its time to put GM out of it's misery

[rum_runner69]

Pontiac shifts into park after 84 muscular years

updated 10/31/2010

DETROIT — Pontiac, whose muscle cars drag-raced down boulevards, parked at drive-ins and roared across movie screens, is going out of business on Sunday.
The 84-year-old brand, moribund since General Motors decided to kill it last year as it collapsed into bankruptcy, had been in decline for years. It was undone by a combination of poor corporate strategy and changing driver tastes. On Oct. 31, GM's agreements with Pontiac dealers expire.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39937135/ns/business-autos/?gt1=43001

[Morella]

Thanks, Obama.

[Scary Guy]

...and the city dies, just a little bit more.

[dodgerider666]

Not a fan of Pontiac but its sad to see a muscle car comp. go under

[Otto Baron]

I hated to see Oldsmobile shut down. The Only US auto brand that predated 1900. But toward the end, GM decided that since it wasn't named the Youngmobile, it should only be marketed to geezers. The geezers didn't want it, the company died. GM was ready to close because of gross incompetance. Now that the US has bought the company, it has a chance with taxpayer money to survive while being grossly incompetant.

[Hoodlum Rocky]

It is sad to see another american brand gone, but it has been just a shell of its past glory. Again due to improper upper management calling the shots on them.

[Morella]

I hated to see Oldsmobile shut down. The Only US auto brand that predated 1900. But toward the end, GM decided that since it wasn't named the Youngmobile, it should only be marketed to geezers. The geezers didn't want it, the company died. GM was ready to close because of gross incompetance. Now that the US has bought the company, it has a chance with taxpayer money to survive while being grossly incompetant.

Remember "This is not your father's Oldsmobile"? They were already showing signs of trouble then. The problem is, your father liked his Oldsmobile, and it is not a marque that appeals to young folks; at least, not young white folks. I think that the biggest mistake GM made, in the long term, was to make all of the brands the same. When a Buick, Olds, Chevrolet, and Pontiac are all built on the same chassis, with slightly different body parts and interior, that's ridiculous. What's the point?

[Guest]

When a Buick, Olds, Chevrolet, and Pontiac are all built on the same chassis, with slightly different body parts and interior, that's ridiculous. What's the point?

yeah i've often wondered that myself

[Otto Baron]

Remember "This is not your father's Oldsmobile"? They were already showing signs of trouble then. The problem is, your father liked his Oldsmobile, and it is not a marque that appeals to young folks; at least, not young white folks

The reason Oldsmobile became a phenomenon with its curved dash model was Ransom E. Olds marketed an affordable automobile that was in the reach of many consumers. He left the company when Management only wanted to sell expensive cars. There was a reason our fathers liked their Oldsmobile. "Rocket 88" is claimed by some to be the first Rock and Roll song, and I don't believe the performer was white. The reason Oldsmobile in the end failed, they weren't building anything enough people wanted. "Not your fathers Oldsmobile" was exactly the problem, because when "your father" bought an Oldsmobile back then, it was a pretty decent machine. Oldsmobile’s demise represented stodgy management ignoring what the public wanted.

[Morella]

I remember the day when you could tell a Cadillac from a Toyota just by looking at them...can you say that for today's cars? I don't think that anyone is really sure what people want in a car. They seem to spend a lot of money telling us what it is that we want, and the government always gets its way. I, for one, won't buy a new car anymore. I bought a 2004, and I've had buyer's remorse over it ever since. In fact, I went out and bought a 76 Chrysler, which I drive most of the time, when I'm in town, while the '04 sits. If I buy another car, it will most likely be a 70's model Deville, or a 60's Eldo with FWD, and I will spend the money to fix it up right, like I've done with the Chrysler, instead of on buying something that I don't want. The price of gasoline isn't even an issue...it still costs less than it did in the 60's, if you take inflation into consideration.

[hotroddwayne]

This has been in the making for years as a lot of you have mentioned. "Back in the day" each make of car had it's own personality & looks that drew in new customers & kept others coming back. I work with a guy who constantly brags about his newer HEMI pickup truck... he thinks it's just like a 1969 AAR 'Cuda powerplant or something, so I remind him it's not a big block powerhouse... just a small block, yes with hemispherical heads, but other than that it's just another computer controlled emission choked electrical nightmare of a vehicle with too many devices to take the fun out of it all.
Look at Ford, Lincoln, & Mercury. There was a time when they were so unique from eachother. Barely anything interchanged except the engines & wheels. Starting in the late 1970's everything changed & only got worse from there. Eventually the only difference from a Mercury Marquis & a Ford Crown Vic was different logos, grill, & tail lights. At the same time this all started happening when you ordered say a 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix... GM put whatever engine they had laying around that day so you'd end up with either a Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, or Buick engine which were at that time WORLDS apart in performance & reliability. Also there was nothing unique about a Pontiac Grand Prix, you could make it into a Chevy Malibu, Olds Cutlass, or Buick Regal by changing the front clip & a few other little things.
While Pontiac was trying to stay alive, then came the front-wheel-drive era. Pontiac quickly became the ones to avoid & still are. How many times each DAY do you pass a FWD Pontiac that obviously has a dead cylinder... chugging along, with a FOR SALE sign in the window? It may be a bad coil pack but chances are it's a bad head. Then they revived the GTO... oohhh why bother! It looked terrible, sounded good, but looked like a G6 with rear wheel drive.
Let's not leave MoPar out of this. Yes they did a great job with the throwback looks of the new Challenger, I will give them that. Before that they revived the Dodge Charger. I laughed when I saw them showing up on dealership lots... lime green & other 1960's musclecar colors, flat black stripes/graphics... on a 4 DOOR! Pfft...
And in closing, the new Camaro looks like ass & is an embarassment to the Camaro name. The days of the musclecar are long gone. It is sad to see Pontiac go away, just like it was with Oldsmobile, but their class, dignity, & character were stripped away from them more than 30 years ago. R.I.P. Pontiac you suffered long enough in the end.

[Abnorml]

I agree you can't tell one car from another nowadays, even the "muscle cars". If you just glance at a new Camaro, Challenger, or Mustang from the rear, you can't tell them apart. Cars use to have style, now they just have plastic and safety devices, so the stupid people that can't drive can wreck and not get hurt at all. Stupid should hurt.

[Morella]

I agree you can't tell one car from another nowadays, even the "muscle cars". If you just glance at a new Camaro, Challenger, or Mustang from the rear, you can't tell them apart. Cars use to have style, now they just have plastic and safety devices, so the stupid people that can't drive can wreck and not get hurt at all. Stupid should hurt.

[hijack]
Yes, poverty should hurt too...so much that people will work to avoid it. Keep us smart, keep us productive, keep us free.
[/hijack]

[dodgerider666]

the new Camaro looks like ass

Im not the only one that thinks this ya! I hate chevy sorry to any who like it but I like the body of the old camaros and even some of the 2000's but this new one is TRASH!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXU3N9wT3u0 I'll build my muscle car no matter what the asshat of a world does .