Chevrolet Equinox

joey2brix

Versatrak is used on the Buick Rendezvous and mini-vans. The Nox is using a new transmission from Aisin of Japan. Aisin makes an automatic for the ION and might have been used on last years Vue V6.
The '04 V6 Vue is using a Honda transmission with the Honda engine.

dawnmoire

Sorry so late-I've been enjoying my new Nox!

Thanks guys. My cost before t,t,l,d and after $1000 rebate was $23285.00. FWD LT 1SD w/17"wheels, sunroof, satellite radio and 75k warranty.

Satellite Radio: I have only one preview channel and of course it's not what I want to hear. It's only $9.95/month so I think I will order it soon.
My dealer could not find a Dark gray FWD LT w/a sunroof in all of Tennessee! It was installed and back on the lot in 48 hours. It looks and works great! (so far) I love the fact that if I leave it open and remove the keys from the ignition it automatically closes.
I haven't seen another dark gray one yet so maybe they weren't pulling my leg

Has anyone else experienced a little "Shaking" at about 80-85 mph or extreme sensitivty to high winds? Is this normal for an SUV (I drove a civic for 9yrs so this is all new to me)

shooterd

Will possibly be buying by the end of the year...do you folks think that by then there will be a large enough supply of "Nox" on the lots that they will be offered with larger ($2,500 - $4,000) rebates? Some of the lots around me are discounting Trailblazers (4WD with many extras) down below $25,000, so was wondering if the latter part of this year might bring some similar dealings with the Equinox. Purely speculation, I know...

noxwannabe

Belgoboy, I forgot the ceiling was fabric too so I'll be buying another can for that. Scotchguard isn't a state secret so you should be able to find it at just about any store. Call your dealer before you fly and make sure they still have your car. Trusting folks, both of you.

Dawn, don't you just love the dark grey color? It reflects everything so it can look blue or green. Love mine. That sunroof closing when you take the keys out must be something on the aftermarket sunroof. My manual says you can roll the windows up after the car has been turned off but can't seem to do that either. Your price is making a bit more sense now. I'm assuming the warranty for 75k was 1000 to 1500 too.

Shooterd, The $1000 cash back expires at the end of June but most predictions expect some type of cash back to continue. Whether it will be more or less depends on how well it sells between now and then. My very unscientific and unsupported opinion is that it won't go above $1500 this year. The nice thing about waiting is that you might be able to get the side airbags.

Oh btw, sold my 92 Rodeo today. Dealer trade in value $1500, 2nd person to look bought it for $3000. Made a good downpayment on my Equi.

joey2brix

With gas prices going through the roof, I'm sure big SUV's comming off lease will want to move into the Nox. This will keep the discount/rebates low on the Nox, but watch the discounts zoom up on the big SUV's in the comming months.

anonymousposts

"My manual says you can roll the windows up after the car has been turned off but can't seem to do that either"

On most cars the retained power feature will not work once you open a door.

cudaal

Are Nox and Vue available in belgium?

gee35coupe

with $5000 discounts. WOW. I'm gonna go check on the veracity of the ads this week. $5000 discounts already means I may be able to get one this Christmas.

dawnmoire

The dark gray is awesome and I still have yet to see another on the road. Another note on the satellite radio-I thought I only had 1 preview station but I have them all! I didn't think I was going to get attached to it but when you live in Nashville and can get the news in LA, Detroit, Chicago, & NY, then can listen to the Lakers game live on ESPN, get the CNN broadcast live and switch to a 70's music station commercial free... You get attached!

nova

I am waiting for victory red with graphite interior and side air bags. The sticker says 19 /25 for gas mileage any one check there mileage yet?

belgoboy

You can find Chevy cars in Belgium cudaal but my nick is only because I'm from Belgium. I live in Scottsdale AZ actually. Belgium would be a costly place to own any car with an 2.0l engine or higher because (believe it or not) we have to actually pay taxes based on horse power as well as the yearly tax you pay to drive your car. So basically we have automanufacturers that limit hp so that fiscally Belgian consumers buy their vehicles. You might see a few Trailblazers (I've probably see 2 in Belgium in the past 5 years) because it just costs too much. Hope that answers your question. The best selling car in Belgium is the VW Golf, probably 60% of cars on the road are Golfs.

npgmbr

Saw one last Saturday at the grocery store then one this morning heading into work. Man I really want one.

noxwannabe

I think someone a few pages back with a long commute said they got 22 mpg on their first tank. I got just under 20 on my first tank, mostly driving around town.

chippimp

I read recently that the window and door lock buttons are not lit at night. Is this true?

carsntrucks

I have some concern over the very low gas mileage I have been getting. I've only got about 550 miles on the vehicle so far, but I've only been getting 14 mpg! Granted, most of these are city miles, but I have made some trips on the freeway as well. Shouldn't all city miles be closer to the 19 mpg the EPA quotes? I know elsewhere someone that got 15 mpg for a tank of mostly city miles.

(I have the AWD - this has the same EPA ratings at FWD but may cost me a bit in real life.)

Owners, please let me know what you have found. Part of my reason for owning this was to get better gas mileage than my Ford Expedition which gets 13 mpg in mostly city driving.

vuefor2

The mileage on our Vue was around 16 when we first got it but it slowly improved to around 20-22 in the city. I wouldn't worry too much, I think the engines need a few tanks sometimes before you get posted numbers. Also, if you are a bit aggressive with acceleration, you will also loose some mpgs. Check the tire pressure also.

jend50

I am looking to go pick up a new Chevy Nox on Sat. Originally my dealer quoted me a lease price of $289. Although this model he is looking to get is 27,020 because it is missing XM radio which I want as well as has 1500 miles and was a salesmens demo..which should have brought the payment below $280.. just because no xm radio ($325 divided by 36 month lease not counting demo miles) and is now telling me the price is $325?! I told him he better recrunch his numbers because a week ago he gave me the price of $289 on FWD and $327 on AWD. Does anyone know what the monthly payment on a lease would be at this MSRP of 27,020... remember the GMS price I am actually getting it for is 24,155.27! Just a rough estimate.. or other peoples payments to know if he is trying to just get me for more money?

anonymousposts

Go over to Smart Shopper and go to the Lease Questions board. The expert over there should be able to tell you if you are getting a fair deal.

jend50

thanks for the help anonymousposts.. greatly appreciated!

carsntrucks

Thanks for that input, vuefor2 - that makes me feel better. We have babied the accelerator due to the breakin period of 500 miles, although we've also varied the rpm's for the same reason which may cost us a little mileage. I've always been able to get close to the EPA estimates in the city and beat them in the highway category.

ryster

$325 seems like the right price range for a 36 month lease on a vehicle with a price of $24,155. I assume the $325 includes taxes and your down payment? If it doesn't, then the price would seem to be a bit on the high side.

What is the residual value of the 'Nox on the lease being offered by the dealer?

carsntrucks

We took our new AWD Equinox on our first real road trip today. From sea level to 8300 feet and back again. Went off the pavement on rocky and rutted roads that tested its abilities. Overall, the handling and traction performed very well. Ground clearance, well - that was a problem. The roads we were on really required more ground clearance and maybe some skid plates. But I was able to guide it around most obstacles. Driving up and down the mountain on pretty good roads was exceptional! The smooth ride and excellent handling still amaze me. It really feels like a tall sports car. It was also nice that the satellite radio kept us with good service although it did cut out a number of times on the way up.

Filled up on the way, gas mileage is up to 17+. I'm sure this tank will be better, 175 miles already and still a bit over half left.

noxwannabe

What great fun. I see my Equinox as a real cross between a car and an SUV. It certainly doesn't have the height that most of the SUV's have being for the most part a foot shorter. But then it's also a foot taller than most cars. After being in a fairly tall SUV (Rodeo) for over 10 years I feel a bit short when pulling up to the stoplight. However then I step on the gas pedal and well, who really needs that extra height when you have zoom and handling and all around fun. Besides going over bumps and dips is much smoother in the Equi than the Rodeo was. And my big pet peeve about cars is pulling into a parking space and having the front fender hit the curb. Don't have to worry about that. From your experience sounds like it can handle the rough stuff like washboards etc that we get on the backroads as long as we stay away from rocks.

lerinc

I AM GETTING 10 MILES TO THE GALLON ON MY NEW EQUINOX AFTER 5000 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS FOR AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE IN THE POWER SIDEVIEW MIRRORS AND MY SPEAKERS SOUND AS IF THEY ARE ABOUT TO EXPLODE! HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THESE PROBLEMS AND WHAT DO YOU DO! WOULD I BE WITHIN MY RIGHTS TO ASK FOR A NEW VEHICLE? HELP!

beach15

Calm down...sometimes you may run into issues like that with such a new vehicle. It's very rare and sucks when you're the one that gets the vehicle that has such issues, but just hope your dealer gets everything fixed and your Equinox is back to being good again.

Believe me, I know all about car problems and dealer service departments. We had a 2000 Chrysler 300M that had pretty poor build quality (rattles galore), along with a few electrical issues, and a seat that crapped out--that was bad enough, but having a dealer whose service people weren't the brightest didn't help either.

Replaced it with a 2002 Avalanche and have had 0 problems in 2 years....I hope you can say the same for your Equinox after everything is fixed. Oh, and based on what you said, I don't think the problems are anywhere severe enough to demand a new car....yours just needs fixed.

fksmith69

I LOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVE my EQUINOX! This car is beyond awesome. It rides great! I have been driving the car for two weeks and strangers would come up to me in a parking lot and stop light and ask what type of car is that! I would tell them EQuinox and they would look at me crazy. I test drove a lot of mid size SUVs and this car was on the top of my list. When I went to buy the car they didn't have one in stock. The dealer traded a car from their lot with a Equniox 150 miles a ways. I haven't enjoy riding in an vehicle in a long time. I would have never thought...buying a american car would feel this great! HORRAY

dan165

10 miles a gallon? Sure you didn't buy a Hummer.

;-)

noxwannabe

I think the dealer is required to give you a copy of your state's "lemon law". Mine did. It should spell out in there what your options are. Pick one up when you pick up your car if you can't find it.

Or check out some of the online sites such as - http://www.nationallemonlawcenter.com/index.htm
http://www.autosafety.org/index.html

I do hope they are checking your emission system etc. for what is causing your low milage.

jiggs

I've been driving an Equinox for the past 2 weeks. I'm in the US for training and i just happened to get an Equinox for a rental car. I've been looking at buying an Equinox for a few months now, and with this chance to drive one for 2 weeks I've made up my mind that this is an awesome SUV. I have drove this SUV hard and it is amazing. I love the smooth ride and the great acceleration. I was looking at a Rav 4 but I will definitely be buying the Equinox. One concern I have is the mileage. After one week I went through a full tank of gas after 195 miles. This seem like very poor mileage.

mbukukanyau

Is Equinox having problems with Lemons?

dan165

No real Equinox issues that I have heard of here or elsewhere.

19-20 mpg is ok for city or mixed. Highway is rating is only 25 and all ratings are under ideal conditions only.

pawings

Has anyone taken their equinox to the beach...I wanted to get a beach pass for mine since i have awd, but I'm really unsure...It was really good to see someone took it somewhat off-road! All-in-all I'm getting about 20mpg-this is both city and highway combined...I really do love it and would definantly recommend it to anyone looking to buy.

stever

Check out SUV for Beach Sand in the archives for some good tips.

Steve, Host

johng1

I got my dark gray LT installed with plenty of options and couldn't be happier. The only thing I regret is settling for the stock radio. It sounds great, but after hearing posts about the XM satellite radio, I'm now considering upgrading. Can my Chevy dealer upgrade me to the XM system, or does it need to be sent out? Do you think the price of such an upgrade would be the same as if I had gotten it pre-installed?
Thanks for any info you have.

dan165

I think it may be more cost effective to get an aftermarket XM added. Don't know for sure as XM is still not legally available here yet.

joey2brix

One thing about XM, I'd rather get an aftermarket then the Chevy install. I hate the way GM sticks the sat. antenna on the front of the roof. Why can't they get it body color or put it in the middle of the rear roof like you see on BMW's and Benz's? Option of taking the radio out and using it in a base station indoors is a nice bonus also.

mr_bots

I'm pretty sure the dealer can install the system that would come from the factory. My brother has a Sierra and wanted to add XM radio to it after he bought it, the price from the dealer for the factory setup was about the same as an after-market setup.

johng1

Thanks for the input. I called my Chevy dealer, but they suggested calling XM directly. Apparently I need to have a reciever and antenna installed since the radio is already XM ready. Looks like about $250 total (with installation) compared to the $325 sticker price for a factory install. Now I just need to find who sells the receiver. Besty Buy and Circuit City said they've been out of them for months (?)

Any other feedback?
Thanks, John

tommy42

Get the part numbers and check with gm parts direct .com

joey2brix

Curcuit City online shows stores by me having stock. Best buy looks out of stock on some models. I would leave the stock radio alone and look into the Delphi models that have the seperate base station for indoor use.

johng1

Has anyone noticed excessive body lean on turns? I love my new Equinox so much better than my previous Explorer Sport, but I've notived the front bucket seats don't cradle me in as much as I'm used to...and soft suspension forcing my body to sway on turns.

gee35coupe

If it does, you will miss the CD-like sound of XM. You have to hear the difference to believe it. I would not own XM unless it was through line-level inputs.

noxwannabe

I haven't noticed any extra lean but then I'm coming from a decade old Rodeo or Ram Truck perspective. I'll probably notice it when the hubby starts driving it an I'll be looking for the grab handle I don't have. The seats were talked about in one of the pro-reviews I read and I've noticed they can be a bit hard on the edges instead of cushy. But a quick question, might you be taking those curves more agressively? I'm not used to the power yet, it will stick it's nose in the air like a rocket when you ask it to move.

johng1

The excessive body lean on turns is not coming from hard turns, just average speeds. All I know is my lower back is hurting from trying to mainting posture during turns. I have the LT with lumbar support and have tried every possible position and configuration. I've noticed the front passenger seat is softer and more concave while the driver's seat is firmer and more convex.

Maybe it's a matter of getting used to. I was just curious if others have noticed this.

johng1

Are the rear seat headrests bugging anybody since they block so much of the rearview mirror visibility? You can really tell the difference when you fold down the rear seats and enjoy a much more open view. I wish the designers would have considered smaller rear head rests.

P.S. Sorry to bring up any negative points about the NOX. I love so much about it, but I'm noticing things as I drive it more. During the test drive I was blown away by all the wonderful things the NOX offers that I didn't realize the excessive lean on turns and the limited rearview visibility.

johng1

Hot off the press. The Chevy Equinox receives 5-star safety ratings fom the NHTSA (rollover info is still to be tested).

Read more here:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/NCAP/Cars/2005SUVs.html

joey2brix

You probably need pre-amp imputs on the stock radio, which many factory radios probably don't have. You'd probably have to wire in a seperate amp to have both radios wired into it. Might wind up being cheaper to just get a combo FM/XM radio to replace the stock. I just think it's cool to bring the radio indoors to use since you're dropping $10/month for the service.

johng1

I like the extra storage for small items in the front center arm rest. Does anyone know what the three small clips are meant to hold? I thought they were pen holders, but they're too narrow to hold most pens.

I know the big slot holds small Kleenex tissues.

carsntrucks

My wife is 5 feet 1 inch and she hasn't complained about the rear headrests (and she usually does). They do look a bit tall. I'm 6'8" so no problem for me.

RE: body lean. I've heard others say it leans but I went rallying on mountain roads last week and it performed like a champ. It actually handles better than my SAAB 9-5, although this is mostly due to tires and wheels. I have the 17 inch wheels and that could help. I find that my limit is not the vehicle but the complaining passengers. I hear comments like "slow down - we're all going to die" and the tires aren't even squealing yet!

It would help to have sport seats instead of the standard relatively flat ones.

johng1

Re: my complaint about the rear headrests, I wasn't referring to their comfort to the passengers, but rather to their obstrusiveness to the view of the driver.

Apparanetly, the Equinox did indeed have smaller rear headrests at some point during production reviews (see photo in the following Autoweek review). I wish there were someway to replace them.

http://www.autoweek.com/search/search_display.mv?port_code=autowe- ek&cat_code=reviews&content_code=06233503&Search_Type- =STD&Search_ID=2168056&record=1