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Comments
Today GE has nearly $30 billion dollars in it's pension fund and it makes money thus leaving no further pension liability's for the company over the last "X" number of years.
Rocky
P.S.
riposte, Thanks for taking notice at the obvious. :surprise:
And still thinking about the CTS. Those without the lumbar support seats are not so comfortable. And the used prices still seem steep. Once the big model change comes for the 2008, the older style will suffer a little bit of price slump, which is a good thing for buyers. CTS, in its classic form may be better anyway. Yeah, I know strange looking interior. But then again, I have seen, heck owned worse, I think. I could get a fine looking Camaro Z28 in red, but I don't know. They have a couple of quirks.
May just wait and trade in my current car and get another new car. If it didn't kill my back, I still kinda like the Tiburon. I guess the closest in the GM line is the G6 coupe, but the price goes up by the time you get the GTP. I did not want the electric assist steering one in the G6 line. Yes, I know the Monte depreciates rapidly. And last year I looked at a one year old rental return for $12,995, but thought hummm, perhaps not a good idea. Another dealer, during the fire sale months, had one for $20K out-the-door pricing, which wasn't too bad. Is the car really fun to drive though? Sort of decent cruiser, and handles the sweeper curves OK, but I don't know if it is me or not. Fusion, Altima and Sonata, would be on my sedan list. But I would like to get a coupe again. Tested a New Strange, and was not too moved by it. Maybe need another test drive without the chatty salesperson, or to try the V8. The V6 I drove seemed so-so.
Seating or view forward did not seem right, or something. And I kinda liked the old Foxbody -- yeah, call me a small minority, but it seems to me to be an honest - basic car and a Stang. Not sure I am totally into this retro - replica era thing or not. I wanted a fresh car, I guess. The new one is very good in many a way. And if you were not around to see the original, or want to relive the original years, I guess it is a way to do that. But I have been there - done that.
Now when they are working on the New Camaro, I hope they consider the size and weight, price and gas mileage. Seems like the show car was too wide, and well too much. Trim down the size and weight, so it handles well, a V6 will power it, and it get decent gas mileage. And please no electric assist steering.
-Loren
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Loren
Rocky
To many choices, eh ?
Rocky
http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060627/AUTO01/606270367/- 1148
Rocky
This is a great article and I actually agree with this journalist for once.
Rocky
Rocky
Well for now 0% might :confuse:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006606270429
Rocky
P.S.
I guess it's better than Chyrslers "employee discount" program that will leave many buyers before the incentive upside down. :surprise:
On CNN, some analysts are saying more than they anticipated and GM is going to be struggling to have enough workers fill the void at some plants. :surprise:
Rocky
P.S. we've made 6500 posts
What's a reasonable time for things to last? Well, it depends on where you are. I live in the city, so I expect my brakes to wear out a lot faster than if I lived in a rural area. If you get a lot of snow and the road crews use lots of salt, I'd pay particular attention to wheel wells, body panels, and suspension parts that would be susceptible to corrosion.
Rocky
Rocky
Rocky
Paymentsbasedon5000month50%interestonlyqualifiedidiotsapprovedpricedoesnotinclud- etheforfeitureofallyourassetsyoureternalsoulandthatofyourchildren
Rocky
Thanx pal
Lemko, are you still looking for a new vehicle ? I'd personally would wait for the 07's. Would you or you G/F consider a 08' CTS ???? I'm not sure when it's coming out for sure but some are claiming this January on forums on the net. I'm praying lemko, this could be the new car that GM built that I finally want to own. I want to support "The General" very badly. I'm still probably going to buy Grandma's 02' Aurora within' the next month. If the CTS is good enough I might pony up and get me one. I don't want to regret it when the 500 or 600 horsepowered CTS Super V comes out though. :shades:
Rocky
So that's cool you would consider a CTS :shades:
Rocky
Rocky
Rocky
I haven't seen the appliance NASCAR and it's ashame that Toyota would use this car to represent the company. It has no muscle car heritage to belong on the track IMO.
I haven't followed NASCAR to close since Dale Earnhardt died. I wrote a reply on the Detroit Free Press column about GM and it's buyouts. I'll have to check the Autoweek site to see the Camry NASCAR. :surprise:
Hopefully lemko, the CTS will atleast deliver the goods this go around. It needs to be more than just a fancy interior, but rather a car that features the latest innovations that technology has to offer.
Rocky
The guys who spent their days building Bel Airs and Star Chiefs weren't driving home from the plant in Fleetwoods. Cadillacs were cars for the wealthy until GM's ineptitude homogenized them into pseudo-luxury corporatemobiles in the '80s and '90s, and destroyed their cachet in the process.
Rocky
Rocky
P.S. The 80's Cadillacs were yuck, but in the early 90's they were "the standard of the world" for a few years.
"am I really getting the best value for my dollar" ???? This mentality needs to disappear at GM if they want to survive and some of those key features are going to be items customers might of liked enough to buy it in the first place :sick:
Rocky
As for early '90s Cadillacs, they were only the Standard of the World where "the world" consisted of Detroit and its environs. Anywhere outside of there, a Cadillac could be easily shamed by any Mercedes or BMW, or by an LS400 or Q45.
My grandfather has always had nice vehicles. He had his late seventies Cadillac when I was like 2 yrs. old. He baught her new and my grandma has photo's of me in front of it on our way out to see my Great Aunt in Boise Idaho. He would of been in his mid 40's then.
As for early '90s Cadillacs, they were only the Standard of the World where "the world" consisted of Detroit and its environs.
What are you talking about ? The New Seville in 1992' had the most advanced engine to date called Northstar derived from the (ZR-1 Corvette LT-5) and the Seville, had every premium item to date. I believe it was Motor Trend car of the year (if my memory is working right) and Motor Trend said something to the fact that the "Standard of the World" has returned to Cadillac.
Anywhere outside of there, a Cadillac could be easily shamed by any Mercedes or BMW, or by an LS400 or Q45.
Those vehicles you mentioned weren't even icons yet in the early 90's. They also had quality and electronic nannies that didn't get worked out until the mid-late 90's. BMW in the early 90's was far from the "Ultimate Driving Machine" and it wasn't until the 95' E36 M3 arrived when BMW got it's street cred. :P
Rocky
"Standard of the World" was meaningful in the early days of the autoindustry and by the 1950's was a meaningless advertising scheme.
In the 80's BMW was recognized as the "sports sedan" builder and BMW's became the "got to have one" kind of car. In fact Automobile's chief editor, Lindamood, liked the BMW 2002 series.
Rocky
Rocky
I had tires of that same kind back in the 80s. Their ad was "One day you'll own Generals." I had one set on a new car I bought and they were the worst for problems and quality; so I agreed that it was only going to be _one_ day that I'd own that brand and only ONE time. Swore I'd never buy them again.
Same held true for th BMWs of that era unless you were a complete devotee and willing to put up with all the quirks and financial requirements for owning one.
Recently I rode to Cinci a couple of times in an x3, and I wasn't as impressed by ride, engine noise, and finish as I thought I would have been. Five-speed auto seemed to shift strangely for the driver also. But the owner seemed happy with the car.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Sorry, but the Q45 had more hp three years before the Northstar hit the street (and had variable valve timing a decade before Cadillac did, and rear steering for 1991 which Cadillac still doesn't have).
I believe it was Motor Trend car of the year (if my memory is working right) and Motor Trend said something to the fact that the "Standard of the World" has returned to Cadillac.
The Seville was for 1992 (between the Caprice and Probe :surprise: ), only because they still had an "Import Car of the Year" award, which the SC400 took that year.
They also had quality and electronic nannies that didn't get worked out until the mid-late 90's.
True, but Cadillac was hardly immune from that. The early Northstars were notorious oil eaters.
BMW in the early 90's was far from the "Ultimate Driving Machine" and it wasn't until the 95' E36 M3 arrived when BMW got it's street cred.
Actually, they were focused driving machines even then. They just didn't flog it in their advertising until later on in the decade.
What are you talking about more horsepower ? The Q45 didn't make 295 hp. like the Northstar. It made 278 hp. :confuse:
Yeah it had rear steering which I'm a fan of but it also had problems with the technology just like Dodge and Mitsubishi. They do got it down now though.
The Seville was for 1992 (between the Caprice and Probe ), only because they still had an "Import Car of the Year" award, which the SC400 took that year.
I'll give Lexus it's props on the import car of the year award. The SC 400 was nice.
True, but Cadillac was hardly immune from that. The early Northstars were notorious oil eaters. Yeah some had some engine problems like eating oil and head gaskets. Thankfully these problems were pretty much non-existent on the 95+ years.
Actually, they were focused driving machines even then. They just didn't flog it in their advertising until later on in the decade.
What BMW was a driving machine in the 80 and early 90's ???? I remember as a kid the car to have was a Audi Quattro A 200 and latter a S4. Not until BMW came up with the E36 M3 that they took the crown as "ultimate driving machine" which appears they are going to lose very soon with all these new models from it's competitors.
Even the BMW biased gear heads at Motor Trend took notice. :P
Rocky
The optimal solution is to buy a couple of years used or better yet, wait one year and a couple of months and get a three year old Buick Lucerne CXS.
Drives like a Cadillac. Costs a whole lot less. I can live without the interior and bling, considering the car won't even cost me $20K.
"GM: Best used cars in the industry"
Not exactly the slogan GM is looking for, but as a consumer, their problems mean a factory-certified car at silly low prices every time.
I have an idea - how about we come up with a few slogans for GM's marketing people to use to explain this fact of life?
Rocky
Drives like a Cadillac. Costs a whole lot less. I can live without the interior and bling, considering the car won't even cost me $20K.
Drives like a Cadillac might not be a good trait.
August iss of CR talked about clumsy handling, poor braking of Caddy DTS. There were other issues such as tilt steering wheel tilting in coarse increments and no telescope feature. Seats lacked support for long trips. And, on and on.
GM and Cadillac still don't get it. Upstart Hyundai Azera rates higher with better product. So did Ford 500. DTS did beat out 9 other tested models, 8 being US brands and the other a KIA.
In large sedan test by CR, Avalon (33K) was first, Azera (30K) was second, Ford 500 (27K) was third and DTS (47K) was fourth. Lucerne (30K) was tenth.
Seems like best buys are Azera, Ford and Avalon. Why wait for a used DTS (or Lucerne) for a year or two when you can have a better performing and better quality brand new car such as Avalon or Azera right now for a reasonable purchase price.
Think that there might have been some prestige about owning/aspiring to a Caddy many decades ago from what I hear from relatives. But, not today, except for maybe some golden seniors in their 80's. Think that most people today are more conscious of value and reliability, are better informed and keep open minds.
Naah, that was the "official" rating thanks to the Japanese horsepower limitation of the time. Nissan never bothered to rerate it for the US market. The original VH45DE put out right around 300hp in stock trim.
Buddy had a Q45 and we drag raced pal. You already should know the results.
What year and what did you run him with? The early Q's had that dumb 2nd-gear start which killed the 0-60 time, and the later Cima-based Q only had a 4.1L V8 and was about a second slower than the President-based Q.
What BMW was a driving machine in the 80 and early 90's ????
All of 'em (except that goofy 318 hatchback). They just didn't have the horsepower to put the fear of God into anybody before the mid-90s.
Looks as though GM has more buyouts than it though it would, at a faster pace.
Sorry if this is off-topic. But am wondering now that GM has these buyouts, will this allow them to right the ship, or are they turning right into an iceberg. :confuse:
-Loren
Very true statement.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
If your family worked for the Powertrain division, then they may have worked on the northstar. However, I think the northstar was not based on any previous design, but rather was an all new design based on the collective abilities that the Powertrain engineers had. Certainly previous engine designs were influential.