I don't like that Maxima at all...the cloth/pseudosuede insert will undoubtedly wear poorly, and the rest of it has an artificial look, cheap avant-garde.
The Caddy conjures up images of a long drive with the grandparents, stuck in the back seat, bored, starting to pick away at the plastichrome...
Actually it's not a Lucerne. One's an older leSabre Limited, 2004 IIRC. If a Lucerne I would have looked for a 2007 Camry or newer Avalon model. I tried to find good pictures on Ebay. You're welcome to post your finds as well. I don't keep up on which models of Camry Accord, Maxima, sell the greater number. There is no attempt to slant comparison--I'm interested in the continual hard plastic vs soft plastic stereotypes.
The driver's temp control is on the steering wheel and on the dash. The seat heater switch cycles between high, low, and off. Scattering the passenger control means the passenger can easily change their setting without even moving their arm from the armrest.
The door lock is electrical. The rocker with the red dot is the manual lock.
might gross some of y'all out, but I think this is a nice looking door panel.
Now in all fairness, some of the ergonomics are less than perfect. For example, I'd like to see the red and white lights moved further toward the back of the door, which I think would make them more visible. And I think there should be a place in the armrest itself to grab the door, and not just rely on the pull-handle that's built into the plood. At least this type of handle looks like the type that won't pull off easily. And the screws as either end that hold down the vinyl look a little low rent, but I think that when you close the door they get hidden by the dash up front and the door opening trim in the back.
And as for hard plastics, other than the plood, I don't think this door panel had any. IIRC, the lower part, which has the armrest incorporated into it, is a soft-touch plastic. Then, the upper part is a thickly padded vinyl with an even thicker, pillowy cordurouy insert. MMMM, yummy! Okay, who wants to pile in and go to the roller disco with me? :shades:
'75 Electra actually. A Limited, I think. Around that timeframe I really liked the Electra and Olds Ninety Eight interiors. They seemed classy and upscale to me, while the Cadillac almost went over the top and became a bit too pimpy. The Olds back then struck me as conservative yet handsome, while the Buick was a bit more sporty, in a big-car sort of way.
Back then if you got a top-level LeSabre or Delta 88, they had pretty nice interiors too.
Is this a 7th gen Accord? The door handle and the cubby design look like an evolution of both my 98' and 02' models. And if I am correct, the top portion of the panel, the dark gray part is soft plactic and the cloth fabric is very durable from my experience. I like the recessed switches rather than the separate assembly that snaps on to the top. Very nice IMO.
Actually, seeing those 70's Caddies in the cloth patterns, I think it tones down the pimpiness a bit. I especially like the Fleetwood Talisman, although the idea of something that big that can only seat 4 people is just sooo politically incorrect!
I like that ribbed D'Elegance seat pattern, too. However, one thing I don't like is the material on the door panel, which surrounds the plood. I recall it being this nice, soft-touch, almost leather-like padded stuff. Unfortunately it just didn't hold up, and would often take only a few years for it to split and start losing chunks, and making the car look kinda ghetto.
I think leather tended to make many of those cars in the 70's look pimpier, whereas a nice cloth pattern helped to tone it down.
I somehow like the Talisman too...maybe it's just the name. Large 4 place cars to have an appeal...MB had a rare 4 place seating option on LWB W126 in the 80s.
I don't know what year Camry that is but here is a picture of part of a 2007, couldn't find the whole door.
2007 Camry IMO GM's have always been more lavish on trim levels, and that is why I stayed with GM until 1992 and I got a Jeep in 1995 and 2000 because it suited me more than the Blazer (Jeep is more car-like for my wife to drive)and I had a neighbor who had lots of problems with his Blazer.
Fancy interiors can work against you after a certain point too. In the same day I was in a taxi Lincoln and a Camry. The Lincoln was trying to be so fancy it looked like a bordello and was too busy while the clean (and may I add very comfortable) Camry was relaxing because of it's plain but functional interior.
The Buick interior you showed there looks nice...I have seen nicer though
There are Cadillac's on Ebay from this era with pictures of the interior that look to be in very good condition. I think that the plastics that GM was using in the late 70's might have been somewhat less durable. As I recall the interior on my 71 Riviera held up quite well. My 78 Oldsmobile I don't remember too well, but the arm rests may have had some cracks. Or perhaps the 86 Electra's arm rests were cracking some.
I will say that my 2002 Seville's door plastics should hold up for sometime yet. I really think that putting storage bins in the arm rests is a nice modern touch, that the old GM models back before the 90's did not do.
I think modern interiors have gone downhill in some ways, but there are some improvements too. I think interior styling is getting better again. I would not want to return to the overstuffed interiors of the 70's.
of the interior of the infamous '77 Cutlass Supreme Brougham:
I think this was actually an option on the Brougham called "Valencia" or something like that? It's kinda wild, but I think it's cool. Imidazol97, did your Cutlass Supreme have this interior?
maybe we don't need to go back to the biggest excesses of the 70's, but could I at least have something that doesn't hurt my [non-permissible content removed] after about 20 minutes? :P
The seats in my 95 Riviera were comfortable for long trips. My Seville is also good. I have not been readjusting the postition they are in on long trips. I just get in the car, set the cruise and drive. I like a break every couple of hours, but otherwise I leave the seats where the memory puts them. In the winter I readjust when I am wearing heavy coats.
I had actually forgotten about the horn rings till that picture. I've gone to cruiseins and just never realized the evolution (downhill) of not having one.
Mine was a dark brown bottom with a tan vinyl roof (remember those folks?). The colors in the seats were different but the doors and the seats had the stripes. It was a soft velour. Easy to slide in and out over. The pillow effect on top of the brougham seats gave a little extra softness over the regular cloth seats. i
I don't recall that the seats were optional other than a part of the brougham package if you didn't get leather.
The constant mantra of a few is that GM has "hard plastics" and other (all) cars use better plastics that are somehow different. I realize that not all are the same, but I wonder if the difference is noticeable and meaningful. Do other cars actually use better plastics or it that people just like the feel better.
I see some cars when parked next to them that have cracking dashes and door panels that have deteriorated after a number of years. Is that because of saving money on the plastics that have a soft feel, whatever that comes from, or is it that they deteriorate. I've not had any GMs do that in 10 year I've kept some.
On my 1995 Riviera and the 1998 Aurora the door panels had some hard platics with a finish that was not particularly upscale. My 2002 Seville has plastic on the door panels that have a softer feel and the finish is a finer grain, so the effect is somewhat more upscale. The Aurora did have some wood trim on the doors, but then the dash platics were cheaper looking than the Riviera's.
I like #4. Padding in the right places, simple and well-organized controls, and a pleasant arrangement overall. #3 would okay without the big bulge under the armrest. #2 is dull but not offensive. #1 is the Mister Potatohead of door panels, and #5 is trying to look upscale but is an ergonomic travesty.
I also like this better than this, though they both should be somewhere between #3 and #2.
I think post #9179 should be deleted as a service to the eyes of mankind. :sick:
is okay, but not on the armrest. One thing I really hate is when they put vinyl on the door panel and try to give it that wrinkled look in a lame attempt to imitate leather. My Dad's '03 Regal has that.
My buddy's Mark V has leather on the center console padding, and I think the armrests and dash are covered in leather, as well. Now part of it can be attributed to the car being almost 30 years old, but I just don't think leather ages as well in some of those locations as it does on car seats.
Here's a summary of what we have been saying all along;
LaCrosse generates more division among our testers than most cars. All agree that no model matches Honda Accord or Toyota Camry for overall value. Some testers say the CX and CXL models suffer outdated engineering and poor road manners, and that the CXS falls short of its sporty promise. Conversely, other testers like the CX and CXL for their traditional Buick room and comfort, and the CXS for its engine and handling.
Whether or not leather is used on the door panels, the arm rests should be soft enough so that they are comfortable to lean on and the area around the arm rest (above it) should also be soft enough to be comfortable. I also think that the door panels should look good. The Rolls door panel does not look like a $300,000 door should. The lexus is OK for its price range.
"I realize that not all are the same, but I wonder if the difference is noticeable and meaningful. Do other cars actually use better plastics or it that people just like the feel better."
Perception is reality. If most people like the feel more, it probably does feel better.
Comments
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The Caddy conjures up images of a long drive with the grandparents, stuck in the back seat, bored, starting to pick away at the plastichrome...
Actually it's not a Lucerne. One's an older leSabre Limited, 2004 IIRC.
If a Lucerne I would have looked for a 2007 Camry or newer Avalon model. I tried to find good pictures on Ebay. You're welcome to post your finds as well. I don't keep up on which models of Camry Accord, Maxima, sell the greater number. There is no attempt to slant comparison--I'm interested in the continual hard plastic vs soft plastic stereotypes.
The driver's temp control is on the steering wheel and on the dash. The seat heater switch cycles between high, low, and off. Scattering the passenger control means the passenger can easily change their setting without even moving their arm from the armrest.
The door lock is electrical. The rocker with the red dot is the manual lock.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
this is a nice looking door panel.
Now in all fairness, some of the ergonomics are less than perfect. For example, I'd like to see the red and white lights moved further toward the back of the door, which I think would make them more visible. And I think there should be a place in the armrest itself to grab the door, and not just rely on the pull-handle that's built into the plood. At least this type of handle looks like the type that won't pull off easily. And the screws as either end that hold down the vinyl look a little low rent, but I think that when you close the door they get hidden by the dash up front and the door opening trim in the back.
And as for hard plastics, other than the plood, I don't think this door panel had any. IIRC, the lower part, which has the armrest incorporated into it, is a soft-touch plastic. Then, the upper part is a thickly padded vinyl with an even thicker, pillowy cordurouy insert. MMMM, yummy! Okay, who wants to pile in and go to the roller disco with me? :shades:
Love the cordurouy. I had that on a Cutlass. Only problem with cloth on door is they can pick up body oils and perspiration and darken; hard to clean.
Are those recesses in front of the power window buttons? For ashes?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
What's that chrome thing in the middle of the steering wheel? It's a circle? Haven't seen one of those in a looooong time.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
'75 Electra actually. A Limited, I think. Around that timeframe I really liked the Electra and Olds Ninety Eight interiors. They seemed classy and upscale to me, while the Cadillac almost went over the top and became a bit too pimpy. The Olds back then struck me as conservative yet handsome, while the Buick was a bit more sporty, in a big-car sort of way.
Back then if you got a top-level LeSabre or Delta 88, they had pretty nice interiors too.
#2 Toyota Camry 200 model?
#3 Toyota Avalon 2004?
#4 Honda Accord
#5 nissan Maxima 2004 SL
I can't find on Ebay the ones without year and models. I shoud have written them down.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I like that ribbed D'Elegance seat pattern, too. However, one thing I don't like is the material on the door panel, which surrounds the plood. I recall it being this nice, soft-touch, almost leather-like padded stuff. Unfortunately it just didn't hold up, and would often take only a few years for it to split and start losing chunks, and making the car look kinda ghetto.
I think leather tended to make many of those cars in the 70's look pimpier, whereas a nice cloth pattern helped to tone it down.
Could a Talisman be had with FI and airbag?
Rocky
2007 Camry
IMO GM's have always been more lavish on trim levels, and that is why I stayed with GM until 1992 and I got a Jeep in 1995 and 2000 because it suited me more than the Blazer (Jeep is more car-like for my wife to drive)and I had a neighbor who had lots of problems with his Blazer.
Fancy interiors can work against you after a certain point too. In the same day I was in a taxi Lincoln and a Camry. The Lincoln was trying to be so fancy it looked like a bordello and was too busy while the clean (and may I add very comfortable) Camry was relaxing because of it's plain but functional interior.
The Buick interior you showed there looks nice...I have seen nicer though
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I will say that my 2002 Seville's door plastics should hold up for sometime yet. I really think that putting storage bins in the arm rests is a nice modern touch, that the old GM models back before the 90's did not do.
Rocky
I think this was actually an option on the Brougham called "Valencia" or something like that? It's kinda wild, but I think it's cool. Imidazol97, did your Cutlass Supreme have this interior?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I don't recall that the seats were optional other than a part of the brougham package if you didn't get leather.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I see some cars when parked next to them that have cracking dashes and door panels that have deteriorated after a number of years. Is that because of saving money on the plastics that have a soft feel, whatever that comes from, or is it that they deteriorate. I've not had any GMs do that in 10 year I've kept some.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I also like this better than this, though they both should be somewhere between #3 and #2.
I think post #9179 should be deleted as a service to the eyes of mankind. :sick:
Heh. That's exactly what I see every day. Real wood, and lots of chrome and glass.
http://www.autorancho.com/cars/LEXUSLS4302004/big/17.jpg
I don't know if the arm rests are hard or soft plastic.
This arm rest appears to have real padding:
http://flc.ulrsystems.com/img/items/item_130_15f.jpg
back seat http://flc.ulrsystems.com/img/items/item_130_20f.jpg
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
My buddy's Mark V has leather on the center console padding, and I think the armrests and dash are covered in leather, as well. Now part of it can be attributed to the car being almost 30 years old, but I just don't think leather ages as well in some of those locations as it does on car seats.
Time to go back to the drawing board! how does a new car have squealing windows you can here from a block away? That's a shame and a disgrace!
CXL w/6-pass. seating CXS Class Average
6 6 6.1
Here's a summary of what we have been saying all along;
LaCrosse generates more division among our testers than most cars. All agree that no model matches Honda Accord or Toyota Camry for overall value. Some testers say the CX and CXL models suffer outdated engineering and poor road manners, and that the CXS falls short of its sporty promise. Conversely, other testers like the CX and CXL for their traditional Buick room and comfort, and the CXS for its engine and handling.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
But THIS #2 is ergonomically well thought out. Everything is easy to reach. I agree about #9179 though, unfortunately I just ate lunch! :sick:
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Perception is reality. If most people like the feel more, it probably does feel better.
The first panel at the bottom does look like Modern Art, something someone would pay a few million dollars for!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Lexus 136
Mercury 151
Buick 153
Cadillac 163
Complete list is at the following link:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060809/law079.html?.v=66