wheather its New York or Mich. the problem is still the same. The nearest GM plant to Lansing is about 80 miles give or take. So do the workers still sell their homes, give up their lives, or spend 3 hours a day on the road at $3.50 a gal. for gas? The person who made the original comment seemed to think it was just a piece of cake to bring in people. Bottom line the Lansing plant had most of a 3rd shift there and trained and was planning on hiring enough people to complete the 3rd shift but pulled the plug. Why? Only they know.
Hello. I got my Enclave CXL AWD on 06/30/2007. So far I am pretty happy. Looking at the wait times for building, I am so glad that I could find one that I liked on a Dealer lot. I was driving my 2001 Chrysler Town & Country minivan for 6+ years, so I am still in the phase where I am trying to simply get used to the new vehicle.
3RD ZONE -> I am one of those guys that often takes the approach that reading the manual is the last option - as I should just be able to figure it out. But I have to say that the 3rd zone climate control had me stumped. On my old minivan, I could control the temp and fan speed for the 3rd zone from the head unit. I also had the option of allowing the 2nd row passengers to set their own settings. In the Enclave, it seemed there was no way to make the 3rd zone follow the same settings as the driver/passenger zone. Then I read the manual! It seems that the label on the head unit is AUX. Turning that on set the 3rd zone to follow the driver/passenger. Just thought I would share that info, as the AUX label was not very clear to me.
EASY EXIT SEAT -> Now I have read the manual on this, but can’t find anything. To me, the Easy Exit Seat position is too far back and takes much too long to get there. It seems like it goes back 6+ inches and takes 4+ seconds. My wife's Nissan Murano goes back 2-3 inches and takes 1-2 seconds - feels just right. I am just looking for a little extra room - nothing huge. I don’t see anyway to change the position setting for the Easy Exit Seat. I tried holding down the Easy Exit Seat button for a few seconds, like the way I do to set seat positions for driver1 or driver2, but that just activates the move to the Easy Exit Seat position. Does anyone know if there is a way to set/reset the actual position of the Easy Exit Seat position?
I've been looking at Enclaves for about a month & 3 weeks ago I drove through one of our local Buick dealers & just about fainted. There were (39) Enclaves of all colors sitting toward the back of their lot!! After calming down I talked to one of the salesmen & found out that they were there for an upcoming PGA golf tournament. They will be for sale next week after the tournament I'm told at a slightly reduced price as a special events vehicle, don't know if thats true or not. Anyway, they had 3 Enclaves that they could sell so I ended up buying one off the showroom floor, a CXL Platinum Metallic with everything except navigation, including 19" chrome wheels & love it! Really a solid feel & loaded with enough bells & whistles that will make you refer to the manual many times, something I never used to do.
Where did you find this mother load of Enclaves? Which dealer is it? Will they be selling these after the PGA tournament? Is it in the MidAtlantic? I noticed that Buick is offering $500 rebates/discounts to dealers in DC, MD, VA, and PA.
I went down and test drove the GMC acadia last night after I noticed that the Iowa city dealership had received one, and I have to say I was impressed. They didn't have the Enclave yet and wouldn't have one for a couple of months but I feel I got an accurate representation of what to expect from driving the acadia. I've recently read that Gm will be offering diesels in the entire cadillac and saturn line ups so I think I will wait to get an outlook with the new diesel (around 2010). After driving a jetta diesel that consistently gets 53 miles to the gallon I refuse to buy anything with a inferior gasoline engine.
Some good news. GM is reinstating the 3rd shift that they did away with before it even started. They are recalling all the temp. workers and I'm guessing with in 4 to 6 weeks it will be a 3 shift operation. GM said sales were up 337% from a year ago. That must be about when they first started selling so it don't mean much but they are hot selling crossovers.
As a former GM-exclusive buyer that was driven to Lexus and Acura, I am greatly disappointed in this Bluetooth situation. I'd love to get the Enclave or Acadia, but this issue is a dealbreaker. My RX-250 and MDX each have BT. My wife an I swap cars frequently. No way do I want two cell phones PLUS two car phone numbers (i.e. OnStar) to remember. Then there is the extra cost. Two Onstar service fees plus $20/month for two additions to my Verizon plan. $Hundreds/year of extra cost plus superfluous phone numbers. This is nutz and inexcusable in this car class. What a major disappointment. Maybe next year someone will come to their senses .... ?
The plant, which employs about 2,800 hourly workers, makes the eight-passenger crossover vehicles which came out in April. Sales of all three took off in June, GM said, with dealer orders for the Buick seven times more than the plant could produce on two shifts.
"There are places in the country that dealers haven't even seen one yet," said Pete Nico, GM's vehicle line director for the crossovers. "The trucks are pulling in, and the customers are walking away with them. When dealers do see a shipment arrive, they don't have anything to leave on their lots."
Sales of crossovers, which have sport utility vehicle attributes but are built on more fuel efficient car underpinnings, are growing rapidly as the market shifts away from gas-guzzling truck-based vehicles.
There are a number of Bluetooth aftermarket options out there. I agree totally that there is no excuse for BT not being available on GM products, but if you would really "love to get the Enclave or Acadia", then the aftermarket options should easily resolve the "dealbreaker" status of the problem. Should you have to go aftermarket? No, but if the vehicle is really that appealing to you, it is possible to have your cake and eat it too.
Aftermarket bluetooth options pale in comparison to integrated: placement of the mike is crucial, you don't have the convenience of answering with steering wheel buttons, and if you don't want a mess of wires you have to get it professionally installed, unless you want to spend hours doing it yourself. A decent bluetooth unit will cost you a bit under $200, and installation might the same amount.
OnStar is no replacement for bluetooth, that's for sure. There's no chance in hell I'm paying a monthly fee for Onstar, then another monthly fee for a Verizon phone, so that my wife can make occasional calls when she's driving.
I too was desperately hoping that the Enclave would include bluetooth. For $45,000, it shoudl definately be included, or at least available as an option. I almost bought a Mazda CX9, because it had the bluetooth feature. But in the end, I decided that I wanted the 2nd row captans chairs (only available in the Acadia/Enclave) more than I wanted bluetooth. Mazda Cx9 has the 2nd row bench. IMHO, the 2nd row captains chairs makes it much easier to access the 3rd row, and provides more of an open "feeling" for anyone sitting in the 3rd row.
So far I have used 20 of the 30 free minutes included with Onstar. I am thinking about coughing up the extra cash to attach the onstar with my verizon account, but it is going to cost me another $25/moth. Disappointing, definately. But other than the missing bluetooth, I must say that I love my new Enclave CXL AWD. It drives great, has lots of toys (well, other than bluetooth) and it looks great!
Aftermarket BT is an insult. You can't compare it to a well integrated system, especially those that are integrated with the touchsreen and your cell phone address book, etc. Why should I settle for a system that is glued onto my dash when I am paying over $40K for a premium vehicle. GM just plain got it wrong on an important safety and convenience feature. Why? To try to force some extra business for its OnStar business?
I didn't say that these SUVs were the best out there. They were (almost) good enough to bring my $$ back to a USA product - which I would prefer to do. For now, these products fall short.
Also, let's hope that the premium interior of the Enclave will be combined with a better sportier ride like the Acadia supposedly has. My MDX is such a surprisingly good handling ride for a large SUV. My Lexus RX-350 on the other hand is BORING. Buick, please don't copy the Lexus - take the competition up to the next level. Give us top notch luxury AND handling. There are people out here that would love to buy that combination !!
Oh, and while you're at it - please lose some of the Enclave chrome and give those of us under 65 us a sportier look. Thank you.
GM sent me a thing saying if you have Verizon you can add the onstar phone as a second phone for $9.95 per month.
Don't forget that you have to renew OnStar every year for the service to work, at a minimum price of $17/month if I recall. So basically you pay a little under $30/month for something that could be free. And that $30 is only true if you have Verizon as your carrier: if you don't, I assume that you have to get a full fledged plan (the cheapest is near $40/month), then add on $17/month for onstar, so basically almost $60/month. And of course, there is a one year commitment once you sign up...
Aftermarket BT is an insult. You can't compare it to a well integrated system, especially those that are integrated with the touchsreen and your cell phone address book, etc. Why should I settle for a system that is glued onto my dash when I am paying over $40K for a premium vehicle. "
Good bluetooth system don't need to "glue onto your dash". And they offer quality voice dialing which can easily access your phone book - without taking your eyes off the road to touch a screen
A reporter is hoping to talk with consumers who have participated in Saturn’s “Side-by-Side-by-Side” test drive program.
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com before 4pm Eastern on Friday, August 3 with your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience.
Had the unexpected pleasure of driving a rented Acadia for 9 days last week. Rented from Alamo and had reserved a Trailblazer (got a smokin' deal) and when I went to pick it up I wound up with Acadia. Great start to the vacation. When I brought it home, I started playing around with all the buttons on the console and evidently hit the override for the power hatch. Took me about 2 hours to figure out that I musta did something, but no idea which button it was. Pulled out the owners manual (all 554 pages of it) and finally got the power hatch to work again remotely.
Anyway, put on about 600 miles altogether and I must say it rides very nicely. I put in 39psi in the tires as I had the thing fully packed and the kids in the 2nd row. Handled great. Everything that has been said before here is true. Tranny hunts for gears sometimes, and the reflection off the chrome is somewhat annoying but not anything that's a showstopper. I found the reflection of the chrome in the sideview mirrors more annoying. Very comfortable driving position (although that did take some work to find), and could put adults in 3rd row for running around without much hassle.The rear sensors are a must. They're well worth the expense.XM radio was cool as the radio does fade out fairly easily.Couldn't figure out until halfway home why the station kept changing, until I realized I kept hitting the button on the steering wheel to change it(that's where my right hand is usually on the wheel). Had car seats in second row and I could fit between them and could ride an hour or two there if I had to (6ft and 36 inch waist). Road noise was there but not intrusive. Didn't feel quite as big as it actually is.
Coming home had again fully packed and had the cruise set at 75 and was averaging 22.4 according to the computer. This went down about 1.5 when got back into 'traffic'. There is definitely a significant dropoff if you're varying the speed (i.e. one minute you're doing 70 and the next you're doing 50, then back to 70 again). Around town or in heavy traffic, I can see 15-17 being the norm. This is more like a tank than a jeep when it comes to inertia:). Driving style definitely plays a role, and to those that complain I can only say, you may not realize how your style is affecting your MPG (don't shoot the messenger).
All in all GM definitely has a winner on it's hands. Although to me, the interior isn't as refined as say Sienna or Odyssey, it's not bad. It's no Lexus, but it's not the old GM tin can either. For the money (I figure MSRP on the model I drove is about 37K), I believe it's a good value. There is no nirvana when it comes to CUV/SUV but this is a good combination of legit 7 adult seating, cargo space, fuel economy and overall performance. Long term reliability will be the true barometer of how well this vehicle sells overall. If it's turns out to be anything resembling historical Toyota/Honda (forget the last year or two of their 'issues') I believe GM will survive long term as long as they carryover their lessons learned with this vehicle and incorporate into their other models (I think they have already with Impala, Tahoe). As with all things, there is no universal truth. This is just my humble opinion and I'm sticking to it :shades:
Now they have to convince more Americans that, indeed the fiascos of the 80's and 90's are history and they've really changed their ways. I'm in the market for a vehicle, and while I may wind up with a Sienna anyway (for other personal needs), this vehicle is definitely in the running for someone who hasn't owned an American car since '91.
Now they have to convince more Americans that, indeed the fiascos of the 80's and 90's are history and they've really changed their ways. I'm in the market for a vehicle and while I may wind up with a Sienna anyway ( for other personal needs ), this vehicle is definitely in the running for someone who hasn't owned an American car since '91. :confuse:
Wow! What a ringing endorsement for American cars. However the bottom line is that the American car Manufactures don't meet his personal needs so he probably is going to buy a Toyota. That pretty much says it all doesn't it. :shades:
Wow! What a ringing endorsement for American cars. However the bottom line is that the American car Manufactures don't meet his personal needs so he probably is going to buy a Toyota. That pretty much says it all doesn't it.
The guy likes the new GM CUV but needs a minivan. What does that say? That GM does not offer a minivan. Not every maker has a vehicle in every segment.
I did just read an article on the new Chrysler minivan. Better than any minivan on the market per the reporter. Suggest he tries a Chrysler minivan.
That is correct, thanks 62vetteefp. I do NEED a minivan for reasons other than the kids ( and no, I don't need to explain here why), and if I didn't, Acadia/Outlook would be my FIRST choice as Toyota/Honda doesn't offer what GM does with the lambdas. I don't feel GM offers a minivan that can compete with Toyota/Honda yet.
Chrysler may be an option; I am going to investigate before a decison is made. I kinda question their long term viability simply because of what I've been reading after Daimler bailed out, their pension liability is obscene and I don't know that they can garner enough market share to make it up. Again just my humble opinion :shades:
I do not know how long you keep your vehicles but Chrysler should be around for at least 5 years and probably quite a bit longer. They will probably downsize and become a niche player and one big niche they will have is the minivan.
Have not rode in one but it is getting good reviews.
Just a quick note about Chrysler. Bob Nardelli is now at the helm, and although Home Depot's stock holders weren't real happy with him, he did make the business much more profitable and straightened out a lot of their systemic problems. I worked at GE Transportation under Mr. Nardelli, and I can say from experience that Chrysler is in for some shaking and baking, but will be a stronger business for it.
On a more on topic note, I picked up my new Enclave a week ago and must say that even with a few small glitches, such as the occasional slight tranny hiccup, the vehicle is as smooth as silk and very well laid out for comfortable driving. Everyone who's been in it for a ride or has gotten a close up look has been duly impressed with it's design and features. If reliability is strong, GM has a real winner.
Did you buy "off the lot" or was this an ordered vehicle. If ordered what was your wait time? Mine has been on order since 21 May with no defined delivery day yet.
Well if good old Nardelli can make cars that people want to buy, then Chrysler should do okay--and he's got a blank slate because nothing that Chrysler makes appeals to me right now (in terms of crossovers). I'm sure he'll focus on cost cutting (he's good at reaming 6-sigma in places where he shouldn't), but they really need new cars, man! That should be the main focus.
I own an Enclave CX 2WD,and have driven it 3200 miles. I haven’t found the need for Bluetooth. However, others may find it useful to phone GM engineers, while driving, to discuss several design “features”. For example: with the cruise control on or off, at 50 to 70 mph in sixth gear at a minimum increase in grade, the transmission downshifts to fourth or fifth (you’ll hear it) causing the engine RPM’s to increase about 1500. You can usually eliminate most of the downshifts by increasing speed about 2 to 3 mph before the bottom of the grade and keeping this speed until reaching the top of the grade; it takes a little practice. Did the engineers only use a flat track to test the transmission? The top of the dashboard reflects in the windshield; ask the engineer if there is a coating available that will eliminate the reflection. The second-row bench seat can’t comfortably accommodate 3 small to medium size adults. The middle person must fit between the seat belt receivers that are spaced 11-1/2 inches apart. I’m 5 foot 7 and weigh 130 pounds and that’s an uncomfortable fit for me. The person on the drivers side is jammed against the person in the middle, however the person on the passenger side is the only one that has a comfortable seat. If you think that 3 adults are uncomfortable in the second row wait until you try to fit them in the third row. We rarely have more than the two of us in the car so we’re not too bothered by this but its something to discuss with the people that wrote the outlandish seating descriptions in the glossy Enclave brochure. Since the initial 3200 miles have been about 95% at highway speeds the MPG (actual, not computer generated from the Driver Information Center) has varied between 21 and 25. I like the exterior design of the Enclave, it has more curves than the Outlook and the Acadia. It has no rattles or squeaks; the ride is smooth, the Xenon headlights really light up the road, the interior is quiet, the interior temperature controls are effective, the MPG are OK, and the engine is strong. If anyone is considering buying an Enclave, Outlook, or Acadia, I would suggest test driving the car at least 15 miles on the roads of your choice, not the salespersons.
As one who has paid dearly for being foolish enough to trust GM and buying a brand new 2000 Montana Van(after being burned badly with a 2000 Caprice Classic)I wonder why anybody would serioulsy consider buying an Acadia, Enclave or Saturn despite the reviews heralding a "new age" for GM. Give these models at least three years to see if GM really has "cleaned up" their act and are serious in building quality and reliable vehicles and not relying on marketing hype and "friendly" car reviewers.
Personally I just purchased a 2008 Highlander Ltd as I had to "dump" my 2000 Montana before more serious problems developed after being "babied" for 80,000 miles. I could not even bring myself to look at the GM Lambada crossovers (especially first year models). Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, fool me three times shame on __?
I have had cruise control on cars for about 25 years. Every car seems to be the same as far as your complaint goes, that is, that the car might downshift while going up a hill at 60 or above. The control module can't forsee the degree of climb or the length of climb. To eliminate the glare from the dashboard, Armor All makes a "matte" finish. Try it, it works. As for the seating capacity, I have always tried the rear and middle seats first. All front seats should be comfortable, but not so with the rear. I once bought a '75 Toyota station wagon without sitting in the back first. My children hated that car because there was no legroom in the back seat. I had to get rid of it after only one year. The lesson is plain...try before you buy!
I bought off the lot, or should I say off the truck. I don't know how things are in the rest of the country, but on the north shore of Pennsylvania the Lambdas are moving real fast. My sales professional told me order times are not an exact science, and trades with other dealers are very hard to come by. The one I bought wasn't exactly the way I would have ordered it, but really close, and at a decent price with the GM suppliers discount. I guess it's a function of how much you want the vehicle and how picky you are about the build, but I wanted the AWD before the next demanding lake effect snowy winter gets under way here. Did I say "WINTER"?
Thanks for the reply. I ordered AWD with the 8 passenger seating. When I look on the buick.com web site and try to loacte anything similar the sticking point seems to be the 8 passenger seating. I am in the NW corner of SC and cannot find an AWD with 8 passenger seating even if I look as far away as St. Louis MO.
I know what you mean. I looked for an Acadia and never saw an 8 passenger AWD. When I saw the Enclave AWD with 8 passenger I couldn't get my checkbook out fast enough. I like the looks and interior style of the Enclave a lot more than the Acadia. My sales pro told me he could have made more selling it to another dealer than to me with the GM supplier discount. GM is having a hard time keeping up with the demand. I hope it doesn't effect the quality. Good luck with your order. A wise man once said "All good things come to those with patience." You'll love yours when you get it, I'm sure!
Hmmm, Canuck.....we own a 1999 Pontiac Montana Van with 122K miles on it (bought brand new) AND a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am GT with 145K miles (also bought brand new). These vehicles have been VERY reliable and well built automobiles. We have spent less in repair costs on both these cars COMBINED compared to my father-in-law's Honda! Other than the plasticky interior(which GM has done a FINE job of improving on these new Lamdbdas) I would put those two cars up against ANYTHING from Japan, Korea or Germany with similar miles and will bet that the GMs will win out in reliability every time!
Correction to my posting. It was a 1990 Caprice Classic purchased new in 1990 and not a 2000. The Caprice Classic was discontinued by GM in 1995. The 1990 Caprice Classic was a redesign by GM.
You silly people and your bluetooth hang-ups.....you really should see a dentist about this. How about this novel idea: "A car is NOT a place to TALK ON THE PHONE! - SHUT UP AND DRIVE!" If the availability/no availability of a telephone interface would keep you from buying one of the most excellent vehicles in its class....then you should really get a life!
We ordered an Enclave before they came out and we just test drove one for the first time this week. I can understand anyone's hesitance in buying a newly created car, but for the past decade or so Buick reliability (JD Power) is better than Toyota, Nissan, Acura and most other brands, so we're really not worried about the Enclave being problematic. We love this car it drives awesome!
You know...of all the things I truly love about this crossover from Saturn, the one thing I wish they did have...reclining 2nd row seats. Now THAT...would be a nice feature!!!
Going to order an Enclave soon undecided on color only seen Cocoa,Platinum and Red Jewel is there any pictures of the other colors out there on the web.
Comments
3RD ZONE -> I am one of those guys that often takes the approach that reading the manual is the last option - as I should just be able to figure it out. But I have to say that the 3rd zone climate control had me stumped. On my old minivan, I could control the temp and fan speed for the 3rd zone from the head unit. I also had the option of allowing the 2nd row passengers to set their own settings. In the Enclave, it seemed there was no way to make the 3rd zone follow the same settings as the driver/passenger zone. Then I read the manual! It seems that the label on the head unit is AUX. Turning that on set the 3rd zone to follow the driver/passenger. Just thought I would share that info, as the AUX label was not very clear to me.
EASY EXIT SEAT -> Now I have read the manual on this, but can’t find anything. To me, the Easy Exit Seat position is too far back and takes much too long to get there. It seems like it goes back 6+ inches and takes 4+ seconds. My wife's Nissan Murano goes back 2-3 inches and takes 1-2 seconds - feels just right. I am just looking for a little extra room - nothing huge. I don’t see anyway to change the position setting for the Easy Exit Seat. I tried holding down the Easy Exit Seat button for a few seconds, like the way I do to set seat positions for driver1 or driver2, but that just activates the move to the Easy Exit Seat position. Does anyone know if there is a way to set/reset the actual position of the Easy Exit Seat position?
Anyway, they had 3 Enclaves that they could sell so I ended up buying one off the showroom floor, a CXL Platinum Metallic with everything except navigation, including 19" chrome wheels & love it! Really a solid feel & loaded with enough bells & whistles that will make you refer to the manual many times, something I never used to do.
The plant, which employs about 2,800 hourly workers, makes the eight-passenger crossover vehicles which came out in April. Sales of all three took off in June, GM said, with dealer orders for the Buick seven times more than the plant could produce on two shifts.
"There are places in the country that dealers haven't even seen one yet," said Pete Nico, GM's vehicle line director for the crossovers. "The trucks are pulling in, and the customers are walking away with them. When dealers do see a shipment arrive, they don't have anything to leave on their lots."
Sales of crossovers, which have sport utility vehicle attributes but are built on more fuel efficient car underpinnings, are growing rapidly as the market shifts away from gas-guzzling truck-based vehicles.
OnStar is no replacement for bluetooth, that's for sure. There's no chance in hell I'm paying a monthly fee for Onstar, then another monthly fee for a Verizon phone, so that my wife can make occasional calls when she's driving.
So far I have used 20 of the 30 free minutes included with Onstar. I am thinking about coughing up the extra cash to attach the onstar with my verizon account, but it is going to cost me another $25/moth. Disappointing, definately. But other than the missing bluetooth, I must say that I love my new Enclave CXL AWD. It drives great, has lots of toys (well, other than bluetooth) and it looks great!
I didn't say that these SUVs were the best out there. They were (almost) good enough to bring my $$ back to a USA product - which I would prefer to do. For now, these products fall short.
Also, let's hope that the premium interior of the Enclave will be combined with a better sportier ride like the Acadia supposedly has. My MDX is such a surprisingly good handling ride for a large SUV. My Lexus RX-350 on the other hand is BORING. Buick, please don't copy the Lexus - take the competition up to the next level. Give us top notch luxury AND handling. There are people out here that would love to buy that combination !!
Oh, and while you're at it - please lose some of the Enclave chrome and give those of us under 65 us a sportier look. Thank you.
The redesigned Toyota Highlander has bluetooth AND 2nd row captains chairs! Go trade in your Enclave!
Just kidding...the Enclave is probably a better bargain than the Toyota right now (and the Enclave is roomier!)
Don't forget that you have to renew OnStar every year for the service to work, at a minimum price of $17/month if I recall. So basically you pay a little under $30/month for something that could be free. And that $30 is only true if you have Verizon as your carrier: if you don't, I assume that you have to get a full fledged plan (the cheapest is near $40/month), then add on $17/month for onstar, so basically almost $60/month. And of course, there is a one year commitment once you sign up...
Rip-off, imo...
Good bluetooth system don't need to "glue onto your dash". And they offer quality voice dialing which can easily access your phone book - without taking your eyes off the road to touch a screen
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com before 4pm Eastern on Friday, August 3 with your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience.
Pulled out the owners manual (all 554 pages of it) and finally got the power hatch to work again remotely.
Anyway, put on about 600 miles altogether and I must say it rides very nicely. I put in 39psi in the tires as I had the thing fully packed and the kids in the 2nd row. Handled great. Everything that has been said before here is true. Tranny hunts for gears sometimes, and the reflection off the chrome is somewhat annoying but not anything that's a showstopper. I found the reflection of the chrome in the sideview mirrors more annoying. Very comfortable driving position (although that did take some work to find), and could put adults in 3rd row for running around without much hassle.The rear sensors are a must. They're well worth the expense.XM radio was cool as the radio does fade out fairly easily.Couldn't figure out until halfway home why the station kept changing, until I realized I kept hitting the button on the steering wheel to change it(that's where my right hand is usually on the wheel). Had car seats in second row and I could fit between them and could ride an hour or two there if I had to (6ft and 36 inch waist). Road noise was there but not intrusive. Didn't feel quite as big as it actually is.
Coming home had again fully packed and had the cruise set at 75 and was averaging 22.4 according to the computer. This went down about 1.5 when got back into 'traffic'. There is definitely a significant dropoff if you're varying the speed (i.e. one minute you're doing 70 and the next you're doing 50, then back to 70 again). Around town or in heavy traffic, I can see 15-17 being the norm. This is more like a tank than a jeep when it comes to inertia:). Driving style definitely plays a role, and to those that complain I can only say, you may not realize how your style is affecting your MPG (don't shoot the messenger).
All in all GM definitely has a winner on it's hands. Although to me, the interior isn't as refined as say Sienna or Odyssey, it's not bad. It's no Lexus, but it's not the old GM tin can either. For the money (I figure MSRP on the model I drove is about 37K), I believe it's a good value. There is no nirvana when it comes to CUV/SUV but this is a good combination of legit 7 adult seating, cargo space, fuel economy and overall performance. Long term reliability will be the true barometer of how well this vehicle sells overall. If it's turns out to be anything resembling historical Toyota/Honda (forget the last year or two of their 'issues') I believe GM will survive long term as long as they carryover their lessons learned with this vehicle and incorporate into their other models (I think they have already with Impala, Tahoe). As with all things, there is no universal truth. This is just my humble opinion and I'm sticking to it :shades:
Now they have to convince more Americans that, indeed the fiascos of the 80's and 90's are history and they've really changed their ways. I'm in the market for a vehicle, and while I may wind up with a Sienna anyway (for other personal needs), this vehicle is definitely in the running for someone who hasn't owned an American car since
'91.
Cheers,
metmdx
Wow! What a ringing endorsement for American cars. However the bottom line is that the American car Manufactures don't meet his personal needs so he probably is going to buy a Toyota. That pretty much says it all doesn't it. :shades:
The guy likes the new GM CUV but needs a minivan. What does that say? That GM does not offer a minivan. Not every maker has a vehicle in every segment.
I did just read an article on the new Chrysler minivan. Better than any minivan on the market per the reporter. Suggest he tries a Chrysler minivan.
Chrysler may be an option; I am going to investigate before a decison is made. I kinda question their long term viability simply because of what I've been reading after Daimler bailed out, their pension liability is obscene and I don't know that they can garner enough market share to make it up. Again just my humble opinion :shades:
Thanks for your support 62!
metmdx
Have not rode in one but it is getting good reviews.
On a more on topic note, I picked up my new Enclave a week ago and must say that even with a few small glitches, such as the occasional slight tranny hiccup, the vehicle is as smooth as silk and very well laid out for comfortable driving. Everyone who's been in it for a ride or has gotten a close up look has been duly impressed with it's design and features. If reliability is strong, GM has a real winner.
The top of the dashboard reflects in the windshield; ask the engineer if there is a coating available that will eliminate the reflection.
The second-row bench seat can’t comfortably accommodate 3 small to medium size adults. The middle person must fit between the seat belt receivers that are spaced 11-1/2 inches apart. I’m 5 foot 7 and weigh 130 pounds and that’s an uncomfortable fit for me. The person on the drivers side is jammed against the person in the middle, however the person on the passenger side is the only one that has a comfortable seat. If you think that 3 adults are uncomfortable in the second row wait until you try to fit them in the third row. We rarely have more than the two of us in the car so we’re not too bothered by this but its something to discuss with the people that wrote the outlandish seating descriptions in the glossy Enclave brochure.
Since the initial 3200 miles have been about 95% at highway speeds the MPG (actual, not computer generated from the Driver Information Center) has varied between 21 and 25.
I like the exterior design of the Enclave, it has more curves than the Outlook and the Acadia. It has no rattles or squeaks; the ride is smooth, the Xenon headlights really light up the road, the interior is quiet, the interior temperature controls are effective, the MPG are OK, and the engine is strong.
If anyone is considering buying an Enclave, Outlook, or Acadia, I would suggest test driving the car at least 15 miles on the roads of your choice, not the salespersons.
Personally I just purchased a 2008 Highlander Ltd as I had to "dump" my 2000 Montana before more serious problems developed after being "babied" for 80,000 miles. I could not even bring myself to look at the GM Lambada crossovers (especially first year models). Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, fool me three times shame on __?
Regards Canuck 17.
To eliminate the glare from the dashboard, Armor All makes a "matte" finish. Try it, it works.
As for the seating capacity, I have always tried the rear and middle seats first. All front seats should be comfortable, but not so with the rear. I once bought a '75 Toyota station wagon without sitting in the back first. My children hated that car because there was no legroom in the back seat. I had to get rid of it after only one year. The lesson is plain...try before you buy!
My sales pro told me he could have made more selling it to another dealer than to me with the GM supplier discount. GM is having a hard time keeping up with the demand. I hope it doesn't effect the quality. Good luck with your order. A wise man once said "All good things come to those with patience."
You'll love yours when you get it, I'm sure!
Canuck 17.
If the price was $1000 under invoice, then that may be a fair price.