Opinion
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Toyota: Moving Forward...Entirely Too Fast -Variance July 18, 2006 As you may have heard today, yet another recall has been issued for Toyota vehicles. Over 400,000 vehicles worldwide were recalled for a faulty part that can cause an engine to cease functioning. 150,000 of the recalled were in overseas (outside of Japan) markets, predominantly in North America. Among the affected are the Corolla, Echo, and Prius. Now normally, I don’t see a big deal in recalls; they happen to the best of companies and no one is immune to them. However, lately it seems Toyota has got recall SARS or botulism or something. Toyota, Dude, What the F*ck Barbeque? The above-mentioned rec…
Last reply by MRDETROITMETAL, -
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Posted 02 August 2016 - 12:08 PM G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Rip Off or Compliment? Today MSN Auto asked and posted the following pictures on what people thought about one OEM auto company copying another OEM Auto company. This is very common in China where independent Chinese auto companies pretty much buy and clone every part in a established brand and sell it with no recourse or intellectual protection from the government for the name brands in comparison to markets like Europe and the US. 69 Mustang versus 73 Toyota Celica Bentley versus Lincoln Hummer Versus Dongfeng who still makes this Hummer rip…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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10,000 miles. 365 days. 1 Truck. 2004 GMC Canyon Z71 One-Year Update A Tama Review Accurate assessments of the GMC Canyon have been few and far between. More power! Bigger cabin! Isuzu? These and other cries of misinformation would leave the media sheep to believe that this little piss-bucket is yet another sign of GM’s inability to shake its old ways. Despite having been on the market since December of 2003, this truck has been misrepresented even by those who would defend it. The constant flow of inaccuracies about the GMT-355 twins pains me, and it pains me to the point where I feel the need to forego hour’s worth of study hall time this past week…
Last reply by jmore1276, -
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here is how i would fix GM.. feel free to comment on any of my ideas!! let me first start with Chevrolet.. Chevrolet: Aveo: the 2007 redesign helps alot, but i would add a hot 3 door hatchback, also id add a "RS" model, avalible in the sedan and 3 door it would be powered by the 145 hp 2.2L ecotec.. Cobalt: add a hybrid model, offer a AWD version with a 250hp turbo 4cyl to take on the imports, change the sedans rear tailights to make them round like the coupe.. offer better interior appointments even if you have to raise the price $500.00!! drop the 2.2L ecotec from the coupes and make the 2.4L ecotec standard.. the sedan would still offer the 2.2L Malibu: a…
Last reply by buyacargetacheck, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Outrageous SUVs Since the death of Hummer and Fords original Expedition suv that tree huggers called the Exxon Valdez many have thought we finally left the crazy SUVs behind. In reality we only moved them up stream to the 1% class and the Enterprise Business that could justify spending the money on a vehicle that could go anywhere on planet earth. The SUV craze has changed into a watered down CUV craze. Most drivers never took them off road so a more road comfy awd cuv has become the 21st century craze. Yet here in the 21st century we still have hard core SUVs that are so capable, crazy…
Last reply by ccap41, -
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In an article in the Sunday, March 25, 2007 edition of Parade supplement the is a column called, "Intelligence Report" written by Lyric Wallwork Winik (it says), and alleges to be a report from abroad. It says, "Europe: "No" to foreign cars Americans have embraced Japanese cars to the point where U.S. automakers like Ford and General Motors are fighting for their lives. Not the Europeans. Most show great loyalty to their own nationalities when it comes to buying a new set of wheels. In Germany, the 10 best-selling cars are all German. In France, nine of the top ten are French-made. Three of the five most-popular cars in Italy are made by Fiat, an Italian firm. And in…
Last reply by rkmdogs, -
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I just came back from holidays in Hawaii. While there I had 3 rentals cars, this one being a V6 Mustang convertible. Over the years I have had my lisence (16.5 years), I have driven and rented many cars. I have never been so disapointed with any car I was with this piece of garbage! Hey GM! You have a real low target to aim for--a V6 Camaro can easily be better then this car. Closing my eyes I felt I was driving a 1980 Mustang. The steering was vauge and lifeless, the brakes spongy, the handling was a joke!! What other cars come with 65 series tires??? Sure some cars have 185/65 but 225/65??? Thats from the 80's!! Powertrian: It sounds like a Deer tractor---as asmat…
Last reply by CARBIZ, -
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SECTION 2: PLATFORMS & SUBSEQUENT MODELS *** Before anyone gets too worked up, please see the explanation behind some of these decisions in section 3. *** The way I see it, GM can operate on 9 (Maybe fewer) global architectures. Here is the GMNA line up based on the nine I would refine and re-engineer for the future. Gamma: Engineered to provide much better and a wider variety of cars here than the current Aveo. Idealistically this platform will be AWD capable. 1) Chevrolet Beat (5 door) 2) Chevrolet Groove (wagon) 3) Pontiac G4 (3 door) 4) Saturn Corsa (5 door and convertible) 5) Saab 9-1 (3 door & wagon) Delta: Basically Delta II 1) Chevrolet…
Last reply by Argen, -
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I propose a plan to revive our Domestic Automakers home field advantage as well as give our Automakers a strategic advantage in other markets. 1) Restrict sales of foreign automakers to the sales of American automakers in that nation. Ex. If Detroit sells 1,000,000 cars in Germany, German automakers can only sell 1,000,000 vehicles in the US. Since we have the largest auto market of any of the homelands of the major automakers, we will have a major advantage in global sales. If other nations try to counter our restrictions by lowering the number of vehicles we can sell there, it will just hurt their own automakers here. This will encourage stubborn mark…
Last reply by CMG, -
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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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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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Germany. Known for impeccable engineering, German vehicles usually have cutting-edge technology and are status symbols. Sweden. The Swedish are known for safety, and even though the only brand from Sweden is Volvo, they want to have a sleek design while making vehicles easy to drive. South Korea. In my opinion, South Korea is doing a great job with their vehicles. Creating Genesis as a stand-alone brand was genius because they can have vehicles close to or competing with the Germans while costing thousands of dollars less. What vehicles did I choose from these three countries? First, we have the Genesis G70. The particular G70 I am talking about is the G70 3.3T. It c…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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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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Boy did this guy nail the topic right on the head! Go read: http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/...192.A11746.html The only point he missed is the one about ego satisfaction. That is where some of the pundits who comment here are stuck!
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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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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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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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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We picked April 15th because President Trump’s tariffs amount to one of the largest single increases in taxes on the American People in history. The tariffs which, if fully implemented, will raise $1.4 trillion in revenue, an increase per household of $1,900 to $7,600 per year. Trump's tariff policies change daily, sometimes hourly, so as always, this information is correct for at least 15 minutes after publication. Each Tuesday we will cover how these tariffs will impact the auto industry in specific ways and review the tariff news from the past week. Prediction: Affordable Sports Cars are Dead Sports cars, coupes, and convertibles, are already suffering …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Phase Out Pontiac to save Buick and GM: Can Pontiac adjust? Or more importantly, can the public adjust to the new image of Pontiac? Pontiac has called itself the brand that drives excitement, but truthfully, it lacks any such excitement. I mean:the Grand Prix as a performance car? Come On! It is a masked vehicle most youths would never want, the stodgy, yet elegant in my opinion, Buick LaCrosse. These days the brand uses hyperbole to sell,and not in a limited amount, I mean calling a V6 a powerful engine is normal, but saying sleek styling, performance bred engines, is over the top! The main reason Pontiacs arent selling is the fact that they are no longer performance…
Last reply by Chicagoland, -
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Cheers and Gears Podcast #2: Loose Screws and Nuts Hello and welcome to the second C&G Podcast! Our weekly podcast comes to you on the second week of July, only a month and a half after the first one! In this episode many important things were discussed...I'm pretty sure. We've provided for you a rundown of what we're discussing and when, so you can skip around if you don't feel like listening to everything. In our new Craigslist Finds segment, we pick out some of the more..interesting finds in our area and talk about them. The links will be provided below so that you too may marvel at the horrors wonders of the classifieds. 0:00-1:11 - Bull$h&…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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My Ideal GM by Justin Brock The following hopes, wishes, assumptions are all based upon information and speculation from some of C&Gs insider sources, as well as my own hopes for the future of General Motors. This is purely speculative and is almost entirely my opinion. From what has been told from sources here at this site, Croc and evok, there are no plans currently for a future G6. What this can possibly mean is that GM may be moving Pontiac away from directly competing with the Japanese Big 3. I'm hoping that it may possibly mean a future Pontiac division riding entirely on RWD architectures, though thats purely speculative and maybe a bit too hopeful on my …
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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SECTION 5: PERFORMANCE & SPECIALTY MODELS: Gone are the days of slapping a performance logo on a product simply because you made improvements to the product that bring it UP TO PAR with the class (Equinox Sport, G6 GXP, Lucerne Super, etc.) Each division, except Chevrolet, will have a more focused line up of ‘specialty models’ This will elevate the desire to own the products and give the divisions more individual identity to market. As for Chevrolet, well, they are the volume division so they’ll get more specialty vehicles than any other division to simply cover the market and better establish their branding (Just in case the divisional structure implodes some day…
Last reply by Aura XR, -
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GM's E85 efforts are clearly being noticed, so much that even my biology teacher, who's this uber-liberal granola woman in her sixties, started talking about an Avalanche ad excitedly: "Wow, have you seen it?! I've always wanted a cute little truck; gosh, I'm going to buy one right away when we get an ethanol station. Are Chevy cars any good? They are? Good, as long as they're not Fords. I once nearly burned in a Ford...." and so on. I refrained from breaking the news to her, that the Avalanche is hardly "cute" or "little", and that it gets 11 MPG city on E85. I can only imagine the disappointment when she and millions of other consumers find out. At the moment, the ads…
Last reply by PurdueGuy, -
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Popping out at SEMA, Henneessey doubles down on building the quickest & fastest car in the world. Bugatti; take heed. 7.4TT V8, 1600 HP / 1300 TRQ, 2950 lbs. 0-186 in less than 10 seconds, 0-250-0 in less than 30. Top speed : 301. For reference, the previous Venom GT already eclipsed Bugatti back in 2014, having been clocked at 270.49 MPH. Bugatti is said to still be working on it's response. Now it needs an upgraded response. Perhaps they might start off by building a supercar that doesn't weigh 5000 lbs. Slated production is 24 units, at $1.6 million per for the 'base' car.
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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Hello all, First, I am still alive. I have been battling health issues since around the 4th of July and the doctors just NOW decided to draw blood which kinda frustrates me. Hopefully I will start feeling better once they figure out what is wrong with me. Now to all the mods out there, what is to follow please move if you deem it appropriate for GM to see because I am very upset right now. I have been a NASCAR fan since 1993. I was immediately drawn to the number 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet that Dale Earnhardt drove because of the sponsor, the number and the color of the car. I was an Earnhardt fan after that and I still proudly display a Goodwrench/Earnhardt licence pla…
Last reply by knightfan26917, -
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Oh Give Me a Home, Where the Saturns all Roam And the Auras and Outlooks all Play... By Brian Dreggors Establishing a brand identity today goes beyond merely styling cars a certain way. Effectively communicating your intentions for a product starts at manufacturing and ends when the vehicle is being purchased. To that end, retailers play a paramount role in the car buying experience. As the local representative for the manufacturer, they are the first to leave a good impression and also the first to leave a bad taste in one's mouth. Its often said a good dealer can sell a bad car, but not vice-versa and having good dealers is what Saturn is all about. This isn't to say …
Last reply by sciguy_0504, -
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King Carlos (and a ravenous media) may be at it again A Tama Article November 1, 2006 The following excerpt is from a BusinessWeek article that suggests a solution to Chrysler's recent woes... Chrysler is in a mess again, and there are calls for the messiah of flagging car companies to come to the rescue. Guess who? If its not Carlos Ghosn, it's not a turnaround controversy. Since the romance with GM is over, and Ford shut it down before it could even begin, Carlos would be forced to turn to the American car company with the least appealing satchel of assembly plants and bothersome union obligations, Chrysler. This would not be the first time King Carlos has trie…
Last reply by carman21, -
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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 Argen, -
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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, -
Last reply by balthazar,
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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, -
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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So we now know some of what’s been going on inside the Tech Center and Ren Cen for more than likely many months. Half of the North American brands wearing that chrome GM badge will be sold, cut, or put in a coma. At least GM’s starting to be a little gracious now that it’s strangled most of its brands nearly to death. Honestly, step into a GM showroom right now. Name at least two vehicles from each brand that could be considered desirable from the mass public. Oh, and don’t let me forget to wish you good luck. Cadillac has much going for it just with the CTS and its upcoming variations. The Escalade is okay at best, and the DTS and STS are FWD subpar boats. The XLR is…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
The Solstice GXP Will Add Volume
by Guest Josh- 7 replies
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When General Motors revealed the 2006 Solstice GXP to the world shortly after midnight and into a hopefully better year than ‘05 it garnered the utmost of attention from enthusiasts around the Internet. The sleek, sporty, most successful GM launch since the “Lutz-era” began has sparked a firestorm of Solstii’s since it’s first initial build in August of ‘05. Since then, deliveries have reached as far up to V.I.N. 9,000 and above. While others report that the Solstice is still projected to build “only 20k units per year” I’d kindly like to argue that point. Considering the fact that the 2006 Pontiac Solstice was projected at 20k units per year before the GXP is one glarin…
Last reply by Teh Ricer Civic!, -
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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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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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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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Nothing could have prepared Quick Quack Car Wash employees for the moment when a 94 year-old man suddenly careened through their Sacramento, California business last Friday. Security cameras captured the carnage as the elderly driver's white Oldsmobile sedan barrelled through the automated wash lane at speeds of up to 40 mph, risking the lives of employees and damaging equipment. After narrowly missing a Honda Civic, the driver's wash from hell abruptly ended after slamming into a car wash vacuum, the Oldsmobile curiously landing arrow-straight in an immediate parking space after impact. The driver of the Oldsmobile accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brakes, …
Last reply by Sharpner46, -
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In response to this on autoextremist.com http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/345 The "Anti-Detroit Go-To Guy" Talks Back First, to really understand this post you must read a short paragraph at autoextremist.com. Just follow the link and read the second paragraph (hint: it starts out saying "Edmunds.com"). Now, the various points Peter DeLorenzo is attempting to make really boil down to this: A. He thinks Edmunds should have picked more domestics for the 2007 Most Wanted winnners B. He thinks the list of winners is a clear reflection of my personal "anti-Detroit" bias Let's examine these points, shall we? 1. On the question of how we pick our winners, the process is a…
Last reply by aaaantoine, -
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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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<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:…
Last reply by RjION, -
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Sometimes, it's good to put things into perspective. Case in point: Last week I had the good fortune of riding in my friend Craig's 36 Ford sedan. This is a project that he has been working for the past few years and for the most part it's finish - just some slight paintwork and a few other odds and ends. Sitting in this car was a throwback. An example was the seats - they felt springy and cushy, not firm and supportive like modern cars. The dash is just painted metal with a set of dials and knobs. Your only source of ventilation? Opening the windows or lifting a latch behind the hood. If you want the access the trunk? Lift up the back seat. As for the ride itself, it f…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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SECTION 3: DIVISIONAL BREAKDOWN: This section is meant to kind of segment the vehicles on a size and status basis and breakdown why specific vehicles are on specific platforms. Chevrolet: is the volume division and as a result needs to remain relatively neutral in its offerings, for the most part. By that I mean, user friendly and value based, not boring and de-contented. The meat of the line up needs to be attractive basic transportation for anyone. 1) Beat & Groove: Basic transportation with no extravagance. No performance models, those belong at Pontiac. 2) Cruze, HHR & Orlando: Cruze and Orlando need to be best quality and value in the class. HHR; sam…
Last reply by dwightlooi, -
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The Land of the Rising Sun Readies New Auto's. Autonews has been running a series on Japan Future Product and even built the following timeline. As the five year product pipeline based on Autonews compilation of rumors and facts they have come up with these nine that are to be their exciting products to look forward too. Do you agree or do you think there is something missing? #9 2017 Nissan Maxima #8 2016 Toyota Prius (Spy shots courtesy Autoblog) #7 2017 Honda Ridgeline #6 2015 Honda HR-V #5 2016 Lexus GS-F (Spy shots courtesy MotorAuthority) #4 2015 Lexus RC #3 2017 Honda Civic #2 2018 Toyota Supra #1 201…
Last reply by smk4565, -
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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…
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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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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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In response to this on autoextremist.com http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/345 The "Anti-Detroit Go-To Guy" Talks Back First, to really understand this post you must read a short paragraph at autoextremist.com. Just follow the link and read the second paragraph (hint: it starts out saying "Edmunds.com"). Now, the various points Peter DeLorenzo is attempting to make really boil down to this: A. He thinks Edmunds should have picked more domestics for the 2007 Most Wanted winnners B. He thinks the list of winners is a clear reflection of my personal "anti-Detroit" bias Let's examine these points, shall we? 1. On the question of how we pick our winners, the process is a…
Last reply by 79VetteZ06, -
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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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It was a night like any-other an uneventful stroll around town and I saw it my first Turd up close. It was sitting in a driveway next to a Buick LaX... Intresting I thought. Anyways as I am snopping the owner walks out the front door and says so you like my truck. I say well I am in the market (lie) and just wanted to see one up close. The guy then being a 30 something macho man goes on to say that it'll out tow a Ford SD or Silverado HD. I soon find myself at a loss for words... I said oh really, he said yeah on youtube you see Tundra's (Turds) all the time strapped to a Chevy and each truck trys to pull the other damaging the drive-shaft and so on. I said sir could it r…
Last reply by gm4life, -
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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…
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Tariff Tuesday is the day where we cover how President Trump’s tariffs, if fully enacted, will impact the auto industry, increase costs, and limit consumer choice. We started this series on April 15, Tax Day for those in the United States, because Trump’s tariffs amount to one of the largest single increases in taxes on the American People. The tariffs which, if fully implemented, will raise $1.4 trillion in revenue, and increase costs per household between $1,900 to $7,600 per year. Manufacturers are shuffling their decks Since the Trump tariffs have gone into place, automobile manufacturers have been rushing to shift production to avoid tariffs and reciprocal…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Lighten Up Guys November 8, 2007 Let’s say you’re an upstart car company. You’ve got all the financial, production and distribution portions of your business taken care of. You decide to make a splash in a market that seems to sell a thousand variations of what is essentially the same product. How do you stand out? You stand for fun. You put on a successful and overwhelming media blitz that says, “Hey, drive our cars, because you’ll enjoy it.” And how do you deliver on the promise of fun? Give your car a three speed automatic transmission, source a Briggs & Stratton for your powerplant, and, citing safety and structural concerns, have your project tip the scal…
Last reply by tama z71, -
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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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Everyone seems positve here. Im positive about some of the new stuff, Im also not too impressed with a bit of it either. Whats bothering me is, Im hearing all the dealerships around here advertising blow out sales to get rid of 06 inventory. They seem to be giving them away. O% interest again, up to $6000 off some Cadillac models, ect. So Im courious about sales. Ive seen no figures but yet everyone seems to claim all is going well. Anyone have sales comparisions through Aug. with say models two years back or more ? Im a bit sceptical. edit: this may need moving, its not an artical, I didnt know where to put it and didnt want it in the lounge
Last reply by zete, -
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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
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Guys, check this out. What a great read. Article by Ed Wallace. http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/...paign_id=search
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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SAME CONCEPT across different makes/COOs. #inarut
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Jerome Flint Strikes Back--Booing the Home Team There you have it folks.
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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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, -
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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…
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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 Camino LS6, -
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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…
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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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The Great GM Drama A Tama Editorial/Fictionalization July 19, 2006 Well, it has been quite the eventful few weeks around here, hasn't it? What with the recent attempts by Japan Inc. to plant their flag in GM before each other, and the requisite media sheepery that follows, I thought I would do my part and offer my own view of the Great GM Drama, in typical smartass style. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Letter, from Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn to General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner. June 30, 2006 Dear Richard, Hello! I was just on my way back to Japan after single-handedly rescuing the entire third grade of a burning el…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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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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So I was looking over Chevy's website a while ago, especially the page about the Trailblazer SS. Now I think that everybody realizes that the Trailblazer SS is about the best SS you can get currently, with RWD and the Corvette V-8 and such. Over base price, the TB SS costs an extra $6275, plus tax. For what it gives you, it is an incredible deal, making it (in my opinion) a true SS. However, the other SS's don't fare so well. For a Malibu SS, which upgrades you from an 144 hp ecotec to a 240 hp 3.9L V-6, it costs $6255, or basically the same amount as the TB SS. Wouldn't it just be a lot easier to put in the Solstice GXP's turbo for the same amount that it is in t…
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My 2 cents
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My Blog
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Article from Automotive News. http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...0/1078&refsect=
Last reply by Snate, -
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Once upon a time the GM empire conquered the world. Since the 1930s, GM had ruled its mighty global empire with iron will. An ideology of Sloanism had established undeniable order to the land. Chevrolet ws the entry brand. Pontiac was the youth oriented brand that exemplified style & sportiness. Oldsmobile was the premium brand that was for Chevrolet owners that wanted to show they have arrived. Buick was also a youth oriented brand like Pontiac however, they were pricier and more luxurious than anyother brand exept Cadillac. Finally, Cadillac was the Crown on the GM thrown. Cadillac literally defined luxury and was in a class of its own. Then, suddenly fueled by j…
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Discuss the podcast here!
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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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The theme of this year's Detroit Auto Show was all about performance. A number of the showings from BMW to Subaru were high performance models of varying degrees. But there were some other surprises to make their way into the show. Which ones made the honor roll and which ones need to see me after the show? Its time for a Cheers & Gears' Report Card. Acura TLX Concept: B- This was a model I was excited for because I wanted to see how Acura would combine the TL and TSX. The results as shown in this thinly-veiled concept have me worried. Most of this comes down to design as it reminds of the ILX in a bigger package. Not sure if that what's Acura had in mind with desig…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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Hyperautoenthusia -Variance January 25, 2005 The 2005+ Pontiac GTO. The 2002+ Infiniti Q45. The 2006+ BMW M6. The 1996 Chevy Impala SS. The 2007 Saturn Sky. The 1997 Kia Sephia. What do you suppose all of these cars have in common? They are all cars that I’d like to own one day. (Ok, not the Kia. That was just a sick joke.) There are many more cars I’d like to have, too. I have what is known as “hyperautoenthusia” (HA). Those infected ail from a distinct love of various automobiles and the desire to own them all. Symptoms include perusing automobile forums, car manufacturer web sites, eBay Motors and the like all day; taking note of the make and model of every car y…
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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Per reporting by state news agencies like King 5, a bill is being discussed today, Thursday February 3rd, 2022. This bill which has been done via Pilot Programs starting back in 2017 would eventually replace Gas Tax with a Road Tax. House Bill 2026 in Washington State would mandate the Department of Licensing to establish an early adoption program that would require registered owners of electric vehicles to pay a fee of 2.5 cents per mile beginning July 1st, 2025. Participant would be mandatory for all new electric vehicles and voluntary for older current electric vehicles on the road. Hybrids would be allowed to voluntarily participate in the program on July 1s…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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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…
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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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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com In looking through GM's web site for interesting information, I came across the following story. Five Reasons Silverado V6 is The Little Engine That Can As this story states, the recently updated EcoTec3 V6 equipped Silverado is accountable for 20% of sales in North America. This is a 15% increase over last generations model. GM goes on to quote the following five reasons for this growth. 1) Purpose built for pickup use with class leading standard torque and towing. 2014 4.3L V6 EcoTec3 has 285 horsepower, 305lb-ft of torque. 2) For returning customers, comparable performance with much…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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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…
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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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This section of C&G is restricted and all posts must be approved by the staff before they appear! So, when posting here, please be aware that your post will not appear until one of the staff checks in to approve recent posts. Please do not repost expecting to see your post immediately - it just makes more work for the staff member when they stop in to maintain this forum. Thanks.
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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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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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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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…
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It all started out on a day when my suspension was making a funny clunking noise at low speeds, about two weeks ago. I've talked some other G6 owners, and it was actually a bulletin, so I took her in. I brought the TSB number along with me, just to speed things up and help them out. First off, the guy didn't really pay too much concern, and started dissing me off with like "yeah we have those things already", and wasn't really letting me express my concern. Then it's the standard routine, looking up if there's other work to be done. Turns out that there's a huge list, ranging from brake maintenance and annual service. However, these were actually done, when I was in Water…
Last reply by ToniCipriani, -
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Tired of the Voom, Voom, Voom of a performance Borla exhaust, the wife asked for a new ride. This is my journey of what I experienced in working to buy/lease an EV in 2024. Let me first start off by saying that I am in no way a normal sized human. At 6 foot 6 inches 300 lbs with a 40 inch long legs, I am much larger and big bone than most Americans. My wife being of Korean descent is also larger than most at 5 foot 8 inches compared to the average female height of 5 foot in Korea. The USA census has the average female at 5 foot 4 inches tall and the average male at 5 foot 9 inches tall. With this knowledge of size, subcompacts, compacts are totally out of the questio…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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I have read all the glom and doom in the press, and I think it's time for a different perspective. I admit that Ford, and gm do have some problem right now, but I think there's reason for hope. For Gm Fans, the new full size SUVs seem to be getting great press, and I think they will do well. I think GM is Very smart in offering its first hybrid in a full size SUV. I mean more people still but full size SUVs than Prisuses. The second ray of hope for gm is their lambda crossovers. If they build the Enclave as is styling wise, this will help turn around Buick. They appear to be good complents to the Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade. The biggest star for gm could be Satu…
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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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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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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…
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SECTION 4: THE SALES CHANNELS This section is meant to provide an illustration of the stair step effect, size and price relationship of each channel. It’s simple brainstorming and nothing technical. So don’t harass me too much if it’s way off. Chevrolet channel: Chevrolet 1) Beat & Groove 2) Cruze, HHR & Orlando 3) Malibu & Camaro 4) Corvette, Impala & Volt (Up here because of price and status) Chevy Trucks 1) Colorado & El Camino 2) Equinox 3) Traverse 4) Silverado & Silverado HD 5) Suburban Pontiac, Buick & GMC Channel: Pontiac & Buick 1) G4 2) G5 & Vibe 3) G6, GTO & Delta Buick 4) Lacrosse, …
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com My CT6 & XT5 Personal Experience So this is my experience after spending 1hr, 30 min with both a brand new XT5 and CT6 from Doug's Cadillac in North Seattle. This is my home dealership and they have always taken care of me. We finally have gotten the new CT6 and XT5 into the Greater Seattle area. Brad my sales rep called me up thursday afternoon to inform me they had 3 of the CT6 and 3 of the XT5 that got delivered that day and would be ready for driving friday. I called my parents and wife to see if they wanted to go check them out and of course they did. So at 2pm friday afternoon, m…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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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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The past couple of weeks at the Cheers & Gears Detroit Garage has been interesting for the past couple of weeks. Last week saw a Fiat 500C Abarth and the week before was a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR. During a conversation with a colleague of mine, the question was asked which car would I feel more comfortable in pushing. The answer I gave surprised him when I said that I would take the 500. My reasoning for this choice comes down to this; the Lancer Evolution has a lot more exploitation available thanks to computer wizardry and a powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine. You can corner much faster and go a lot quicker than in many vehicles, which can make you f…
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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 …
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Horsepower Meets Hertz -Variance September 20, 2006 No, this isn’t an article about the Shelby Mustang GT-H. Rather, it’s a look at the state of technology in vehicles today. Me, I’m a bit of a tech head. I want the latest and fastest computer. I want a big plasma screen TV. I can take pictures on my thin cell phone while talking on my Bluetooth headset. I love seeing and experiencing advances in technology because to me new technology – in most cases -- means progress and if there’s one thing I like, it is progress. (I’ll come back to my “in most cases” caveat later.) In addition to being a technology fan, I also consider myself a car enthusiast. So when there’s n…
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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…
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Instrument Clusters, What is the Future? July 9th the latest in OLED Instrument Clusters was released by Visteon Corporation. This allows a whole new design to what dashes can be by reducing weight, size and increasing design options. This is just the start of where they believe we will see auto design move over the next 10 years. OLED New Auto Instrument Cluster Visteon Corporation is also one of many cutting edge companies with autonomous driving solutions. They also offer infotainment systems, connected audio, connectivity and telematics of auto performan…
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