Pontiac G8 2008-2010 - thinking of buying a g8, pro's and con's

hey guys, i am going to be in the market in a few months for a new car and was thinking a g8. i have always liked the body styling and overall size of the car, plus its a pontiac, which leads me to my question of pros and cons of it being a pontiac. being that these cars were only made for a couple years, and pontiac is no longer in business, what does the future look like for these cars as far as reliability and cost of maintenance. i am going to be keeping the car i buy in the near future for at least the next 6 years. thanks guys for the advise

I bought mine in August and couldn't be happier. I'm 6'1 and with the front seats in my normal position I can still fit 2 adults my height comfortably in the back. I love the styling although I have made a few subtle changes (sharkfin antenna, GXP diffuser, and some debadging). For the money and everything your getting, it's hard to beat. Also, took it to the track bone stock with 1/2 tank and ran 13.56 @ 103 with a 2.04 60'.

i love mine. im at 50000 miles now, owned for two years and have had no major issues at all. started modding it the same day i left the dealer and havent stopped since. its a costly car to maintain for sure, rear diff flush. tranny flush. expensive oil changes being that the motor takes 8.8 quarts

i love mine. im at 50000 miles now, owned for two years and have had no major issues at all. started modding it the same day i left the dealer and havent stopped since. its a costly car to maintain for sure, rear diff flush. tranny flush. expensive oil changes being that the motor takes 8.8 quarts

UMMMMM. G8's only take 6.5q of oil. Just an FYI. Most put 7 in because all LS motors use a litttle bit of oil.

UMMMMM. G8's only take 6.5q of oil. Just an FYI. Most put 7 in because all LS motors use a litttle bit of oil.

Check the book. What he quoted was correct. The 6.0l in the G8 GT calls for 8.8q or oil sans filter. So right at 9q or oil on an oil change.
Tate

Check the book. What he quoted was correct. The 6.0l in the G8 GT calls for 8.8q or oil sans filter. So right at 9q or oil on an oil change.
Tate

X2. Just did an oil change recently and it took almost 9 quarts.

because of the dod inside the motor and the high volume oil pump, the l76 requires more oil. so oil changes are pricey.
but i have no regrets purchasing this car and its an amazing performer. really fast.

because of the dod inside the motor and the high volume oil pump, the l76 requires more oil. so oil changes are pricey.
but i have no regrets purchasing this car and its an amazing performer. really fast.

This....I've surprised a few newer Camaros with mine.

Pros: Awesome car, responds well to mods and a tune.

Cons: Factory parts i'm guessing will hard to get in a couple of years...

ive beat a challenger. camaro ss. isf. ls3 vette. srt8 cherokee.

ive beat a challenger. camaro ss. isf. ls3 vette. srt8 cherokee.

The G8 could not be stock.

One of my coworkers has a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT. It's blue, and a very pretty color. I've ridden in it before, it's a very quiet and comfortable ride with lots of interior space. Overall a very nice car.

Now my friend started getting cocky and quoting its 361HP to my 310HP and saying he could beat me. He's also an experienced drag racer, been doing it for over 10 years and I had never been to the track. So finally I took him up on the offer.

I ran a 13.57 at 104.85 MPH, my fastest time.
He ran a 14.30 at 100MPH, his quickest time in that car. Here's a video of the race too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj805NHz5FM


So my consensus, overall a very nice car, much nicer and more pleasant to drive than a Camaro. But don't count on this thing being that fast, it weighs 3,900-4,000 lbs. It's a boat. The new V6 pony cars will be keeping up with you.

i ran a 12.83 in florida heat at 111. with just a tune a best of 13.01@107. the cars can be quick just not in stock form.

They respond well to mods I've noticed :)

Yeah, just a little tuning really wakes the car up, especially the tranny.
The ride is great compared to a 4th gen. Huge interior, heated seats, lots of leg room, good sound system (especially when you do the rear sub mod). The A6 is smooth to drive, you have Normal, Sport and then Manual mode. Tune out the DOD/AFM, you do not really save that much MPGs.
The car is well built, doors shut nicely, a great highway cruiser. I love going back in forth to Florida in it, very smooth ride, and the car really turns heads. The only flaw thus far I would say is the paint is pretty thin and chips easily. The "info" center is great for checking the diagnostics on the car.
Take one for a test drive, you will walk away happy and wanting it.

One of my coworkers has a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT. It's blue, and a very pretty color. I've ridden in it before, it's a very quiet and comfortable ride with lots of interior space. Overall a very nice car.

Now my friend started getting cocky and quoting its 361HP to my 310HP and saying he could beat me. He's also an experienced drag racer, been doing it for over 10 years and I had never been to the track. So finally I took him up on the offer.

I ran a 13.57 at 104.85 MPH, my fastest time.
He ran a 14.30 at 100MPH, his quickest time in that car. Here's a video of the race too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj805NHz5FM


So my consensus, overall a very nice car, much nicer and more pleasant to drive than a Camaro. But don't count on this thing being that fast, it weighs 3,900-4,000 lbs. It's a boat. The new V6 pony cars will be keeping up with you.

My G8 stock ran a 9.05 and after just only a tune, ran a 8.70 spinning and abouT 85 outside. (Rest of my mods are in sig)I have never seen any v6 keep up with these cars, his time is about a 9.15 or 20. Someone is spinning, is that you or him? So it's really a pretty fast boat IMHO. If u want to stay ahead of him with that 8.81, u better not let him tune it, he'll be past you. I do agree tho they are really heavy but run a lot better than they are rated. That's just my two cents but it doesn't really matter tho. Good race!!

My G8 stock ran a 9.05 and after just only a tune, ran a 8.70 spinning and abouT 85 outside. (Rest of my mods are in sig)I have never seen any v6 keep up with these cars, his time is about a 9.15 or 20. Someone is spinning, is that you or him? So it's really a pretty fast boat IMHO. If u want to stay ahead of him with that 8.81, u better not let him tune it, he'll be past you. I do agree tho they are really heavy but run a lot better than they are rated. That's just my two cents but it doesn't really matter tho. Good race!!

You're right, a tune will really wake up this car. They really detuned it to try and get it better fuel economy. I've heard a tune alone will get you over 30HP. But at that point the car is no longer stock, it's been tuned.

In stock form with no tune added all the new V6 pony cars will run right with this car. And all of the V6 pony cars would have beaten the G8 in my video.

After I did a full catted exhaust, and Vararam intake - it picked up about 60rwhp and 45rwtq.


With out a tune....

It is tuned for 87 octane from the factory. That is why the tunes wake these cars up so much.

One of my coworkers has a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT. It's blue, and a very pretty color. I've ridden in it before, it's a very quiet and comfortable ride with lots of interior space. Overall a very nice car.

Now my friend started getting cocky and quoting its 361HP to my 310HP and saying he could beat me. He's also an experienced drag racer, been doing it for over 10 years and I had never been to the track. So finally I took him up on the offer.

I ran a 13.57 at 104.85 MPH, my fastest time.
He ran a 14.30 at 100MPH, his quickest time in that car. Here's a video of the race too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj805NHz5FM


So my consensus, overall a very nice car, much nicer and more pleasant to drive than a Camaro. But don't count on this thing being that fast, it weighs 3,900-4,000 lbs. It's a boat. The new V6 pony cars will be keeping up with you.

Mine has never ran that slow. it ran 13.70s with 700 miles on it. the worst it ran was when i tried to stall it up and it wheel hopped and ran a 14.04. I have never ran in great air either here in the midwest.

Mine runs pretty good :)

Cons- the aftermarket has pretty much abandoned us for the new Camaro. What's available now is pretty much all that's likely. There's quite a bit but little niceties like fiberglass body parts cannot be had.

Pros- pretty much everything else. Its a great car.

Exceptional car in nearly every respect. It rides, handles and feels nearly like a BMW which is the most impressive thing about it (everything else about it isn't BMW like though).

The cylinder deactivation gives GTs a very sleepy feel when it's on, do yourself a favor and get rid of it and tune it for premium fuel.

The gauge cluster also has excessive reflections in the daylight and the DIC is missing some basic functions like two trip meters, stopwatch, etc.

Parts unique to the car (body, interior, suspension) are expensive and are going to become much more difficult to get sooner rather than later.

The interior is comfortable and well done overall but the hard plastic parts mar very easily, especially the door panels and trim on each side of the shift. If you've ever sat in or owned a GTO like I have there is cost cutting evident here over that car like the lack of power seatback adjustment, no interior or storage lighting, hard grained skin instead of soft skin surfaces, fwappy insubstantial doors, trim loosely affixed, etc

wow, havnt checked on this thread since i posted it. thanks everyone for the great advise. hey there trishield, fellow arizonan. i live in safford, about 3 hours south of phoenix through globe. this car will be a family car for the wife to drive. i have loved these cars since they were put into production and have always wanted one, but realistically i have to consider the downside to having one, that being they are no longer in production. i want us to hold onto this car for some time, but being that they are no longer in production and the parts getting scarce, well gotta look at the cost of maintenance in the long run. if its a very reliable car without the majority having major reliability problems, then it sounds like a winner. if i can find one with low miles, ide say 20k, and it doesnt require heavy maintenance at 50k and wont until 100k, then that sells me. here are my concerns:

major problem reliability rating:
engine, dod
drivetrain
suspension & steering
whacky electrical problems

minor problems:
lighting
interior reliability
exterior reliability
engine i.e. regular wear items

you guys have gave a lot of feedback but i would like a little more info based on your personal experience on the maintenance up keep of this vehicle from new until present for a consensus of info. once again, i will not be doing hardly any hard driving like strip time or street racing. this will be a family car that my wife will be driving on a regular basis and would like to keep it for some years to come without it costing too much to do so.

thanks everyone

well. ive har mine for 2 years now and have 50000 miles on it now. all switches still work. some trim in the interios has peeled. leather still looks new. dash still new.
obviously oil changes 65-115$, tires are fairly cheap, gas mileage stock is awesome for 6.0 i got 19 city, 31highway. and nothing has broke and i have 50+ passes at the track.

Mine has 85,000 miles on it. No problems so far! Get 22 city and 27-28 hwy! Can't complain! Mods in sig...I love mine!!

ive got a friend, whos a girl that bought one. she uses it as a baby hauler. she took me for a ride in it and its fast for a sedan. ive had some fun with a gxp g8 on 2010 power tour and i was impressed. its the only 4 door i would own.

Mine has 85,000 miles on it. No problems so far! Get 22 city and 27-28 hwy! Can't complain! Mods in sig...I love mine!!

I can believe the 27-28 on the highway. But 22 in the city? Are you serious....?

I can believe the 27-28 on the highway. But 22 in the city? Are you serious....?

Yep, 21-22, now keep in mind that's driving like you are suppose to but it's really hard for me to do that! I can drive it pretty hard and still get 18 easy!

If you are getting 22mpg you are coasting quite a bit, not stopping at too many lights and not doing the stop and go on the freeway. My GXP has returned that driving here when I stay out of traffic on the weekends.

If you are getting 22mpg you are coasting quite a bit, not stopping at too many lights and not doing the stop and go on the freeway. My GXP has returned that driving here when I stay out of traffic on the weekends.

I live in a small town, 1 red light and no freeway traffic, just easing around I can get that. But like I said before, it's REALLY hard for me to ease too much! I avg about 19, taking off hard occasionally and punching it a couple o times from a roll.

very nice, i am impressed. guess im gonna have to lean the ol lady over to one. she was asking me about cadi's, told her the only one i'de own is a ctsv with a v8 (she's not much of car person, sometimes i talk to her about what im researching and i get a blank look in response). she said she seen one the other day and said she liked it, so i pulled up a pic of a v on the net and she said yep, thats the one i saw, so we'll see. im not very impressed with the v's styling, too many sharp edges to me. she is looking to get something no older then a '10, but just maybe if i can find a gt from 09 with very low miles i think she could be persuaded.

on an unrelated but related note, a friend of mine has an impala ss with a ls4, thought about one of those or a grand prix gxp, buuuuuut, i dont like fwd cars. that and the tranny's on those car give out quick under the added torque. i really dont know what gm was thinking when they decided to make a transverse v8 and mount it to their weak ass trans that could barely hold up to a s/c v6.

on an unrelated but related note, a friend of mine has an impala ss with a ls4, thought about one of those or a grand prix gxp, buuuuuut, i dont like fwd cars. that and the tranny's on those car give out quick under the added torque. i really dont know what gm was thinking when they decided to make a transverse v8 and mount it to their weak ass trans that could barely hold up to a s/c v6.

I currently have my sights locked on a Grand Prix GXP but the general tranny reliability is making me unsure. Some people have gotten lucky but it seems that most haven't (at least based on what I've read on numerous online boards). My current car is a 1998 Lincoln Continental which is another FWD V8 sedan mated to a transmission ill equipped to handle the power of it. I have been lucky so far. 102k miles and not even a shudder. If I had a magic touch, I'd rub the GXP's tranny and make a deal.

Can't help you on the G8 front. There are no GTs where I live. Only ones on the lots are the V6s and all are lease returns. I dig the non carpeted trunk lid :loco: and the interior is pretty cheap.

Google 'G8 lower control arms'. Fun times. I almost bought a really low mileage G8 base before seeing on the Vehicle report that its LCAs were replaced twice.

good info in this thread, quick question, looking at g8's myself is there any difference in an 08 or 09 from a modification standpoint? is there any differences between the two years that would make one more desirable than the other? i'm coming from a tbss and the 06's were tuners favorites over the '07-up. sorry to thread jack.

ya i was going through another thread, and A LOT of ppl are saying the lower control arms, upper windshield splitting, and harmonic balancer going out. WTF is that about. a harmonic balancer should last well over 100k no matter the driving style, well a few hard pushes here and there, but not be replaced 3 times in a matter of 50k. and then the upper windshield seems to be problematic. its those things that turn me away, that arnt covered under warranty but should be. this car has to be reliable for my wife as a dd.

she currently has a scion xa that she bought when she was 18, had it ever since. she wrecked a short time after the initial purchase and was completely repaired, not totaled. she has exclaimed that this car has given her zero reliability issues and is pushing 105k and several trips between az and ca. very bare bones car, but reliable. not window motors going out, not windshields peeling back, not suspension parts failing prematurely. the only thing that it needs right now are two new tires, and new motor mounts, and the cd player is very touchy. i recently had the car gone through top to bottom, and passed with flying colors. not even a ball joint, sway bar link, or bushing. struts are all fine with no leakage or sag. i hate it because its so damn tiny and a feel like a fag driving it, but a very dependable car.

anyways, this is the standard that i have to critique all other cars upon now. what is going on with alot of the g8's it sounds like, is unacceptable.

good info in this thread, quick question, looking at g8's myself is there any difference in an 08 or 09 from a modification standpoint? is there any differences between the two years that would make one more desirable than the other? i'm coming from a tbss and the 06's were tuners favorites over the '07-up. sorry to thread jack.

No difference in mods or mechanically.

2009s have grey interior trim instead of black as well as satellite radio, bluetooth and a popout cupholder in the bottom rear seat cushion from the Saab parts bin.

ya i was going through another thread, and A LOT of ppl are saying the lower control arms, upper windshield splitting, and harmonic balancer going out. WTF is that about.

Any used car can have issues which is why you should test drive and check it out thoroughly.

Keep in mind if you visit forums for a specific vehicle you are going to see a lot of people talking about issues they're having together, making nearly any model seem unreliable.

we got the wife one and she loves it. For about 900-1000$ in mods we have hers in the 11s trapping 119-120mph. Yes a little n2o is involved but can't complain for the amount of money in the car and how well it responded to mods.

With just LTs, GXP mid pipe and a vararam she was running 12.7@110-111mph all on the stock potenza tires.

Trishield, I completely understand and agree with your statement. But at the same time, the lower control arms have a recall on them, that is a nationwide problem. And evidently, the window and/ or the harmonic balancer failing appears to be a tsb. I havnt actually looked up the g8 myself to see if they or not, but when ppl take their cars into the dealship and point it out and that its a common problem, well then its a major common problem. And if it doesn't have a warranty anymore, then its a problem from the factory which I am not willing to pay money to replace.

I currently have my sights locked on a Grand Prix GXP but the general tranny reliability is making me unsure. Some people have gotten lucky but it seems that most haven't (at least based on what I've read on numerous online boards). My current car is a 1998 Lincoln Continental which is another FWD V8 sedan mated to a transmission ill equipped to handle the power of it. I have been lucky so far. 102k miles and not even a shudder. If I had a magic touch, I'd rub the GXP's tranny and make a deal.

Can't help you on the G8 front. There are no GTs where I live. Only ones on the lots are the V6s and all are lease returns. I dig the non carpeted trunk lid :loco: and the interior is pretty cheap.

Google 'G8 lower control arms'. Fun times. I almost bought a really low mileage G8 base before seeing on the Vehicle report that its LCAs were replaced twice.

I have an 08 Grand Prix GXP, and I am selling it to buy a G8 GXP... I personally like my Grand Prix, but after driving a friend's G8 GT I new that I could never be happy again with the Grand Prix.. They're nice cars, but are very limited..

I can't believe how many people are syaing that parts will be a problem because these are out of production, actually they are still in production. And they have made heaps of them, parts and aftermarket stuff is easy to get. Oh wait, that's only here in Australia, sorry about that guys........:)

My gxp takes over 8 quarts and it doesn't have dod.

I have a Grand Prix GXP , the transmission issues are overated if your just gonna daily drive it. For a dd add a shift kit from transgo and an auxillary tranny cooler and your good to go. less than 150$ in parts and youve got a solid daily driver. Yes with mods they are not holding up very well without a 2-3k in trans mods. Im keeping my GP GXP as a winter car and getting a G8 GXP for summer. Ive already put a deposit on one.

I can't believe how many people are syaing that parts will be a problem because these are out of production, actually they are still in production. And they have made heaps of them, parts and aftermarket stuff is easy to get. Oh wait, that's only here in Australia, sorry about that guys........:)
Yes, but that's what makes them much more expensive. There was a G8 at my shop and parts were 2-3X higher than average. The bumper box didn't even say pontiac on it it had Holden emblems....that was kinda cool I thought.

Yes, but that's what makes them much more expensive. There was a G8 at my shop and parts were 2-3X higher than average. The bumper box didn't even say pontiac on it it had Holden emblems....that was kinda cool I thought.

The prices for parts are similar to Euro cars and might cause some sticker shock among people used to F-bodies.

It is a pretty fast family car.

We just bought one, my wife and I. It's her daily driver, 09 GT, Stryker blue. She loves it!!!! It's an awesome car!!!!

This thread is awesome. i have been thinking about buying one for over 6 months now. i currently have a 95 a4 trans am. and with 2 kids i think its time to go in daddy mode. however, i still want to be fast and sporty looking. plus i also wanted to stay in the family of pontiac. i apllied for a loan today to buy one that has 36000 miles on it for 25,000. So we shall see.