Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

Didn't know that, thanks for the input

It will kinda, and I use that term loosely, sad to see pontiac go. Though I would never drive any of their cars, I liked the Trans Am, especially with that throaty LS1.

mmarshall

Thanks. Interesting post, suislide. I didn't know Chevy did the Holden platforms in the Middle East.

I still think, though, that here in America (as I indicated in my above post) that a Chevy Holden-based sport sedan would compete too much with its already established, FWD Impala SS, though there is little doubt that true sport-sedan enthusiasts would prefer RWD to FWD.

Chevy did a FWD Lumina nameplate here in the U.S. for some years, but, IMO, it was an unimpressive car, cheaply made, and, in some ways, bordered on being a piece of junk....certainly not like a Holden product.

suislide

G8 is also called Holden Caprice else where.

primecut

iTrader: (1)

Now I wonder if it's coincidence that I've been seeing an influx of brand new G8s rolling around the town the last few weeks. Perhaps they're practically giving them away right now. They seem like very nice cars... just bad timing.

suislide

I'd get one over a IS, 3, and C class anyday

LexFather

One of the reasons I didn't get a G8 GXP. Glad I didn't. I wonder how much they will cost now?

Och

iTrader: (3)

You know what makes me wonder?

Is GM in the same mess overseas? Do they also have to deal with this union nonsense overseas as well?

mmarshall

Well, there is GM's Opel Division, its German/European branch (several Opel-derived or Opel platform vehicles are sold here in America under other GM nameplates), and Germany, of course, is notorious for extremely powerful unions and some of the world's highest labor costs/benefits. In fact, Audi moved production of the TT out of Germany to a Hungarian plant for precisely that reason.

LexFather

Look I liked Pontiac a lot but the truth is they should have canned it over a decade ago.

What people are missing, the BIGGEST telling sign that Pontiac was in the dumps was that Lexus/BMW/Benz, LUXURY BRANDS were outselling Pontiac!!!

Think about that. Brands who's MSRP STARTS where Pontiac ENDS.

That is not a business case at all. Its not like Pontiac sold well in other countries. Nope.
RIP....

mmarshall

Well, if they had done that, we would not have gotten the G8 GT you liked so much (though it's possible that it would have come over as a Chevy). Didn't you say that you once considered buying one?

And we would not have gotten the 2004-2007 GTO either. I know the GTO did not sell well, and got some panning in the auto press for so-called "rental-car" styling, but I disagreed...I thought it looked nice, and brought back a lot of the 60's aura with it, particularly when they added the twin-hood scoops for 2005, like on the original.

And, of course, we would not have gotten the Miata-fighting Solstice either, though I agree the Miata is a better car for several reasons.....overall build quality, ease of top operation, and its excellent reliability record.

LexFather

G8 GXP but the GT is fantastic as well. Bottom line, the car was too little too late.

Pontiac had its head up its but years ago. Let me share my family experience again. Dad bought his company car, a Pontiac Grand Am SE. It was nice, good interior size, etc.
IT FELL APART. It rattled and the paint peeled and just turned to crap.

When it was paid off for not even a month passed and the engine quit on us. So he bought a new one. Then the suspension broke.

He got rid of it and that was pretty much his last straw buying anything American.

mmarshall

No argumants about the Grand Am. It was quite popular in the market place (Pontiac's best-seller for years), but I agree it had poor quality control, an iffy paint job, an over-busy, over-plasticized interior, and was unreliable. I've seen and heard a number of horror stories about older Pontiacs, quality-wise, including Pat Goss from Motorweek, who owned a new Grand Prix that was a classic lemon, even for him, an experienced technician who owns his own shop. The Vibe, of course, was an exception......primarily because of its Toyota heritage. Yet, a friend of mine got a new Solstice a couple of years ago (I helped him with the shopping and deal), and has had no problems. Go figure.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

when gm finally files for bankruptcy after their "9 week" factory stoppage, pontiac will only be a small part of the CHAOS that follows.

leedogg

Actually, its more like the g8 is a rebadged Holden commodore. Holden makes both models in Australia. Pontiac should die, Holden should take its place.

mmarshall

You are correct. The Holden Commodore DID provide the platform for the American-market G8, as the Holden Monaro provided the platform for the earlier GTO. I didn't know, though, that Chevy sold versions of both overseas, as suislide pointed out in an earlier post.
I don't totally agree that Pontiac should die, though, with a strictly Holden replacement. It currently makes some non-Holden stuff that is interesting, too, although not particularly well-built except for the Toyota-based Vibe.

Pontac, though, currently has a habit of making many, if not most, of their vehicle interiors look like all-black coal mines. THAT's something that needs to change; I agree.