General Motors Fans

uplanderguy

You're too kind...as a moderator should be!

fintail

The C8 is a modern milestone car for GM, and maybe the first new Corvette in my life I'd actually somewhat think about wanting to own. Probably lower and rougher than I'd prefer as I am not getting younger, but credit has to be given where it is due, this is a quantum leap that should finally attract a new generation of buyers.

uplanderguy

That car is orange, by the way. A friend to whom I sent the pic assumed it was red.

roadburner

And no chrome wheels! The fact that Chevrolet is trying to dissuade the spray tan/gold/chains/blonde bimbo customers from buying the C8 is very encouraging.

uplanderguy

I haven't seen that look in decades around here, although lots of senior citizens in late-model 'Vettes.

Before I saw what you owned, I thought, "My first stereotype thought around here is BMW drivers--moussed-up hair and darting from lane-to-lane-to-lane between cars", LOL.

I detest all-black wheels, but this C8 had a slight ring of bright accent at the very outside edge of the wheel. I like a machined or polished wheel best, and they are available. They had I think three or four wheel choices and two seating choices.

The exterior color I would choose, on the board near the car, is a dark plum although I can't remember what they called it.

fintail

Make my Corvette blue on blue. There's a configurator online now where you can mix and match cosmetic options.

For most of my life, new Vettes have been the domain of the hairshirt and gold chain set, or the white sneakers, tucked in t-shirt, and jorts set. This one will probably change that a bit.

uplanderguy

Around here, virtually every C7 passenger compartment I see is the geriatric set--I mean, older than me. Usually couples.

At the local cruise-in last Thursday I spoke to an older couple in a dark green '14 C7, my favorite color and a one-year color. The wife told me "He has a deposit on a new one" and rolled her eyes, LOL.

roadburner

uplanderguy said:

Before I saw what you owned, I thought, "My first stereotype thought around here is BMW drivers--moussed-up hair and darting from lane-to-lane-to-lane between cars", LOL.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

uplanderguy

Witnessed this today in the small city I live in! Stopped at a red light and thirty-five-ish guy with tall, dark, moussed hair drove through an intersection and almost lost control of his 3-series while making a left turn. And this was in town. Sheesh.

fintail

I guess these days the Camaro might be the only GM car to attract a similar demographic (but a lot of them go to Mustang, to the point where a runaway Mustang careening into people is an internet joke).

Funny, on the interstate last night a certain car was weaving in and out of traffic. What was it? A white 3-series, of course.

uplanderguy

You know, growing up Chevy, I so-want to like the Camaro. I just...can't....like...the styling though. It looks like a Transformer or something. Even when I read positive auto press about its engineering or whatever, I can't get past that it looks like that!

I'm intrigued with the C8 though.

fintail

Make my C8 blue on blue. Most impressive Corvette in my lifetime anyway, maybe as I am getting older and the ethos has finally modernized a bit, it is one I can see someone my age buying, rather than being bought by the fathers of people my age. Until this point, new Corvettes have definitely been a "dad" car to me any many my age.

Camaro does nothing for me, unpretty design to my eyes. Lots of performance for the buck, but that's not my thing anyway.

tlong

I've been offered muscle cars for rentals when nothing else was available in my reserved category - Camaro and Challengers I believe. I've always refused. Really don't want to drive any of those cars.

roadburner

I drove a 2015 1LE Camaro and I really liked it except for the size and outward visibility. It was equipped really nice, heated Recaros, HUD, and no hole in the roof. I love the Challenger; it's much more of a Grand Tourer- and it needs to be a Scat Pack at an absolute minimum to be fast enough that I'd consider it.

fintail

Those rental "muscle cars" 8 times out of 10 have basic powertrains, and while maybe swift in some terms, are not what they could be. However, many fleets do offer crazier options, like the Scat Pack I rented last year - I bet those can lead a hard life.

elias

i've liked the 1LE camaros since the 1980s when 1LE was a 'secret' and orderable only by specifying two other option codes, including AC-delete iirc SS/LT1 camaro are very attractive at the discounted prices I've been seeing for 2020s. there were many awesome shock-yellow V8 Camaros at the NH dealership (newport chevy, Ralph) where i just bought another rare vehicle, a gmc terrain diesel. i expect to see only trucks at rural dealerships, was fun to see they were stocked with muscle cars too.

uplanderguy

Last Impala built in Detroit/Hamtramck yesterday. Sad day for me. Even Consumer Reports, when first testing the current iteration, had said it scored higher than any other car they had ever tested, besides a Tesla--and the car is still on their "Recommended" list.

The Premier is the one I would want. Not with the 'rubber band' tires; just the basic Premier, which is loaded. No sunroof.

I love the chrome spear low on the body side.

A good friend has had a 2015 and a 2018. They're happy with both.

I rode in the 2015 (an LTZ, now the 'Premier'). Super-nice IMHO. I thought that I didn't see how anyone could've needed more luxury than that.

And although styling is subjective of course, I thought it looked better than Buick's version.

My wife wasn't interested when shopping last year. She wanted to sit high, sigh. As a result, we got an Equinox. I think it's noisy but I like the looks better than other small SUV's.

fintail

When the market speaks, one has to react. I had a new style LTZ as a rental when the design was fresh. Not a bad car. Maybe find a loaded ex-rental (I notice lately more rentals are base, but I bet some nice ones are out there) for more depreciation hit, and have a used car bargain.

Just found a pic of it:

Michaell

fintail said:

When the market speaks, one has to react. I had a new style LTZ as a rental when the design was fresh. Not a bad car. Maybe find a loaded ex-rental (I notice lately more rentals are base, but I bet some nice ones are out there) for more depreciation hit, and have a used car bargain.

Just found a pic of it:

That was your CA trip, correct?

uplanderguy

That chrome spear does it for me. I wouldn't want one without it.

uplanderguy

The silver just doesn't do it on that car, IMHO. I like dark colors on them.

fintail

I liked the wheels on the car, bold and modern especially for the time. I remember I had a National "Premium" rental, and I picked this over a very base Genesis or Avalon. I think they tried to upsell me into a base C-Class for $25/day, which I declined.

Yep @Michaell , trip to LA. And you know the kind of sightseeing I do - here it is in the parking lot of Twin Pines Mall/Lone Pine Mall from Back to the Future:



And for some reason I snapped a pic of it in front of the Poltergeist house:

roadburner

My son rented an Impala when he met me in Greenville, SC for the BMW CCA Foundation's "Legends of the Autobahn" exhibit. It was a very nice cruiser.

uplanderguy

RE.: Poltergeist house--if I'm ever in greater LA again, I want a picture of the house from "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?".

"Blanche, didja know we got rats in the basement?", LOL.

uplanderguy

Chevrolet built one million 1965 Impalas. That's not counting Biscaynes and Bel Airs--just Impalas.

The "Good Old Days" indeed, sigh.

fintail

I think I recall reading Ford sold well over 200K 66 Galaxie 2 door hardtops - just that bodystyle alone. Approaching the zenith of the working/middle class.

I need to make it back to LA to find more filming locations, I forgot a few.

fintail

Speaking of GM and again linked to Poltergeist, the main character family in the movie had a lovely 1981 Custom Cruiser, seen here in this atmospheric shot:

uplanderguy

I did like that movie. That two of the family's three kids died at young ages is creepy.

Speaking of creepy--I guess because of my age, maybe--I always liked the 'hag horror' genre (Baby Jane, Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte, etc.). I saw on youtube a great old "ABC Movie of the Week" called "The Screaming Woman", based on a Ray Bradbury story, starring Olivia deHavilland from "....Charlotte" and also having a small appearance by Joseph Cotten who was also in "....Charlotte".

No car news to talk about, other than maybe the '71 or '72 Satellite police car at the end, but the story is basically, an older woman is released from a mental hospital and on her large property, hears a muffled cry for help. Of course no one else hears it. There's a woman buried there who survived apparently due to an air pocket or some such thing. See 7:40 here for something that still scares the daylights out of me almost 50 years later, LOL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDyoix4rR5Y

uplanderguy

Well, sorry, won't play here.

But on youtube, go to "The Screaming Woman Ending" and go to 7:40. It's worth it, LOL!

fintail

Funny. Cadillac ambulance, too.

uplanderguy

First review I've come across, of the base, $61K C8. This is the car I'd like, price and styling (I like the basic wheels and no spoiler). Sure all sounds delicious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llfAW-VV4-Q

uplanderguy

First wash and some-polishing in a good while. I still have pride of ownership in this Cruze I bought new 3 3/4 years ago, for what I consider to be an exceptional price. I rode in a '15 Focus about a year after I bought it and I was way-underwhelmed in comparison.

I like that the car was built down the road in Lordstown, OH, although it's now an orphan like the other car in the garage, sigh. It's been a great little sedan. I don't even know what I'd buy now; probably a Malibu although I don't care for the zig-zaggy lower grille, but at least it doesn't have goofball vertical climbing taillights or central dash controls or other silliness like that. I look at new cars and I've never been more 'meh' in my life.

fintail

You rode in a 2015 Escort? Is this in a parallel universe where I can still buy a new Tempo and cars still come with tape players?

I'm with you about some of the new models, too - even with MB, some of the changes are giving me a "who cares" feeling, if not turning me off.

uplanderguy

Geez, I'm doing what I used to complain about my Dad doing--he'd say once in awhile, "'55" if he meant "'85", LOL.

It was a Focus.

uplanderguy

The Focus had a notably smaller backup camera screen, and little or no brightwork inside. That's the thing that caught me first. The Cruze seems to me to be roomier in the back seat too, although I'm a fairly-short driver (5'8") and the owner of the Focus is a tall guy.

uplanderguy

As an old-line GM guy, I enjoyed both of these pics from Facebook very recently:

fintail

No jorts with tucked in t-shirt, and white NBs or Monarchs? Livin on the edge!

uplanderguy

Most newer Corvette owners I see here are senior to me (and I'll be 63 in June), but the above couple looks like they might be a record-setter. Hey why not, good for them!

roadburner

I wouldn't dress like that to pick up my ZTR mowers...

uplanderguy

He's lettin' the car do the image talking, LOL.

fintail

I see a bit of admiration by younger types for the C8, but socio-economic trends have a new Corvette probably being less affordable than ever, so the car isn't attainable for most of them.

If I was that age, I'd rather have the Vette for a toy than a motorhome or something, indeed, growing old right.

uplanderguy said:

Most newer Corvette owners I see here are senior to me (and I'll be 63 in June), but the above couple looks like they might be a record-setter. Hey why not, good for them!

uplanderguy

We have friends (two couples, actually) with motorhomes. We can't think that that'd be fun at all for us. Part of our enjoyment of going someplace is staying in a hotel, LOL.

fintail

When I was a kid, a number of older "greatest generation" era family members had motorhomes or enormous travel trailers. My dad was appalled at the idea of having such a thing, saying pretty much that if he ever tried to buy something like that to have him put in a home. I'd look at those like a boat - something to rent rather than buy, and I am also one who would rather stay in even a decent moderate level hotel.

I am of the mindset that I would rather travel when I am a little younger, while I have the physical ability, and maybe cash flow. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed. I am kind of like that when it comes to cars, I suppose, too. If I made it to that age, give me a Vette over a motorhome any day.

roadburner

My FIL had a big motorhome. Rolling purgatory.

uplanderguy

I checked my MPG in my '17 Cruze, bought new, for the first time in a long time. I put 240 miles on it in a day trip and when I filled it up, it only took 5.349 gallons--44.86 mpg, and I drove 80 on the Ohio Turnpike for an hour.

I'm delighted with that.

I have been putting 93 octane (I'd put 91 in if I could find it) for a while now, as everything I've read online says turbos really require premium despite manufacturers doing things to bring the octane requirement down--but I can't count how many comments from mechanics who say without premium, in a turbo you're asking for predetonation to happen, which kills pistons.

Someone did say the extra cost is offset by MPG and I know I never ever got over 40 before, and that was once.

Incidentally, at 63 in about six weeks, I'm sure I'll buy an electric car in my lifetime, but I'd sure like to see the range be greater than they are now.

sda

It's a shame GM has done away with the majority of the sedans. I like the styling of your Cruze . They are a nice looking good solid car. Great mpg. I have been amazed by the mpg a lot of cars deliver that also have good power. Both my Accord and Passat are capable of 40+ mpg. I am not too far behind you age wise, will be 62 on 5/9. Electrics have a certain appeal and I can see having one as a secondary and/or local driver. However, unless range, charging ease and charging time (quickness) improves, I will have a gasoline powered vehicle for longer trips.

uplanderguy

I grew up being excited about GM cars, but I go to a dealer now and the only thing that even remotely interests me is the C8. I liked the Impala. I think the Malibu is styled better (simpler) than a lot of the other cars that size out there, especially from the rear, but I gotta believe it's not long for this world.

fintail

I suspect the vast majority of Malibu sales are fleet now. With the rental car shortage, the car could live on for a while, if batches are bought to put into service.

roadburner

A properly optioned Camaro and a C8 are the only new GM products I'd consider owning.

uplanderguy

New C8 color in the fall, 'Caffeine'. This would be my choice! I like dark, metallic colors, and not the retina-burning yellow, or typical red, white, or black.
Knowing Chevy, this will be a short-run color. I bet it won't be around in a year from introduction, like some of the attractive greens they've used on Corvettes and other GM vehicles in the past several years.