001 and it already needed nursing (?) a bit unsettling, I guess... I often catch myself still thinking about my 2002 Trooper as a new car :)

    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.
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    At the risk of going political, health care is the key difference that is leading the domestics elsewhere while foreign brands thrive. Notice that the foreign brands set up shop in the south where labor laws are more conducive to non-union (read no health care) labor.

    Things may change in time to save American auto manufacturing but only time will tell.
  • jlaszlojlaszlo Member Posts: 60
    Trying to decide between a fully loaded GT (sports, premium and sunroof) and a GT with no options. I could care less about leather seats, power seats, sport pedals, etc) but do care about a leather steering wheel and if the 18" wheels look too small on the car. I would like a sunroof but it's not a deal-breaker. The price difference between the two cars, after taxes and discounts, is about $2500.

    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
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    I haven't seen a non-leather steering wheel but I did ask. The non-leather steering wheels have the basic soft/foam/rubber coating around the entire wheel. On mine, the perforated leather is definitely noticeable. On the left side of mine, the pin holes are a little noticeable (may have been stretched a little too tight?) but it's not a problem. I definitely prefer it over the standard wheel, though. I think you're forgetting the leather shifter, as well. Another plus that I would definitely want.

    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. :);)
  • whoosierdaddywhoosierdaddy Member Posts: 76
    Bob Lutz reversed himself today and said the G8 is gone and will not reappear in any form after all....that must have been an "interesting" meeting with Fritz. So anyone who wants a new G8, get one while you can. I like mine a lot so far; however prices of parts unique to this car (which is most of 'em) will only get more expensive and less readily available.
  • bowtiefan1bowtiefan1 Member Posts: 25
    I have the base GT. It comes with a leather steering wheel. The steering wheel on the base GT is all solid leather, where the wheel on the premium package is half solid leather and half perforated leather in the 3 and 9 positions. I actually like the solid leather wheel better. I'm not crazy either about the perforated leather that comes on the seats with the premium package. I think a solid leather would have looked better. Nonetheless, I prefer cloth seats over leather as I think they're more comfy/cozy. As for the wheels, I have the 18's. They look very proportional to the car in person and I'm very happy with them. As far as the shift knob, it is not leather on the base GT, but plastic. I replaced mine with a leather shifter and it's a very easy switch. If you can get a good deal on a base GT, I would not hesitate doing so, you'll be very happy and can always upgrade with the sport and premium items later.
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    I'll second bowtiefan1. I intended to suggest that you could upgrade your base GT with most of the parts that come with the two upgrade packages and likely have money left over. You could then choose aftermarket wheels that you might like better than the package wheels (something I'm strongly considering). :)
  • rayainswrayainsw Member Posts: 3,191
    Whatever you do choose - I would not wait.
    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...
    2022 X3 M40i
  • whoosierdaddywhoosierdaddy Member Posts: 76
    Yes. Inventory in central-Indiana is down to 18 (mostly white, no black), and no more coming in. Glad I got mine in March when you could "steal" one.
  • aaaaa5staraaaaa5star Member Posts: 5
    James i bought my cross drilled rotors for my G8 at www.brakeworld.com i think this is there link link titlebrakeworld.com

    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
  • gearhedgearhed Member Posts: 26
    If buyers knew how great these G8 GT's are, Pontiac could sell em by the hundreds of thousands.

    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.
  • nojetsnojets Member Posts: 31
    Er...no, Pontiac did not do "a really exceptional last car." They haven't made a half decent car in decades. The "Pontiac" G8 was designed, developed and built in Australia as the Commodore by Holden, an Australian car company with no connection to Pontiac except through it's parent company GM. I drive one, but the first thing I did was remove as many of the Pontiac badges as I could. Pontiac deserved its demise.
  • ken620ken620 Member Posts: 3
    You must have had bad run of luck with pontiac. I'm aware that no manufacturer makes a perfect car, but I own an 09 G8 GT with just over 9k and my wife and I just love it. I also own a 97 Grand Prix gt with,get this, 264958 miles on it. Engine had NEVER been over hauled. I did have to replace the water pump, and now experiencing a shifting issue. Yes the G8 is an Australian car, but really, what car is totally made by the one manufacturer. I think I would've rather seen Buick close their doors, but they cater to the senior crowd.
  • bvdj84bvdj84 Member Posts: 1,724
    I think Pontiac made a decent car that will get you from point A to point B. No real driving experience. I do not own a G8, but a 2008 G6. I did in fact get a lemon of the litter. As my engine has had shifting issues from day 1. Dealer has yet to find the issue, has had a new catalytic converter replaced, window fuses, front brakes replaced, a software flash on the driving management chip. All within the first year!

    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.
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    edited April 2010
    They kept Buick because of China where they sold 2 million of Regals last year - our domestic market is becoming less and less relevant to GM... And as far as the G8 goes, its weight and low fuel economy kept it from being perfect (oh, and for me it was the lack of the wagon version.)
This discussion has been closed.