It was one of those chance meetings that turned out to be a bitter sweet ending. The day didn't start out as planned. You know that ad on TV for Enterprise Rental that says "We'll pick you up?" Well not in Sebring on Saturdays. Great, now I'm going to be running behind. Once I picked up the 2008 Pontiac G5 coupe, the 1100 mile trip began. The first 550 miles were a mix of day and night driving as well as rain. The return 550 miles was an experience in sheer hell on earth for drivers. Imagine a traffic jam where you stop and go with a mximum speed attained of 20 mph........ that lasts for 300 miles. I hit a patch of black ice and barely managed to stop..... then almost got crunched by a semi behind me that was trying to stop and hit the black ice. If I hadn't seen him coming, hit the gas and drove off the side it would have been ugly. He came to rest right where I had just been sitting. Everything had been thrown at this car from crappy weather to the worst traffic jam I've ever seen and it didn't skip a beat.
In spirited driving, it needs a little more tire. They just don't quite instill the confidence when you push the motor. With a suspension makeover, this could be an eye opener. The motor revs freely and pulls quite well from 4000-6500.
the pluses:
*Ecotec engine gives spirited performance.
*Good fuel economy even at elevated speeds
*Decent interior room with ample trunk
*Fold down rear seats for larger cargo
*Hydraulic Hood Strut rather than hood prop.
The neutrals:
*Engine at higher revs sounds like a dustbuster.
*Balky climate controls
*Center armrest in the way of shifting when in lowered position
The minus:
*Lack of ABS brakes made for some unexpected action.
*Car needs a little more tire footprint to match the engine.
*Red guage lighting can get difficult to read at night in
less than ideal situations.
*Gas fill cap is on passenger side
If I were to get my hands on one for my own, I would upgrade the suspension and wheels/tires as well as upgrade the instument panel display. For the daytime it works, but the red lighting at night doesn't work for me. Overall it's a suprising package that performed well. I don't know the price so I cannot comment on the price/value end. Would I buy one? That depends....... If I were looking for sporty looking domestic produced basic transportation, I would definately consider it. And part of the consideration would have to be price. For under 15K it would be a good choice if ABS brakes were included.
In spirited driving, it needs a little more tire. They just don't quite instill the confidence when you push the motor. With a suspension makeover, this could be an eye opener. The motor revs freely and pulls quite well from 4000-6500.
the pluses:
*Ecotec engine gives spirited performance.
*Good fuel economy even at elevated speeds
*Decent interior room with ample trunk
*Fold down rear seats for larger cargo
*Hydraulic Hood Strut rather than hood prop.
The neutrals:
*Engine at higher revs sounds like a dustbuster.
*Balky climate controls
*Center armrest in the way of shifting when in lowered position
The minus:
*Lack of ABS brakes made for some unexpected action.
*Car needs a little more tire footprint to match the engine.
*Red guage lighting can get difficult to read at night in
less than ideal situations.
*Gas fill cap is on passenger side
If I were to get my hands on one for my own, I would upgrade the suspension and wheels/tires as well as upgrade the instument panel display. For the daytime it works, but the red lighting at night doesn't work for me. Overall it's a suprising package that performed well. I don't know the price so I cannot comment on the price/value end. Would I buy one? That depends....... If I were looking for sporty looking domestic produced basic transportation, I would definately consider it. And part of the consideration would have to be price. For under 15K it would be a good choice if ABS brakes were included.
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