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The Current State of the US Auto Market
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Not entirely. There are tires with purposefully softer rubber so that they have better grip. And they wear worse and are more expensive. It's a tradeoff. So sometimes tires are less durable, but for an important reason.
This sounds like a variant of the "can I buy that car right now in this country?" retort.
Not sure how that's relevant, as Chevy is a brand and is part of GM. So you're saying if Chevys are lousy in the UK then that means nothing?
Like any Chevy sold in the UK (right hand drive) would be identical to a US one.
I think I heard about that...wasn't the truck a Toyota Tundra with a stuck gas pedal? :-P
Let's not bring that up again. No one could dispute that you or I or anybody on this board, who wasn't buying a fleet of vehicles, wouldn't be able to buy a brand-new Captiva.
And RHD isn't what I was talking about. I don't believe the models sold there are the same as here...i.e., I don't believe a single North-American built Chevrolet is sold in Britain.
What you guys are dancing all around (shocker) is that the Powers' poll of initial quality shows Chevrolet above some import 'darlings' talked about frequently here.
If you posted that Toyotas sucked in U.K., which weren't the same cars sold here, I'd say 'and that is relevant to this discussion by North Americans, how?'.
This topic is about 'The State of the U.S. Auto Market'.
Aside from slight styling upgrades and a new optional HondaVac built-in vacuum cleaner, the 2014 Odyssey was also given a more rigid passenger compartment using high-strength steel to help better protect occupants. It obviously worked. Following the crash tests, the 2014 Odyssey became the first minivan to earn a Top Safety Pick+ rating, but, more importantly, it did so with "Good" ratings in all five crash categories (four "Goods" and one "Acceptable" are enough for the TSP+). Impressive.
Or was it a T100? I lose track, since Toyota changed the name of their big truck.
>Length of mileage or tread-life is hardly an indicator of tire quality.
>What about traction? handling? noise? comfort? Usually, with longer tread life comes loss of braking ability, handling ability, and traction.
All these from post 3124 http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f26e704/3123#MSG3123
where they didn't catch that I was mimicking the bombastic posting style and repeated the word "insult." Instead the poster insulted all the Korean autos like Kia and Hyundai along with the tyres because they were from Korea like the Aveo design was. The Hyundai and Kia brands have a bad reputation from years back, but like GM, those older problems have been partly assuaged in newer versions.
And the OP cited braking, handling, and traction. Aren't braking and handling related to traction?
As for my Hankooks, they were right up there with the highest quality tyres I've had. They gripped well on snow, ice, and in rain. They stayed ROUND as they rolled. I didn't even had to have them rebalanced regularly. They were true tires an stayed true as they wore.
Still trying to connect reliability and listing tires as an insult. --see point first paragraph of my post. I'm confused by the circular posting.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
How much aging here? 4 years? 10 years?
I'm surprised to see Michelins included in the cited brands. However, they do age after 6 years and the rubber hardens as it does on most tires, if not all. I never try to use the last 20% or life on a tire which means by about 25% or 30% left on tread depth I replace it. It's like batteries.
Michelin has the best tire chemistry in its tires. Various tread designs do affect how they work in snow and rain. And the depth left greatly affects that. Long, long ago I had a Ford that had tires with tread worn down to maybe 30% and the wide rears lost contact and I went off the road. I didn't realize what was happening. Luckily, no one was injured other than a broken telephone pole.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Her '13 taurus has the same tires.
I've generally been happy with Michelin, but they do tend to be more expensive. So far I've gotten great wear out of the Michelin LTX tires on my Expedition and they've stayed very quiet.
I do purposely avoid "long tread wear" tires now since I want a softer tire with more grip. With my flat tire record, I'm not likely to run four tires more that three years anyway, although I've been lucky with the AWD Subaru. I bet the van has had an "odd" tire on an axle for half its life.
I think your 20% rule is a good one.
Honestly, I wouldn't trust a tire much older than 6-8 years regardless of tread depth.
I understand on the tread life. But on an SUV that I put 20k+ miles on a year, I don't want to replace tires every other year.
Ironically, the OEM Continental ConTrac TR tires on my Expedition were pretty good. I got 70k miles out of them and I think they were better in the snow than the Michelins I replaced them with. I've got nearly 60k miles on the Michelins and they still have plenty of tread. When these are due to be replaced, I'll likely need brakes too. By then I'll likely buy a new vehicle.
Has anyone used the popup interactive "may I help you" type box? Has a pic and first and last name of the woman who you think you are chatting with. They seem to start off by asking your name cuz that will make their info more communicative. So you type in a name. 'How may I help you?" I'd like to know if this featured truck has the 8 speed? "What is the model and year you are enquiring about?" I copy/paste the stock and VIN number. She then wants my email, phone etc etc so that sales can better able to answer that question. Huh? It's a simple question! So I type back, thanks anyway, all I wanted to know was whether the auto was the 8 speed. She then says "is there anything else I can help you with?" As if she was helpful already...:(
So this may be a stupid question, but these interactive chats that they claim are 'live' are complete and utter BS, right? Some software program that some idiot designed, and has the audacity to think that it can replace a human being? Then actually have the bumptiousness to ask if they can help with something additional. Uh...no..
Andre, I know you are Dodge fan, that truck is an 8 speed right? I thought they only put the 8 speed in the extra fuel efficient one...with the...darn, can't think of the name of the new V6 that came out a year or two ago that replaced the 3.9. I was under the impression that the cheaper entry level 1/2 ton, came with a 5 speed. But maybe that was in 2012? Time flies and maybe I am thinking old news. Here in Cda, it seems not that long ago they were advertising the highest FE of any NA full-sized truck, which they said was 30 I think, so 25 in the USA. But that truck was not the base V6 truck. It had quite a price premium to get into it with that 8 speed. (a good reason to buy that truck over the other two, IMO) Our fuel rating system here is wildly optimistic compared to the new and improved EPA. In fact, out present ratings are even optimistic to the 'old' EPA, they are so outta whack still.
Also, can you recommend a good forum were someone could find out about some real live experiences with the newer Ram's? There doesn't seem to be much chat about them good or bad here on Edmunds, or if so haven't found it yet.
That V-6 is the newer 3.6 that started showing up in the likes of the 2011 Charger/300 and such, and is supposedly a pretty good engine. In cars it replaced the 3.5 SOHC, and in trucks it replaced the 3.7 SOHC, which was a 4.7 V-8 with two cylinders removed. And yeah, it has an 8-speed standard.
In 2012, I think the 3.7 and 4.7 used a 5-speed in the Ram while the Hemi used a 6-speed, and they were all EPA-rated 14/20, so it just made sense to go ahead and get the Hemi! The 3.6/8-speed is EPA rated 17/25 I think, but I believe there might be some "Eco" version that's 18/25?
The 3.9 was a sawed off 318, and I think it was retired around 2001 or 2002? Chrysler created it for use in the Dakota when it first came out, and I think it was pretty impressive initially, but it never really got developed and I don't think hp went beyond 150.
I really haven't heard much about the new Ram, either, except that Motor Trend named it "Truck of the Year" I think. Take that with a grain of salt though, because the 1971 Vega was car of the year once! :P
I like my Ram, for the most part, but don't really love it. I think it looks good, has a good driving position, and legroom is good. And it's fast. I've managed to get about 20 mpg once or twice on the highway, but in local driving have gotten as bad as 11-12. I think I've averaged about 14.6 so far since I've had it.
Nothing has broken on it yet, but it's gotten a few door dings and the sheetmetal seems a bit thin. It has stalled out on me twice though, and twice it's gotten stuck in 4th gear (I can tell because there's a display on the dash that reads "4"). It's good out on the highway, but I have trouble parking it in tight spaces, because it sits up so high. It's also rough riding, in my opinion. I think that's because they made it *too* stiff. You don't get the cab/bed flex like in some other pickups, but I think that flex makes the other trucks ride a bit better.
My uncle somehow managed to get the tilt steering jammed, and I had to wrestle with it to get it loose; was afraid I was going to break it! And if you close a door with a window down, it sounds kind of cheap. But, I guess they had to cut a corner here and there to keep the price down.
I haven't had it back to the dealer yet, but want to get it in one day soon to have them check out the transmission and why it's stalling. When it only did it once, I thought it was a fluke. But if it did it twice, that makes me think it'll do it again!
To me, reliability is when things like engines, head gaskets, air conditioners, cables, wires, O2 Sensors, O-ring gaskets, parking brakes, fuel pumps, and other unexpected items fail.
Even wear and tear items wouldn't be insulting if you add some background. For instance, having my serpentine belt snap and break prior to 60K miles should never happen; so a premature death is acceptable in relation to reliability.
Tires don't fall under that category unless you are specific because an ultra high performance tire really isn't supposed to last much more than 20 to 30,000 miles if you are having any fun. Now if you buy an 80,000 mile tire and it loses all its tread at 30K, then you have a story.
I just find it insulting when people complain about brake dust, brake noise, tire wear, brake pad wear, when there are cars that have a dozen things not wear down, but completely fail prior to hitting 50,000 miles.
Thanks for the confirmation, you and fintail, about the uselessness of those chat windows. It's actually pretty fraudulent to have a pic icon with a first and last name assigned to nothing more than a computer program..
It's insulting.
Please save the lecture. I wasn't talking about reliability: I was talking about tires. Thank you.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
It's insulting.
Anyone else remember Eliza, back in the mid 60's? It was a computer program, and was actually a lot smarter than the bots the car dealers are using. Makes me wonder why they bother, there have to be much better solutions available and for not much money. All in all, I have to agree it's a little insulting.
We did a little day trip today and on the edge of town (Taos) a couple were waving what looked to be a halter and rope. I slowed and rolled the window down, thinking maybe a horse was on the loose. Turned out they needed a jump so I pulled into the driveway kind of area and helped them get going. Older Subaru with 240k on it (and only one head gasket done by a prior owner).
A little while later there was a 70's VW Beetle dead on the shoulder of a T intersection and he was pushing it to a driveway where someone had pulled over to help him.
Later in the day we were on the "high road" and saw something that brought lots of memories back. An 80's Silverado was going up a grade pulling a travel trailer and it had pulled over - it was steaming to beat the band. I remember having to do that in the 60's in normal cars, towing nothing.
My wife was thinking there's a lot of poor people driving beaters here in NM, but I think we have as many folks struggling in the UP - it's just that old cars don't rust away in the Southwest so you can keep driving them. Our Quest fits right in, lol.
Largely through the expanded lineup of its three gas-electric Prius models, Toyota holds 70% of the U.S. market for nonplug-in hybrids. Ford is second at 13%, according to hybridcars.com.
The automaker sells 12 hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric models in the U.S.
While Toyota is a global leader in conventional gas-electric hybrid sales, it lags General Motors, Nissan and upstart electric car maker Tesla in sales of fully electric cars.
So far this year, Toyota has sold 5,031 Prius plug-in cars and 517 battery-only RAV4s, compared with 11,643 for Chevrolet Volt, 11,703 for Nissan Leaf and 10,401 for Tesla Model S.
If the Volt had the appearance factor of the new Impala, I'd bet sales would surge!
Where are those new Impalas?
In 1920 an electric could go about 40 miles on a charge (at the general speeds common for the time)
In 1998 an EV-1 could in theory go 100 miles
In 2013 a Leaf can go about 80 miles and a Tesla about 200.
For a century of trying, the EV really hasn't gotten very far, or very cheap either.
Otherwise they will remain a tiny niche market---which some automakers may want to occupy anyway--you know, like competing for market share against the passenger car diesel market.
Third hand info, but supposed a guy here in NM drove over to Arizona and the charging stations he planned to use on his return trip were non-existent. So it took him a couple of extra days to get home, relying on the kindness of strangers and their 110 outlets.
'17 Chevy Volt Premiere
That's why Toyota made the smart play into Hybrids first. GM blundered with full electric instead of investment in hybrids as a main driver into this market.
Who knows though..they might have no choice..
Like you say, it'll be interesting watching them.
Also, The company would need to issue new stock to diversify into new propulsion systems. Tesla stock would most certainly take a hit, because of the investment a totally new powertrain would require. A decline in the stock, in turn, would limit what they could get from a new stock offering.
For the reasons cited above, I think Tesla is boxed in. Either EV works for them in a big way, or they'll remain a niche player. A major breakthrough in battery technology could change Tesla's status very positively. As Shifty has stated numerous times, there are no signs of such a breakthrough. There have been times, though, when major breakthroughs, or game changing applications using current technology, have come out of left field.
Tesla could certainly add MORE batteries to increase range, but man, that gets $$$.
Yes, but there would be an element of mitigation as part of the equation cuz there would be those investors who would feel a bit more confident with hedging their investment in a stock because of the hybrid diversification. Whether or not that would be enough to offset the purists, who knows..
And of course that sorta brings also us to potential newer battery tech scenario..No doubt Tesla would be right there with bells on, but that same new tech would also then be utilized by the likes of Nissan and even Toyota too. Toyota especially, would have the bucks to bring them up to speed and really put the competitive squeeze on the other two..
And would raise the CoG and overall handling dynamics their present platform has.
A hybrid of course would do that too so is just an additional obstacle.
Also, additional batteries would require heavier suspension components and larger tires, to keep things comparable. No, thanks.
We had discussed here earlier, how '09's go for $9K regularly online, which is too much.
I bid on a white fleet car, 51K miles, LT, everything works, maintained strictly I'm told, and the car had no reserve and the auction ended on a Tuesday at 4 p.m. I bid a max of $6,001...and got it today.
It's near Philly, which I'm not familiar with, but I'm going to pick it up Saturday if that works for the seller...he hasn't said yet. Clean carfax.
sounds like a good deal too. Plenty of life left in it, should still be in the reliable phase of it's life (still a "real" car). And of course, cheap.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The operative words in your statement are "at some point" because I can't see any competitor being interested in buying Tesla at anywhere near its current market valuation of ~$20,000,000,000. Even a fraction of that would buy a lot of engineering and R&D talent.
I've never bought a car on ebay. Please report how it all works out. Hopefully it will be as good as advertised and the transaction goes smoothly..
Good luck.
An 09 Cobalt LT with 51k for $6k sounds like a very good deal to me, and definitely worth traveling for. I assume it's a 4dr?
I noticed that this car did not have a reserve, which is somewhat unusual. I also noticed that the auction ended on a weekday afternoon. It seems to me that most car auctions end on Sunday night. Those things worked in my favor I think.
The car was delivered in Dec. '08....so I should have three months or so of the 5 yr./100K powertrain warranty left (includes wheel bearings and cooling). You can bet I'll go over that car with a fine-tooth comb! I'd have liked an '09 built in Aug. '09, but can't be too fussy! LOL