caddycruiser

Got the G6 the last day of June '08, but it was a 3 month saga of problems & repurchased...in came the Malibu I chose as it's replacement through GM, back in October. I drove one when I was back & forth with the Malibu vs. a G8 and really liked how tank-like solid, planted, and roomy it was...but the V6 wasn't particularly entertaining and--as reviews have commented--oddly gruff in sound. The same V6 in a Malibu with the 6-speed was smoother, quieter, and peppier. Not bad, but not wow...I could have lived with it, though, perfectly well, I think. Precisely. I never "got it" until just having driven one, and it's not so much the power--although that is great--but the whole car feels actually quieter and smoother, too. A big hulking 6.0L underhood and it purrs as quietly as the V6, if not more so, in my Malibu. Then you stomp it and...hold on. The price difference is small, and hence the reason why the GT is the "wanted" one. If it weren't for the well built but stark and rather plain all black interior and the, likely, lower gas mileage vs. a FWD Epsilon again, I would have gotten a G8 instead before, V6 and all. The Malibu is still nice enough that it made and still makes me waiver, though.

Sad, but not unexpected. Anymore, I'm working on it...

At least for the past few weeks and still today...a Pontiac G8 GT. Always loved them, and had the chance for a V6 model before getting the Malibu, but the interior, smoothness, better economy, etc. of the Malibu made it win out. Then I finally drove a GT (certified '08 with 10k) at a local Chevy dealer 2 weeks back...and loaded to the gills, 3k miles and all, the Malibu started feeling less and less great to me. What a car. If I held off, say, you know until my Malibu lease ends, I'd probably go Camaro--beautiful Zeta bones, but a coupe (which I've missed, since my G6). Otherwise, who knows, maybe a G8 will show up sooner rather than later...maybe. It's always a struggle to keep my habitual car shopping (err..."I'm tired of this one...") addiction in check.

Having been on a G8 forum for some time, GXP inventory is still VERY sparse and didn't begin hitting any dealers until just recently, and in the handful that there are, not every color/option/transmission combo is out there yet. There's a few owner's over on the forum, too...but it's just beginning. They have threads set up with links to the inventory pages nationwide to see what's showing and also dealers posting with direct access to when & where cars are. Congrats to her. I'd be bubbling over with "just" a GT, and the GXP is incredible. Here's a few vids from a new forum owner regarding his new GXP's exhaust: MUCH throatier than the GT exhaust, for various reasons, and most are jealous just because of that;)

Used, new, or otherwise...some of my random spit outs, non-GM of course;) BMW 1-series/3-series coupe Challenger Jeep GC SRT-8 Ram F-150 Mustang Frontier XTerra 350Z RX-8 Maybe one, maybe none, but what I thought of, perhaps.

Yes. I've been seeing these, and this is my favorite kind of marketing for vehicles. Show the competitor and then show yours. Cramming cargo into both a Pilot and a Traverse, with the unhappy people trying to slam the Honda's hatch shut on stuff hanging out as the Traverse people loading everything in and then just touching the button for the power hatch to close itself. Good points. Just like with the seating & space versus the Highlander. And, finally, close with the better mpg ratings. I like these commercials and, at least IMHO, think they're most effective.

In relation to AutoRide itself, a lot of people like the way it performs vs. the standard suspension--which itself is terrific--but it's nothing huge. I think of it mostly as computer ride with leveling thrown in, and you get the idea. On a new truck, particularly even one leased perhaps, I'd be fine with it. Not that it's a constantly failing thing, as it's essentially electronic shocks and specific coil springs to go with them, but when the shocks do go--and they do without it taking too many 10k's--they're pricier to get replaced, or the only other option is to revert back to the standard suspension, swapping out the coils, shocks and killing the electronics that controlled the AutoRide. Again, not a bad thing nor a great one, but it works well if it's kept in check and not worn out. For me, if buying used with some years and miles under the belt, I'd much prefer the standard suspension just for easier and less costly maintenance and upgrades. In experience, our '04 with the standard suspension felt exactly as good at 100 miles as it did at 56k trading it in--never seemed to start getting looser or in need. Same for the brakes and tires too, mostly. The intermediate steering shaft was an expected issue and it really was the only thing that caused any kind of a disturbance in the drivetrain, but is a quick fix. Of course, I also avoid 4wd like the plague just because there's zero use for it, really, with us, and I'd rather have less weight and zero maintenance of transfer cases, axles, and such. But I still understand wanting it, and given that it's hard to find anything but north of VA, oh well. I think you'd really enjoy one of these, and especially the most pampered, lowest mileage, best colored & optioned, etc. combo you can find for the price. They may not have some of the gadgets of the latest & greatest trucks or rich interiors, but they're solid, refined, comfortable as a living room with some of the best seats ever, relatively efficient and still very powerful. A few small bugs like every other vehicle line, but all minor and probably the best in the biz still as far as full-size SUV's for quality & lack of issues.

Haha, haha, hah I've never played, but we're planning a company competition with full on rocker dress and all, soon, as one of our many events...so hopefully I'll get the jist of it.

This is a solid list. Basically, with a truck that's clearly been pampered and quite low mileage, I'm betting there won't be much of anything to notice on a test and examination. The steering shaft clunk is a time and time again repeating thing with no fix, just quiet time for a few 10k's, and everyone knows that going in. Otherwise, solid. Takes me back to the days with our two GMT-800 SUV's...not exactly flashy, but solid and comfortable with stellar powertrains. I miss them, especially that 5.3L/4L60E.

Agreed. Bad for people who bought them new and may want to trade...but holy cow are there deals now on barely used G8's. Some V6's are under the $20k mark and GT's are not that much higher, generally. Even with a 2 month old Malibu, I've been "curious" looking at all the ads for them. A big majority are ex rentals, with under 10k or 15k miles, but some also are exec cars & demos. If you really look, there are barely used 2009's also pretty low. So yeah, hard to beat one. I'd agree. Not sure what else would entice me for the price, if a sports sedan was what I wanted.

Excellent, interesting point. I'm not a Nascar fan but my brother dabbles in it and the fans are, uh, well, pretty set in their ways with who they like and don't. Hopefully it goes well, and I actually think it might from the little I know about the whole situation.

What I've been doing for years? Having parents (well, mom, mainly) that insist on Christmas gifts to a certain level, we've had a cycle of going shopping either in the store or online, picking out & buying our own stuff, then it being wrapped right in front of us...just so there's still a Kodak moment at Christmas for opening of the gifts. I try to get away from it every year, but still, at December 15th "someone" is breathing down my neck to buy some stuff for myself with her dough so her tree doesn't look lonely. It's always a thriller unwrapping things you bought yourself weeks earlier Oh well. Weird this year, none of us have bought any of the others of us anything or for ourselves, and there hasn't been any wrapping going on. Hmm. Come to think of it, part of my not being in the spirit this year is not having gotten anything for anyone...or having wrapped...well, except for 2 gift bags (seriously, simple) for co-workers.

Aye, how foreign to me Here in the land of Oz, er, I mean Delaware, even the mention of a potential flurry in a system moving through possibly in about a week ALWAYS elicits the "bread, milk, and eggs" comments from the local news reporters. Every time. Seriously. They must stop. This, after living in western PA (at first, oddly to me, eastern PA around Philly acts like Delaware in reference to snow) and with a driveway inclined steeply from the house & yard up an embankment to the road, 1" or 4ft of snow, you shoveled, started the car and just stomped it to the top and went about your merry way on the roads--regardless of how they were either. Definitely. Oh the fun times in my '07 'Bu rental with the identical wheel/tire package sliding like skates on some slippy stuff, let alone rain. Kind of made me wonder, why bother with the tread, hah. Then again, maybe they were also a reason for it getting 37+ mpg on dry highways... Praise you! I despise 4WD & AWD largely, and until my dad's Subaru, no one in the family has had a vehicle so equipped--even in PA, eons ago. 24/7/365 extra weight, drivetrain friction, maintenance, etc. no thank you. Reminds me of, not long ago actually, in January/February trekking along the streets and roads around the Philly Mainline during a snow/ice blitz in my '95 Fleetwood WITH the 17" Impala wheels & huge 275-50 Nitto's. Just steamrolled like a tank even on a mixture of solid ice & snow, and I blew past other people in FWD & AWD whatevers puttering along and slipping, dead steady. RWD, depending on the vehicle & equipment can be iffy, but generally reigns supreme rolling along in and on anything thanks to a thing we like to call BALANCE. Then again, not that my FWD/TC/Stabilitrak Malibu wasn't mighty fine in some iffy stuff and the curves & hills of PA over Thanksgiving, but the weight all on front still didn't feel as natural as I've been used to for years with the old tanks. Better traction and electronic control, however, at the core. The worst about winter driving? I don't experience it much living in Delaware or even when in Philly, but visiting PA over Thanksgiving...all the CRAP they use on the roads chewed up my month old 'Bu like nothing else. Paint chips, big and small, all over the front, 2 small glass chips, chips and scratches on parts of the wheels...ugh. It was a nasty surprise washing it the day after. At least for the chips, I now remember why we thought it was such a good idea to get a bra for our new 300M right before the same trip 8 years ago...

Wow, that is some, well, WEIRD statistics in relation to you and innocently driving or sitting still in your cars... I've been in 2 accidents, first in 2001 with a hard slam dunk from behind in our 300M--leaving us okay--and just last year in October when my prized Fleetwood had its side peeled off by the plastic bumper cover of a Subaru Outback. I certainly hope no more, period. That is SO, SO, SO great that you guys made it out okay and even the guy who caused it, apologetic and all, is still alive. Accidents happen as you well know, and this apparently was one of them. Wow. Six is just...a LOT.

Brand new loaded Stryker Blue '09 G8 GT posed in a driveway of someone on my way to work, someone whose cars are always spotless and they daily, literally, pose them in the driveway for everyone's viewing pleasure as you roll down the road. Used to have a couple of Ford Lightning's, then most recently a maroon Jeep GC SRT-8 and blue Lincoln Aviator...now the Aviator has been replaced by the fresh & bright blue G8. Wow. What a garage, seriously. Can't wait to see what appears next, to replace the Jeep. Glad to see them with a GM finally, in the meantime. And still...jealous.

Oh, I can only imagine...an older pic with frosted hair AND a Pontiac...what a combo

Ah, I still feel a little amiss that I was only part of the red dash light family for 3 months...ah, the swoops and shimmer of that problematic coupe. At least I stayed within the family tree. Now, as said, if there was more of a future (or heck, current) direction, we'd have many more.

Is that what you really wanted? What specs? I've already been thinking about my lease end in, oh, 3 years from after a few days. I just wonder what, in those 3 years, will be the practice surrounding leases for those of us who got one before they were no more, when it comes to turn in, etc.

Agreed. That's a good inspiration for me to leave mine on my desk, instead, when nature calls...not like anyone ever calls anyway.

More... While in Groundhog land Punxsutawney, we took my little cousin out for breakfast on Saturday and there amongst the lot of winter filth crusted vehicles was a new White Diamond shorty Escalade Platinum Edition. Another first "in person". Love the wheels, which are really all you notice much of in person, and was dumb struck seeing such a pricey truck in a rather bleak little town.

Agreed. The base wheels have always struck me as odd and out of place. Even as a base you'll want to upgrade from, they're ehh. Oddly, in my travels through DE, MD & PA for days, new CTS's were one vehicle I rarely, if ever, saw. Hmm.

Welcome back :AH-HA_wink: Just bought a new HP Laptop myself about a month ago just, well, because I was tired of my 2 year old Dell's 14.1" dull screen, and very much enjoy it. Huge, glossy screen, best speakers I've ever heard on a laptop, fast, etc.

I've done it & others at work do it...ESPECIALLY the boss. He's constantly on his Blackberry as it is throughout the day and frequently moving around, into the bathroom, etc. and pretty much daily he'll be in the middle of a conversation while on the way into the bathroom (where the conversation proceeds full volume) or it'll ring while he's in there and continue on. Busy people gone, well, to the bathroom, I guess. One hand for each and you're good & sanitary, trust me :AH-HA_wink:

Returning back home to DE from the PA trip yesterday in the mucky rain, I was waiting to turn at a stoplight onto the road into DE and watched a big, black Maybach with MD tags and an old guy driving cruise by in the opposing slow lanes of traffic. Interesting car and doesn't really stand out as anything more than a slightly enlarged S-class with road filth and basic license plates. First time I've ever seen one.

I remember the "first ride in" my friend's new 25k mile doctor owned '97 Deville Northstar last Thanksgiving and telling him that and why. Went to leave a parking lot and he just dropped it "like this?", and it sung. It was brief but at least he now knows...then again, a 22 year old with a Northstar should have no trouble at this, even if it is the pampered garage queen still. That was my first ride in a FWD Cadillac of that gen and back at the time I still had my Fleetwood...liked it, but nothing special. Just felt like a 90's American luxury car, no more, no less.