Now that Pontiac enthusiasts’ worst fears have been confirmed, the used car market may be the last place to find the make that some fans loved.

General Motors released a plan to avoid bankruptcy that included heavy government influence, but also included a plan to discontinue Pontiacs after 2010.

That means that the maker of such popular performance cars as the GTO, Firebird and the Grand Prix will now only live on in the remaining examples that haven’t been junked or scrapped like their namesake was this week.

Collector Ron Schultz told the Chicago Sun-Times, “It hurts American heritage to see Pontiac go away,” even though he owns three classic Pontiac models himself.

Reviews of used Pontiac models on Edmunds.com by internet users consistently beat the editor’s rating, with the minimum being an 8 on a 10 point scale, suggesting the appreciation that Pontiac owners have for their vehicles.

One example is the 2008 Solstice roadster, a sporty little car that Edmunds editors called too small, noisy and underpowered. Users, on the other hand, gave it a 9/10 rating.

Find Used Pontiac Cars with New Jersey State Auto