Looking for car for daughters 18th b-day/graduation, she's driving a 6K# SUV right now so I don't want to put her in a lil tiny car, in addition hubby WONT by foreign or anything he considers foreign ie Mazda, etc. Opinions/input welcome on the G6. Thanks!

 

What does the hubby have against foreign automakers?

 

Cuz we live in America & he wants to support American automakers. Granted I hear Mazda is now made by Ford, didn't used to be, also kno more parts for instance on a particular Toyota are made in US over parts for Mustang AND I'm sure others. I just kno my Vette was made right here in the good ole USA & my Tahoe came off the line in Texas made by Texans (says so on the door hehe!). Anyway, he's a major Chevy man...we have a fleet of 50 Chev worktrucks so that's a big issue for him right or wrong! DD's B/F got us a list (it's a surprise) there's 10 autos on the list & less the crossfire, roadster & solstice (too little) the only 2 (non foreign) left are the G6 & the GTO soooo being all of you guys are so into cars I was just wanting input.

 

The GTO is made in Austrilia (sp?) So looks like G6 it is good car as far as i know. I had a Grand am and beat the sh*t out of it lauched it off a one lane bridge at 85 mph landed and kept going (Good times in high school) I honestly tried to kill the car and couldnt (had 300SDL as main car so it didn't matter). Plus i have alway figured GM was about the best US automaker.

 

The G6 is a good car and very popular with women 18-36 age group, I hear. My only concern would be that the convertible is new and the retratable hardtop complex - that is the type of thing GM has a history of getting wrong. The GTO is overly powerful, in my opinion, for any young driver, and frankly not what most grils her age would prefer (compared to a convertible).

Frankly, I think a Mustang V6 convertible would be better: It is stylish, reasonably heavy and quite safe, and the car and its 4-lter V6 are both proven reliable. I also note that it won a recent comparison test against the G6 convertible in this month's Motor Trend or Car & Driver - I can't remember which . . . .

 

I wouldn't mind going the stang route BUT she is adament on not wanting a mustang...
everybody has one, she wants something different. She had a couple other unexpected cars on the list other than the GTO...Range Rover, Volvo C70. She's kinda unpredictable & knows what she likes.

 

The only problem I have with Range Rovers is they are on the bottom of the reliability list according to Consumer Reports and I wouldn't want my child in a car that doesn't give me that peace of mind of being a product that is going to get her from point "A" to "B" with the least amount of problems as possible.

 

Thanks for the input...I went & saw one today, I was somewhat impressed. I'd only seen it online so it was larger than I thought & weighs 4600 lbs, it felt so substantial sitting inside it, the doors were heavy. Plenty of airbags & 5 star safety rating or something like that, I still have lots more research to do so we'll see! With the top up it looks like a regular sedan but very sporty with the top down, it sits high enough off the road too that you don't feel like your in a lil car. Now keep in mind she's in a 6000 lb Suburban right now & also used to driving a Tahoe & a duramax diesel ext cab hehehe so were having a really big problem going small AND since we are buying she'll have to be happy for whatever we pick! Again thanks...

 

I think the key is "since we are buying she will have to happy with whatever we pick." What a kid wants is not quite as important as what mom and dad think is appropriate -- plus, I always felt it was important to send a clear message that they do not get everything they want when someone else is paying for it. If you are looking at the Range Rover you might want to look at the Porsche SUV - recent models have a much better maintenance and service record, a higher satsifaction rating (JD Powers #1), particularly with women owners, and the price is about the same -- and I can't imagine any kid being upset and going off to college in a Porsche!!!

 

My friend had a Range as his first SUV (pos) He Now drives a Crown Vic and loves it?!? To each his own i guess.