Pontiac G8 Lifespan Likely Cut Short
In days past when the name Pontiac was spoken, people instinctively knew that the conversation was shifting to a discussion about a fine line of sporty automobiles. At one time the brand had some of the hottest cars on the market including the GTO, Tempest, and the Firebird, exciting vehicles which imbued the Pontiac name.
Over time Pontiac began to change receiving fewer sporty models but seeing more economical cars along with a van, the ugly Aztek SUV, and a number of rebadged vehicles sold by GM’s other US divisions. General Motors, in a bid to consolidate operations, has united most Buick, GMC and Pontiac dealers under one roof, a move which has allowed the automaker to cut back on the number of models offered by each of the three brands.
Today, GM has transitioned the brand to one offering a line of small, sporty cars with only one model hearkening to a bygone era, the Pontiac G8. Based on the Holden Commodore — a GM model built in Australia — the G8 is a well proportioned mid-sized sedan, with a fully independent performance tuned suspension. Critics have been comparing the car to BMW, recognizing that it offers something that most American cars do not – a wonderful combination of raw power, handling, and manageable size.
Standard engine for the G8 is a V6 – the same 3.6L engine that powers the Cadillac CTS. However, for optimum power, a 6.0L V8 paired with a six speed automatic transmission ups the performance level a full notch, giving the car the distinction as being the most powerful sedan available on the market that retails for under $30,000. As a point of reference, the Cadillac CTS-V is the fastest sedan costing at least $30,000.
Though introduced earlier this year, the future of the Pontiac G8 is in doubt as is the sport truck version of the same model. General Motors has been hammered financially for the past several years and this year learned that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has backed a government initiative to require that Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) be increased fleet-wide for all vehicles sold in America. To get to the higher numbers some of the larger cars, trucks, vans, and other vehicles manufactured by GM will be discontinued or modified enough to make them lighter and more fuel efficient.
The Pontiac G8 isn’t one of those cars slated to be downsized though it is believed that the next generation Holden Commodore (the Pontiac’s sister model) will soldier on, but be available only in the land down under where such CAFE restrictions don’t come into play.
The good news is that the G8 should be available for another five years before the car fades into the sunset. Likely, the burly rear wheel drive sedan will be replaced by a front wheel drive car with smaller engines, a capable car roughly the size of today’s Pontiac Gran Prix. Less won’t necessarily be more, but when fed regs are factored in less may be all that you’ll have.
By: Matthew C. Keegan
About the Author:
Over time Pontiac began to change receiving fewer sporty models but seeing more economical cars along with a van, the ugly Aztek SUV, and a number of rebadged vehicles sold by GM’s other US divisions. General Motors, in a bid to consolidate operations, has united most Buick, GMC and Pontiac dealers under one roof, a move which has allowed the automaker to cut back on the number of models offered by each of the three brands.
Today, GM has transitioned the brand to one offering a line of small, sporty cars with only one model hearkening to a bygone era, the Pontiac G8. Based on the Holden Commodore — a GM model built in Australia — the G8 is a well proportioned mid-sized sedan, with a fully independent performance tuned suspension. Critics have been comparing the car to BMW, recognizing that it offers something that most American cars do not – a wonderful combination of raw power, handling, and manageable size.
Standard engine for the G8 is a V6 – the same 3.6L engine that powers the Cadillac CTS. However, for optimum power, a 6.0L V8 paired with a six speed automatic transmission ups the performance level a full notch, giving the car the distinction as being the most powerful sedan available on the market that retails for under $30,000. As a point of reference, the Cadillac CTS-V is the fastest sedan costing at least $30,000.
Though introduced earlier this year, the future of the Pontiac G8 is in doubt as is the sport truck version of the same model. General Motors has been hammered financially for the past several years and this year learned that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has backed a government initiative to require that Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) be increased fleet-wide for all vehicles sold in America. To get to the higher numbers some of the larger cars, trucks, vans, and other vehicles manufactured by GM will be discontinued or modified enough to make them lighter and more fuel efficient.
The Pontiac G8 isn’t one of those cars slated to be downsized though it is believed that the next generation Holden Commodore (the Pontiac’s sister model) will soldier on, but be available only in the land down under where such CAFE restrictions don’t come into play.
The good news is that the G8 should be available for another five years before the car fades into the sunset. Likely, the burly rear wheel drive sedan will be replaced by a front wheel drive car with smaller engines, a capable car roughly the size of today’s Pontiac Gran Prix. Less won’t necessarily be more, but when fed regs are factored in less may be all that you’ll have.
By: Matthew C. Keegan
About the Author:
Matthew C. Keegan is a freelance writer who resides in Cary, North Carolina. Matt provides magazine, web content, and article writing services to clients all over the world serving the automotive, human interest, and business communities. The Auto Writer is his flagship car weblog.
Tags: American Cars, Buick Gmc, Cadillac Cts, Cadillac Cts V, Economical Cars, Environmental Protection Agency, Government Initiative, Holden Commodore, Hottest Cars, Independent Performance, Manageable Size, Optimum Power, Performance Level, Pontiac Dealers, Pontiac G8, Raw Power, Sport Truck, Sporty Cars, Sporty Models, Ups
High Quality Pontiac Brake Hose for Smooth Brake Fluid Flow
Protecting yourself from car accidents would be next to impossible if your Pontiac has not been equipped with all the necessary safety equipments—and among these is the braking system. It is one of the active safety components of your car that is directly associated with your car’s ability to prevent road accidents. Because it is a system, it is basically made up of various car components that play a unique role in your car’s braking assist. They depend upon each other, so the failure of one braking system component to perform its intended function would definitely affect the braking performance of your Pontiac. The brake fluid is among the important elements of your braking system that aids in the efficient braking of your car. This element is a viscous fluid that acts as a lubricant from the moving parts of your braking system. It has a high boiling point, and it is specifically designed to match its environment of high pressure and high temperature parts. The two types of brake fluid that can be used in your car are Polyglycol and silicone.
Your car would not be able to benefit from the braking fluid if it could not be transmitted properly to the various braking system components of your Pontiac. It’s a good thing your car is made up of brake lines and hoses that does this job. The Pontiac brake hose is a braking system component that forces the brake fluid by the movement of the master cylinder pistons. If you look under the hood of your Pontiac, you will see this braking system component originating from the chassis of your car as it runs through the front and rear suspension. A typical Pontiac brake hose is made up of special tubing that is bonded into 2 layers of heavy duty nylon sheathing and is protected by an external rubber cover. Because of its flexible nature, this car component makes your suspension move all throughout the range of its travel. Aside from that, your Pontiac brake hose is engineered with metals at each end so that it could send out brake fluid even in intense pressure.
Your Pontiac brake hose has been built to be highly resistant to extreme temperature, high pressure and corrosion. As a matter of fact, some brake hoses have been constructed with Teflon and other synthetic materials. But because nothing lasts forever, your brake hose would sooner or later wear out due to constant exposure to harsh environments, flexing, and high pressure in your lower chassis. The inner tube of your Pontiac brake hose will be the first one to get damaged. When it collapses and separates from the nylon sheathing, it could result to overheated brakes and a dragging caliper—which means a very dangerous handling condition. But do not worry, you can easily tell that your brake hose has been damaged if you have been noticing some leaking fluid on the brake lines. Spongy or swollen brake hose is another indicator that it needs immediate replacement. So do not think twice on replacing your worn out brake hose with a new one when you notice that it is exhibiting those wear and tear signs to ensure a safe driving.
By: Anthony Fontanelle
About the Author:
Your car would not be able to benefit from the braking fluid if it could not be transmitted properly to the various braking system components of your Pontiac. It’s a good thing your car is made up of brake lines and hoses that does this job. The Pontiac brake hose is a braking system component that forces the brake fluid by the movement of the master cylinder pistons. If you look under the hood of your Pontiac, you will see this braking system component originating from the chassis of your car as it runs through the front and rear suspension. A typical Pontiac brake hose is made up of special tubing that is bonded into 2 layers of heavy duty nylon sheathing and is protected by an external rubber cover. Because of its flexible nature, this car component makes your suspension move all throughout the range of its travel. Aside from that, your Pontiac brake hose is engineered with metals at each end so that it could send out brake fluid even in intense pressure.
Your Pontiac brake hose has been built to be highly resistant to extreme temperature, high pressure and corrosion. As a matter of fact, some brake hoses have been constructed with Teflon and other synthetic materials. But because nothing lasts forever, your brake hose would sooner or later wear out due to constant exposure to harsh environments, flexing, and high pressure in your lower chassis. The inner tube of your Pontiac brake hose will be the first one to get damaged. When it collapses and separates from the nylon sheathing, it could result to overheated brakes and a dragging caliper—which means a very dangerous handling condition. But do not worry, you can easily tell that your brake hose has been damaged if you have been noticing some leaking fluid on the brake lines. Spongy or swollen brake hose is another indicator that it needs immediate replacement. So do not think twice on replacing your worn out brake hose with a new one when you notice that it is exhibiting those wear and tear signs to ensure a safe driving.
By: Anthony Fontanelle
About the Author:
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
Tags: Boiling Point, Brake Fluid, Brake Hose, Braking System Components, Car Accidents, Car Component, Car Components, Flexible Nature, Fluid Flow, Master Cylinder, Moving Parts, Polyglycol, Quality Pontiac, Rear Suspension, Road Accidents, Safety Components, Safety Equipments, Sheathing, System Component, Viscous Fluid
Being a car owner entails a lot of responsibilities, and one of these is ensuring that you always drive safely. Since safety is among your primary considerations, you need to make sure that your Pontiac is completely equipped with all the necessary safety equipments to keep you safe no matter what happens. The braking system is among the many various components of your car that does this job. It works through hydraulic force multiplication and mechanical advantage. Using friction, your car is able to transmit force to the road from your tires. Another medium that is very much useful in your braking system is the brake fluid. This is a special oil that is designed to prevent boiling and thickening even at very high or very cold temperatures. However, the success of your braking system does not only depend on friction or brake fluid only. Because it is a system, it is composed of interrelated car components that contribute a role in the braking assist of your Pontiac.
The Pontiac brake booster is among the various braking system components of your car that is considered as one of the most indispensable. Located on the firewall just behind the master cylinder, this braking system component’s main function is to make sure that the needed pressure to stop your Pontiac is provided by amplifying the available foot pressure applied to the brake pedal. A simple pressure differential is the basic principle behind the Pontiac brake booster. Depending on the size of the diaphragm, the brake booster increases the force of your brake pedal 2 to 4 times. It does this by using the difference in the manifold vacuum of your internal combustion engine and the atmospheric pressure. The typical construction of a Pontiac brake booster includes the reaction mechanism, body, control valve mechanism, booster piston, and piston return spring. But even if it ensures fluidity and ease in braking, this braking system component is not solely responsible for all the braking force in your car. If the Pontiac brake booster is the only source of your braking force, you will definitely be in a serious trouble when the power supply of the booster is cut off by the engine.
There will be no difference in pressure between the variable pressure chamber and the constant pressure chamber if the vacuum fails to act on the brake booster. But in spite of this, your Pontiac brake booster can still maintain brake system cooperation because it will continue to generate hydraulic pressure mechanically. However, there will come a time when your stock brake boosters will finally reach a breaking point. The internal diaphragm of your Pontiac brake booster can become ruptured through one or more of these factors: excessive heat, leaking master cylinders, or old age. You can usually tell that your brake booster needs to be replaced if you have been seeing some white smoke coming out of the tailpipe. You can have it rebuilt, but it is highly recommended that you have it replaced if the damage is beyond repair. Do not think twice on replacing it with a new one because you will just risk yourself into a serious car accident if this problem is left unresolved for a long time.
By: Anthony Fontanelle
About the Author:
The Pontiac brake booster is among the various braking system components of your car that is considered as one of the most indispensable. Located on the firewall just behind the master cylinder, this braking system component’s main function is to make sure that the needed pressure to stop your Pontiac is provided by amplifying the available foot pressure applied to the brake pedal. A simple pressure differential is the basic principle behind the Pontiac brake booster. Depending on the size of the diaphragm, the brake booster increases the force of your brake pedal 2 to 4 times. It does this by using the difference in the manifold vacuum of your internal combustion engine and the atmospheric pressure. The typical construction of a Pontiac brake booster includes the reaction mechanism, body, control valve mechanism, booster piston, and piston return spring. But even if it ensures fluidity and ease in braking, this braking system component is not solely responsible for all the braking force in your car. If the Pontiac brake booster is the only source of your braking force, you will definitely be in a serious trouble when the power supply of the booster is cut off by the engine.
There will be no difference in pressure between the variable pressure chamber and the constant pressure chamber if the vacuum fails to act on the brake booster. But in spite of this, your Pontiac brake booster can still maintain brake system cooperation because it will continue to generate hydraulic pressure mechanically. However, there will come a time when your stock brake boosters will finally reach a breaking point. The internal diaphragm of your Pontiac brake booster can become ruptured through one or more of these factors: excessive heat, leaking master cylinders, or old age. You can usually tell that your brake booster needs to be replaced if you have been seeing some white smoke coming out of the tailpipe. You can have it rebuilt, but it is highly recommended that you have it replaced if the damage is beyond repair. Do not think twice on replacing it with a new one because you will just risk yourself into a serious car accident if this problem is left unresolved for a long time.
By: Anthony Fontanelle
About the Author:
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
Tags: Atmospheric Pressure, Basic Principle, Brake Booster, Brake Fluid, Braking System Components, Car Components, Car Owner, Cold Temperatures, Control Valve, Foot Pressure, Hydraulic Force, Internal Combustion Engine, Manifold Vacuum, Master Cylinder, Mechanical Advantage, Reaction Mechanism, Return Spring, System Component, Typical Construction, Valve Mechanism
