How the heck does GM come out with a new 30k plus car without bluetooth? I don't want to hear about onstar crap. Guess what? I don't have Verizon so I can't use it. Nissan offers a 15k car with bluetooth. I hope there is the same option we had for the GTO. Order it from Australia... (GM is so stupid that it didn't offer the option through dealers even though it was plug and play) No Nav, no Bluetooth. Its amazing that the G8 will have power windows.

When will GM learn? Has a GM exec ever driven a 2004 Acura TSX let alone any of the cars that they claim the G8 competes with? Maxima, G35, BMW. I understand that the G8 is a value vehicle but decontenting a $50.00 item that means $$$$ to buyers is stupid.

GM is admittedly behind the curve, but this is the first GM sedan worth buying in 20 years. I'm not gonna bitch too much. I think this has more to do with getting the G8 over here ASAP from Holden in Australia than not putting any forethought into it.

If Bluetooth is such a dealbreaker for you, then you can wait until the 2009 model year to buy your G8.

Bluetooth has been an option for the GTO/Monaro for years. (you have to buy it from Australia) How can you go backwards? Since I do a lot of business out of my car it is nearly a deal breaker. Remember that this is a Holden, not a typical GM domestic garbage sedan. They have the technology already integrated. GM took it out. I don't mind not having Nav out of the box because there is some development that might have slowed the release.

There is a post elsewhere that explains it, but basically there is some interference between Onstar and the Holden bluetooth module that GM/Pontiac is trying to straighten out. The belief is that it will be offered at some point in the future (maybe MY09 which starts production possibly in March). While Holden did integrate bluetooth into the car, they did not have Onstar and the Holden Assist is apparently different than Onstar. I wish that they were able to offer it from the beginning (same with Nav which is too low on the dash for the US), but hopefully they can get it corrected soon. Of course, you could always disconnect Onstar and install the Holden module yourself. You probably have the same feeling I do about that which is why should I have to do that when GM should have it installed from the beginning, but it is an option.

Chip

How the heck does GM come out with a new 30k plus car without bluetooth? I don't want to hear about onstar crap. Guess what? I don't have Verizon so I can't use it. Nissan offers a 15k car with bluetooth. I hope there is the same option we had for the GTO. Order it from Australia... (GM is so stupid that it didn't offer the option through dealers even though it was plug and play) No Nav, no Bluetooth. Its amazing that the G8 will have power windows.

When will GM learn? Has a GM exec ever driven a 2004 Acura TSX let alone any of the cars that they claim the G8 competes with? Maxima, G35, BMW. I understand that the G8 is a value vehicle but decontenting a $50.00 item that means $$$$ to buyers is stupid.
Dear God, here we go again! :banghead:[

Dear God, here we go again! :banghead:[

Well, I think it means GM is sparking interest in their target market especially on the conquest sales portion. It also means expectations are going to be higher. Unfortunately, that also means some disappointment for those same potential buyers.

Chip

Are you ready to hear why not?? Are you sure? ? ?



Because it competes with OnStar's hands-free calling. (sorry to tell you what you dont want to hear)

At this point GM cannot afford to cut off its nose to spite its face. Offering OnStar calling at $.30/min (for non-Verizon users), in lieu of Bluetooth, in the face of market pricing for cellular minutes, is just stupid.

http://www.myblueant.com/supertooth-light-bluetooth-handsfree.htm

$100 solves the problem

http://www.myblueant.com/supertooth-light-bluetooth-handsfree.htm

$100 solves the problem
Good looking unit too iszzy.

http://www.myblueant.com/supertooth-light-bluetooth-handsfree.htm

$100 solves the problem

I currently use a NAV/Bluetooth combo. It is a poor solution but its better then holding the phone. I use my wife's TSX on certain occasions and it is so nice to be able to pickup the phone, mute the stereo, be heard clearly and be able to hear the other person. (with the press of 1 button) I'm embarrased that I might be buying a 30k 2008 model year car that doesn't offer bluetooth as an option. If interference with Onstar is the real reason (and not stupid marketing people at Onstar) then GM is in worse shape then I thought. They have had years to create a solution for Bluetooth/Onstar interference issues. They should have called Nissan, Honda or Toyota and asked them to develop a fix. Let me go rip the stereo out of a Nissan Versa and stick it in the G8.....

I really hope getting a bluetooth module from Australia will be an option.

While I agree this is a poor piece of product development on Pontiac's part, I use a Blueant and they are sensational. The microphone is much clearer than my brothers Calais V integrated bluetooth, and while the speaker is not in stereo, is is loud enough for the whole car to use.

And while it is not one touch of a button, the stereo mute is on the steering wheel, so while my left hand reaches for the visor to press the button, my right thumb presses the mute button.

My wife takes it one step further with hers, by using autoanswer on her phone, but I don't like the phone deciding when to answer.

"I'm embarrased that I might be buying a 30k 2008 model year car that doesn't offer bluetooth as an option."

I blush and hide my head under my wing everytime I think about it.:wink2:

I'd rather the G8 be released in 2008 so I can get a better deal when 2009s are out.. than the G8 be stuck in development for MONTHS because it didn't have a feature that most people would never use, namely Bluetooth.

a feature that most people would never use, namely Bluetooth.

Are you serious? The market penetration for Bluetooth on cell phones in the US is very high. I think that if it were available, almost everybody with a compatible phone would use it. Why would you not use it if it were available?

But seriously i don't think that people will not buy a car because it hasn't got bluetooth...

Just drive the thing ffs!

Almost every new phone has bluetooth built in. In several areas I travel it is against the law to use a cell without hands free.

I suppose some people will not buy the car because it doesn't have bluetooth. If it is a close decision between cars that might be enough of a feature to swing a buyer. That was a big feature for my wife getting her TSX. My car is my office 1/2 the time. There is more to the car then just enjoying driving it. Imagine renting an office where you could only get dial up internet. Sure it works but it is a pain in the ass. I will look at the Blueant. It seems better than most of the bluetooth solutions out there. I will also look at a Parrot (im just concerned about harness integration on such a new car)

I just can't believe that this car is being released missing some major options.

Almost every new phone has bluetooth built in. In several areas I travel it is against the law to use a cell without hands free.

I suppose some people will not buy the car because it doesn't have bluetooth. If it is a close decision between cars that might be enough of a feature to swing a buyer. That was a big feature for my wife getting her TSX. My car is my office 1/2 the time. There is more to the car then just enjoying driving it. Imagine renting an office where you could only get dial up internet. Sure it works but it is a pain in the ass. I will look at the Blueant. It seems better than most of the bluetooth solutions out there. I will also look at a Parrot (im just concerned about harness integration on such a new car)

I just can't believe that this car is being released missing some major options.


Would you rather have it now without bluetooth, or next year with bluetooth? Somebody said bluetooth didn't play nice with On-Star and that may be why GM did not include it as an option. They'll probably fix that issue moving forward.

Are you serious? The market penetration for Bluetooth on cell phones in the US is very high. I think that if it were available, almost everybody with a compatible phone would use it. Why would you not use it if it were available?
From my experience, people don't want to mess with setting it up, easy or not, and would rather just use their phone. However, I don't know anybody that carries on a long conversation in the car (pesky driving thing) and the calls are usually outbound (so they have to use the phone anyway), so perhaps the sampling in unusual.

Don't forget that some states require hands-free while driving and bluetooth usage will likely be much higher there.

For 2009 all GM cars will get Bluetooth.

Rumor is that in 2009 the G8 will get a Manual, Bluetooth and XM Radio.

Unfortunately I cannot speak of "rumors," but I can say that. . . you are probably correct in your guesses. ;)

Unfortunately I cannot speak of "rumors," but I can say that. . . you are probably correct in your guesses. ;)

Not really guesses.

Guided insider information, and hush speak is more like it.

Currently the only GM car that has Bluetooth is the Cadillac STS-V which is around $70,000

For 2009 all GM cars will get Bluetooth.

Rumor is that in 2009 the G8 will get a Manual, Bluetooth and XM Radio.

If this is true, then it's about damn time.

I guess I'm one of the few that isn't worried with all of the "missing" options. Since my GTO didn't come with any of those things, I've found alternatives. Bluetooth earpiece for my phone (really helpful with the manual trans), Satelitte radio, & I don't travel for work. So, if I'm going somewhere new, Mapquest. I can see the lack of a Nav system being a bad thing. But, everything else can be easily handled. And you won't be spreading the cost of an over-expensive GM system across the length of the car payments.

GM is admittedly behind the curve, but this is the first GM sedan worth buying in 20 years. I'm not gonna bitch too much. I think this has more to do with getting the G8 over here ASAP from Holden in Australia than not putting any forethought into it.

If Bluetooth is such a dealbreaker for you, then you can wait until the 2009 model year to buy your G8.

+1..... 13 something qtrs, good handling and pretty good looks...we will worry about the nice-nice stuff later....just hope the handling is good and the shifts are quick..Sandog is correct about the first Pontiac in many a year that gets it..RWD, Torque and looks...have not bought a Pontiac since my goats in 60-70s...Oh and we have an 04 TSX (first year) and it did not have BT....came later just like the Pontiac will..

Not sure if its the same but my VXR8 (uk G8) was delivered without bluetooth working and it turned out to be a missing fuse in the boot
Missing Fuse F3 - Navigation/Telematics/Phone

all working fine now

For those people who really want bluetooth in their car newegg has the blueant supertooth light on sale. black for $45 and white for $40. I spent the extra five and got the black one.

http://www.jdoqocy.com/image-3193634-10521304http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882507001 (http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-3193634-10521304?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct %2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16882507001)

http://www.jdoqocy.com/image-3193634-10521304http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882507002 (http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-3193634-10521304?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct %2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16882507002)