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If I bought a half-ton I'd rather go the gas route and am plenty happy with the 400 hp 6.2 V8 already scheduled for the GMT-900 1/2 ton Sierra Denali.
BTW- I just called GMC and asked if the 3/4 ton might have a Denali version. The customer service guy wasn't sure but would forward my request. He did say something to the fact that he thought he heard a Denali version being a available on the future HD's but wasn't going to confirm it since he wasn't positive.
Maybe they could bring back the Oldsmobile 350cid Diesel for half-ton trucks???
GM, has been working on a baby duramax for quite some time NV
Rocky
Rocky
Your uptake is a little slow.
sorry I honestly wasn't thinking. Sounds like a good idea anyways.
Rocky
Rocky
This is what the Aura should have been. Are you reading Rockylee?
The not-so-good news is that this car should be on sale now to shock the competition. Who knows what will happen after 9 months? There will be a new Accord, Mazda 6, Dodge Avenger at that time, new powertrains for the fusion. Let's just hope the Malibu does not grow old and ordinary before it goes on sale.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/Vehicle_Reviews/Sedans_Coupes_and_Hatchbacks/200- - 8_Chevrolet_Malibu_Preview.S180.A11645.html
The real good news is that it sounds like it has stepped up in size to the Camry/Accord. Hopefully the interior is as large. Increased wheelbase over Camry should give it more backseat legroom.
Just proves taht the next gen Impala will be something different than what it is today: RWD and larger.
There was a question at one time about a one piece front end. The fascia does sweep back to the wheelwell just aft of the headlamps so no one piece. Short fenders though!
The Aura will also get the 4-cyl/6-speed combo also. I however like the 08' Malibu a little better because it's more of a accord fighter while the Aura is more along the lines of Camry.
Rocky
I'm a balla, shock collar, 20-inch blades on the 09' Impala. :shades:
V8 power and Smokin' RWD rubber on the "Big Body" Impala. :shades:
Rocky
I would not be so sure. Hopefully there will be an economical engine to keep the cost down. OHC's are awful expensive.
Rocky
I see a horizontal bar theme re-emerging too. That cue doesn't work.
Agree. Front end is weird. Profile at back end roof reminds me of Acura TL. Perhaps trunk too in profile.
Why can't Chevy get it right with styling. Do they still have Aztek people around at GM?
Rocky
Rocky
In looking at the Chevy lineup in terms of styling only...I see the Aveo - no real styling to speak of, just an appliance. Cobalt - very inoffensive, not really bad in any way, but not looking so new anymore, unremarkable. Malibu - pretty strange really, thank god for the new nose, but a nose job can only do so much. Impala - probably the most homogenous Chevy design, very inoffensive, not memorable but not easy to hate. Monte - all the right curves in all the wrong places, braille school of automotive design, could be mistaken for a joke. Vette - suits the vehicle perfectly. And the new trucks look pretty fine, but the ones they replaced were eyesores. Oh yeah, and those Colorado wheel arches are painful.
Rocky
That doesn't prove anything. The domestics do make some good cars but in general a lot of their vehicles are inferior to some of the imports. You think in absolute black and white terms too much. That is a serious probably with a lot of people in this country it seems.
I have been in the Automotive business for over a decade now and you wanna know which cars, not including diesels, I have seen with the highest documented mileage...
Now this list does not really prove anything either but it is interesting.
1: 1988 Range Rover miles
327,xxx miles but it was no longer running when I ran across it. One owner who had put all of the miles on it and I was considering buying but most of the frame had rusted away from being stored outdoors in the woods.
2: 1989 Honda Accord 289,xxx miles
When I started servicing this car it had a about 180,000 miles on it and was on its second owner. Last time I saw it was a little over two years ago so it may have broken over 300,000 miles by now.
3: 1991 Toyota Camry 278,xxx miles
This was also a second owner car but I first saw it at 200,000 miles or so. Haven't seen it in about two years since I don't run my shop anymore.
4: 1988 Dodge Ram 262,xxx miles
This car was on its original motor but had gone through two trannys. That doesn't really surpise me as he did a lot of towing.
5: 1988 Buick Park Avenue 254,xxx
This car actually finally kicked the bucked at 254,xxx miles and was owned by a coworker of mine at my old shop. I sold him my 1989 Pontiac Bonneville for 600 dollars. It had 145,xxx miles on it when I sold it to him and he has close to 200,xxx miles on it now.
It is more the across the board. It is like having a lousy sports team with a great star. The great star may get some excellent plays and earn high scores but odds are the team will loose. Gm seems to put it best effort in things like Cadalic and Buick the higher end cars but then put less effort in the low end cars esp. the sub-compact. Case in point the Avero which I dislike the styling of, but even if I did like the styling it isn’t very fuel effecint(27 mpg in the city) something I expect out of a sub-compact. Another issue the Ford focus and it’s many recalls.
I think what is happing is that the imports are better at execution. Giving the market what it wants and greatly reducing as well as quickly fixing the problems that come up.
Also any car can get high milage, the other big worry is how often it breaks down. Some of the recalls for things like brakes could be quite annoying. The tempo my mom had nikeled and dimmed you to death. Nothing major broke on it(unlike the Escort). But the little things slowly peaved her off.
Rocky
I think they need a bumper to bumper warranty (of say 3 years). That would give people who are import lovers the confidence to at least try the product and possible force Toyota to play catch up.
Let's face it -- the GM fans are lone voices of doubt and anecdotes surrounded by a vast wilderness of well-documented research and data. I'd like the GM folks to produce a shred of legitimate, verifiable documentation that proves these claims of bias.
I know I wont buy a Ford after thoose two things because the replacements a 94 camery and a 94 trecel did a lot better than the previous two things. I don't think Toyota can walk on water, but at least they made two cars that didn't have any major issuses. That ran 9-12 years with only 1 or 2 breakdowns on the cammery(9 years) and none on the trecel. Both generally ran without unexpected repair costs.
What ????????? :surprise: lemon, are you hiting the bottle tonight ?????? :P
Did you not really know all GM cars have at a mininum of a 3 yr. 36K bumper to bumper warranty. Buick, Cadillac, Saab have 4 yr. 50K bumper to bumper.
Rocky
Rocky
Then provide me with one. (By the way, CR and JD Power results tend to correlate, so if you refer to JD Power, be sure that you understand that you are effectively validating CR's legitimacy.)
I could be great too if I lied about my flaws and didn't recall them....... :mad:
Even as GM and Ford have accumulated award after award on vehicle quality, you’d almost never know about such quality gains made by American companies - or quality declines of foreign companies - by listening to the media. Did you hear about it when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that Toyota recalled more vehicles than it sold in the U.S. last year? Probably not. Did you hear about Toyota making an "elaborate apology" for their "worrisome series of recalls" that has "tarnished its reputation for quality?" Probably not. Did you hear about the Toyota senior manager quote that stated "We used to do quiet recalls called ‘service campaigns’ to deal with defects but we’re not going to hide anything anymore?" Such a statement suggests Toyota’s past recall numbers were probably much higher than we were led to believe, and they profited handsomely by having a perception of higher quality than they deserved. In Japan, prosecutors are looking into possible negligence on the part of Toyota for shirking recalls for the last eight years. How ironic. You probably didn’t hear about that one either because the American media doesn’t like to bash foreign auto companies -only American ones.
http://www.howtobuyamerican.com/bamw/bamw-061129-auto.shtml
Rocky
I would rather have someone fix something at no charge without being compeled by the feds than deal with something like the Ford Firestone fiasco.
8 years of hiding the truth and members of their management facing prison time is handling their problems quickly ? :surprise: oooookkkkkaaaaayyyy :surprise:
In addition, both Ford and GM have recalled more cars than they sold and it depends on what the recall is about. For instance the recall in Japan you listed involved a vehicle that was well over 5 years old. About the only worrisome recall I have seen from Toyota involved the 2007 Camry air bag.
http://www.automotive.com/new-cars/recalls/01/toyota/index.html
I would rather have someone fix something at no charge without being compeled by the feds than deal with something like the Ford Firestone fiasco.
I guess ford didn't get 8 years like toyota to hide their defects because cars were rolling over. The thing of it is it wasn't a Ford problem but rather a firestone problem.
Rocky
We bought one Ford, a 1987 Taurus, and it broke down a lot. I will NEVER buy another Ford product.
We have owner two Nissans and both were wonderful. I would definitely buy another.
We have owner six Hondas and one Acura and all have been very good or better. We will probably buy more.
I have never seen a GM or Chrysler car that I wanted to own.
The eventual recall for the trucks and SUVs involved was for model years 1989-96! Not exactly vehicles built just recently.
BTW, I don't remember anything about the 2007 Camry being recalled for airbag problems (and my employer has bought 5 of them and is planning to buy a sixth). AFAIK, we've received no recall notices.
The prior-generation models (including my 2004) were recalled for side curtain airbag problems -- some were twisted during installation. Mine turned out to be okay once the trim was removed for a look at the dealer.
I'm with Bobst. I had a 1990 Sable (Taurus twin). It was a nightmare after 65K miles, including a failed transmission. When it came time to sell one of my cars in 2000, I chose the Sable rather than the 1980 Volvo 240 that had over 200K miles on it at the time.
I also had two VW Rabbits back in the 70s. Never again for VW; I wouldn't say 100% never for Ford, but who knows if they'll survive?
I have had 3 Camrys from 1997 on (two currently) -- very reliable. I also have a 1998 Nissan Frontier -- also extremely reliable and still looks great!
There were only 3 affordable choices with driver airbags -- Taurus/Sable, Olds Delta 88, and Dodge Dynasty. The Taurus/Sable seemed like a no-brainer at the time -- this was before the 3.8 V6 head gasket and transmission maladies were well known. (We were lucky to get the smaller 3.0 "Vulcan" V6 and never had any engine problems.)
Regarding the Dynasty, I rented one on a business trip in 1991, and it was a decent car. But I think they had those bum Chrysler transmissions that self-destructed early and often -- Andre ought to know.
January, and it appears General Motors is jockeying for position to "own"
the show in terms of gaining attention and vividly illustrating its
turnaround.
Its timing may be perfect. Last year's auto show darling was Chrysler with
its extravagant and theatrical vehicle unveilings that involved a snow
blizzard inside the convention center and a Jeep crashing through glass
doors to make its stage entrance. Chrysler likely will tone it down this
year as it battles bulging inventories and a flow of red ink.
The new GM exhibit is the Detroit show's biggest and GM's biggest in North
America. Pieces of it will travel to other domestic and international
shows.
The exhibit is the auto show equivalent of an art gallery, said Mark
LeNeve, GM North America's vice president of vehicle sales, service and
marketing, who took the media on a tour of the exhibit while under
construction.
The revamp is aimed at showcasing GM's global brands, particularly
Cadillac, Chevrolet, Saab and Hummer, differentiating all of GM's brands
both global and domestic, highlighting technology, and positioning GM as a
design leader.
The exhibit uses high-tech overhead and vehicle lighting, open spaces and
clean lines, minimalist architecture and premium materials to allow
visitors to experience GM's eight distinctive brands in unique,
gallery-type settings within a unified, GM-themed environment. The
individual brand displays surround GM's advanced technology-themed
corporate display.
"While the stars of the show are the vehicles, we wanted the exhibit space
to reflect the corporation's design-driven direction in a way that
complements the brand essence of each vehicle and the overall GM brand,"
said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, global design. "The finest work
deserves to be displayed in the best galleries and I believe we've
accomplished that with this exhibit."
The dramatic entrance to the exhibit features a stainless steel ribbon 261
feet wide and 26 feet high, sporting a jeweled GM corporate logo.
Throughout the exhibit, 615 linear feet of LED lighting will be suspended
above visitors' heads, complemented by additional lighting in the brand
displays that bathe the vehicles in light. Each of the brand areas will
have back wall video projection for product messages, as well as
synchronized corporate messages.
As for new models, GM has announced it will hold the worldwide debuts of
two significant production models, the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2008
Cadillac CTS. The automaker also is hinting it will make a major technology
announcement in Detroit. During a speech at the Los Angeles auto show in
November, GM CEO Rick Wagoner said the automaker has a plug-in hybrid in
the works as well as hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles.
Further, to focus on design, GM will host a fashion show on the eve of the
auto show's press preview. Called "GM Style," the exclusive event will
feature a number of famous GM vehicles -- some never before seen in North
America -- along with some of the hottest names in entertainment to join
the vehicles for a walk or drive down the runway.
GM is finalizing the celebrity line-up, but so far the guest list includes:
Cheryl Hines, Emmy-nominated actress from HBO's hit comedy "Curb Your
Enthusiasm;" Vivica A. Fox, a star of numerous films and television series,
including the most-recent edition of "Dancing With The Stars"; Petra
Nemcova, one of the world's top supermodels and a regular in the Sports
Illustrated swimsuit issues; Danny Masterson, the evening's guest disc
jockey and best-known for his role on "That 70's Show"; and "stylist to the
stars" Rachel Zoe who will prep all the celebrities at GM Style.
"This event is a tribute to style and a celebration of GM's design
renaissance," said GM's Welburn.
As for the cars as stars, the first-ever GM Style will showcase 17 GM
vehicles. Among them will be the 2006 Chevrolet Camaro concept; the 1951
Buick LeSabre concept that became one of the world's most famous concept
cars under the supervision of GM design icon Harley J. Earl; the 2006
Pontiac Solstice Weekend Club Racer concept; the 2006 Saab Aero X concept
from the Geneva show earlier this year; and the 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line
unveiled in New York last spring.
the upcoming North American International Auto Show.
They're talking about General Motors Corp.'s "Style" show, which will be
held Jan. 6, before the official media days of Detroit's annual auto show.
Celebrities from Hollywood and pro sports are expected to be on stage and
in the crowd as some of GM's most stylish vehicles and concepts strut their
stuff on a fashion runway alongside the beautiful people.
The invite-only event is a creative mix of fashion show and car show and
was tested first by GM in the hard-scramble party-and-fashion town of Los
Angeles a few years ago.
Shame on anyone who's so old school and jaded that he or she can't feel
some excitement that this high-energy, high-class event is coming to
Detroit.
I believe GM's Style will open the Detroit show, albeit unofficially," on a
high and fun note.
Stars are impressed
Attending GM's shows in L.A., I can tell you they were such a success that
GM and its pro event planner, Jeffrey Best of L.A., were inundated with
requests for invitations, especially from Hollywood types.
And in glittery Los Angeles, with its high-brow Mercedes-Benz, BMW and
Aston Martin clientele, it took this kind of imaginative work to get GM and
its Saabs and even Chevrolets in front of notable trendsetters in our pop
culture.
I remember actor Adrien Brody, who won an Oscar for his role in "The
Pianist," playfully "leading" a Corvette down the runway. His obvious
delight was infectious.
Actor Ashton Kutcher was never on stage. But the star and his famous wife,
actress Demi Moore, are regulars at GM's events.
Pictures worth thousands
There also was actor Dennis Hopper, mesmerized by Buick's Y-Job concept car
at one GM event.
The big, gleaming beauty was parked beside the red carpet, where the
paparazzi gather, and an admiring Hopper wouldn't take a step further until
he learned more about the car.
What a picture it made with Hopper, famous for his rebel biker role in the
1969 classic "Easy Rider," dazzled by a Buick.
Pictures, by the way, are of paramount importance at Style. Shots of the
stars and cars go around the world. And these pictures have a long life.
Some from GM's events showed up in magazines and newspapers a year later.
So this is a wonderful way to broaden the reach of Detroit's auto show.
Car culture Ann Job is a California-based, freelance, automotive writer and
can be reached at annjo84@hotmail.com .
Toyota has taken a fair share of heat this year in the US for their recalls. I think because Toyota has sold more and more cars each year in the US their problems are going to become more headlined now in the US than they were in the 80's or 90's.
Rocky
I think it's wishful thinking that the media will slam Toyota, the same way they have done the big 3 for years. :sick:
Rocky
But who am I to question GM marketing and promotion?
Now it looks like just about every car, I think there is going to be one Mustang, is going to be a GM car.
Rocky