[mikejub]

May be the wrong forum for these comments, but wondering if anyone has taken one of the new G8s for a spin. Just recently shown up at our local dealers...seems they only get one this year.

Was looking forward to trying it out as looking to replace our family sedan and this new Pontiac seems to fit the bill...good looks, decent perforance and practical 4-doors for what I needed.

Most power for under 30-grand. Great sign me up!

Here's the piss off...unfortunately I live on the north side of the US/Canada border...so the loaded up G8 GT here is 42-grand...25% more than the same car 10 miles south of the border. Seems rather excessive now that our currencies trade about par.

And no one...from the dealer to calls/emails to GM corporate can explain it. And GM forbits US dealers to sell new cars to Canadians. Then there is the issue of tranferring warranties.

I think Pontiac has a great little car...and I was ready to buy today. But in stiffing non-US buyers in this way, with no explanation other than to say that's the way it is, just pisses me off.

I'll keep my old Pontiacs, but this type of corporate bullying simply destroys the brand loyalty for at least this customer. Is 10-grand an overwhelming sum...no...just the point of screwing non-US buyers gets me. Sure...could wait a year and buy one used...but that's not the point either. It's no wonder GM is in the trouble it is today given the way it treats prospective buyers with cash in hand.

Sorry to carry on too far
Mike in Winnipeg

[ClassJ]

Stikes me that the right thing to do is to work a deal with a US dealer to sell you one as a used car.

Dealers run new cars through the CPO program once in a while for customers to clinch a hard sale and sell them as used. BMW dealers love to do this as it gives the customer a extended warrentee.

I am not saying it is widespread, but two family members got it done by two different dealers.

[Cliff R]

Ya, this topic should probably be in another section, like the Lobby or something?

Anyhow, GM is also in trouble for building crappy cars. We leased 2005 Pontiac G-6 when they first came out. Right off the lot it was a great car, powerful, quiet, smooth, and decent looking.

It's just passed 45,000 miles and it's literally falling apart around us.

The brake rotors have been warped since it had 300 miles on it. They have been turned, replaced, turned, replaced and are currently in need of being turned again. The just will not stay true for more than a few weeks after it comes out of the shop. They even conned me into paying them BIG bucks the last time around to change EVERYTHING, instead of doing it myself, and the brakes were acting up after a week. Right now when you hit the brakes the steering wheel just about shakes out of your hands, in conjunction with a "thump-thump-thump" from the wheel area.

There is a LOUD "clunk" in the left front wheel area when you turn sharp and/or hit a bump, you can feel it in the steering wheel and floorboard. I hope the wheel doesn't fall off one day.

The "service engine" light is on more than it's off.

The key switch/starter hangs up.

The right rear wheel bearing sounds like a pop can full of quarters rolling down the sidewalk.

It get crappy fuel economy, at least for the size of the vehicle, 18-22 mpg's.

The back of the passengers seat fell off a few weeks ago.

The CD player ATE 6 of our best CD's. I managed to get them to replace it at no cost, but they kept our CD's!

The key sticks in the ignition, maybe once in every 100 starts. NO WAY to get it out, and it's been looked at/worked out 3 times for that particular problem.

I'll stop now, pisses me off just typing this stuff.

In comparison, I bought my daughter a 2001 Nissan Sentra. It has 120,000 miles on it, just installed the second set of brakes the other day.

It's had the battery replaced, the belts, starter, and one length of exhaust pipe. It looks, runs, and drives like it did when it was new. Gets 28-32 mpg's on every tank.

Now ask me if I'm going to buy another GM vehicle in October when we turn in the leased G-6?.......Cliff

[sleepy]

I think it has to do with import duty and your tax rates. GST is what? 7% and the province, local. Someone has to pay for the welfare er a health care system. And the Queens new diamond studded gold plated support bra.

[mikejub]

Cliff...geez what a nightmare you have...my sympathies. At least this G8 has rather impressive write-ups as quality control and fit/finish seems top notch. I guess I'm just venting disappointment over Canadians getting rolled...especially when my Ford guys are raving about their Mustang GTs and Dodge can't stop gushing over the new Challenger (admittedly sweet rides), when I try to defend Pontiac. Well...no more. Hell...I roll my 69 GTO into the dealership...no one there even gives it a second glance...car was originally from that very same dealership. Makes me wonder if these are even cars guys excited about their product...or just a bunch of sales people.
BTW...the Q-jet you worked over for me still works flawlessly...12.3s at 111...455, out of the box KRE heads and 60919 cam. Beast on the street...yet very driveable...just what I was shooting for.


ClassJ...US dealers won't even deal with me on a new car out of fear of losing their license. I have to wait a year (6 months at least) to see when a used one comes up. And even if I get it up here, Canadian dealers resistant in honoring the warranty. What a scam!


Sleepy...I hear you on our extra taxes...but those come AFTER (over and above) the 42-grand for the car...which all goes to GM.


Looking now instead at buying an Infiniti from Minneapolis...which is also cheaper than dealing with Canadian dealers, but at least no problem getting US dealers to work with me and warranty transfers over no problem.

Again...shame on GM...the suits there seem to be the architects of their own demise.

At least the old Pontiacs still rock

Later Guys
Mike

[mash]

imagine how we feel in australia where the g8 is made when we pay more before its even shipped to the US! g8 is rebadged holden commodore with different front spoiler and grille.

[Cliff R]

Mike, good news, low 12's should get some attention for the 69 GTO!

Old cars around here get plenty of attention, you just don't see too many these days.

I stopped by Jegs the other day to pick up a few things, on a Sunday afternoon. I can remember when the parking lot would be packed with cars and you had to take a number inside to get service. There were 3 cars in the lot, all late model Mustang's, the store was about deserted. Guess the economy may be slowing things up some?.....Cliff

[JSchmitz]

Cliff, I'm sorry to hear about your G6.

It's funny how experiences differ. I just got rave reviews, about a G6, from a guy at the track. He was racing a Duster. He said the G6 was his first GM car ever. He looked to be 55+ years old. They absolutely love the car. He just kept bragging about it.