Titanws6

iTrader: (35)

I am making the dive, just sold my Formula WS6 for a G8. Looking forward to new page of LSX power, at least I am sticking with a Pontiac for the most part, as the G8s are actually holding good value right now.

dragonrage

I went from a 99 Camaro Z28 to a 2009 G8 GT. I have two regrets:

1) Spending that kind of money on a car that I will be paying off until I am almost 30. But at least it's 0% APR. But, hey, this isn't a problem with the car because it is a lot cheaper than anything that I see as a proper competitor (e.g. BMW 550i).

2) Losing the manual. The 6L80 seems okay in some aspects, but the stock software is set up to granny shift like crazy. I never even use regular drive mode - only sport or manual mode. The car hates to downshift to first, and sometimes only decides to do so after I have stopped and try to apply gas. It can take up to about 3 seconds to downshift to first due to torque management. It almost got me into multiple accidents until I got the feel for it, and now I use manual mode a lot more if I need to get down to first gear while not stopping for a long period - red lights are okay, but when I do a rolling stop at the end of my street (where there's no stop sign, but I need to stop to see the traffic) is where trouble can happen if I leave it in automatic mode.

Even in sport mode, it upshifts way too early and isn't downshifty enough. Torque management makes shifts slower than they should be. This affects manual mode as well. Shifts are slow, and the 2-3 shift is especially sloppy. There is a 1-2 second delay between telling it to shift and when it shifts in manual mode. A tune will bring the transmission up to par, but it will void your warranty. If you remove the tune before bringing it in for service, you MIGHT be okay, but some people have still been caught and refused warranty service.



Aside from that, the car is great. It is maybe a TINY bit slower than my Camaro was, while being way more comfortable, and the IRS handles WAY better on real roads. I can actually hit a bump while cornering and not have my rear end lose traction which would stop my car from cornering in the Camaro until the car recovered. Not nearly as bad in the G8. Also, obviously, it has room for stuff and I think the car is a LOT better looking than any F-body other than perhaps first-gen, but that's personal opinion so you may or may not agree.

If you are willing to tune the car, it will be perfect. Get a Patrick G tune if so - something that I do plan to do probably next year (screw the warranty, I guess... would rather enjoy the car.) Otherwise, you might want to get the hang of manual mode.

Edit to note: First mod to any G8 should be tires. No matter what package you get, the stockers are JUNK. I had the stock Bridgestone summers and they were so bad that I almost decided to sell the car until I got some good tires (Continental ContiExtemeContect summers) and they transformed the car.

Edit again to add: I get about the same fuel economy with the G8 as I did with the Camaro. About 19MPG mixed either way. I did see slightly higher MPG on the Camaro when I did highway-only driving: a max of 27MPG, whereas I've seen a max of about 23 in the G8.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

It is a real big punch in the face that the G8s didn't come with Holden iQ or something similar. No USB or ipod support?!?!? 18K MSRP cars have that kind of stuff these days.

dragonrage

Yeah, the stock stereo is really quite lame in general. It still beats the stock 4th-gen F-body stuff by a LOT, though. But I expected a LOT more.

X-ray

iTrader: (6)

Really? I would have thought GTO and G8 interiors were similar (just assuming, never been inside either car).

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Yep the downshifts are agonizingly slow. I had to abort a stomp and lane change once or it would have caused an accident. I'm used to my tuned and Transgo'ed 4L60e, lol.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

The GTO interior had more color themes. The seats were electric back instead of hand crank. I believe they had more side bolster and lumbar as well.

elmarro

johnbell2

Which is funny, because I've had C6 Corvette owners wishing they had my G8 seats. Must be the kangaroo hide.

Factory tires are junk, agreed. Factory rotors & pads are meh but they dust like crazy and the front rotors can't handle the weight of the car over time. At least get the rotors turned & surfaced and switch to ceramic pads. Centric rotors are better.

Factory transmission tune is JUUUUUUNK and screw the warranty and the horse it rode in on... I was trying to tune that behavior out the first month I had the car. If I'd wanted a pickup truck transmission I'd have bought a pickup truck. Sport sedans need crisp shifting behavior, period. Just get it tuned and have the maintenance done on heavy duty cycle (flush at 30k, fluid/filter at 50k). After tune and flush my transmission behaves itself like what I had in mind when I bought it. The pieces are there, the software is just flat out dumb. Be aware that tuning the tranny will NOT be easy even for experienced tuners. Find a shop that has a specific reputation for getting the 6L80E/6L90E done right.

Knock reduction from the factory is absurd and AFR needs to be dialed in for E10. That alone is good for 15-20 rwhp. If you're keeping AFM/DOD there are some tricks to tuning that as well so it doesn't buck / surge so much in 3rd and 4th gear. Get a good tuner, you'll never regret it for these cars because quite frankly they need it.

elmarro

As you can see I have both Ws6 just when I'm by my self loud & fast,G8 with my wife & 2 kid smooth ride but also fast!! But I think if you are single stay with F-body ..

CMurph

I'm looking to sell my 01 WS6 and 03 Lifted Chevy Z71 and purchase a G8...I'm looking specifically at 09.

But what are the best options to get? Did the 6.2 only come in GXP?

Thanks,
Colin

ecksz28

iTrader: (5)

The LS3 (6.2L) only came in the GXP. GXPs are loaded; if you get a GXP, you only have to worry about Auto vs. 6 speed, black interior vs. black and red, and a moonroof as options.

Otherwise there are "sport" and "premium" packages. I'm sure a little googling could give you specifics if you're interested.