# GASP!! NBC National News: PONTIAC has reached the end of the line!!!



## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

*Hyperventilating...Gasp!! 
Brian Williams* ran a 5 minute segement on _*Pontiac*_ reaching the end of the line. Showed old clips of the GTO throught the years including the Judge. My son's chin hit the floor. My heart started to pounce; and my husband feels like his whole childhood has been stomped out.

We come from a long line of Pontiac lovers. We have 4 Trans-Am's in the family and 2 GTO's. (One has less than 30,000 miles on it.) 5 Grand Prix, 1 Bonneville, 1 Firebird, 1 Fiero.

My late father-in-law worked for a Pontiac dealer for 45 years and my brother-in-law; now in his mid 40's has been there since high school.

Pleeeeease say it isn't so!! Talk about the end of an era!! Soooooooooooo SAD.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

If the UAW and the narcissists Pelosi/Reid/Obama et al are given their way Pontiac is just the start and it will be all of GM/Ford/Chrysler before it's over with.


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## Vicki (Nov 9, 2008)

I feel your pain SJC. I too have long been a Pontiac lover and drive one now. It sure narrows the window for future car purchasing, doesn't it?


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## Gables Girl (Oct 28, 2008)

As a long time Pontiac fan and driver it will be a sad day when they get stop making Pontiac's. GM once again makes a stupid decision and expects people to buy their cars, the same as when they dropped Oldsmobile. As far as I'm concerned I'll buy from someone else but not GM any more.



LDB said:


> If the UAW and the narcissists Pelosi/Reid/Obama et al are given their way Pontiac is just the start and it will be all of GM/Ford/Chrysler before it's over with.


Sad day.

Sorry to see that you had to politicize this when Pontiac deserves a moment of silence for the passage of a great brand. This was GMs decision, based upon previous bad decisions they have made, to do this and it will affect more then just those who make the cars it will also cause pain to the communities and to those who support the brand.


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## kguthrie (Feb 23, 2009)

It's sad to see them go, but it's not really surprising. Almost everything they produce is a clone of a Chevy. Too many of the same vehicles are one of the things that has hurt GM since all the imports started growing. Here's a toast to Pontiac.


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## robin.goodfellow (Nov 17, 2008)

From the reviews I've read of Pontiac cars lately, maybe this is the announcement that Pontiac will be shuttering, but GM stopped giving them adequate funding quite some time ago.  I think their problems started with the Sunfire (I know:  gearhead much?), and nobody from GM stepped in to do anything about their downhill slide.  Same as with Oldsmobile, pretty much. 

I agree, Gables Girl.  A moment of silence out of respect for Pontiac.  The market will not benefit from fewer players.  
(Of course, if this is how GM management is going to handle their problems, maybe it would be more effecient to replace the executives at GM, and try to mitigate some of their other issues.  but imo, the whole American economy jumped the shark back at the Cadillac Escalade, and it's going to take us a long painful time to recover.  But that's just me.  I'm not positive that politicians should have any involvement at all, nor am I positive that political involvement can save them from what appears to be an industry-wide flawed decision making process.  But I feel your pain:  I drive a Dodge.  First in line for the handout money, and their local service department is terrible.  Maybe they should all adopt a "think locally" perspective.)/rant
I'll be silent now, for the GTO.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

Saturn is also going away from what I've heard.


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## robin.goodfellow (Nov 17, 2008)

Really?  I had heard before the VUE came out that Saturn was dragging on GM's resources anyway and was looking at the very real possibilty of closing.  Although I was still surprised to hear that the Spring Hill (TN) plant was no longer making Saturns.  I think they're making Yukons there now.  In any case, I'm not as surprised to hear about Saturn closing as I am to hear about Pontiac.


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## nelamvr6 (Jan 29, 2009)

LDB said:


> If the UAW and the narcissists Pelosi/Reid/Obama et al are given their way Pontiac is just the start and it will be all of GM/Ford/Chrysler before it's over with.


I don't think it's Obama's fault that GM in general and Pontiac in particular have been mismanaged for decades...


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## robin.goodfellow (Nov 17, 2008)

Agreed!  I'm not sure it's fair to blame any member of any administration for the never-ending bungle that seems to accompany corporate management of late.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

They did not cause the problem, they are just enabling it to continue with things like the Davis-Bacon wage provisions H.R.1 requires. As for blame, we've just gone through 8 years of the most intense blaming in history, whether deserved or not. It's part of the territory and at least in this case is earned and deserved as much as any other.


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## nelamvr6 (Jan 29, 2009)

LDB said:


> They did not cause the problem, they are just enabling it to continue with things like the Davis-Bacon wage provisions H.R.1 requires.


The fault lies with GM and no one else.

We had quite a few colorful phrases when I was in the Navy that would accurately describe GM's management, but I'm afraid I can't repeat any of them here...


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

nelamvr6 said:


> I don't think it's Obama's fault that GM in general and Pontiac in particular have been mismanaged for decades...


The times they are a'changin' and if these companies can't keep up, then they will go under. That's business. My stepfather was an excellent business man, and he always said you either move forward or you will slide back. There is no standing still.


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## Sweety18 (Feb 14, 2009)

Its a sad day, the Trans Am was one of my favorite cars and I love the new GTO.


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## Gables Girl (Oct 28, 2008)

Loved the Pontiac Bonneville of the the 60's and early 70's, the last of the great land yachts. The Firebird was the first stick I ever drove.



LDB said:


> They did not cause the problem, they are just enabling it to continue with things like the Davis-Bacon wage provisions H.R.1 requires. As for blame, we've just gone through 8 years of the most intense blaming in history, whether deserved or not. It's part of the territory and at least in this case is earned and deserved as much as any other.


Davis Bacon is a Republican sponsored wage provision from the 1930's. It has bee upheld by the courts many times. As for the past let it go, you seem to love to spend a to of your time here on the perceived past bashing's of the last eight years which didn't occur here. This is not a political forum, if you want to inject politics into everything then may I suggest you go someplace else not on the KindleBoards.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

Right now my favorites new are the Mustang/Challenger/Camaro. They are FINE looking updates to the originals. One thing the American makers need to look at is excessive product lines. The biggest successes (or now days smallest failures) are the 2 line companies i.e. Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus. Compare that to Ford/Mercury/Lincoln or Chevrolet/Pontiac/Buick/Cadillac/Saturn. That's a lot more overhead. Combined with the damage of the UAW and politicians it's a huge burden to bear.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

I just bought a Toyota Corrolla. I would have loved to buy a similar American car...but there are none.  I gave up on GM and Chevy because their cars never seemed to make it past 90,000 miles for me. With rising gas prices and lower family budgets we need a lot fewer Cadillac Escalades (jumping the shark...LOL!!) and more small, affordable, dependable cars that don't suck (I'm looking at you Neons, Geo's, )


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## nickih75 (Dec 17, 2008)

Gables Girl said:


> This is not a political forum, if you want to inject politics into everything then may I suggest you go someplace else not on the KindleBoards.


Amen!! I love how so many people are ready to blame our current president for this countries problems. Problems that have been brewing for years, after only a month in office.


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

LDB said:


> If the UAW and the narcissists Pelosi/Reid/Obama et al are given their way Pontiac is just the start and it will be all of GM/Ford/Chrysler before it's over with.


LDB, please refrain from making posts that seem destined to turn threads into political debates. There is so much more we can agree on, and we don't need to draw this discussion into a political debate about Republicans vs Democrats.


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## robin.goodfellow (Nov 17, 2008)

> Right now my favorites new are the Mustang/Challenger/Camaro.


Also agreed! Although I think Ford had the best idea on this one: they released a fairly basic model of the Mustang, which was cute and affordable, and then in the following years added more expensive cars to the base model line. I forget what designation it is Ford gives their high end cars. But I did see a brand new Shelby mustang last week. GT? Is that it? Anyway, Ford released a car at a moderate price first.
I love the new Challenger, and Dad calls me a whole lot to tell me I should buy one, but the initial Challenger was released at nearly $40,000! I can't afford that! It was only in the '09 model year that Dodge released a Challenger with a more reasonable price tag (....which my brother says I shouldn't buy b/c the engine isn't impressive enough. You see my problem: I read my emails and answer my phone too often.).
GM, on the other hand, has been reluctant to enter the retro market. It will be interesting to see the approach they take on the new Camaro. B/c I'm thinking that a pretty car that looks like a '68, at a reasonable price (and by "reasonable", I mean "way under $30k") could save GM. But some magazine asked why, with the new Mustang, the Charger, and the Challenger, why GM didn't give the public something like a retro GTO, and their response was that they didn't have the engineering staff to dedicate to the design, and retro wasn't the direction in which GM wanted to move, and besides, they didn't think anyone would buy it.
I think it's time for Ford and Dodge to have an intervention with GM. Think we could get them all on that A&E show?


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

Having seen the Motorweek episode on the v6 Challenger I know it won't match the v8's but it's not a bad car. They rated it very highly in all areas. I think the Mustang came out in v6 and GT (v models at the same time and then later the Shelby variants came online but I could be mistaken. The hemi is very expensive but the middle Challenger is similar to the GT Mustang pricewise. The new Camaro is going to be more than it's v6/v8 competitors but also have more horsepower and perhaps other extras for some of the extra cost. I'd be happy to have any of the three of them.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

I do hold back frequently but I'm just not good at ostrich imitations. I'll do my best but can't guarantee perfection. Hopefully the numerous on topic vanilla good posts will offset the few tell it like it is posts.


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## robin.goodfellow (Nov 17, 2008)

> I'd be happy to have any of the three of them.


lol, me too. But first I need a winning lottery ticket! Also, I'm holding out until the Challenger comes out in a nicer looking blue, or possibly panther pink. They keep throwing that color at me in the emails. So far, they've only been joking. Of course then my brother (who's car is the Barracuda in the Coker tire ads, if anyone here reads magazines that might feature those ads...and that ad isn't anywhere on the internet. Stoopid internet.) heard that the panther pink was only going to be available in the hemi version.

Buttheads.


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## nelamvr6 (Jan 29, 2009)

LDB said:


> I do hold back frequently but I'm just not good at ostrich imitations. I'll do my best but can't guarantee perfection. Hopefully the numerous on topic vanilla good posts will offset the few tell it like it is posts.


Just remember, you may be sincerely believing that you're "telling it like it is", but there are bound to be others who see it differently, who feel you're in fact telling it like it isn't.

May be better to totally leave politics out of it.

let's say I buy you a beer and we can just talk about books and such?


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

I agree that Chevy and Pontiac had some copycats...

But NOTHING (IMO) could *touch* the: GTO, the TRANS-AM (come on...Bandit) and the Firebird Formula. They are classic. The GTO had it all. Little GTO...really lookin' fine; 3 dueces and a four-speed n' a 389...

The monkees drove one in their show. Burt Reynolds and the Bandit...Everyone had a T.A. after that. I still have my members only jacket from the local chapter of the Trans Am club.

To think: *(slaps forhead with palm of hand)* we sold our 66 goat for $2500!! ouch!! That thing had a 428 in it with dual quad manifold and a "his and hers" shift kit. In the words of Cher: If I could turn back time...

They were great cars, great times, great fun. I remember going to the spectator drags and counting well over a hundred cars deep and nearly half of them were T.A.'s and Firebirds.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

sjc said:


> To think: *(slaps forhead with palm of hand)* we sold our 66 goat for $2500!! ouch!! That thing had a 428 in it with dual quad manifold and a "his and hers" shift kit. In the words of Cher: If I could turn back time...


Worse, I sold my 68' Camaro convertible (red/white) for $250. Had I only known.


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## kindlevixen (Jan 13, 2009)

Its sad, but I am not entirely surprised.  DH and I both bought new cars last year and ended up going with Hondas.  None of the american made companies had what we were looking for - which was long lasting, but good mileage and usability.  But no one really makes anything like the Honda Element so DH was set on that car for a long time.  I was flexible and wanted something small with really good mileage to offset the high price of gas at the time... the Honda Fit was perfect and the only other things close were from Nissan or Toyota.


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

Milage, longevity, that stuff *aside*: LOOKS-wise; the best. That T.A. Eagle sprawled across the hood with that hood scoop and the rear spoiler....LOOKS, LOOKS, LOOKS. I know; If they had the whole package along with the looks...they'd be here to stay. I get it. I will miss Pontiac...no matter what.


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## LDB (Oct 28, 2008)

There's not really much that can touch the second half of the 60's Mustang/Camaro/GTO although the original Challenger came close. It's depressing when one watches the Barrett Jackson auctions and sees the selling prices of pristine examples of all these cars.


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## sheltiemom (Dec 28, 2008)

But NOTHING (IMO) could *touch* the: GTO, the TRANS-AM (come on...Bandit) and the Firebird Formula. They are classic. The GTO had it all. Little GTO...really lookin' fine; 3 dueces and a four-speed n' a 389...

Reminds me of the time I took my grade school boys to a Beach Boys concert and they didn't understand the "car" songs. When they got to high school I bought myself my dream mustang convertible (2 boys and insurance so I did compromise with a V6). Ten years later, I still love that car. I know I need to buy a new car and I will probably get a hybrid (keeping my Mustang cause I can't bear to part with it). Getting a hybrid is sensible, but I don't think I will love that hybrid 10 years from now like I love that Mustang. Firebirds, Trans-Ams, GTOs - what traditions we have lost.


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

I hear you.  We are all brooding around here...my son's chin has been dragging on the floor all week.  

I heard that Buick might be next.


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## Kind (Jan 28, 2009)

Not to hate on any American car companies but this is what happens when it's poorly managed. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Ford has had a few close calls in the past. The Japanese manufacturers are suffering too but nothing like the so called "big 3". The bigger they are, the harder they fall. 

It's too bad. I love old American Muscle Cars.


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