8 vs. 5

[Overpaid Slacker]

I love this ad:



HA HA
RIGHT?

[island911]

That's some good sell'n.

[Jeff Higgins]

No sale. The Pontiac will be a rattling, faded POS within five years with most of its options and electronics no longer functioning. The seats will have split, it will be on at least its second transmission, and will have all the resale value of a used condom.

One of my pet "car mag" peeves is this sort of comparison. It's always about the "biggest bang for the buck", but they never consider build quality, projected reliability, resale value, or anything at all like that. In their world, a new Corvette is a "better" car than a new 997, just like this ad tries to convince us this Pontiac is a "better" car than the Beemer. Like when "Dodge just made Porsche dial '911'"... I don't think I've seen a Dodge Stealth on the road in ten years.

[Jims5543]

Well said Jeff.

I was marveling at my sons E30 as we drove it from Virginia to Florida picking it up from RickV. Its a 1990 with a 170+K miles on it and it purrs like a kitten and looks like its new.

I wonder how a 1990 Pontiac Grand Prix or Grand Am is holding up today?

[Les Paul]

My wife got a 98 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP in the fall of 97. 230k miles later it runs like a champ. 2 alternators, one air conditioner compressor, 1 water pump, numerous brake pads, 1 front wheel bearing, and on only its second set of plugs. It's my work car and still gets 23-25mpg. Bash all you want but it has been a great car.

[svandamme]

So the alternator is an item that needs replacing every 75K miles on Pontiacs?

[the]

Pontiac has always had BMW envy.


When was the last time you saw a BMW ad comparing themselves to a Pontiac? And Pontiac has been trying to steal BMW's signature kidney grill design for years. I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[the]

(Although I admit, I'd like to rent/test drive a G8, esp. if/when it comes out with a manual transmission. Big honkin V8 with a manual, for $29K, and it isn't a bad looking car).

[gprsh924]

We had a Pontiac minivan for 6 years and it was in the shop way more times than the 15 year old BMW has ever been.

[widebody911]

Pontiac is the body-cladding division of GM

[Seric]

Whatever.

[David]

If I had to drive a 4 door American car and my car allowance didn't cover a Cadillac, I'd drive a G8. Fortunately I don't have to

[911pcars]

BMW is a reference point for many competitors. Have you seen the latest from Lexus? They used to look like MB sedans. Now some are almost clones or a striking resemblance to bimmers.

BTW, I hate the elitist sound of the Lexus announcer.

Off-on-a-tangent rant.

Sherwood

[vbaron]

Not entirely OT, but I love this dig at Lexus