(US Rental) Pontiac Grand Prix

thecommander

Renting a car in the States next month and have been told its a Pontiac Grand Prix or similar. The rental is with Alamo.

Just wondering if anyone has ever driven one of these and what shoudl I expect.

Thanks

Henry Ford III

An average car.

thecommander

Henry Ford III wrote: »

An average car.

have you driven one?

mkdon05

Henry Ford III wrote: »

An average car.

Are you havin a laugh??

I drove one in the states all over California 2 years ago.
3.8 litre V6 engine, Fantastic motor!!

Bogger77

Are you booking with budget/avis?

I was told I was going to have that car or similar last time I booked a car in SFO in March this year. I was got offered a Dodge Caliber (http://www.dodge.com/en/2009/caliber/) but that had a dodge 12volt socket for the gps so I ended up with a nice Mitsubishi Lancer instead, much nicer car than either the Caliber or Grand Prix. I managed to touch the wing mirror off a pilar in car park, just as I handed back the car, but I'd 100% insurance, so no harm done!

Mr.David

If you start turning left now by the time you get to America and get the car it will have started to alter its trajectory around the corner.....

thecommander

Mr.David wrote: »

If you start turning left now by the time you get to America and get the car it will have started to alter its trajectory around the corner.....

I'll only be doing right turns so its ok.

thecommander

Bogger77 wrote: »

Are you booking with budget/avis?

Alamo. The small airport we're flying into has either a compact option or a full size option. Picked the full size, which Ive been told is Pontiac GP

SouperComputer

It must be an '08, The Grand Prix has been replaced by the G8...What you can expect all depends on what you've driven already I guess......You can expect:-

A reasonably pokey 3.8L V6 coupled with front wheel drive. (Yes, really)
A horrid, horrid plastic interior
Handling that isnt too bad considering its country of origin
Powersteering that feels like it a computer game wheel without force feedback
Cruise control
Automatic gearbox (pretty sure your guessed that!)

TBH its a grand car and if you are used to econoboxes you'll have a blast in it.

thecommander

SouperComputer wrote: »

TBH its a grand car and if you are used to econoboxes you'll have a blast in it.

Drive a Golf GTi at the moment. Are they comfortable? 2500 mile trip.

SouperComputer

thecommander wrote: »

Drive a Golf GTi at the moment. Are they comfortable? 2500 mile trip.

Yea comfort is decent which is one thing they seem to get right over here, not a whole lot of lumbar support, but then again you wont be pulling massive geeeeeeees. Wont corner like the GTi of course, its a lot more softly sprung

2500 miles is a long haul tho, in any car. Where you going from/to? Make sure you stop fairly often, have a good stretch, keep the fluids going and all that jazz.

Some rental companies need to know if you are leaving the state that you hired the car from, so be sure to tell them. They dont charge extra, they just want to know.

Bear in mind they say GP or similar, so it might be something else, whatever it is you can prettymuch expect the same as what ive posted above, especially the interior. Yuk!

thecommander

SouperComputer wrote: »

2500 miles is a long haul tho, in any car. Where you going from/to? Make sure you stop fairly often, have a good stretch, keep the fluids going and all that jazz.

http://tinyurl.com/n9md3d

Picking up in Montana, dropping back in Vegas. Paying $300 to drop off in a different state, so they know Im leaving Montana.

2500 over the course of 16 days, so its 3 long days, but the rest are 100-200 miles every 2 days or so.

Henry Ford III

SouperComputer wrote: »

It must be an '08, The Grand Prix has been replaced by the G8...What you can expect all depends on what you've driven already I guess......You can expect:-

A reasonably pokey 3.8L V6 coupled with front wheel drive. (Yes, really)
A horrid, horrid plastic interior
Handling that isnt too bad considering its country of origin
Powersteering that feels like it a computer game wheel without force feedback
Cruise control
Automatic gearbox (pretty sure your guessed that!)

TBH its a grand car and if you are used to econoboxes you'll have a blast in it.

Exactly. I have indeed driven one. They go when pushed, but are really cruisers.

Perfect for long distances.

Eoin

It says Pontiac Grand Prix or similar. The similar part is what you need to look out for. They often give a better model as an example, but supply you with a car that might not be so nice. I was going to rent a Ford Mustang "or similar", until I found out that Alamo rarely have Mustangs, and it's usually a Sebring or a PT Cruiser convertible. Yuck.

I'd try and find out what other cars they consider to be in the same range.

Edit - also ring trailfinders.ie - they got me a cheaper rate than Alamo's own site.

--Kaiser--

I thought it would be fairly dangerous to have a 3.8 ltr V8 in a front wheel drive car.....then reading up i discovered it only produces 200 BHP with all that displacement....that's American engineering for you......hilarious

Eoin

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

I thought it would be fairly dangerous to have a 3.8 ltr V8 in a front wheel drive car.....then reading up i discovered it only produces 200 BHP with all that displacement....that's American engineering for you......hilarious

A lot to be said for a big lazy engine though - I'd say it could soak up the big mileage quite easily.

SouperComputer

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

I thought it would be fairly dangerous to have a 3.8 ltr V8 in a front wheel drive car.....then reading up i discovered it only produces 200 BHP with all that displacement....that's American engineering for you......hilarious

Its a V6, not a V8. Yes, power is pretty low, but peak torque is avail from 2000 RPM upwards, which is more important when you look at the barges they have to pull. Like anything its a tradeoff. The 3800's seem to go forever if maintained, biggest issue was with older ones that had a plastic inlet manifold that tended to crack.

If you think thats bad, checkout the Cadillac DTS, Northstar V8 in front wheel drive config.

R.O.R

SouperComputer wrote: »

If you think thats bad, checkout the Cadillac DTS, Northstar V8 in front wheel drive config.

Is that the one with 100,000 mile service intervals and can run without oil for a couple of thousand miles (switching between 2 x straight 4 configurations)?

SouperComputer

R.O.R wrote: »

Is that the one with 100,000 mile service intervals and can run without oil for a couple of thousand miles (switching between 2 x straight 4 configurations)?

No idea, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_DTS

/edit OMG, check this out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Eldorado#1967-1970. 500CI (8.2L) V8 and front wheel drive. Thats just mad Ted.

thecommander

eoin wrote: »

Edit - also ring trailfinders.ie - they got me a cheaper rate than Alamo's own site.

Booked it through them anyway.

G Luxel

OMG, check this out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Eldorado#1967-1970. 500CI (8.2L) V8 and front wheel drive. Thats just mad Ted.[/QUOTE]

that engine is the largest engine for a passenger car to be sold anywhere,but it only does 260 bhp. The mileage is 10 miles to the gallon. Compare it to the new CTS-V which is 556 bhp on a 4.6 litre and about 30 miles to the gallon if not more.