Well guys I have narrowed it down to these two cars...Either a 2008-2009 Evo X GSR 5 speed or a 2008-2009 G8 GT Automatic. I want a 4 door car that I can make decently quick without spending a fortune. Either car I will want proximately 400whp. The car will be daily driven through everything including snow and rain. I just want a car that every time I get in I will enjoy it no matter if im just cruising or getting on it.

Heres my thoughts:

Evo X
Pros:
-AWD
-Superior Handling
-Superior Braking
-Superior steering
-Seats are awesome
-Turbo
-Looks
-Will go through rain and snow no problem
-Lighter then the G8

Cons:
-4 Cylinder
-Not real super easy to reach 400whp
-400hp/tq is when things start braking from what I have read
-Looks (attracts cops)
-Not sure how to work on (Im sure I can learn no problem)
-Cheaper interior then then the G8

G8 GT
Pros:
-V8
-Easy to make power
-Sound
-I know LS engines
-RWD is fun during the summer
-Alot more room
-More luxurious

Cons:
-RWD sucks in snow and rain
-Heavy (4000lbs)
-Doesn't handle as well as the evo
-Gas mileage


Thats what I could come up with so far. I keep forgetting that 400hp in the Evo will be A LOT faster then 400rwhp in the G8 because of the weight difference. So I would probably want the G8 at 450rwhp. What would you guys pick and why? Keep in mind that this WILL be my daily driver and I need it to be dependable as well as functional.

 

The G8 is a good car, but they didn't sell many before being shut down, so I don't think the car had a chance to build up an aftermarket following that will even remotely compare to what the Evo has.

The Evo is the better performing car. You need to choose what your priorities are. Do you need a fullsize car or are you fine with a midsize? Do you want an automatic for commuting or can your left food handle the work of a clutch in traffic? Are you looking for a drag car or something to flog on a road course?

 

You do realize you are asking a bunch of evo x enthusiast’s which car they would pick?

 

pretty much what otter said, though i will add that i dont think the G8 has "a lot more room" (its narrower inside than it looks, and the rear seat space is impaired because of the driveshaft tunnel), nor is it "a lot more luxurious" (same plastic dashboard and low quality leather).

further, when you say your target is 400hp, keep in mind the Pontiac's hp figures (361hp in the GT) were at the crank. so you would need some work, to bring it to 400whp

oh and i doubt you get that much attention from cops anymore, not with the X (as opposed to the VIII or IX)

 

Otter makes a lot of good points. The choice of either car comes down to what your needs are in life.

Also in reference to the attention from cops... I've had my X for almost 2 years now and I haven't had any problems with extra attention from cops.

 

Well guys I went to a local dealership to take a look at an 08 Evo X that they had on their lot and to my surprise they actually had a 09 G8 GT sitting right beside it. What luck Anyways....We first took out the Evo X then took the G8 out. Here are my driving Impressions:

Evo was not as fast as the G8 no doubt. The Evo handled A LOT better and Steering was A LOT better. The Evo rode very rough in comparison to the G8. The Evo has a superior braking system as well. The Evo seats were very nice racing seats made of like a velvet material, they held you in place but were also VERY stiff. The G8s seats were VERY comfortable in comparison and made of leather. The G8 had a lot nice interior with more "creature comforts"dum I noticed when driving the Evo on the highway at 70mph in 5th gear you are right at 3500rpm. Its just beggin for a 6th gear. The Evo in my opinion requires your attention 100% of the time due to the sports suspension and it liking to track bumps. The G8 felt A LOT heavier then the Evo and felt like a boat in comparison. The G8 rode A LOT nicer. The G8 had a lot more leg room in the back seat and was wider (Not a huge concern to me, but having a back seat is along with 4 doors) The Evo has a trunk that is about a 1/4 of the size of the G8. While driving the G8 I found myself just cruising along and in the Evo I found myself rowing through gears and taking shaper turns. I got on the G8 a couple times and that was that. Also the G8 seemed like it hesitated between shifts in both automatic mode and sport mode. The Evo and very clean crisp shifts. Both cars had really nice digital displays in the instrument cluster both with the own pros and cons. I liked the Digital screen on the G8 for the radio and the temperature controls. The Evo X I drove did not have the in dash navigation system but did have the Rockford Fosgate sound system which sounded very VERY good. The G8 system was decent. Other then that I liked the smoothness of the G8 but at the same time I enjoyed the Evos "rawness" If the Evo was faster I would definitely pick it over the G8 but since it is slower I wonder how hard it would be to get power out of it reliably. I know in Europe they have the FQ-400 version of the EvoX that is 400hp. Decisions...Decisions....To be flat out honest I think I would enjoy the Evo alot more if it were more powerful and I think the G8 would make a real nice daily driver but I just dont think I would enjoy the automatic as much as the manual. Oh thats another thing! You have to shift every second in the Evo thus why I stated above, it requires your attention 100% of the time. Thats my personal opinions of both cars. I feel that both cars have their pros and cons and I think either car would make a fantastic daily driver. Like I said.....Decisions, Decisions......

 

You can get 400whp out of an X in a matter of hours with a set of hand tools. Horsepower is much less important than diving dynamics.

 

The G8 GT has better MPG highway than the Evo go figure

24 MPG G8 vs 22 MPG Evo X

 

Just give the Evo X a tune. The factory tune runs really rich. A tuned Evo will drive smoother, slightly better gas mileage & will feel like you're driving a completely different car. You guys on the forum know what I mean

 

Give the G8 a tune and it will pick up quite a bit too.

They have a great steering feel and with some peddars coilovers and stickier rubber it will readily out handle an evo x. The brakes are decent but I find that there is always room for improvement on most factory vehicles in this area.

No turbo lag but no manual unless you spend the extra money for a GXP.

It is a tough choice.

You can buy a used G8 cheaper than a used evo x from what I have seen. This being the case you can afford to improve the handling and still have less in it than a decent milage used X.

I loved my wifes G8 but she wanted an suv.

This price range allows a few other options such as audi and bmw the 335i and 335x sedans are fun. My dad's 535i is a lot quicker than you'd expect but sloppy handling.

Ben

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ponti...ht_1389wt_1167

 

well if you are looking for a daily driver, then id just keep the evo X stock.

 

im not going to lie, but i didnt read all of your post since it was all one paragraph and ran together. ppl need to learn (including myself) to split things up.

that being said, I would not even consider a gt over an evo X. yes, i am biased since i love evos. that aside, if your even considering an automatic mayb the X is not for you.

i was not impressed with the gt when I drove it. I wasnt all that impressed with a 6spd GXP when I drove it. Maybe as fast as the evo, and def more comfortable (more room), but everything else was far more inferior. They shut down before aftermarket support really backed the car, less power, more mods needed. handles not nearly as well as the evo etc etc.

If you got the chance to drive both cars you would know right away. You want power, performance, aftermarket part availability, better handling: evo.

more comfortable cruiser, slower, navi, auto, bad tranny: GT.

Evo bias for the win!

 

If you want to talk at length about G8 Vs Evo you can pm/im me. I own both, G8 GT and an Evo IX...can't give you a direct comparison of the X.

Idk about the X being faster then the G8 GT, theres two videos floating around youtube of a stock gt vs a stock x.

Also the g8 gt doesn't have navi and idk what bad tranny means. The G8 trans is great imo, needs a proper tcm tune to make it want to downshift more easily...cruises at 90 mph around the 2k mark, also has a mode where if you keep it wot for a few seconds itll hold the gears for you which I found pretty cool. As for brakes idk whats so bad about them, yeah the floating caliper doesn't feel as stiff but the stopping distance on the G8 GT is 109 ft vs the Evo X's 117 ft.

As for aftermarket, definitely not as good as the Evo...obviously. But idk about people backing out, theres plenty of solutions for suspension, brakes and of course for hp. I've been active on the g8 forums for about two years now, if theres any questions or concerns you have feel free to contact me.

Either way you go they're two great cars, I personally tossed around the idea of a Evo X for my DD for my IX before buying the G8 but the insurance kinda turned me off.

 

When I was looking in 2008 I narrowed down to G8 and EVO after waiting patiently for over a year for the G8 to land before making any purchases. I test drove them almost back to back as well and liked both cars. In the end the manual option (GXP was not out yet and I figured there would be dealer premiums anyway on those) , sharper steering, and overall more exciting and twitchy nature was what lead me to choose the EVO.

However, the G8 is no joke. I consider it to easily be one of the best cars GM has ever produced. Stock in daily situations (read: not launching) it felt faster and I have a natural preference for the feel of RWD over AWD which always feels burdened to me especially at low speeds. At some point later on when they had incentives (4K) and I had (have) 3.5K on my GM card I figured I could buy one for like 24K. I nearly bought was for the heck of it in addition to the EVO, though the divorce lawyer costs that would ensue from a 3rd toy car deterred me.

I think people will be surprised how well the G8 holds value year down the road if GM does not use it in the Chevy line up later on. It will be a modern day Chevelle or GTO type muscle car with very limited production, especially GXP. Also, I'd expect pretty good longevity from a SB V8 vs a stressed out turbo 4 cyl engine and engine parts shouldn't be a problem. On the downside, who knows how long body parts will be available in the case of an accident.

Maybe 2Steps can comment, but I've noticed on their forum and in real life, male G8 owners (and strangely I've seen 2 elderly women driving GTs!) seem to have a chip on their shoulder, be hyper aggressive out looking to show up other cars, and think their car is the best thing since sliced bread. Though I guess that can be said of most car enthusiasts (the last part).