Thought i heard on the news that GM is going to drop
the pontiac division-anyone know if this is true?

 

It is indeed the truth. There may be a few Pontiac models continuing in the Chevrolet nameplate (G8,) but Pontiac, and Saturn for that matter are gone.

 

Ya, I thought I heard something on the news too. Something about maybe selling off different parts, I think I heard Saturn or Saab's name? or are they just dropping em completely?

 

Saturn, Hummer, Saab are gone.

Pontiac is staying but it loses it's division status. There will still be Pontiacs but in name only. They will be a "niche" market section. Will sell cars like the G8, Solstice and despite what they say maybe a new Firebird. Will probably have 2 or three cars under the pontiac name. Won't be a division anymore.

 

If the Pontiac brand is eliminated, what a sad end to a great marque. Pontiac was really the only brand at GM that was fairly consistently marketed at the car enthusiast (OK, let's try to forget about the Parisienne Brougham).

It's hard to believe that Pontiac may be kaput and yet Buick is still going strong.

Everyone fondly remembers the great Pontiacs of the 1960s and 1970s -- the Widetracks, early GPs, the '64 GTO, Super Dutys, Judges, Trans Ams, Can Ams. Aside from the later Turbo 6 cars, what older Buicks do people lust after today? How many Buicks have had songs written about them?

I think this is the Aztek's fault.

 

LOL about the Aztek. But like I said its not going away completely. I still don't know why they are ditching their third best division but anyway there will still be pontiacs in Name only not as a division.

 

I don't want to get political, but when you stand back and look at the big picture, policies like Bush's SUV tax breaks early on really destroyed GM and the Big 3 from the inside out, killing them with self-inflicted damage. Their own greed for fast bucks, their disregard for a long term outlook, etc. And of course Americans were stupid enough to fall for it, as well. Buy a gas guzzling SUV which is scientifically proven to be less safe than a sedan, just so that you feel big and bad to compensate for your self-esteem shortcomings, and save a little bit on your taxes. I'm aware of the fact that a lot of people here own SUV's, and I'm not disrespecting, but I can't justify why, other than a subconscious ego boost. The world did not stand still before the SUV was invented. Station wagons got the job done. Cars & trucks got the job done. Not to mention that the Big 3 put their faith blindly into CAD-designed cars, forgetting about the human warmth that used to go into cars of yesteryear. I guess everyone's to blame, but I blame Bush the most. He set the stage for downfalls like this. What other president can claim credit for losing half of the GM divisions in one fell swoop under his watch? I really couldn't care less about Saab, Hummer, or Saturn, since they never should've been part of GM to begin with, but.. Oldsmobile gone? PMD gone? What a disgrace. Did anyone predict this before Bush took office? Just another spectacular disaster in a long line of his spectacular disasters. "Oh it's Clinton's fault", "oh it's Obama's fault". The lengths people will go to, to avoid coming to terms with reality.. it's amazing.
OK, how many people's blood pressure have I raised? 50%? 75%? 90%? So be it.. the world without Pontiac Motor Division is a far more saddening thing than this.
BTW my family has owned 100% American cars for a couple decades now; bought both new and used, and primarily GM. So much for our loyalty.

 

Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I really didn't want to see Plymouth go because I knew the way Dodge was going, there was a chance to bring some nameplates back, (Cuda.)

I also didn't wanna see Olds go, as a big fan of the old 442s, but out it went.

And ya know what? I don't miss them that much. I know I won't miss Saturn, or Hummer. Pontiac will continue as a niche, (which i should have said, instead of gone,) but unless they decide to bring the new Firebird/ Trans Am out, nothing in their line really thrills me.

 

dont blame the president, americans want big SUVs so the big three will keep make them, the housing market crashed (not bushs' fault) followed by the economy, people stop spending. In 2007 GM did not sell a million or so units. its GM's own fault for going under. is it the president's job to tell companies how to run their business?

 

Actually it is his fault, directly and exclusively, due to a 2002 law he passed making Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM's) available to people who clearly who could not afford them.

I will definitely miss Pontiac as a division, if indeed they are losing that status. 8 decades worth of American heritage won't be forgotten overnight, just because GM says so. Not by me. I will also miss Oldsmobile plenty. Maybe if GM had continued to build cars that stood out, as they did from the beginning up until the mid 90s, they may still have been thriving, who knows. Too late now. Fork over the billions to save their Titanic of an operation.

 

Sounds like we need to buy some 'Birds!!

 

Oh, I'll definetly miss the history for both Oldsmobile and Pontiac, but in a way, we'll always have that. At all the Carlisle shows, (In my area,) and resto projects we do, etc, etc. GM can't take that from us. I'll miss the divison because they always had distinct styling, just not anything in thier current line up. The only exception may be the G8 Firehawk.

 

I don't blame Bush, I blame the American people for going out and buying the toyotas, nissans, mitsubishis, kias, suzuki, and all the other foreign company vehicles instead of buying American.

 

I think turning Pontiac into a "niche" brand is GM basically saying that they will dropping the brand in a few years without directly saying it. The Pontiac G6 still sells very well and it would be a bad idea to jinx the brand before that plantform has run its lifecycle. Now that the hype is over sales of the Solestice has been way down for the last couple years and the $30,000+ G8 isn't selling very well.

Really, Pontiac and many of the other divisions died during the Roger Smith era at GM when he turned all the divisions into strictly marketing brands with corporate drivetrains and engineering with different nameplates and minor styling differences on the vehicles.

 

Basically we should of never put our companies over seas and stayed true to the american car...plus the problems with housing and other politics etc.

 

Do you realize that toyota, and honda are some of the most reliable vehicles you can buy. The price is no doubt higher. But the other side of it is if you buy a inexpensive new car example chevy malibu, grand am, g6..... list goes on. These cars last 10 year and there worth nothing, if you decide to keep it you will have to rebuild it. When the wife decided to buy another vehicle i talked her into a newer honda. Why? Because its less money over a longer period of time. No break downs so far. motors last 350,000plus km with little maintanance. I do understand were not just talking about small cars. Domestic trucks are more reliable and have the ability to get full use out of them as work trucks. Im not bashing domestic because there are still alot of quality vehicles made. But i think its BS that people should buy what ever crap comes off the assembly line just because its made in our back yards. Its unfortunate middle class people that cant afford an expensive relable car. They end up buying a used car that ends up breaking down and costing more money then that new car that they still could not afford anyway.

Im not going to get into Bush, housing market and the recession. I just wanted to make a point that some of us are more focused on survival of our familys and paying bills then the Big 3. When my brothers dodge dakota breaks down every week and costs him 600 buck a pop, dodge does not care about his other bills hes go to pay. But there right around the block to sell him an 09' with LIMITED warranty. LOL

I wish i could some how go back in time and get to enjoy the late 60s american muscle cars. Now all the cars look the same.

Im just glad that we have our thirdgens to enjoy!

 

Can i hear a amen!? lol

 

Look up quality reports, you'll see that the domestic companies have had a better track record than most of the other foreign companies for quite a few years now, but people still believe that foreign is better. I'm not getting into an argument, I'm done.

 

ive got to say that i think the SBC is a pretty damn reliable engine!
i know i know wikipedia

 

my friend loves toyota. he always said he will never buy an american car because he thinks they are crap and always brake down. i hate how him and people like him think. the american auto maker don't build cars to crap out on you later its how you take care of the car over the years. He thinks im crazy for driving my trans am daily. I tell everyone I had it for over a year now never left me stranded. always starts and runs good. I read somewhere that in japan they love chevy.

 

I bet you're the first to complain when the value of your house plummeted.