Recently Deceased: The Top 10 Reasons Why Pontiac Failed

[Rock36]

I don't care what anyone says, I like the 2004-2006 GTOs, especially the LS2 05-06 models. And like someone else said the interiors are awesome.

It isn't hard to find stock LS2 GTOs with reasonable miles for under $20k. Now 400hp/400 ft-lbs for under $20k is a damn good performance bargain if you ask me.

But I guess the GTO just wasn't interesting enough to capture new buyers, and not traditional enough to attract the baby boomers that remembered the first ones.

[Number 3]

Also, keep in mind, Buick is alive because of China. We don't know that it ever was a "do we keep Buick or Pontiac around" decision.

The best long term for GM would be to simply have Chevrolet and Cadillac. Much better focus. Then the new Impala could be a truly great car instead of "almost as good as the LaCrosse".

[Juiced1]

The G8 was a killer ride. If Pontiac was able to put that car out a few years earlier and name it something better then G8 they might have sold better. In the end it was to little to late. I had a G8 and loved it. But naming your flagship car two digits away from a G6 was a bad idea. To much confusion in the line up names and the rest of them were pretty cheesy as well(G6/G5). It would be nice to see Buick pick up some of the sports car slack. I mean Chevy has always put out muscle but without Pontiac I'm looking for a fast Buick to step up one day. I'd really love to see a modern rendition of the Grand National with a turbo six pumping out 500 HP on a rear or all wheel drive platform.

[~Stacy~]

I was a diehard Pontiac fan I bought 4 new ones and 2 used ones.

95 Pontiac Grand Am Se Sedan when I was 16 it was boring white 4 door with just automatic door locks lol.

00 Pontiac Grand AM GT1 Silvermist Coupe bought used at a year old with 39,000 miles was a smokers dream. Had burn holes all over the place but it ran good lol.

03 Pontiac Grand Am 30th Anniversary GT1 Galaxy Silver bought brand new when I was 20 and waited 4 weeks to come in. It was a true lemon window regulators blower resistors, and the speedo stuck. Then it got hit 3 times I should of kept my used one lol.

06 Pontiac G6 GTP Black bought it new in December of 2005. Had a few issues but nothing major but got it towed in twice the battery failed and it left me stranded.

08 Pontiac G6 GXP Black same car but different bodylines lol. I drove that car for only 24 months and she got traded in for my camaro. Loved the car not one warranty issue but the battery failed twice and it left me stranded.

08 Pontiac G5 Coupe Black purchased brand new in May 2008 still have it it's my daily driver in the winter since the camaro doesn't come out ha. I just turned 60,000 miles about a week ago. She runs great but has two recalls come out already bad steering and bad igniton. The suspension is crap on these cars replaced the lower arm joints and control arms last year. Pretty sad when it's been accident free.:(

Heres some pics of my old rides and I few I kind of decked out

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by ~Stacy~

I was a diehard Pontiac fan I bought 4 new ones and 2 used ones.

95 Pontiac Grand Am Se Sedan when I was 16 it was boring white 4 door with just automatic door locks lol.

00 Pontiac Grand AM GT1 Silvermist Coupe bought used at a year old with 39,000 miles was a smokers dream. Had burn holes all over the place but it ran good lol.

03 Pontiac Grand Am 30th Anniversary GT1 Galaxy Silver bought brand new when I was 20 and waited 4 weeks to come in. It was a true lemon window regulators blower resistors, and the speedo stuck. Then it got hit 3 times I should of kept my used one lol.

06 Pontiac G6 GTP Black bought it new in December of 2005. Had a few issues but nothing major but got it towed in twice the battery failed and it left me stranded.

08 Pontiac G6 GXP Black same car but different bodylines lol. I drove that car for only 24 months and she got traded in for my camaro. Loved the car not one warranty issue but the battery failed twice and it left me stranded.

08 Pontiac G5 Coupe Black purchased brand new in May 2008 still have it it's my daily driver in the winter since the camaro doesn't come out ha. I just turned 60,000 miles about a week ago. She runs great but has two recalls come out already bad steering and bad igniton. The suspension is crap on these cars replaced the lower arm joints and control arms last year. Pretty sad when it's been accident free.:(

Heres some pics of my old rides and I few I kind of decked out

No shame in it. To each their own.

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Also, keep in mind, Buick is alive because of China. We don't know that it ever was a "do we keep Buick or Pontiac around" decision.

The best long term for GM would be to simply have Chevrolet and Cadillac. Much better focus. Then the new Impala could be a truly great car instead of "almost as good as the LaCrosse".

I like this one.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Also, keep in mind, Buick is alive because of China. We don't know that it ever was a "do we keep Buick or Pontiac around" decision.

The best long term for GM would be to simply have Chevrolet and Cadillac. Much better focus. Then the new Impala could be a truly great car instead of "almost as good as the LaCrosse".

I think the 2014 Impala is already better than LaCrosse. The only way LaCrosse is holding Impala down is the lack of AWD.

Seeing the Impala just makes me think the 3rd gen LaCrosse is going to be amazing.

[rez333]

Originally Posted by Renegade

I like this one.

as a commercial, it's nice - but seriously - NOBODY second glances at sedans. That's like saying that people will second glance a refrigerator.

but I feel sad for anyone buying this thinking that people will admire their car. Em.. no.

[Angrybird 12]

Gosh I can't believe people are still beating this dead horse. It all comes down to they didn't sell enough cars to keep them around, same for Saturn and earlier Oldsmobile.
It's also the reason that Mercury and Plymouth are also Kaput....

[SleepWarz]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Also, keep in mind, Buick is alive because of China. We don't know that it ever was a "do we keep Buick or Pontiac around" decision.

The best long term for GM would be to simply have Chevrolet and Cadillac. Much better focus. Then the new Impala could be a truly great car instead of "almost as good as the LaCrosse".

It would be fine if GM had the balls to actually make a car that stands out in the buick line, rather than blue hair cruisers with over exaggerated price tags that just look like badge engineered euro cars. You may as well get a caddy, at least they have a unique styling. IMHO I think the buick market is gone in NA. I cant see them doing anything other than bleeding cash right now. Then again it also seems that the entire buick division is behind the paint codes at GM right now. Very few good colours to choose from either. There has been this grey/blue horrible shade corvette that nobody will buy because of the boring bland ass colour.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/studioi22/5207386183/ <--- this disgusting shade. Supersonic puke.
Who the hell chooses these? GM's grandmother?

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by SleepWarz

It would be fine if GM had the balls to actually make a car that stands out in the buick line, rather than blue hair cruisers with over exaggerated price tags that just look like badge engineered euro cars. You may as well get a caddy, at least they have a unique styling. IMHO I think the buick market is gone in NA. I cant see them doing anything other than bleeding cash right now. Then again it also seems that the entire buick division is behind the paint codes at GM right now. Very few good colours to choose from either. There has been this grey/blue horrible shade corvette that nobody will buy because of the boring bland ass colour.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/studioi22/5207386183/ <--- this disgusting shade. Supersonic puke.
Who the hell chooses these? GM's grandmother?

Buick is a profit machine for GM.

[Number 3]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

I think the 2014 Impala is already better than LaCrosse. The only way LaCrosse is holding Impala down is the lack of AWD.

Seeing the Impala just makes me think the 3rd gen LaCrosse is going to be amazing.

Sorry Fen, but you have been mis informed.

Linked H-arm rear and Hyper strut front suspension are uplevel on the Buick, standard on the XTS and NOT TO BE SEEN on the Chevy.

So already better? I don't think so, not by a long shot.

If you want to roll with the big dogs then you need the hardware and the Impala doesn't have it. Doesn't make it a bad car, I still would love one myself. But knowing there was better suspension hardware and you didn't have it would bug me.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Sorry Fen, but you have been mis informed.

Linked H-arm rear and Hyper strut front suspension are uplevel on the Buick, standard on the XTS and NOT TO BE SEEN on the Chevy.

So already better? I don't think so, not by a long shot.

If you want to roll with the big dogs then you need the hardware and the Impala doesn't have it. Doesn't make it a bad car, I still would love one myself. But knowing there was better suspension hardware and you didn't have it would bug me.

I meant looks/interior-wise. Impala already has the updated MyLink system with trickled-down features from XTS's CUE system.

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Most of what you posted is reasonable, but I sure wouldn't put the Aztek as the number 1 reason.

The number 1 reason it died was it didn't sell in any volumes. Due in part to many of the reasons you listed. However the COST to correct these things (unique non badge engineered cars for example) was prohibitive.

There were many plans to get Pontiac the products it needed, but they never were affordable for the volumes.

And if you look up the last years volumes for the Firebird, you'll get a clear sense of why it went bye bye.

In the end, Pontiac simply kept you from getting the best Chevrolets you could get.

But in the end, Pontiac had several uniquely styled cars that weren't badge engineered.

G8
G6
Solstice

But the badge engineered cars hurt the cause

Torrent
G5
G3

So as much as you may have loved Pontiac, and by starting this thread I'm guessng you do, Pontiac just ran it's course. When GM was selling 50% of the markets volume you could afford many brands. When you get below 20%, there just isn't enough capital to go around. In the end, you'll see better Chevys and Buicks as a result...............hopefully.

I'll give you the G8..

the G6 was a rebadged Malibu and the Solstice was a rebadged Saturn Sky..