Faults:
I bought my burgundy '88 Pontiac 6000 V6 end of April '07 from a dealer. It had obviously been babied by a grandpa. Only 80,000 miles & in pristine condition. Even the paint looked good. All new belts, hoses & catalytic converter. Rebuilt tranny.
A CV boot was busted & the alignment really bad. The dealer had those things fixed week one.
It has a minor drive train oil leak, but the inspecting mechanic said, "Don't worry about it." It's drunk one litre of oil in three months, so I won't. No oil stains on ground.
The cassette player doesn't work. For the age of the car, I'm not shocked. The radio is so-so, too much static. Because the dash is huge, you have to lean too far to adjust dials. Unsafe.
It began surging on hills & about once a week, stalling right after I started it. After mechanics telling me just diagnostics would be $200-300, I took it for a fast boot on the highway. The surging fixed itself. Seems all it needed was carbon blown out. Didn't know you could do that in a non-carbureted engine :-D.
It still stalls about every two weeks. Once I restart (on a simple key turn), it doesn't do it again. Puzzling. I tried higher octane gas & changing stations ---in case of water in pumps---& that hasn't helped.
It took a few weeks to adjust to the stiff suspension & wide wheel base/body for turning. I'm still working on parking. Biggest car I've ever had.
Ugly bumpers. I wish they were chrome instead of painted unibody.
The seats are comfy, but could be more so. Wish I'd found an STE with the luxury features.
General Comments:
This Pontiac has stolen my heart. At first I thought I'd made a mistake due to its size, "grandpa car" image & a couple of problems.
However---I feel 100% safe in it, as if it's a good Texas Quarter Horse. It drives like it's anchored to the highway, even in heavy rain. I have spinal injuries, & know it would take a head-on with a semi to get further damaged in this car.
It beats new Hondas, Mustangs, Toyotas & even Jags out of stoplights. Unbelievable. The V6 feels the tiniest bit too small for the body size, but it GOES. This car has heart.
I feel safe speeding a bit. Cops' gazes slide over me & focus on the little sporties. I've had an incredibly easy time getting through border crossings in this car. I'm fairly young, hip-looking & a musician, but the Pontiac seems to tell authorities I'm conservative. Maybe it arouses fond memories of grandparents :-D.
I like the look of it. It's distinctive among the ugly new boxes. Love the funky green & orange instrument lights & pinstriped burgundy upholstery. Friends comment on its comfort. "It's like a couch."
Not quite as comfy as a Caddy or Lincoln, but I can't afford a V8! It runs so quiet, sometimes I think it's stalled. A guy with an advanced degree in mechanical technology told me the P6000 is one of the best-engineered cars ever.
Re: gas mileage. I spend $35 CDN about every 10 days. My 4-cyl. Chevy Cavalier was $25. Insurance is $20 more per month ($85). For a few dollars more, I have tons more luxury, safety & power.
I plan to own this car until it reaches 400K. Maybe I'll do some rebuilding, too.
20th Feb 2020, 09:56
It's been 12 years and this was the funniest commentary on this car. Your Pontiac sounds as bad as my ex wife.