With Pontiac Going Extinct, Who Do You Pontiac-Owners Contact If There...

If Your Pontiac Breaks Down Who You Gonna Call

The Pontiac nameplate will soon be extinct. The production line that builds those vehicles will stop next month, and the dealer network that once supported legendary models such as the Firebird and GTO will soon disappear. So what happens if your new Pontiac breaks down? Not to worry, says Jim Hopson, communications manager for Pontiac. “The warranty for the car is a GM warranty and not a Pontiac warranty, so as long as GM is around there is nothing for you to worry about.” The future of General Motors became significantly more secure last week when the company emerged from bankruptcy protection, free of much of its debt and with new owners—primarily the U.S. and Canadian governments. ‘The warranty for the car is a GM warranty and not a Pontiac warranty, so as long as GM is around there is nothing for you to worry about.’ — Jim Hopson, Pontiac The new company, known as General Motors Co., will continue to produce the Chevy, GMC, Buick and Cadillac lines, even as it sells off its Hummer, Saab and Saturn divisions and lets the famous Pontiac brand expire. The biggest effect on consumers may simply be a loss of convenience. The new GM is expected to cut 2,400 of it 6,000 dealerships by the end of next year. That means a customer might have to drive farther to get authorized service, although consumer groups often recommend independent mechanics for competitive prices. Warranty still covered Hopson notes, however, that fewer than 40 Pontiac dealers across America were standalone dealerships. The rest were part of dealerships that sell other GM brands. “The odds are, the Pontiac dealer who sold you your car is still in business, and that’s the first place to take it,” he says, for work covered by the warranty—three years or 36,000 miles on the overall car or five years and 100,000 miles on the engine and power train. In those cases where the dealership has disappeared, he said, a customer should call the Pontiac customer service number prominently displayed in the vehicle—1-800-762-2737—to find a dealer to service the car. Hummer, Saab and Saturn work can be performed at existing dealerships, most of which are expected to be taken over by new owners this year. A Chinese truck manufacturer has expressed interest in acquiring Hummer, for instance; the firm owned by former racecar driver Roger Penske hopes to take over the Saturn label; and a Swedish sports car maker has expressed interest in Saab. The one year of free roadside assistance and OnStar vehicle support that came with Pontiac vehicles will be honored by the new GM, Hopson said. New models could be collectibles Pontiac dealers will likely take up to 18 months to clear their inventories, but some models, like the Solstice GXP coupe or the G8 GXP, may be in short supply, since Pontiac is building fewer than 2,000 of them. “From a collectible point of view, those two models will be the most valuable,” he says. The Obama administration offered to back GM warranties when the company entered bankruptcy proceedings on June 1. But now that the new firm has been reconstituted, those federal protections have been allowed to lapse. GM says its bankruptcy allowed it to shed $40 billion in debt and make its labor costs competitive with Toyota, a major rival. By the end of the year, GM is expected to have just 64,000 American employees, compared with 91,000 at the end of 2008. The new company will have $11 billion in U.S. debt. The new GM—or Government Motors, as some now call it­—is 60.8 percent owned by the U.S. government. The United Auto Workers union’s retiree health care trust holds 17.5 percent; the governments of Canada and Ontario, 11.7 percent; and old GM bondholders, 10 percent. But leaders of the new GM promise a new and more adaptable company. “It is a new era, and everyone associated with the company must realize this and be prepared to change, and fast,” GM chief executive Fritz Henderson said July 11. Michael Zielenziger writes on economic and consumer affairs for Bulletin Today. Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

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