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Interestingly, the Mazda 3 took honors as "Best Small Car".
In fairness, not to be negative, but it's HIGHLY likely that going from a '91 Corsica to a new Maxx is, in and of itself, likely to be far more dramatic than, say, my going from an '00 Malibu to a new one.
I did test-drive an LT sedan last Oct. Aside from the electric power steering and a very small increase in power (salesman just loved it when I gunned it at a stoplight, ahem), I really didn't see all that much difference in driving dynamics.
My car is now going in on Tues., not tomorrow. Yes, I'll scour over the Maxx (assuming they have one), but I don't plan to test-drive that since I'm sure it's very similar to the sedan.
I just checked GM BuyPower. They have 3 Maxxes, all LTs, and all with stickers of $27,945. I'd assume they all have everything on them. Figures. Such a deal.
I'm sensing that a few of you are unhappy with my occasional negativity. Just a sense. I'm not "anti-GM", and REALLY want a new Maxx (or Malibu). Call me crazy, but I'm willing to give the General another shot at redemption.
However, aside from safety concerns, I also want good value. And, for sure, the Maxx has it, at a somewhat lower price. Hopefully, we'll get there. I doubt I'm alone. I know of 2 other folks that are waiting like I am.
Just so we're clear, OK? I'm not like some recently departed members.
Had it not been for the fact that my 4-year-old steed is losing it's "giddy-up" faster than I can blink - Extended Warranty still has nearly 18 mos. left on it - , engine aside (which I KNOW is good for at LEAST 100K miles), I wouldn't even be in this predicament, and not even discussing new wheels. BUT, my Malibu is starting to crimp my lifestyle. So, that's why I have the luxury (if you want to call it that) of having some time to ponder the next vehicle.
I'm also jealous of those of you that were able to keep a vehicle for 8-14 years. Obviously, you deserve the splurge.
I may do the Maxx LS bit, if the rebates increase (or something). That is a viable option, as well. I'll just have to get seat covers (NOT, I'll suffer).
I also own several thousand shares of GM stock, if any of you needed further convincing of my sincerity.
Hopefully, triedntru can fill us in. Maybe we can request, civilly, please, some favors?
Yikes, I didn't count on THAT.
I'm not happy. I see a Mazda 3 in my future, yes, the crystal ball is getting clearer now....
That thing runs off the screen, makes all the rest of the posts impossible to read without endless scrolling, and doesn't even work as a clickable link!
I never meant to imply that the '05 would be a complete re-do or even a "refresh". As I just posted in the Malibu discussion, I think they've listened to our suggestions, and are going to make a bunch of small running changes at one time (like maybe seat fabric on the LS, for example. Rear window wiper/washer as another one).
So, if you have requests, perhaps triedntru (who works at the plant) can add them to the list of possibilities. But do it sooner, rather than later.
oldntired, didn't understand the barbs bit. I think we get along fine. Am I missing something?
"Well, rack this one up to problems unique to FL (and other parts of the deep south).
I've now determined that, believe it or not, my A/C problem is lizard-related. I ran a few errands yesterday, A/C was fine. Same today.
Not to be gross, but I'm thinking that the racket was the fan chewing up a lizard carcass. Thank goodness it didn't spit into the interior of the car. Now THAT would've been GROSS!
I'll wait for a spell to see if the problem recurs."
A/C is one of GMs well-documented (and this member is well-aware) strengths. That and the fact that, while the car itself might not make it, the 3100 (gasket problems aside) is good for the long haul. Sure the new 3500 is too. A/C probs are the last thing I'd expect. Well, the switch is persnickety, but that's electronics (NOT one of GMs strong areas).
Here's the link again, but remember, the '04 Malibu and Maxx haven't been crashed yet. Soon, though. Just so you're up to speed. Actually this is for the member that asked about the Mazda6.
http://www.nhtsa.gov
Here are the instructions. Questions? Post.
To get the background info on what the ratings mean, click on the blue sub-headings underneath the column titles. Print that out, if you care to. Go to the specific model you're interested in, on the left side, and then click ON THE MODEL NAME to get a DETAILED summary of the vehicle crashed.
There is a LOT of info. And very numbers-oriented.
Repetition is the mother of necessity, given that we have seperate discussions for the Malibu and Maxx. No comment.
But...
How are folks here doing with mileage of the 6 V6? Consumers Union claimed 26, Car and Driver claimed 24 - I can barely get 20, with mix of town/freeway and relatively mild accelerations.
Just wondering.....
On the rear wiper issue: I've asked, that that be standard. Over and over again. It's the ONE OBVIOUS thing that Chevy overlooked on the Maxx.
Please fix it. No more whining.
I'd also like the leather/UltraLux option on the LS, please. And a few great new colors. And a darker interior color. The grey is getting on my nerves. OK, you say?
Sure, anything you want chevyguy. But, we'll have to raise the price another $1500 and ditch rebates entirely.
I didn't realize it didn't have one. All hatchbacks and wagons should.
-juice
It's a long vehicle so visibility is key when backing up.
-juice
Any how, I recommend Rain-X for all the windows, that should help minimize the problem.
-juice
Wrt Maxx, the editors at Edmunds seem to have nailed it. Looking very closely, I do see where interior parts don't line up all that well (headliner, door trim). But the Chevy Prism (mostly Toyota) had some similar trim problems, and the Saturn Ion was positively horrible in this respect. Still, it's much better than other Chevy stuff and hopefully is a sign GM is waking up to building "euro" flavor cars without euro reliability problems.
A rear wiper, if it can be added without causing stress to the hatch metal, would be useful in rainy areas.
And I like the looks of the spoiler. Criticisms have been along the lines of spoilers like we see on the Mitsu/Subaru. This was classy.
My car has been trouble from day one. The stack of repair orders, even squashed, is at least an inch high. This is not the '91 Corsica. I see my dealer WAY TOO MUCH.
But I've put up with worse things in my life.
So far, I am totally impressed with the quality and service I've been getting. OnStar is an example. I was given a phone number in an area code some distance from my home (a Westchester area code for a Long Island phone). I simply spoke with an OnStar adviser and explained my concern yesterday, and today I had a message on my home phone with an apology, a new and appropriate phone number and an extra 30 minutes of airtime to reimburse me for any inconvenience. This sort of service will keep me happy for many years to come.
-juice
One thing I have done to the Maxx is polish it with REJEX, which is made by www.corrosionx.com. This stuff is a silicon polish that is used by airlines and the military to protect finishes from exhaust. It works well on the paint to keep bugs from sticking, etc. It also works well on side and rear windows, for the same reason.
However, I have found that this stuff, and RAIN X, does not work well on windshields. The problem is the silicon transfers to the wiper blades, leaving streaks or causing the wipers to "chatter" as their silicon coated surfaces bind against the silicone coated windshield.
(that is one reason bearings always have one surface softer/different than the other - to avoid chatter).
Anyone else here see that problem?
-juice
Overall the car was very nice to drive and quite, with a very smooth ride (must be extended wheelbase). The engine seemed to have plenty of pep, although it seemed to lag a little bit when putting the pedal down before the revs and power pushed in. Didn't really notice any engine noise as others have described (push rod vs overhead cam). Anyway, driving the Maxx seemed very comfortable, not like when I've driven the latest Camry (can't stand the driver position and windows). The interior did seem a bit on the under whelming side but still its only a car. I've been comparing the Maxx to the Accord EXV6. Both cars have features the other doesn't so comparison is not really completely possible. But I'm a bit swayed to the Accord on repair history -- unless I can get a good deal. And I may have!
Triedntru (Dave) who works 'Bu the plant sent me a coupon (thanks again) that makes this bit of machinery a very good deal when you add in the GM coupons on top. Okay so here's the deal, the sticker price of the Maxx is $27,945 (again every possible option except engine heater), Edmunds says invoice price is $25,574. Using Triedntru's "GM in the Driveway" coupon (expires 3/31/04) the price drops to $25,974 with ZERO haggling, then $1,000 more off with the current promotion, and finally $1,000 more off with a coupon (expires 3/15/04) I received from GM for a 24-hour test drive (think I got this coupon because I hit the GM Web site or because I have a GM Mastercard). Anyway, we're looking at $23,974 if I can find right the car and color by 3/15/04. (The car I drove did not have DVD or sunroof options.) Seems to me the price difference more than makes up for any difference in value with the Accord. Hope I can find the color I like!!!!
The only odd thing I noticed was that the way the rear-seat shoulder harnesses are mounted, there is quite a bit of intrusion into the cargo area. That miight be a bit of a problem if you're looking to carry large, bulky objects. But otherwise I really liked the car.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Does anyone have some info as to what Chevy actually upgraded in this engine?
Car and Driver says Chevy reworked virtually every part but doesn't go into any deatils.
The 3.5L from what I have read is almost completely revised from the 3.4L. Seems like a good powerplant and it's very efficient also, getting better mileage than the 4 cyl. competition.
Thanks.
Anyway, if I can get the price down to a reasonable level I'll most likely go ahead and buy a loaded Maxx -- if the dealer can locate on in the Silver Green color. I've been quoted $25,974 -- before any discounts (see my post #1591 for option details). I'm interested in seeing if we can go lower than this. I'm shopping around on the Internet to see what other dealers may offer. One called to say he could do better if I was serious. We'll see.