On Wed, 2 Feb 2005, jetsguy wrote:

> I have the opportunity of ordering either a 2005 Chev Impala or a 2005
> Pontiac Grand Prix as a company vehicle. Done some reading and appears
> they both have similar performance ratings with main differences being
> Impala is more roomy/practicle but is somewhat of (as my wife says) an
> old fart kind of car. The Grand Prix on the other hand is sportier

If the company-car discount offsets the costs and inconveniences of owning
a GM vehicle, then proceed. Just be sure to factor in ALL the costs, not
just the upfront ones.

There is no difference in quality or reliability between a Pontiac, a
Buick, a Chevrolet, etc. They all use corporate parts and systems. The
last time GM's different-brand cars were truly different at more than a
superficial, cosmetic level was twenty-nine years ago.

The current crop of new offerings is yet another fleet of McRent-a-cars
from GM. More-or-less adequate, but abjectly mediocre by virtually every
measure. (And getting worse: the 3.4 litre V6 engine has been an
unreliable turd for years, and now it's being manufactured in
*China* for use in the Equinox.)

GM has some very talented and dedicated engineers in their employ, but
their best work gets beancountered, focus-grouped and committee-thinked to
death and therefore never sees the light of day; GM's products
occasionally show a dim spark of innovation but quickly and consistently
regress to a mediocre average. You can maintain them and pray and
everything, but they'll remain a mediocre average at best. A perfect
example is the GM 5-cylinder minivans (e.g. Trailblazer). The engine
itself is a beautiful piece of work, but the vehicle in which it's
installed is fall-apart garbage.

The cops up here use the Impala and it seems to hold up OK for them.