I've been looking at some options for a future car when car prices go down. I've been looking at Pontiacs just because my friend has a g8 and I really like it. I myself would be more interested in getting a g6 v6 model. Can anyone speak to the reliablity of the Pontiac cars towards the end of the brand?
For a reliable Pontiac you have to go back at least to the 1970s if not before.
Dang, I really like the looks of some them too. Ik they used the 3.8 v6 which is know to be great engine and was used in some them. I think I'll start looking at the Japanese market and I would love to buy american. Ik the mustang v8s were pretty reliable for awhile other than the auto tranny going out. Probably looking to get an accord v6, civic si, or subaru wrx. I love american muscle cars but they just aren't practical for me, I thought I could get by having an american v6.
Unfortunately GM quality was going into the toilet when the vehicles you're looking at were built. Maybe not quite as bad as they are today, but still no better than mediocre and frequently worse than that.
Gotcha, I would really love to support american companies which sucks. Any American car recommendations, cats only, I'm not a fan of suvs and trucks really.
It really depends on what you want. Overall the Japanese have the edge in reliability, though there are specific models to avoid which Scotty has talked about. What constitutes an American car is blurry these days. For better or worse, auto manufacturing is a global operation and you will frequently find cars with Japanese nameplates built in the U.S. and those with American nameplates built overseas, or with most parts made overseas even if assembled here.
Thanks
They're pretty much as reliable as other GM vehicles of the time. Not the greatest, but not Fiat, either. You definitely won't find it as a relic in somebody's field one day and be able to only throw a few hundred dollars at it to make it drive again. My 1979 Pontiac Catalina sat for 5 years in a field, it started on starter fluid and ran on the old gas that was in it without having to touch the carburetor. $600 later, I drive it around town almost every day when it's not raining. I wouldn't pay too much for one. The V6 is less likely to have been abused vs the V8, but it is still recent GM, not 1960s and '70s GM when they knew how to build a car.
I think reliability of any ICE is a function of design and more importantly, maintenance and more specifically, lubrication. Unless the seller can provide some kind of documentation about the vehicle maintenance, I would pass on it. Doesn't really matter who made the vehicle.
Yeah I see a ton of them online that just are all rusted up and they look to not be I'm good condition. To go with design the trannies are all sealed and the power steering has a ton of recalls so I may look at other brands at that time. The accord v6 manuals look great but they are usually pretty pricey and use a timing belt instead of a chain.