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That's an Oxymoron.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I think it's too big, too. But then I don't like large vehicles.
Go to Europe and you'll understand why the Equinox (and most US vehicles) are huge.
And yet GM supposedly doesn't have a problem setting pricing, right?
We looked the 500 at the auto show last year. A very cute car, but inside it looked really cheap and so was pretty disappointing to me.
They don't have a problem setting pricing. They have a problem getting pricing. :P
I just went to the Ford and Chevrolet websites to check this. A loaded Escape Titanium 4WD with all the options has an MSRP of $37.420. A loaded Equinox LTZ 4WD with all the options has an MSRP of $37.535.
No dealer added options on either ... just stuff available from the factory.
A loaded Edge is over $42K, a loaded Traverse is north of $45K.
Oops, see someone addressed that already.
My friend's new Escape, loaded to the gills, has an engine made in Spain. The engine that's had a couple recalls...was that made in England? I'm thinking that's the case, although...is anything made in England anymore? LOL
Traverse competes with the Explorer (both 3 rows).
And yet, I do not think an Equinox can be found listed for less than an Escape, similarly equipped. Unless GM takes some cash from the marketing department and plops it on the hood after the fact.
Ford has a true compact (Escape), a small mid-sizer (Edge), a big mid-sizer (Explorer), and a full-sizer (Expedition). Do they still make the XL version of the Expy? I don't even know, but they used to.
I really don't know what the quality is of the bare bones Zeta platform. Yet with the proper components attached to it, who knows.
The old one got a pushrod engine made in China using old assembly line equipment.
They went all out with DI for both replacement engines. Now the small V6 is gone and it gets the corporate 3.6l.
OK so a little overboard with the facetiousness :P
And the funny thing is the Aston sells well, I believe.
They do have a couple of upscale editions, the Abarth and at one time, I think a Gucci edition.
If your older than 50, you remember Fiat's less than stellar reliability image in the US, so I'm guessing they're taking it a bit slower this time, and trying to build a solid base using a fairly reliable car before adding in new models...
Heck, I was in Aruba the other week, and had a Kia Opirus (what was the Amanti here in the States) rental car, and that sucker was a mastodon compared to most of the cars on that island. I'd estimate that the typical "midsized" car would be something like a Toyota Yaris or Hyundai Accent.
But, for the most part, the streets and parking spaces were sized about how they are here in the States, so that Opirus (or rather "Op Rus", as the "I" was missing) didn't feel overly cumbersome.
I saw one little vehicle down there, a sort of cabover pickup truck badged as a Chevrolet, that was so tiny that I doubt it would even be street-legal here in the US!
And although I don't really like the looks of either (and I've driven and ridden in, pretty extensively, a '13 Escape), and I know nobody else here cares, but I'd be liking the 40K extra miles of free powertrain warranty the Chevy gives. My wife and I both drive more than 12K miles a year in our respective cars so we'd run out of 60K miles before five years in a Ford.
FIAT=Fix It Again Tony!!!!
But, at the same time, I can't recall the last time I've seen a new Equinox either.
I wonder if Ford's getting to the point that they have too many redundant SUVs? I haven't tried out the 2013 Escape yet, but I remember fitting just fine in the 2000-2012 model. But then they have the Edge, Explorer, Flex, and then the Expedition/Expedition XL.
It seems to me that the Edge/Explorer/Flex overlap too much. Plus, on the lower end, is the Escape that much smaller than the Edge?
FIAT=Fix It Again Tony!!!!
Our tour guide in Italy said, as we motored by the Fiat works, about the Agnelli family and said in her accent, "and no, it does NOT stand for 'Fix It Again, Tony'!". I laughed pretty hard at that as I had just got done telling my wife and daughters that.
I don't know. Seems like I'm seeing more of them, but it might be because I'm familiar with my friend and coworker's maroon one.
I'm not crazy about the Asian-looking third side window in the back, but his has a good bit of brightwork here and there which looks nice.
I've seen one or two in a metallic greenish/goldish combo that I actually think looks good.
I think Ford has GM beat on colors. I've seen a light green metallic that I find handsome, on Focuses.
If I were to buy a new or almost new Ford, I'd probably go ahead and buy an extended warranty. It's been my experience a limited powertrain warranty is well, limited. But in general as we've discussed prior, a warranty is the last thing I consider when car shopping, ok if all else being equal (never have had that happen), sure I'd pick the vehicle with the better warranty.
Because you don't drive a BMW. You will understand if you do.
Regards,
OW
They sold almost 20,000 of them in October - best month of Escape sales since 2001.
It seems to me that the Edge/Explorer/Flex overlap too much.
Ford is one of the few to do it right IMHO. Pricing does overlap but it allows a buyer to drop down a size to get more features.
is the Escape that much smaller than the Edge?
The Edge is 6" longer and wider than the Edge. That width makes a huge difference inside.
You are correct here. As I've said, my one friend with a new 5-series, some years back, had a quality nightmare on his hands. Personally, I have a stereotypical view of BMW owners.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121101/AUTO01/211010405
GM sales up, Ford flat, and...
Hyundai down?
Specific details in the link.
So... You would be quick to judge BMW (or any other brand of "choice") based upon a single sampling, yet completely oblivious to how and why others would do the very same, identical thing with GM.
Surely you can see that.
As I've often stated before, those that paint with broad brushes usually don't see the reality of the situation.
It's a problem I think we all have at one time or another...
Bingo.
That was my entire population of people I knew who were BMW owners.
My personal sample of GM's is far greater in size.
What I can't get past, is people who can't accept any good news about GM...and there are plenty of those types around.
They're almost as bad as those people who insist that any bad news about GM is an over-inflated conspiracy. Just sayin. :shades:
Camaro Driver
Corvette Driver
BMW Driver
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ford-small-car-sales-reach-highest-octob- - er-in-11-years-f-series-sees-best-october-sales-since-2004-176767511.html
Escape compact utility sales increased 4 percent for the month; 19,832 Escape sales mark best October sales since 2001
They key here is that they're selling at higher transactions costs. The old one was the $15,999 special on the back page of the newspaper. Used ones from Budget were nearly free. This new one changes that.
You mean like folks who say you'd have to be a racist to buy American? That GM flatly doesn't honor warranties of vehicles pre-bankruptcy? That the Camaro ZL-1 had a rebate at introduction time? That kind of conspiracy?
Or that I completely made up something I read in Automobile Magazine about the Sonata?
A classic example is: If GM sales were down, there'd be multiple posts about it here. When GM is up and Hyundai is down, there's my post...then, crickets chirping.
Remember, we're not the ones posting bad things on an import board.
The other two are pretty accurate in my mind, except I picture the third guy being right on the bumper of the car in front of him and zigging in and out of home-from-work traffic....very important guy, you understand!
I plan on being a new Corvette owner upon retirement, but it'll have to be a non-stereotypical one...subdued color, subdued wheels, and subdued optional equipment! And pride in it being an American creation and institution.
While in the military I had a 1969 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe.
1.4L DOHC 4cyl - 5 speed trans.
When running, it was fun...
- Ray
Way, way older than 50......
I don't see Uplander spending time on BMW forums telling them how awful their vehicles have been even when there is some kind of positive news. But some are here ragging on a GM discussion as much as they can, especially if there's something better happening.
Uplander is here on the GM forum. Not on BMW's R Us. Hmmmm.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Now, comparing the Equinox with the Escape is valid, that's a GM model and it's direct competitor. You might not like the comparison much given the data being revealed, but it's a valid comparison.
BTW, there is an instance where GM flatly refused to honor warranties on pre-bankruptcy vehicles because they were made by the "Old GM' which was a different company and is now Liquidation Motors. That was a single model (the Impala I believe) but it was done.
I guess nobody told my dealer that. They did work for free on my five-year old van, outside of warranty. It was a 2005.
The Impala situation was a police-versus-civilian thing, and no one has ever been able to tell me if the part in question was identical in the police and civilian versions. And apparently the vehicles were out of the normal manufacturer warranty...or this wouldn't have happened. No one can tell me that someone who bought an Impala new with a 3yr/36K miles bumper-to-bumper and 5yr/100K powertrain warranty, had a problem that was normally a warranteeable item but went in and were told "your car was built before the bankruptcy".
First, it was in conjunction with news about GM having an increase in sales, as well as several other manufacturers, and Hyundai (repeatedly hyped here, you have got to know that) was atypical in that they had a sales decrease in the same period.
Do you ever mention other cars than GM here? There is a word for what you are doing.
To be fair they were down 4% compared to a record month a year earlier, which is very much relevant.
Also, they're up 8% for the year.
To be honest I suspect their primary issue is a lack of inventory. The new Sante Fe is just arriving in real numbers to dealers.
I would not be betting against them.
When GM sales are posted (good news or bad) I share here, as I'm sure you've noticed.
Wanna know how is suffering? Mitsubishi. Anyone want to compare Volt sales to the i EV? It's comical.