What do you Love or hate about your Pontiac today?

[EaOutlaw]

I find on most cars I have owned there have been many things that I loved about each car, and the list has been equally long sometimes for the things I hated about those cars.

For example on a low mileage Black on Black 04 GTO I used to own I loved nearly everything about the car, it seemed to be well made.

Yet on the leather upholstery much of the stitching was falling apart at the seams.

The seats looked like new yet with the poor quality stitching that did not last, it kind of ruined the look of the interior.

 

[melsg5]

Not sure if I should hate Pontiac so mush as rather myself for doing something dumb. Way back in the 70's decided to install a Ram Air IV camshaft in a 1971 455 HO engine, it already came with what was called the Ram Air III camshaft. Used the cam, lifters, pushrods, rocker arms, guide plates, rocker arm studs and adjusting nuts, basically everything. This is in a car with a automatic and stock torque converter and AC. The car had incredible power but couldn't get it to idle especially once you turned on the AC. Years later I discovered the flaw in my plan. Most people when doing this used Rhoads lifters, at low engine speeds they have a higher bleed down rate reducing the durations characteristics of the camshaft. Once you increase engine RPM they pump back up and you get the full characteristics of the camshaft. One drawback is they can be noisy at idle speeds. I eventually pulled the Ram Air IV camshaft and all it's components and put everything back to stock.

 

[EaOutlaw]

Damn that is a lot of work to do twice.

At least you got to know the inside of your engine pretty well.

 

[2002SEsunfire]

I like most things about my 2002 sunfire, such as the sporty appearance, even though its a sedan. I also like the fact that the suspension on mine at least just feels great, feeling every bump and dip in the road is just the most wonderful feeling. The three things I do not like are, the lackluster performance of the 2200 ohv. The other thing I do not like is the 4speed auto when it kicks down it just makes the engine rev way up with no quick acceleration (some freeway merges can be scary). The third is no v6 option. But overall it is one of the most plain jane all around reliable feel good car.

Sometime in the future I want to rescue a classic Pontiac, hopefully a catalina or bonneville.

______________________________

 

[richardgriese]

I love my GPGT; I just drove 224.1 miles on 6.381 gallons so about 35.12 mpg all hiway on I-35 in Texas with stop and go due to construction. I drove between 60-85mph. This isn't the best mpg I've gotten either. My best has been around 38 mpg (again all highway). This car suits my driving which allows me to get this kind of milage. I also get better than average mpg on my 05 Impala 3400.

Anyway back to Pontiac, I enjoy the styling and cheapish parts. I love my green paint (although this isn't proprietary to Pontiac) because most other cars are just white, gray, black. I enjoy the styling and the car still feels modern enough to fit in reasonably well (if that means much to anyone)

I like the cost to own it as well (but then again this is a used car so that again isn't proprietary necessarily).

I just replaced both battery cables and the new ones are a different design. I like the parts were in expensive. At this point, everything else is working great and I'm happy with it.

At any rate, what else do you guys liek about your Pontiacs?

 

[EaOutlaw]

I cannot speak for my current Pontiac because I am still looking for one.

However every single Pontiac I have ever owned seemed to have a little more attention to detail than its Chevrolet counter part.

For me its like the designers and engineers put a little extra passion in each Pontiac they made.

 

[richardgriese]

@Ea what kind of Pontiac are you looking for?

Agreed that the styling is better through and through. For whatever reason, my new (used) cars have always been Pontiac lately. My [now] wife got in a wreck - we got a Grand Am. She got sandwiched in that, we got the 04 Grand Prix. I wanted an extra car for us in case this happened again, we got the 02 Grand Prix. When we have need for a van or something, we are just going to go for a Pontiac because why not?

 

[EaOutlaw]

@Ea what kind of Pontiac are you looking for?

Agreed that the styling is better through and through. For whatever reason, my new (used) cars have always been Pontiac lately. My [now] wife got in a wreck - we got a Grand Am. She got sandwiched in that, we got the 04 Grand Prix. I wanted an extra car for us in case this happened again, we got the 02 Grand Prix. When we have need for a van or something, we are just going to go for a Pontiac because why not?

I am just looking for a well cared for Pontiac that is worth repairing and that will fit in my garage and I can get into with a bad neck and back.

______________________________

 

[richardgriese]

Fair enough, I was just curious whether or not you wanted a specific model or such.

 

[EaOutlaw]

LOL I do not have enough money to be too picky. If money wasn't a problem I would be going after a 1965 GTO or a early 70s Super duty TA with a 4 spd

 

[richardgriese]

Hmm 1 thing I don't like is the front seats don't fold down. I've seen that they do in newer bonnevilles and wish I had that feature. On my front passanger, it looks like I'll pull the seat and see if I can modify it and clean it while I'm there.

The reason is I don't have a truck and I haul some longer pieces of wood from time to time. I suppose I'll post a how to where I get there.

Edit: funny story: I bought a small 20 gallon or so air compressor. One of the sales guy said he would help me take it out and I was just like ok w/e. When we got to the parking lot he asked where was my truck? I said it's that 2 door Grand Am over there. Actually it fit perfectly in the back seat. Truckless problems I suppose.

Another bad thing I've got and heard is on the 04+ the front dash vent that's plastic and spans the windshield cracks. Mine came with 2 cracks in it and I cracked it more when I took out he keyfob module to reprogram it. It currently has about 5 cracks in it. I was reading that this is common. I'll look into gluing it and maybe wraping it with some vinyl.

 

[EaOutlaw]

When I had my 04 GTO I also did not have a truck, when my new American Racing wheels showed up at my door. my Wife had to load three of the wheels in her Smart Car and one in the GTO to get them mounted.

So I can add that to the list of things I didn't like about the GTO.

A frigging smart car would carry more than my GTO LOL

______________________________

 

[richardgriese]

That IS silly for sure! I have not been in a GTO nor have I seen a lot of the lay out. Where did she put them? the front seat. Funny thing about smart cars - a few of my buddies who are 200+ lbs got into one and they were going up a steep here and that car was pushing it. IDK the model or whatever on the smart car but it was funny.

 

[EaOutlaw]

The front passenger seat lays down and there is a small storage area behind the seats one fit behind the drivers seat the other two fit on the passenger side with the seat in the down position.

That little Smart car was decent for what it was, yet it is not a fun car to drive on the interstate until you get used to it.