g-6 convertible design flaw

[mightymouse]

So, Mighty, based on the picture we have, how is the trunk accessed normally with the top down and how hard is it to do?  It looks like you'd have to be a contortionist with x-ray vision to get anything out of the trunk.

The dark blue car displayed at the Detroit Auto Show was an early production model, with the top down, you press the release on the key fob...the trunk has the ability to swing both ways, just like BV....

So it pops open like a conventional trunk. Of course, much of the room is still taken up by the stored roof panels, but there is room

in between the panels, and storage under the panels. The cover needs to be in place when the roof does it magic as to eliminate the chance that idiots would pile a ton of things into the storage area, and then activate the mechanism, W/O the cover, things could get caught in the scissoring linkage jamming that beeeotch up. I really like the pillarless look with the top up and windows down. The only flaw regarding the amazing design, are the unreal expectations of a few who don't bother to find out how things work.

Edited January 26, 2006 by mightymouse

[thegriffon]

Of course the major advantage of a folding hardtop is the difference when the top is up.

Oh and there is no larger folding hardtop. The largest 4-seaters are the 307 CC, Astra TwinTop, the new C70 and VW Eos at the high-end of the C-segment, and the Lexus SC430, which is not much bigger. The G6's direct competitors are the Solara and Sebring. The other softops in the size class are the Jaguar XK8 and BMW 6-Series.

Edited January 22, 2006 by thegriffon

[AmericanMuscle]

Exactly, and the top operation isn't exactly fast. Half a minute to get the top up, a few seconds to put something in the trunk, and another half minute of waiting for it to get back down.

Wait, so it takes like a whole minute?? One whole minute? That's an outrage! I don't have a minute while I'm in the parking lot to put stuff in the trunk! Where are you going so fast that you don't have a minute to wait to get stuff out of the trunk? It's not even like there are pins or latches or any strings attached, just holding down that button for a measly minute, how easy can it get? For all the people with the golf bags under the California sun, I understand your case considering it's such an urgent rush to get out of that golf course on that leisurely day, you don't have a minute to wait for your trunk to open, what was Pontiac thinking? I mean if you drive a convertible g6, I'm guessing it's not going to be the car you take out for camping trips and grabbing massive amounts of groceries at the supermarket, same with any other small convertible car. Basically, when you're buying a convertible like this, I'm guessing that you would already know that trunk space is going to be little to none, so why even complain? There isn't too much going into that trunk that you can't put in the seat next to you or wait for that minute to go by to open your trunk.

Edited January 23, 2006 by AmericanMuscle

[Newbiewar]

personnally if the thing isnt dual hinged, i dont think its the end of the world... because if you are going to drive with the top down, and you are going to park, maybe take the grocceries out, maybe you've already got your grocceries... often times people dont leave their cars unattended with the roof down... so whats the problem, if the driver is getting out why wouldnt he put up the top anyway?

[corvette_dude729]

Haha buickguy, you screwed up big time!

[ponchoman49]

I really don't see why it's such a big deal.  So some things need to be sacrificed to make it a convertible, who cares!  If you like the car enough you'll buy it despite having to put the top up to get something out of the trunk(like it's such a big deal, its such a pain to press down that button, right?).  It doesn't destroy the whole car, I mean it's not like you even have to step out of the car to put the top down or up nor secure any pins. Not a big deal in my eyes...

But to spoiled modern day North Americans it will be a big deal. It really is too much to ask that someone needs to press 2 buttons instead of one to access there trunk. This is afterall the generation that wants to be able to click there mouse once and get instant right now response from their pc's versus 2 clicks and a little wait.

[ToniCipriani]

The biggest problem isn't really the actual user. It's the many journalists out there. If the person drives the car, they would have accepted the "defect" (not even sure if there is one at this point of time) already. They won't even buy it in the first place if they didn't like it right?

[The O.C.]

The dark blue car displayed at the Detroit Auto Show was an early production model, with the top down, you press the release on the key fob...the trunk has the ability to swing both ways, just like BV....

So it pops open like a conventional trunk. Of course, much of the room is still taken up by the stored roof panels, but they are lifted slightly to store like 3 garment bags or other flat-ish stuff under the panels, and the stuff is protected by a the cargo cover. The cover needs to be in place when the roof does it magic as to eliminate the chance that idiots would pile a ton of things into the storage area, and then activate the mechanism, W/O the cover, things could get caught in the scissoring linkage jamming that beeeotch up. I really like the pillarless look with the top up and windows down. The only flaw regarding the amazing design, are the unreal expectations of a few who don't bother to find out how things work.

Well THAT'S funny.....I was at the Detroit show also and was told you canNOT access the trunk with the top down.....because you cannot lift the stowed roof and glass...

Sounds like GM's "models" need to get their stories straight before working at an auto show....

[buickguy]

A Pontiac dealer told me he has seen the car, and you CANNOT access the trunk with the top down. Yeah, maybe you can squeeze your hand in the gap to pull out something tiny, but no access. The folding roof and rear window prevent it.

I stand by my original comment.

[mightymouse]

Well THAT'S funny.....I was at the Detroit show also and was told you canNOT access the trunk with the top down.....because you cannot lift the stowed roof and glass...

Sounds like GM's "models" need to get their stories straight before working at an auto show....

I asked a guy named Richard... to show me and he did it while everyone

watched, while the top was down. You can load some stuff, like pizza boxes

or garment bags in between the stored roof panels with the trunk open.

I don't make stuff up...I saw it. I Guess you guys will have to wait til you get

your hands on a real one. No, you can't load suitcases or golf clubs...

whatever. Dealers don't know $h!. I will post a picture asap

Edited January 26, 2006 by mightymouse

[The O.C.]

I asked a guy named Richard... to show me and he did it while everyone

watched, while the top was down. You can load some stuff, like pizza boxes

or garment bags by lifting the stored roof panels slightly with the trunk open.

I don't make stuff up...I saw it. I Guess you guys will have to wait til you get

your hands on a real one. No, you can't load suitcases or golf clubs...

whatever. Dealers don't know $h!. I will post a picture asap

All I can say is.....with my C6...there is no, I say no restrictions on getting in or out of the trunk with the top up OR down.....AND it has a sizeable trunk as well.....even WITH the top down.

The C6 convertible is one of GM's best executions......and with the 5-layer lined top, you are not missing that much NVH over not having a hardtop.

My question is.......when others (even GM itself) have shown how to do it better, WHY is GM asking us to accept such compromises? (AND this goes for Solstice too with it's puny trunk capacity......even compared to MX-5.)

[The O.C.]

personnally if the thing isnt dual hinged, i dont think its the end of the world... because if you are going to drive with the top down, and you are going to park, maybe take the grocceries out, maybe you've already got your grocceries... often times people dont leave their cars unattended with the roof down... so whats the problem, if the driver is getting out why wouldnt he put up the top anyway?

I almost NEVER put the top up. The car, trunk, and glovebox are secure even with the top down. Then again, it hardly ever rains here or anything....

[RBB]

All I can say is.....with my C6...there is no, I say no restrictions on getting in or out of the trunk with the top up OR down.....AND it has a sizeable trunk as well.....even WITH the top down.

The C6 convertible is one of GM's best executions......and with the 5-layer lined top, you are not missing that much NVH over not having a hardtop.

My question is.......when others (even GM itself) have shown how to do it better, WHY is GM asking us to accept such compromises?  (AND this goes for Solstice too with it's puny trunk capacity......even compared to MX-5.)

It's much easier to stow a soft top than a hard top.

That said, has anybody seen the Volvo C70 convertible with the top down and the trunk open? It's much the same way. How does the EOS compare?

-RBB

[ToniCipriani]

I almost NEVER put the top up.  The car, trunk, and glovebox are secure even with the top down.  Then again, it hardly ever rains here or anything....

Oh BTW, the glovebox is not lockable. I wonder if the convertible will have a different one.

I don't know but the last two cars I've got both have non-lockable ones. Don't know what's wrong with GM, even my sis' 92 Cavalier had one with a lock, but not my Cavalier and G6.

[thegriffon]

The C6, Miata, even the current 4-seat hardtop-cabrios, all have a much smaller roof than the G6. Larger roof space to bridge, more space required with the top down. The Sebring and Solara with their cloth roofs have twice as much space with the top up, and probably a little more with the top down, but you don't buy the cabrio for it's practicality.

Edited January 26, 2006 by thegriffon

[avant1963]

Two small bags in the EOS

[RBB]

The Volvo C70 with the top down and the trunk open:

-RBB

[sciguy_0504]

Is the G6's trunk lid dual hinged or does it open like we see in the picture? I haven't found a final answer and that would make all the difference.

[ToniCipriani]

It IS double hinged. It's mentioned on the Pontiac Website, and by the demo guy at NAIAS.

There's a video on YouTube of the demo.

[frogger]

The C6, Miata, even the current 4-seat hardtop-cabrios, all have a much smaller roof than the G6. Larger roof space to bridge, more space required with the top down. The Sebring and Solara with their cloth roofs have twice as much space with the top up, and probably a little more with the top down, but you don't buy the cabrio for it's practicality.

You don't lose any space in the Sebring when you lower the top, its a separate area than the trunk area. I really think a big reason the Sebring has sold decently is its practicality as far as convertibles go. Edited January 26, 2006 by frogger

[The O.C.]

It's much easier to stow a soft top than a hard top.

That said, has anybody seen the Volvo C70 convertible with the top down and the trunk open?  It's much the same way.  How does the EOS compare?

-RBB

C70 and Eos are both FAR superior to G6 in terms of trunk accessability with the top stowed.

NO....C70 is not "much the same way."

[turbo200]

If that's the kind of space hardtops take up in a trunk, as opposed to the space available from a similar competitor like the Sebring, and then there are the weight gains and cost issues, are hardtop convertibles really worth the cost of entry. I think they are cool in a high end cars, but I want my big convertibles to have some practicality to them too. And in cars where a soft top doesn't detract from the look of the car, as it most certainly would from the XLR and SL, as compared to thier hardtop style, i would just rather stick to the softtop.

[RBB]

C70 and Eos are both FAR superior to G6 in terms of trunk accessability with the top stowed.

NO....C70 is not "much the same way."

So the G6 is worse than this?

-RBB

[The O.C.]

So the G6 is worse than this?

-RBB

Yes.....there is some flexibility in the mechanism that allows you to lift it up slightly to increase the opening. It's not perfect, but better than what I've seen in the G6.

[Flybrian]

Okay, here we go...

Has anyone, anywhere, at any time actually had the opportunity to personally operate this car's trunk and stowage mechanism?

I don't care about thinking, reading, seeing from a distance, asking, hearing, I'm talking about first-hand doing? Because I'm about to freak out, drive to Michigan, find out which train is taking out the first batch of G6s, hijack it, pop open a carrier, pull a G6 out, and see for myself.

Well, not really. But I think others can understand where I'm coming from.

[The O.C.]

Okay, here we go...

Has anyone, anywhere, at any time actually had the opportunity to personally operate this car's trunk and stowage mechanism?

I don't care about thinking, reading, seeing from a distance, asking, hearing, I'm talking about first-hand doing? Because I'm about to freak out, drive to Michigan, find out which train is taking out the first batch of G6s, hijack it, pop open a carrier, pull a G6 out, and see for myself.

Well, not really. But I think others can understand where I'm coming from.

I think the overriding argument here is that too few people see any advantage in a folding tin-top considering all the trunk capacity/trunk access compromises you have to make in ANY of these models.....

[RBB]

Yes.....there is some flexibility in the mechanism that allows you to lift it up slightly to increase the opening.  It's not perfect, but better than what I've seen in the G6.

Thanks - I didn't know that.

Posted in the Ford forum

Storing the top in Calder-shaped pieces does the inevitable one-two on trunk space. Top up, the C70 has 12.8 cubes of feet of trunk storage; top down, it still has six cubic feet, enough room for a set of golf clubs. However, getting to that space means thinking ahead. Load it up before you pull down the top, or you'll have to press a trunk-mounted button that shifts the top up so you can raise a protective lid that, whew, finally! lets you stow something the size of a set of golf clubs.

-RBB

[Brougham-Holiday]

The new ads say it best; Only GM

Only GM is stupid enough to build a great looking car and screw up one big part of the design to make a great car only ok

ONLY GM

[pow]

The new ads say it best; Only GM

Only GM is stupid enough to build a great looking car and screw up one big part of the design to make a great car only ok

ONLY GM 

I think they abandoned "Only GM", or at least stopped drawing attention to it. Now it's more brand specific.