Steve
01-23-2010, 07:02 PM
http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/g801-1-300x157.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/g801-1.jpg)
He drives a mean stealth blue car, has a funny nickname, and is pretty wordy when it comes to his G8 (which makes a great read - I wish everyone wrote this much!). This time in the Owner’s Spotlight: JoeSyko!
Purchasing the G8
Why were you looking for a new car?
Tami (my girlfriend) & I both went thru our divorces at right about the same time. When we got together, we decided to shop for a new car since we both came away from our respective divorces with sad excuses for transportation.
What other cars where you looking at when you purchased your G8?
Even tho this was only my 2nd new car purchase, I had developed a pretty decent routine. It goes something like this:
Step 1: Go to one of the new car auto shows.
Step 2: Sit in every car we fancy, take pictures of those we like, take notes on everything (pros & cons)
Step 3: Narrow down the list to 10 cars and then research, research, research.
Step 4: Start hitting the dealers and test drive the top picks.
Step 5: Make a decision and work out a deal.
Well, here’s how it actually went:
Step 1: Went to the Auto Show. (We went down to the San Diego convention center in December 2007.)
Step 2: Sat in every car we fancied, taking pictures of those we liked & took notes on everything with one exception. We couldn’t sit in the G8. It was up on the turnstile display with those “DO NOT TOUCH” signs all around it. We were bummed because this car looked incredible and the options available along with the price tag they were quoting seemed too good to be true.
Step 3: Tried to narrow down the list to 10 cars. We actually spent hours going over pictures and notes trying to weigh out the differences between our top choices. Some of the cars we had on the list were the Dodge Charger & Avenger, Acura TL, Mitsubishi Gallant, Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima and several others.
Step 4: Threw my routine out the window and agreed that continuing on with this charade is senseless when we both know exactly what we want….THE G8! No sense test driving the others when we already had our minds made up…..and we still hadn’t sat in a G8 at this point much less taken it for a test drive. ;-p
What made you decide on the G8 in general?
Initially, the look of the car and the features listed for the price. After the test drive it was pretty much all over.
Why did you pick the color & options you did?
I’ve always liked blue cars. The color shown in the pamphlet sure looked a lot closer to what Stryker Blue is. However, once we started seeing actual pictures of the Stealth Blue pop up on the net we knew we had to have it. We ended up with the Stealth Blue & Premium package.
Looking back would you have picked differently?
I would have loved to have gotten the Sport package with my initial purchase but obviously, it wasn’t a deal breaker. I have since added the 19” wheels and would like to add the Sport wheel & pedals at some point down the road. I had also wanted the sunroof but now in hindsight I’m glad I didn’t get it.
Dealership & Service
What dealership did you purchase your Pontiac G8 from?
MOORE BUICK-PONTIAC-GMC TRUCK, INC. 2445 N MARINE BLVD JACKSONVILLE, NC*28546
How was your dealership experience?
The dealer I purchased from was great…the others not so great.
We had been looking for several weeks for a Stealth Blue G8 GT. None of the local dealers had one nor were they getting one in. Rather than locate one for us and do a dealer swap, they tried to get us into a 2009 Stryker Blue instead. That was our second color choice but we didn’t want to give up on the color we wanted that easily. It was time to take matters into my own hands.
So, I call Pontiac customer service and ask them to do a nationwide search for a Stealth Blue G8 GT. At the time, these cars were easily selling for MSRP and locally there were adding $3000 to $5000 using that “Market Value” bullshit excuse. We also found out that the 2009’s were going up in price (approximately $1000 if I remember correctly). We did the math & figured it would still be cheaper if I had to fly out & buy it from a dealer out of our area and then drive it home. The Pontiac customer service rep found only one Stealth Blue G8 in the entire country. Fortunately, it was a GT. Unfortunately, it was at the other end of the country at Moore Pontiac in Jacksonville, NC.
I called Moore Pontiac and talked to a very cool guy (Wayne) and sure enough they had the car. We talked price, came to an agreement & I gave him a deposit. We made plans for me to fly out late Friday nite and he would pick me up at the airport Saturday morning. When I arrived in Jacksonville on Saturday, Wayne was there. But check this out…. he had a Limo waiting outside for me! How cool is that? I get a limo ride from the airport to the dealership and when I step out of the car there’s like a dozen sales people and other employees greeting me inside and they’re applauding. One guy yells out “Now THAT’S the way to buy a car!”. I have never felt that good about buying a car before. I fill out the paperwork, snag a G8 baseball cap from Wayne and head out in my new car. I left Jacksonville about 11:00am ET Saturday morning and arrived home at 7:00pm PT.
Where do you service your G8 and how is that experience?
I’ve had my car to 3 different dealerships trying to find one that provided decent service. The first one was crap. The second one was better but still had problems. It wasn’t until I met Jessika (aka WickedMom) at one of the local G8 cruises that I finally felt comfortable taking it to a dealer. She works for Bunnin Pontiac in Simi Valley and even tho it’s an hour drive, it’s worth it for the piece of mind.
Modifications
Have you done anything to modify the car looks wise?
The windows have been tinted. I also used a blue tint (idea credit to SRG963) over the reflectors & arrowheads as well as the license plate & trunk lights. During the day, the reflectors look blacked out & at nite, the trunk & license plate illuminate blue. To add to the effect, I have placed a blue tinted shield over the rear license plate. I removed the “PONTIAC” & “GM” emblems and added the Holden V8 6.0L emblems. (Thanks to the first GRRRR8.net contest for the emblems) Lastly, I replaced my stock 18” tires & wheels with the Sport Package 19” OEM tires & wheels.
Have you done anything to modify the car performance wise?
Vector’s 91 Octane ECM/TCM tune, the Vararam and Vector’s HSRK. I’m also using Royal Purple synthetic with K&N Oil Filter
What are you planning next for the car as far as mods go?
The mods that I’d really like to do next would be VIM, Atari Gauge hack, & Dynomat (or something similar) the car.
Closing Thoughts
Any dislikes about your car?
The outside temp display… I really wish you could set it to display as a default when the car is turned on. It pisses me off that I have to push that stinkin’ button every time I get in the G8.
The glove box rattles intermittently.
No spare tire – have to buy one.
Thin paint chips easily.
There is probably a few other minor things I’m forgetting but otherwise, I’m pretty frickin’ happy with this car. Best car I have owned by far.
Favorite features about the Pontiac G8?
I love the styling, power, interior room and of course the Stealth Blue color. I also love how rare this car is and all the attention it brings.
What would you tell anyone who might be considering buying a G8 ?
What’s to consider? These cars are a good deal at MSRP and right now you can pick one up for much less. Get after it!
Images
http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/p1050774-150x150.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/?attachment_id=176) http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/p1050775-150x150.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/?attachment_id=177) http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/g801-1-150x150.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/?attachment_id=178) http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/p1050596-150x150.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/?attachment_id=179)
More... (http://grrrr8.net/home/?p=175)
He drives a mean stealth blue car, has a funny nickname, and is pretty wordy when it comes to his G8 (which makes a great read - I wish everyone wrote this much!). This time in the Owner’s Spotlight: JoeSyko!
Purchasing the G8
Why were you looking for a new car?
Tami (my girlfriend) & I both went thru our divorces at right about the same time. When we got together, we decided to shop for a new car since we both came away from our respective divorces with sad excuses for transportation.
What other cars where you looking at when you purchased your G8?
Even tho this was only my 2nd new car purchase, I had developed a pretty decent routine. It goes something like this:
Step 1: Go to one of the new car auto shows.
Step 2: Sit in every car we fancy, take pictures of those we like, take notes on everything (pros & cons)
Step 3: Narrow down the list to 10 cars and then research, research, research.
Step 4: Start hitting the dealers and test drive the top picks.
Step 5: Make a decision and work out a deal.
Well, here’s how it actually went:
Step 1: Went to the Auto Show. (We went down to the San Diego convention center in December 2007.)
Step 2: Sat in every car we fancied, taking pictures of those we liked & took notes on everything with one exception. We couldn’t sit in the G8. It was up on the turnstile display with those “DO NOT TOUCH” signs all around it. We were bummed because this car looked incredible and the options available along with the price tag they were quoting seemed too good to be true.
Step 3: Tried to narrow down the list to 10 cars. We actually spent hours going over pictures and notes trying to weigh out the differences between our top choices. Some of the cars we had on the list were the Dodge Charger & Avenger, Acura TL, Mitsubishi Gallant, Toyota Camry, Nissan Maxima and several others.
Step 4: Threw my routine out the window and agreed that continuing on with this charade is senseless when we both know exactly what we want….THE G8! No sense test driving the others when we already had our minds made up…..and we still hadn’t sat in a G8 at this point much less taken it for a test drive. ;-p
What made you decide on the G8 in general?
Initially, the look of the car and the features listed for the price. After the test drive it was pretty much all over.
Why did you pick the color & options you did?
I’ve always liked blue cars. The color shown in the pamphlet sure looked a lot closer to what Stryker Blue is. However, once we started seeing actual pictures of the Stealth Blue pop up on the net we knew we had to have it. We ended up with the Stealth Blue & Premium package.
Looking back would you have picked differently?
I would have loved to have gotten the Sport package with my initial purchase but obviously, it wasn’t a deal breaker. I have since added the 19” wheels and would like to add the Sport wheel & pedals at some point down the road. I had also wanted the sunroof but now in hindsight I’m glad I didn’t get it.
Dealership & Service
What dealership did you purchase your Pontiac G8 from?
MOORE BUICK-PONTIAC-GMC TRUCK, INC. 2445 N MARINE BLVD JACKSONVILLE, NC*28546
How was your dealership experience?
The dealer I purchased from was great…the others not so great.
We had been looking for several weeks for a Stealth Blue G8 GT. None of the local dealers had one nor were they getting one in. Rather than locate one for us and do a dealer swap, they tried to get us into a 2009 Stryker Blue instead. That was our second color choice but we didn’t want to give up on the color we wanted that easily. It was time to take matters into my own hands.
So, I call Pontiac customer service and ask them to do a nationwide search for a Stealth Blue G8 GT. At the time, these cars were easily selling for MSRP and locally there were adding $3000 to $5000 using that “Market Value” bullshit excuse. We also found out that the 2009’s were going up in price (approximately $1000 if I remember correctly). We did the math & figured it would still be cheaper if I had to fly out & buy it from a dealer out of our area and then drive it home. The Pontiac customer service rep found only one Stealth Blue G8 in the entire country. Fortunately, it was a GT. Unfortunately, it was at the other end of the country at Moore Pontiac in Jacksonville, NC.
I called Moore Pontiac and talked to a very cool guy (Wayne) and sure enough they had the car. We talked price, came to an agreement & I gave him a deposit. We made plans for me to fly out late Friday nite and he would pick me up at the airport Saturday morning. When I arrived in Jacksonville on Saturday, Wayne was there. But check this out…. he had a Limo waiting outside for me! How cool is that? I get a limo ride from the airport to the dealership and when I step out of the car there’s like a dozen sales people and other employees greeting me inside and they’re applauding. One guy yells out “Now THAT’S the way to buy a car!”. I have never felt that good about buying a car before. I fill out the paperwork, snag a G8 baseball cap from Wayne and head out in my new car. I left Jacksonville about 11:00am ET Saturday morning and arrived home at 7:00pm PT.
Where do you service your G8 and how is that experience?
I’ve had my car to 3 different dealerships trying to find one that provided decent service. The first one was crap. The second one was better but still had problems. It wasn’t until I met Jessika (aka WickedMom) at one of the local G8 cruises that I finally felt comfortable taking it to a dealer. She works for Bunnin Pontiac in Simi Valley and even tho it’s an hour drive, it’s worth it for the piece of mind.
Modifications
Have you done anything to modify the car looks wise?
The windows have been tinted. I also used a blue tint (idea credit to SRG963) over the reflectors & arrowheads as well as the license plate & trunk lights. During the day, the reflectors look blacked out & at nite, the trunk & license plate illuminate blue. To add to the effect, I have placed a blue tinted shield over the rear license plate. I removed the “PONTIAC” & “GM” emblems and added the Holden V8 6.0L emblems. (Thanks to the first GRRRR8.net contest for the emblems) Lastly, I replaced my stock 18” tires & wheels with the Sport Package 19” OEM tires & wheels.
Have you done anything to modify the car performance wise?
Vector’s 91 Octane ECM/TCM tune, the Vararam and Vector’s HSRK. I’m also using Royal Purple synthetic with K&N Oil Filter
What are you planning next for the car as far as mods go?
The mods that I’d really like to do next would be VIM, Atari Gauge hack, & Dynomat (or something similar) the car.
Closing Thoughts
Any dislikes about your car?
The outside temp display… I really wish you could set it to display as a default when the car is turned on. It pisses me off that I have to push that stinkin’ button every time I get in the G8.
The glove box rattles intermittently.
No spare tire – have to buy one.
Thin paint chips easily.
There is probably a few other minor things I’m forgetting but otherwise, I’m pretty frickin’ happy with this car. Best car I have owned by far.
Favorite features about the Pontiac G8?
I love the styling, power, interior room and of course the Stealth Blue color. I also love how rare this car is and all the attention it brings.
What would you tell anyone who might be considering buying a G8 ?
What’s to consider? These cars are a good deal at MSRP and right now you can pick one up for much less. Get after it!
Images
http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/p1050774-150x150.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/?attachment_id=176) http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/p1050775-150x150.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/?attachment_id=177) http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/g801-1-150x150.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/?attachment_id=178) http://grrrr8.net/home/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/p1050596-150x150.jpg (http://grrrr8.net/home/?attachment_id=179)
More... (http://grrrr8.net/home/?p=175)