The Current State of the US Auto Market

uplanderguy

Obviously, I NEVER stop by a Chevy dealer...... Ever.

Clearly. You might be able to better judge the product if you did.

jpp5862

Why would you?

jpp5862

I've had enough of them for rentals to satisfy me. Nothing they produce makes me want to visit any GM dealer when I shop for a new car. Ford has done that, not that I would buy one but I'd certainly cross shop them. As I've said before, the cars GM is making aren't necessarily bad cars, but they certainly aren't competitive in today's market.

GM has a lot of negative equity to make up for and they aren't producing products that make people want to come back. There's a reason their market share continues to drop.

uplanderguy

Well...and a lot of other makes to compete with than 'back then'.

stickguy

I am highly unlikely to ever shop at Chevy, but I was surprised at how much I liked the malibu rental (previous style) that I had last fall. Nice driving car and good seats.

uplanderguy

That's because the Astro was DESIGNED as a Cargo van, and then adapted to be a passenger van - which explains its miserable design and driving position - but its rugged construction and power.

I won't claim absolute certainty (there's enough of that here already!), but I'm pretty sure both the Astro and Aerostar were both introduced as both cargo vehicles and passenger vehicles...one version didn't come later.

stickguy

the early Japanese vans were like that. Thinly disguised JDM cargo vans that drove like it.

nvbanker

Clearly. You might be able to better judge the product if you did.

Years ago, (admit things were different then), I banked the local Chevrolet dealer, but drove Lincolns at the time. Every time I picked Greg up for lunch, he would whine about why I wouldn't buy a car from him, good naturedly, of course. I would just look at him, and one day he replied, "I know, I wouldn't either".

Fast Forward from 1990 to 2013, and I rent cars a lot. When I'm forced to drive GM, I still find, although better, they're not that good. And Chevy is still the pitts. Oldest technology, little problems, and unremarkable design.

Add to that, my dealer's license, which I use as a hobby, but I drive most everything. I liked the Avalanche - but that's over. Plus, the one I did own overheated when towing, and the A/C was horrible.

The only Chevy I like the drive of, is the Impala - drives pretty nicely, if you like the old "boulevard ride", which I do. Certainly not up to date though.

Not up to date! A good slogan for Chevy, IMO. Yeah, I think I judge the product pretty well, but thanks for the suggestion. :blush:

uplanderguy

You like the drive of the Impala better than the Malibu? I'd guess you're older than me!

js06gv

I just sold my 2005 Avalanche. I loved it and was the best vehicle I've owned up to this point. Would've replaced it with one of the last of the 13s, but switched to Ford. There's nothing out there that can match the functionality of the Av; however, Ford has it all over GM when it comes to power, room and electronics. I ended up with an F150 King Ranch.

I did a lot of towing with my Av, but not one problem with overheating or A/C.

andre1969

Not up to date! A good slogan for Chevy, IMO.

So, in other words, a timeless classic, that never goes out of style! :P

scwmcan

Or maybe it is more a slogan for his opinion of Chevy, it seems to be a little out of date now.

nvbanker

You like the drive of the Impala better than the Malibu? I'd guess you're older than me!

Most likely am - but the Malibu HAS NO drive IMO. The Fusion rides sporty, a little harsh, little too hard to steer for me, but feels solid. The Malibu is not sporty, no.....but not smooth...certainly not quiet, for a non-sporty car....handles like warm wall-paper paste....

I can't tell what the Malibu drives like. Nothing, or everything? Which is no driving characteristics at all. At least the Impala feels like an old Impala - which it is.

uplanderguy

Um...OK. Since you thought they were still building the Uplander, have you driven a 2008 or newer Malibu? Like most cars, there's a big difference between a 4-speed auto four-cylinder Malibu LS and a V6 LTZ of that previous genre. Our '11 is very quiet on the highway and gets mpg in the 30's with no sweat. And I tend to agree with something I saw someone say on a '77-79 B-body website today...I think the styling of our generation Malibu is almost-timeless in the way that the 'glass house' Caprice coupes of that era were...just MHO. And I have a personal thing about the Fusion being made in Mexico, although I believe soon (if not already) it will be built in Michigan.

circlew

About time, GM. Very nice!

This third-generation CTS looks to be Cadillac's best offering yet.

anythngbutgm

Volvo Announces V60 Sports Wagon Will Come to U.S. Market

:shades:

busiris

Sort of reminds me of the 2006 Dodge Magnum in its looks, only more refined and streamlined.

scwmcan

It is indeed about time, and hopefully people actually buy it so they realize that they should bring over the V40 as well, and maybe keep bringing their wagons here, it is what they were known for and they they all but abandoned them to join the crowd of CUVs.

stickguy

agreed about the wagon issue, but frankly, the buyers did the abandoning of the traditional wagon when they had the V70 and XC70 and no one bought the V70.

though this is much sportier, so could have a chance.

I really like it. Can't afford it, but it would be a perfect car for me. Same with the TSX sportwagon.

scwmcan

Partially true, but didn't they cut out a lot of options on the V70 along the way? I seem to recall them cutting out the base engine, just leaving a thirstiest six as the only option, of course it also gained a lot of weight along the way as well so maybe it needed the extra power, but to me it seemed they made it more of one level, which may have been more lux than the traditional wagon buyers wanted, I think the last gen V70 was a bit much, the gen before 2001-2007) was pretty successful, but then the last gen went downhill in sales, but I could be wrong. A little more to the point this announcement seems to explain something that I saw about two weeks ago on my drive home, I am pretty sure I saw a V60 headed the other way on the highway, I can't say for sure I did, but I saw a Volvo wagon that seemed much slicker than the v70, since it was going the other way on the divided highway I really only caught a glimpse of it but it did catch my eye in a way that said it was something different.

nvbanker

have you driven a 2008 or newer Malibu? Like most cars, there's a big difference between a 4-speed auto four-cylinder Malibu LS and a V6 LTZ of that previous genre.

Ok, can we forget I made one little mistake on the Uplander?? :blush:

Yes, Aside from my dealer's license that puts me among thousands of cars per week (apparently OLD Uplanders though), my Sister in Law has owned 2 of the new model Malibus. The -08, which stalled frequently on long trips, and the 11 she has now.

I didn't say I liked the Fusion - just that I could define it as "sportier". A little like an Accord, noisy, sporty, rough riding, but solid.

The Camry, by comparison, is super soft, quiet, smooth, and easy to drive. Not at all sporty.

The Sonata is now a little like the Malibu - hard to put your finger on it. Steers sporty, but handles numbly, rides ok but takes the bumps like it's a bedpan. And the engine - sounds like a Maytag. Just my opinion -

I'd either like the Camry for quiet comfort, or the Fusion for sporty - the tweeners are just the worst of both worlds to me.

Just my opinion - not that humble, I admit. :shades:

jpp5862

I like the looks but man that's a big car.

jpp5862

The Fusion, both the new one and the previous generation, are light years ahead of the Malibu. Not perfect and still behind the Accord and Camry, but I'd take the Fusion over a Malibu anyday.

stickguy

does look like a full sizer now for sure.

tlong

Interesting, whether you want to believe all the data or not.

scwmcan

Hmm, again a chart that seems to show vast differences in reliability, but at least in the posted picture no explanation of what the scale is on the rilability axis. I can understand the test score axis, but what are they using for the reliability axis? Is it percentage based against the average, or against the best, or what? It is actually pretty meaningless without this data so if you could post at least that would help make us see what they are actually saying, still don't know that I would agree, but at least could get a clearer picture.

circlew

I like the looks but man that's a big car.

True but it weighs 3,600 lbs. 200 lbs. less than the 5'er! That's a big difference and moving in the right direction.

Caddy is coming back strong, late as they are.

uplanderguy

The Fusion, both the new one and the previous generation, are light years ahead of the Malibu. Not perfect and still behind the Accord and Camry, but I'd take the Fusion over a Malibu anyday.

I hate the looks of the current Fusion, and the prior one looked OK but I didn't like the styling even remotely as well as the previous-gen Malibu. I didn't like 'made in Mexico', and for those who follow CR, a 2011 like I have is supposedly more reliable than the same year Fusion.

dieselone

I hate the looks of the current Fusion, and the prior one looked OK but I didn't like the styling even remotely as well as the previous-gen Malibu. I didn't like 'made in Mexico', and for those who follow CR, a 2011 like I have is supposedly more reliable than the same year Fusion.

You must be in the minority considering the sales disparity between the Fusion and Malibu.

I'm mixed on the Fusion. I like it in the higher trim models in certain colors, but it definitely looks a bit awkward from certain angles. To me the Malibu is just blah. If I were to go car shopping, I don't even know if I would bother to drive a Malibu. Same with the Camry FWIW. Strictly based on what I've read and have seen on the road, I'd likely choose between the Accord, Altima, and Fusion.

uplanderguy

I like the previous gen Malibu, styling-wise, better than the current one. In a dark color, I think they have an elegance that is lacking in other cars of that ilk.

I never care about 'being in the minority'. If I did, I'd drive a Camry and for a hobby car would have a '57 Chevy or Mustang. Bleccch. (No offense to anyone intended.)

But then, I hated 'big hair' bands in the late '70's and always was a Carly Simon fan when Linda Ronstadt was wowin' em in her Cub Scout uniform.