And I'm not just talking about the '04-'05 GTP Comp Gs, but the whole damn Grand Prix car line...

When I found out that 74% of CY '06 GP sales are fleet, I was shocked, and and at the same time not that surprised. I knew this was true based on the fact that 1/3 of retail GP sales are GXPs...and yet despite driving over 40,000 miles a year now, I've seen a whopping TWO on the road. The old Pontiac dealer I used to work for barely stocks any GPs anymore...

And its a shame. As the title says, my girlfriend and I are buying a black on black leather '04 Comp G with 13,000 miles on it from my old dealership (sorry...I can't put a Chrysler in my driveway...those are for work only ). We're buying it semi-wholesale for $14,600, $4,000 below NADA retail but a little above what I could buy a comparable car for at an auction, if I could even find a 13k mile Comp G there with all the stuff this one has. Its completely stuffed with the Comp G package, leather, sunroof, 6 CD Monsoon, sport package with the better spoiler, grills and exhaust tips, etc. We drove it Saturday night, and I forgot how much fun these cars are...the s/c 3800 has tons 'o' torque (but sounds no better than a Whirlpool dryer at WOT), the Comp G package rides hard but delivers phenomenal handling (granted, the GXP supercedes the Comp G in both handling and ride), and all the little features keep you entertained, with the HUD and all.

So why the hell did the car do so bad in the market? I mean, clubgp.com is full of enthusiasts for the '97+ style...and therein lies the problem. When the style changed, obviously it was nowhere near as popular (I still think my '01 GT coupe was a better looking car without question), but it doesn't have styling that screams rental fleet by any stretch...yet that's where its ended up. Residuals on these cars are awful...I'm buying from Enterprise for the lot an '06 base GP with 35k on it for $10,500!!!!! And yesterday at the auction, I grabbed an identical Comp G to the one we're buying with 47k on it, in a different color and without the sport package, for $10,500!! I couldn't believe how cheap it was...if it had less miles, we'd take that one for sure.

After seeing such a loyal '97-'03 GP following dry up, its a shame because the new car wasn't/isn't that bad. It certainly drives great, is pretty bulletproof, and gives a lot of car for the $$$, especially after the MSRPs were adjusted. Yet, these cars are treated like used car darlings...good for me, bad for the overall image of the car.

If the interior had been better done (it is an injection molded wonderland in an '04...even the '06+ could be better despite the changes) and Pontiac was still even ATTEMPTING to market the car? Pontiac probably wouldn't have seen nearly the drop in sales it's had...nor would the residuals make these cars a joke in the used market by dumping a ton into fleet.

All I know is, with my girlfriend's/future wife's blessing, I'm gonna be having a lot of fun with this big black Pontiac...12s, anyone??

 

I dunno. I'm a GM fan till the end, i'm almost 30, i've owned 2 grand prixs and a monte carlo (78-87 G-bodies mind you) and the new GPs have never even been close to my radar screen for a car, most relevently a few years ago when i bought an olds alero for a daily driver.

On the exterior the proportions just seem all wrong and the interior is absolutely abysmal. Add their sterling reputation for eating transmissions every 60k miles even in daily driver duty and propensity for warping brake rotors and i wouldn't touch one with a 10' pole.

late model GP enthusiasts might like them, but that's about it, the car really doesnt have legs to make their appeal spread. Using clubgp as an example of their popularity is like pointing at ls1tech for the popularity of LS1 fbodies.

 

The interior is pretty bad plastics wise (borderline horrific). I mean it literally looks very very cheap even with some of the cool options.... and also the exterior is not a good as the previous models like you said. On that note I consider it a good buy and I would easily buy either car at the price you can get them for

 

You beat me to it

 

the only thing i don't like is the interior...it's discusting(sp). it has no form to it ( looks like it was designed by different people for different cars) plus the plastic used is very cheap looking. as i posted in the thread in the lounge i'm looking at getting a GXP but it's the inside that is holding be back. too bad as i like the exterior.

 

Jason, you wave a fairly new GXP in front of my face for $14K and I'd probally buy one too.

Until the new Impala came out, the Grand Prix (with supercharger) is the only "large" FWD car I'd reccomend. Taurus was surprizingly well made... far better than any Camry I've ever been in and it's interior was light years ahead of GM's W car, but it's been around unchanged forever. That combined with selling a bajillion each year made them old and forgetable.

The Grand Prix's exterior IMO looks great. it needed a new nose something fierce, and I understand that there was a revised design done up that was to hold it over till 2010 or 2011, but that seems to have been abandoned.

But Grand Prix's real weakness IS it's interior. Instead of being warm and comfortable (like the new Impala for instance), it felt cold and industrial.

I'm also surprised that Grand Prix is selling so many to fleet sales. But then consider that the Grand Prix is now the oldest unchanged W car at GM. Even the Monte Carlo got a new nose, tail, and interior.

The only GP worth buying now is the GXP. IMO, a good "lead-in" to what's next.

 

It had to be styling. The 97 to 03 were good looking cars, they weren't perfect but it had a sporty look to it. It took me a while for the 04+ to grow on me. The Comp G was a great car when it came out, it's a shame more people didn't know about it and after the initial rush, not many cared about the GXP.

 

guion,

I wish it WAS a GXP for $14k...its a Comp G GTP, not a GXP Alas, we've already decided we're either running the Comp G forever (why not? Its cheap!) because I'll be getting my 5th gen in a couple years, or in '10 or so I'll wholesale it off and get an '07 GXP for her. FWD is just too nice to have around here, despite the fact I know you'll beg to differ

notgetleft,

I think you're being a little TOO critical of the FWD GPs...they were a helluva lot sportier and more popular than the G Body GPs by a long, long shot. Trannys are far from blowing every 60k (to wit, I took in a 217k mile '97 GP GTP with the ORIGINAL tranny shifting like new) unless you boost the crap outta GTPs...the N/A cars have zero problems with trannys. Also, brake rotor warpage IS an issue with the N bodies, but W bodies? I'd beg to differ..my '01 had 66k on the ORIGINAL pads rotors when I sold, my sister had 55k on hers, and the aforementioned '04 with 47k that I'm driving right now still has the original brakes on it, according to one of my techs...they feel fine.

But yeah, as fancy as all the goodies are, the dash is still pretty iffy with materials. But hell, its better than the Ion she has right now

 

how can you tell a comp G from the other by looking at pics? i'm on the autotrader site but nobody lists it...so i want to know if there is a hidden gem somewhere.

 

Ditto on the awful interior.

Also, I had a standard GP as a rental, and the back seat passengers complained about the odd shaped windows (found them disorienting or something).

 

I was dead set on the GXP ealier this year, having been in Germany at the time, I was only web shopping. But then I came home and sat in one... I could not then, and still cannot fathom driving a car with such a craptastic interior. How could Pontiac do so much for that car, and just forget that people have to LIVE with the thing?!?

Anywho... long story short, I got the Impy SS instead, unsupportive seats, but FAR better interior design. And other than a G-meter, it really doesn't perform much, if any worse than the GXP.

 

Geez, a lot of haters in here. I'm not a huge fan of the interior, but I've seen worse, too.

I'm lightly considering getting one if I can find a good lease deal (and if I can't find a good deal on a GTO...), but it might be tough for me to give up a manual (even though, I have to admit, driving an auto for a DD is kinda nice). The Impala has an advantage in its axle ratio, but other than that the GXP is the better performer of the two. I also think it looks pretty damn mean as far as the exteriors go (though the Impala SS is VERY handsome to me, just not quite as sporty/aggressive looking).

As I recall about the interior, the center stack is a little on the hard side, but I thought the main dash pad was a bit softer. Of course, this is only a problem if you like to fondle the dash. Just going by the styling of the dash alone, I think it looks pretty cool. Certainly distinctive...

 

looks all messed up....like what is the center stack higher than the rest of the dash?

 

I have such mixed feelings on this...

I personally have loved my Comp G since I bought it. Initially I got a bunch of complements when it was a new car...but generally it just kind of blends in now.

The interior is not great....but as the old GP proved...a hot looking, practicle, great performing car can overcome that.

The current GP failed because of two things IMO.

#1, the front end looks too damn funky on both the regular and GXP. The last gen GP had styling everyone could look...the current car has styling that can actually turn off buyers. If you have a crappy interior...you need looks...and the GP's front end kills an otherwise racy design.

#2, The Comp G despite beeing rated at 20 more HP than the old was slower...and much more difficult to mod. The killed the aftermarket. The old GP had probaly the third biggest GM after market behind F-body and Corvette...but the new car has not continued that. Most of the parts you see for the 04+ are either parts that work on the old car also...or parts there were designed when it first came out. There is really not active aftermaket for the newer cars.

That being said...since I have the GTO, my Grand Prix has really lost it's luster in my mind. It is modded, and probaly has 300 HP now...so it is an entertaining car, but it just is not that fun. I only drive it when it rains, or I am feeling lazy and don't want to shift...and even then it just feels like basic transportation. The interior is just depressing to be in....compared to the GTO. Part of that may be I have had the car almost three years now...which is the longest I have ever owned a car

 

Saddest part is how nice the interior in the G-Force Concept looked.