# Brand Loyalty



## Pontiacpurebrred (Jun 22, 2011)

Mods, please don't move this, it is in fact relevant to 64-74 GTO. 


Ok, so here's my story. 
I grew up in a Dodge/Chrysler car and Ford truck house hold. My father, God rest his soul, owned a 63 sport Fury with a Hemi and a heavy duty 4 speed - got so many tickets my mom had to drive him to and from work in it for a year before my brother was born. (I will post pics when I get home.) My older brother had a 77 Fury. My grand father owned Ford trucks. That's what I grew up around and because of it, my first car was a 71 Mach 1 Mustang. (I hated that car - drove like a boat.) I was 15 at the time. 
Fast forward to the year between 16-17 I met a guy (Mike) he was a friend of one of my oldest friends from school. (Russ) I had known Russ most of my life but had never met Mike because he lived in the middle of Kansas down by a hunting property Russ and his dad frequented. Anyways....

Mike moved to KC that year and brought with him a 70 Judge GTO RA III Automatic with a black vinyl top. I rode in that car, and was in awe, I drove that car and I was in love. I never looked back. I have been a GTO/Pontiac guy ever since. (That means almost 25 years for the viewing audience)

So fast forward to the past 6 or 8 years, GTO re-introduced and discontinued, Pontiac dead, GM bankrupt, just a big mess. 

GM left ME (not me alone but for the purpose of this rant, ME) high and dry. The coolant debacle that left cars across the country with rotted gaskets and innards, with no reprise - oh sorry we went out of business and re-organized so we can't be held liable ... blah blah blah. No performance division and only a ...grrr Camaro as a true performance 2-dr option. REALLY a fricking CAMARO?  :shutme

So now the wife has a 2008 Ford Explorer (I helped pick it out - love that truck) and I still drive the 2005 GTO that I have tried to re-engineer the mistakes GM/Pontiac made when they released it. But someday .... yes someday I would like to buy a new car. (I have my 69 Custom S/GTO clone that will be my toy but I will want something fun to drive that's not 10 years old.) I LIKE NEW TECH and NEW TOYS!!!

So here is my issue, GM is almost 100% out of the question, I just don't know what to do cause I think I'd die in a Mustang and I am not sold on the Challenger. 

Is brand loyalty an old fashioned idea anymore? 

Do I just go for what's cool and that I like to drive all else be dammed? 

So what say you fellow GTO/Pontiac heads?


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

GM can crash and burn as far as I am concerned. Both Ford & Chrysler shown positive gains in the last quarter while GM is in the red again and the UAW workers get a bonus?

Can you say UNION kickbacks for support of a Socialist in a re-election year? This is clearly political favors. I am glad I am not in the market for a new vehicle. GM is owned by the FEDS and the FEDS authorize a bonus for votes. They can burn in hell.


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## Pontiacpurebrred (Jun 22, 2011)

Yea I feel that.

GM is simply a joke and it hurts. I have been a GM guy since I have been old enough to decide for myself. I guess the thing to do is go drive a Challenger (I have yet to drive one) and see how I feel. 

Heck I have considered some crazy stuff in the past year. Can you say brands it's not smart to mention on a GTO site?
:rofl:


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Mention any brand ya want. Go for it.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Go with whatever trips your trigger. As I mentioned before, I too realy like the Challenger. Don't care if it's not the fastest thing out there, I like it because it just looks cool...........


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I've always been a GM guy, even when I was a kid and my family drove Fords. I was a GM guy until the bailout. Now I'm a whatever- works- for- me guy. I've never bought a new car in my life (I'll be 51 in two weeks), but if I were looking to buy some performance, I'd buy whatever appealed to me. Probably a Challenger with the biggest engine and a stickshift. Orange or Black. Ford hit the nail on the head in '05 with the Mustang, but just like they did in the '60's, they blew it with the restyle. The new Camaro is a dead miss in my opinion....not my style at all. I just think I'll keep my GTO's....they have more class and style than any of this new stuff.....


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

the reasons the challengers and 05 mustangs worked is that they remained somewhat true to the designs they were mimicking and struck a cord with those of us who loved the muscle/pony car era...the camaro was supposed to look like the 69', but the designers took too many liberties and made it look too modern in my opinion, and nothing like the originals. I have owned GM's and Pontiacs all my life like my father, and his before him, until i needed a Truck. Never liked the GM pickup's for some reason and i am on my 6th Ford, bought this one instead of lease because of incentives so i will be driving it until it falls apart...72,000 miles in 3 years and still going strong. But the Pontiac will always be my Go-fast ride.


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## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

Brand loyalty??? are you kidding me?? not in this day and age-Pontiac has been swept away due to some piss poor money management skills. GM Ford Chevy??? whatever buy whatever you like and think is cool- if you think for second these corporations are pushing brand loyalty over making a buck you are severely misinformed. You want a nice car that is fast and handles great buy a Lexus. You want a bad ass cool car get a classic


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## 68GTO4004Spd (Jun 19, 2008)

I bought a used 2005 Pontiac G6 for a daily driver, it has over 90,000 miles and has never given be trouble other than a glitchy stereo that sticks on AM once in a while. Turning the car off and back on fixes it though. I don't really have a brand loyalty, but I have always owned American cars. My 1990 Ford ranger I bought new, drove it for 120,000 miles and only had to replace the starter, and the radiator. I then bought a 2000 Dakota new, when it got 80,000 miles, I had bearing failures (Chinese bearings really spend an extra dollar and at least buy Japanese Dodge geez), had to rebuild the rear end, front hubs, and air cond. compressor all within 3 months. When I could feel the transmission bearings starting to let go, I sold it.
Don't worry about brand loyalty, but at least buy American, even if they do suck sometimes.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

I refuse to buy a new car. The prices/monthly payments are just ridiculous to me. I'd rather save the monthly payment for goodies and/or repairs to my old cars if I need them.

Now if I was rich, I would probably buy GM cars cause I still believe in their products over the rest. And like the brand or not, chevy was #1 in sells in 2011. (so I heard) 

And when it comes to pro racing, GM(chevy) still dominates that too. Other than my love and being biased to Pontiac, Chevy is the best current GM brand, imo.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

If I was to go out and buy a new car today, it would be a 2013 Mustang Shelby GT 500......If I needed a new truck, probably a Ford F-250 Lariat. I WANTED a new Avalanche, but they are being discontinued,AND no longer come in the "heavy duty" model... Just my $.02....Eric


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## OrbitOrange (Jul 5, 2010)

Ive never bought a "brand new" car. Probably never will due to prices and the fact they lose so much value once you drive it off the lot. But if I were shopping for late model cars it would be the 5.0 Coyote mustang or the Challenger.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Challengers a re sweet,but they need a "face lift" soon. As far as quality goes, I can only say that my wife had 4 Grand Cherokees (3 yr leases) NO PROBLEMS...my cousin, and others have had Dodge pick-up trucks...first the tranny goes, then the rear end !!! I can proudly say that I have never owned a foreign car.....:willy: :confused :cheers


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Man, I've got no clue what I'd do. For a long time Ford was my favorite brand (except for GTO) and I still tend to lean that way. I like the fact that they didn't go for the bail out. However, when I saw the movie about how badly they cheated and ripped off the guy who actually invented intermittent wipers, that soured me on them as a company. The other night I watched the story of the return of the Boss 302 --- I like the car, still not a fan of the company's ethics... What a quandary....

Yeah, I really have an ugly taste in my mouth about the Fed getting their grimey corrupt fingers so deeply up the behinds of what should be private enterprise, but given the records of so many companies I'm not sure when "end" of that deal should feel the the most "dirty".

If I was in the market for a new hotrod today.... I think all things considered I'd be sorely tempted by a Cadillac CTS-V Coupe . My wife drives a "vanilla" CTS and it's a real pleasure to drive and pretty snappy even with the base V6. 

Maybe a Raptor truck.. (our other vehicle besides the Beast is a 2001 F-150 FX4 Supercab long bed...)

Not a fan of the Camaro or Challenger, they just look like oversize tanks to me.

I'm still not sure I could bring myself to buy a "foreign" car even though the boundaries between domestic and foreign are fuzzier now than they've ever been. Not a fan of Honda/Acura because a majority of the Honda owners I know seem to have sort of a smug attitude about them, dislike BMW because most folks seem to become pr*cks when they get behind the wheel of one... I guess I should be glad I'm not in the market right now.

Bear


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## Mike_V (Mar 10, 2006)

You have more foreign cars made in the US than GM cars. Even the Camaro is made in Canada. All of my GM cars are gone but a G6. That thing is endless problems, just like all GM cars (not counting the GTO I sold in Nov).

I'm in the market for a car right now, and everything is on the list but GM or Chrysler. Looking around, it's really hard to beat Hyundai & Kia (never thought I'd say that).


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## RustWrangler (Sep 15, 2011)

I say anything made in the USA, Ford,GM,Chrysler, Toyota (at least they are built here) check the consumer reports and find the best rated car/truck that you Like. I am biased and still favor GM only because I grew up in Michigan and my entire family worked for GM that and I am familiar with their stuff, how its built and how to work on them. 

Good Luck hope you find what your looking for!


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## blackplate65 (May 10, 2011)

just because the foreign car is made here doesent mean the money stays here


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## Mike_V (Mar 10, 2006)

I have tons of family that work for or retired from GM. Still, GM will make a deal with a foreign manufacturer in a greedy second. I had one GM truck with almost every part stamped 'Made in Mexico'.

Toyota, BMW, VW, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Subaru, and Hyundai... just some of the brands I found that make cars in the US.

It's hard to say what an American car is. I saw something that said the Toyota Camry was the most American car in every way, and the Toyota Tacoma & Tundra were the most American trucks. I think there's an old thread discussing this.

Regarding where the money goes, GM sunk sons of cash into companies like Kia and Mitsubishi.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

blackplate65 said:


> just because the foreign car is made here doesent mean the money stays here


:agree the profit doesn't stay here, but at least they're putting people to work here.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

blackplate65 said:


> just because the foreign car is made here doesent mean the money stays here


Correct....the buck stops in Korea, Japan, or where ever...


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I have two Toyota trucks simply because they suit me. They are bulletproof, get good mileage, and run forever. I've had my '83 4x4 pickup for 20 years and have just done front brakes and a water pump. It has about 260,000 on the clock, and doesn't even use oil. My '94 4Runner has 196,000 on the clock and everything works fine. Put a radiator in it 2 years ago. Still has the original clutch. The AC has never been serviced, and is still ice cold. I'm loyal to ME. I buy the best value I can for the buck. Being a line mechanic from the late '70's thru the late '90's, and involved with fleet service to this day has allowed me to see the pros and cons of all makes of vehicles. For the buck, I like Toyota trucks. Hey, look at all the terrorists in the Middle East....what do they drive? Toyota!!!


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## ppurfield001 (Jan 21, 2008)

My two cents -- I have a 2009 G8 GXP and love it. I've taken the CTS-V for a test drive and it is an awesome car with power to spare and the magnetic ride suspension (but vey expensive). GM still has IT. But buy any American car you want. Forget the politics and buy what you like. Good luck.


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

geeteeohguy said:


> Hey, look at all the terrorists in the Middle East....what do they drive? Toyota!!!


oh what a feeling.........Jihad!


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## Pontiacpurebrred (Jun 22, 2011)

Ok well several of you have mentioned ....non-domestic brands. IF I WAS SMART....I would get something "realistic" more "affordable" since I have a 1969 Pontiac in the garage that I can use for my "go fast" car. 

If I were SMART I'd consider one of these....

I have always had a soft spot for the Beetle (not the old new ones the OLD ones or in this case the 2012, it's cool again) :cool










Kia Koup?? 










Hundai??










Mitsubiti Eclipse??? 










Oh but I am NOT SMART I am an old school hot rod guy and THIS is a PRETTY SWEET RIDE! 


















I just gotta be real ya know?


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

I dont buy new cars. The newest car I ever bought was 7 years old at the time, now its 14 and yes it is a Pontiac. I have old cars for a reason, they cost me less up front, less for insurance, and I dont have depreciation issues. I too would rather spend my money on an old car than car payments. If I bought a new one then the old cars I have now would languish until the new car is old, paid off, and not sucking all my funds.

I was thinking recently what I would get if I decided to buy a new car. Camaro, Challenger, or Mustang. I have always disliked camaros, I own a 71 Mustang already, and my family is a bunch of rabid mopar nuts, so the Challenger would only net me thousands of "Told you so" and "Its about time you wised up" comments.

If I were to buy a new vehicle, it would be a truck. GMC halfton and swap in a 6.0L. Instead of doing that I think I will just swap a 6.0L into either the 88 1500 or the 76 C10 and be happy with it. the price is much better, no financing needed, and insurance on an old 2wd is cheap.


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## Pontiacpurebrred (Jun 22, 2011)

Yea I don't buy "NEW" either, but I am not buying (or looking for) "OLD" this time. I have old in the garage torn down being rebuilt. I will want a new daily driver here soon, the 2005 GTO has been nice but it won't last forever and the longer I own it the less it's worth. 

I did look at some 2009 SRT8 Challengers, nice, and affordable. The pics above were nothing more than fun and wishful thinking.


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