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Look! It's a turd! It's a plane! It's my G6!

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  • Look! It's a turd! It's a plane! It's my G6!

    This is just a rant, so bear with me

    I used to love this car (2009 G6 GXP) but it’s been the most unreliable piece of crap that I have ever owned. In the last 2.5 years, I’ve gone through a laundry list of replacement items on this car. Some I blame GM for and others I blame on garbage aftermarket parts. Overall, would I buy this car or a GM again? Hell no. I originally wanted to make this a fast and fun daily driver but it’s turned out to be an unreliable turd of monumental proportions, one that I couldn’t go a few weeks without something breaking or another issue popping up. So, here’s the list of everything that has been replaced on my car thus far, or at least what I can recall.

    Transmission: replaced at the 90k mark since it was slipping gears and running hot. New unit was from another wrecked G6 that had 40k on it. The replaced unit (with new torque converter) lasted around 8 months before having to be pulled (it was slipping and running like crap) and the original unit went through a full rebuild. The orig. unit I found out have the wave plate issue, but this was well after a trip to the dealership to have the TCM/BCM/PCM flashed with updates to help. It did to a degree.
    Power steering rack: Started binding around the 85k mark. Rack replaced and car was fine in this regard until the high pressure line split 6 months ago. 2nd unit was installed due to the fail of the 1st one due to starvation of the pump.

    Power steering high pressure line: Ruptured and replaced.
    Power steering pump: Replaced twice. 1st time due to the high pressure line rupturing and the 2nd time due to a faulty (Cardone) aftermarket part.
    Front sway bar bushings: Replaced due to dry rot with polyurethane. They did nothing but squeak no matter what synthetic grease I used (I tried 3 types). Pulled and replaced with the polyurethane black since they had some graphite built in. Front frame was tapped for slightly larger bolts for better clamping power. Squeaked still. Finally replaced with OEM rubber.
    Rear sway bar bushings: Dry rot. Squeaked from install of polyurethane bushings/synthetic grease. Eventually replaced with OEM.
    Catalytic converters: OEM set started throwing codes and the back one bricked out. Replaced with aftermarket garbage that wouldn’t line up correctly. Had to hack apart the old pipes and weld it in the new to make it all work. Eventually purchased a better hand built set and tossed the aforementioned in the trash.

    02 sensors: Replaced all 4 prior to the converters to avoid spending $$$.
    Converter gaskets: OEM stuff is absolute garbage. Had to purchase flange gaskets (and modify them) and new/longer bolts to avoid blow outs. I think at last count exhaust was off the car about six times.
    Front axles: Replaced due to leaking/torn boots.
    Front/rear brakes: Replaced due to wear.
    Front/rear calipers: Front right and rear left were sticking.
    Passenger hub: Replaced due to wobble.
    Driver hub: ABS sensor went out. Also replaced due to wobble.
    Front control arms: Driver side rubber was shot and under acceleration, the entire wheel was moving backwards in excess of an inch. Replaced a 2nd time due to Moog part failing at the bushing. Driver side was replaced 2x, passenger side 1x.

    Engine mounts: All were replaced due to dry rot and squeak/movement.
    Front end links: Replaced due to movement/wear.
    Front struts: Entire unit replaced with KYB parts (mount, etc.) and lowering springs. Lowering springs were eventually taken off (alignment issues) and OEM were put back on.
    Front camber bolts: OEM would not adjust enough with lowering springs. Replaced with extra adjusting bolts until lowering springs were taken off.
    Rear shims: Rear shims were put on twice along with caliper spacers. Eventually taken off after new camber adjusters were welded on the frame.
    Rear toe adjusters: Replaced due to dry rot and movement.
    Rear upper control arms: Replaced due to dry rot and movement
    Rear camber bolts: Replaced with extra adjusting type that didn’t help. Returned part.
    Rear shocks: Entire unit (mount, etc.) replaced with KYB. KYB barely lasted 2 years and have to be replaced. New parts just arrived.
    Rear camber plates: Welded to the frame to get the car aligned and within spec. So far so good. Wait, I take that back, as the driver side rear is out of spec yet again.
    Rear lower control arms: Just arrived. Being replaced either due to being bent or the bushing being shot.
    Rear trailing arms: Being replaced for !@#$% and giggles as the back end will be apart for the umpteenth time and they’ve never been replaced, so why not?
    Tires: I drive on average 15k a year, and was burning through a set of tires a year due to alignment issues. I just purchased a replacement pair and am on tire #10 thus far.
    Rims: Replaced with OEM from Rock Auto (clear coat on orig. was gone along with ½ the chrome). The new ones are already peeling at the 1.5 year mark. Yes, seriously.
    Serpentine belt: Replaced due to wear
    Spark plugs: Replaced due to wear
    Tweeters: Passenger replaced twice, driver side once. OEM garbage parts.
    Power window regulators: Passenger front died. Then the passenger rear. And then the driver side front.
    Front 02 sensor pigtail: Shorted due to bad ground. Replaced.
    Wire wrap: All over the engine bay the old is/was crumbling off. Most has been replaced thus far.
    Front headlights: New ones are sitting in the box. Old ones are fogged and barely clean up anymore.
    Front headlight connectors: Replaced due to shorts in both sides.
    Front bulbs: Replaced 3x a piece
    Front fog light bulbs: Replaced 2x a piece
    Rear bulbs: replaced 1x a piece
    Rear bulb socket: Replaced on both sides due to shorts
    Battery: Replaced due to failure
    A/C: Recharged 2x. Possible leak in the system as it’s still not running cold enough.
    Firestone alignment: Paid for the lifetime. At last count I’ve had 12 alignments on this car due the back end/alignment issues/tire wear.

    My head hurts from writing all that, literally. In the meantime, I’ve had a full crap intake setup (new) and an intake spacer (new)sitting in my garage for almost eight months because quite frankly, I am tired of replacing crap on this car. It either spends time at a shop, being dropped off /shuttled to a shop, or I work on it on my days off (yeah my wife loves that) taking away from family time. I’ve always wanted a Impala SS and one of the newer style GO/G8’s, but after this turd, I’s rather jump in front of a moving bus then go through any of this again.

    And FWIW, my wife’s Mazda 3 has had zero work done to the car with the exception of general maintenance she’s at 100k thus far. Hell, my old faded pos Intrepid R/T currently has 228k miles on it and has been more reliable that this GM dumpster of fail. Again, it started out as a great car, but damn.

    Well, back to the garage yet again. Cheers

  • #2
    Re: Look! It's a turd! It's a plane! It's my G6!

    Since my last post, I have replaced the following:

    Power steering pump: Pump bearing #2 failed so new pump (OEM) was installed about 1.5 months ago

    Passenger side front hub: Lasted less than 2 years. OEM part now @ $170

    Driver side hub: Is making a nice grinding noise (Napa part). OEM is on ($170) order and will be here mid week.

    Exhaust gaskets: The flange gaskets came apart again, so double carbon gaskets & hardware were used throughout the exhaust system

    T-stat housing and hoses: Hoses were replaced due to age. One of the t-stat housing tabs broke off while trying to replace the t-stat itself. Garbage OEM part design that was apparently not designed to be pulled apart. New overpriced OEM piece installed

    Waterpump: Leaking and replaced.

    Annnd the front sway bar is squeaking yet again. Rubber is too new to be dry and crappy, so both bushings have to come out and greased again.

    I almost broke down and installed the intake spacer and Crab intake system. Then I came to my senses and left it taped up in the boxes. I have about a year and some change left to pay on this car and cannot wait until it's gone.

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    • #3
      Re: Look! It's a turd! It's a plane! It's my G6!

      That's a long list. I admire your patience.

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      • #4
        Re: Look! It's a turd! It's a plane! It's my G6!

        So here I am back again. Car was sold. Engine went south and I didn't want to drop another $3,200 in repairs to eek it around for another year, til it was paid off, of course.

        So, all the parts I had in storage for this vehicle are now up for sale locally. I'd post them here but since I have 6 posts out of 100, I cannot.

        So CHECK CRAIGSLIST in AUSTIN, TX for all kinds of NEW G6 parts that I never used, including a new in box Crabby Intake w/FPU and K&N Filter, Mace Intake Spacer, Kyb Struts, etc. https://austin.craigslist.org/pts/d/...966708822.html



        Thanks!

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