What is your next car purchase? revisited...

[A Horse With No Name]

Oh, and it's an import but a good friend of mine is thinking about buying this. If he doesn't, and I could come up with the cash....

http://prodracing.com/prodcar/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8481

I'm dreaming, yes...but I like it. It would make a nice addition to my garage.

Chris

[K.C.]

The next planned vehicle purchase for me will be for my daughter, who is 15 now. She wants a Camaro, but now that I've thought about it and talked it over with the other half we're thinking along the lines of an HHR for her.

[A Horse With No Name]

An HHR would be a nice choice.

Chris

[ocnblu]

Fun, good looking, useful and safe, what youngster wouldn't look good in an HHR?

[pow]

I'm estimating I won't be buying until 2012 - and by then, hopefully, there will be some nice choices out there - Chrysler Cinquecento SRT-4 (Fiat 500 Abarth), Ford Fiesta, next-gen Focus, Golf VI, Saturn Megane (I'm dreaming).

Not sure about GM, unless they dramatically revise their small car strategy. I'm not liking the vibe coming from future Chevy products - Spark, Cruze, Orlando, Equinox.

[K.C.]

Fun, good looking, useful and safe, what youngster wouldn't look good in an HHR?

When J brought it up to her, she scoffed. I said, "Ok, buy your own then." She quickly warmed up to it. I want to get her an SS, but they are hard to find. Anyone seen one on a dealer lot lately?

[Z-06]

When J brought it up to her, she scoffed. I said, "Ok, buy your own then." She quickly warmed up to it. I want to get her an SS, but they are hard to find. Anyone seen one on a dealer lot lately?

Yes. There are two HHR SS - one black and one red - sitting on the lot of the Chevy Dealer just a block away from me, who left me a bad taste while I was shopping for the Cobalt SS.

[Satty]

My dealer usually has 3-4 SS up front, 1-2 of them are typically Panels.

[K.C.]

Thanks Z06 and Satty. I've not even seen an SS Panel yet. Cool.

[A Horse With No Name]

An SS panel would be awesome!

Chris

[Camino LS6]

An old Pontiac...

[Diehard GrandPrix Fan]

Since Pontiac is dead, my business for GM is over, so my next car will be either the Dodge Charger, or Dodge Challenger, or even Ford's new taurus.

[gm4life]

Used pre-owned GM car next. After that my son or I will be snagging a 5th gen Camaro SS in the 2012ish time frame. Unless Pontiac stays around due to a sale of the brand and they have a 400 horse RWD muscle coupe in the line-up. After likely if GM is around a Malibu or something, but that is so far down the road I might have to get a Ford. (Hell maybe Honda, and when gm4life is says this you know it is a SAD A$$ day.)

Edited May 4, 2009 by gm4life

[MyerShift]

...Hmm, I'm not sure. Maybe a used Astra, but I hate that we only have the slow one here (I absolutely love the current, outgoing car), a Ford Fiesta, or, even though I've had a nightmare of a a time with it, another Volkswagen because I am hooked for how the product feels and drives, nevermind what is borne out of reality.

[bobo]

I've completely lost the desire to get a new vehicle. I used to have the new car itch all the time. Now I just see depreciation, insurance, and registration fees. My 2005 Silverado will be my last new vehicle for a long time. My IS300 will be nine years old next month, and it's just approaching 40,000 miles, so it'll last a long time yet. I imagine in a few years the need to get a minivan, though. GM doesn't have a class-leading minivan. Wait, GM doesn't even have a minivan. Guess it'll be a Toyota or Honda.

[daves87rs]

It's looking like a used Vue for the wife (she likes the plastic ones)

I want to pick up some vintage iron myself (something GM, I'm thinkin')

Then a toss up between the new Fusion, Cruze, or a Mali.....

[regfootball]

I'm estimating I won't be buying until 2012 - and by then, hopefully, there will be some nice choices out there - Chrysler Cinquecento SRT-4 (Fiat 500 Abarth), Ford Fiesta, next-gen Focus, Golf VI, Saturn Megane (I'm dreaming).

Not sure about GM, unless they dramatically revise their small car strategy. I'm not liking the vibe coming from future Chevy products - Spark, Cruze, Orlando, Equinox.

i'd like to see opel contract out the next astra design to saturn once both are free from GM, but aside from that, the megane would be my next choice to continue on as the saturn small car. the new megane is very nice.

however i am still hoping to snag that loaded white astra XR 5 speed on the dealer lot on town here, my sales guy emails me every month to see if i am back on the job train yet. i better be soon, i suspect my gm card will no longer be good on saturn very soon and that astra may be gone.

fusion, flex, edge, TAURUS (SHO!) all have my interest now. an HHR or cobalt or magnum / 300 / charger possibly. I will even look at the camaro. i have a feeling my 4 day old son would like a stylish ride to be driven around in, showing him off to a bunch of my female ex coworkers........

Edited May 4, 2009 by regfootball

[Camino LS6]

Small cars have never done it for me - so I'm out.

[A Horse With No Name]

Small cars have never done it for me - so I'm out.

They really do it for me, though.

Tell us more about what older Pontiacs you are thinking about...inquiring minds wish to know...

Chris

[Camino LS6]

I've always had a soft spot for the '69-'72 GPs, but there are other possibilities.

[A Horse With No Name]

I've had a soft spot for them also...

Girl I ran around with in high school had a brother who had a bunch of Grand Prix's....

I love them in black...used to be a really cool black 69 running around Columbus.

4 Speed strait from Pontiac IIRC.

Chris

[Camino LS6]

I have to admit that part of my interest stems from the fact that they are one of the last reasonably priced GM classics of that era. Everyone with the more common iron from back then has B-J disease, and prices it accordingly.

[A Horse With No Name]

Wish I hadn't let my Chevelle go a few years back to pay my kids medical bills.

As far as cars from the era...I still see reasonably priced small block 70-72 Cutty ragtops and 68-72 Buicks of similar note.

As a ragtop fan, I could really use a cutty. Girl in my high school was the daughter of the local olds dealer, and she drove a green on white 71 Cutty ragtop that was fabulous.

It would be cool to build a GP ragtop just like people build 70-72 Monte ragtops using Che-velle parts.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

...and if your interested, there is a 67 El-Camino on the back row of a Crap-happy (dead corollas et al in the front row) car dealer here in Columbus. I bet you could pick it up for a couple grand, and it doesn't look badly beaten.

Sadly, with the high price of scrap a whole field of Vintage Chevrolet's went to the crusher about four months ago. Including about 3-4 potentially fixable first gen Camaro's and several early 1960's Impalas.

Chris

[Camino LS6]

...and if your interested, there is a 67 El-Camino on the back row of a Crap-happy (dead corollas et al in the front row) car dealer here in Columbus. I bet you could pick it up for a couple grand, and it doesn't look badly beaten.

Sadly, with the high price of scrap a whole field of Vintage Chevrolet's went to the crusher about four months ago. Including about 3-4 potentially fixable first gen Camaro's and several early 1960's Impalas.

Chris

Wow!

Whoever crushed those cars shot themselves in the foot!

As for the Camino, I want to finish the one I have before I get another.

[Daryl Z71]

...and if your interested, there is a 67 El-Camino on the back row of a Crap-happy (dead corollas et al in the front row) car dealer here in Columbus. I bet you could pick it up for a couple grand, and it doesn't look badly beaten.

Sadly, with the high price of scrap a whole field of Vintage Chevrolet's went to the crusher about four months ago. Including about 3-4 potentially fixable first gen Camaro's and several early 1960's Impalas.

Chris

No way in hell I would crush those cars!

[A Horse With No Name]

No way in hell I would crush those cars!

...neither would I.

A 66-67 Olds Cutlass ragtop got crushed in a local junkyard a few months ago. It was pretty rough and incomplete, but still...

Chris

[GMTruckGuy74]

Test drove a 2009 HHR 2LT with the 2.4l 4cyl engine last week; I liked the layout of the car and it feels bigger than it looks. Of course I walked away wishing it had a 6 cyl engine in it; this was the first time I've driven a 4 cyl since I sold my SKY in December, 2007. Overall I would definitely put this on my list if I am going with a compact car.

Now I'm waiting to test drive a 2009 Pontiac G5 GT with the 2.2l 4cyl engine. My wife's car will be due for service within the next two weeks and I'll amuse myself at that time with a test drive. The wife still wants to check out the Vibe GT too.

Can anyone tell me why I should NOT consider the G5 GT as my next car? Other than it being a coupe/2-door - the wife would be the primary driver of the G5 if we get one. I'd appreciate hearing from Cobalt Coupe owners as well as any G5 owners, and anyone that has had some seat time in a G5/Cobalt Coupe.

[A Horse With No Name]

G5 GT could be a nice choice!

Chris

[gm4life]

Test drove a 2009 HHR 2LT with the 2.4l 4cyl engine last week; I liked the layout of the car and it feels bigger than it looks. Of course I walked away wishing it had a 6 cyl engine in it; this was the first time I've driven a 4 cyl since I sold my SKY in December, 2007. Overall I would definitely put this on my list if I am going with a compact car.

Now I'm waiting to test drive a 2009 Pontiac G5 GT with the 2.2l 4cyl engine. My wife's car will be due for service within the next two weeks and I'll amuse myself at that time with a test drive. The wife still wants to check out the Vibe GT too.

Can anyone tell me why I should NOT consider the G5 GT as my next car? Other than it being a coupe/2-door - the wife would be the primary driver of the G5 if we get one. I'd appreciate hearing from Cobalt Coupe owners as well as any G5 owners, and anyone that has had some seat time in a G5/Cobalt Coupe.

I beg you go with the Pontiac. You will love it. I have ridden in a 2006 Cobalt SS with the 2.4 and found it to be a really nice car. Interior was pretty well put together, ride was nice, not to soft or hard. My friend loved the handling and the crisp 5spd, he asked what he should get and said a non-supercharged Cobalt SS and he did. He had at it for 3 years and but 25,000 on her and just loves it. He has had good luck with it also. I think personally you would be nuts to get an HHR 2LT over the G5 GT with a 2.2L DOHC VVT Ecotec and 155hp performance should be pretty darn good, and fuel economy even better. Plus its a Pontiac has a great front end and sweet rims!

Edited May 7, 2009 by gm4life

[GMTruckGuy74]

I beg you go with the Pontiac. You will love it. I have ridden in a 2006 Cobalt SS with the 2.4 and found it to be a really nice car. Interior was pretty well put together, ride was nice, not to soft or hard. My friend loved the handling and the crisp 5spd, he asked what he should get and said a non-supercharged Cobalt SS and he did. He had at it for 3 years and but 25,000 on her and just loves it. He has had good luck with it also. I think personally you would be nuts to get an HHR 2LT over the G5 GT with a 2.2L DOHC VVT Ecotec and 155hp performance should be pretty darn good, and fuel economy even better. Plus its a Pontiac has a great front end and sweet rims!

You know gm4life, you just painted a bullseye on yourself for all of the Pontiac haters to target you now

I'm curious as to why you don't recommend the HHR? One of the main reasons I like the HHR is that it offers some utility in that it is a wagon-esque type of vehicle. The G6 can't carry any real large boxy items, and the downside to the trunk of the G5 is that it has a very narrow opening (Cobalt too). The practicality of the extra set of doors on the HHR vs. the G5 is a big benefit too. Now if I were to buy the HHR, it would be my car and my wife would hate every moment she'd have to spend in it. If I go with the G5, she'd be the primary driver of that and I'd inherit the G6 as my daily driver. I'm not 100% happy with the prospect of owning a 4cyl-equipped car for daily driving (though the fuel economy & savings would be nice), and not sure I'd be comfortable in a compact/small car, so that's two votes against the HHR (the G5 would be an occasional use car for me since the wife would drive it the most).

Since GMAC did not change the pull-ahead offer to include November leases for May (plus I think it is back to two-payments only and not five like last month), I have another 30 days or so to sit on this debate. Of course I will likely test drive the G5 GT this month when I take the wife's car for service. What I also want to drive is a V6-equipped G8 Sedan... I want to see if it's something I could live with (I really want the 6.0L V8 GT model, but if my selling dealership can make a G8 V6 deal happen for me, I think I could settle with that). And since new car sales are still down and V6 G8 inventory is stockpiling, maybe more incentives will come as the summer approaches?

[gm4life]

You know gm4life, you just painted a bullseye on yourself for all of the Pontiac haters to target you now

I'm curious as to why you don't recommend the HHR? One of the main reasons I like the HHR is that it offers some utility in that it is a wagon-esque type of vehicle. The G6 can't carry any real large boxy items, and the downside to the trunk of the G5 is that it has a very narrow opening (Cobalt too). The practicality of the extra set of doors on the HHR vs. the G5 is a big benefit too. Now if I were to buy the HHR, it would be my car and my wife would hate every moment she'd have to spend in it. If I go with the G5, she'd be the primary driver of that and I'd inherit the G6 as my daily driver. I'm not 100% happy with the prospect of owning a 4cyl-equipped car for daily driving (though the fuel economy & savings would be nice), and not sure I'd be comfortable in a compact/small car, so that's two votes against the HHR (the G5 would be an occasional use car for me since the wife would drive it the most).

Since GMAC did not change the pull-ahead offer to include November leases for May (plus I think it is back to two-payments only and not five like last month), I have another 30 days or so to sit on this debate. Of course I will likely test drive the G5 GT this month when I take the wife's car for service. What I also want to drive is a V6-equipped G8 Sedan... I want to see if it's something I could live with (I really want the 6.0L V8 GT model, but if my selling dealership can make a G8 V6 deal happen for me, I think I could settle with that). And since new car sales are still down and V6 G8 inventory is stockpiling, maybe more incentives will come as the summer approaches?

I really don't care what the Pontiac haters say, they got what they wanted Pontiac is gone.

I find the HHR to be a fine vehicle, but I think it is rather ummm lets say odd looking. Not ugly just odd. Given the option of my wife loving a 2 door Poncho Coupe even if it is a Cobalt rebadge or a station wagon I would run with the Pontiac and not look back. Also you know me I am EXTREMELY fond of Pontiac's and personally would much rather have the G5 GT than an HHR. Plus the G5 could be a collectors item. I would go with the G5 after all females are always right. (Well most of the time, right?) As for the G8 you know my thoughts on that even a six cylinder G8 would be way better than the G5 GT and worlds better than an HHR. It still has RWD and 256hp after all, and with 18inch wheels it can look good while smoking the tires.

Edited May 8, 2009 by gm4life

[GMTruckGuy74]

I see what you're saying about the value of a Pontiac gm4life and agree with you 100%... I would like for nothing more than to buy a new Pontiac this year. While the Vibe is very slowly growing on me, its Toyota roots will stop me from signing on the dotted line for one (even though I know the wife really, really likes them and would love to have a GT model). I'm just trying to picture the G5 GT Coupe for the next 5-7 years of driving duty - the good thing is that my youngest son will be 9-11 years old and should still fit comfortably in the back seat by that time. I just hate the fact that I don't know what my hauling needs will be like in the next five years and if the G6 Sedan and a possible G5 Coupe would be able to meet those needs. Of course a G8 (V6 or V8) would cancel most of the issues I have ) I like the loaded-up G8 V6 sedan, stickering a tad over $31k... of course the nicer GT models I like sticker around $33-$34k, so they are going to be out of the question unless GM puts cash ont he hood AND low financing rates (not likely for both). I'm figuring that as G8 V6 inventory builds up while GT inventory clears out, GM may put some more incentives on the G8 V6 to move them out and that may be my only chance. I figured the G8 is what I really want, and if I have to go witht eh V6 model to get one than I at least have a G8 (the styling differences between the V6 & V8 are minimal - rims, door handles, and taillight covers). Since I'm not pressured to do something right now, I just have to muster up the patience and hope GM comes through for me and the G8.

[Intrepidation]

300M Special

[Robert Hall]

300M Special

I really like those wheels on the 300M...those were nice cars.

[Cory Wolfe]

I've decided... I'm giving myself two options once the Cobalt is paid for. Revert back to an MK3, or go all out and get myself into a Genesis coupe. Doing so is going to be really tight, money wise, but it actually seems feasible. Either optoin is not including the aforementioned project car.

[regfootball]

any way to take a cobalt ss and put the g5 front end and badges on it?

[ocnblu]

Yup, and you'd also have to replace the trunk lid, rear bumper and rear lights.

[Croc]

I've decided... I'm giving myself two options once the Cobalt is paid for. Revert back to an MK3, or go all out and get myself into a Genesis coupe. Doing so is going to be really tight, money wise, but it actually seems feasible. Either optoin is not including the aforementioned project car.

If it would make money tight, don't do it. This is not an economy for risk-taking of that sort. Wait until you can actually afford the Genesis, and then buy it. Chances are that it will be better-equipped in that time, too.

[GMTruckGuy74]

any way to take a cobalt ss and put the g5 front end and badges on it?

Well, I can't drive stick, so the Cobalt SS would be out of the question (to make it clear, I can drive stick if I had to, but I have a medical condition with my left foot that would prevent me from using a clutch on a continous, daily basis). And if I was going to go through all that trouble, I'd get a Cobalt Sport Sedan (former SS) and put the G5 treatment on that.

[enzl]

My advice to anyone considering a Pontiac purchase (or any other dead brand walking) is to wait....once GM announces dealer closings, the market will be saturated by excess inventory returned by dealers who are going out....same holds true of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge---all non-Alpha dealers will be targeted for closing by the summer.

Personally, I've got a 06-07 530xi Wagon in my cross-hairs....the CPO's are half of new sticker and the specialists are at about 40%. (2 kids in seats and my wife hates SUV/CUV's, so I'm happy.)

[GMTruckGuy74]

I agree with your point enzl. However, I have no choice in the matter as I'm waiting for GMAC to offer a pull-ahead program that includes my contract end month (November); at this time they're still only going to October 31st. I just hope that there's something left if and when a pull-ahead program is offered to me!!

[enzl]

I agree with your point enzl. However, I have no choice in the matter as I'm waiting for GMAC to offer a pull-ahead program that includes my contract end month (November); at this time they're still only going to October 31st. I just hope that there's something left if and when a pull-ahead program is offered to me!!

I hear you...The pull-ahead programs will be up for grabs after June 1. My understanding is that the reason Chrysler went to an all-rebate program in May is a result of the over-complicated accounting required for any other form of incentives--Papa Fed gets confused by the convoluted nature of other offerings.

Factor in the fact that GMAC taking over for Chrysler financial will further mess things up.

[Intrepidation]

any way to take a cobalt ss and put the g5 front end and badges on it?

That would make for a better G5 than the real thing, since the SS actually represents what excitement should be.

[Robert Hall]

That would make for a better G5 than the real thing, since the SS actually represents what excitement should be.

An SS w/ GXP badging and some unique Pontiac parts (wheels, hood, fascias, lighting, wing) could have made a nice G5, I think...

[Intrepidation]

An SS w/ GXP badging and some unique Pontiac parts (wheels, hood, fascias, lighting, wing) could have made a nice G5, I think...

Indeed, never got why GM didn't do it.

[FAPTurbo]

Next purchase won't be a car, but likely a motorcycle. Only problem is that my dad has stated that the only bikes allowed in the garage are BMW's.

[Intrepidation]

Dude your sig made me lawl.

[ZL-1]

I drove a 5-door BMW 120d (177hp diesel) for 3 days while the Mini was in the shop for service and.... wow, what a great car! Sustaining speeds of 125mph on the motorway for an hour or so felt completely effortless! I believe I got the 1-Series bug...

[Cory Wolfe]

If it would make money tight, don't do it. This is not an economy for risk-taking of that sort. Wait until you can actually afford the Genesis, and then buy it. Chances are that it will be better-equipped in that time, too.

True, good point.