2008 Pontiac G8 GT: Things I Don't Like

Is it worse than the base stereo in the current MINIs? That is the worst factory stereo system I have heard in the last ten years, heavy trucks included.

My understanding is that GM Powertrain has updated \ expanded the description of a document that addresses the condition you describe & that I experienced with my 2009 G8 GT.

Two key words that you may want to be sure you use to describe your shifting – particularly the 2-3: Flare & Harsh

Good luck!
- Ray

Very, VERY happy with up- & down-shifts in the 6L80 . . .

2. Intake shriek. . . .It's a weird high-pitched whistle

Sounds like a leak of some sort.
- Ray
No such unseemly sounds from MY V8....

"Is it worse than the base stereo in the current MINIs?"

No, the Mini is indeed awful. I wouldn't call it the worst, though, given 2-speaker Smarts and a bunch of other bottom-feeder compact cars.

Sadlier-

What about the Mazda 6 V6? For that matter, are there any mid sized sedans within $10K of the G8 GT that you would take over it? The 328 doesn't count, I said midsized.

Ooo good point. FWD is the only knock I'd have against the Mazda6 V6 in that comparison, and it would be a little bit cheaper. Unless burnouts and powerslides are a must, that wouldn't be a dealbreaker.

the stereo and speakers are usually one of the first things i replace in my new cars. unless the factory stereo system is adequate, which it usually isn't.

stovt-

if it was the current v6 in the previous body style I'd think about it, but the new one looks to much like a camry for me I think. I like it, but not as much as I used to.

I like this car also, however given the starting price and its market position one would think some upscale features would at least be optional.

- Bi-Xenons
- Smart Key
- Premium sound
- Navigation/infotainment

This car is already a bargain however it should have been offered with more features.

I have never noticed the intake shriek on my G8 GT, just a roar. I'll have to check next time I hit it.

About the tranny, you guys know about the 08150 GM service bulletin for updated TCM/ECM software? I found out about it on some thread around here. My 2008 was checked yesterday and she's all set. Maybe you want to get yours checked?

stovt001 - thank you for your public service. I appreciate it.

@fadetoblackii,

"What about the Mazda 6 V6? For that matter, are there any mid sized sedans within $10K of the G8 GT that you would take over it?"

Mazda 6 V6, no. Nothing about that car feels special to me. The G8 GT has attitude. It's a car I would consistently look forward to driving. Unlike the 6.

Within $10k? Well, that brings the CC VR6 4Motion into play (barely). I liked that car. G37 too. I'd take either of those over the G8 GT, cost no object. Though if I could get the G8 with a manual, I might prefer it over those two. I like the G8 better than the CTS. Bottom line, it's a hell of a car.

-JS

How about the size? I live in LA too. Although I would consider a G8 I'd be too worried about how big it is. Has it ever proved to be a problem when parking/maneuvering in the city?

This car IS an import....

I love Australian cars- they're a little conservative in their appearance, but are over-engineered structurally. I've driven a last-gen GTO with 80k and it's solid as a rock after years of hard driving.

@compliance,

I wouldn't want to have to parallel-park the G8 on a regular basis, but then, that goes for the 6 and Accord as well. None of the above has city-friendly dimensions. In traffic, the G8's just fine. It's the same length as the Challenger, but it feels a size smaller.

Josh,

I hear you on the intake thing. I would not describe it as a shreik, or even a whistle, but it doesn't sound as deep as it should above 4k. Almost tinny with no bass.

The upshifts on mine are also sometimes kind of clunky, but I've noticed that it's only when I try to baby it around town. It responds much better to confident throttle.

The stereo's not terrible. C'mon! /Sarcasm.
In all fairness though, it could be much worse.

@compliance, you get used to it. The steering is heavier than most, but once acclimated, it's quite precise and easy to direct into all but the tightest spots.

@mikeolan I've complained on the Camaro5 forums about the 5th Gen Camaro's weight, and consensus seems to be that Zeta is a heavy platform because it is engineered to be very solid and handle lots of power. So we have a trade-off between solid-as-a-rock and porkiness. It isnt' a bad tradeoff, just something worth considering. Good for durability, comfort, and that nice planted feeling, but not so good for sharpness and nimbleness. The editors have said the G8 tends to feel smaller than it is, so I think they may have done this thing just right, structurally. I hope the G8 and Camaro are not the last we see from the Aussie GM guys.

"The editors have said the G8 tends to feel smaller than it is, so I think they may have done this thing just right, structurally. I hope the G8 and Camaro are not the last we see from the Aussie GM guys."

Stovt, its funny Edmunds felt the G8 drove smaller yet they thought the opposite with the Camaro. Same platform correct?

^
I've yet to drive the Camaro, but I'm guessing it's a beltline-height issue. A high beltline tends to make you feel like you're driving a tank, i.e., something big. The Camaro's beltline is high; the G8's is not. Might explain it.

The weird thing about the G8, though, is that it has a way of making me forget that it's 30 feet long. Unless the rear tires are spinning (not unusual), I almost feel like I'm only driving the front half of the car.

-JS

There is a reprogram for the PCM module for the 6L80, and before I took delivery of my G8 GT I made sure that the reprogram campain was completed. It's free and it takes them about 30 minutes to complete. I experience no harsh upshifts or downshifts.

@SBTrue

I think part of that is the seating position. I don't own a G8, but would very much like to and have sat in a few of the things. You sit down and the way the cockpit curves around you, and the way it's positioned with respect to the front of the car, makes you feel very much placed forward. Just sitting in the driver's seat, it's easy to forget you do in fact have a cavern behind you.

@HA4 and SBTrue:

Yeah, I found it really weird too that the editors have said repeatedly that the G8 feels smaller than it is, and the Camaro feels bigger than it is. I figured riding on the same platform would give the same feel, or similar, but this seems to be an exact opposite. SBTrue may be right in that it has to do with visibility. The Camaro doesn't have much of it, but the G8 has a pretty normal amount. And maybe it is because we expect a coupe to feel smaller than a sedan, but since they share a platform the Camaro really is pretty big, and that defies expectations. I dunno. There are still some automotive mysteries I don't understand.

is that Big Bear Lake in the photo?

^
Big Bear it is. Good eye.

@stovt001

You know, it's funny, it's 'solid' but doesn't quite feel 'porky.' A lot of it has to do with a high/low beltline, and obviously it's not going to feel like a Honda Fit, but I've never thought of the G8/GTO as barges like I would, say, a slightly lighter Honda Accord.

Odd, no intake shriek/whistle in my G8 GT.

+1 RE: the radio.

Too bad it and the HVAC, bluetooth, etc are joined at the hip. Replacing it would be a total PITA. You could go with a re-eq like the "cleansweep" I guess.

Here's some other gripes mainly regarding what they think is "premium"(I actually own a GT with the "premium" package):

Power seat lacks power recline and lumbar.
Seats lack memory.
Fancy on-star mirror is not auto-diming
Fancy on-star mirror lacks homelink
Fancy looking radio does not have NAV or touchscreen. It's 2009 guys, get with the program.
XM Radio? WTF for? If I wanted to listen to audio like that I'd rip my CDs to 64kbit MP3. Gimme a good NAV instead.

Regarding the intake whistle, if that's what it really is, you definitely won't want to install an aftermarket intake...at least one with an exposed filter anyway.

The whistle actually originates, I believe, from the air going through the throttle body. So not having an air box actually causes the whistle to be MUCH louder.

The G35 suffers from this as well, although in a stock vehicle you can't really hear it. With a short-ram or cold-air intake, it's very loud at partial throttle. At WOT you don't hear it though.