Bye Pontiac

[DSJ]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090427/..._ge/us_gm_plan

Joining the other dead car marques, including Oldsmobile and Plymouth. At least these names will remind us of better times:
Tempest
Bonneville
Le Mans
Firebird/Trans Am
GTO

And the G8? Hopefully they scrap the horrible current Impala and keep this car alive as a Chevrolet.

[Prince]

Originally Posted by DSJ

...At least these names will remind us of better times:
Tempest
Bonneville
Le Mans
Firebird/Trans Am
GTO

And don't forget:
Grand Prix
Grand Am

[doc_colton]

....and the Aztek!

What were they thinking when they designed that one.

[sea-dweller]

While growing up, a neighbor of mine owned a '78 Trans AM with T tops. Oh, the memories of hearing that car roar down the street !

[rolexgiants]

when i think of the word pontiac... i think of other ancient cars... like.. dart, gremlin, and the famous pontiac phoenix.... lol

[diversified]

One of the fastest cars in my neighborhood, while growing up, was a 1968 fastback GTO. I was in the car the day the guy got his car back from a new cam, ignition system and glass pack mufflers. I'll never forget it, he hit the gas and blew his new glass pack mufflers right off the car!

[Ashley]

I didn't know they stopped making Firebirds and Trans Ams. But I know nothing about cars
And, GM isn't going to be focusing on Saturn, along with other brands, but I really liked the revamp that Saturn just had. I mean, the Saturn Sky, anyone? Rawr!

[ippon20]

Are we forgetting the Fiero? I mean, what other car could you drive to a campsite and then use it for roasting marshmellows from the bonfire?

[ijen0311]

I the new G8.

[Noonan]

Originally Posted by ippon20

Are we forgetting the Fiero? I mean, what other car could you drive to a campsite and then use it for roasting marshmellows from the bonfire?

Those things were great. Basically nothing more than a street legal go-cart and quite the death trap.

[diablojota]

It is another sad day in automotive history. A long and proud lineage destroyed by bad policies and bureaucracies of businesses that grew far too large for their own good and added too many layers of rules on how to design cars. I'm assuming they'll rebadge a couple of the cars as Chevy's now (e.g., Sunfire or Sky, G8, etc.). GM has produced half-assed cars for far too long and now they're paying for it (not to mention Chrysler).

[Prince]

Originally Posted by diablojota

It is another sad day in automotive history. A long and proud lineage destroyed by bad policies and bureaucracies of businesses that grew far too large for their own good and added too many layers of rules on how to design cars. I'm assuming they'll rebadge a couple of the cars as Chevy's now (e.g., Sunfire or Sky, G8, etc.). GM has produced half-assed cars for far too long and now they're paying for it (not to mention Chrysler).

Sadly, this is all correct.

[Mike B]

I LOVED the Trans-Am. I was really ticked off when GM discontinued them in 2002. I remember when I was 16 (back in 2002), and went to a Pontiac dealer. Out in the lot was a brand new 2002 Trans-Am auto, T-Tops, etc. I should have bought that instead of the F350. The Trans-Am would've been worth a LOAD of $$ today. Just shamefull that the Pontiac name as we know it, is no more

[diablojota]

Originally Posted by Prince

Sadly, this is all correct.

Yep. I remember reading an article once about how GM had very strict rules about the center stack angles (they had to be within a certain degree), windshield angles, rear window angles, etc. Bob Lutz finally said that they had to push the boundaries a bit and rely a bit less on the engineers...

Ford went through the very same thing very recently (I believe it was with regards to either the new Taurus to come out next year or the new Fusion, can't remember off hand). Basically the designers created a center stack that was sloping at a 37 degree angle (or something like that). The engineers had a sh!7fit, but the boss said, make it work. It just looked so much better with the new interior design...

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by Mike B

I LOVED the Trans-Am. I was really ticked off when GM discontinued them in 2002.

1979 TransAm was the first car I ever owned and yes, God help me, I bought it new and financed it.
Picked it up and there was this giant black mark on the blue dash and pillar didn't windshield didn't align with the dash. Salesman said, well they "don't come perfect you know." As I drove home it started to rain. I turned on the windshield wipers that ran for about a minute before failing and the T-Top was leaking all over my leg.

This was just the start of the troubles. Never bought a GM car again. I won't be shedding any tears over Pontiac going away. I do feel bad for the good people though that are going to suffer due to know fault of their own.

[ippon20]

yeah, my dad sold his 64 1/2 mustang convertible and got a Formula Trans Am with the 454. I loved that car and can distinctly remember telling my dad to put it in turbo (he just downshifted), getting thrown in the back of the seat, then we would watch the gas needle drop like a rock. Looking back, he hates he got rid of the 'stang.

[Lion]

Gm has made a lot of bad decision through the years and now we loose the Pontiac family of cars. I remember driving a 1970 GTO with a 400 engine and just blowing the doors off of most cars.

[Bisquitlips]

Why would they keep Buick and dump Pontiac, the young person's car!!???

This company deserves to go bankrupt!

[Greenring]

Originally Posted by Bisquitlips

Why would they keep Buick and dump Pontiac, the young person's car!!???

This company deserves to go bankrupt!

Buick is a highly regarded brand in China. Back in 1999 when I did some work at the GM Fairfax Plant in Kansas City, KS, I saw Pontiac Grand Prix's coming off the line with Oldsmobile Intrigue's. Basically same vehicle under the skin. So if you want a memorabilia twofer, get an Olds Intrigue. Then you can have both the Olds badge and mechanicals of a Pontiac.

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by Lion

Gm has made a lot of bad decision through the years and now we loose the Pontiac family of cars. I remember driving a 1970 GTO with a 400 engine and just blowing the doors off of most cars.

My father has a 1970 Firebird Formula 400 he bought new in 1970. That sucker can MOVE !! He still has it to this day. He added T-tops to it, and put about $30,000 into the engine. I LOVE that car, you could hear the thing a mile away
Anyway, it's a shame about GM. I was watching the news, and they said that GM is going to close 3 more factories, and 23,000 (or some God awful high number to that effect) are going to loose thier jobs with GM. PLUS GM is closing almost HALF of thier dealerships !!! Two in my area closed within the last few months already !! It just pure sucks. Plus, Saturn, and Saab are also on the chopping block as well.
It sucks too, because I just bought a new Caddy last year, so hopefully parts will still be available when the time comes

[diablojota]

According the the GM CFO, they will not be transferring any of the model lines, either (so no pontiac will be rebadged as a GM). That means that the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice are dead. Too bad. Sweet little cars.

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by diablojota

According the the GM CFO, they will not be transferring any of the model lines, either (so no pontiac will be rebadged as a GM). That means that the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice are dead. Too bad. Sweet little cars.

Wow, that sucks even more. The G8 was not a bad looking car.

[Cato]

It's a shame: now that GM's quality is back, the business side falls apart. If the US Gov't gets a controlling share, I'll never by a GM product.

[diablojota]

I don't know if the GM quality was quite there yet. They still struggled with warranty issues and a lot of quality of materials in the interior. They still used inferior plastics etc. My biggest peeve is with the quality of the interiors. Just used way too many hard plastics. I hear that is going to be the same issue with the new Camaro, which is unfortunate. That's the reason I didn't buy the most recent Mustang because of the cheesy plastics, but apparently they have solved this in the latest release.

And GMs small (cheap cars) were just atrocious. That Pontiac Sunfire had a great drivetrain, but the interior was about as bad as it got. It looked dated, rattled, and overall quality was nil. But the seats were very comfortable...

[Cato]

Originally Posted by diablojota

I don't know if the GM quality was quite there yet. They still struggled with warranty issues and a lot of quality of materials in the interior. They still used inferior plastics etc. My biggest peeve is with the quality of the interiors. Just used way too many hard plastics. I hear that is going to be the same issue with the new Camaro, which is unfortunate. That's the reason I didn't buy the most recent Mustang because of the cheesy plastics, but apparently they have solved this in the latest release.

And GMs small (cheap cars) were just atrocious. That Pontiac Sunfire had a great drivetrain, but the interior was about as bad as it got. It looked dated, rattled, and overall quality was nil. But the seats were very comfortable...

I've been very impressed with Cadillac's interiors and surprisingly the Malibu's. Certainly they aren't on par with Audi's or Jags, but GM's overall reliablity is good. But you are right, there are many models with interiors by Fisher Price.

[gettocard]

are you serious ??? Everytime I travel to the US I was so happy when the car rental gave me a Pontiac....man...so sad..

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by BigHat

1979 TransAm was the first car I ever owned and yes, God help me, I bought it new and financed it.
Picked it up and there was this giant black mark on the blue dash and pillar didn't windshield didn't align with the dash. Salesman said, well they "don't come perfect you know." As I drove home it started to rain. I turned on the windshield wipers that ran for about a minute before failing and the T-Top was leaking all over my leg.

This was just the start of the troubles. Never bought a GM car again. I won't be shedding any tears over Pontiac going away. I do feel bad for the good people though that are going to suffer due to know fault of their own.

I don't think they had leases back in '79.

[redshirt1957]

Of new cars, we currently own two Chevys (93 and 05), a Ford (04), and a Mercedes (06). All have been good drivers and like them all. Quality is about the same if you ask me. Service is another issue. Wife drops her car off at the Mercedes dealer for an oil change, they give her a loaner car, and she picks up her car when it fits her schedule. Can't beat that kind of service.

[diablojota]

Originally Posted by Cato

I've been very impressed with Cadillac's interiors and surprisingly the Malibu's. Certainly they aren't on par with Audi's or Jags, but GM's overall reliablity is good. But you are right, there are many models with interiors by Fisher Price.

Cadillac I count as a different entity practically. They have made huge advances in their interiors, and of course they charge a premium on those cars, so they should be good.

The Malibu is my peeve car. It's about 75-80% on par with interior quality as a Japanese equivalent. But it's the little things that kill me about that car. The seat adjustment handle felt like it was going to break in my hands, for example. Really disappointing, since they made huge strides with the dash materials and the like.

[vh_bu98]

I had an old Firebird when I was in high school. The interior was cheap, the car was heavy, but it was cool looking.