Latest Rental-A Pontiac G6

[SilverLexus]

This car is Evidence A in why GM can't win the hearts of Americans to buy its product anymore (at least in Pontiac brand).



Even though it has low miles here are some annoying features:



1. The profile of the steering wheel is triangular! Looks ugly and very, very uncomfortable.



2. Cheap materials in the interior. Looks horrible and the shift gate rattles.



3. Red lights come on at night and a very difficult to read.



4. Seats are very narrow.



5. No ride quality whatsoever despite new tires.



6. No rear visibility.



7. When you pop the trunk it does not open more than a quarter inch. Very rough to open from there even.



8. Very low quality paint.



9. Triangular side mirrors don't show what cars are in the lane and are difficult to position.



10. Car stereo is terrible.



An ergonomic and engineering nightmare. Can't wait to get home and drive my own car...

 

[Kanchou]

Pontiac realises its in trouble ever since Oldsmobile was pulled.



The G6 is built on a good chassis to work from and the pushrod engine is 20 years tough in development now, but yeah, complaints about everything not on the suspension are pretty high.



One of the things Pontiac is looking to do is to drop all x-over vehicles and all Front Wheel Drive vehicles. The Solstice is an excellent start...



http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C8078/

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=115566

 

[TriumphGT6]

My Aunt went from a 2003 or 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT1 w/ the best engine and the sport appearance package to a 2006 G6 and the G6 is quite a turd compared to the GP. Doesn't get really any better gas mileage, is built a lot cheaper, and she only pays $9 less a month on her lease.



I loved the GP GT but hate the G6, she does too.



GT6

 

[Joshua312]

Very good info to know about thanks for the heads up..Anyone have any insight on the Solstice quality?

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I had been eyeing the previous generation GP GTP for several years, but they kept taking features out that I liked (tire pressure monitor, trunk-mounted CD changer). At the time I thought it was to keep from competing too hard with the Bonneville.



I really didn't like the current generation GP (ugly, too big, etc.), so I fixated on the upcoming G6. I never drove one, because I was too turned off by the awful interior. There was no GTP G6 at the time, not sure if the interior is any nicer in the top package. Coincidentally, I drove by my local dealer on the way home tonight to check that--and, shades of last summer--they had NO vehicles in the showroom and almost nothing in the lot--one dealer who doesn't stock a lot of vehicles--last summer they had NO cars, only SUV's.



I've had GM's forever, but they certainly seem in the death spiral. I was looking at the Cadillac website last night, and they are coming out with a stretched (20") Escalade, called the ESV. Yeah, that's what I want when gas is $3.05, a 220" truck with 403 HP that costs $57K. Funny thing is I bet Toyota keeps selling that one after they buy GM.

 

[Joshua312]

^ I have a 99 GTP currently and was looking to upgrade to a G6 as I liked the styling...looks like I'll be looking elsewhere now. The Grand Prix is really in need of a face-lift. The current styles are too big/bulky/cheap looking. There is alway the Soltice GXP Setec :2thumbs:





Edit: Go to Pontiacs website...Anyone notice there is now a G5? I never knew about this! Looks like a competitor to the Cobalt, but I actually like the looks of the G5...hmm now if only they come out with a GTP/supercharged version - Really digging the orange color

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I have a 99 GTP currently and was looking to upgrade to a G6 as I liked the styling...looks like I'll be looking elsewhere now.

As a GP GTP owner you know that a G6 GTP could bear no resemblence to a base model rental car. That's why I was reserving judgement somewhat until the G6 GTP came out.

Go to Pontiacs website...Anyone notice there is now a G5? I never knew about this! Looks like a competitor to the Cobalt, but I actually like the looks of the G5...

It must be the replacement for the Sunfire, which I didn't even realize they had already discontinued. Like the looks? Seemed to be only one picture, from the back...

 

[Joshua312]

Well I hope you are right about the GTP - I much rather prefer the G6 over the G5...Now that you said something I didnt even know it was a replacement of the sunfire....Here is a link I found with another crappy picture of the G5, I do like the front end, but as I think about it...I dont like it over any other car on the road because there really isnt anything special about it except the front end.



http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/07/pontiac-g5-debuts-at-fundraiser/



http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/13/pontiac-to-get-cobalt-based-econobox/



"The model will be a temporary thing until a more Pontiac-like small car is developed"

 

[EBPcivicsi]

I have never understood why anyone would buy a pontiac.

 

[TGates]

I have never understood why anyone would buy a pontiac.

Because sometimes 200 hp just isn't enough, like say, for example, those times when I want my car to get out of its own way.

 

[EBPcivicsi]

Because sometimes 200 hp just isn't enough, like say, for example, those times when I want my car to get out of its own way.

I would assume that's a Honda reference?



Here's my point, why would anyone buy a G6 over an Accord? I mean, IMO there is no advantage to the G6. Same thing would apply to a camry as well. Why would anyone choose a G6 over a Camry? I guess if you like low-rent interior, horrible ergonomics, and even worse long-term reliability the choice is clear.

 

[imported_themightytimmah]

If I buy another Pontiac, it's going to be an off-lease GTO. As a current GTP owner ('97) Pontiac has really failed to sell me on the new Gran Prix design, it looks too bulky and way too much like the mid 2000's Bonneville. I love American cars, and it'll be a cold day in hell before I give up my loyalty to GM.



Sadly, that cold day in hell might be coming soon, as I'm looking in the mid-20s price range and my only real options are the GTO, Acura CL and Mustang (and you'll catch me in the CL before you see me in a Ford).

 

[EBPcivicsi]

If I buy another Pontiac, it's going to be an off-lease GTO. As a current GTP owner ('97) Pontiac has really failed to sell me on the new Gran Prix design, it looks too bulky and way too much like the mid 2000's Bonneville. I love American cars, and it'll be a cold day in hell before I give up my loyalty to GM.



Sadly, that cold day in hell might be coming soon, as I'm looking in the mid-20s price range and my only real options are the GTO, Acura CL and Mustang (and you'll catch me in the CL before you see me in a Ford).

Now a GTO is at least a HECK-of-a-lot of car for $. I wouldn't buy one with my money, but they are a blast to drive.

 

[jlynntc]

Here's my old '99 GTP I sold back in Oct.

I loved this car but it had to go. The new ones just don't appeal to me. I do like

the GTO, Solstice and the Torrent SUV. The others just don't cut the mustard.

The 97-2003 GTP's are great cars. I had some major mods done to mine, but as a

basic everyday driver it was a great car. :getdown

 

[jimmybuffit]

The GTO Is anice car, with great build quality.



Of course, it is made by Holden in Australia... :nixweiss



Jim

 

[TGates]

I would assume that's a Honda reference?



Here's my point, why would anyone buy a G6 over an Accord? I mean, IMO there is no advantage to the G6. Same thing would apply to a camry as well. Why would anyone choose a G6 over a Camry? I guess if you like low-rent interior, horrible ergonomics, and even worse long-term reliability the choice is clear.

I'm just ribbin' ya little. I see your point, and I agree with you to some degree. A Honda Accord is a lot nicer than a Grand Prix, and probably nicer than a G6, although I'd hardly call the interior of the G6 shoddy. I think the G6 is a cool little car, especially with the retractable hard top. Is there a place for that car in the market? Probably not a very big one, but when will we see an Accord with a retractable hard top? At least GM is trying to spice it up a bit. I'd rather have a G6 than an Accord, but I bleed bowtie through and through.



I can list lots of reasons anyone would choose a G6 over a Camry. The newest Camry is the first Camry I have ever seen with any glimpse of a sporting nature to it... and that's fancy gauges, sporty wheels, and a spoiler. A G6 coupe is at least an entertaining car to drive. A Camry??? Doesn't get much more boring than that. I guess the mass appeal of a Toyota is its reliability and build quality. I prefer to have a car I can have fun driving. Toyota had the best of both worlds at one point in my favorite car of all time... the MKIV Supra. Nowadays it's either a Corolla, a Yaris, a Camry... :tumblewee



FWIW, the new Grand Prix with the Northstar V8 is kinda cool. Too bad its FWD.

 

[TGates]

The GTO Is anice car, with great build quality.



Of course, it is made by Holden in Australia... :nixweiss



Jim

The build quality of my $35,000 GTO compared to my $55,000 Corvette is night and day. The interior of the C5 is, well, really pretty bad. The seats are terrible, the panel gaps you can see from Mars, and the quality of the leather is very poor. The GTO, on the other hand, has thicker carpet, nicely textured leather (reminds me a lot of the leather in the 335Ci I test drove), silver accents, suede highlights, soft plastics on the dash, a Blaupunkt cd changer/head unit, smaller panel gaps inside and out, projector beam headlights, a strut tower brace from the factory, sporty fabric on the headliner and A-pillars, matching colored stitching on the e-brake handle and shift boot, etc. etc. Nice little touches. Did I mention 400+ hp and 400 lb/ft of torque?



That car, as we all know, was not for everybody. I'm sure glad I got mine, though. I'd have a hard time deciding between keeping it or the Z06, although the Z06 is much, much faster.

 

[steck]

someone should take bob lutz fishin'.

 

[SilverLexus]

I think the G6 is a cool little car

Have you driven one? It sucks. Poor handling, slow, crap ergonomics. GM can do better than this.

 

[imported_truzoom]

GM can do better than this.

They sure can, but are they? As of right now, I don't really see much going on except the release of new models here and there. Sure they are pushing E85 and hybrid technology, but I just see a lack of focus when it comes to them developing cars that can accomodate the needs of 2006, 2007, 2008...and so on, and something that can TRULY compete with other domestic and foreign models of the same class.



I'm somewhat convinced that GM relies on their loyal customer base to keep them in business, so there may be a tendency to improve, but not redesign vehicles.



The new Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade just does not impress me because it is more or less a makeover of the exterior to keep consistent with changing times. Of course, I have seen my fair share of people that actually upgraded from their '02 Tahoe to an '06 Tahoe without even considering their alternatives. What's the point? Maybe it'll impress the neighbors...



And the HHR? I guess GM decided to make something to compete with the PT Cruiser...only 5 years late.



I'm not going to hesitate to say that frankly, I'm tired of GM's lack of innovation and creativity.