Just Took Delivery of G8 GXP

[Mr_GTO]

Originally Posted by 71 T/A

While you guys are singing the praises of this car, I still feel:
1) It is way overprice and will depreciate like any other car (not quite the same rate, but it'll depreciate).
2) The roofline is way too curved and looks almost like one from an AMC Pacer.
3) The engine is a Chevy derived V-8.

What new car doesn't depreciate? Nobody is buying them to collect them....well maybe some are gambling on that but 90% are not.

Roofline is too curved? Well looks are and will always be subjective.

LS3 is not Chevy derived. Chevy doesn't make LSX engines. GM Powertrain does.

[71 T/A]

Originally Posted by Mr_GTO

What new car doesn't depreciate? Nobody is buying them to collect them....well maybe some are gambling on that but 90% are not.

Roofline is too curved? Well looks are and will always be subjective.

LS3 is not Chevy derived. Chevy doesn't make LSX engines. GM Powertrain does.

If money's no object, then sure it's okay to spend $40K on a car. But it will be worth $22-$23K MAX in two short years. They are charging you $8,000 over a GT for a better V-8 and slightly better handling and not much more. That's value?

Yes, looks are subjective, so we'll leave that alone. It's definitely not a Pontiac V-8 under the hood and to me that means it's half a Pontiac. You might as well change the look, which may occur someday, and call it an Impala SS. But lots of people could care less what's under the hood, as long as it's fast, so they buy it and that's okay for them.

[OVERULD]

Originally Posted by 71 T/A

If money's no object, then sure it's okay to spend $40K on a car. But it will be worth $22-$23K MAX in two short years. They are charging you $8,000 over a GT for a better V-8 and slightly better handling and not much more. That's value?

Yes, looks are subjective, so we'll leave that alone. It's definitely not a Pontiac V-8 under the hood and to me that means it's half a Pontiac. You might as well change the look, which may occur someday, and call it an Impala SS. But lots of people could care less what's under the hood, as long as it's fast, so they buy it and that's okay for them.

In addition to the better V8 and performance (415 HP/415 Torque) you are also getting better suspension, a six-speed manual option not available on the GT, 14" front rotors with Brembo calipers, XM radio, Bluetooth and a few minor interior enhancements. The difference between what I paid for the GT and GXP after all discounts, etc was only about $4,000 and yes, I would call that value.

I cannot overstate this enough that this is the fastest, most powerful production model ever to wear the Pontiac badge. I don't care if it was made in Australia, China, Great Britan, Detroit or where ever...it has a Pontiac badge and it will be the last great car to ever wear that badge. So what if it shows up in China as a Buick - how many thousands of those do you suppose will be made and then how many do you think will wind up on the streets of the USA? I think not many if any at all. How many Stryker Blue Metallic GXPs are there in the USA? Answer: 56! I think that equals value and collector status. How many 71 Judge Convertibles were made: 17. What are they worth now compared to what they cost new? Here's to hoping that this one will be similar to that 20 plus years from now. I didn't buy them just for transportation.

I bought both of these cars because:
A. I like Pontiacs
B. I wanted rare colors
C. I wanted something to leave for my sons so they could someday say: "I remember the day my Dad brought this car home and I still have the window sticker, the build sheet, the dealer sales order, the owner's manaual, the picutures, the brochures, the emails between Dad and the dealer, the original numbers matching drive train, etc. And oh, by the way, it's a Pontiac and they went out of business right after Dad got this car."

There probably are a bunch of folks who bought them for other reasons and the value may very well drop rapidly for a few years - but again, my reasons for buying were for the long-term potential value and by the time that point gets here, I won't really care and my sons will do what they want with the cars. But you know, I doubt that anyone buying 71 Judge Convertibles back in 71 really had any inkling of an idea just how valuable they would be today. Maybe we should ask Gramps - who just won GTOAA Concourse Gold with his Lucy Blue 71 Judge Vert at Co-Vention...he's the original owner and can sure attest to how much his car has appreciated!

That's just my and I certainly respect yours.

Thanks,

BJ

[PB]

Originally Posted by OVERULD

In addition to the better V8 and performance (415 HP/415 Torque) you are also getting better suspension, a six-speed manual option not available on the GT, 14" front rotors with Brembo calipers, XM radio, Bluetooth and a few minor interior enhancements. The difference between what I paid for the GT and GXP after all discounts, etc was only about $4,000 and yes, I would call that value.

I cannot overstate this enough that this is the fastest, most powerful production model ever to wear the Pontiac badge. I don't care if it was made in Australia, China, Great Britan, Detroit or where ever...it has a Pontiac badge and it will be the last great car to ever wear that badge. So what if it shows up in China as a Buick - how many thousands of those do you suppose will be made and then how many do you think will wind up on the streets of the USA? I think not many if any at all. How many Stryker Blue Metallic GXPs are there in the USA? Answer: 56! I think that equals value and collector status. How many 71 Judge Convertibles were made: 17. What are they worth now compared to what they cost new? Here's to hoping that this one will be similar to that 20 plus years from now. I didn't buy them just for transportation.

I bought both of these cars because:
A. I like Pontiacs
B. I wanted rare colors
C. I wanted something to leave for my sons so they could someday say: "I remember the day my Dad brought this car home and I still have the window sticker, the build sheet, the dealer sales order, the owner's manaual, the picutures, the brochures, the emails between Dad and the dealer, the original numbers matching drive train, etc. And oh, by the way, it's a Pontiac and they went out of business right after Dad got this car."

There probably are a bunch of folks who bought them for other reasons and the value may very well drop rapidly for a few years - but again, my reasons for buying were for the long-term potential value and by the time that point gets here, I won't really care and my sons will do what they want with the cars. But you know, I doubt that anyone buying 71 Judge Convertibles back in 71 really had any inkling of an idea just how valuable they would be today. Maybe we should ask Gramps - who just won GTOAA Concourse Gold with his Lucy Blue 71 Judge Vert at Co-Vention...he's the original owner and can sure attest to how much his car has appreciated!

That's just my and I certainly respect yours.

Thanks,

BJ

Nice BJ, Nice. My favorite is C. I feel the same way on that one. I'd like to do the same, and still may, but I see the numbers are dwindling..

If you are collecting items for the GXP....do you have the June '08 issue of Motor Trend magazine? Pontiac G8 GXP on the cover. Good read. Been wanting one ever since I bought that magazine last year. I'll get one...eventually.

[Scott M]

Originally Posted by OVERULD

Maybe we should ask Gramps - who just won GTOAA Concourse Gold with his Lucy Blue 71 Judge Vert at Co-Vention...he's the original owner and can sure attest to how much his car has appreciated!

Just don't ask him how much money he would have today if, instead of buying that smog-mobile GTO and maintaining it all this time (not to mention the restoration costs), he'd have invested it in the equities market for 38 years.