Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Sedans Pontiac G8 2008 Pontiac G8
1265 messages, Last post on Jul 21, 2009 at 10:14 AM
You are in the Pontiac G8 Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
|
|
|---|---|
|
I just bought a new 2009 G8 GT. I traded in my 2008 3.5 Nissan Altima...an impulse buy to be sure as I had owed $9500 and would be done in paying off in about 20 months. I got what I think was a very good deal but that is not what I want to talk about. First off, I couldn't be happier with this car. It is very comfortable, looks great (classy yet aggressive for my 41 year old styling) and of course, it is very fast. I am first and foremost shocked at its below 15 MPG local driving. I "got on it" a couple of times and it return it has given me about 12 MPG. Now 3 MPG may now sound like allot but at these low numbers as it is, I can see it. Oh well, let's see how this fairs later. Anyway, I am shocked that Pontiac/Holden let these 9 minor flaws/shortcomings (IMHO) get past them that would be next to nothing to remedy: 1. No red line on tach? Come on guys, this is a performance car! Estimated cost to fix, fifty cents!. 2. No light in glove compartment.Estimated cost, 5 bucks? 3. Trunk release in glove, not that big a deal I guess 4. Exhaust note should be a bit more audible....opinions will vary on this 5. Secure the gas lid or at least the cap. 6. The hood does not appear to be flush, there are three "raised" gaps. Edmunds noted this too. 7. Soft brake pedal, again Edmunds noted this 8. No spare tire. The room used for the air compressor could have at least housed a donut. 9. The red dash light is cheesy, Edmunds pointed that out as well (worst of the 80') All in all, again, just my opinion. |
|
|
djohnny, congrats on your car. 3 mpg is especially significant when it's 25% of the total mpg you are seeing! maybe take a long highway cruise even at high speed and you will be happier with the mpg. There's no trunk release in the glove compartment? hmm... look for a manual trunk release behind headrest of a rear seat, maybe rarely useful to you if it's there. |
|
|
Replying to: djohnny2001 (Mar 01, 2009 11:22 am) The manual shift mode of the automatic is not responsive enough to make use of a red line. Many owners are using handheld tuners to "tighten up" the shifts, and the tuners let you change the maximum shift point rpms. 3. Trunk release in glove, not that big a deal I guess I think Pontiac has been doing this since the 60's. 4. Exhaust note should be a bit more audible....opinions will vary on this AFM (DOD) 4 cylinder mode sounds bad with a good exhaust system. Both the intake and exhaust systems take great pains to wipe out all the noise. Again, the handheld tuners let you disable AFM, and many aftermarket exhaust systems are available (often with massive discounts). 5. Secure the gas lid or at least the cap. ??? Mine locks when the car is locked. 8. No spare tire. The room used for the air compressor could have at least housed a donut. The donut doesn't fit over the larger GT brakes. For forty years, I've been able to plug my leaks without having to remove the wheels (usually just nails and screws). |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: elias (Feb 20, 2009 1:43 pm)  12k and 147k, and 59k Cadillac replaced the entire engine. Sold the car 150 miles later... At the time they were replacing the engine, I purchased a new 96 Caddy and it was disposed of around 90k miles..The Caddies were the wife's wheels.. |
|
|
|
|
Nice looking car, great image, but the process involves training the service personnel and the mechanics to repair this foreign car..let alone keeping replacement parts on hand.. The V-6 edition weighs 2 ton---too much bulk for the puny V-6.. Buy a CTS, better car IMHO, and the dealer will be able to do a better job of keeping it on the road.. Won't comment on the Honda pushers on the Pontiac forums gushing their love for the oriental product...Hope you haven't lost your job in this exciting economy..If you like supporting the Japanese economy---go for it...
|
|
I just did a quick look at building a G8 GT at Pontiac's website. Is there any reason GM can't offer the GT with the manual tranny from the GXP? I'd gladly give up the cylinder deactivation to have the manual. Other than pigheadedness, that is... How about a choice or two in interior colors? I won't buy a car with a black leather interior. Plop down on it in shorts on a hot, sunny summer day... they'll hear you screaming a mile away! How about am option for gray or tan leather - would it really be that hard? How about a wood trim option to give the sterile cabin a little warmth? You can't compete with BMW and Audi, with an interior that looks like....well.... a Pontiac. People like choices. I like choices.
|
|
|
Replying to: motorcity6 (Mar 03, 2009 10:22 am) Better car, perhaps - for you.. Substantially more expensive, though. And. I rented a brand new one a while back. I test drove a loaded 2009 before buying my G8 GT. You may be proven correct regarding long term service. We shall see... - Ray YMMV.
|
|
|
Replying to: rayainsw (Mar 04, 2009 3:12 am)
|
|
|
Replying to: zq8 (Mar 04, 2009 3:44 am) They really are in 2 quite different segments – IMHO. First, price: Base \ RWD with 304HP V6 DI starts at $38,860. Add the UltraView sunroof $900 And the Y43 performance package $1,490 [ to make the equipment level roughly comparable to a G8 GT with every package & option ] results in an MSRP of $42,575. MSRP of the ‘equivalent’ G8 GT = $35,190. The CTS lists for over $7,000 more. Second – dynamics: Based on my driving, both the rental [ not the DI ] and the ‘loaded’ ’09 I test drove last Fall, my view is that the CTS just is not a sport sedan. I am not talking here about handling. Though this is important, and the CTS does handle competently – better than that, with the Y43, I expect – the 304 HP DI V6 just is not particularly powerful, and the 6L50 trans calibration in the CTS just is not aimed [ IMHO ] at performance driving. The acceleration numbers I recall for the 304HP CTS run in the mid-14s. The G8 GT records mid 13-s. That is a difference most seeking performance could likely feel. The V6 is certainly ‘sufficient’ – but driving one, I knew that I would ** REALLY ** miss the G8 GT’s V8, with deep wells of Torque everywhere, at any RPM – as well as the much quicker ultimate acceleration. Some will not care about this aspect. By far, my biggest disappointment with the CTS’s drivetrain was actually the trans. I have heard \ read much about how great the 6L50 is in the CTS. My Corvette had a 6L80 & the G8 GT has the same trans. I drove my ‘Vette & drive my G8 a fair percentage of the time in “S” & manual \ manumatic mode. 2 things about the CTS trans. drove me nuts – to the point that after the first 50 miles or so, I never used that mode again. Thing 1: In my Corvette, & in the G8 once in a gear ( fourth or fifth or sixth, for example, on the freeway ) it will NOT downshift without a manual request. Ever. [ At least not exclusively based on throttle position. ] The CTS will downshift based on throttle position – even in ‘manual’ mode. Often shifting down one or 2 or 3 gears. Weird. And not ‘manual’, by my definition. Not exactly sure what GM is thinking here – though I have experienced something similar in a couple of BMW 3s, with their Steptronic automatic. Thing 2: If accelerating at ( or close to ) WOT, commands to upshift are ignored. Again, my Corvette & G8 will do as told. And again, I have seen this behavior in BMW 3s. Weird. Both these odd ( to me ) choices in the programming of the CTS automatic are counter-intuitive, to me. And I dislike them both. A lot. When driven like a luxury car ( the fun portion of my trip, with my Daughter ) the CTS was fine. When I tried to drive it like a Sport Sedan – no dice. Would not work, for me. The 6L50, as installed in the CTS I find just weird. Very weird. Again, during the 3 days I spent driving the rental CTS driving it as a luxury sedan – not a performance car, with my daughter in the right seat, it was OK. I will refrain from comments about the interior – except to mention that I did not find the seats particularly comfortable. I find the G8 seats very comfortable & supportive. The interior ‘styling’ of the CTS is purely a personal opinion area. Now, one ** CAN ** add a navigation system to a CTS – and AWD – so if those are deal-breakers, clearly the CTS is ‘the winner’. Just my 0.2 gallons worth . . . - Ray Very pleased with the G8 GT – is that obvious??
|
|
|
Replying to: wideglide (Mar 04, 2009 1:29 am) The powertrain is rather common - I wouldn't worry about long-term maintenance too much... |
|
You are here:
Forums
Sedans Pontiac G8 2008 Pontiac G8
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
2009 Pontiac G8
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
