Understand GM only imported 1,829 of these Holden Commodore based Pontiac unicorns for two years (and 334 in silver!), and while the 410hp V8’s are impressive, wondering why they hold their value so damned well. The 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP sold for just over $44,000 ten years ago, and this one is selling for $26,998 – they are usually in the $28-29k range on CarMax. Even more puzzling, for just a few thousand more you could buy this 2014 Chevrolet SS, which is to me a nicer, newer, Australian equivalent.
Hoping readers can educate me on what makes the GXP so special – perhaps it’s that Pontiacs are no more? CarMax has the occasional and lesser Pontiac G8 GT pop up, last week a rare 2009 GXP with 66,000 miles, and this week a nice silver over black and red 2009 with 59,000 miles.
It’s a one owner car always in Arizona, and I see the owner offered it for sale on the internet for about the same price before CarMax somehow nabbed it. The cars gets really good reviews when new as a four-door Corvette here in Car and Driver. Find this 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP here in Chicago. And to think CarMax will still give you a MaxCare worry free warranty for another 60,000 miles or so on a ten year old car!
That. Is. NUTS. I would avoid this thing like the plague.
Ten years ago a gearhead friend-of-a-friend bought a stick version new and immediately regretted it. Besides being a mechanical maintenance nightmare, he absolutely despised the hateful “skip-shift” that would sometimes force him to skip two gears (yeah, it was apparently as bad as it sounds).
Even with a CarMax warranty I’d also be a little leery of enthusiast sleepers like the GXP–you *know* it’s more likely than not to have been driven hard. But… if I was going to buy an muscle-y GM sedan, I’d rather spend a few thousand more for one of the newer slushbox Chevy SS four-doors.
Hard pass!
I heard the skip shift thing was a pain. I just don’t get the high resale Scott. I also drove a couple SS cars and so wanted one….but I’m too vain….I’d have to keep reminding everyone it’s NOT a Malibu!