Opinion
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to read the preamble and analysis click here. http://www.christonium.com/automotive/ItemID=12363409028356 to get right to the point, just read the following. I continue to believe consolidation is necessary to improve the viability of the industry and that includes the terminations of brands and companies. It is time for governments to coordinate a restructuring of the business model prior to recapitalizing the industry. For example does it really make sense for the US government to aid both GM and Chrysler and end up with three weak companies including Ford or for France to bailout both Renault and PSA? Does the market need both Opel and VW or BMW and Mercedes-Benz?…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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What phrase chaps the hide of anyone looking to buy a used car? "Ran when parked" Who was the offender that inspired this rant? This guy: http://stcloud.craig...2831238108.html Or more specifically, this: For those not versed in the dark arts of car repair, here's five things I can tell just looking at the picture: 1. Supposedly rebuilt cylinder head that obviously hasn't seen a machine shop or the paint would be gone in order to better check for cracks. 2. Water pump with a mounting bolt hole broken off. 3. No rag stuffed into the coolant hole in the head, so who knows what has fallen in there. 4. Carb is missing. 5. No oil filter, so probably no oil either…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com 15 New Car Auto's to Avoid Forbes published their 2015 list of 15 cars to Avoid. #15 - Smart ForTwo - due to premium fuel, under powered and lack of space #14 - Scion iQ - oddly aligned seeting for 3, lack of room, poor quality, etc. #13 - Nissan Titan - Outclassed in every way by US trucks and worst values. #12 - Nissan Armada - Poor reliability, ownership cost, fuel economy and quality #11 - Mitsubishi Mirage - Sluggish engine, performance, quality, value #10 - Mitsubishi iMiEV - Rock bottom residual value, lowest performance score for EV's #9 - Lincoln MKT - Below average q…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com 200 MPH plus EV, Do we care? Yesterday April 13th 2017, Lucid sent out an email about how their near production test car hit a top speed of 217 mph at the Ohio's Transportation Center banked oval test track. Many of us that follow the industry know that Tesla limits their auto's to 155 mph. Lucid is on record that they intend to meet the needs of the high-speed cruising market of Europe and Middle east. Simulations can only go so far on a computer and then you have to put rubber to the road. This allows the engineers to monitor and tweak everything from the power train, suspe…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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2004 GMC CANYON 2-year Update A Tama Review September 2, 2006 Happy Anniversary!! That's pushing it, but I've had my truck for two years now. How's it holding up? Well, contrary to media contentions, the truck is solid and I still get the grins when it's parked in that picture perfect stance (you know the one I'm talking about). Overview After two years, the Canyon has done everything I've asked of it. It hasn't gotten stuck (despite ski-lift duties), it hasn't run out of gas on the highway (city streets a different story, though), and it has always been a reliable work truck. Mechanical Mechanically the truck is solid. The four-wheel drive is unstoppable, and h…
Last reply by tama z71, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Top 10 Least Reliable Cars Consumers Report published their annual best and worst reliable cars. If your wanting to look at the best go here Reliable Cars. For this story, you could watch the videos and dive through the mountain of spreadsheets that consumers reports has for their data, but MSN Auto helped out by focusing on the top 10 least reliable cars and here is their list. The predicted reliability score was 125% below that of the average car. #1 - Scion xB 125% below the average auto #2 - Mercedes-Benz S-Class 127% below average #3 - Infiniti Q50 127% below average #4…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com 2016 Buick Envision Test Drive! June 23rd 2016 started off like most days, up at 4am, in the shower, on the 4:48am 511 bus into Seattle, breakfast at my desk while reviewing email. Work focused and getting things done. A little over 3 hours later I get a call from my local Buick GMC dealership that the Buick Envisions they got in last week are all ready and on the lot for people to come see, test drive, etc. Text message to my sister who has a 2002 Mazda 6 that she is ready to retire that the Buick dealership had the Envision in stock, equipped the way she wanted it and we could test drive…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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GM REPORTS IMPROVED SECOND-QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS .... GM has reported significantly improved 2006 second quarter financial results. Global automotive operations were profitable on an adjusted basis, excluding special items, for the first time since 2004, and the company posted a second consecutive quarter of record revenue. GM reported a net loss of $3.2 billion, or $5.62 per share, for the second quarter of 2006, compared with a reported loss of $987 million, or $1.75 per share, for the year-ago quarter. The net loss for the quarter included a total of $4.3 billion, or $7.66 per share, in special items that reflected a previously announced $3.7 billion after-tax ch…
Last reply by tama z71, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Elio Motors Ultra High Mileage Auto / Trike? Elio Motors is promising to have on the market next year an 84mpg $6800 2 person auto / Trike. This 3 wheel transportation has a configuration like most 3 wheel modern motorcycles with 2 steering wheels in front and a single drive wheel in back. Unlike Can-Am bikes where you still get wet, the Elio is fully enclosed auto. So what do you get for $6800? Exterior measurements are as follows: Overall Length: 160.5″ Overall Height: 54.2″ Front Wheel Track: 66.8″ (center rim to center rim) Wheelbase: 110″ (center of front wheels to center…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Hi, I'm new, so if I sound dumb, give me a break. Anyway, I was wondering. I have a '95 Chevy Beauville that can carry twelve, with the back seat very reasonably fitting four across. What if someone built a sedan that was as wide as my van (76 inches), with two bench seats, and marketed it as both a better minivan (no climbing out of the back over seats, legs, and seat belts), an exceptionablly well handling large sedan (just think how it would handle being so wide. I just DARE you to try to flip it!), and the sedan with the biggest trunk, period? It would have to be a reasonable weight (as close to 4000 lbs as possible), either RWD or AWD, and if you really want i…
Last reply by 2005 EquinoxLS, -
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A Corvair saved my life. You will rarely hear anybody say that, and here is my story. I own a 65 Corvair Monza convertible, and let’s just say it was one step from being a parts car when I bought it. This little red junky car has been an adventure to say the least. After what happen in the fall of 2010, the car will have a home here with me. I had been enjoying the car over the summer with the top down and the wind blowing in my hair. I have replaced most of the mechanical parts on the car, but have not touched the body work. Corvairs are Unibody, and I had a crack in the passenger’s door sill that was showing movement. I thought it was time to replace the floor boards, …
Last reply by knightfan26917, -
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To put GM’s situation in perspective, here is a list of assembly plants along with their respective product’s 2009 sales run rate based on US January 2009 numbers. Mexican, Canadian and export sales are not included so there’s some need for adjustment there. Assuming each plant has a 250,000 unit capacity with 3 shifts and that we might see US market sales in the 10-11M unit range this year and next, it’s clear GM needs to rid more facilities and people to become profitable. Below that list is a plant outline for a new GM made up of Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC at 100% capacity utilization at a 10-11M market sales rate. Enough capacity is left to allow for a 30% incre…
Last reply by Lamar, -
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Well we all knew it would not last. For those who do not know about it. The Goat will return... in either 08/09. So I can not wait to see the changes they will be making. http://www.cleveland.com/autoshow/plaindea...9520.xml&coll=2
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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Last reply by Justin Bimmer, -
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The news came during dinner last Monday. My mother asked if I would be able to take any time off of work, and I said that I might be able to if the circumstances were considered important. She revealed that my grandfather, her dad passed away that afternoon. It wasn’t from COVID-19, but other complications that had put in him the hospital since early June. After dinner, I needed some time and space to begin processing the news. So I grabbed the keys to my car and went for a drive. The past few months have been difficult for all of us in varying degrees with COVID-19. Many places going on lockdown have caused massive disruptions to how we work, travel, and interact wi…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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In the coming months, one of the most anticipated and important vehicles will begin rolling off the production line. The Tesla Model 3 has a lot riding on it as there are over 370,000 pre-orders for the upcoming entry-level model. This is the vehicle that can either make or break the company. So it seems quite interesting that Tesla is trying to pull attention away from this important model. During Tesla’s first-quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk expressed dismay at the lack of attention given to their flagship sedan, the Model S. "We have seen some impact of Model S orders as a function of people being confused" that Model 3 is the upgrade to Model S, Musk s…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Last week saw the PSA Group (parent company of Citroen and Peugeot) purchasing Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors for $2.3 billion. This move would make the PSA Group the second-largest automaker in Europe. We already know some of the plans that PSA Group has for their new brands such as setting operating profit targets of 2 percent in 2020 (jumps to 6 percent by 2026) and the next-generation Opel/Vauxhall Corsa being the first new product developed with PSA. But as we alluded to in the original news story, there are a lot of questions that remain unanswered such as possible job cuts or what happens to Buick and Holden as they share products with Opel. I have been doin…
Last reply by 67impss, -
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The past week has been miserable at Volkswagen as allegations arose from the EPA that a number of models equipped with the 2.0L TDI four-cylinder were found to emit more emissions than were legally allowed in the U.S. thanks to software. Since the announcement came out last Friday, there has been a fair amount of news. Volkswagen admitted that 11 million diesel vehicles sold around the world had the software The company has set aside $7.3 billion for possible penalties and fixes EPA is looking into the 3.0L TDI V6 used in a number of Audi vehicles, Porsche Cayenne, and Volkswagen Touraeg A number of European countries, along with South Korea announce their own invest…
Last reply by El Kabong, -
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 24, 2012 A few weeks ago, Cadillac debuted their ad for the 2012 Super Bowl. The ad features the new ATS sedan and some footage of it undergoing testing at the Nurburgring. The ad ends with this line, “So if anyone tells you that Cadillac can’t beat the world’s best, just tell them to go to green hell and see for themselves.” The ad also calls out one of the ‘world’s best’, the BMW 3-Series. A bit audacious to call out the best selling compact luxury car in your ads. But on paper, the ATS makes a good case; three different engine choices (2.5L, 2.0T, 3.6L DI V6), two transmissions, a low curb weight, the li…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Whenever someone finds out that I'm an automotive writer, sooner or later I will get asked "I'm looking for 'x' vehicle and I was wondering if you could help me out," or some other variation. These are the times where I wish I could make a smoke cloud appear, allowing me to make an escape. But alas, that is only a dream. This is a common thing that a number of us - automotive writers - tend to get whether it is from family, friends, or some random stranger. We want to try and help, but most of the time the suggestions seem to go nowhere. It comes down to various reasons such as none of the ideas are appealing or the person going in a completely different direction (wa…
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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As I hinted in my two final review pieces for 2015, I would be picking my favorite review vehicles from the year. Thus, here we are. 2015 saw almost 80 vehicles being driven by yours truly. From subcompact hatches to heavy duty trucks. There seemed to be an endless variety of vehicles I got to lay my hands on. Trying to pick my favorite vehicles of the past year is a difficult task. To begin with, I have close to 60 vehicles to pick from. These are vehicles that spent a week with me, going through the various motions. Any vehicle that I drove in a first drive event or at media/manufacturer event don't qualify (the Scion iA, iM, and Hyundai Tucson will be eligible …
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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“I can’t believe we’re going to make it” This thought passed through my head as I brought the vehicle to a stop on an off-ramp. Somehow, I was able to travel from my house in the outskirts of Metro Detroit to my hometown of Midland, Michigan on just a quarter-tank of gas. That may not seem like a huge accomplishment except when you look at the vehicle I was driving, the 707 horsepower Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Originally, I wasn’t planning on traveling to Midland in the Trackhawk. Earlier in the week, I had driven it down to an event in Ann Arbor to drive a couple of Mitsubishi vehicles. The trip revealed the thirst of the supercharged 6.2L V8 by using up a…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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This year's Los Angeles Auto Show proved to be much better than first expected. When the news hit back in October of some the vehicles that were to debut, the show's organizers listed the Buick LaCrosse and Nissan Sentra as the big stars. Oh dear, this year's show was going to be a snoozefest. But as we saw in the past week, the LA showed proved to be exciting. There were a number of surprises, along with vehicles that stole the show. Of course, there were the vehicles that maybe should have passed on LA Auto Show. It is that time to grade the vehicles and find out which ones are the top of the class and which ones need to head to detention. Alfa Romeo Giulia …
Last reply by El Kabong, -
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2016… What a year. This year saw a number of things that no one thought would actually happen did. Not helping matters is the number of famous people that have sadly passed on. Here at the Cheers & Gears Detroit Bureau, it wasn’t such a great year for vehicles. For the 2016 review season, 44 vehicles came in for evaluation. Out of this group, only eight vehicles earned a spot of being my favorite vehicles from the year. Read on to see which vehicles made the cut. 2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe It is amazing how far Cadillac has come in the past decade and proof of it can be shown in the ATS- V coupe. A 464 horsepower twin-turbo V6 makes the vehicle fly with no is…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Today was a sad day those who consider themselves fans of the automobile and/or public radio as word came that Tom Magliozzi, one of the co-hosts NPR’s Car Talk passed away at age 77 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. When I first saw the news, I began to feel very sad and sat in my chair for a few moments reflecting on some of my favorite moments of Car Talk. One of the key thoughts that hit me as I was sitting down was feeling bad for this person I had never even met. But the fact I was feeling this way made me realize a key aspect of what made Car Talk so special. Whenever you tuned in to Car Talk and listened to Ray and Tom banter on about someone's ca…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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This would have been my fourth Detroit Auto Show (or North American International Auto Show as some would like you to call it) for Cheers and Gears. But due to a leg injury sustained a couple of weeks before the show, I was unable to make it. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise as I would miss out on dealing with individuals who break out tape measures and clipboards to note every little detail, along with journalists complaining about why the show isn't held during a warmer month. But it would turn out this year’s show would be a bit disappointing. That isn't to say there were not any breakouts. The new Kia Stinger GT looks very intriguing as the new Lexus LS. I'm…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Last Friday was a trying day for me. I was feeling quite overwhelmed by the large amount of work due the end of the year, along with trying to figure out what the holidays would bring forth. This would be joined by some personal issues that only added to the overwhelmed feeling. I needed an escape. Something that could let me get away from all these issues rolling around in my head, even for a few moments. That's when I made the decision to go out for a drive. I had no destination in mind. I would just drive to wherever the roads would take me. I grabbed the keys to my tester at the time, a Nissan Murano, and just started to drive. I stuck to side roads for this trip …
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The reaction Peugeot’s return to the U.S. Market a couple weeks back falls into three categories. OMG! We're getting exciting French cars again Why is another automaker coming to the U.S.? Split between 1 and 2 I should say that I fall into camp three at the moment. Previously, I was in number one when the rumors began to swirl around about PSA Group - parent company of Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Opel, and Vauxhall - making a possible return in late 2014. The dreams about possibly seeing a small number of Citroen and DS vehicles running around the U.S. sparked some joy. Peugeot was nowhere to be seen in my fantasy as they were seen to be somewhat blan…
Last reply by Potluck, -
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For the past week, I have been driving an Infiniti Q50 and for the most part, I have liked it. The model has the makings of an excellent compact luxury car with a powerful V6, expressive exterior, and a nice balance of sport and comfort for the ride. I don't even mind the direct-steer system which replaces many of the mechanical parts for an electrical system that turns the wheel based signals from the input on the wheel. But as I driving the Q50, I felt something was missing. It was only when I writing some notes on it that I figured out what was missing, an identity. Not only for the car, but for Infiniti itself. In psychology, identity is used to describe the items…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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I thought would be it easy. The front headlights on my new-to-me 2011 Ford Fusion were beginning to dim and I figured some new bulbs would solve it. Ordering the bulbs, I began to think this would be an easy process. Just locate the sockets for the bulbs, replace them, put the sockets back into place, and done. Little did I know this would be only a fantasy. Before fully diving into this, I opened up the owners manual to the vehicle to get an idea of what I was getting myself into. It turned out that changing the bulbs is a very involved process. For the driver’s side, you need to remove the air filter box and pipe to get enough room to access the bulbs. My vehi…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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The past month at Mitsubishi Motors has been tumultuous with the announcement that they had manipulated fuel economy numbers on a number of small city cars sold by them and Nissan. It would come to light that this manipulation had been going since 1991 on a number of models sold in Japan. Shares in the company dropped like a rock and there were concerns that Mitsubishi Motors would have to borrow money from other companies in the Mitsubishi conglomerate. But soon a white knight would appear, Nissan. The company that first discovered and reported it to Mitsubishi would buy a 34 percent share into the automaker, making it the largest shareholder. Thus, an alliance between t…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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A couple of weeks ago, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne made headlines when he announced that the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart would run their course - i.e. no second generation. Instead, the company would focus on building utility vehicles. This threw everyone in the automotive press into a frenzy with equal groups calling Marchionne a genius or a lunatic. But Marchionne also mentioned that the 200 and Dart could continue on if a partner could be found and build vehicles under a contract, a.k.a. badge engineering. This move presents a lot of risk for FCA. Badge engineered vehicles have never been a true success for anyone. There is also an added risk of…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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This year was to be the final Detroit Auto Show to take place in January before the big move to an indoor/outdoor festival of sorts next June. Despite a number of manufacturers announcing they would not be at the show, there was some hope for there be to a surprise. Something that would allow the current incarnation of the show to go out with a bang. That did not happen. It was thought that Chevrolet would roll out the long-awaited and rumored mid-engined Corvette. But those hopes would be dashed as rumors came out that the project would be delayed up to six months due to a problem with the electrical system. It also gave Toyota a sigh of relief as the Supra wou…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Over the past six months and numerous articles with the ‘As the Diesel Emits’ in the title, we are no closer to have a fix for the around 600,000 Volkswagen diesel vehicles with illegal emission software. Instead, we have been treated a first-rate performance of ‘How not to handle a crisis’. From Volkswagen’s delay of admitting the illegal software to CEO Matthias Muller seeming very oblivious to what happening in an interview. It seems the German automaker is getting one black eye after another. The past month or so has seen the crisis cranked up to eleven. New documents revealed that senior managers, including former CEO Martin Winterkorn, were alerted about the U…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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For the past month, I have been doing a bit of window shopping for a possible replacement for my current vehicle - a 2006 Ford Fusion with almost 270,000 miles on the odometer. Usually, whenever I go look at vehicles, I tend to have automotive ADD; tending to look at all kinds of vehicles with no set price or type. But this recent excursion caused me to notice that I had unknowingly set my sights on a certain group. All of the vehicles I was looking at were all compact cars and none were crossovers. Why is that? To get to the bottom of this, I began to look at my driving habits when I am not driving a new car for review. For the most part, I tend to drive in a small …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 13, 2012 Walking around this year’s North American International Auto Show, I noticed that something was amiss. It wasn’t the amount of vehicles that made their premiere at the show; nor wasn’t the amount of press, industry, and guests walking around during press days. No, what missing were the concept cars. The lineup of concepts ranged from group design is not a good idea (Chevrolet Code 130R) to this is a production model in concept clothing (Honda Accord and Lincoln MKZ). Only three vehicles, the Chrysler 700C, Lexus LF-LC, and the Smart pickup thing were actual dream concepts. But even these concepts had …
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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An Icon Departs – How America Failed the GTO By z28luvr01 By now you’ve all read the news that GM will be ending GTO production this model year. The last batch of GTOs is scheduled to be completed around September, marking the end of a three model year stint as Pontiac’s performance flagship. I’m here writing this to help give the car a proper send off, something that the finest all-around car GM has graced North America with in a long, long time should be entitled to. It is my opinion that, during its three year stay on our shores, that the GTO never got the fair shake it deserved. Not only is it the quickest, most athletic GTO ever made, it boasts performance credenti…
Last reply by Northstar, -
Are “Give Backs” Worth It?
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We all know my stance and opinions on the UAW (and Unions in general) and General Motors. I’m a firm believer in that the company and the membership can work side by side for the greatest cause, providing good pay for hard work. After all, that is the American Way as classified by our founding fathers. We are all raised in the sense that to achieve something, we must work to achieve it. The UAW had paved the way that “30 and out” is a very real possibility. You work 30 years, you are eligible for retirement with full pension, health benefits, employee pricing opportunities and the like. The UAW has also worked for its members to ensure a somewhat comfortable lifestyle m…
Last reply by LS1powered_Z28, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Are These The Most Reliable Top 10 Brands? This morning Yahoo posted the following story, "The 10 Most Reliable Car Brands, From A Car Dealer's View". The author goes on to talk about the various tag lines the brands have used and whether they actually lived up to the marketing hype of being the best. The author goes on to state that being an owner of a car dealership, auctioneer and co-owner of an auto auction for the last 16 years has given him the insight to state what he sees as the most reliable top 10 brands. The author then goes on to state that this is based on the last two a…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com GM Sued by Arizone The case is State of Arizona vs General Motors LLC, Case No. CV2014-014090, the Superior Court of the State of Arizona, County of Maricopa. Arizona has come out stating that the Reborn GM is not innocent but a wolf in sheep's clothing. The state attorney general has stated that GM hid all these defects and continues to hide behind the bankruptcy. Arizona states that with 60 serious defects affecting 27 million auto's on the road in the US, that they need to pay 3 Billion Dollars to Arizona for Defrauding their consumers. Arizona wants $10,000 per violation fo…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Auto Dealership Websites, Winning your Purchase According to a Cox Automotive survey, 83% of auto consumers prefer at least one online function from a dealerships website and 85% are more likely to buy from a dealership that allows website users to digitally buy a vehicle even if they do not currently opt to complete the whole purchase online. The importance of the website today compared to the early 90's when people might be more likely to balk at spending money on a website with features like this is making a drastic change in how consumers shop. How do you feel about shopping for an auto via the dealerships website? Wards Story
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Auto's Needing a Diet! Featured on MSN Auto but written by Motor trend I found the story of 15 cars that should go on a diet an interesting read. They do offer their own list of which auto's these 15 should be more like and they are those that lead the segment in lightest weight and why we want lighter auto's. http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/research/15-cars-that-should-go-on-a-diet/ss-AA8urEK?ocid=UP94DHP#image=1 You can review the story above to see which auto's they compare each one too. I for one am thinking of the question, what other auto's deserve to go on a diet and should b…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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<div><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" width="210" height="25" id="mp3playerlightsmallv3" align="middle"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://autobird.podbean.com/mf/play/sb8hy/Auto_Bird_Podcast_Esp24.mp3&autoStart=no" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <embed src="http:/…
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<div><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" width="210" height="25" id="mp3playerlightsmallv3" align="middle"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://autobird.podbean.com/mf/play/jh78ii/Auto_Bird_Podcast_Esp21.mp3&autoStart=no" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <embed src="http:…
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AB Podcast #22 – NY Auto Show Episode <br> <br> <br> <div><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" width="210" height="25" id="mp3playerlightsmallv3" align="middle"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://autobird.podbean.com/mf/play/2t7bmf/Auto_Bird_Podcast_Esp22.mp3&autoStart=no" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="…
Last reply by Justin Bimmer, -
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Ok, time to move outside the bounds of conservative, automotive engineering: 1) Isn't it time we have a 802.11b wireless card built-in to your vehicle? I'd say 802.11g - but the b standard, being outdated is ridiculously cheap. I should be able to connect with a laptop/home computer and pull up a configuration page - similar to a router's configuration page. Of course, you'd want the connection secure -- but routers have already worked within this confine w/o a problem. I should be able to connect & change simple things from radio presets to the clock. The car should also have a small hard drive. Record driving patterns, temp, oil changes, etc…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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Bring it back, Bobby. Making the case for a great awakening. October 16, 2005 A Tama Editorial I DRIVE A TRUCK. I drive a truck because I need a truck. I need the last vestige of rear wheel drive in the Detroit stable. I need to carry stuff. I need to tow stuff. I need to drive where the pavement ends. And I need a vehicle with some balls. By dammit, I need my truck. I WANT A CAR. I want a car because I need a car. I have a girlfriend. I have a phone bill. I have insurance payments. I have to get to school and to work. And now I cannot afford gas. By dammit, I need a car. Catering to one need, my occupation in general contracting essentially …
Last reply by Slick_Holden, -
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Okay, before you read this hold your breath. Then, relax and breath easily. This is a radical yet possible idea to rebuild Pontiac and Buick. Remember that these are just ideas and reflect little in fact. Pontiac and Buick will both see major reform but, Pontiac will be altered significantly. Pontiac will be a youth niche brand in the mold of Scion. Buick will be the second broadest brand behind Chevrolet in the model of Toyota. GMC would target Toyota trucks. Here's how it could go down if this were to happen. 2007 will be the last year for the Buick Rainier, Rendevous, and Terraza and the Pontiac Vibe. 2008 will be the last year for the G6, Grand Prix, and LaCross…
Last reply by carman21, -
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Building on Tradition A Tour of Lansing Delta Township Assembly By Brian Dreggors NOTE: As our cameras were not cleared by GM, I don't have any pictures inside the plant itself, but there was a cleared photographer with us. I'll post more pictures when I can. You have to put it into perspective that the birthplace of GM's newest crossovers may be modern, but its hardly new. You see, Lansing has been building automobiles for over 100 years - since 1897, to be exact - so the general concept its decidedly old hat to the 550,000 people of Michigan's capital. What started here five score and ten years ago was thanks to one Ransom E. Olds, a budding automobile maker that wo…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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In Chaos Theory, the butterfly effect is the idea that a tiny change can result in massive changes later. The simple act of a butterfly flapping its wings could set into motion a series of events that change the weather. In the summer of 2018, the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, the organization responsible for putting together the Detroit Auto Show, more formally known as the North American International Auto Show or NAIAS, announced that beginning in 2020, the show would move in the calendar from its traditional time in January to a summer month to allow for exhibits and demonstrations outside of what was then Cobo Hall. Little did the show organizers know, but t…
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Last reply by NINETY EIGHT REGENCY, -
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C&D published the following story about the 70's special edition trucks. Some are just so funny as I never heard or saw them, others are clearly not PC in today's world and others are just funny as heck. What was marketing thinking? A special set of stickers makes the truck better than the default truck of the same package? Some will like certain models just like me. I actually like the GMC Diablo, which really is just an rebadge El Camino. Never knew that the Chevy Luv truck was sold in 77 as a Mighty Mike version, but nothing better other than a 10hp bump in the engine. Seems all the domestic makers went through a clearly Indian theme on blazers, broncos and th…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
C&G @ The 2nd Annual Gratiot Cruise
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<html><head></head><body><div id="ipbwrapper" style="width: 877; height: 548"><table width="100%" class="tableborder" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" border="0"><tr valign="top" align="center"> <td width="64%" class="row3" valign="top" align="left"> <div class="tableborder"><div align="center"> <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td width=&…
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Well, it took a week, and Camino and I are ready to gouge our eyes out with a melon baller, but the results of the C&G Census are in. Take a look at the numbers below and come to your own conclusion. One thing's for sure: each brand is not without its appeal in the GM hierarchy. Buick Total responses: 52 Total number of new Buicks purchased sine 1998: 24 Total number of people who have purchased new Buicks since 1998: 14 Number of people who will buy a new Buick within the next two years: 9 Number of people who will consider a new Buick within hte next two years: 10 Number of people who will not consider a new Buick: 31 --- Cadillac Total response…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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The third and most elusive of GM's trio of fullsize Lambda crossovers, GMT968 (GMC's Acadia), has been caught and the first clear pictures are here for your viewing pleasure courtesy of Chris Doane/Brendra Priddy & Co. and Cheers and Gears. Cheers & Gears has paid for the rights to publish these photos. Please do NOT re-host or hotlink these pictures. URL links to this story are fine. Thank you for your cooperation. This frontal exterior shot gives you a much better idea of how GMC's new yet muscular design language will translate on the large crossover. This interior shot shows some of the more obvious thoughtfullness that went into the design of the das…
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C&G Wants to Know Volume 1 - CAFE Our first installment of "C&G Wants to Know" is sure to be an interesting one. Anyone not living under a rock knows by now that new CAFE standards are in place that will require all auto manufacturers to have a corporate average fuel economy of 35MPG by the year 2020 while meeting intermediate milestones along the way. GM seems determined to meet these standards with an innovative approach befitting one of the world's most storied manufacturers, but a little help from the C&G faithful certainly wouldn't hurt. Your task is to establish a unique plan for GM to meet the new standards while continuing to produce vehicles that …
Last reply by NOS2006, -
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Intellichoice informs people of the potential cost of ownership on a vehicle over 5 years. Using their data 2006 Impala LT with the 3.5 V-6 (as 2007 info was not available) TOTAL COST of ownership over 5 years - $32,202 2007 toyota camry Hybrid TOTAL COST of ownership over 5 years - $32,611 2007 toyota camry LE V-6 TOTAL COST of ownership over 5 years - $33,400 2006 honda accord Hybrid TOTAL COST of ownership over 5 years - $34,706 THIS IS THE ADVERTISING GM SHOULD BE DOING!!! ** Edit added the accord Hybrid
Last reply by Flybrian, -
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About a month ago, before C&G went down, me and my cousin Jim (Aka Montana on this site) Went ona trip to the Gm Oshawa plant to check out some of Gm's new models. Particullarly, the Pontiac Solstice. Now we have all heard about Gm improving thier products, some people like Gm's new line of products, others despise the bread-and-butter fwd sedans but love the new sports cars coming out of Gm. Now on my trip to Oshawa with my cousin (Thanks for the transportation) I investigate Gm's new offerings, some upclose and every detail on the car, (Solstice) and others that just got a snapshot. (Torrent) I hope C&G enjoys looking at these pictures, and I h…
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Can Cadillac ATS, CTS and SRX European Roadshow Win over the Public GMs Cadillac division has gone on a European Roadshow. The tour will be visiting 3 countries, 12 cities, and 22 different locations with the goal of connecting with 10,000 existing and potential customers as well as European Media. The idea is to get these people behind the wheel and check out the 21st century versions of Cadillac and to change the perception that Cadillac is a Land barge V8 powered float machine. To quote FastLane's own write up; "Above all, luxury car buyers on both sides of the pond have…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Cheers and Gears goes Back to the Futurliner! Hershey, PA - Today I visited the AACA meet in Hershey PA. The last time I managed to get out there was in 2006. In both instances the General Motors Futureliner was there. The first time I visited, I was unable to get up into the cab. This time would be different.
Last reply by Z-06, -
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Cheers and Gears Podcast #2: Loose Screws and Nuts Hello and welcome to the second C&G Podcast! Our weekly podcast comes to you on the second week of July, only a month and a half after the first one! In this episode many important things were discussed...I'm pretty sure. We've provided for you a rundown of what we're discussing and when, so you can skip around if you don't feel like listening to everything. In our new Craigslist Finds segment, we pick out some of the more..interesting finds in our area and talk about them. The links will be provided below so that you too may marvel at the horrors wonders of the classifieds. 0:00-1:11 - Bull$h&…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Cheers and Gears Podcast #3: Green Stuff Edition WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS LANGUAGE THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR AUDIENCES UNDER 12. ALSO FARTS. LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED. Hello and welcome to the third (sixth, but who's counting) C&G Podcast! Our weekly bi-weekly monthly whenever podcast comes to you on the third week of August, only a month and a half after the second one! In this episode many important things were discussed...as well as not so important things. Bull$h! Bull Droppings: 0-4:19 (feel free to skip if you are dying to get to the HARD issues). Devan flies a plane! (god help us) Viper GTS Nissan Leaf Fisker: Ca…
Last reply by fullmoon97, -
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1975 Chevrolet Silverado K1500 MowerTruck Necessity breeds a monster. A Tama Article This is your land. Your domain is a backyard of which every man in America could be proud. You stand atop your kingdom, savoring your creation and challenging all those who look upon it to do better. All is as it should be in your world – until that son of a bitch next door does the one-up dance. Everybody has one. He is the guy across the property line whose accomplishments are always just beyond your reach. Your lawn is green – his is greener. Your sidewalk is clean – his is cleaner. Your shrubs look good – his look shrubbier. Every single inch of real estate you claim as your own …
Last reply by Charger4U, -
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G. David Felt - Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.cheersandgears.com China’s Influence on GM, EVs, and Others! We saw just at the end of 2016 Toyota saying they would build a team to focus on EVs. This being a complete reversal of their pledge in 2013 to focus on Hydrogen as the practical alternative to traditional ICE autos. Toyota will have a long range EV auto out on the market for the 2020 auto year. Being that 2019 is when you're 2020 autos will start selling, this puts Toyota 4 years behind GM's Chevrolet BOLT EV. What would cause this change to happen? China is what has happened. China started to push the global auto industry by stating that 8 pe…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Commercials that Make You Wonder Television commercials are supposed to sell a company's product. Sometimes the way the company goes about it leaves you scratching your head. After a slew of generally well-received automotive Super Bowl ads, I thought I'd cover some of the head scratchers I've noticed over the years. Sometimes, you have to stop and say "Hey.. .wait a minute...." Dependency This is not the recent Mercedez-Benz commercial that caught my attention; however, this one is a close second. The commercial that really caught my attention is the one where presumed MB owners talk about how the car assisted them in stopping and staying awake, with …
Last reply by knightfan26917, -
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*Note: this isn’t my opinion. This article is more to spark a discussion. I love #savethemanuals. With that, please enjoy a controversial article. Some people are fans of electric cars. Others regale the days of the glorious V12s which are now few-and-far in-between. Same goes for interiors. While the days of analog gauges, non-infotainment systems, and simple controls hearken back to an easier time, trends are making those just memories. Most people, car lovers or not, accept changes to vehicles. Fuel economy, safety, performance, and technology are constantly evolving. However, there is one aspect of vehicles that isn't sport or performance-based that needs to g…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I'm retyping this from an editorial written by David E. Davis, Jr., in the October '88 issue of Automobile Magazine.....almost 18 (!) years ago.....about General Motors..... He starts......."When was the last time you heard anyone suggest that General Motors was a dangerous monopoly that should be broken up?" ....and continues......"Never mind, General Motors has come a long way. All of the car divisions have spiced up their product lines, and some great saves have been made. We've seen an Indianapolis victory and a 200-mph Corvette. The Lotus connection is bubbling happily, and lots of exciting projects beyond the ZR1 Corvette are in the pipeline. Some very good ex…
Last reply by Mr.Krinkle, -
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Dear GM, It goes without saying that your CTS sedan is one of the most compelling reasons to have faith in what GM and the Cadillac Division can do. Its a car that can run with the best of those Europeans while not remaining distinctly American and distinctly Cadillac. Now, on the cusp of the CTS' second-generation for 2008, we'd like to see one of the best become even better. Here are some suggestions - Telescoping Steering Wheel Not only is this something Cadillac pioneered decades ago, but its becoming a standard feature on more and more cars outside the luxury field. This is also essential in making sure the driver has the most control and comfort in a sport sedan…
Last reply by Flybrian, -
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Recently, I have had many conversations with coworkers as well as family and friends with one large consistent thread, if possible, at all rates, they will not buy Chinese made products anymore. Japanese and Korean are fine, but a strong shift away from Chinese made products. The leading example of this is my sister who owns a 2017 Buick Envision and drives it daily for around 200 to 300 miles as she is an in-home care nurse for open wounds. As such she needs a solid auto and of course hers is well over 100,000 miles now, so she has started the search to figure out what she wants next and has told me she loves her Buick but will not buy another since they are Chinese…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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I believe the HP wars are reaching their limits and peaks. The V8 engine is slowly becoming archaic in the passenger vehicle market for that very reason. Modern 4s and 6 have pushed vehicle performance to sports car territory of only a few years ago. You can only go so fast to 60 mph or the ¼ mile. in real terms. The buff magazines might split hairs over 0 -to-60 times, but the average consumer will not. For that very reason, the V8 for passenger vehicles may soon be phased out because it no longer matters. GM had already cancelled the V10 because they could do the same thing with the LSx V8 in the full sized utilities and pickups. The V10 might have made headli…
Last reply by Duncan, -
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Drew Dowdell - January 26, 2012 - CheersandGears.com Yesterday on Facebook, Aaron Bragman a new friend I met at NAIAS, and I got into a friendly back and forth over whether the Audi A3 was a hatchback or a wagon. I insist that it was a wagon and Aaron insists it is a hatch. My original position is that the A3 is a wagon because of the third rear window. Aaron says no, it is an identical car to the Volkswagen GTI which couldn't be called anything but a hatch. Now before I go on, I'm going to preempt some of the old timers here. For the sake of this argument, we are going to use body style definitions that apply to cars post.. oh... 1980 or so. That means a sedan is a 4-d…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Discuss the podcast here!
Last reply by JBsZ06, -
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Can the Viper be saved from distinction? I think so. With Fiat acquiring a piece of Chrysler, a question to ask is whether or not the Dodge Viper should still cease to exist. Some rumors have circulated that Dodge will be selling the Viper as a brand, and have already been contacted by some purchasers. However, I see that this new deal with Fiat could spell a new age for the Viper. Since Fiat owns Alfa Romeo, the Viper could be positioned as the brawn little brother to the 8C Competizione. While the two models would not share powerplants, the size of the two are very similar. The Competizione possesses some very sexy and compelling characteristics that the Viper ne…
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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Imagine you’re me: someone who has used 0-60 MPH to judge how fast a car is. If a car is slower than 8.0 seconds, I wouldn’t poke it with a 10-foot pole. If it’s faster than 4.0 seconds, I cling to it to feel the rush and acceleration. That was until I was a short-lived car salesman and automotive blogger. As a car salesman, I found out that people didn’t understand or care that their vehicle did 0-60 MPH in 6.7 seconds. As a blogger, performance enthusiasts did care, but there are other statistics that mattered more. When I combine both, which happened at different parts of my life so there was no conflict of interest, I found out that 0-60 MPH has a few flaws. Let’…
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Last reply by balthazar,
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Recently I had the oppurtunity to drive two of GM's entries in the dying field of full size front-wheel drive luxury sedans, the Lucerne and the DTS. The Lucerne came to me as a 2006 CXL (mid level trim) from Avis for a trip to the beach. I found it odd that they were renting out the CXL since we rented a LeSabre from Avis last year, and it was a Custom (best seller package). The CXL has the leather seats (and the rental had the optional split bench), which really had a strong odor. They added to the standard equipment further with the Harmon Kardon speakers, power sunroof and rear backup sensors. The exterior styling was clean, if not a little too plain. The inter…
Last reply by gm4life, -
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Like GM, views of Toyota range from "I love it" to "They are bland and vanilla"...You must admit that Toyota was climbing to the top of the automotive industry leaving domestic companys in the dust. We saw GM's lowest point in recent years but now it seems that they are finally beginning to pick up the pieces of a weathered company. What does this mean for Toyota?....How far in success can one company go before falling straight to the ground? We can all say that Toyota will probably never hit rockbottom but what happens when the company suffers a downfall...Can it happen soon? Recently, we have seen that GM's newer innovative models are moving up in sales and …
Last reply by bowtie_dude, -
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The grand plan was a separate new service to the house of 200 amps so that the garage would have plenty of power for charging multiple EVs and I would have a separate bill each cycle for knowing what I was spending for EV driving. Waking up in the morning to a full charge of power and never having to stop at a gas station due to having a Level 2, 240-volt home charger is a luxury everyone should have allowing you to smile as you drive by a gas station with folks outside dealing with their fueling. The ultimate perk of EV ownership. I started with reaching out to my local utility and inquiring of the process for a new service. My local utility was more than acco…
Last reply by ccap41, -
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EV-curious. That’s what I would call myself. Someone that is interested in EVs but just hasn’t found the right one. There are many aspects of an EV that is appealing to me. Instant torque, quick acceleration, the ability to charge at your house or apartment, and the continuation of creating semi-autonomous driving. It’s all so exciting! I’m ready to go out and trade in my 2016 Volkswagen GTI for one now! Or am I? Let’s take a quick look at a small field of electric vehicles, starting with the brand new 2020 Porsche Taycan. The release of the 2020 Porsche Taycan is a feat in and of itself. The car itself is downright sexy, is has a handsome interior, and performanc…
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Yeah, try and guess.
Last reply by VenSeattle, -
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Fabulous Flops is a monthly series profiling some of the spectacular failures in the automotive industry. The automotive industry is by nature an innovator, but sometimes those innovative ideas are taken out of the oven before they are done cooking, and others fall victim to poor timing. Today, we are profiling Chrysler's two terrible piston-equipped children, the 2.2L four-cylinder engine and the 2.2L Turbo I four. During the course of automotive history, we've seen automakers take the engineering that goes into building an engine and turn it into something of an art form. The end result usually is nothing short of something brilliant. For example, Ferrari has …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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G.Noble Editor/Reporter CheersandGears.com 27th February, 2012 Fabulous Flops is a monthly series profiling some of the spectacular failures in the automotive industry. The automotive industry is by nature an innovator, but sometimes those innovative ideas are taken out of the oven before they are done cooking, others fall victim to poor timing. Today, we’re going to go after one of those rare flops where the idea was half-baked and still somehow managed to be popular. Since the dawn of the automobile, mankind has found himself thinking of new ways to brave and drive in the elements. After all, driving isn’t the easiest thing to do when it’s pouring an inch of rain e…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Fabulous Flops is a monthly series profiling some of the spectacular failures in the automotive industry. The automotive industry is by nature an innovator, but sometimes those innovative ideas are taken out of the oven before they are done cooking, others fall victim to poor timing. Today we are profiling the delightfully bizzare Renault Avantime. There’s no mistaking that Renault has built some bizarre looking cars during its 113 years in business. Back in the 1950s, Renault rolled out the Colorale, a very butch looking five-door car with optional four-wheel drive meant to compete in Europe’s large family car segment at the time. The 1960s brought about the 8 sedan, wh…
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Feel Good About GM It’s about time An Explicative Automotive Commentary by Tama September 25, 2006 If the recent slew of good news coming out about General Motors from the company and its critics isn’t enough to make you sport an ear-to-ear grin, promptly see yourself away from this article, because it wasn’t written for you. This one is for all those faithful who have waited the months and the years and the decades since GM was last the juggernaut of the auto industry, through every broken promise and half-assed CEO, through the seemingly unending bureaucracy, and through every damned Cavalier, Aztek and CSV. To those faithful, forget the past and look to the future,…
Last reply by GMman, -
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Fleet: The Other “F” Word -Variance May 3, 2006 Fleet sales have been a part of the automotive sales industry for some time. Typically, fleet sales are defined as car sales to companies rather than individual consumers. Rental car companies like Enterprise, Thrifty, etc. are usually the first things that come to mind when people talk about fleet sales. Some cars (more than others) are sold by automakers to fleet companies to contribute to their bottom line. In fact, Hyundai recently announced they were going to increase their sales to fleets in Europe to aid in the company’s growth. Now, some people will say things along the lines of fleet sales don’t count or they …
Last reply by evok, -
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How I would structure General Motors North America. (Broken down into 5 sections) DISCLAIMER: I decided to sit down the other day and try to come up with a pretty cohesive plan for the future of GM given the market and their tough financial situation. My plan is probably a little on the heavy side and might need better focus. But keep in mind; although I put A LOT of thought into it, I didn’t directly research anything. So feel free to post whatever you want about the plan; criticisms, acclaims, adjustments, anything. But just remember, I’m an amateur and it’s a work in progress. SECTION 1: COMPANY & DIVISIONAL GOALS AND NOTES. General Motors: Times are tough r…
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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How I would structure General Motors North America. (Broken down into 5 sections) DISCLAIMER: I decided to sit down the other day and try to come up with a pretty cohesive plan for the future of GM given the market and their tough financial situation. My plan is probably a little on the heavy side and might need better focus. But keep in mind; although I put A LOT of thought into it, I didn’t directly research anything. So feel free to post whatever you want about the plan; criticisms, acclaims, adjustments, anything. But just remember, I’m an amateur and it’s a work in progress. SECTION 1: COMPANY & DIVISIONAL GOALS AND NOTES. General Motors: Times are tough r…
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Last reply by NINETY EIGHT REGENCY, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Energy writer www.cheersandgears.com Ford Earnings and Sales - New CEO issues or a wait and see attitude? Ford stock has tumbled 7% since they released news that 2014 sales would be neutral or down for the year based on weaker sales in Europe and South America. Ford also has stated that North America will be less profitable in 2014 due to investments in new technology and expect operating margins to be 8-10% lower than expected. Stock has gone from a high of 18 dollars in July to just above 14 dollars a share now. Is this due to Alan Mulally leaving? An inexperienced new CEO? Total auto sales for 2014 are expected to be between …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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As you may think from My recent article, I dislike pontiac. I think the opposite! PONTIAC RULES! I have been upset since 2002s end of firebird production, but if the Firebird becomes the performance god it used to be, I will indeed buy one! It will go niceley with my soon to be purchased bonneville(Its my first restoration)! This will be SO AWSOME!!!!! I couldnt wait! Heres my Idea of a firebird trans am! Any opinions on a new firebird? I am going to write an article on why Pontiac needs THIS car for its halo vehicle! Heres the *concept*
Last reply by PurdueGuy, -
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Some of you may remember the traditional Full-size Cars of the 1960s & 1970s.They had big V-8s, RWD, and were well over 200 inches long, usually 210 or higher. Their flaws were their size and their poor gas mileage. The Oil Crisis of the 1970s,the influx of imports like Toyota, Datsun, and Honda, and gov. regulations slammed the brakes on a once thriving segment. Of these cars only the Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, and the Town Car are lone remains of a segment that once dominated autosales for 25 years or more. From 1955 to 1980, 2/3 of all cars sold were considered full-size. During the early 1980s volume collapsed altogether and the top selling cars were all comp…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Drew Dowdell - March 26, 2012 - CheersandGears.com All companies do it. They make outrageous claims about their products in an attempt to sell you something. That is advertising and I accept it. A lot of times, these exaggerations are just playful and funny attempts to sell you on an idea and no one takes the exaggeration seriously. Take for example the Chevy truck ad that ran during the Super Bowl this year. Chevy made the claim that their trucks are so dependable that the truck, along with a box of twinkies, could survive the apocalypse while Dave and his Ford truck couldn’t. Clearly no one is going to hold Chevy to that claim. It was just a funny commercial filled wi…
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Cort Stevens Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com March 21, 2012 Toyota Camry. Honda Accord. Since 1982 and 1976 respectively, these two models have evolved and changed with the times, without enduring a name change. Similar history can be traced for such entries as the Honda Odyssey. The first one wasn't much about which to write, but Honda persevered with the name and developed it into a top seller in its segment. While some examples of continuous monickers don't celebrate similar history, the names have stuck. For instance, the Nissan Quest, first available in 1993 (with a re-badge model sold as the Mercury Villager), is today in its fourth generation even though …
Last reply by knightfan26917, -
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G. Noble Editor/Reporter CheersandGears.com 28th February, 2012 It’s now official; the majority of my generation — Generation Y — has a deep-rooted dislike for the automobile. Unlike our parents from the Baby Boomer and Generation X age brackets, we no longer associate cars with our own independence. Instead, smartphones and laptops have become symbols of autonomy in my generation. I’ll admit that it didn’t exactly make sense to me when I first caught wind of it. I’m a ripe 21 years-old, which almost puts me smack dab in the middle of Generation Y, and I personally love cars. It’s always been that way since I discovered the ability to talk and walk. As a boy, I grew…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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General Motors on the Advertising Attack -VarianceJ30 October 25, 2005 GM has released some impressive products as of late: *The totally overhauled Chevy Impala complete with a SS version with a 303-horsepower V8... *The Miata-fighting Pontiac Solstice roadster... *Not to mention the current king of the hill, the Chevy Corvette Z06. However, as it is with most any product, they all require one key element to aid sales (ok, the Z06 probably needs no help)... ...advertisement. Advertisement is the means through which companies showcase their products to the public. This is done via television, radio, newsprint, and radio. General Motors spends $…
Last reply by AAS, -
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Get Your Priorities Straight A Tama Article February 12, 2006 When the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon made their midsize debut in late 2003, they were touted by General Motors as the most powerful and most fuel efficient trucks in the class. As unlucky timing prevailed, rival midsize trucks outgrew, outmuscled and outsized the GM twins, leaving them as the most fuel efficient trucks in class by a slim margin. Today, the Toyota Tacoma continues to run away with the segment sales lead. Dodge has introduced a refreshed Dakota, replete with the most powerful engine in the segment. More and more, the 355 twins are looking like the oldest trucks in the class, if only by a few…
Last reply by RoadmaSSter, -
GM to UAW: Deal or No Deal?
by Guest Josh- 7 replies
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Is The Buy-Out That Big Of An Offer? On paper, the buy-out that General Motors is offering to it’s 113,000 U.S. workforce looks pretty attractive. Workers with nearly 30 or 30 year or more are being offered a buy-out settlement of $35,000 plus full pension payout including benefits. Sounds like a tantalizing offer, does it not? Just think of what you could do with that $35,000. Where you could go? What you could buy? Imagine what college your child or daughter could go to with $35,000 sitting in the bank. Sounds good, no great doesn’t it? General Motors and the UAW want you to think so. However, I say not so fast. Lets take a look at this $35,000. First thing’…
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GM Versus the Media -VarianceJ30 December 13, 2005 --- For a while now, it has been the opinion of many a GM fan that the General’s products for the most part do not get a fair shake in the American media and that import vehicles are lauded much more with little exception. GM products are scrutinized more heavily and the company’s management and recall issues are played up more. Rarely does a GM vehicle place first in comparison they appear to be subject to more “cheap shots” by journalists. The media as a whole though, seems to keep quiet when it comes to the company’s accomplishments (product and otherwise). Why does this appear to be the case? Well, I deci…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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GM vs Toyota 1 2
by tama z71- 1 follower
- 51 replies
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Foreign Autos Strangle Domestic Economy During an interview taken in the 1950s, former General Motors CEO Charles Wilson delivered the famous quote, “What’s good for GM is good for America.” Fifty years later, that bold statement holds as true as ever. However, 50 years later, GM is no longer the automotive juggernaut that it once was, and what is now bad for GM is proving to be bad for America, too. Whatever the cause for decline in American automotive dominance, GM has lost nearly half the market share it had thirty years ago, and that number continues to fall today. The losses have reached into the pockets of GM’s longtime rivals as well, as Ford Motor has experienc…
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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General Motors Preserving America’s Last Big Business A Tama Article March 28, 2006 General Motors A perfect storm of business and economic factors has brewed at a time when General Motors is already facing an internal revolution. These forces threaten to tear the company down in the midst of its largest ever corporate and product restructuring. Of these factors, the American media has done what no other rival nation ever could – they have created a culture of self-defeatism that inclines American consumers to dismiss the products built within their borders. Combine this national mentality with fearsome and well-managed foreign firms, and our economy, the most open i…
Last reply by tama z71,
