Did I miss the point in article about OnStar required for rebates? Why require OnStar. It should be permanently free on GM cars.
Nothing is ever free.
Personally I wouldn't want on-star and would be upset knowing I had to pay for it. The way I read the article , they are using on-star to track your milage so they know what amount your rebate is for the month.
This is still just a gimic and it probably doesn't amount to near as much total money as the previous rebates. That is unless gas hits $6. Then if it does you're screwed anyway when the year runs out and you've got a gas hog you cant't unload.
For this to be of any true value other than marketing the lock in on priced needs to be for 4 years.
Interesting pictures of the Enclave. Looks like a big Buick. Do we really need this vehicle at this time? I am trying to have an open mind but I don't like all the curves, and IMO I was never crazy about the Buick grill, but on this car it looks even worse. Looks like this :surprise: The wood trim inside looks like it is trying to be classy, trying just a little too hard. Is that an aviator clock like Chrysler and now Zepher have. There is nothing new or original here.
I would not buy a Calibre, and I agree, there are more dependable cars and better engineered cars out there. But, I think Chrysler deserves some credit for an original design, that has a fun factor, low price, and the buyers are enjoying it. I can't think of any new GM which is original, fun, or attracts a following or creates excitement. The Camaro maybe, but IMO it looks distorted and it is trying to be street smart, and not really a classic (and it has been done so many times, T-Bird, PT, Mustang). GM needs imagination and top quality to survive!
Just because others have retros doesn't mean GM shouldn't do it. GM needs the camaro back!, not as a retro, but simply as a Camaro. What they need instead of a retro HHR (sorry, I'm still stuck on this one) is a retro 55 Nomad. THAT would have sold like hotcakes and every one would recognize it. While I'm old enough to have seen one, I've never seen a 49 Surburban. I have to take their word that the 49 Surburban was as ugly as the HHR. However every body knows (and possibly likes) the 55 Nomad (or a 57 will do although the fins may not be all that safe). How about a retro 53 Chevy coupe to compete with the NEW Beatle?
Retro's need to be of something that was interesting when it was new. No one wants a retro of say an AMC Pacer (Oh there may be a few people, that's what makes the world interesting)
How about a Soltise (sp?) that actually looks like a minature 63 Stingray coupe???
The SSR is fairly cool, but way overpriced (although huge discounts can be had). My local dealer still had a 05 model on the lot beside the 06 model and can't sell either one. What if they had made it look like the 57 Fleetside Chevy truck with the fiberglass bed??? It's a nitch market to be sure, but GM could develop a frame and substructure with modern components and offer several retro bodies using the same componets except for the body. Hey that's a good idea. Are you listening GM? That might make it profitable to say build 10,000 baby vettes, 10,000 baby 55 Nomads, 10,000 53 Chevy's.... That's now a BIG market opportunity
I agree. I don't know why GM is STILL spending money on Buick. They have ran it in to the ground. No matter what they try to do for Buick, it will forever be an old person's car. However I do like it, but it just will not do what GM wants it to do. Just like the Rainier didn't. It's to bad Buick was once a good marque. The death blow IMO is getting rid of the established and well known model names. I believe GM has done that on purpose. GM it's TIME to face reality. Trim down to Chevrolet (value leader division like it originally was) GMC (upscale trucks) Cadillac (luxury of course) Rename Saturn Opal and use some of their cars. Sell SAAB BEFORE you ruin it!
I don't know why GM is STILL spending money on Buick
Perhaps they need to put the Chevy sign on the Buicks. Chevy nuts will buy anything with the sign on it. Buick has the nicest cars in the base GM lineup, but as you said it's perceived as an old persons car. So drop the name Buick, and then drop the cars Chevy makes and switch the emblems. Might go a long way to help profitability.
You will however loose all the blue hair sales without the Buick name. Need then to make a BIG Cadillac at a cheap price (no frills just the name) and all the Blue Hairs can think they are trading up next time. Remember though it has to be BIG to fool them.
I think it is the most gorgeous full size SUV/whatever out there. Unfortunately I have to buy my next vehicle in June so I will miss out. Again, styling is in the eyes of the beholder and mine love it. Sorta curvaceous like the FX's but not awkward. Exactly the size vehicle I need.
>Need then to make a BIG Cadillac at a cheap price (no frills just the name) and all the Blue Hairs can think they are trading up next time. Remember though it has to be BIG to fool them.
Now that you've insulted all the older people as dumb and easily fooled?...... what next?
You and your fellow advisory panel members have been telling us what you think about the new Enclave, and we've been listening. Your input has helped us further refine the Enclave as we move closer to production.
But we haven't just been working on the Enclave, we've been working on the Enclave website too. We've added content that many of you asked for specifically.
Visit the Enclave site to check out all of the great new content, and be sure to answer the new panel questions so we can try to make Enclave everything you've imagined a luxury SUV can be.
NEW CONTENT ON THE ENCLAVE SITE:
* Updated photo gallery * Interviews with the Enclave engineering team * New video of Enclave on the road * Actual comments from advisory panel members * New panel questions
Thanks for your input so far; we're looking forward to hearing from you again soon.
The Enclave Team
Why I posted this is because General Motors wants our/the customer input on the Buick Enclave. I'm a member of the Buick Enclave Advisory Board, and yes the GM Kool-Aid is tasting very good folks. :P I'm trying my best to "add" good input to keep the Enclave styling, content, quality, direction of future GM vehicles relavent to help give potential buyers that do want to own american made vehicles a bigger and better choice. "A GM choice" Like I said before this vehicle is under serious consideration for I and my family. If any of you are considering or have opinions on the Enclave like I did, shoot buick a e-mail. It makes me feel great that my opinion atleast is voiced and is taken under consideration for the future styling of the production vehicle.
"I need to go twist another top, on that GM Kool-Aid" :shades:
I'm not THAT old, but I can appreciate a decent, full-sized car. If Buick ever does get dumped, I hope that the Lucerne, or whatever replaces it down the road, gets transferred to Chevy or some other division. At this point, if I were going to consider any GM car, the Lucerne would probably be it.
I do like the Tiger Woods Edition Lucerne alot and hopefully that will see production where you don't have to "pray" that Tiger wins a golf tournament to win the special edition.
Yeah unfortunatley the low costs will win. I just hope GM doesn't buy there junk, and gives buisness to american suplliers that make parts here. :sick:
Just had a black Lucerne with 4 holes and chrome rims park next to me at the country market. The only problem was the front seats weren't bench, the black has to be hard to keep clean (I had a black car ONE time), and the chrome rims were blinding. Otherwise it was striking and looking great.
There is a Solstice-derived "Chevrolet Stingray" project that's been floated as a rumor, but it's supposed to be a larger V6/V8 coupe.
I've said it for a while, but I believe that whoever successfully reincarnates the 240SX is going to make a mint. GM has the parts to do it tomorrow; just design a new hatchback cabin for the Kappa platform and watch the dollars roll in.
While the Rainier's sales may not be great, they are up 35% for the year and they are selling nearly as well as the SRX, which is down 11% for the year.
I think if Buick gets some really good looking vehicles, they will sell. Many people seem to think the Lucerne is a nice looking car. Certainly it is better than the LeSabre, but that is not saying much. I always thought the LeSabre styling was designed to look dowdy compared to the Park Avenue. However, the 95 Riviera'a styling was quite good. The car was just too big for a coupe and the interior was rather plain, particularly the back seat. However, the 97 Park Avenue used some of the Riviera's styling cues, but Buick made the Park Avenue into a heavy looking sedan, which did not make the overall look attractive. It was still nicer than the LeSabre though.
Buick has had some really flashy looking concept cars. If they start building some cars with some of the concept's looks, I think significantly younger buyers will look at Buick and sales will increase.
What GM really needs to do is make each make distinct from the others. The Buick LaCrosse, for example, does offer a DOHC V6 and no V8. Styling is somewhat distinct from the Grand Prix, and much different than the Impala. I am not sure that the interior decor is what it should be for the price tag on the CXS model though. The Lucerne is not copied anywhere else, except for Cadillac.
If any of you are considering or have opinions on the Enclave like I did, shoot buick a e-mail.
The Enclave looks to me like a sharper-creased Hyundai Santa Fe (the old one), and the fender lines are completely wrong for the portholes. I don't think that's the sort of opinion Buick is looking for.
The Park A and leSabre were the same car with a slightly lengthened wheelbase and 5 inches additional on total length, some front rear bumper overhang. The sloping hood sides and fenders of the Park A made it look lower.
The leSabre was most about practicality than styling. Still serves great to load up a large trunk and haul 6 adults inside. Lucerne only hauls 5 with bucket seats in front without the bench option.
First of all, most of the LaCrosse CXS's at local dealer here are priced at $32,000. I have not looked at the LaCrosse, so I will admit that I don't know how the interior compares with either the Impala or Grand Prix. The question is whether the interior is good compared to the top of the line Camry or Avalon interior, which is in that price range.
I think the Lucerne is styling is a bit retro Japan styling of the 1990's. Which is not a bad thing, since they were doing the Euro dance back when, with the smooth Euro look theme. If the car drops somewhere around $15K its first of use, it should make a decent used car buy. Funny how the Buick names come from the refrigerated section of the supermarket. First there was Rainier Beer, then the car, and now we have Lucerne Milk and cars. Wonder if they are working on a sports car to be called the Dannon? Just a thought -Loren
Lucerne is also a large city in Switzerland. Buicks current car lines, even the trucks, are transitional models. The LaCrosse platform will soon be replaced, and I think the large FWD platform that started with the 95 Aurora/Riviera is also going to be replaced. I think over the next few years, Buick will get some new lines of vehicles.
If bought in the low $20K the resale is still going to low. In the $32K range the LaCrosse would be one of the worse dollar investments out there on the market. Base Camry interior and exterior, except for a little bump on the nose, looks pretty classy. In the GM line, Impala did get an improved interior and good refresh on the exterior to make it look like an Accord, with some extra bling-bling chrome. Not bad. Car look kind high to me, like some extra ground clearance, and you really see a lot of the mufflers in the back. Maybe this is for snow country? Really, one of GMs best looking interiors. The LaCrosse looks like something to buy used. Seems to sell really slow, so you know the resale will be pretty low. Not a bad looking smooth style, like the 90's, but so many reviewers in magazines look at this car as old hat due to the 90's and more typical Buick look. Maybe some people like it that way. Looks fine by me. Looks like a good $20K to $23K car. -Loren
Yeah, I know, but Safeway wants their name back. :P
The last rendition of the Aurora looked very classy, and modern Euro. Actually, I like it better than the Lucerne. Too bad that the look could not have been lifted on over to Buick. The Lucerne should make a wonderful used car buy. The owners don't beat up their cars, it is another version of the Caddy, and at say $15K off, priced right. And you can have a cool nickname for your baby - the Lucy :shades: A Lucy looks pretty good - sort of a modern day 90's style smoothie look. With a V8 it may be a neat car. -Loren
Well, I think the Lucerne is a good buy compared to the DTS, but then the Chrysler 300 is perhaps a better buy. In the $30-35,000 price range there is a lot of choice. I think that the LaCrosse is a bit too expensive at the top end of the line (CXS), even with the CTS engine.
However, I do think that with a decently styled line of new vehicles, Buick could become a desirable make, even to a much younger buyer. The time frame for the make-over is probably around 2010, if GM does not go chapter 7 before then.
And it looks like a cross between the Murano, Hyundai,and a Z4 Bimmer flame sided look. Looks OK. A little more style than your average SUV. Just what the world so badly needs, yet another SUV. I think Murano kinda got this wild futurist thing going on. Not bad. Only thing wrong with the Enclave is the name, and that it is a Buick. A Buick is a car. The Enclave is a Van. What next, a Cadillac SUV..... ooops, that's right, Cadillac and Porsche SUVs are already populating the planet. Next thing ya know, they will be making fire trucks, or dump trucks. Hey, maybe they could make a Buick Motorhome. Call it the Matterhorn! :P -Loren
Well, I think the Lucerne is a good buy compared to the DTS, but then the Chrysler 300 is perhaps a better buy. In the $30-35,000 price range there is a lot of choice.
Funny you'd mention that, because while I like the Lucerne, I think if I were going to get a new car, it would probably end up being a Chrysler 300. Or, more specifically, a Dodge Charger. I think the base Lucerne stacks up pretty good against a base Charger or especially a base 300, which is still stuck with the 2.7/4-speed. But further up the ranks, the Hemi just has more allure to me than the Northstar.
I do think Buick put a bit more effort into the interior materials of the Lucerne, compared to the Charger/300. And the Lucerne seems to have more usable room. Larger trunk, and a back seat that you really could put three people in. On paper the 300/Charger seem like they should have enough room back there, but that huge driveshaft hump and thin center section in the back seat make the center part uninhabitable.
The 300's interior is somewhat plain, but the price tag on the car is quite reasonable. I have looked at a 300, while I have not looked at much of anything else. The RWD is probably a better design too, except for snow, but then winter tires would fix that. I would not want the hemi due to the fuel consumption. But if one really drives the hemi so as to take advantage of the DOD, fuel consumption may be quite reasonable.
Would you trust the reliability of the Hemi DoD or any DoD engine? Haven't there already been more issues with the V8 model -- Consumer Reports thinks so.
Personally, the Charger just looks awkward. But everyone sees something different in their cars. Thus we have many styles to choose from. Well in sedans, I would say plenty of models to choose from. Not too many coupes. Large coupe there is the Monte Carlo, and that seems to be it. Maybe we are left with sport sedans, like the Mazda6 as the last of the sporty cars with a little more room inside. Then there is the Mustang. Some people really like the new one. Something about the seating position and all the plastic in that car just didn't do it for me. I thought I would like it more. The (v6) test drive was OK, but nothing special. Maybe Japanese cars have spoiled me. I owned a '65 and '85 Mustang, but now the Stang doesn't feel right. Maybe it is just me - just that day? Now I did own a Miata, and that car just screamed drive me! Test drove a Celica, and it had the feel like you could really push it. Even the Tiburon feels solid, fun driving and more richness of materials compared to the Mustang. Maybe it was the salesman talking too much, and I just did not appreciate the sound of the car enough. Since it sells so well, maybe I am just missing something. I am under 5'8" so maybe that is it, but I adjusted the seat higher. Still it looked like the dash and hood kept rising on up and I was sinking on down. Oh well, Loren
Who would have guessed the "Brokeback Mountain" demographic could be so lucrative?
Not that I hang out at the local C&W bar or anything, but I always heard that "real" cowboys wear Wranglers! Maybe GM should do a collaboration with them, instead of this pony-boy-sounding Cinch jean company? :P
Loren, I've actually been on a bit of a cheap kick/fuel economy kick lately, so if I did get a new car, at this point it would probably be a tossup between a base V-6 Charger or 4-cyl Altima.
I didn't like the Charger too much at first, but once I started seeing them in person, it's grown on me.
An Altima has good size, as in room inside, and plenty of style and HP, but what about reliability. What happened to Datsun reliability? Are Nissans holding together well? Looks like they are no longer up on top. Will an Altima be a good 3 to 7 year car? I am no longer sure of that. Now that GM cars, like the Monte Carlo are said to be tops in say a one to three year range in quality, can one also assume they are good for 3-7 yrs? How would we know. If you believe Consumer Reports data, which some doubt, and I am a little confused over from time to time, then GM in those 3 -7 years range faulter and fail compared to say Honda and Toyota. How can we know. Leap of faith?
I guess nothing ventured, is nothing gained. Maybe GM is OK now, as in Hyundai. Both look good for the latest reports, but both were questionable looking back in time.
As for the Charger, I must say on the road they look better. But the mean face, or is a painful face, some blockishness to a sporty model, and an overall feeling it is a custom job on a 300 make for some awkward transitions in style lines. I must say, at some angles it looks OK. The best was the 300M, but it is sadly gone. Maybe the bold Charger would be something fun to own. It looks different. If you cut it some slack for styling being a bit abrupt here and there, you must also cut the Monte some slack for a few quirks in styling. It too is different. While not RWD, it is a coupe. And big coupe'.
There was some effort with the Enclave and it shows big time. The details, the styling and the design is top notch. I seriously would put it on par with the lux utes from Japan, it was THAT impressive.
Only negative I could find was that it looks like it weighs a ton... or 4. But my guess is that Infiniti FX performance is not what this thing is about. Seems more like a mission simlilar to the MDX or Murano.
The Saturn Outlook was too dumbed down to be impressive IMO. But kudos to GM for the Buick.
Heck, with as short a commute as you have, you could convert the Dart into an electric car, drive that to work :shades: , and use the money you didn't spend on a Charger to fix up the rest of the herd.
I have owned lots of American built cars over the years and I liked them a lot. However, from my own experience, I would say the Asian cars and European cars offer much better value, better engineering, better handling, better looks, more fun to drive.
So, my question is; (by the way, I am neutral, I want GM to survive and I haven't had a bad experience with their cars)
1) have any of the defenders of GM actually test driven a Jetta, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, and
2) Why did you choose an American car over one of these cars? I have a theory that the defenders of GM have not actually tried one of these furrin models and so can't really compare the difference. Tell me your impressions if you have actually tried both.
I did see an Aurora with portholes on the side of the hood yesterday. Maybe that would make you happy? Naaaah.
>The last rendition of the Aurora looked very classy, and modern Euro. Actually, I like it better than the Lucerne. Too bad that the look could not have been lifted on over to Buick.
I would like a BMW wagon, but the nearest dealer is more than 300 miles from here, making a round trip to the dealer for any service a bit too far.
My present car was not something I went looking for, but my Olds salesman called saying they wanted to sell the last Cadillac from the previous model year and would I take a look.
Comments
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Nothing is ever free.
Personally I wouldn't want on-star and would be upset knowing I had to pay for it. The way I read the article , they are using on-star to track your milage so they know what amount your rebate is for the month.
This is still just a gimic and it probably doesn't amount to near as much total money as the previous rebates. That is unless gas hits $6. Then if it does you're screwed anyway when the year runs out and you've got a gas hog you cant't unload.
For this to be of any true value other than marketing the lock in on priced needs to be for 4 years.
I am trying to have an open mind but I don't like all the curves, and IMO I was never crazy about the Buick grill, but on this car it looks even worse. Looks like this :surprise:
The wood trim inside looks like it is trying to be classy, trying just a little too hard. Is that an aviator clock like Chrysler and now Zepher have. There is nothing new or original here.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
But, I think Chrysler deserves some credit for an original design, that has a fun factor, low price, and the buyers are enjoying it.
I can't think of any new GM which is original, fun, or attracts a following or creates excitement. The Camaro maybe, but IMO it looks distorted and it is trying to be street smart, and not really a classic (and it has been done so many times, T-Bird, PT, Mustang). GM needs imagination and top quality to survive!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Retro's need to be of something that was interesting when it was new. No one wants a retro of say an AMC Pacer (Oh there may be a few people, that's what makes the world interesting)
How about a Soltise (sp?) that actually looks like a minature 63 Stingray coupe???
The SSR is fairly cool, but way overpriced (although huge discounts can be had). My local dealer still had a 05 model on the lot beside the 06 model and can't sell either one. What if they had made it look like the 57 Fleetside Chevy truck with the fiberglass bed??? It's a nitch market to be sure, but GM could develop a frame and substructure with modern components and offer several retro bodies using the same componets except for the body. Hey that's a good idea. Are you listening GM? That might make it profitable to say build 10,000 baby vettes, 10,000 baby 55 Nomads, 10,000 53 Chevy's.... That's now a BIG market opportunity
Of course they are not listening!!
Perhaps they need to put the Chevy sign on the Buicks. Chevy nuts will buy anything with the sign on it. Buick has the nicest cars in the base GM lineup, but as you said it's perceived as an old persons car. So drop the name Buick, and then drop the cars Chevy makes and switch the emblems. Might go a long way to help profitability.
You will however loose all the blue hair sales without the Buick name. Need then to make a BIG Cadillac at a cheap price (no frills just the name) and all the Blue Hairs can think they are trading up next time. Remember though it has to be BIG to fool them.
Because it has the most profitable cars at GM (not including Cadillac). Old people have money. Old people spend money. It's all about profit.
Now that you've insulted all the older people as dumb and easily fooled?...... what next?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You and your fellow advisory panel members have been telling us
what you think about the new Enclave, and we've been listening.
Your input has helped us further refine the Enclave as we move
closer to production.
But we haven't just been working on the Enclave, we've been
working on the Enclave website too. We've added content that
many of you asked for specifically.
Visit the Enclave site to check out all of the great new
content, and be sure to answer the new panel questions so we can
try to make Enclave everything you've imagined a luxury SUV can
be.
NEW CONTENT ON THE ENCLAVE SITE:
* Updated photo gallery
* Interviews with the Enclave engineering team
* New video of Enclave on the road
* Actual comments from advisory panel members
* New panel questions
Thanks for your input so far; we're looking forward to hearing
from you again soon.
The Enclave Team
Why I posted this is because General Motors wants our/the customer input on the Buick Enclave. I'm a member of the Buick Enclave Advisory Board, and yes the GM Kool-Aid is tasting very good folks. :P I'm trying my best to "add" good input to keep the Enclave styling, content, quality, direction of future GM vehicles relavent to help give potential buyers that do want to own american made vehicles a bigger and better choice. "A GM choice"
"I need to go twist another top, on that GM Kool-Aid" :shades:
Rocky
Rocky
Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Rocky
HHR:
'55 Nomad:
Solstice-based Nomad concept:
There is a Solstice-derived "Chevrolet Stingray" project that's been floated as a rumor, but it's supposed to be a larger V6/V8 coupe.
I've said it for a while, but I believe that whoever successfully reincarnates the 240SX is going to make a mint. GM has the parts to do it tomorrow; just design a new hatchback cabin for the Kappa platform and watch the dollars roll in.
I think if Buick gets some really good looking vehicles, they will sell. Many people seem to think the Lucerne is a nice looking car. Certainly it is better than the LeSabre, but that is not saying much. I always thought the LeSabre styling was designed to look dowdy compared to the Park Avenue. However, the 95 Riviera'a styling was quite good. The car was just too big for a coupe and the interior was rather plain, particularly the back seat. However, the 97 Park Avenue used some of the Riviera's styling cues, but Buick made the Park Avenue into a heavy looking sedan, which did not make the overall look attractive. It was still nicer than the LeSabre though.
Buick has had some really flashy looking concept cars. If they start building some cars with some of the concept's looks, I think significantly younger buyers will look at Buick and sales will increase.
What GM really needs to do is make each make distinct from the others. The Buick LaCrosse, for example, does offer a DOHC V6 and no V8. Styling is somewhat distinct from the Grand Prix, and much different than the Impala. I am not sure that the interior decor is what it should be for the price tag on the CXS model though. The Lucerne is not copied anywhere else, except for Cadillac.
The Enclave looks to me like a sharper-creased Hyundai Santa Fe (the old one), and the fender lines are completely wrong for the portholes. I don't think that's the sort of opinion Buick is looking for.
The leSabre was most about practicality than styling. Still serves great to load up a large trunk and haul 6 adults inside. Lucerne only hauls 5 with bucket seats in front without the bench option.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
-Loren
-Loren
The last rendition of the Aurora looked very classy, and modern Euro. Actually, I like it better than the Lucerne. Too bad that the look could not have been lifted on over to Buick. The Lucerne should make a wonderful used car buy. The owners don't beat up their cars, it is another version of the Caddy, and at say $15K off, priced right. And you can have a cool nickname for your baby - the Lucy :shades: A Lucy looks pretty good - sort of a modern day 90's style smoothie look. With a V8 it may be a neat car.
-Loren
However, I do think that with a decently styled line of new vehicles, Buick could become a desirable make, even to a much younger buyer. The time frame for the make-over is probably around 2010, if GM does not go chapter 7 before then.
-Loren
http://www.cinchjeans.com/about/press/press_CinchTruck_050806.php
Ride em' Bulls with GM :P
Rocky
Funny you'd mention that, because while I like the Lucerne, I think if I were going to get a new car, it would probably end up being a Chrysler 300. Or, more specifically, a Dodge Charger. I think the base Lucerne stacks up pretty good against a base Charger or especially a base 300, which is still stuck with the 2.7/4-speed. But further up the ranks, the Hemi just has more allure to me than the Northstar.
I do think Buick put a bit more effort into the interior materials of the Lucerne, compared to the Charger/300. And the Lucerne seems to have more usable room. Larger trunk, and a back seat that you really could put three people in. On paper the 300/Charger seem like they should have enough room back there, but that huge driveshaft hump and thin center section in the back seat make the center part uninhabitable.
I wonder if the epa gas MPG is reall achievable unlike the current hybrids?
The only thing I really don't like about the Enclave is the "center stack" area on the dash. Makes me think of an old jukebox. Or Robby the Robot.
Personally, the Charger just looks awkward. But everyone sees something different in their cars. Thus we have many styles to choose from. Well in sedans, I would say plenty of models to choose from. Not too many coupes. Large coupe there is the Monte Carlo, and that seems to be it. Maybe we are left with sport sedans, like the Mazda6 as the last of the sporty cars with a little more room inside. Then there is the Mustang. Some people really like the new one. Something about the seating position and all the plastic in that car just didn't do it for me. I thought I would like it more. The (v6) test drive was OK, but nothing special. Maybe Japanese cars have spoiled me. I owned a '65 and '85 Mustang, but now the Stang doesn't feel right. Maybe it is just me - just that day? Now I did own a Miata, and that car just screamed drive me! Test drove a Celica, and it had the feel like you could really push it. Even the Tiburon feels solid, fun driving and more richness of materials compared to the Mustang. Maybe it was the salesman talking too much, and I just did not appreciate the sound of the car enough. Since it sells so well, maybe I am just missing something. I am under 5'8" so maybe that is it, but I adjusted the seat higher. Still it looked like the dash and hood kept rising on up and I was sinking on down. Oh well, Loren
Not that I hang out at the local C&W bar or anything, but I always heard that "real" cowboys wear Wranglers! Maybe GM should do a collaboration with them, instead of this pony-boy-sounding Cinch jean company? :P
I didn't like the Charger too much at first, but once I started seeing them in person, it's grown on me.
I guess nothing ventured, is nothing gained. Maybe GM is OK now, as in Hyundai. Both look good for the latest reports, but both were questionable looking back in time.
As for the Charger, I must say on the road they look better. But the mean face, or is a painful face, some blockishness to a sporty model, and an overall feeling it is a custom job on a 300 make for some awkward transitions in style lines. I must say, at some angles it looks OK. The best was the 300M, but it is sadly gone. Maybe the bold Charger would be something fun to own. It looks different. If you cut it some slack for styling being a bit abrupt here and there, you must also cut the Monte some slack for a few quirks in styling. It too is different. While not RWD, it is a coupe. And big coupe'.
-Loren
Only negative I could find was that it looks like it weighs a ton... or 4. But my guess is that Infiniti FX performance is not what this thing is about. Seems more like a mission simlilar to the MDX or Murano.
The Saturn Outlook was too dumbed down to be impressive IMO. But kudos to GM for the Buick.
For fuel and size the Monte???
So, my question is; (by the way, I am neutral, I want GM to survive and I haven't had a bad experience with their cars)
1) have any of the defenders of GM actually test driven a Jetta, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, and
2) Why did you choose an American car over one of these cars?
I have a theory that the defenders of GM have not actually tried one of these furrin models and so can't really compare the difference. Tell me your impressions if you have actually tried both.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Judge Denies GM Plea to Postpone Delphi Hearing
>The last rendition of the Aurora looked very classy, and modern Euro. Actually, I like it better than the Lucerne. Too bad that the look could not have been lifted on over to Buick.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My present car was not something I went looking for, but my Olds salesman called saying they wanted to sell the last Cadillac from the previous model year and would I take a look.