Chevrolet Equinox

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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The 'bu drives nicer than it looks. I swear it's almost like Saab told Chevy to worsen the aesthetics so it wouldn't trump the 9-3.

    -juice
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I almost believe that also. The Pontiac version (the G6) should be much more interesting to look at though!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    And it's on my list to see at Detroit. I hope to be on Edmunds on the night of the 7th and 8th chatting about it.

    -juice
  • rctennis3811rctennis3811 Member Posts: 1,031
    The best place for NAIAS 2004 "UPDATED" coverage would be the official media site: MSN Autos. They have always been reliable and update their information right when a new product comes out. They also have video of the unveiling and a better interface than the Edmunds LA page. :)
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    i doubt the production G6 will be nearly as shapely as the concept.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I don't think it can be for production and cost reasons. Just hoping it's a looker. We will find out in 5 days.
  • rctennis3811rctennis3811 Member Posts: 1,031
    There's pictures of the production in the G6 forum.
  • rhouser2rhouser2 Member Posts: 114
    I have had the priviledge of participating in a customer survey for the Equinox. This was about items that may/may not be offered as accessories for the nox. they were:
     DVD player
    running boards$429
    remote start$150
    splash guards $50
    various roof and hitch carriers
    SE package $2156
    supercharger$2995
    bug deflector$100
    black chrome lens covers f&r $600
    tubular grill guard $550
    17" chrome factory wheels $1200
      The survey was on Gongos and is meant to find what the consumer wants as accessories for the nox.
      Do any of you think the pricing packages for the nox will follow the vue? not in price but in content? anyone have the prices for the nox? options and base?
    this looks like a very nice machine and we are very interested in purchasing one. i also wish it had the honda engine but that's ok for now.
     I live about 90 miles from the nearest saturn,honda,toyota,hyundai etc dealer. i have a chevy,chysler,dodge,jeep dealer in may town so distance is a consideration.
    Happy New Year to all
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    Many of these items you'll be able to buy over the net. The base MSRP prices are on the chevy.com web site for LT/LS FWD/AWD. Unfortunately, Chevy has to do the option groups as most GM's, which I think Saturn does not do as much of. Check this link to the dealers order sheet to get an idea of what grouped options you'll see on the car, no MSRP prices on these yet. What you're local dealer will charge will depend on his inventory and any Chevy cash back deals which seam unlikely on such a new model. Market demand will set the pace.
    http://www.chevylaunch.com/pdfs/equinox_ordwkbk.pdf
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Remote starter, running boards and roof carriers would be the features I would be interested in. Rest of the stuff is not real important. What is the "SE package"?
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    front spoiler, wail tail,side skirt panels. All the "candy" add ons that were on that jazzed up banana yellow Nox Chevy did for the auto aftermarket trade show recently. I got that same email survey. Chevy hired some ad agency to see if they could sell over priced add ons to you befor the aftermarket guys did for half the price.
  • orangelebaronorangelebaron Member Posts: 435
    I have to throw my 2 cents in as well...
    If Chevy can make this Equinox fairly reliable...then there will be no reason to buy a CRV or RAV4 with their awful bumpers and spares sticking out...that you have to worry about backing into someone's hood parking in the city.

    I test drove the CRV 2X. The 2nd time I drove it I realized the seat didn't go back far enough...I could not reach the stereo...I heard pebbles hitting the underside of the car...I was able to leave permanent scratches on the interior trim with my fingernails.. oh and the color choices stink! Otherwise...it was nice :>) As for the RAV4..I think it is nicer than the CRV but you have to get a loaded model to get side bags and the door arm rests are useless.

    So all I'm saying is... Chevy.. make this reliable and get decent gas mileage and it will sell like crazy!
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    on the Nox. True the bumpers on the V are it's worst quality. Too bad not body colored yet as in Canada. I don't have a problem with the spare. No ones complained on the Jeep Wrangler for 40 years. Better then crawling on your knees in mud to get it out from under the car. What does GM have special anti-pebble insulation? Hey it's an SUV, not a luxo-cadillac. I'm sure the plastic in a Vue echoed a lot of road noise. The Rav4 must be the smallest mini-SUV.
  • rhouser2rhouser2 Member Posts: 114
    has anyone seen what the curb weight is for the nox? i am able to find about everything but that. will the spare tire be stored inside or hung outside under the body like a truck?
  • tgp1810tgp1810 Member Posts: 112
    It will most likely be like the Vue and stored under the cargo area floor.
  • hoyahenryhoyahenry Member Posts: 399
    I haven't had time to catch up on all of the posts, but I just wanted to add that I saw this car at the DC Auto Show last week and I have to say it impressed me the most of anything I saw there.

    I don't need one, but my father-in-law was looking at a Dodge minivan replacement vehicle, and this was as close as he came to something he would consider.

    We'll see how it all plays out.
  • g_huskyg_husky Member Posts: 32
    Their approach: 1) Finally create a nice looking small SUV that 'looks' like it could have been the class leader. 2) Call it the Chevy Equinox. 3) Realize their endine R&D has fallen behind, and doing one better arrange to have Honda provide a nice 250hp powerplant to fill the gap. 4) Whoops, coming out of their internal roundtables everybody is concerned that Equinox may outperform and look to many buyers like better option than Trailblazer. 5) Cancel the Honda order, but quick. Vue can keep this option since they don't have this positioning issue. 6) Save money by dusting off this now ancient underpowered GM V6, which should long ago have been in retirement (new smaller GM V6 cars are getting more engine in them than this!). 7) Prepare for auto media thrashing and release of what was originally on track to be so much better.

    It would be great to see them pull out of this spin cycle and be ready to produce what buyers really want, not what they are willing to accept.
  • g_huskyg_husky Member Posts: 32
    Their approach: 1) Finally create a nice looking small SUV that 'looks' like it could have been the class leader. 2) Call it the Chevy Equinox. 3) Realize their endine R&D has fallen behind, and doing one better arrange to have Honda provide a nice 250hp powerplant to fill the gap. 4) Whoops, coming out of their internal roundtables everybody is concerned that Equinox may outperform and look to many buyers like better option than Trailblazer. 5) Cancel the Honda order, but quick. Vue can keep this option since they don't have this positioning issue. 6) Save money by dusting off this now ancient underpowered GM V6, which should long ago have been in retirement (new smaller GM V6 cars are getting more engine in them than this!). 7) Prepare for auto media thrashing and release of what was originally on track to be so much better.

    It would be great to see them pull out of this spin cycle and be ready to produce what buyers really want, not what they are willing to accept.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Honda engine was never going to Chevy, it was always intended for Saturn.

    Chinese V6 has more to do with politics than it does with technology.
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    about the Trailblazer. The Nox will cut into sales so give it a crappy engine with poor gas mileage so it doesn't look too good. The Nox is already base priced higher then the deals I can get on Trailblazers! They should have stuck those Chinese engines in the Canadian Chevy Daewoo's but they were too heavy! Opel must have some nice V6's they could have imported instead.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I don't know what U.S. pricing is like but there is no way you can get (after negotiations) a similar Trailblazer for even the same as the LIST on a NOX here. Even with cash rebates, after negotiations a NOX will be much less.

    I do wish the NOX had a better motor but I'll wait to test it before I w/o the whole thing.
  • readesreades Member Posts: 1
    Any word on when we will actually be able to buy one of these at a Chevy dealer in the Northeast?
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    March 20, the vernal equinox
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    One of the Toronto dealers keeps advertising coming in February, but I'm thinking March also. I want to test one ASAP so I can decide what vehicle I want to get this year. I'm sure they will have a couple to sit in next month at the Toronto Auto show.
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    will probably get them first. Someone earlier posted they saw one in a driveway. I wonder if they do any real world testing for a few months before turning the line up.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    At NAIAS, got myself in to the Detroit show during the Industry Preview days, as Subaru's guest. Lovin' life.

    Well, maybe not. To be honest the Nox disappointed me a little. I didn't like the Vue, and the same things I didn't like about that apply here - splongy seats and plasticky trim.

    Also, though it's longer in wheelbase, it just doean't translate into more usable space. The shape is more stylish and raked, not as square, but the result is similar interior room in a bigger car.

    To me that was a waste. The seats are too soft, spongy, not supportive enough for hard driving.

    The rear has that clever shelf you can put at several heights, neat idea but the shelf itself is a cheap feeling plastic. Finish isn't all that great either.

    This is pre-production, so maybe they'll fine tune it more. The Malibu got better by the time it was produced.

    Styling is good. It looks big in photos, up close it's not, though. They had it next to a TrailBlazer and the Nox looked small next to it. I guess it's not as long nor is it as tall.

    It was getting some attention, but nothing compared to GMs 3 small cars, the production Solstice, the Saturn (forget name), and the super-cool Nomad. Those drew the crowds, plus the Vette.

    Overall the GM booth did well, though.

    -juice
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Pre-production vehicles always have poor assembly and finish, no surprise. Cool that you got to go in one though, I'm hoping for the same in Toronto.

    I too loved the exterior in person. I was hoping for a little more room inside but I guess they larger size didn't yield it. Do you have any comparative numbers vs the VUE? Sometimes things are bigger than they seem.

    As for the seats, it's not a performance car so comfort over support I guess.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    No hard numbers, just felt like a small SUV. I was hoping it would feel almost mid-sized.

    I hope they use different seats, more firmly padded. I was bummed when I went to Saturn and they told me the Vue Redline has the same seats as the other Vues. Those are also too soft and spongy.

    I guess normal drivers might like it, but not me. I need more side bolstering. At least firm them up, like Volvo's excellent seats.

    -juice
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    You can always go aftermarket if you like the rest. You are just used to Subarus I guess.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Maybe so.

    Actually, my Forester's seats are very firm, which is good on trips. Our Legacy's seats are on the soft side, I'd trade them out for harder seats in a heart beat.

    -juice
  • chevyguy657chevyguy657 Member Posts: 216
    Was hoping that the Equinox would quell some sales of the Maxx (in case I buy one of those), but those-in-the-know, like us, won't touch the Nox with the ancient 3.4. I've been thru the intake manifold gasket thing one time too many.

    Politics aside, it was a very bad move on GMs part, IMO. The 3.5 is now also going into the G6 and the updated minivans and should have gone into the Nox.
  • theo2709theo2709 Member Posts: 476
    I agree ChevyGuy, putting the 3400 in the Nox was a very Old GM move: we have a standard V6. But the V6 is old and outdated in every aspect by every other GM engine, let alone foreign engines. The 5-speed auto can only do so much. Hopefully the 3900 will be optional in a year or two.
  • bigdaddycoatsbigdaddycoats Member Posts: 1,058
    up at kbb.com
  • murfdogmurfdog Member Posts: 61
    Two years ago we test drove the trailblazer and hated it. We then drove the Buick Rendezvous and loved it. We then drove the toyota highlander and loved it and drove the 4runner and did not like it.

    We bought the buick for the wife.
    Now we are looking for another car.

    We like the space of SUVs, but we hate the truck drive. We like vehicles that have room like SUVs, drive like cars and would be nice if they had features like minivans where seats can be moved around.

    Anyway, the point is what type of car will this one be. Will it be truck-like similar to the trailblazer or will it be like a car similar to the Rendouvous or Highlander.

    I am trying to find out if I want to wait for this vehicle or not. Appreciate any help.
  • chevyguy657chevyguy657 Member Posts: 216
    The Nox is on the same platform as the Saturn VUE, but stretched a bit.

    If I remember correctly, the VUE was based on a modified Saturn L-Series chassis.
  • hoyahenryhoyahenry Member Posts: 399
    I think it was during the AFC playoff game last night that GM said the Equinox would arrive at showrooms between March 3-6. GO PATS!
  • theo2709theo2709 Member Posts: 476
    It's on the Theta platform, a unibody (car) structure. Pontiac is getting one too in a few years, if you want to wait a little.

    hoyahenry: GO PATS indeed!
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    GM must be padding the prices in expectation of cash back incentives. That Kelly BB site has the 1SE top end option package at $3,745!!! MSRP That's over $28.6K not including the $400 for side air curtain. $29K for a loaded AWD Nox LT. Give me a break! I'm looking at a 26.7K config. Still cheaper to get a loaded CRV and throw away my GM points! I can't even consider the Nox without at least $1K cash back.
  • chevyguy657chevyguy657 Member Posts: 216
    I'm in the same boat. While I'm probably more interested in the Maxx rather than the Nox, the same thing happened with the Malibu & Maxx as far as bloated pricing, but the rebates are zilch (Maxx) or minimal (Malibu; $1,000). A loaded Maxx will be $28K. I have enough earnings to pay for an extended warranty, but want $2,500-3,000 cash back to compensate for the horrid depreciation on my '00 Malibu.

    Don't expect rebates over $1,000 for at least 6 mos. after intro, unfortunately. Probably will have $1,000 at intro, however. That's what Chevy did with the Malibu, Colorado and Aveo. Yes, $1,000 on the tiny Aveo gets me even madder!
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Keep in mind you can likely negotiate about 10% off at a GM dealership and about 2% at a Honda dealer. GM has always marked up prices, it's nothing new. We actually negotiated about 12% off our Intrigue back in 2000.
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    not if I want to be the first on the block to get one. I see edmunds has moved the Nox from future section to new car section. Dindak, Is the Toronto Auto show soon? Will you give a report?
    Nox's might be at dealers before the I get to the NY Auto show.
  • lichtronimolichtronimo Member Posts: 212
    is also up here at edmunds. Prices are pretty steep against the CR-V, Escape and Liberty. Almost Highlander territory. Scary.
  • lichtronimolichtronimo Member Posts: 212
    is listed as an option. Funny, since I would think it would be popular and is offered on the VUE.
  • rhouser2rhouser2 Member Posts: 114
    lets see how much older is the 3400 than the following:
    5.7 used in corvette and others
    3800 used in full size GM of most all divisions
    366 & 427 cid used in medium duty trucks
     just because gm doesnt use dual overhead cam/five valve/all aluminium/supercharged/intercooled in every vehicle it produces is not a sign the current engines are not worthy of being used. I have a 1977 caprice that i ordered from the dealer in fall of 1976 with a 305 in it. i still have the car and after 125,000 of family use and 125,000 miles of 2 teenage sons it still runs great and uses about 1/2 quart of oil in 2000 miles. the original trans has never had anything done to it except fluid and filter changes.
      all of the problems i have read here and on other sites about people having tramatic problems with autos must be abusive,not properly servicing, or just think that their auto(or anything for that matter) should run forever with no care or maintainance.
      remember these are machines built and designed by people and people are not perfect.
  • chevyguy657chevyguy657 Member Posts: 216
    Some valid points, and the 3400 IS good for the long haul. BUT, like the 3100 in our '00 Malibu LS, it also suffers from the intake manifold gasket issue. Ours was replaced last year, fortunately under GMPP (extended warranty), but the car was in the shop for 3 days.

    Plus the fact that it IS noisy when accelerating.

    Assume both problems are fixed with the 3500.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    lichtronimo : If I ever get a DVD system it will be a hand held so I can take it out of the vehicle. No big loss.

    joey : Toronto show is about a month away. I will take some digital pictures for ya. I took some of the exterior last year. I won't likely be shopping till the summer / fall so.. I will wait for the new adaptors to go first.
  • joey2brixjoey2brix Member Posts: 463
    Toronto's probably the last auto show before it hits the dealerships.

    Hey rhouser: If I could get the Nox for the same price you paid for the '77 Caprice I wouldn't complian since it's the same technology from '77.
    I've had a '92 3.1L and my '97 3800, just like Chevyguy: both had oil leaks in intake manifold gasket within the first 1000 miles. Hmmmm, how long does it take for GM to fix something. Plus the 305 was a sweet engine. The V8's were another story, you don't hear me complaining about them.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Had a 91 3.1L for 8 years and never had an issue. Not the most refined V6, but rock solid.

    Toronto will be my last look before a test! I remember seeing it last year and the rep telling me it was a year till it's released. Hard to believe it almost for sale.
  • larryt22larryt22 Member Posts: 125
    I know this if off the topic for this discussion, but what are the first symptoms of the intake gasket problem? My 99 Malibu has 53,000 miles and I suspect it is about time. Also, does anybody know what a GM dealer charges to replace the gasket?

    My wife loves the look of the nox. Saw one at the Indianapolis Auto Show in December in Salsa Red Metallic and it was beautiful. Unfortunately, they had it locked and would not let you get in it. From everything I have read, I like everything about it other than the engine. I have put up with the 3.1 in my 'bu for 5 years, so I guess I could put up with a 3.4 just as long. Sure wish they would have put the 3.5 from the new 'bu in it though. At least they put the 5-speed auto in it that they forgot to put in the new 'bu.
  • chevyguy657chevyguy657 Member Posts: 216
    Most folks notice an increasing temp guage as the tip-off to the intake manifold issue. I was fortunate in that I happened to be looking under the hood one day and noticed that the coolant level was unusually low. They normally go around 50K miles.

    I've heard of folks spending anywhere from $500-$800 for the repair, depending on how long it takes. I'm no mechanic, but I think roughly the top half of the engine needs to be disassembled to get to the gaskets.

    Really bad gaskets would lead to coolant in the oil. You don't want to go there.
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