Hey all. I am new to the forum and have been pretty much obsessed with the new G8. Then yesterday when i was reading a consumer reports magazines at my lousy part-time job, I saw that all the pontiac's got terrible reliability ratings. The G6 the G5 the Grand Prix the Solstice all got the worst reliability rating they can get. This is making me nervous. I hope the G8 is different from these. Anyone that has the car how is everything working for you so far? I really want to make sure it has at least average reliability before i buy it.

Never believe a single word of what is in CR as it relates to domestic autos.

I had two Grand Prix, bought both brand new never had to do anything to them except tire and oil.

I had two Grand Prix, bought both brand new never had to do anything to them except tire and oil.

Same here. I had a 1998 Grand Prix and a 2004 Grand Prix and no problems. Of course, the G8 is made in Australia, so reliability should vary from the Pontiacs of old. I predict it will exceed past reliability figures.
Seriously, don't put much stock in CR. They have been wrong so many times.
For what it's worth though, even CR states that the G8 will be better.

I had two Grand Prix, bought both brand new never had to do anything to them except tire and oil.

Ditto. The only work I've had done on my 05 Prix GT is normal maintenance.

GM's Oshawa #2 facility, which produces the Grand Prix has also won several quality awards from JD Power over the last number of years.

I would think the holden product would have better quality, too. At least from looking at it in person a few times the fit and finish looks great on her.

Consumer Reports once panned the Corvette because it had a rough ride and no trunk!!!! They are mostly morons. I just gave my daughter my '97 GTP so I could by my G8GT. It has 115000 miles on it and runs and looks like new.

I read an article that someone wrote one time on a Viper GTS and bashed it for the same reason - said there was no room for grocerys w/ the full-size tire back there.

Consumer Reports once panned the Corvette because it had a rough ride and no trunk!!!! They are mostly morons. I just gave my daughter my '97 GTP so I could by my G8GT. It has 115000 miles on it and runs and looks like new.

And who takes their Viper to a grocery store? Dumb consumer report knuckleheads are just like news reporters: They sell everything in a negative light. I have had my GTO since Feb 06...32k miles...only changed oil and tires. Its been very reliable.

Consumer Reports once panned the Corvette because it had a rough ride and no trunk!!!! They are mostly morons. I just gave my daughter my '97 GTP so I could by my G8GT. It has 115000 miles on it and runs and looks like new.Wow! and I used to think of Consumer Reports as a reliable source of info. That they stated that the Corvette doesn't have a trunk is totally false. Corvettes have one of the largest trunks of any sports car on the market and hello don't all sports cars have a stiff ride? We're dealing with a performance car here and not a Buick Roadmaster! :banghead: I guess I'll never rely on another Consumer Report article again.

As far as GM reliability goes my brother is a GM fanatic so I asked him about the reliability of GM cars since he's owned a lot of them. My brother has owned a Tahoe and 3 Escalades. Now he owns a 2007 GMC Yukon Denali and a 2006 GP GXP. Out of all of those vehicles he has had not one single problem with them and he doesn't baby them either he drives them. That's why he only buys GM cars because they are very reliable. I'm sure the G8 will be no different.

Never had a problem with my g6 gt.now proud owner of a G8 Gt #192 magnetic gray and love it !!!!!!!

In addition to the 05 Grand Prix mentioned above, I've also owned a 1991 Grand Am, a 1999 Grand Am, and a 2002 Grand Am GT. The '91 I ran up to about 130K miles before I traded it in for the 99 Grand Am.

Other than tires, brakes, and other expected maintenance, the only problem I had was the 91 GA had an alternator fail in 1998 and the 2002 GA had a bad fan relay when I bought it, so that was replaced at no cost under the warranty. The 2002 GA also blew out a hose on the power steering pump in 2004. The pump itself wasn't damaged, but they replaced it under warranty anyway.

Consumer Reports should stick to rating something they know about, like maybe toasters. They hate the US auto industry with a terrible bias. Besides, who really can be an expert in toasters, microwaves, TVs, sneakers and cars. They're the jack of all trades and master of none.

The G8 should be highly reliable for the following reasons:
1. It is a new design...a lot of "quality" is designed in. Newer GM cars are designed to tighter standards of fit and finish. Just look at the new Caddy CTS versus the first generation CTS. The G8 is said to have one of the most rigid body structures in the industry. There is no comparing it to the Grand Prix, even though my brother's GP has been just fine.

2. It is a highly refined version of proven technology. The GM V8 is one of the most highly refined, continually improved engines in the auto industry. RWD is proven to be longer lasting and more reliable than FWD, which is in the other cars you mention.

3. Holden builds the car, and from what I hear they build good stuff. The Australian market favors rugged cars...part of the reason both GM and Ford never abandoned RWD there.

4. the Grand Prix is basically the same car as the Buick Lacrosse, and Buicks get the #1 quality ranking from JD Powers. Which is another reason to suspect CR bias.

5. GM overall is starting to get JD Power quality/reliability rankings as good as Toyota's, and much better than Mercedes-Benz.

6. The G8s I have seen look very precisely put together.

I saw CR's Best and Worst used cars list yesterday. It was, with just a couple exceptions, a big list of imports as the best and domestics as the worst. It made me giggle.

And who takes their Viper to a grocery store? Dumb consumer report knuckleheads are just like news reporters: They sell everything in a negative light. I have had my GTO since Feb 06...32k miles...only changed oil and tires. Its been very reliable.

I know a guy with a Viper who has his priorities all jacked up... Has a $80,000 viper, some expensive sport bike and is renting some guy's garage which he is living out of....

I don't know about anyone else.. But I rather enjoy my modest home and my G8 than live in a garage and own a viper.. :dunno: Maybe that's just me, haha

My first car was a Pontiac Sunbird Se 1989. My dad bought it new. We put 320,000+ miles on it. Did it have some problems? Yes but stuff that wears out like window motors, starter, and maintanence items. I loved that car and drove the hell out of it. Now that I own a G8 GT, I can tell it is a huge improvement. I have no worries about reliability. Take care of it and it will take care of you. CR needs a consumer report!

i would live out of my viper lol

In defense of Consumer Reports -

It is true that their new car reviews can be puzzlingly biased. But their used car reliability ratings are based on owner responses. If you want to see the reliability trend for, say, the Mercedes E-class for the last 5 years, their reliability reports are hard to beat.

Unfortunately there is no data available for new or limited production models, so Consumer reports isn't a good source until a model has been out for a couple of years.

On the subject of GM products: Everyone's experience is different, but our (now replaced) 1997 Suburban followed a laughably predictible path of repair needs, all of which were common to Suburbans and pickups of that model generation. My favorite was the taillight lens assembly with bulb sockets that were underrated for the amperage of the bulbs, and would short out after several years due to overcurrent. How hard is that to **** up?

But I do think that GM is getting better, and from what I can tell Holdens are considered to be well screwed-together.

My wife's Chevy Venture has 175,000 miles on it. Most maintenance was normal. She did get rear-ended by an Accord. The Venture had barely a scratch on its bumper while the front end and hood of the Accord w folded up like an Accordian.

That's an element of quality Constipated Reports never mentions.

Ever notice that the really old cars on the road that are daily drivers...say 80s vintage, are almost all either GM or K cars? The Hondas are long gone, rare to see one more than 12 years old. And all the oil burners seem to be small Japanese cars?

....the Accord w folded up like an Accordian....
:sneaky:

I had seen once that CR has taken money from companies for reviews. Doesn't sound like unbiased reviews to me. I tend to take everything they say with a grain of salt.

wow. A lot of responses. Yeah the G8 is a beutiuful car and I have to say probably the nicest looking ponitac i have ever seen in my opinion along with the solstice. And im not sure if this is true but the G6, G5 and Solstice are made in America right? The G8 is made in Australia and is a new design like someone said so even [B]IF[B] all the others were un-reliable the G8 can possibly be an exception. Before I heard about this car I wanted the Acura TL for it's looks n comfort n reliability. Then I saw this and thought it was so sexy and I converted everyone who told me it was just a crappy Pontiac. I gotta take one out for a spin.

That they stated that the Corvette doesn't have a trunk is totally false. Corvettes have one of the largest trunks of any sports car on the market and hello don't all sports cars have a stiff ride? We're dealing with a performance car here and not a Buick Roadmaster! :banghead: I guess I'll never rely on another Consumer Report article again.


I didn't say it was a recent review. Corvettes from '63 to '82 had no trunk as I would define a trunk (A compartment accessible through a locking lid behind the rear window and in front of the front bumper). These Corvettes carried their fuel tanks in this location, and the only luggage space was behind the seats, better in the coupes than in the roadsters, but still not much.

wow. A lot of responses. Yeah the G8 is a beutiuful car and I have to say probably the nicest looking ponitac i have ever seen in my opinion along with the solstice. And im not sure if this is true but the G6, G5 and Solstice are made in America right? The G8 is made in Australia and is a new design like someone said so even [B]IF[B] all the others were un-reliable the G8 can possibly be an exception. Before I heard about this car I wanted the Acura TL for it's looks n comfort n reliability. Then I saw this and thought it was so sexy and I converted everyone who told me it was just a crappy Pontiac. I gotta take one out for a spin.

You also have to keep in mind that the G8 was on the market a year before now as the Holden Commordore, Calais, Senator also as the Vauxhall VXR8 in the UK and the Chevrolet Lumina in the Middle East so if any of those cars would've had any "serious" issues I'm sure that they would've been noticed and taken care of before the G8 reached the market.

I didn't say it was a recent review. Corvettes from '63 to '82 had no trunk as I would define a trunk (A compartment accessible through a locking lid behind the rear window and in front of the front bumper). These Corvettes carried their fuel tanks in this location, and the only luggage space was behind the seats, better in the coupes than in the roadsters, but still not much.Oh ok. I thought that this was recent since you didn't state when the review was made.

And im not sure if this is true but the G6, G5 and Solstice are made in America right? The G8 is made in Australia and is a new design like someone said so even [B]IF[B] all the others were un-reliable the G8 can possibly be an exception.
Pontiacs are assembled in Canada and the U.S., with the exception of the G8 which is manufactured in Australia. The G8 is, for all intents, a re-badged Holden Commodore SS V-Series and shares pretty much nothing with the rest of the Pontiac line (except for whatever corporate GM parts are common between models).

Hey all. I am new to the forum and have been pretty much obsessed with the new G8. Then yesterday when i was reading a consumer reports magazines at my lousy part-time job, I saw that all the pontiac's got terrible reliability ratings. The G6 the G5 the Grand Prix the Solstice all got the worst reliability rating they can get. This is making me nervous. I hope the G8 is different from these. Anyone that has the car how is everything working for you so far? I really want to make sure it has at least average reliability before i buy it.
Last 2 cars in 8 years were Pontiac Bonnevilles that I flogged pretty hard. The one I just traded in for the G8GT was a SSEi with 92,000 and still had the original rear brake pads. I finally had the 30,000 service done at 90,000. No problems, ever.

You would have had issues if you'd bought a non-supercharged version. Most GM 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 v6's had various intake manifold issues for many years. But the Supercharched versions had a stronger intake manifold that spared them from these issues. I know, I've owned several. Interestingly, the intake manifold repair costs about the same to repair as periodic timing belt replacement on many foreign cars. Finally GM has resolved the issue with V6's built 2004 and beyond.

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest. I am a loyal GM fan. I still have my first car, an '88 IROC with 163K-Original engine (with no rebuild) and tranmission. That is a testamony to GM's reliability in Rear-drive V-8 automobiles. I average about 25 mpg in mixed driving in the IROC. However the HP is about 1/2 of the G8's.

What used to make me laugh was when CR would review two versions of the same vehicle (i.e. Early 90's Mitsubishi Eclipse/Plymouth Laser, Toyota Corolla/Geo Prism, Mazda B-series pickups/Ford Ranger, etc) and rank the import badged version higher.

Then yesterday when i was reading a consumer reports magazines at my lousy part-time job, I saw that all the pontiac's got terrible reliability ratings.

CR is the epitome of the self-full-filling prophecy. They get you locked into the cars they pitch, then ask you how you like them. Do you really think anyone would admit they got suckered into buying a POS by the experts at CR? And the beat goes on! I've owned GM products for over 25 years and have not had any unusual problems with any of them. All repairs were for items common to any/every other vehicle I have ever owned...............and that goes back over 40 years.

My family has owned many GM cars in the past. My father has a suburban, my mom drove a chevy Lumina back in the day and that car was great. My parents owned a Pontiac Grand Prix in 82 and they said "that thing was a bomb" meaning it would breakdown all time, however they bought that used from some kid who im assuming beat the hell out of it.
I hope what happened to BlackonblackG8GT was a fluke. His transmission died at 1100 miles. I guess there's no way to completely tell for sure without waiting and seeing what happens in the long run but from what you guys tell me about pontiac's history and GM, there doesn't seem much to worry about.

this is why manufacturers offer warranties.
No one has made a model yet that every vehicle was problem free.

I leased one of the most reliable vehicles around, Cadillac DTS 04, and I've had many issues with it. Even the best break sometimes.

This is the first time I've ever purchased an extended warranty. I'm all set.

I still love this car but im not going to lie i do not like what i am hearing about the rough idle. ALOT of people are talking about the rough idle and some people have it so bad that the engine shuts down. I wouldn't think too much on this but its the fact that it's everyone has the same problem. I want this car but there are some things that make me skeptical.

I still love this car but im not going to lie i do not like what i am hearing about the rough idle. ALOT of people are talking about the rough idle and some people have it so bad that the engine shuts down. I wouldn't think too much on this but its the fact that it's everyone has the same problem. I want this car but there are some things that make me skeptical.


What rough idle. Mine is as smooth as silk.

Red GT #287

What rough idle. Mine is as smooth as silk.

Red GT #287
Look at the topic "Rough Idle" in the V8 Tech category. A lot of people are saying they all have the same problem. One guy's car would die at idle multiple times. Maybe you got lucky or maybe they all got lemons.

I wouldn't worry about too much. I only feel mine idle roughly occasionally and it's nothing that bothers me too bad. It maintains a constant RPM. I've only read of one dying on them. Just sounds like it's a common thing. Now if a few more start saying there cars are dying at idle I would say that is cause for concern.

well i must ay my gtp had a second engine on its way out when i traded it in,also on tranny #7 cause it eats torque converters like gasoline!
but thats the world of modded cars...
as far as CR,they said at the time I was shopping for my GTP that the back seat was a little cramped and that the accord(wifes car at the time)was spacious!!!! Now thats just an outright lie and the numbers are their to back it up even if you never personally compared them,so they can tragically skew anything!!!!
hell,i have been in carpentry for 15 years and they say the Ryobi cordless tools are better than DeWalt and Porter Cable....Bwahahahahahahahaha!

What rough idle. Mine is as smooth as silk.

Red GT #287

:iagree:

I'm at 1500 miles and haven't even come close to having it die at idle or any other speed. Guess I got another one of the good ones.:bootyshake:

I still love this car but im not going to lie i do not like what i am hearing about the rough idle. ALOT of people are talking about the rough idle and some people have it so bad that the engine shuts down. I wouldn't think too much on this but its the fact that it's everyone has the same problem. I want this car but there are some things that make me skeptical.

it's perceptable on mine, but if you don't know what to look for you wouldn't see it. The one that stalled had a bad PCM, nothing to do with the idle. Don't worry about it.

CR is the epitome of the self-full-filling prophecy. They get you locked into the cars they pitch, then ask you how you like them. Do you really think anyone would admit they got suckered into buying a POS by the experts at CR? And the beat goes on! I've owned GM products for over 25 years and have not had any unusual problems with any of them. All repairs were for items common to any/every other vehicle I have ever owned...............and that goes back over 40 years.

You are on to something here. Most Honda buyers buy because they are AFRAID of making a mistake, not because they selected based on knowledge. And how many people you know have a hard time admitting they made a mistake.

Second, a Pontiac buyer is a car enthusiast, so his/her expectations are going to be higher. The Pontiac owner has the knowledge to compare more exactingly, and isnt afraid to do so.

Just started into my fourth year (at 18,000 miles) with my '05 GTO, built by the same Ozzie mugs that are building the G8. So far I have not had to do anything beyond oil and filter changes, adding gasoline, changing wiper blades (once), and doing tire rotations. Not a single problem. Not a single glitch. Nada.

If you have a lousy, part-time job, maybe you should get an old Honda and save yourself a lot of grief.

Just started into my fourth year (at 18,000 miles) with my '05 GTO, built by the same Ozzie mugs that are building the G8. So far I have not had to do anything beyond oil and filter changes, adding gasoline, changing wiper blades (once), and doing tire rotations. Not a single problem. Not a single glitch. Nada.

Starter went out on my 04 GTO at 65,000 miles.

If you have a lousy, part-time job, maybe you should get an old Honda and save yourself a lot of grief.

True but to put it simply......F$%# that Sh&# lol. I want the sexy G8. I'm gonna get another job soon anyway.

what i can say is that with all new cars there are going to be kinks that need to be worked out righ now we have a G8 in our shop because they can't stop the alarm system from going off. And they can't get intouch with holden to find out how to stop it because of the time difference.

Thing is, I see all these people talking about waiting for the initial year of production to end to get kinks worked out.

But this car has been sold in Australia for OVER a year, therefore most kinks should already be worked out in our MY'08 cars!

CR is great for dishwashers and light bulbs, they don't know anything about cars or tools.

Just started into my fourth year (at 18,000 miles) with my '05 GTO, built by the same Ozzie mugs that are building the G8. So far I have not had to do anything beyond oil and filter changes, adding gasoline, changing wiper blades (once), and doing tire rotations. Not a single problem. Not a single glitch. Nada.

Same here on my '05 GTO with 48,000 miles. They did have to replace a faulty accelerator pedal (drive by wire redundant rheostat readings didn't match -- an early fault in the GTO) but nothing since then. Great car. My G8 is perfect so far (1,000 miles) with smooth idle (slight lope at times is nothing on a high compression engine).

Never believe a single word of what is in CR as it relates to domestic autos.

Amen to that. CR must be getting some big advertising dollars from Toyota to slander US car companies.

What a crock. I can say that Grand Prix's hold up very well... and so does every other Pontiac and GM vehicle.

As long as you take care of it. (oil changes being #1)

Amen to that. CR must be getting some big advertising dollars from Toyota to slander US car companies.

And of course we know Toyota is making such fine vehicles these days, no recalls or anything. Because we know the bad frames in the '95-'00 Tacoma's was strictly a matter of bad supplier product! Uh huh, sure!:dunno::rolleyes:

Amen to that. CR must be getting some big advertising dollars from Toyota to slander US car companies.

What's funny is CR has backed off giving automatic recommendations to Toyota:

"Because of its findings, Consumer Reports will no longer recommend any new or redesigned Toyota-built models without reliability data on a specific design. Previously, new and redesigned Toyota models were recommended because of the automaker’s excellent track record, even if the publication didn’t have sufficient reliability data on the new model."

http://www.autoobserver.com/2007/10/consumer-report.html

What is jacked up in the first place is that they were automatically recommending vehicles they hadn't even gathered data on.

What's funny is CR has backed off giving automatic recommendations to Toyota:

"Because of its findings, Consumer Reports will no longer recommend any new or redesigned Toyota-built models without reliability data on a specific design. Previously, new and redesigned Toyota models were recommended because of the automaker’s excellent track record, even if the publication didn’t have sufficient reliability data on the new model."

http://www.autoobserver.com/2007/10/consumer-report.html

What is jacked up in the first place is that they were automatically recommending vehicles they hadn't even gathered data on.

That ****house publication lost credence with me years ago. All it took for me to decide this was one use of a product they supposedly 'reviewed' and realize they never even saw it much less tried it.

And of course we know Toyota is making such fine vehicles these days, no recalls or anything. Because we know the bad frames in the '95-'00 Tacoma's was strictly a matter of bad supplier product! Uh huh, sure!:dunno::rolleyes:

And frames on the new FJ Cruiser? And their crappy glass leading to the new Vibes being recalled? Yes, Toyota still builds the best vehicles on (or off) the road.

Warning. The previous statement(s) may have been sprinkled with liberal amounts of sarchasm. Please believe at your own risk.

And frames on the new FJ Cruiser? And their crappy glass leading to the new Vibes being recalled? Yes, Toyota still builds the best vehicles on (or off) the road.

Warning. The previous statement(s) may have been sprinkled with liberal amounts of sarchasm. Please believe at your own risk.

Ya know, we could probably keep this going for days. I mean we have the fine V8s in the Tundras, the what 2-3 million cars recalled just in '07, and nearly half million so far this year with the Tacomas and Vibe/Matrix, et al, fiasco. But this is a G8 forum, and we already know who builds the best cars!:us_flag::aus_flag:

:iagree:

Ya know, we could probably keep this going for days. I mean we have the fine V8s in the Tundras, the what 2-3 million cars recalled just in '07, and nearly half million so far this year with the Tacomas and Vibe/Matrix, et al, fiasco. But this is a G8 forum, and we already know who builds the best cars!:us_flag::aus_flag:

But I was having so much fun trashing...I mean, telling the truth about Toyota. :D

In the mass-market price range, I think Honda makes great 4 cyl engines but I think for large V6 and V8 engines you can not beat GM. IMO, Saturn's original engines were GM's best attempt at a 4 cyl. engine but they burned oil like a furnace. I loved my Saturn it ran great till I traded it at 185k miles.

What's funny is CR has backed off giving automatic recommendations to Toyota:

"Because of its findings, Consumer Reports will no longer recommend any new or redesigned Toyota-built models without reliability data on a specific design. Previously, new and redesigned Toyota models were recommended because of the automaker’s excellent track record, even if the publication didn’t have sufficient reliability data on the new model."

http://www.autoobserver.com/2007/10/consumer-report.html

What is jacked up in the first place is that they were automatically recommending vehicles they hadn't even gathered data on.

And thus another example why Japanese cars are so overrated. I've learned my lesson on the first/last Japanese car I bought. Never again.

I’ve had some issues with my 2005 Bonneville GXP. Foglamps burn out, steering shaft replaced twice, and a few other minor issues all fixed under warrantee. On the plus side, car starts, runs, and drives beautifully every day.

Honestly, I think the reliability is better on the Hondas / Accuras, and probably even on the Toyotas too, although all makes have problems.

But will I be getting an Accura? A BMW? A Lexus? No - because they can’t even begin to compete with the G8 when you consider price. I don’t care about impressing anyone with a nameplate; I want real performance at a reasonable cost. Pontiac is offering a 360-horse RWD performance sedan at a great price. I plan on getting one, and if I have to make a few trips back to the dealer, so be it.

wow. A lot of responses. Yeah the G8 is a beutiuful car and I have to say probably the nicest looking ponitac i have ever seen in my opinion along with the solstice. And im not sure if this is true but the G6, G5 and Solstice are made in America right? The G8 is made in Australia and is a new design like someone said so even [B]IF[B] all the others were un-reliable the G8 can possibly be an exception. Before I heard about this car I wanted the Acura TL for it's looks n comfort n reliability. Then I saw this and thought it was so sexy and I converted everyone who told me it was just a crappy Pontiac. I gotta take one out for a spin.

The TLs are not without their issues as well. My buddy has an 03TL Type S (last year of previous platform) and Acura had to fully replace his transmission under while under warranty. This was not a lemon either, it had been happening to many of them.

My other buddy has an 04TL (first year of current platform) and there was a massive recall on his transmission six months after he bought his as well.

Two different transmissions from Honda, two separate failures. One at the end of the platform (which you would assume they would have fixed by then) and one at the beginning of the new platform (which you would think they would have learned their lesson with the previous generation.

I would still buy one if it weren't for the G8. It just reaffirms that all cars, including foreign ones, are not perfect.

The best part about modifying your vehicle is that you expect to break stuff and are prepared to replace it anyway. If you're really on the ball you have a heavy-duty replacement waiting in the wings.....which is integral to finding the next weak link in the chain!!!

Were talking mechanical reliability not getting groceries, two totally different aspects that have no bearing on one another.

First, the G8 is a "proven" design for the most part by our Aussie friends. Second, if you drive them sensibly, most high performance built cars will outlast the grocery haulers given the same treatment. They have to be sturdy to last through the warranty periods which are getting longer. Suspensions have less "play" which saves ball joints and shocks; differentials, transmissions and drive train components must be able to stand high shock loads from the family teen-ager (and some of the rest of us), and the cars all benefit from the intense competition in the international marketplace. Note that the Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, Acuras and other status cars no longer dominate the reliability polls. You hammer your car, it will hammer your wallet. Take care of it, and most cars will live 200,000 miles. High revving small mills don't last as long, and get very expensive to maintain. Been there, done that.

Be weary of any print media magazine .. they all have paid advertisers. The people fund their ability to have their publication are bound to have some input in the content. You just wont see bashing of a product that belongs to one of their primary advertising clients.