I had a tough time deciding on a new vehicle this time around. I was about to buy a Journey, until I drove it and hated the ergonomics. Loved the Edge, but thought it was pricey. When the local dealers started getting a few 2010 Equinox in, I checked one out. I loved most aspects of the vehicle, but the seats felt really strange to me, and I left a little disappointed. Decided to go back a couple days later with my wife, and we went for a longer test drive. The seats really "hug" you which is different than what I'm used to, but the longer I drove it the better they felt.
I ended up making the purchase primarily based on the fuel mileage, styling, and price. I got a 4 cyl AWD LT1 with power seat for about $24,300 after my supplier discount and the $1000 conquest cash they were offering. I thought he LT1 was really nicely equipped for the money, the only thing missing that I really wanted was heated seats (I'll have those installed aftermarket.)
It certainly is not a perfect vehicle though. The main drawbacks for me are the large blind spots (made worse by small mirrors), and marginal power in the 4cyl AWD version. The active noise canceling system also makes it seem like you're in an anechoic chamber when you're talking to someone although it seems to do a good job of keeping the interior quiet.
Time will tell if I made the right decision on this one, but I checked out every small to mid size crossover made, and for me the new Equinox was the best combination of looks, fuel economy, and value.
I'm picking it up tomorrow, and have to take about a 1000 mile trip this week for work. I'll post again and let you know what I think after some miles behind the wheel.
I test drove a LTZ '10 Nox last night and thought it drove real smooth. Personally I really like the looks of the new Nox. Currently I drive a '02 Corolla but need to upgrade to a car with more room. I'm tempted to get the V6 for some extra power and towing if needed in the future. I realize that will come with a sacrafice to the gas mileage, but at ~19/26 EPA it still is not that bad. However it is tough to beat a crossover that will get ~32.
My Toyota has never required major work, should I be concerned with the quality of a GM car?
Does anyone have any thoughts if bigger and better incentives will be on the way from GM for the '10 Nox? The dealer said he thinks the big discounts/rebates and 0% is gone with the old GM. Obviously he would be a little bias, but just wondering if anyone else has thoughts on it. Any advice is appreciated.
I don't think you will have problems with it either. Remember for the most part the ones who hang around these sites are the ones with a problem or like you investigating a new model. The Toyota sites have just as many people having problems with their cars as any other site. Toyota quality isn't what it used to be. They are finding out what got GM into trouble, building lots of cars and keeping the quality up can bring problems. With everything being out sourced it can be a problem. For example, my wife has a Caddy STS with Nav. Only problem with the car has been back a couple times for the Nav. Who do I blame. Cadillac or the German Co. who is 1/2 owned by Toyota?
My son just purchsed a 4 cyl FWD LT1 with power seat for $23,873. The conquest cash wasn't offered in North Carolina and they didn't want to give much under invoice. Its his wifes car. They have a boy 10 and a girl 5. It works as a kid hauler to various sport practices and to school as she is a school teacher. They really looked and drove a lot of CUV's before setling on the 2010 equinox. My son has a 3500 Chevy truck for his landscape business.
Just wanted to follow up, now that I picked up my 4 cyl LT1 AWD and had a chance to put about 1000 miles on it. I was concerned about the power of the 4 cyl at first, but I must say I'm truly impressed with how well the whole drive train works. The 6 speed trans seems perfectly matched to the engines power band. Once I got used to winding that 4 cyl up a little, it worked great.
This vehicle is extremely smooth & quiet on the highway - you have to be careful to watch your speed. 70 feels like 60 in this car. On an 823 mile segment of mostly highway driving, I averaged 61 mph and got 26.3 mpg according to the trip computer but an actual 25.2 mpg based on miles driven and gallons used. Not bad, considering the engine is brand new, and I was using 10% ethanol blend. Hopefully I'll pick up a little once the engine is broke in.
There is a lot to like about this car, but there's also a few things that make you wonder what they were thinking - like: Why put a big chrome button in the middle of the dash that blinds you every time the sun is out? Why do they put the power seat controls in a spot you can't reach unless the door is open (or you have very tiny hands)? and, Why do they put in four 12V power plugs, but none stay on when the vehicle isn't running? (I have a few others, but you get the point.)
Also, GM still has a ways to go with regard to quality control: Mine came with a loose interior handle on one rear door, a badly mis-aligned rear hatch, and a couple dents above the side windows. Hopefully, these things can be taken care of by the dealer.
Don't get me wrong, I still love the car - but I just wish there weren't so many little quirks to get used to. (If you buy one, don't forget to bring a pad of of post-it notes along, to stick over that chrome button when the sun is shining.)
I guess you prove my point where there is a good reason for a vehicle to have more than one engine option. I too just drove a AWD 4cyl. with 6 sp. auto. I thought this is a great car for around town but I noticed when running at any constant speed giving it a little gas to pickup the speed a little mandated a downshift. To me this could become annoying after while as on my 30min test drive it bugged me. I'm waiting for them to get serviced a 6cyl. AWD and my salesman will call me in for the drive as soon as they get it prepped. Outside of the 4cyl I thought the Equinox was a vast improvement over old. I'm 6'3" and had enough leg room but the wife noticed right away that they was only about 4 or 5 inches between my front seat and the back seat. I told her we'd check that out when we stopped at the Sam's Club parking lot to go over the car. I showed her how the rear seal moved back 7" and there was plenty of legroom for me behind the drivers seat I just exited even with it back all the way and the seatback tilted to my style. It even had a spare tire (though one of those little ones) but a number of cars now days are just giving you a air pump and a can of flat tire repair junk.) I have sat in 3 of them now including a bottom of the line one and all have had power driver seat and the LTZ even had 2 people memory seats. I can't wait to see one with the Nav. package as I want to see just how much they have improved it over the wifes STS if at all.
I think you'll find that just about anything with a 6 speed automatic will want to drop down a gear when you feed it a little gas. Ideally, this shift should be fairly unobtrusive. However, some vehicles are programmed to delay the downshift as a fuel saving measure. Then, when it does shift, you get a big jerk & engine rev.
Once I got used to the 4 cyl, I found the shifts to be very smooth and well timed for the most part. Thats what I meant when I said the engine/transmission are well matched. This engine has a power curve thats 1000 - 2000 rpm higher than your typical 6 cyl, and it takes a while to get used to that.
Just remember that little 4 cyl puts out more HP per liter than the Hemi in a Dodge Charger SRT8. But you have to rev the snot out if it if you want to use it all :shades:
You're are right on the down shifting as we just got back from a drive with a AWD LT2 with the V6 and I thought it was much better than the 4 but it still downshifts when applying the gas but I guess this is due to the 6 speeds instead of 4 that I'm used to. What I did like over the 4 AWD was when I took my foot off the gas it coasted along where as the 4 felt just like I downshifted one gear each time and it slowed down a lot faster than the V6. The big band was the V6 AWD only gets 24mpg on the highway instead of 29 in the 4 AWD. Being we live in Mich. and this is to be the wifes car (she is paying) I would prefer her having the AWD for the winter time roads. Here where we live they don't plow side streets unless we get 5 or more inches and are becoming slower on the main streets, no overtime unless its a blizzard so I guess we are stuck. I also think the V6 drove better as it had bigger tires and we both thought it rode over the bumps etc. better.
Just heard from my son. He got to the dealer to pick up the car (1 LT 4 Cyl) and and they wanted him to take the car without taking off for the $4500 dollars Cash for Clunkers. They had indicated it would be no problem as they would participate when he made the deal Wednesday. Come to find out they didn't even try to find out anything about it. They wanted him to buy the car outright without the cash for Clunkers being taken off the sale price. He got his keys back for the 99 minivan he was trading, asked for the paperwork and left.He contacted two other dealers and told them what he wanted on the Equinox with the Cash for clunkers trade- in. He asked them about the $1000 Conquest Bonus Cash incentive and they said yes. The other dealer had said it only applied for the Northeast. I told him to contact the Regional Managere for Chevrolet and let him know what was going on. On top of it all another sales person borrowed the keys of the car he was to pick up to show another customer as he was trying to finish the transaction. Jeesh!
I drove a 010 Equinox last week and was just thinking on the key with remote. I don't remember a way to hook on the rest of my keys to it like normal key chains. I have a setup with a quick disconect so I can hook my house keychain to either my car key remote or if driving the wifes car her car key remote. One time I didn't hook together and when I reached into my pocket and pulled out the remote I must have also got my other keys too, thinking they were hooked together. Needless to say I lost the house keys somewhere. With the Equinox key remote I can see me doing it again and don't like the setup. Also looks like it could be easy to bust off the key from the remote while in your pocket since the button to pop out the key is esposed. Anyone else who as driven the E have any opinions?
I love this car and it has more then enough power. It is fast. Have any Rav 4 owners with 4 cylinders driven the 2010 Equinox and how does the power compare?
I'm looking into an LTZ 4-cyl with sunroof. Are dealers negotiating at all with these? Just wondering what kind of price I should expect to get. Before conquest cash, trade-in,and destination. Closer to invoice or closer to MSRP? I don't think that I've ever paid over Edmunds invoice, before incentives, for a vehicle.
I am trying to compare these two vehicles and other than the obvious Nox costing less and not having the ipod integration, I can't find much else different (other than price). Anyone have any thoughts? I would be going with the top of the line version of either so i'm interested in the features that I might be missing out on the Nox that the Murano has and vice versa. The murano wins out on styling for me, but the Nox certainly does on price.
Probably $500 to $1000 off the sticker price is the best you'll do right now. I used a supplier discount code which amounted to about $1000 off sticker. The dealer later found out that they couldn't combine the supplier discount with the conquest cash, but they honored the price anyway. That might not be as big a discount as some others offer, but I thought that the bottom line price compared pretty favorably to anything else in the same class of vehicle - especially on a 2010 model.
I bought an Equinox, but I also shopped the Murano and in all honesty I'd have to say that a Murano LE is overall a nicer vehicle. The two things I didn't like about the Murano were 1) the CV transmission (I like real shifts), and 2) all things being equal, I prefer to support the American economy.
As you said, Equinox has a better up front price. But, depending on how long you plan to keep the vehicle, Murano will probably hold its value much better. Bottom line: drive them both and buy the one you like best. I don't think you'll go wrong with either one.
I agree on the CV tranny. I have read it costs an arm and leg to repair one as there just isn't many around for buying rebuilt. Of course as of a year ago this was also true on the 6 speed auto. Now that they are becoming more common this should change. As with any vehicle I always get the longest extended warranty available since it costs so much now to get repairs done at $150 an hour and parts prices are so high. One out of warranty repair could easily cost as much if not more than the extended warranty. Also for everyones information I priced out a 2010 Equinox AWD LTZ $29795 with V6 $1500, 18" wheels (required)$250 blk granite metallic $195 Nav unit $2145 Trailer equip. $350 for a total with destination charge of $745 totaled at $34,980.00 My GMS price is $31,931.43 so using those figures it gives you something to shoot at. No we didn't order yet as wifes lease isn't up till Jan.
So they are offering the supplier discount on these? But only $1k off sticker? I got offered $1100 of sticker simply as an internet deal. Then I get the conquest cash. So the supplier thing is doing me any good at all.
In most cases, the supplier discount really isn't that big of a deal (you can usually negotiate a better price on your own). The exception is on a new model like the 2010 Equinox, where the dealers aren't giving any significant discounts. On a 1LT, the supplier discount is only about $1000 off sticker. So, depending on the model, the $1100 under sticker price that you were quoted seems to be a decent deal.
"and not having the ipod integration". . .The Equinox offers a USB port that controls some audio devices (depends on how old they are) thru the steering wheel controls. The USB is standard on 2LT and LTZ, optional on 1LT with Personal Connectivity Package.
I am not so sure Murano will hold value better. Nissan re-sale is not that great (at least not around here). Further, more efficient SUVs will be more in demand down the road if fuel prices go back up (which I think they will).
Murano is really a midsize SUV, not the same class either.
Murano is really a midsize SUV, not the same class either.
Not the same class? - well, truth be told, the new Equinox has grown to a mid-sized CUV too.
Murano Equinox Length - 188.5" 187.8" Wheelbase- 111.2" 112.5" Cargo Cap- 31.6 cu ft 31.4 cu. ft
The new 'Nox is longer than the Ford Edge and Hyundai Sante Fe and about 6" longer than my '01 Pathfinder (which was considered "mid-size" when I bought it).
going this afternoon to drive it-if it drives as nice as it seems and i get a decent trade i will buy one. online quote was $1,000 off and then another $1,000 off in conquest cash. its the trade where i will probably not be happy. if i can get out the door for $12,000 it will be a deal. i am also going to be using my gm card money off of the price which i think is limited to $1,000. wish i had a clunker to trade in
I think they just picked the top sellers. If you put up to much infomation it seems to overload peoples brains. I'm guessing the Murano isn't that much of a seller.
My Son made a deal with another dealer for a 1LT FWD with Vehicle Interface ($495)Package and Power Driveers Seat ($425). MSRP was $25025 with the $745 destination charge. He got the $4500 Cash for clunkers, $1000 ConquestCash Bonus $600 Dealer Discount $250 Credit Union discount for a total price of $18675. Tax(3%) and Title added $1125 for a out the door price of $19700. BTW he had to tell the dealer the requirements of the Cash for Clunkers and the Website. This is really new to the dealers.
Just heard about the new sister ship to the NOX, the GMC Terrain. Neighbor picked up brochure at the dealer. Out this fall, a little more upscale than the Nox. Don't care for the front nose/grill it looks like a Dodge Ram on Steroids.
All I have seen is the pictures and I agree. Looks awful. I don't know about upscale as every other GMC is the same as the Chevy version, just slightly more after comparing apples to apples.
First, let me state that, over the last 25 years, my wife and I have owned or leased a couple of Dodges, a Saturn, a Honda, an Oldsmobile, a Mazda, and a Scion. Sort of a United Nations of vehicle ownership. Now we add the 2010 Chevy Equinox to the list.
We've always based our purchases on price, mpg (even before $4 a gallon gas), functionality, lots of research, and test drive after test drive. We have two kids (ages 5 & 10) so safety and rear seat space are concerns. And my wife is an art teacher and avid gardner, and I'm a drummer, so ample cargo space is needed, too. The Equinox not only delivers all this, but with style.
During our search for a vehicle to replace our 2000 Mazda MPV, we researched and test drove the following: Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, Nissan Rogue, and - finally - the Equinox. Honestly, the 2009 Equinox wasn't even in the running, but while reading a review of the CR-V, my wife noticed a banner ad for the 2010 Equinox trumpeting its 32 MPG highway fuel efficiency. Skeptically, she clicked on the ad. A month later, we've got one on order.
From the redesigned exterior (which I find aggressive and bull-doggish, but my main car is a Scion xB, so take that with a grain of salt), to the stylish and SUPER-quiet interior, we were impressed. Cavernous backseat, comfy front seats, and loads of bells-and-whistles really made an impression on us. The drive and handling were among the best we'd experienced of the compact SUV/CUVs we'd driven. Yes, it's a four-cylinder and you won't be outrunning the cops in it anytime soon, but the trade off of 26 MPG combined city/highway is well worth the pedestrian acceleration to us. We prefer hypermiling to quarter-miling, anyway.
The only things that concern us are reliability vs.Honda and Toyota (past models of the Equinox have taken a hit in this department) , and the long-term effects of a 4 cylinder engine powering a 3800+ lb. vehicle for 5+ years. But with me not being an automotive engineer and GM slapping a 100K mile warranty on the powertrain, I'll take my chances on the latter issue.
With the reliability concern, I've heard some very good things from people who own GM vehicles. Likewise, I've heard some very bad things as well. But with GM stating their intentions to be more customer-focused, with the success of the Malibu and Camaro, and with GM's "sink or swim really, really well" position in the market, I am willing to invest in GM's future by purchasing the Equinox.
Today, my wife and I are excited about our purchase. We are hopeful that we will feel the same in 5, 10 years.
For the record, we've ordered a Equinox 2WD 1LT w/Sunroof, Vehicle Interface Package and Power Driver's Seat. Price: $23,788 w/Conquest cash (if still applicable on delivery) plus tax, title and fees.
Congrats. I think you made the right choice for your needs and I have had 2 vehicles with the 2.4 in them including my current HHR and I think you will be very happy with the engine. I drove one but it had AWD and I felt it had plenty of power off line and at city speeds and on the highway but maybe a tad more for mountain driving but I bet with the 2 wheel drive it should do a lot better. Never having had a 6 speed auto car I think it will take me a while to get used to the downshifting everytime you step on the gas from a steady speed but the top 2 gears being overdrive I can see how that can happen. Most of my problem while test driving was once I saw how it did this I kept trying at different speeds to see if it always did it and it did which kind of made it worse. You know how you get a sore in your mouth for example, what do you do except keep touching it with your tongue until you finally get tired of it and make an effert to stop. After while I'd forget about it and all would be well on the 6 speed. Since this will be the wifes car she has it narrowed down to the Equinox and a Ford Fusion Hybrid both loaded. I get the GM discount so it will come down for her what the Ford dealer is willing to do when the time comes.
finally took one for a test drive late yesterday afternoon and i liked it a lot. i felt it was sluggish with the a/c on when accelerating but it is a 4 cyl. so i expected that. i found the seats to be very comfortable, and i liked the power seat option except it seems hard to get to the controls to adjust it. i have driven the crv,rav and forester and this feels much nicer than the crv or forester to me. the rav was nice but the equinox interior seems like it has more style than the rav. i did not like the small backup camera in the rearview mirror, thought it was more of a distraction than it would be helpful. i will be going back when they get the color i like later this week and see if we can make a deal. we did not get into trade in or price so that may be a problem. this is not the dealer i got the internet price so we shall see what this dealer can do.
If like me you were brought up under big block more power pumped into our brains and now we all have to think the other way. It has taken me a few months to get used to my HHR after trading in a Colorado Crewcab 4 x 4. But I no longer miss it and enjoy the HHR more than the wifes STS. But her lease ends and she wants to retire so she is looking to buy instead of lease as she won't be putting as many miles on it plus traveling more could mean 2 cars sitting in the garage for periods of time so a 55K car is out. I have driven both a 4 and a 6 AWD cars and am waiting for a FWD 4 banger to see how it handles. She is sat on the Equinox or Fusion Hybrid for the type of car but with the miles that will be put on either of them a year the Hybrid is not a have to have. Of course by years end when lease is up in Jan she could change her mind a few times. I suggested a Traverse but she said way to big and we don't need all that room since there is only 2 of us. Corvette???
Just got my wife a 2010 Equinox LT1 w/ power seat and media interface package. MSRP was 25K. Military price was 24K minus 1K conquest, $750 USAA cash and dealership $250 promo cash for 22K before TTL. I got $500 less for my trade in than Edmunds predicted (dealer trade in value was Black Book). All in all I was happy with the deal. Car drives nice. Mileage sound optimistic. It will take several tanks to see if it lives up to EPA estimates. Ride is very quiet. Very impressed with GM's quality. They have a come a long way in the past couple of years.
The 2.4L direct inject technology is my only question with the new Equinox. The 2.4L as been reliable, just not sure about the direct inject version. The 6-speed is awesome, I have it on my Malibu and it shifts very smooth.
Do you notice if your Malibu downshifts from a set speed when you step down lightly on the gas. The 2 Equinoxs I drove did but they both were AWD. Maybe that makes a difference.
yep, i am mid 50's so the idea of fuel efficiency was never a priority until the last few years. i had a 02 trailblazer and i loved it, but it was a gas guzzler so i ended up trading that in 2 years ago on a toyota yaris hatchback-it is great on gas and fun to drive, but i miss being up higher. even my 2 dogs like the yaris-i always keep the rear seats folded down so they jump right in! but i am a chevy person at heart, and was waiting for the new equinox to come out and it seems like they did very good with it. time will tell, and i know you shouldn't buy the 1st year out, but i did with my trailblazer and was very happy with it. i want/need a vehicle that i can run around town, but also get up and hit the highway if i want to and the yaris is not that car. i am hoping that the 4 cyl. equinox will fit the bill for me. i loved the cyber grey colo,r but hated the backup camera-have to go with the lt1 for the rear privacy glass or bring a base ls into a glass place for rear tinted windows. but i like the interior better on the lt1-so i am waiting on a navt blue one to arrive at the delership as it is in transit.
I will be turning 18 in October, and reviews from everyone and when I went to go test drive 1LT yesterday the 2010 equinox will be my first car. Except I am getting the LTZ AWD with the Audio System with Navigation/Infotainment and Rear Entertainment. But I plan to keep the 4cynlinder because the fuel efficiency but how much of difference is the millage if I get the 6 cylinder? Also is this a good car for 3 dogs (Boxer90lbs, Golden R 75lbs and Cairn terrier 25lbs) The guy at the dealership the equinox is amazing for children and pets. Also for the model and accessories I want in my car it comes up to $34,775, But I plan to pay for my car in full and i was wondering if anyone thinks I can get the dealership can go down to $29,000 since I am paying for the car in full cash?
The AWD 6 cyl. is 24mpg on the highway compared to 29mpg for the 4cyl. AWD. For the 29K that is way under what he pays for it, see my post a ways back on the GMS price for the AWD 6 loaded. One more thing, he doesn't care if you pay cash or not since even with a loan he gets his money plus if you let him get the loan for you they sometimes get a kickback from the loan Company.
We are ready to buy a new 2010 Equinox, but none of the dealerships in my area have what we want
2LT trim 4cyl, AWD Blue Exterior/black-titanium interior power sunroof leather seats
It's frustrating that i live in the Detroit area, home of GM, and I can't get this vehicle without ordering it and waiting 4 weeks. If you're a dealer out there and have this vehicle, I'm ready to buy today, and I'll drive a couple hundred miles to pick it up
Relax, they have only been hitting the dealers for about 2 weeks and over here in Lansing most are already sold. Living in Detroit has nothing to do with it. They are made in Canada. I doubt they are even near full production yet and with thousands of Chevy dealers it is going to take a few months before they become plentiful.
I wouldn't wait a couple months, because I'm taking advantage of the cash for clunkers deal, and the $$ will be gone buy then. The Nissan Rogue is probably my backup, but would really rather have the Equinox
Hello looking to purchase a 2010 Chevy Equinox LTZ V6 in New Jersey have a few internet quotes MSRP approx 36,900 quotes are at $33,000 before taxes and fees. Anyone have any input as to how much lower they can go?
Military price is equal to supplier price. On some models - you can do better on your own. For new models like to 2010 Equinox or Camaro it can be a good deal. USAA has a $750 cash allowance that can be combined with any other discount (refer to USAA's website under auto buying services). The dealership asked for my USAA member card and military ID. The military price was approx. 1K less than MSRP for the Equinox. You have to preregister for a "GO promo code" on the GM Military website at www.exclusivegmoffer.com
I know it is possible to match or beat these discounts, but this was no haggle or BS. I combined these discounts with the $1K in conquest cash and a $250 dealer coupon for a total of 3K off MSRP.
Comments
I ended up making the purchase primarily based on the fuel mileage, styling, and price. I got a 4 cyl AWD LT1 with power seat for about $24,300 after my supplier discount and the $1000 conquest cash they were offering. I thought he LT1 was really nicely equipped for the money, the only thing missing that I really wanted was heated seats (I'll have those installed aftermarket.)
It certainly is not a perfect vehicle though. The main drawbacks for me are the large blind spots (made worse by small mirrors), and marginal power in the 4cyl AWD version. The active noise canceling system also makes it seem like you're in an anechoic chamber when you're talking to someone although it seems to do a good job of keeping the interior quiet.
Time will tell if I made the right decision on this one, but I checked out every small to mid size crossover made, and for me the new Equinox was the best combination of looks, fuel economy, and value.
I'm picking it up tomorrow, and have to take about a 1000 mile trip this week for work. I'll post again and let you know what I think after some miles behind the wheel.
My Toyota has never required major work, should I be concerned with the quality of a GM car?
Does anyone have any thoughts if bigger and better incentives will be on the way from GM for the '10 Nox? The dealer said he thinks the big discounts/rebates and 0% is gone with the old GM. Obviously he would be a little bias, but just wondering if anyone else has thoughts on it. Any advice is appreciated.
The conquest cash wasn't offered in North Carolina and they didn't want to give much under invoice.
Its his wifes car. They have a boy 10 and a girl 5. It works as a kid hauler to various sport practices and to school as she is a school teacher. They really looked and drove a lot of CUV's before setling on the 2010 equinox. My son has a 3500 Chevy truck for his landscape business.
This vehicle is extremely smooth & quiet on the highway - you have to be careful to watch your speed. 70 feels like 60 in this car. On an 823 mile segment of mostly highway driving, I averaged 61 mph and got 26.3 mpg according to the trip computer but an actual 25.2 mpg based on miles driven and gallons used. Not bad, considering the engine is brand new, and I was using 10% ethanol blend. Hopefully I'll pick up a little once the engine is broke in.
There is a lot to like about this car, but there's also a few things that make you wonder what they were thinking - like: Why put a big chrome button in the middle of the dash that blinds you every time the sun is out? Why do they put the power seat controls in a spot you can't reach unless the door is open (or you have very tiny hands)? and, Why do they put in four 12V power plugs, but none stay on when the vehicle isn't running? (I have a few others, but you get the point.)
Also, GM still has a ways to go with regard to quality control: Mine came with a loose interior handle on one rear door, a badly mis-aligned rear hatch, and a couple dents above the side windows. Hopefully, these things can be taken care of by the dealer.
Don't get me wrong, I still love the car - but I just wish there weren't so many little quirks to get used to. (If you buy one, don't forget to bring a pad of of post-it notes along, to stick over that chrome button when the sun is shining.)
Once I got used to the 4 cyl, I found the shifts to be very smooth and well timed for the most part. Thats what I meant when I said the engine/transmission are well matched. This engine has a power curve thats 1000 - 2000 rpm higher than your typical 6 cyl, and it takes a while to get used to that.
Just remember that little 4 cyl puts out more HP per liter than the Hemi in a Dodge Charger SRT8. But you have to rev the snot out if it if you want to use it all :shades:
Come to find out they didn't even try to find out anything about it. They wanted him to buy the car outright without the cash for Clunkers being taken off the sale price.
He got his keys back for the 99 minivan he was trading, asked for the paperwork and left.He contacted two other dealers and told them what he wanted on the Equinox with the Cash for clunkers trade- in. He asked them about the $1000 Conquest Bonus Cash incentive and they said yes. The other dealer had said it only applied for the Northeast. I told him to contact the Regional Managere for Chevrolet and let him know what was going on. On top of it all another sales person borrowed the keys of the car he was to pick up to show another customer as he was trying to finish the transaction. Jeesh!
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f12/gm-daewoo-double-6-speed-transmission-out- put-2010-a-60773/
The 3.0 liter engine is assembled in St Catharines Ontario and Ramos Mexico .
Check out the True Market Value too.
Thanks
As you said, Equinox has a better up front price. But, depending on how long you plan to keep the vehicle, Murano will probably hold its value much better. Bottom line: drive them both and buy the one you like best. I don't think you'll go wrong with either one.
Murano is really a midsize SUV, not the same class either.
Did you pull the trigger on one? What kind of deal compared to MSRP?
Not the same class? - well, truth be told, the new Equinox has grown to a mid-sized CUV too.
Murano Equinox
Length - 188.5" 187.8"
Wheelbase- 111.2" 112.5"
Cargo Cap- 31.6 cu ft 31.4 cu. ft
The new 'Nox is longer than the Ford Edge and Hyundai Sante Fe and about 6" longer than my '01 Pathfinder (which was considered "mid-size" when I bought it).
The competition for the Nox is suppose to be RAV, Escape and CR-V.
Tax(3%) and Title added $1125 for a out the door price of $19700.
BTW he had to tell the dealer the requirements of the Cash for Clunkers and the Website. This is really new to the dealers.
We've always based our purchases on price, mpg (even before $4 a gallon gas), functionality, lots of research, and test drive after test drive. We have two kids (ages 5 & 10) so safety and rear seat space are concerns. And my wife is an art teacher and avid gardner, and I'm a drummer, so ample cargo space is needed, too. The Equinox not only delivers all this, but with style.
During our search for a vehicle to replace our 2000 Mazda MPV, we researched and test drove the following: Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, Nissan Rogue, and - finally - the Equinox. Honestly, the 2009 Equinox wasn't even in the running, but while reading a review of the CR-V, my wife noticed a banner ad for the 2010 Equinox trumpeting its 32 MPG highway fuel efficiency. Skeptically, she clicked on the ad. A month later, we've got one on order.
From the redesigned exterior (which I find aggressive and bull-doggish, but my main car is a Scion xB, so take that with a grain of salt), to the stylish and SUPER-quiet interior, we were impressed. Cavernous backseat, comfy front seats, and loads of bells-and-whistles really made an impression on us. The drive and handling were among the best we'd experienced of the compact SUV/CUVs we'd driven. Yes, it's a four-cylinder and you won't be outrunning the cops in it anytime soon, but the trade off of 26 MPG combined city/highway is well worth the pedestrian acceleration to us. We prefer hypermiling to quarter-miling, anyway.
The only things that concern us are reliability vs.Honda and Toyota (past models of the Equinox have taken a hit in this department) , and the long-term effects of a 4 cylinder engine powering a 3800+ lb. vehicle for 5+ years. But with me not being an automotive engineer and GM slapping a 100K mile warranty on the powertrain, I'll take my chances on the latter issue.
With the reliability concern, I've heard some very good things from people who own GM vehicles. Likewise, I've heard some very bad things as well. But with GM stating their intentions to be more customer-focused, with the success of the Malibu and Camaro, and with GM's "sink or swim really, really well" position in the market, I am willing to invest in GM's future by purchasing the Equinox.
Today, my wife and I are excited about our purchase. We are hopeful that we will feel the same in 5, 10 years.
For the record, we've ordered a Equinox 2WD 1LT w/Sunroof, Vehicle Interface Package and Power Driver's Seat. Price: $23,788 w/Conquest cash (if still applicable on delivery) plus tax, title and fees.
The 2.4L direct inject technology is my only question with the new Equinox. The 2.4L as been reliable, just not sure about the direct inject version. The 6-speed is awesome, I have it on my Malibu and it shifts very smooth.
Except I am getting the LTZ AWD with the Audio System with Navigation/Infotainment and Rear Entertainment.
But I plan to keep the 4cynlinder because the fuel efficiency but how much of difference is the millage if I get the 6 cylinder?
Also is this a good car for 3 dogs (Boxer90lbs, Golden R 75lbs and Cairn terrier 25lbs)
The guy at the dealership the equinox is amazing for children and pets.
Also for the model and accessories I want in my car it comes up to $34,775, But I plan to pay for my car in full and i was wondering if anyone thinks I can get the dealership can go down to $29,000 since I am paying for the car in full cash?
2LT trim
4cyl, AWD
Blue Exterior/black-titanium interior
power sunroof
leather seats
It's frustrating that i live in the Detroit area, home of GM, and I can't get this vehicle without ordering it and waiting 4 weeks. If you're a dealer out there and have this vehicle, I'm ready to buy today, and I'll drive a couple hundred miles to pick it up
I know it is possible to match or beat these discounts, but this was no haggle or BS. I combined these discounts with the $1K in conquest cash and a $250 dealer coupon for a total of 3K off MSRP.