Bought: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Sedan w/6spd Manual

Buick61 · 09-24-2005, 08:03 PM

I bought a black, 2006 G6 GTP sedan today. So, I figured I should review it and post some pictures.

As many of you know, I have been an outspoken fan of the Chrysler LX cars, and the 300C in particular. So it would be a surprise (if I hadn't already spilled the beans) that I gave my own 2005 Chrysler 300C the boot. It was not because the car was subpar--it seriously was a nearly flawless machine and I feel privileged to have owned it for 16 months--rather, it was the victim of its own size, consumption, and cost and my own geographic migration to a place where size matters.

Looking for a smaller, cheaper, yet still somewhat acceptably stylish and quick mode of transportation, I made a short list. On that list was the Mazda3s, Chevrolet HHR 2LT and Cobalt SS non s/c, Pontiac G6 GTP, Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Nissan Altima 3.5SE. I decided that I should utilize my GM Card earnings this time around, so I axed the still compelling, yet wrongly branded, foreign nameplates. I deemed the HHR to be too, um, nerdish, and the Cobalt SS non s/c was in short supply, so I couldn't even find one to test drive.

So, the process of elimination worked wonders for Pontiac and their G6. It was sized right, priced right, styled OK, had adequate power, and was readily available. After an exhaustive week long search (tongue firmly in cheek), I found a car with more options than I wanted, but was priced less than I was expecting to spend (thanks to GM's crazy and confusing incentives--inventory rebate??). The test drives were convincing, and the friendliness of the dealership, along with their willingness to cut the price substantially, sealed the deal. I could have done a lot worse for $25,4XX, minus GM Card and trade-in.

And now on to the car! It's a fully FULLY loaded GTP sedan with the 6-speed manual. It has XM, Onstar, Side-Impact Airbags, 6-cd changer, panoramic roof, Leather, and so forth. MSRP was $29,350 or so.

The 3900 isn't as smooth as the Hemi was, but it's got very good mid-range thrust. I haven't pushed the car yet, as it only has a few dozen miles on it at this point. The clutch is light, almost too light, so smooth engagement takes a little practice at first. The shifts themselves are precise, if a bit notchy. Fifth and Sixth gears are WAY over to the right, so sometimes getting into them is a little more cumbersome than expected. First gear is very short. It's the "I can't even get across the street" gear that reminds me of our 1976 VW Beetle that I used to drive around the neighborhood as a fourth-grader. (It was the early 90s, times they were a different) On the polar opposite spectrum, sixth gear is as tall as Yao Ming. For any steam up hills at highway speeds, fourth gear is your best option. Sixth exists for bragging rights and for a more impressive EPA number (which explains why the manual gets 5mpg better on the highway than the automatic).

The interior is worlds better than the 2005 GT I drove earlier (and wrote a less than flattering review of here on GMI). Sure there are places where GM saved a ton of money. The dials, while chrome-ringed, still have an entry-car feel to their operation. The hard plastic center consol surrounding the shifter could stand some attention, the door panel cubbies are fisher-price grade, and the stereo buttons do their job well, but do it without any flash. And finally, the trunk is rather small for a car of this class.

But the seats are fantastic in shape, texture, design (two tone!) and support; the chrome on the shifter and around the gauges are top shelf; the panoramic roof operates in a better manner than I was expecting; and the trunk is nicely finished. Further, the automatic climate control works as advertised. I'm also pleased that GM got smart and offered stability control as standard equipment on this model. Additionally, six-airbags are a welcomed incorporation; it's just too bad that they are an option.

XM is a wonder--I hardly know how I did without it. OnStar, which I didn't want, is something I now plan on keeping after its one-year subscription expires. Hands free phone calls and emergency assistance now seem like necessities to me. Also, Onstar just emailed me to tell me my car's miles, diagnostic test results, and its oil-life remaining. Too cool.

Of course, coming from the awe-inspiring 300C, there are some features that I already miss, and I will save you the diatribe about the virtues of a big V8 and RWD. I miss the tilt-down mirrors that aid parking so much. I miss the one touch up and down front windows. I miss dual-zone climate control. I miss the stand-out style. I miss the sunglasses holder. I miss the CHANGE holder (what a crazy thing to omit). I miss the light in the glove-compartment (which was carpeted in the Chrysler, no-less). I miss the feel of the controls. I miss the one-touch-for-three-blinks turn signal. And I miss having a compass (which seems like something a nearly $30K car would have). There are probably other things I miss too, but I guess they have escaped my mind.

However, I lived without those luxuries before and I can do so again. I am not some "can't dwell with the commoners" Sybarite, anyway.

The car is rated at 18 city 29 highway, which is a fairly huge spread. So far, I am getting 18.9mpg in 50/50 driving. That really doesn't mean anything just yet because it's brand new and it only has 46 miles on it. At the same point of ownership with the 300C, I was getting 11.9mpg. And that eventually went up to the low 20s.

Overall, I'm happy with the change. The payments are half that of the 300C, the car is fun to drive, is packed with safety features, and is at least sort of rare (six-speed manual American sedans aren't exactly commonplace). So that is it for now. Thanks for reading. I will post updates from time to time.

DuSpinnst · 09-24-2005, 08:10 PM

The GTP is a nice car. I wish I could afford one to replace the Malibu.

IAMCANADIAN · 09-24-2005, 08:16 PM

I'm glad you like it, you seem to have chosen a sweet car. The seats are nice eh, Pontiac has good seats I find. I like the Onstar feature, I'm thinking if i get a car with it, i'll get a prepaid cell and use Onstar instead, i never talk a whole lot and it costs the same as a cell phone per month and gives you telephone and so much more. Well I'm glad you found a nice car at a good price. One thing you won't find up in Canada is all those rebates, I was checking out the prices on a Grand Prix which i test drove as we want to get rid of the sebring convertible which was given to us, and boy are they hard to deal with on tradeins, but we did an online bid offer on a Grand Prix at a different dealership which was in fact a better car so if they give us a better deal, I'll just say to my local one here, I like doing business with you guys, and I'd rather stick with you but if you can't give me a good deal, especially when I'm a repeat customer, then I'll take my business elsewhere thanks.

Buick61 · 09-24-2005, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAMCANADIAN

I'm glad you like it, you seem to have chosen a sweet car. The seats are nice eh, Pontiac has good seats I find. I like the Onstar feature, I'm thinking if i get a car with it, i'll get a prepaid cell and use Onstar instead, i never talk a whole lot and it costs the same as a cell phone per month and gives you telephone and so much more. Well I'm glad you found a nice car at a good price. One thing you won't find up in Canada is all those rebates, I was checking out the prices on a Grand Prix which i test drove as we want to get rid of the sebring convertible which was given to us, and boy are they hard to deal with on tradeins, but we did an online bid offer on a Grand Prix at a different dealership which was in fact a better car so if they give us a better deal, I'll just say to my local one here, I like doing business with you guys, and I'd rather stick with you but if you can't give me a good deal, especially when I'm a repeat customer, then I'll take my business elsewhere thanks.

If the dealer doesn't want to deal, don't hesitate to tell them you're going elsewhere.

And yeah, Pontiac apparently knows how to make seats. That's a feather in their cap.

BTW, I added some more photos.

IAMCANADIAN · 09-24-2005, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buick61

If the dealer doesn't want to deal, don't hesitate to tell them you're going elsewhere.

And yeah, Pontiac apparently knows how to make seats. That's a feather in their cap.

BTW, I added some more photos.

it looks beautiful, black is nice colour on any car. I don't mind dealing with another dealership but I like the salesperson I dealt with not long ago obviously, like I've owned my car for 2 months. Mainly upgrading to an 05 GP Base is mainly because of warranty (if something goes on my alero, i would love to see how i'd pay for it) and of course being a pontiac person and loving the grand prix, and hey, the 3800's a durable engine. But I'm happy with my car anyway, it's just mainly to help my mom out with getting rid of the sebring which is hard with the employee discount. I'm buying a Grand Prix anyway as my next car so it doesn't matter when lol.

MelvinJ · 09-24-2005, 08:38 PM

Congratulations! I'm glad you took a chance on GM again.

Love the seats.

IAMCANADIAN · 09-24-2005, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mags

Congrats!

Car looks great... I'm thinking orange and black are the two best colours for the G6...although I probably have a bias on the orange...

The 18 inch rims fill out those wells really nice...

MF

the orange is friggin awesome dude, black is too, but I'd imagine black shows the scratches more.

Strapping.Young.Lad · 09-24-2005, 10:48 PM

The seats are AWESOME! and finally a G6 with a Good Steering Wheel!! The normal G6 has a horrible steering wheel.

SilverCompG · 09-24-2005, 11:33 PM

Congrats!!! Nice Choice, I hope you enjoy it!!!! By the way, where are the pics, I can't seem to find them??

IAMCANADIAN · 09-25-2005, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordRules

The seats are AWESOME! and finally a G6 with a Good Steering Wheel!! The normal G6 has a horrible steering wheel.

the 05 steering wheel isn't that bad, but the new one is very nice though, not so generic lol.

**Ming** · 09-25-2005, 12:42 AM

Awesome review, photos, and car, Buick61! A nice present for me to read having survived the hurricane with little more than a messy yard.

IAMCANADIAN · 09-25-2005, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ming

Awesome review, photos, and car, Buick61! A nice present for me to read having survived the hurricane with little more than a messy yard.

wow, i'm glad you survived the hurricane, you sometimes wonder why these terrible disasters happen, but as long as you and your family are okay, that's the most important, life is your most important possesion.

CRBoyd91 · 09-25-2005, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAMCANADIAN

wow, i'm glad you survived the hurricane, you sometimes wonder why these terrible disasters happen, but as long as you and your family are okay, that's the most important, life is your most important possesion.

The Hurricane barely touched us.
This car is freaking nice. The only thing I''m not crazy about is the console lid, it looks like a cheap square mess.

Buick61 · 09-25-2005, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelvinJ

Congratulations! I'm glad you took a chance on GM again.

I know. My dad thinks I'm nuts, considering all the problems we've had with GM cars. I tried to show him data, but that really doesn't make a difference when his 2000 Corvette was in the shop more than in our driveway.

If this car is troublesome, that may be it for me, sadly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverCompG

Congrats!!! Nice Choice, I hope you enjoy it!!!! By the way, where are the pics, I can't seem to find them??

They should be there. They disappeared on me yesterday too. Maybe it's a bandwith thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ming

Awesome review, photos, and car, Buick61! A nice present for me to read having survived the hurricane with little more than a messy yard.

I'm glad you fared well! Thanks for the complimentary words!

OzoneGTX · 09-25-2005, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buick61

And finally, the trunk is rather small for a car of this class.

Odd. I thought the trunk was huge when I saw it. I guess my standards are just low.

As much as I'm happy for you and the G6 (cause now i really want a GTP), you're sigs will never be the same as the G6 won't fit in as well as the 300 with the other cars.

09-24-2005, 08:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
Buick61 Chevrolet VOLT Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 10,939	Bought: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Sedan w/6spd Manual I bought a black, 2006 G6 GTP sedan today. So, I figured I should review it and post some pictures. As many of you know, I have been an outspoken fan of the Chrysler LX cars, and the 300C in particular. So it would be a surprise (if I hadn't already spilled the beans) that I gave my own 2005 Chrysler 300C the boot. It was not because the car was subpar--it seriously was a nearly flawless machine and I feel privileged to have owned it for 16 months--rather, it was the victim of its own size, consumption, and cost and my own geographic migration to a place where size matters. Looking for a smaller, cheaper, yet still somewhat acceptably stylish and quick mode of transportation, I made a short list. On that list was the Mazda3s, Chevrolet HHR 2LT and Cobalt SS non s/c, Pontiac G6 GTP, Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Nissan Altima 3.5SE. I decided that I should utilize my GM Card earnings this time around, so I axed the still compelling, yet wrongly branded, foreign nameplates. I deemed the HHR to be too, um, nerdish, and the Cobalt SS non s/c was in short supply, so I couldn't even find one to test drive. So, the process of elimination worked wonders for Pontiac and their G6. It was sized right, priced right, styled OK, had adequate power, and was readily available. After an exhaustive week long search (tongue firmly in cheek), I found a car with more options than I wanted, but was priced less than I was expecting to spend (thanks to GM's crazy and confusing incentives--inventory rebate??). The test drives were convincing, and the friendliness of the dealership, along with their willingness to cut the price substantially, sealed the deal. I could have done a lot worse for $25,4XX, minus GM Card and trade-in. And now on to the car! It's a fully FULLY loaded GTP sedan with the 6-speed manual. It has XM, Onstar, Side-Impact Airbags, 6-cd changer, panoramic roof, Leather, and so forth. MSRP was $29,350 or so. The 3900 isn't as smooth as the Hemi was, but it's got very good mid-range thrust. I haven't pushed the car yet, as it only has a few dozen miles on it at this point. The clutch is light, almost too light, so smooth engagement takes a little practice at first. The shifts themselves are precise, if a bit notchy. Fifth and Sixth gears are WAY over to the right, so sometimes getting into them is a little more cumbersome than expected. First gear is very short. It's the "I can't even get across the street" gear that reminds me of our 1976 VW Beetle that I used to drive around the neighborhood as a fourth-grader. (It was the early 90s, times they were a different) On the polar opposite spectrum, sixth gear is as tall as Yao Ming. For any steam up hills at highway speeds, fourth gear is your best option. Sixth exists for bragging rights and for a more impressive EPA number (which explains why the manual gets 5mpg better on the highway than the automatic). The interior is worlds better than the 2005 GT I drove earlier (and wrote a less than flattering review of here on GMI). Sure there are places where GM saved a ton of money. The dials, while chrome-ringed, still have an entry-car feel to their operation. The hard plastic center consol surrounding the shifter could stand some attention, the door panel cubbies are fisher-price grade, and the stereo buttons do their job well, but do it without any flash. And finally, the trunk is rather small for a car of this class. But the seats are fantastic in shape, texture, design (two tone!) and support; the chrome on the shifter and around the gauges are top shelf; the panoramic roof operates in a better manner than I was expecting; and the trunk is nicely finished. Further, the automatic climate control works as advertised. I'm also pleased that GM got smart and offered stability control as standard equipment on this model. Additionally, six-airbags are a welcomed incorporation; it's just too bad that they are an option. XM is a wonder--I hardly know how I did without it. OnStar, which I didn't want, is something I now plan on keeping after its one-year subscription expires. Hands free phone calls and emergency assistance now seem like necessities to me. Also, Onstar just emailed me to tell me my car's miles, diagnostic test results, and its oil-life remaining. Too cool. Of course, coming from the awe-inspiring 300C, there are some features that I already miss, and I will save you the diatribe about the virtues of a big V8 and RWD. I miss the tilt-down mirrors that aid parking so much. I miss the one touch up and down front windows. I miss dual-zone climate control. I miss the stand-out style. I miss the sunglasses holder. I miss the CHANGE holder (what a crazy thing to omit). I miss the light in the glove-compartment (which was carpeted in the Chrysler, no-less). I miss the feel of the controls. I miss the one-touch-for-three-blinks turn signal. And I miss having a compass (which seems like something a nearly $30K car would have). There are probably other things I miss too, but I guess they have escaped my mind. However, I lived without those luxuries before and I can do so again. I am not some "can't dwell with the commoners" Sybarite, anyway. The car is rated at 18 city 29 highway, which is a fairly huge spread. So far, I am getting 18.9mpg in 50/50 driving. That really doesn't mean anything just yet because it's brand new and it only has 46 miles on it. At the same point of ownership with the 300C, I was getting 11.9mpg. And that eventually went up to the low 20s. Overall, I'm happy with the change. The payments are half that of the 300C, the car is fun to drive, is packed with safety features, and is at least sort of rare (six-speed manual American sedans aren't exactly commonplace). So that is it for now. Thanks for reading. I will post updates from time to time. __________________ Last edited by Buick61 : 09-26-2005 at 01:25 PM.

09-24-2005, 08:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
DuSpinnst Banned Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Unemployment Hell Drives: '08 Corvette '08 Grand Cherokee Posts: 17,587	Re: Bought: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Sedan w/6spd Manual The GTP is a nice car. I wish I could afford one to replace the Malibu.

09-24-2005, 08:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
IAMCANADIAN 6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8 Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,056	Re: Bought: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Sedan w/6spd Manual I'm glad you like it, you seem to have chosen a sweet car. The seats are nice eh, Pontiac has good seats I find. I like the Onstar feature, I'm thinking if i get a car with it, i'll get a prepaid cell and use Onstar instead, i never talk a whole lot and it costs the same as a cell phone per month and gives you telephone and so much more. Well I'm glad you found a nice car at a good price. One thing you won't find up in Canada is all those rebates, I was checking out the prices on a Grand Prix which i test drove as we want to get rid of the sebring convertible which was given to us, and boy are they hard to deal with on tradeins, but we did an online bid offer on a Grand Prix at a different dealership which was in fact a better car so if they give us a better deal, I'll just say to my local one here, I like doing business with you guys, and I'd rather stick with you but if you can't give me a good deal, especially when I'm a repeat customer, then I'll take my business elsewhere thanks.

09-24-2005, 08:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
MelvinJ 6.2 Liter LS3 V8 Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 3,638	Re: Bought: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Sedan w/6spd Manual Congratulations! I'm glad you took a chance on GM again. Love the seats.

09-24-2005, 10:48 PM	#8 (permalink)
Strapping.Young.Lad 6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Canada Drives: 2003 Chevy Silverado 4x4 Posts: 6,947	Re: Bought: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Sedan w/6spd Manual The seats are AWESOME! and finally a G6 with a Good Steering Wheel!! The normal G6 has a horrible steering wheel.

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09-24-2005, 11:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
SilverCompG 2.4 Liter SIDI ECOTEC Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Shawnee, KS Drives: 2006 Avalanche Z66-LT 2005 Tahoe Z71 Posts: 294	Re: Bought: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Sedan w/6spd Manual Congrats!!! Nice Choice, I hope you enjoy it!!!! By the way, where are the pics, I can't seem to find them?? __________________ 2007 Yukon Denali XL 2006 Avalanche Z66-LT

09-25-2005, 12:42 AM	#11 (permalink)
Ming GMI Staff Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: An Alternate Timeline Posts: 14,684	Re: Bought: 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Sedan w/6spd Manual Awesome review, photos, and car, Buick61! A nice present for me to read having survived the hurricane with little more than a messy yard. __________________ Follow WoH on Facebook Follow C64 Walkabout on Facebook Thanks!

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